Christmas Things!

I have to admit that I've had a hard time getting into the spirit of things this Christmas. But we've done a few things as a family that has helped. The beginning of December I took the kids to the Magrath Hometown Christmas. We have gone every year since we've moved here. It's always fun to go.

We ate supper then took off. We were a little late, because I had to do a few errands for Richard (get gas for the lift), and Justin. They were working late on our house. But that's OK, we got there and started to walk around. We walked to the Seniors Center where the kids all got to go fishing in the pond. That's always a big hit.

Then we went and waited in the LONG line for Santa. The kids were super excited to talk to Santa. So I'm glad we waited. Plus I got a super cute picture of all of them with Santa.

We didn't stay around long. After Santa we stopped at the big bon fire and got a cup of hot chocolate. I tested mine and told the kids it was fine. Because it was just warm. Well DJ took a sip and spit it every where and was so mad. I forgot he had really chapped lips, so it probably did seem really hot. Oh he was screaming that it burns and that I lied to him. So we called it a night! ha ha!

This was before he tried the hot chocolate!

My girls by the fire!

A selfie with all my awesome kids!

On Saturday Magrath was hosting a "Santa's Gone Loonie" days. It's just for kids to go shopping for their parents and grandparents. I gave them 2 loonies each and away they went. They were super excited. I wasn't allowed in the shopping area.....so I waited in the waiting area. They were so proud of themselves. They even got their presents wrapped before they came out. They were so excited!! Loved seeing how happy it made them!!

DJ was so proud to show me all his presents he bought with 2 loonies!!

The kids with all their presents.

The girls went to a friends birthday party in the afternoon. We had to drop them off at a place in Lethbridge. So DJ and I went and did some shopping. We were in Walmart and as we were walking out there was a Santa sitting in his fancy chair. There were no kids around and DJ stopped and stared at him. He told DJ to come sit on his lap. So DJ slowly walked over and got on his lap. It was so cute!! He told Santa that he wanted a new blanket for Christmas. Then he ran over to me and excitedly told me that it was the real Santa, because he had on the real black boots. It was so funny! He told everyone that he talked to the "real" Santa!

DJ with the "real" Santa!

Then that night we went to our ward Christmas Party. It was a very busy and long day. But the kids really wanted to go. We had a delicious roast beef dinner. The kids had some fun activities that they were able to do before the dinner. They had fun making snowmen out of ripping paper. It was a fun evening. Then there was a program and the kids sang a few songs. Then Santa came afterwards. It ended up being a long night, but a good one. It started at 5:30 and we didn't get home till 9:30pm. We were all tired!!

My cute girls at the ward party!

Brianna and Cadence made a snowman together.

DJ and Abbi worked together on their snowman!

The kids singing us a song!

Abbi and her friend, Brielle with Santa!

This year we went to my mom's to make chocolates again. I did it with Tiffani, Megan and Jill and mom. We got together one night and did the fondant. Then the next week we got together to dip. It was actually on Mom's birthday. So we had a birthday dinner with her too, and cake. It was a fun day. We got lots done too. My kids loved helping holding Emmett! That was a big help! I was telling DJ that I thought he was a cutie and DJ looked at me so seriously and said, "No mom, Emmett is cute. He is so cute. I'm not as cute as Emmett!" It was so cute. That kid just cracks me up! The things he says sometimes! Love him!

DJ loves holding Emmett and he does such a good job!

Abbi sat there for almost an hour holding Emmett. So cute!

Cadence enjoys holding him too but only for a few minutes!

Brianna held for about an half hour!

The newly weds holding Emmett!!

Dipping the chocolates!!

This was probably only about a 1/4 of the chocolates that we made! So yummy!

Mom's birthday cake!

Grandma opening all her presents!

Oh we finally got our tree up. I just got a few decorations from the Dollar Store, since everything is still in storage. The kids had a blast decorating it. I tried to get some cute pictures of them by the tree. Sheesh, easier said then done. Then on Sunday I took some pictures before Church. I didn't get any of the kids new outfits, but they all looked so cute anyway!!

My kids with our decorated tree!

