December 4 - 7.

Kenedi got super comfy one the floor with her baby.

December 4-7 can be summed up best as sick.  Kenedi has been sick with everything from a fever to teething 4 giant molars, to croup, to runny nose and cough.  When I finally went to the doctor on Friday because I had no other tricks up my mommy-sleeve, the doc looked at me and gave me that 'I'm so sorry but there's nothing I can give you and you'll just have to not sleep for another 12 nights until everyone gets better' look.  And then I almost died from exhaustion.  And THEN, we went to the pharmacy because I nearly begged for medication (and got it) and it smelled so horrible that I thought for sure we were all going to be poisoned via breathing nasty smells.  It was bad.  Then Addi got it!  Good news is, Kenedi got better.  Bad news is, now Will is headed downhill.  With a family of five, it makes sense that at least one of us is sick!  But that doesn't make it FUN!

This is how Kenedi feels about being sick. 

There were some highlights to the week. We put up our Christmas tree and decorations which is always so fun. With the remodel this year, we have a lot less wall space than last year so we had to get creative about where we put decorations. Our tree also turned out a LOT smaller than we've had in the past. A lot. It looks like it belongs in a doll house.   So it only needed half the ornaments as last year. It also has color lights on it this year because our favorite white twinkle lights that blink a million different ways, broke.  I can't throw them away though becomes I'm convinced they can be fixed (and that you can't buy new ones anywhere...likely not true but still....)The kids always have so much fun doing these little pieces of the holiday season.

I don't get in many pictures which is obvious by the expression on my face.  I was tired.  This was day 3 of no sleep. 

December 3.

Today Miss Kenedi went and got sick!  Bleh.  High Fever and just miserable.  She kind of wandered around the house running into walls all sick-like.

I also realized that  in my haste to get Christmas cards done, I printed the wrong year.  Oops.  Good thing Costco is cheap!

Elf ended up in the pitcher with baby next to him.  Kenedi loves that baby and rubs and pats her back.  She'll say 'baby' wheneer she loves her and then when she finds her, plops a little kiss on her lips.  Adorable.

December 2.

Today was the annual Hawkins Family Christmas Tree Adventure event.  Which always seems to begin at Stan's house for a yummy, homemade breakfast.  This year it was waffles and eggs and bacon.    So good.  Plus he had marionberry syrup which Addi is in LOVE with right now.  This year we were missing Lyndsey and Brooks who are down South.

I do love trekking out to cut down our own Christmas tree.  Whenever some one says that they have an artificial one my first reaction is 'HUH?!' we live in the Northwest and you're packing your tree up to the attic each year?!  But then, when were out there and there's a baby on one hip and 12 coats slung over the other arm...well...for a moment I think about what it would be like to go to the Safeway parking lot.  And then, I remember that it's fun.  And it is.  And the kids love it.  

Here is the annual family shoot, a little large than last year with the addition of Riley packed away on Krista's front.  

 
We were slightly un prepared for a sit on Santa's lap but we went for it.  Addi asked for the Play doh sweet treat factory and Will wants new Bionicles.  I asked Santa to bring Will a haircut, but I doubt that will happen!

Our Christmas tree is going to be just perfect!  (it's still sitting outside so we haven't quite gotten it up yet!)

December 1.

Every year I tell myself somewhere around November 16th when I've totally missed out on the 30 Days of Gratitude project that everyone else does that THIS year, this year, I will finally do the December Daily.  The DEcember Daily is capturing each day of December so that we can look back and remember this busy season and all of the fun that it brings.  I love the idea behind it and try it almost every year and never get to it.  

Well, I'm already a day late.  Shoot.  But I'm not giving up!  

December first marked the return of B.E.T.  (not short for the old music video channel) but Buddy Elfie Taylo.  This guy came to our house 2 years ago and what an adventure he is.  The kids pulled out the book LATE on Friday night after we came home from dinner with friends super late.  Will read quietly to Addi and man, was she in to it!

Then that night, BET appeared magically from the North Pole ready to take notes of all the good (and naughty behavior) going on in our household!  He came in with gusto though staging a snowball fight made out of marshmallows with a Bionicle of Will's.

