new year

November & December flew on by. Will someone please slow time down.
We had a nice Thanksgiving in town thanks to one of the coolest families around. Then December brought about my birthday, which Daniel and the kids made into a spoil mom all day event. I loved seeing my kids bursting with excitement to give me their gifts. How sweet they are, and how very sweet my Daniel is.
We went up to UT for my darling cousins wedding, and then Daniel flew home while the kids and I got to spend that next week with my parents. Sadly my mom works insane hours so we only had evenings with her, but we gladly take anytime we get with her. Joshy sure does love his "ba-pa", and would go around calling out for "ba-pa" all day long.
The weekend before Christmas, Daniel flew back in, we picked him up and went to his parents & they sure did spoil us all up there. I dont know that they will ever want to go out to eat with our family again though cuz my kids extreme sleep deprivation made each of them emotional basketcases and all Daniel and I could do was laugh because it was the most extreme case of emotional meltdowness we've dealt with at a restaurant. It was good to catch up with them while we were there though, and the kids just loved all the crafts grandma & grandpa jackson had for the to do.
We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with all but 2 of my brothers & their families, but got to see all but 1 of my brothers on Christmas. I loved the white Christmas and all the traditions and loved loved loved being with family. How I miss being around my parents and siblings and their families. I simply adore my nieces and nephews.
We made the never ending drive back here. That was wild, and then got home and got hit by the flu and a sinus infection and ear infection and boy that was no fun to deal with.
But we are all alive and well and the kids go back to school tomorrow, and we jump back into the routine, which is good and kinda sad. Time marches on.
Kylie is growing up so fast on me,and i love this girls creativity. Toast is such a good kid & the head-butting he & I have struggled with for a while hasnt been happening lately, which makes me happy. He is showing more self control with his reactions and I love that about him. James and I are kind of in the phase that frustrated me so much when Ty was 6-8. So Im hoping it is a stage. James will be so so sweet and helpful, but if he gets offended, then wow does he react like a hot head and man does it take some serious self control on my part to not react by yelling at him which only would serve to escalate his hotheadedness. But im trying to focus on the positive with him, so let's say whenhe is good, he is very very good! Bennie is as bright as ever- such a sponge right now. Joshy is the toddler in charge. He has us all wrapped around his finger and knows it. Tommy has yet another tooth, and I suspect he will be walking before long. It breaks my heart that his first year will be over before I know it, and to think i am not gonna have a newborn again is just killing me- but having another might just kill me too, isn't that just a catch 22.
Here's to hoping 2013 will be all that we hope for it to be.