Too much cuteness going on!

Tonight Tank had his Preschool Christmas Program and it was toooo cute! All the little 3 and 4 year olds up on stage dressed up and waving! So cute! He knew all his songs and all the hand motions and animated!

 There he comes in the red sweater with a white collar!!

 Not a nose pick but an eye pick!!

 After with his best bud J!

 Tank and A(Q's girl) and J's little sister!

 My little boys are getting so big!!!

 Some treats for a job well done!!!

 And because he's the little brother!!

 Then add J who is J and A's cousin.........

 and then A again...and it is a 5 ring circus!!!!!!! They loved it!

 "I love A.....mommy"

 "seeeeeeeee>......................"

 "gonna go for it....."

 "TOLD YOU I DO LOVE HER"

A great night and a wonderful tradition that is now 4 years long....next year will be Q's turn...can it be????

A good bribe!

Well, I for one, am  not a parent that is against a bribe, or a few! I firmly and whole hearted believe in them! I don't know about you but, why not? The ideas flow freely from my mind! Like today  I was having Tank get dressed for school and he was in a mood. He was going at a slow slow pace. I was getting frustrated and announced "hey, get done by the time I reach 10 and you can have some pop"! Yes, I know it was 8:45 in the morning but so what! I needed to get him to preschool by 9. It worked! Then on the way out from dropping him off Q needed some bribes to stay in his car seat. "wanna go get a cookie and ride "Bullseye" at Meijer?, then sit nicely and I will take you??" It worked too! I then picked up the big kids and was at it again. "Boomer finish your homework without tears and you can watch a movie on my bed before dinner, by yourself!!" Worked again. And finally, I asked Ace to put away his laundry and if he did it fast correctly and nicely, he could get DSI time. And that worked too. My house is ALWAYS wild, so full of noise and running and laughter,that I enjoy....... but, hey honestly, at times I need quiet  and I need it now. I must have some sanity ,oh and some caffeine so I use it in full force once again...."next one to run or scream will go to bed early, sit on the naughty step and lose dessert and the quietest can have a BIG long bedtime story and the naughty ones dessert too" That works, almost, most of the time, and the times it does not well....I find a new one to work ! my favorite still is the quiet game for a big bribe like McDonalds or a dollar. Tv time and the all time favorite of One on One time!
Truthfully, I make a million bribes a day between the four of them...and I say it works. I know I will have to up my bribes as they grow and I am OK with it if it means some sanity on my part. After all, it is usually 4 against me over here and I need those bribes! So if you see me at the store or out and about and you hear me spew 30 bribes that are crazier than the next, smile and know if I don't, I would be the crazy lady running and chasing 4 crazy kids around with reckless abandon and now complience. Santa is coming and I am his number one fan....he can call and set them straighter than an arrow in 10 sec flat.. wish I had those magical powers!!!!! Do you bribe??? About what??

Let the Christmas season begin!

Today we went to Z's work children's Christmas party. Each year it is at a movie theatre and we get to see the latest kids movie. This year it was Arthur's Christmas!Every year they look forward to seeing Santa there and having popcorn! (Daddy detests popcorn so we SELDOM ever get any). They enjoy getting to eat it! They had a blast!\

 Waiting in line to see Santa!

 Santa's "friends" were all around for photo opts and I took a million at Q's demand and he seldom looked at the camera for them...my flash takes to long for his attenbion and his "cheese"!

 Then we went to Kids' Choice for dinner....Denny's of course! They love it....all 4 of them agreed too! Amazing!

What a day!

Thanksgiving for my new niece!

In a few days little "twinkle toes" is going to be 3 weeks old already! It has gone fast for me but I know that I only shared one sleepless night over there so I am positive my sister and Mr. K would disagree! LoL! Anyways, I went to visit over Thanksgiving and took only a few pictures, I was holding her....sorry!! She is a cute little dolly baby!! 

Shopping till I drop!

 Last night I went with my friend J and her family to get the deals for Christmas!! But, I did really well!! I got ALMOST all of the items the kids wrote down for Santa! Anyways, we had a small family Thanksgiving and some quality time as a family as well. All in all, it was a great holiday. Now the hours of wrapping and mayhem can commence!

 Christmas 2010---- Boy have they changed....my babies are growing up!!!

Taken over

             Wow, things have been so crazy lately! Between school, homework, CCD, gymnastics,swim team, school functions,appointments, housework and yard work life has taken over my ability to blog. Hopefully things begin to quiet down and I will get some "me" time back. I feel like a driving service most days. We are always trying to beat the clock and be prepared for each activity. Sometimes I leave the house at 8:50 and don't return until 8:15 at night. I am tired, cranky and have little patience by then. I don't mean to complain and whine about how stressed out and spent I am but this does explain my absence!
             Boomer started swim team this season and Ace continues to be a great leader for this. She is too cute as one of the smallest on the team. All suited up in hot pink cap, goggles and suit! It is so precious! She is really good in freestyle and is starting to not drown in the backstroke! So funny to see her have to do "dryland" and drills!! Tank is taking swim lessons again and moved up to level 3 which is 1/2nd graders! He does really well and can swim a version of freestyle for a 25! So cute as well!! If only he would put his face in and swim it he would be great!!! Q is along for the ride and all the activities! He only protests 80% of the time so we are improving! LOL! He will begin gymnastics in January with the 3 yr old class! He can't wait!!!

 

And a funny one of my  favorite "band group" the Crazies!

Prayers are needed please!!

Tonight  little 5 year old  Maddux (I told you about here) needs your prayers and kind messages! He was just admitted to the hospital for left lobe pneumonia and dehydration. He is such a gentle soul and this whole hand he was dealt just breaks our hearts! He could use an extra prayer tonight!! Thanks!!