Oh Yeah I did the hair! I amazed even myself. Considering all I ever do for myself is a ponytail.

What a night. The girls had a father/daughter dance at school so not only did they get all gussied up to go, but our neighbor and friends rented a limo and let them ride along! Watch out future boyfriends. The standards are pretty high!

Side note: Craig just told me when they got there they had to check in by last name and since he wasn't sure how I RSVP (through bekah or anna's class) he started with the A's for Rebekah Anthony. At which point Anna declared (adequately loud enough for all to hear) her name wasn't Anthony her name was Randall and to go find the 'R' line!

Side-side note: Despite the fact that Anna looks miserable in all the pictures she was so excited she was practically jumping off the walls!

It's just too cold when the frost is on the inside of the door! And your heating bill runs in the $500 range (so much for getting ahead! LOL) Those of you in South Dakota can sympathize and those of you in Alabama I know are just green with envy!

mom colten randall

Apparently I use his whole name way too much! Not only do I call Kaid by his whole name, but often I mess up and use Kaids middle name for Quinns middle name too. Now he thinks you say (fill in your name) Colten Randall anytime you really want emphasis.

Thoughts on Babysitters

Every 4 weeks I get 25 minutes to myself (usually I don't even have to take the baby with me). I go to the beauty salon and get my eyebrows waxed. yahoo! Today I went and came back before Craig had to be at work, ok... then Kaid looks at me and says "mom, your gonna babysit us?!" Uhhhhhhh No, this is my parental responsibility, but really how is today 'babysitting' any different from the 364 other days in the year that I am with you? Why, in your mind am I a babysitter today? Do you expect more out of me - more playing, more conversation and less work - less laundry, less dishes done? Just curious why am I a babysitter today instead of a mom?

Just Imagine

OK, so we did all the usual Christmas stuff - it just seems that Craig always has one baby and I always have the other so we don't get to documenting too much of it... That being said, Some friends went with us to chop down a Christmas tree (on the coldest day of the year) at this great Christmas tree farm, we had sleigh rides and hot cocoa and I made a point to remember the camera - and now just imagine that Craig and I are in this picture instead of our friends and that there are a few more kids standing there. Our tree looked about the same as their tree, we all had on a lot of scarves and hats and gloves so that's about the same... but unfortunately we totally forgot to take a single picture of Christmas (any of it!) Oh how I cracked myself up when I realized that I (queen of picture taking) have no pictures of Christmas 2008.

'Does Jesus love giants?' This coming from the boy who is constantly acting like a pirate.

Christmas

Craigs very special gift from Santa was Rock Band (I worked really, really hard to keep it a surprise! I agonized over it! I hid the evidence at Merry Maids, I made a midnight run to pick it up so it would take him off gaurd, I had the neighbor lie to him about his 'lame gift' this year - Craig fell for it because I do have a tendency to get lame gifts. Then on Christmas morning he hardly acknowleded it. He said he was more excited to see the kids excited over their gifts (sweet, but I was waiting for him to show his utter amazement that I pulled this surprise off!) Anyway, the video is a crack up!

This kid totally cracks me up! He went into Bekah and Anna's room and opened up the Amoire of American Girl Doll stuff, found this hat and then comes walking out and started playing with his trains. He wore this dumb hat for hours! Today he saw his bright green dinosour hat on the way out the door to church, so he put it on and wore it all day at church - sacrament, nursery and then home again. He always makes me have a good laugh.

getting dolled up and hitting the town

Let me interpret.

Getting Dolled Up = borrowing your 6 year old's head band (which is a step-up from the usual pony tail) and your 10 year old's liplicious lip gloss (because your lipstick has been spread all over the mirror in good old fashioned fun and you have yet to replace it)

Hitting the Town = going to church with 5 small kids by yourself and wanting to hit the bar for a few drinks when it's all over.

Really does life get any better?

This cute little guy

Sweet Kaid...it doesn't matter where we are Kaid points to the jewelry and shows me all the pieces he will buy me for my birthday. This happened both before and after my birthday and still continues well past my birthday and Christmas and the new year... It doesn't matter if we are passing a high end jewelry store or the dollar store he always finds something he will 'buy me for my birthday.' Well, here is the treasures I got for Christmas (too bad the only shopping he got to do was at the elf shelf at school (ya know everything under a dollar!) He must be the sweetest boy on this earth!

uhhh, I thought socks and under ware were the worst Christmas gifts ever! Apparently I was wrong - these socks and - uh unmentionables entertained them all evening!

open to suggestions

OK, today was one of those days that lasted only 24 hours, but seemed to be about 600 hours long. I'm talking the house had been cleaned and destroyed twice, 5 kids had a bath/shower for various reasons, breakfast had been made and put away and then made again, wet pants had been changed at least 3 times, books had been read in anticipation for naps only to find out it was still too early for naps, fights had been broken up and peace restored (last count 74,849 times) a load of laundry in, out and folded, wii used, webkinz used, movie time used, too cold for outside time, board game played, oh and my sister flew from slc to portland and drove an hour home... - and then I looked at the clock and it was only 12:00! Craig still has 8 hours left in his shift and I am at a loss as to what to do with the kids! When does school resume? I am definitly open to suggestions!!!!!! What do you mothers out there do on these never ending days to ensure a happy, loving home? Tell me please! Oh yeah, and what are you cooking for dinner? (Always open to suggestions there!)