Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Crazy Carver Christmas

     O where to start!  We had lots of fun, family and food.  You really can not ask for a better way to spend time!  Christmas Eve we spent the day just relaxing.  We had ALL of our shopping AND wrapping done!  It was nice not to have to rush around from place to place to either celebrate or finish shopping.  Later that evening, we headed to my Uncles house.  That is always a lot of fun!  Dinner for the evening was Turduckin...if you do not know what that is...its a chicken inside of a duck inside of turkey with sausage in between each layer.  I wasn't brave enough to try the whole thing just the turkey part.  That along with all the sides....it made for a very good dinner!  A few glasses of wine, some dessert and gifts later, some good conversation was had by all.  
     Christmas Day was just about as low key as Christmas Eve.  There was only two places to go to.  We celebrated our Christmas at home with the kids in the morning then headed to Patricks aunts house then to moms house.  The girls didn't get out of bed till 0730!  I'm so glad that they aren't up before the sun kids!  Saves my sanity for the rest of the day!  They opened their gifts and stockings in an orderly fashion!  Declan, was not feeling it.  He woke up with a lil fever, and not feeling well at all.  He opened one of his gifts him self and that was about it.  The girls got A LOT of K-state stuff, so the house was full of purple!  Way too much purple if you ask me.  Need to balance it out with some Crimson and Blue!!  For the afternoon at his aunts house it wasn't your normal Christmas dinner.  We had soup and sandwiches.  Its always a nice change of pace!  Again lots of food, family and fun  Instead of bringing gifts for everyone, we do a gift exchange.  Everyone takes a number, then picks their gift.  You can either steal someone Else's gift or pick a new one.  It turns out to be pretty fun!  After that, we went to moms to finish the day.  Some finger foods for the evening and time in front of the fire, it was a great evening.  The girls got their own tablets for Christmas from mom and my step dad!  No more playing on our phones!!  They love them!  They have played with them and read books to their lil brother off and on all day today!  It has been rather nice seeing them all together reading and chilaxing together!  
     Now you may say..."WoW, that is low key for a Carver holiday" well the reason for that is because we didn't have Christmas with most of Patricks side of the family.  We were waiting for his brother and his wife to come into town with their kids.  We have not seen them in a while, and they have a lil boy that is a week younger than Declan.  It was a lot of watching them play and interact together.  Declan wasn't too sure about what to think.  He has only really had his sister to play with, no one his age or size.  So this weekend will be a busy one.  We have two more places to go on Saturday and then one Sunday.  At some point we have to squeeze in two soccer games on Sunday.  
     So over all, Declan's first holiday season has been a good one.  The girls have a had a great season as well.  Now as I finish this, I cant believe that we are in the last full week of 2012.  It has been a long yet, great year!  For the most part, I wouldn't change it for anything.  We added to our family, the girls have grown even more into their own and we have started some pretty big adventures.  Here's to hoping that 2013 is the same if not better!!

Monday, December 17, 2012

And so it starts

   So this pasted weekend, was a busy one!  We started the Christmas celebrations at my dads house on Saturday then started at moms on Sunday.  Spent the day cooking and just chilling at dads.  It was a good day.  It had been a while since I have just hung out at dads with the family.  We all had a great time with some Amazing food!  Sunday was also a great day. After the girls' soccer games, we spent the evening at moms, with more Amazing food and family.  We decided to do Christmas early with some part of the family, because they wont be here on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  My brother and his wife will back in STL for christmas and my dad and step mom will be celebrating in Ohio with my sister and lil nieces and nephew.   

   This weekend also proved to be a rough one, because of the  tragedy in CT. Im not going to continue about it.  However it brought on a whole new type of parenting for me.  It was heart breaking to have a conversation like that with my girls.  I wanted to make it conversation that would not scare into not wanting to go to school or to get on the bus, but in a way they could understand what happened.  It proved harder than i thought it would be, but we got through it.  
   Now on to some not so sad stuff.....This is the last week before Christmas, so I guess that means that I should start shopping.  Yes I said start.....Things have just been so crazy with Patrick being in Neb, that leaves me to run the girls to all their practices and games...then add some classes and a 6 month old in the mix.....its crazy.  For the first time in years, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day wont be that busy.  We do not have to run around all over the place.  Just one place Christmas Eve and two places on Christmas Day.  However the days after Christmas...are going to be nuts.  Patrick brother and wife are coming into town, but will not be here till December 26th.  So his whole side of the family decided to do Christmas at the end of the week so everyone could see Adam, Lois and the kids.  Guess thats all for now.  Time to get ready to get the kids off the bus and then head to Crown Center and see the "Big Christmas tree" as Kailyn calls it and then off to see Santa!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Once again...I forgot about this....

