Good Things CAN Come Out Of Bad

This morning I was woke up (surprise surprise) by my Emma who unfortunately wasn't feeling well. "No! This couldn't be. She couldn't have got it from...." I began thinking. Before I could even finish that thought she got sick (if you know what I mean). My poor girl. I thought we were in the clear. I mean Larry was sick all day 'boxing day' the day after Christmas. Then Chrish got sick the day after that. For the next few days I had been having on and off prayers to God asking Him to please not let anyone else get sick. Just when I thought we were in the clear Emma woke up with the flu too!

It just makes me sad when my loved ones get sick. As much as I hate being nauseous I'd much prefer myself to be sick then anyone else. It's almost harder to watch my poor lil' one being sick and in pain and saying 'Mama, I don't feel like being sick!' or the latest when I went in to check on her and asked how she was feeling she said ' I'm warmish hotish'.

The only good thing to come of this is that we've spent a LOT of time cuddling today than most which I truly do treasure. Though I wish it were for better circumstances I do cherish any time I get to hold my baby while she's still available, still wants to, and while we both have the time to spare. I know it won't always be this way. Emma and I actually cuddle quite a bit, but today was a bit different being that our cuddling was helping her to feel better she told me. Me too Emma, atleast I was doing a little something to help out. Her Daddy came home with some popsicles for her which put the very first smile I've seen on her face all day. Yay, Daddy to the rescue!

Though I didn't expect to spend the last day of the 2007 like this, it definitely had it's precious moments. I can get my 'list' of things done any other day but it's not every day that my sweet Emma needs her mommy like she did today. Hope you all have a blessed and very happy New Year. Here we come 2008!

A Break From Pirates of the Hairabean

My kids can't seem to get enough of the movies "Pirates of the Carribean" and "Hairspray". We've watched each three or four times in less than a week. Each time that I've watched 'Pirates' it has grown on me more and more. I have to admit the first time I watched it I found it rather hard to follow and thought part of that was due to my four lil' interrupters who played their part real well I might add. Having the movie on four times though did allow me to watch the movie in it's entirety and I grew to like it more and more. The girls and I went to see "Hairspray" in the theatres (with Auntie Dara too) which I thought was good then and now the girls and I go around the house singing the songs. I don't know if I'm getting a little tired of the movie (being that it's on for the 3rd time) due to overload, or hearing Caley telling me how 'hot' she thinks Zack Efron is. Weird to hear my baby talk like that. Anyways, I think I'll just have to insist on a break from both of these movies for a while so we don't end up disliking them altogether.

Christmas Hampton Style

It was a wonderful Christmas here at the Hampton household. We celebrated with hubby's side of the family on Christmas Eve with last minute location change to HERE! Worked out great though and we didn't want to chance picking up the flu from a cousin who was sick the day before. The kids and I were already planning on cleaning up for Christmas anyways and everyone seemed to work together really well. I just wrote a list of what needed to be done and we went from there.
Everyone came around three. We ate an incredible amount of delicious food with leftovers to spare, had good laughs and fun, and enjoyed listening to squeals of delight and excitement. My very thoughtful sister in law who had already surprised me a month early with a very sentimental ceramic Christmas tree also surprised me with a set of glass mugs with flowers etched on them just like mom used to have. I couldn't even tell you why they mean so much to me, they just do! (maybe I'll try though) They bring back warm feelings of anticiaption, fond memories, fun times. I used to watch my mom drink from those glass mugs and couldn't wait til' I was the grown-up drinking from them too! I suppose I even just assumed that we'd both be drinking out of them while playing 'boggle' or a card game like mom and aunt Theresa used to do most every weekend. My mom and us kids would drive back to our home town and get together seemed like every weekend (staying over at Grams if we didnt already live there) During those times, the adults talked and played games and the kids had fun playing in the fields make believing, or playing video games, or building forts..... times I'll cherish always. I also could'nt wait to have my very own ceramic tree like Gram used to make proudly displayed in my house. Even though mine is not 'Gram-made' it still symbolizes those same fond memories and good times. After everyone left the kids were eager to go to bed so Christmas would come sooner. Then hubby and I did our usual Christams Eve tradition which is to watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' while bringing out all the presents.
Christmas day the kids got us up at 619am and all ready to go. Of coarse they had to wait in their room until Lar and I got the camcord all ready but they did good. We then opened up our gifts and I have to tell you I was pleasantly surprised at just how excited the kids were to hand out their presents. We then had our traditional cinnamon rolls and started the clean-up process while trying to NOT throw away things accidentally as has happened in the past. In the afternoon my brother Myke and his wife Dara came over which was fun. We caught up a bit, relaxed (with Christians electric guitar playing in the background) ate more food and Myke spoiled us by making and sharing his delicious buttertarts. Myke just 'had' to try Hannah's Guitar Hero which he liked. He also decided to pump some weights with the gift he wanted but gave to Chrish (magnetix) Dara was sweet to help Chrish build his birdhouse he got. They did a good job! I think everyone was a bit stuffed and sleepy so we just layed low but had a good time. The rest of the day was spent playing games, watching movies and cuddling. I think I nodded off before the kids. I just couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. Well, here's wishing you happy holidays and a happy new year.
BTW, I've been trying to post some photos with this blog but for some reason it's not working......I'll try tomorrow.

