Dice Divas celebrate Christmas and an early present ....

On Tuesday, 16 Dice Divas got together for our first annual Christmas Bunco Bash. We had all drawn names to secretly buy someone else a gift. We had a wonderful traditional Christmas supper and then started exchanging gifts. Here we are with most of us wearing our new shirts.!

Eagerly waiting to pass out presents!

This is my gift from Shelly! I love it!

I got Tiffany a wallflower and bling, bling bracelets.

We played a couple rounds of Bunco and then headed home. We are all looking forward to a great Bunco 2010. It's such a great way to enjoy a night of girl company.

After a short bout with the flu this morning, Colby was feeling fine this evening. This afternoon Emma and Colby exchanged the gifts they had bought each other.

Colby got a Lego accessory kit.

Emma got the operation game.

Tomorrow we're off to Vance's parents for Christmas. It's just his brothers and nieces and nephews but that still equals 20 people. We'll be missing Lori and Ryan this year, they are in China. I'm excited to see faces when we exchange gifts there! I've made kuchen (with mom), a cheese ball, and fudge jumbles to take along. Can't wait!!!

Breakfast with the Royal Family

Levi came to stay for the day so I could take him to Breakfast with the Royal Family. We took a few shots in front of the tree.

Then we blasted off to the moon. 3,2,1....

BLASTOFF!

S.T.I.N.K.E.R.!

Playing with trains while we waited to start.

The Royal Family...Erin and Trenton Tallman.
Levi is still eating...he liked the panpakes, not the sausage.

Emma and Sylvia listening intently.

Holding (or tolerating) Baby Jesus.

We're home now and Levi is really enjoying playing with all of Colby's BIG BOY toys. I'm trying to decide when to fix lunch, since we had breakfast at 9:45.....

A House and Date Night!

Today, we. did. nothing. What a way to start Christmas Break 09! Then Lorn Lorn came and helped the kids make a gingerbread house. They had fun and it turned out cute.

Are you sure this is right?

Very serious about their decorating.

Not so serious...

Finished product!

Also tonight was our school's Christmas party. We haven't had one in a few years. It was lots of fun and great food. I was really glad I went. Lauren watched our kids and took a couple of pictures.

I love our tree:)

A close up! Thanks Lauren!

Sunday

On Sunday, we celebrated my sister's birthdays. Jenn turned 24 on the 15th and Lauren turned 19 on the 19th. My mom's tradition is to pick out the meal and the dessert. Since they did their lunch together...they had to share...HA! I don't:)...but I've shared my birthday lunch with MANY graduations...

A sweet picture of the grandkids in their Christmas best.

Just my two:)

A furry jacket for Lorn Lorn.

and Muk Luks...
Then everyone went their separate ways and my mom and I spent the afternoon making kuchen. It is so yummy...if only you knew!

Natalee agrees!

My mom bought a Wii for herself and we put it up and then Jenn let my kids open a gift since it was Wii games. Colby was ecstatic Star Wars Lego (or whatever it's called).

Natalee of course got to open a gift too...somersaulting Curious George. Good times.

Emma's game was a Vet game....kind of strange, kind of gross, kind of difficult, all rolled into one.

The first Christmas, Parties, and Programs!

This post is completely out of order b/c I uploaded my pics backward and am too lazy to drag them all to their appropriate spots. Deal with it:)

Today we went to Grandma Joan's for the BIG Frederick Christmas. It's BIG in an itty, bitty house! If I counted correctly there are 23 great-grandkids and the oldest is 10 and the youngest is 18 months. The chaos that takes over is indescribable, but the kids all enjoy it.

Emma and Grandma Joyce discussing jewelry.

Emma got some dolls, a CUTE dress, and hair accessories.

Colby got an AWESOME nerf gun!
He's imagining what it's going to be like!

Right before we start unwrapping...wall-to-wall kids!

Sweet cousins!
Rewind to the Christmas parties at school. Thanks Lauren and Grandma Cindy for coming. This year with my class....I just can't pop over or B.A.D. things would happen.

Emma and two bestest friends. Haley on the left was born on the same day as Emma and Sylvia on the right is 3 weeks younger. They all three went to Judy's together.

Colby's bestest friend, Remington and the walkie-talkies he received.

Thursday night was the annual Christmas program at school. 'Nuff said!

Gotta love the pained expressions on their faces.

Emma and Sylvia playing the bells.

Colby is really into the moment!

Tomorrow we celebrate both of my sister's birthdays. Jenn turned 24 on Tuesday and Lauren turned 19 today. We're having lunch and presents at mom's after church.

Monday is the school party in Queen City.

Tuesday is Breakfast with the Royal Family at the church (you really should come check it out)! I'm bringing Levi...so excited!

Tuesday night is BUNCO!!!

I'm loving Christmas Break already.

I don't have time for this...

I don't have time for this...
what you ask?
well, you asked so here it goes...
I don't have time for this child that is uncontrollable because his mother took his ADHD meds instead of giving them to him. Why??? I don't understand her.
I don't have time for this child that is so tired he can't keep his head up because his mom is up half the night partying with her boyfriend and forgets to put him to bed.
I don't have time for this child that hair is so tangled and eyes are so matted that she can't function, because she got herself up and ready for school this morning. Probably because mom was hungover and still in bed.
I don't have time for this child that is so violent he is not fit to be around the rest of my class. He thinks he rules the roost and his parent has no idea what has caused him to be that way. hmmm...i have a few ideas.
I don't have time for parent excuses on why he/she did not work on their child's homework last night...anywhere from I was sick to we went grocery shopping.
Do I have a cold heart?
I don't mean that I don't have time for the child, I just don't have time for all the "stuff" that comes with the child.
I have 20 students...all with varying degrees of issues.
5 are on ADHD meds and today only 2 received those meds!
I'm about to go crazy.
I'm trying to fill out grade cards and I don't have anything nice to say.
I have no fluffy way to say...BE A PARENT! Listen to your child read, practice their fast fact cards, put them to bed on time, develop a schedule, etc.
It is so frustrating.
These children are doing what they can, with what they have to work with...but when they roll out of bed, do not receive their meds., do not brush their teeth or hair, do not sleep at the same house for 2 nights in a row so in fact have no idea where their backpack is.....GRRRR(i'm pretty sure that is a run-on sentence:)
So, please Lord let these next 2 days go by quickly and relatively quietly, because I am about at the end of my rope.
Thanks for reading my rant!

Birthday Bash and Sledding

I dipped over 40 spoons for Natalee's party. They were super yummy and super easy. It was a test run to see how they would go for Emma's birthday. On Saturday morning, Jenn and I went to decorate the XLCR building. After some fast and furious cleaning...we got down to the business of crepe paper.

Gotta love me some shark steam mop! A little girl can't be soiling her birthday fluff!

pretty!

The tree was just sitting there all naked, so I threw some memorabilia on there along with some bling from Emma's dress up stash. I thought it turned out quite cute.

All ready for a cupcake...

The flaming cupcake tower!

YAY for presents!

She loved the new sled and Colby pulled and pulled her around.

Then she tried it out on real snow. Big fun!

Everyone had a blast...it was perfect weather.

flappy ear hats:)

roll up sleds for $1! Good buy Lauren!

The biggest kid of all.

And a couple of pitiful snowmen, but thanks for making them with Colby!