Best. Game. EVER!

Aunt Tina and Uncle Mike

Both of my parents grew up in Waukesha, WI and then moved to Merrill (my hometown) after they were married.  We don't get to see our extended family from down there very often.  My Uncle Mike (who is also my Godfather) has been trying to plan a trip up here for a few months now and we finally succeeded at planning a little get together.  They got a suite at the AmericInn in town and we all met them there for an afternoon of visiting and swimming.  It was really nice to see them and catch up.  I'm hoping I will be able to get down to there place to see them soon.  I really miss them. *Somehow I missed a picture with Uncle Mike (sorry)*

Stay at Home Mom vs. Working Mom

Why is this such a debate? 

I don't get it.  

Maybe because I've been on both sides of the fence?

I know the grass is green on both sides with an occasional bare, dry, dead spot where the dog peed or where the lawn mower was set a little too low. 

I got in a bit of an argument with an acquaintance today.  Her first line of attack was that I should get a job.  I've been told this a few times when people get irritated or upset with me.  

I mean really?!

Do "you" honestly think its all computer time, soap operas, bonbons and bubble bathes?  

Do you think the only possible way I can afford to stay home is if we have government assistance so therefore I must be mooching off society?  

I can assure you that my husband is very hard working and makes enough money to support our family without government assistance.  We have some pretty darn good health insurance too.  

(I'm sure I'll get accused of bragging for the last two sentences)  

We make sacrifices in other areas so I can be a stay at home mom. I save us money by canning vegetables,  raising animals to feed our family, and cloth diapering, among other things.  

Of course even if doing that didn't save us money I'd do it for the health benefits.  

Would I be able to do all of this and work a full time job?  

Absolutely not. 

I am not so high on a horse that I don't remember what its like to have to work and how exhausted I was when I got home from work.  Baking bread by hand or canning vegetables til 2 in the morning would not be an option.  I don't work at a conventional job like you but that doesn't mean I don't work.  I have a farm here.  Which apparently you noticed because you hate how much I "brag" ( because farm work is such a blast) about it.  Do you think those animals outside make their own hay for the winter?  Or get their own bales out of the barn? Or come get themselves a bucket of water when they're thirsty? Or put their own feed in their feeders to eat? I can assure you they don't.  I do all of that.  Is that not work?  

Do I think I'm better than you because I get to stay home...or because I do different things than you do to take care of my family?  

NO!

  I haven't always been a stay at home mom.  I've worked 3 jobs at once in the past just to pay my bills and provide for my son.  It was hard.  I have a lot of respect for moms that have to work outside

the home and take care of a family.  

But please don't disrespect me unless you have spent a morning thawing pipes in a dirt floor basement. 

Or until you have spent a week at home alone with no one to talk to but your 3 kids under 5 and no one to call because all of your friends are working.  

Or until you have spent 3 hours chasing 5 pigs in circles around your house 

because no one is available to help. 

Or until you have to spend an entire weekend on a tractor (that you don't know how to drive) because people who said they would help had something come up. 

Or until you spend a few days in the hospital with your 15 month old hooked to IVs from an illness 

he got at the daycare he went to for 2 days. 

Or until you go to bed alone for 290 nights a year worrying if your husband will still be alive in the morning...

not because he isn't an excellent driver but because of every 

other idiot on the road who thinks a semi can stop on a dime; 

or thinks my husband can read their mind when they change lanes without using their blinker;

or some reckless kids decide it would be fun to drop a brick off an overpass into a trucker's windshield.  

 I was on the phone with my husband when he was mugged while sitting in his own truck.  

I was on the phone with him when a man was shot behind his truck in a gang fight.  

You go through all of that.  Live that life for one month (let alone for the next 30 years) and then 

tell me I need to get a "real" job. 

Who says you can't play outside after dark?

I think its more fun than during the day and so do the kids :)

The Big 5!

Landon's birthday is 3 days after Christmas.  We try to make sure to make a big deal of it since his special day can get lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Years.  This year Landon's dad got a hotel room and had a pool/pizza party for him.  He invited me, Sawyer, and Danica.  We picked up Jordyn and Kolton on the way too.

Landon is quite a fish.  He loves to swim...even underwater, without a life jacket.  He keeps his eyes open too so he doesn't run into the side of the pool.

He loves jumping in to someone and then swimming back to the ladder.





Sawyer, on the other hand, is not a big fan of the water.  He usually won't go in unless Daddy is with him.  I was surprised though.  After watching Landon jump a few times he asked me to catch him too and jumped in to me a few times.  We're starting swim lessons this week to help with his fear of the water.



Danica?  She could take it or leave it..



My big boy even let his little brother help him open presents.





Then the monster truck cake!



Danica wasn't interested in any of it.  She was either getting into trouble with the tv buttons or being fascinated by a balloon.





Can't believe my baby boy is 5!

Christmas Numbers Two, Three, and Four

After my parents divorced their placement agreement for us kids was Mom's house on Christmas Eve and Dad's house on Christmas Day.  The schedule has stayed with us.  So Christmas Eve my step-dad makes all kinds of munchies.  Taco dip, ham roll ups, cocktail wieners and meatballs, ranch mushrooms, and mom makes Grandma's fudge.  This year in honor of having two pregos (Amber and Heather)  Warren also cooked us a meal.  Marinated steaks on the grill.  Delicious doesn't even begin to describe it!  Heavenly? ..maybe.  After impatiently waiting for everyone to show up, we open presents.  We do a name exchange between us adult siblings and spouses.  Heather orchestrated the name exchange this year since we forgot to pick names on Thanksgiving.  Mom and Warren always get us little useful odds and ends.  The kids open their presents first.







I used my new skills to make Jordyn and Kolton some funky hats.  They didn't take them off for the entire night.  I'm assuming they liked them.





Two days before Christmas Eve I got a phone call from Amber. She said wouldn't it be neat if I could make a hat that had a scarf attached that she could tuck into Anabel's coat so she couldn't pull the hat off. She said THAT would be a great present! Yes people...two days. Being the amazing aunt that I am...I had to make that happen. I finished as they were walking in the door. I improvised the hat from a pattern I had and then used this pattern for the scarf.



Jake will never roam alone again.



Amber brought her fetal doppler so Heather could hear Baby Sims's heartbeat.



Christmas morning Ronnie (Landon's dad) dropped Landon off and Landon opened his presents.



Then we all got dressed and packed up and drove up to Dad's for Christmas number 3. Christmas at dad's is always tense. Dad's girlfriend always manages to make things uncomfortable...that is a story for another time. We'll just say we opened presents and had "lunch" and left fairly quickly. Christmas is a happy time and I want my kids to remember it as such. Unfortunately I think we're going to have to consider skipping Christmas at Dad's in the future if she's still around. That's all I have to say about that.





Opening presents really wears a girl out.



After leaving Dad's we head home. Santa's helper (aka Grandma) came over Christmas Eve and brought presents out of their hiding places, took care of Santa's cookies and milk and fed the reindeer the carrot Landon insisted I leave out for them. When we got home the boys were sound asleep in the van so Ryan and I came in and turned on Christmas lights and started a fire to get the house warmed up.



Then we woke up the boys and brought them in. They were so excited to see all the presents! From Landon..and I quote "See Mom, I told you we were good!"







After presents, Ryan's mom and "adopted" dad Victor came over and enjoyed Christmas dinner with us. We put the kids to bed early after they left and spent some much needed quiet time snuggling on the couch.

Daddy's Little Helper....