Lucky Thirteen and Counting

I love this picture.  He has the BEST smile.  We had just made it home from dinner at Olive Garden, we were so full we couldn't move, we moaned and groaned the entire ride home.  When we walked in the door, the maids surprised him with a homemade cake.  He didn't eat it, there was no way he could have physically even had a bite, but the rest of the kids were thrilled about it!  

Happy Birthday Jayden.

Bronson's BFF Tory Jones came to visit.  I LOVE Tory.  Tory and Brons have been friends since Junior year.  She lives in Texas, but was auditioning in Hollywood this week…. She took a day off to come up and play.  

Thanks for entertaining my boy.  Please come back soon!    

Sailor is four months old!  I try and take pictures on the 12th of each month. That means we start crib training TONIGHT!!  She looks like she is hearing this news for the first time.  

This picture is what things look like around here most of the time.  The babies run the house.  If we aren't on top of them every second, they are into trouble.  It may look like they are doing my dishes, but I am not that lucky.  

Parker's face is priceless.  I just asked him if he was playing with my soap. He is signing, "all done."  Yeah, no shit you are all done boy!

This is the "I am not sure what you are saying to me." face.  "I don't even know what soap you are talking about mom."

Have I mentioned lately that these last three babies are kicking our butts?  It's a good thing they are cute…..

We spent all weekend in the pool.  

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The first four photos are by Shaylee.  She does amazing work. 

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A friendly game of PS3.  Notice Pickle sitting on Colby?  She ended up on top of his head eventually.  Jace won that game.   

Parker is obsessed with CAKE.  I have never had a kid that likes cake like he does.  I took a few kids shopping at Target the other day and I always let them pick a treat while we are there.  Parker picked a box of cake mix.  He is something else.  He rode home with it in his arms in the car seat.    

New Braids.  

We have loved having Grandpa here everyday.  Besides bike repair, bike rides and motorcycle rides,  he is always good for passing out dollars, advice, and discipline.  The kids wake up everyday and ask what time Grandpa will be here.  Thanks for loving us all dad. 

I am not sure who we bought this furniture for.  And much like the kids, they each have dibs on their own spot.  

There are seven kids in this picture that do not belong to me.  Shocking I know.  One of my best friends in the entire world was in So Cal with her family and we were lucky enough to get an entire day with them.  My kids were in heaven playing with their long lost friends.  I was heaven having a Jayme here to help me fold laundry, keep track of Pickle, and catch up on life.  I don't miss the snow and the cold, but I miss my friends like crazy.  

This week in pictures begins and ends with a nap.  It's been an exhausting, but fun, week. 

This is our "Christmas eve feast" preparation.  I can't keep my kids off the counter tops.  No matter how big or how small the kids are, they always end up on the counters.  

This is a cheese ball in the making.  They sample it all the way through the process.

It takes two turkey's to feed our crew.

Bronson was in charge of  mashing the potatoes.

We don't have guests, so it's okay to eat off the spoon.

I get to make the good stuff.  English toffee is a Christmas must in my house.  I don't mind that it keeps me next to the stove for 30 minutes.  It smells so good and it's the warmest place in the house.  

I know I have written about this before, but I am constantly amazed and amused by this disgusting habit.  I do NOT eat meat off the bone.  I buy boneless, skinless, EVERYTHING. So for Jazzi and Colby to fight over the turkey legs every year… *shudder* It just freaks me out.  Why do they like this?  Where do they come from?  I feel like a caveman eating something off of a bone.  In fact, I can't do it.  Even a bone-in-steak gives me the willies when my knife scrapes it.  I am at a loss…..  This picture shouldn't even be here.  But I have to document the gross along with the cute.  

Dalin and company spent the rest of the evening in front of the computer tracking Santa's movement around the world.  They loved it.  When he hit the USA, they all high tailed it to bed.  

Here are a few out takes from "2009 Christmas jammies" picture.  

And finally, this picture makes a lot more sense to me after the jammie picture fiasco.

Ty walked up to me five minutes after the family photo shoot and said,  "you take my picture?"

I said, "Ty, I just took 27 pictures of you."

He said, "no."

So I took this picture.

DUH!

The baby sisters

The big sisters

and Pickle wanted to join them.  I love this picture.  It's one of my favorites!

And then we all went to sleep. But none of us really slept, we all waited and listened for Santa to come down our chimney.  We heard lots of pitter pats all night long, but they were always explained by Brandon as either, Ty or Dalin, or Kate, or Ty again.  And finally morning came and at 6AM we were all up opening our gifts. 

It was MERRY CHAOS.

This is the "BIG" present from mom and dad.  We gave all of the kids an Ipod touch.  I wrapped them individually and then all together in one big box so that they would all get them at the same time.  

Shaylee is reading off names and handing each child their present. 

Ready, Set, OPEN!!

And they were thrilled!  

Paker didn't get an ipod, but he did get a whole lot of cleaning supplies.  He was in cleaning nirvana.  

Santa Claus didn't get the memo that we don't allow weapons in our house and he gifted us all a nerf weapon of some sort.  At the writing of this post, there are hundreds of nerf bullets from hell to breakfast in this house.  I am finding them EVERYWHERE! In fact, they are whizzing past my head at this very moment.  Santa and I are going to have a little chat before next year.  BUT, If you can imagine twelve armed kids, running through this house, screaming like banshees, and firing left and right and smiling bigger than I have ever seen….  It's been a blast!  Thank you Santa.  

By noon, I had no choice but to wash the candy, from the stockings, off these little bodies.  They were so sticky.  I hate sticky fingers. As quickly as I would wash their fingers, they would find a candy cane or a chocolate mint or a gummy worm somewhere else.  I have since pitched the candy.  I can't keep up. 

Tang and Storm were pleased we emptied out their favorite sleeping spot.  Under the tree is where they want to be.  

By 2:30pm we were tuckered out.  There is nothing better than a long Christmas nap.  Especially when you have a two month old baby snuggled in.  

Even Pickle couldn't keep her eyes open one more minute.  

After a long winters nap we headed out to the hot tub and warmed our bones.  We all had a perfect Christmas.  Every single kid was happy and loved their presents.  I went to sleep smiling last night.  I believe it was our best Christmas ever.  Not because of things we got, but because of the loving spirit in our home.  It honestly felt like Christmas.  The kids all got along. They all played together. There were minimal complaints and zero fights. There were hundreds of hugs, kisses and Thank you(s).  

As happy as I am that it's over, as in the shopping, wrapping, preparing, decorating, and cooking,  I am going to miss the fun.  Having all the kids home won't last forever.  Bronson is growing up and moving on and someday soon one of our own will be off having his own Christmas somewhere else.  And truth be told, Shaylee will probably be first. But she better keep coming home, I will die without her.  I have to publicly thank my girls here and now for all their help this year with Christmas.  Shay and Hadley saved my life!  I love you two.  You will be pro's by the time you are doing it for your own kids.  Thank you for helping me keep our traditions alive.   I couldn't have pulled it off without you.