And we'll try another picture!! ha ha!

My handsome boy ready for church!

My kids all ready....love them so much!

My girls and I!

So that pretty much gets us caught up on all our Christmas happenings. Crazy how fast time flies!!

Ten On Tuesday (or whatever day I get it done)!!!

OK I know it's not Tuesday, but I had written this post in my head and just haven't had time to write it all down! Of course it's all random and here we go! Ha ha!

1. We've now officially lived without a "house" for 6 months! The first three months in our trailer and now in a dumpy basement! Ha ha! Yeah, not loving the basement thing. Oh well. We are surviving and it's not long term. That's what I keep telling myself. So I had to take some pictures of where we live. Our awesome room that all 6 of us share! At least there is a little divider thing that we put up to separate our bed from the kids! So that's good!!

There is a huge living space so that's good! Like our decorated pole!! ha ha!

Our fancy kitchen!

And our room with all our beds! Our bed is behind the divider.

2. OK still on the topic of the basement suite. The other day I totally freaked out because I thought I saw a mouse. It was up in the ceiling (we have the suspended ceilings), and I could see the tail poking out. So disgusting. I ran away, and was telling Richard to get it. He was laughing so hard. It was a stupid wire hanging out. But it seriously looked like a mouse tail. Yuck, yuck, yuck!

K....look carefully, it's up on the ceiling. It really looks like a mouse tail!

3. And still about the basement suite.....hahaha! I have to write these down so I can one day read them and laugh. So every night it sounds like a summer night in here. Not kidding. The stupid crickets start chirping. Now, I'm not afraid of crickets and I've killed many of them, but the stupid b$*#*%^$s are down in the heating vents on the floor. So I can't even get to them. Oh my, drive me insane. I've even sprayed RAID down there and covered all the vents with towels to kill them. It worked for 4 days and then there were more. So I need to spray again. AGGHHHHH!!!

4. Now on a happy note, Brent and Tiffani had there baby on November 20th and it was a BOY!!! Yeah, we were so excited for them. They named him Emmett Douglas Paxman and he was 8lb 4oz and 21" long. He is adorable. So cute! I went and got Keira and she stayed with us for a few days. I took her in to see her new baby brother and the poor girl was just so confused and didn't know what to think. I was holding Emmett and she was so mad. She kept saying, "Janae you hold me. Put him down." So I held him and had her on my other knee but she still wasn't very impressed. It didn't help that on the way up to the room we got on the elevator and she kept yelling, "No alligator, no alligator!" She was a little traumatized over the elevator ride.

There is little Emmett. He's only a few hours old here. So cute!



Showing Keira her cute little baby brother.

Keira and DJ relaxing in the morning together. They were watching Netflix together!

5. I took my kids and Keira back in to see Emmett the next day. This time we didn't go on the elevator, we went on the stairs and Keira was much happier! Silly girl! Brent brought Emmett out to a waiting area, since my kids aren't allowed in the maternity wing. My kids LOVED their new baby cousin. Even DJ was in love. He couldn't stop holding and staring at Emmett. So cute. Keira was a bit more happy to see her baby brother and even gave him a kiss! So cute! We are so happy with this new addition to the Paxman family!

Aaawww, he is just so cute!

Cadence and DJ with Emmett. Loved that DJ didn't want to stop holding him!

6. I love the Magrath Buy and Sell on facebook. That's one of the main reasons why I don't cancel my account. I've gotten many good buys off of there. This past week I was able to score big time!! ha ha! A lady posted 2 GT snow racers on and was asking $30 for the pair. What????!! Seriously I jumped on that one fast. I said I would take both. Then so many people kept saying next. So I ran over there and payed the lady before she could change her mind. Ha ha! My kids have been bugging me to buy one, but they are so expensive new, that I just couldn't do it! So I went and got them, and was trying to decide if I should hide them for Christmas or show them now. Well my kids love to play outside and we only have 2 sleds, so I caved and showed them. They were so excited. They wanted to try them out but the snow had just melted. But it snowed a couple days later and they spent hours out there sledding. So fun!!

Cadence and DJ on their GT snow racers!

