Monday already done???

Wow, today went fast...too fast.....

My first day of holidays zoomed by! We got a little cleaning done, but mostly, relaxed! Dave took Elliott this morning and I went back to bed for almost hours! It was GREAT, and SOOO needed!

Grandma and Grandpa Bert, had given us a gift card for the boys to get a new video game. So today, we picked up DJ Hero. The kids had a blast! Nate really likes it, Corbin, although he is the one the most interested in the idea of DJ'ing..was not as keen. But now that we know he can play guitar at the same time as someone else DJ's...he will be happy and can be! lol We all have our DJ names. I am DJ Chats, Dave is DJ Frost, Corbin was Rock Star, but then changed it to DJ Master, Nate is DJ Yo, and then Elliott is DJ Eli! I can't wait for Owen to come for his next weekend so he can try it and choose his DJ Name! lol

When Dave went to get the game, he made a stop, to get me something. I am one to not usually buy myself anything. When I get money or gift cards for myself, I usually get things the kids need instead. SO when I saw this at Starbucks when I walked thought with Nate, on the way into Chapters to use my gift card to get him his new Webkinz..lol...I mentioned it to Dave. I have an orange juice, iced tea and ice coffee addiction. I am always on the look out for a cup that holds a cold beverage, that is big enough, and that is reusable. Well I found the perfect one. It was on sale, good price, but still, I refused to ge tit for myself. SOOO Dave when he gets home, says close your eyes, and gives me a bag. I look in, and there is the cup I wanted! I was so flabbergasted! It was such a wonderful gesture. I am going to post a picture of it tomorrow if I get th chance. It is the neatest cup I think I have ever seen! You usually see reusable coffee ones, for warm beverages. But this one is for cold drinks, and it really is perfect and just what I wanted! :) He is such a sweetheart!

Now, I have played DJ Hero, cleaned, made dinner, put kids to bed....I am beat! I am going to log off, run the dishwasher and get to bed! Tomorrow, there will be more DH Hero I am sure...lol...but also, a few games of monopoly! I think I will ask around to see if anyone has one of the old ones, the main game lying around (since we have the kids ones) so Dave and I can play!

Have a good night everyone!!

Monday? No problem!!!

Another Monday around the corner...and that is ok!

Dave, the kids and I are off all week!!!!! I am SO happy. I know it will go by WAY too fast. Once next Monday rolls around, we are back to being really bus. Actually, with some new routines that are going to be challenging as Dave starts a new schedule at school. But I know we will find a way to make everything work! So tomorrow, being Monday, is a good thing! It means we have an entire week off together to enjoy, relax, and have fun! I am really looking forward to playing some monopoly with the kids, and scrabble, and getting some much needed cleaning and sorting and purging of old toys and clothing done!

Today, Nate and I had some time together. Just mom and Nate time! We were driving to the store, and talking about how many letters are in each of our names. His being the most, 9 letters. Chantal has 7.Corbin has 6, David 5, Elliott 7, Owen I said was the shortest with 4 letters. He corrects me and tells me that I had the shortest name. I was about to say no and show him by re-counting the letters in Chantal...when he said 'you have the shortest...M-O-M! ' Only 3 letters!' :) What can I say, he was right! :)

Since we had four stops to make, bank, Loblaws (for some organic Apple juice for E ), Chapters (for Nate to pick out his new webkinz) and walmart for milk and bread, I said we would have to be quick at Loblaws and run in. He said we can`t do that. I asked why, and he said we are not allowed to run in stores! What was I thinking! This little guy was correcting me left and right today! :)

SO when we got home, we got some cleaning done, and the Nate had a nice nap! Elliott had been waking up before 6 am the past 2 days, and poor Nate heard the baby and woke up too, so he was pretty tuckered out. After some lunch, and cleaning, Corbin came home! It was so great to see his smiling face!!! We had a nice dinner, pasta, rolls and Caesar salad, and watched part a movie together before bedtime. It was a beautiful day! I am beat and still fighting this darn cold. But it is getting better little by little!

SO now, I sit with Dave and watch him play a game on the Playstation for a bit. Then I am off to bed! Need to make sure I am good and rested to start our week off on the right foot! :)

Have a great night everyone!

Sleep well, sweet dreams, and God Bless!

Lazy day......

..and loving it!!

I am still quite sick. I think my body realized that the big Christmas business was over, and the germs went nuts! :P lol SO I took full advantage, and did very little today! We had soup for lunch....MC's for dinner....lol. Nate and Daddy (and me JUST a little), played Mario cart, and just hung out at home. I don't like feeling so off, especially when there is so much I want to get done! All these toys and things to put away and find room for. Although I am off for a week, so I will probably get them done slowly but surely! We are missing Corbin and Owen so much. I can't wait for Corbin to get home tomorrow. :) We have to wait 2 weeks to see Owen again, which is really hard....having a stepson is amazing, but waiting till the weekends to see him...is really hard.