   It has been over a year since the last post or blog....does that put me in the running for "Worst Blogger Ever"?  Things have gotten a lil more crazier (betcha did not think that was possible did ya?)!  On June 1st, 2012 we welcomed baby number 3 to the mix.  Declan Wayne Carver graced us with his cute round face and bald head!  He is our first boy. And after having two girls, i was not sure i was ready for a boy!  Would not change it for the world!  His sisters absolutely love him, and would do anything for him...They say that now.  Lets see what happens when he starts getting into their stuff!  He is such a good baby, really only fusses when he needs something, and is an awesome sleeper.  He started sleeping through the night at about two weeks old.  O and by sleeping through the night...12 hrs at a time.  I know what you are thinking....i should not let him sleep that long in between feedings...ya ya ya...however, as my mom told me..."The first one is always by the book, the second one is some what by the book and the third one....the hell with the book."  Declan has been a lil different than his sisters in a few ways....my pregnancy with him was so much easier, no complications during the pregnancy or during delivery...and he weighed LESS than his sisters.  I'm stressing the word LESS because the sono screens had him measuring well over 10.5 pounds....When i heard that at my last one at 38 weeks....i shed a few tears...I was scared...but when he was born he was not even 8 pounds!  I was impressed!  
   Adyson 8 almost 9 and is in Third grade now( not sure how that happened) and is doing awesome!  She has her teacher stumped on ways to keep her engaged in the class and the class work.  She is testing at 5th and 6 grade levels!  She is in the gifted program at school, and sometimes find that lacking in challenge.  She clearly got her smarts from her dad!  She is also a soccer player, a softball player, a basketball player and lets not forget horseback rider!  She does everything 100% and does not give up till she gets it!  She wants to try everything at least once, and she would do EVERYTHING at the same time if we let her.  She is a very busy lil girl and loves it.  I'm just glad everything has its own "season" for now.  Although she is coming into the age that she is going to have to start choosing what she wants to focus on.  
   Kailyn is 5 almost 6 and is in Kindergarten(again...not sure how that happened).  She is doing amazing!  I have to admit i was a lil worried about how she would do in school.  She was always my quiet one.  She kept to her self and was really shy.  However, i think going to school was the best thing that I could have done for her.  Some say she did not talk.  She talked, you just had to know how to understand her.  She learned sign language at a very young age and that's how she communicated.  She could verbalize and tell you what she wanted or ask you a question, she just choose not to.  Once she got to school she picked up that not everyone knew what she was saying with her signing, so she started to verbalize more.  And now there are some days you can not her to stop talking!  Kailyn is playing soccer and horseback riding as well!  She loves them both, although i think if you asked her, she would tell you horseback riding is her favorite!  She is still exploring what she wants to try out for life and hasn't gotten as busy as her sister, but i feel its only a matter of time before she does!
   Now i guess its Patrick's turn.  Patrick is still working for Nestle and loves it.  He spent sometime traveling and working on a new computer system and getting plants ready for the transition to the new system...that was fun.  In August the decision was made that he would move to Lincoln Nebraska to continue working for Nestle in the Crete Nebraska plant.  This was not an easy decision to make, as it would mean the babies and I would stay here in Missouri because the girls had started school.  The timing of this move was not planned very well, but we fought through it and now have things back on track.  The plan right now is for the kids and I to join him in Nebraska close to the end of summer but before they go back to school.  Patrick is doing a great job and is working on making his next move in the company.  He comes home on Friday evenings to see us but once Sunday evening comes around, its not easy saying good bye!  
   So that leaves me....As of now, i am staying at home with Declan during the day while the girls are at school.  It has been fun and bumpy all in the same stride.  I'm not sure who misses who more come 1600!  He knows when the girls get off the bus and is all smiles the second they walk through the door!  Every day the first thing that MUST happen is lovins!  They all give hugs and kisses and just sit there and talk for a few minutes!  It has become my favorite part of the day!  I have also been doing some work to keep my EMT licenses current.  I have not been able to find a full time job, doing what I would love to do, because "I do not have the experience they are looking for."  It makes me sad, but I am not giving up.  There is a reason i have not found yet and I have to keep remembering that.  I am still doing seasonal EMT work at Schlitterbahn Water park in KCK and I LOVE it there!  The people are awesome to work with, and its something different everyday.  Here in a few short months I will go back to work there to get stuff underway for the 2013 season!  It is kind of hard to believe that this will be my third season.  
   Well i think that is about it.  I know its been a long one, but a lot has happened over the year, and to think you got the cliff notes version,  Its time to hit the sack...0500 is going to come VERY early!
 ~PeAcE OuT~