2011 has been a year of a lot of ups and downs - the pain of losing grandparents and neighbors, mixed with the joys of parenting our kids and welcoming a new baby to our family. I guess so long as the good outweighs the bad we will be ok! Time keeps moving steadily along though doesn't it?
Advent ended despite my inability to keep up, and we found ourselves in a fury of shopping, wrapping, and having Christmas eve at my brother, Eric's house. We had a wonderful evening of eating, visiting, and opening gifts (which is why Quincy demanded the boys quit playing football in the yard and eat dinner already!).
Saige was unimpressed with her new Christmas dress, and spent much of her first Christmas the same way she spent Thanksgiving (sleeping). 
We had a very relaxed Christmas here at home--we enjoyed cooking a huge meal so that Preston could eat rolls, and nothing else! The kids had to serve at the 10:00 am mass, and for the record for next year, we do not need to arrive early!
Quincy got up and said "Hey, I was sorta bad, but Santa still came!"
Baby Alive will no longer be attending church with us, since she dances and pew hops the whole time!
The weather was so nice, the kids spent the afternoon playing in the yard!
One of the things I love about being home with the kids in the afternoons is that I get to answer questions like this:
We are following a crazy week after a crazy weekend with all the preparations that come along with the Christmas season. This has meant several Christmas (aka Winter) concerts for the kids. Due to them reconfiguring the schools, we can no longer attend one concert for the grade school kids and see all our kids perform on the same night - nooo way that would be too easy! We have now attended 4 concerts! Preston and Quincy's were at least on the same night in the same location - just at different times! Colin had his 8th grade band concert Monday night. They were pretty awesome! Playing the trumpet is not Colin's favorite activity, and truth be told the only reason he is in band is because when we agreed to purchase the trumpet 2 1/2 years ago, I made it known that it was required to play through jr. high! Although I really wish he loved band, he just doesn't! Not that he isn't involved in enough other activities I guess! 
She is such a funny little girl....so smart! Of course, performing for her big brothers and sisters is one of her favorite hobbies! She is really talking well now, loves to read books, and likes her daddy to rock her to sleep at night. She also hates for her clothes to get wet, and demands a new outfit if even a drip of liquid gets on her! She also loves to go pick up the kids from school, waits all day long for them to come home, and when they do she is totally immersed in whatever they are doing -- which sometimes involves her helping with homework (which is why she is so smart!). She is such a gift to our family! We love you Harper! Happy 2nd Birthday!
Last night, Preston and Quincy had their Christmas program at school. They worked very hard, and learned all the songs (8 for each class!). They clean up nice huh? 
My favorite part (aside from watching my kids do such a good job) was when a little boy was leaving with his grandpa and very loudly yelled "please wait to sing more, I have to go pee" I don't think the grandpa was very happy with him, and the singing did not wait for him either!! 
Saige Grace is one month old! She is such a good little baby! She likes to be held though - and sleeps best when cuddled up in anyone's arms!
Harper really loves her, maybe a little too much!
For her one month birthday, she caught her first cold.
It hasn't really stopped her from being sweet though!
Since being born one month ago, Saige has been to multiple wrestling tournaments, basketball practices, work with me, church events, and Monday she got to go to a high school band concert! The band was really good, but she slept through the whole thing! Preston was the event photographer.....he was a bit upset that he couldn't get the shots he wanted. He was just too far away with my sad little camera! Quincy danced and jumped through the whole concert, I can't help but wonder what she is going to do tonight when she is the one on stage!?!
Out of order, but these are my kids and my brother's kids at Saige's baptism. Rough looking crowd??!!??
Saturday night was Winter Formal. My daughters are so beautiful, and I can't believe how fast they are growing up! Madison had a great time.....Mallory only said it was 2 hours of her life she could never get back. :)
We had Saige's baptism today after church. Father Anthony did a great job, but it was hard to not have grandma there.....she has always been at the kids baptisms, and not having her smiling face there felt wrong somehow. It was a beautiful baptism anyhow, and Saige was the first of our children to sleep through the WHOLE thing - even when she had water poured on her head, she slept! Such a good girl!
I think Father Anthony really loves babies!
The minute Harper's birthday party was over, Mallory wore us down enough to agree to putting up the Christmas decorations! Now comes the part where we get to fight with Harper over leaving them up!
Now if I could just talk them into all taking a mid-winter's nap!