7. I have been busy insulating out at the house. I just do a few hours here or there. Whenever I can find time with no kids. Anyways, I had to do our big great room/ dining room and the end wall goes up far. I had to get a ladder and extend it all the way to be able to reach the top of the windows. I cut my insulation and went up. I got up half way and was starting to freak out. I hate heights. I think the older I get the worse this fear gets!! I got to the top but then I couldn't let go of the ladder. Richard was laughing at me and told me to just do it. So I reached up (yes I had to reach above me) to put the insulation in and the ladder wiggled. I screamed and grabbed the ladder. I screamed so loud that I scared Richard (he jumped)! It scared me so bad. I had to slowly come down the ladder. And by the time I got to the bottom my legs were cramping from being so tense! So no high ladders for me!!

There's the huge wall!!

8. The girls came home with their report cards the other day. I was so proud of all of them. They each have a subject that they struggle with but they work so hard. They are all becoming such good readers too. Cadence has had a lot of struggles the past couple of years with school, but I feel like this year things are clicking and she's doing awesome. She does everything with the class and the teacher doesn't have to modify everything for her. So happy for her! Brianna is doing awesome too. She is a smart little girl, but she has a hard time to participate in class. She won't speak up. She whispers. The teacher said it's the first time she's ever asked a student to be loud! ha ha! Anyways, Brianna has been raising her hand and answering questions in a loud voice. That is a huge thing for her and I'm so proud of her! Abbi struggles with math. She does fine when they do things as a class, but when they have to work on their own, she just sits there. Anyways, we've practised math problems at home and I've told her that she can do it at school, because she knows exactly what to do. I think she's just unsure of herself. Well she's been doing great. We are still practising and I still have to reassure her that it's ok to try to figure things out on her own! Way to go Abbi! Love my girls!

9. I got to be a mom helper when DJ went with his class on a field trip. They first, went to the post office and then we went to the fire station. It was so much fun! DJ was beyond excited to go to the fire station. That's all he could talk about days before. It was so fun to be with him. When they got to the fire station they were all able to pick out a helmet and wear it the whole time. DJ was in heaven. Then they got to climb into the fire truck and see the inside. They were able to honk the air horn on the way out. Nobody was honking, and DJ was the last person. But the boy before him honked it and it was LOUD! He about fell over. It scared him so bad. He wasn't going to go into the truck. But I went up with him, and then he was fine!! They even got to spray the water hose and put on the air tank. It was a blast!

DJ and his class at the post office.

DJ and his friends squished!!!

DJ mailing his letter to Santa!

He was a bit excited to have this hat on!!

My cute little fireman!

Lined up to take a turn to spray the hose!

DJ's turn!!

DJ put on the super heavy air tank!!

10. We have been able to go see Chase play basketball a few times. It has been so fun to go cheer him on. He is an awesome basketball player. I've taken some pretty cool pictures at his games. The first game was against the players dads. But Steve, of course, couldn't be there to play. So David played for him. That was fun to watch! The boys beat their dads!!! Here are a few cool pictures I got!

David is number 5 on blue!

Sweet shot David!!

This is the game against CCH!

11. For FHE the other night we decorated ginger bread houses. We have to enter one at Roosters for Spencer Pluming and Heating. They've called us a few times. I wasn't going to do it, because people go all out for these things and this isn't my forte!!! So the kids helped me and we had fun doing it! So I'm taking it down today. It's for the Magrath Hometown Christmas. They have these ginger bread houses and people bid on them and the money goes towards a new pool for the town. I'm sorry for who ever gets ours! Ha ha ha ha ha.....no really you have to see it!!

Abbi and Cadence worked on one together. Cadence was like, one candy for the house, one for me!!! ha ha!

I was helping Brianna and DJ.....but as you can see they were very focused!!

Their cute house. It has a sign that says, "Spencer Plumbing and Heating", and the ginger bread man is holding a plunger (Abbi's idea......a toothpick with a gumdrop on the end)!

Awesome job girls!

Look at those amazing looking houses....then there's ours over in the far left hand corner. Ha ha!