I am looking forward to my week off, and having lots of time to hang with the family! But for now...off to bed to get some sleep! I am hoping to wake up tomorrow morning, with this cold gone!!!!!!!!!!! :P lol

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Well today is Christmas! The day we spend weeks and weeks preparing for....that is over with within a half hour...:P lol

The kids were of course spoiled. I am hoping that no matter what they do and don't get, that they always know and understand the true meaning of Christmas. I worry sometimes, no matter how hard we try, they always look SO forward to the presents the most. Although, I remember feeling that way as a child, and I turned out ok...didn't I? lol

As an adult I MUCH prefer to give then receive, and hope my children will grow to have the same feeling at Christmas time. We are celebrating the birth of Christ, a time for giving and loving and sharing. This needs to always be foremost in our minds at this time of year. It is SO easy to get caught up in the hullabaloo of buying and spending and over-extending ourselves !

This afternoon, we lit our advent candles. The three purple ones and the pink one were re-lit as we lit out white Christmas candle. We talked about the true meaning of Christmas and what it meant to us. Nathaniel shared that Jesus wanted to die with those bad guys on the cross, so he could save us and go prepare houses and places for us in Heaven. Corbin shared that he wants to share the word of God with others if they do not know about God. :) My children amaze me, and warm my heart more and more with each passing day. These are our advent candles sitting in a wreath that my mother made. :)

I am really happy we got to get a recent picture of the kids together. It is amazing how HARD it is to get them all sitting together long enough to get a good shot where they are all at least looking at the camera! lol But this year, we got a few really beautiful ones. I think this one is my favorite! :)

I am truly grateful for my children, my husband, and our family and friends. Especially at this time of year, when we see so much more of each other and make sure to take the time to stop and be together. Even with all the running around, preparing, baking, cooking, cleaning...etc.... it is worth every single moment, when we sit down and be together!

Now, Dave and I am the boys are going to play some more games and have some nice homemade turkey soup for dinner! YUM! Then, when the children are all tucked in safe an sound tonight, Dave and I will play a game of scrabble by the tree. Have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas everyone!!!

God Bless!

Three down...best one to go!

We are home, kids are snug in bed, and I am sitting down for a change! lol What a day!

We went to my parents house for Christmas dinner. We had a lovely time! The kids and Dave and i were spoiled again! I also got some new kitchen, cookie sheets, and measuring cups..etc...after all this baking this week, getting new things makes me want to start all over again! :P

The kids had to leave their stuff in the van for now. After three Christmas celebrations and being spoiled at every one..I have NO idea where we will be putting all these new toys!!!!! But I am sure the boys will make sure to make room. ;-)

It is so wonderful to have Owen with us this year. We miss him terribly when he is not here. He is getting older now, and likes to spend his weekends with his friends. SO having him for this past week, has been SUCH a Blessing! Knowing he is here for Elliott's first Christmas too, makes it that much more special! It will be hard to say goodbye to him tomorrow. His brothers are like glue to him when he is here..lol..sometimes too much for Owen...lol

I am sitting here now uploading pictures, and sitting beside my husband. :) The kids left their cookies out for Santa, and they are nut-free. For some reason, Corbin was very concerned and wanted to make sure they were nut-free, as he is sure Santa has a severe nut allergy, and he wants Santa to be safe. LOL During nigh time prayer, Corbin asked God, to please make sure Santa made it to every child's home safe and sound tonight. I love how loving and caring my little ones are. Makes me smile and beam with pride!

Time to check on my little loves, make sure everyone is sound asleep, and set everything up for tomorrow morning! I am looking forward to french toast tomorrow morning after presents! Also, lighting our advent candles at the table while we eat. Merry Christmas to all!!!

Two down...two to go!!!!!!!!!

I am on VACATION! Wooohooo! lol:P

We just had a wonderful evening with my father in law and his wife. :) We had a great evening! The boys, and Dave and myself of course, were spoiled beyond rotten! They even brought dinner!! What an evening! It could not have come at a better time. I am really not feeling well, and neither is Dave. Since I am still nursing, there is nothing I can take either...so i truck on! Sick and miserable, and cranky! HA

(This is what the tree looked like when they brought all the gifts in! I think there is far more there then there will be Christmas morning! LOL)

They brought dinner, but I made dessert! :)

SO, now we have had one wonderful early Christmas with my mother in law, then another one tonight with my father in law. Tomorrow we have Christmas eve with my family, where we shall no doubt be spoiled again, then Christmas morning, with all the boys! :D But more then anything, more then the gifts and the food, I get to be with my family. :) What more could I ask for. We have our ups, and our downs, but in the end, we have Love! I am grateful to be a mom, a wife and a Christian! This time of year is always to special and wonderful!