Tis' The Season.....

As I write, the hubby is watching a basketball game, the two little ones are roller blading in the house (it gets dark pretty early these days) and I'd prefer that to the alternative which would probably be diving onto the bed from the dresser, or doing summersaults down the mattress or using it as a slide. It's all been done before. Yep, rollerblading......I'm okay with that. I'll mop the floors tomorrow. Besides, I adore the contagious giggling they can't seem to control. They're laughing so hard that they're falling over.

The older girls are watching their favourite (don't understand why!) Friday night show......Friday night Smackdown WWF or whatever it's called. Atleast they're not fighting or watching "Zoey 101" which while I'm not against the show - seems pretty harmless- but now the main actress that the show revolves around in real life is 16, pregnant and Brittany Spears little sister. I don't like someone in the spotlight that my kids keep track of setting a bad example for my kids.
Well the last few weeks have consisted of shopping, wrapping, more shopping, making angel wings, addressing and mailing Christmas cards, attending Christmas progams, getting the car fixed, YaYa breakfast party, helping with classroom parties all while trying to maintain some level of picked-upness in our house and not being totally burried by the mounding up piles of laundry. It's not that bad really. I've been trying really hard to NOT stress about the holidays. It's totally understandable in my opinion though not worth it in the long run and definately not fair to the kids. Along the lines of "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!" I've adapted it to "you do what you can do and you don't have a panic attack!" It's actually been helping me.

This weekend Christian has three, count em' THREE soccer games this weekend for all stars (the best of the best) and though I can't believe that people have the nerve to schedule any soccer games the weekend before Christmas I'll put a smile on and enjoy watching my boy play. Boy can HE play! We're also going to have our annual "Happy Birthday Jesus" party. I like to do my best to remind the kids of WHY we really celebrate Christmas. We usually bake a cake or muffins, make a craft (this year I'll let them decorate gingerbread men), we'll read the story of the birth of Jesus, and the kids usually make a card or picture to put in our stocking for Jesus. This year they did it the day I hung up the stockings.

I'm savouring as much as I can and trying to teach the kids to too, because before we know it 2008 will be here and before you know it my kids won't be kids and won't be here to watch Frosty or Rudolph with. On that note I'm going to go so Hannah and I can cuddle.

Hope this holiday season is your best one yet, that you feel the love, peace and joy that is sent from heaven above. May God bless you beyond all measure. Happy holidays!

Fa La Freakin' Da

Well, pretty busy around here. So much to do and not quite enough time and energy to do it in. Taking it one step at a time. This week I had the unexpected honour (not quite) of making Christians class angel wings. Only 10 sets. But 10 sets! It was a lot more time consuming than I thought and after I do get finished I have a LOT of glue gun glue to scrape off of my floors. I was too deliriously tired to figure out a way to NOT get it on the floors. Speaking of my floors......they're quite 'festive' I must say. Full of gold garland strands all over and I've not swept the floors today or yesterday being as I'm not finished and will only make more of a mess.
Anyways, I wasn't planning on these 'wings' taking anywhere near this long and so while on Monday I thought I was pretty on par as far as being prepared for Christmas. I try really hard NOT to stress especially around Christmas. It makes it more enjoyable for everyone that way. I now have not only a little more shopping to do but also a lot more wrapping.
It will all be worth it and I'm sure I'll get done. On task for next week: more shopping, lots more wrapping, Happy Birthday Jesus party, Christmas programs (2), class parties (3), many more Christmas shows to watch, not to mention catching up on the laundry, taking my car in for a tune up (not a good time for this....lots of errands : ( )
Tis' the season to be jolly. People are driving like maniacs don't they know the songs? Tonight I almost got in a car (minor) accident, fender-bender would best describe it BUT didn't! Alls I could think of to say was 'merry freakin' Christmas! and Fa La freakin' Da!'
This is probably a pretty scattered blog but I'm pleading insanely tired and have a pretty sore back so there you have it. Happy holidays I'll try to post some pictures soon.