 Here was the scene.  That naughty little elf made quite the mess for mom to clean up!

 And the bionicle looked like he might just take this one.

Go Ducks!

Will went to his first Ducks Game this week (they lost but oh well) and had a great time with Papa and Rob.  Will actually went to a game way back when he was 8 months old.  I remember stuffing napkins in his ears because it was so load.  Rob remembers that he got a photo 80% of the cheerleading squad!  It was wet and cold this time!  

Here's how our day went...

First I went for a run with erin.  It was tough and we made it.

Then Addi put on her work gear and fixed some wood in the hosue.  It was cute and reminded me that she is just 6.  Sometimes I think she is older because there is Will, but she is just 6.  

Then I made cookies with Addi and ate a little dough which should not be happening.  

Then we went to Nana and papa's and saw sweet baby Riley...

And cracked open the RISK game which was the cause of SOME many crying games that only families can have.  So far so good, although I am being attacked on all sides by Will and Rob.

And tried for some family pictures.  

 First just grand babies and Papa and Nana

Then everyone.  I love this one where we are all doing something except smiling at the camera.  Those poses are for the wimps!

 Then we posed.

 Then we had an epic nerf gun fight.  And that was fun even though I didn't participate.  It was cold.  But I've been involved in one of these before and they are great fun.

 Team serious here was super ready  Including Laura with her safety glasses.

 And this team was out for fashion and cool model poses.

 Then Kenedi ate...which judging by her legs she loves to do.  And aren't leggings on babies to die for!

And then we went home.  And played more RISK.  We're HOOKED.  Pretty much a good day all around.  

Hello November!

Hello November!  I'm so looking forward to a month with long weekends, stormy weather, holiday preparing and enjoying family.

Miss Kenedi

 running to keep up with the big kids

 being adorable

 and silly

 and falling in buckets trying to reach apples

And getting set for a winter storm!

Moving so quickly

Ever feel like things are moving to fast and you don't quite know how to slow them down?  That's me lately.  Juggling family, work, activities, home, sleep, health and everything else just sometimes gets the best of me.  Where do you give your time too?  Addi loves to dance and do ballet but the classes all fall at the worst time for our family...3:45 in the afternoon.  Plus the new studio is across town way out of our way.  But she loves to dance and it makes her so happy.  What to do.  Participating in that activity puts a strain everywhere else.  But we always signed Will up for everything when he was 6.  Parenting decisions are so hard.  I read a blog every once in awhile when I stumble across it and the gal wrote this one simple quote 'life is long' that seems to apply to things like this.  Yes in fact, life is long and there is time.  If we miss dance this round, there's always next go round.  And really, there's always next go around for everything isn't there?  Always another chance....

Kenedi's Baby

This little one loves here baby!

Kenedi sleeping

Kenedi is a big girl.  She loves her some food!  I hold her and know that she's heavy but this picture really shows just how BIG she is!   We have a camera over her crib that lets us watch her in bed.  Man!  technology has improved since Will and Addi were little.  We peek in on her at night, when she wakes up and really, have the camera up on the computer all the time.  I captured this picture after a long day of playing. ... She's so long!

Bye-Bye aunt lyndsey

Tonight aunt lyndsey took off for Ashland.  Good byes are never fun but she's off to do amazing things like learn how to be a nurse.  She likes blood and needles and science stuff.  we're pretty proud of her around here...OHSU program... pursuing a dream that she has worked real hard for.  But man, will we miss her.  she's my little sis...so in a bon voyage fashion...I'll send her off with our favorite pics of her!

 Lyndsey always is up for a counting crows concert.  and she gets our own little dance party going at each one.

 She'll make you wait 90 minutes for Adam to come out of his tour bus for an autograph....

 She'll sing karaoke in front of a HUGE group of people and even get on the ground for effect.  (i would never do this)

 Her, my mom and I get confused as siblings all the time...I gets its only confusing that they think mom is a sister.....

 and she's always up for snuggles with babies.  

your going to do great down in ashland aunt lyndsey.  we're just a skype session away!  love you!