Now that the kids are in bed...I need to wrap the last few gifts! I think that my bed is calling me...so hopefully I can get them done pretty fast, so I can go and snuggle up in my warm bed and get some sleep! We plan on giving them an early gift tomorrow morning, a new board game, so we can have some family time together playing before our busy afternoon and evening arrive!

SO off I go....oh and did I mention...I am on VACATION!!!!!! :P lol

another...headache???

Well head ache yes, but it is because I am getting a cold. SOOO not the right time with Christmas around the corner! I do however, keep trucking on! Today, I had the daycare children finish and wrap their homemade presents for their parents and their special cards and little gift for their grandparents! :) Sent them home with them today, I hope the parents like them.

Although I am sick, and tired, I managed to make about 140 mini peanut butter blossom cookies! Phew! I am BEAT! It took quite some time to make them all! But with at least 5 goody baskets to fill for family as Christmas gifts, they will go very fast I am sure! Dave, the kids and I taste tested them of course! It was my first time making them and I was brave enough to double batch it too! lol SOO glad (and lucky) they turned out!


I was hoping to get the last of the wrapping done tonight. I was so proud we had gotten ahead this year. I was determined there will be NO wrapping on Christmas eve! However, with feeling the way I do, and with hubby feeling sick too..(and we all know how men are they are sick..:S) I don't think they will get done tonight after all.

SO I am going to sit down, and do nothing for a bit! lol Won't last long I know...but will try! My in-laws are coming for dinner tomorrow, and I have the daycare Christmas party! I have to wrap at least those gifts tonight. Oh and make sure to finish the laundry. Need my Christmas jammies all clean and ready for our PJ day tomorrow! PJ's, Christmas music, picnic by the tree and presents! :) What a great way to spend the afternoon. Then a nice dinner with the in-laws and their presents to the kids. So off to take a few minutes rest, while I can get them....

Night everyone! Sleep well, sweet dreams, and God Bless!

First time Blogger......

Where to start...well I guess I should check that spell check is available and working!

I am welcoming myself to the world of blogging! Now, I don't pretend to have vast amounts of knowledge to share, and since I spend my day with children, my vocabulary leaves a little to be desired, so this MAY be a short blog. But then again, since I have difficulty shutting up most of the time, it could also drag on, and on, and , well, on.

I should also warn you before hand, I am french. Now to some, this may mean nothing. But according to my husband, it means I write backwards in English! lol I have to admit, when proof reading things, I do see how I tend to write things a little backwards. While you are reading, if things tend to be a little jumbled, or would make more sense to be read backwards, I apologize in advance!

I still have not decided, where this blog will go. Maybe I will spew information about my daily goings on, which MIGHT sounds boring, but believe me can be quite entertaining. Or, perhaps, I could just ramble on as I tend to do, and hope it makes enough sense.

Since this is my first time, (blogging that is...get your minds out of the gutter...) I will try to keep it somewhat simple. We am enjoying a week with all the kids home! Owen, my stepson, is here for the week leading up to Christmas, and my husband, myself and our three other boys are THRILLED to have him here. Today we decorated gingerbread cookies, and I baked zucchini cookies. Now that sounds really nasty, and I was not sure how they would turn out. BUT it seems, they are really good! Thanks goodness Christmas is so close, because they are for family, and if I had made them ahead of time and planned to freeze them, well there would be none left at this point! Tomorrow, will involve more baking and perhaps a Christmas craft as well!

I am working for the next 2 days. I run a small homedaycare, so I can be home with my little ones. My husband is going for his last day of school tomorrow until January 4th! So this is the countdown to our time off.....2 days.... then a week and half, just me and my family!

Since it is getting late already, i think I will sign off for the night. But before I go, I want to share a nice thought Nathaniel, our 5 year old shared with me the other night. After nighttime stories, cuddles and prayers, he said to me;
" mom, I think Santa can talk to God"

When I asked why he thought that, he said;

"because they are both really high up in the sky! And on Christmas , Santa goes high up in the air and talks to God"

He had a big smile on his face, and it really made me melt. I think being a mom, is the best, most amazing and challenging and rewarding job in the world! I take it on with pride! We have 4 healthy happy amazinbg boys, and I would not trade them for the workld! Now, when it comes to husbands...lol...no I would not trade him either! Maybe just trade in the PS3 for a while......:P

Night all! :) Sleep well, sweet dreams, and God Bless!