Where to start

School started with all of the kids except Alyssa returning to school. Kailyn goes in the morning and she is doing very well. She has had a few moments that made us wonder if it was a good idea sending her to school. She is picking up some bad habits from the other kids. We gave her a hair cut yesterday. She looks so cute. We have really been struggling with what to do with her hair. It has a mind of its own. She got a cute little bob and it looks adorable. We will see how she fairs after a full day with her messing with it. She only goes to school half a day. Then she comes home and has a little lunch and takes her nap.

Jacob goes to school when we pick up Kailyn. The only thing he tells us he is learning is to write his name. He is such an air head. He is doing other things I am sure, but he can't remember long enough to tell us what is going on. He seems to like it and is always happy when he comes home. He meets up with Jaryd after school and we pick them up together. We are still having a little bit of discipline problems with Jacob. He hasn't given up the idea yet that he is in charge. The other morning he spent the morning shower time showering the bathroom with toothpaste. He was of course disciplined for this and then the next morning he used the toothbrush full of toothpaste to decorate the bathroom once again. Of course, that followed by some more discipline time. Thank goodness he decided not to do it the next day. The paint is starting to get thin in the bathroom.

Jaryd is doing super at school. He has also been helping Dad in his shop a lot. Jaryd loves that kind of work. He reminds me so much of our oldest son Shohn. I am sure that God sent Jaryd to Kevin to take over helping dad now that Shohn has grown older. Jaryd is also taking responisbility for getting Kailyn to her classroom every morning at school. He does better when handed lots of responsibility. His first report card was good. He got a couple of undesireable marks, but nothing that wasn't already expected. He seems to love playing his leapster and that is helping his English immensely.

Now for Mom's news. I had elbow surgery on January 8th. Just a minor tendon repair and to clean up some tennis elbow. Never played tennis so I am not sure where that came from. I was in a cast for about 10 days. Kevin's mother came and stayed with us the entire time and that was a huge blessing. She helped with all the meals and the bathing and dressing of the girls. She was also the taxi driver for all the trips to and from school. We would not have made it without her. I have always been blessed to have such a wonderful mother-in-law. I do not think of her as a mother-in-law just as my other mother. The elbow is doing nicely and I start physical theraphy this week. Hopefully things will progress and I will be pain free from now on.

Dad is doing well. Nothing much different in his life. Big kids are great.
I will try to post some pictures of the kids later. Alyssa has her 4th birthday party on Sunday. Where has the time gone? She is having a princess party at home. We have a castle jumping balloon coming. The boys will dress as knights and the girls like princesses. What fun we will have. The weather is supposed to be in the 70's so it should be a great day.

Talk to you all again soon. Sorry for my tardiness.
Tammy

Christmas

What a Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The kids all seemed to enjoy the thrill of all the Christmas events. We went to a Candlelight service on Christmas Eve and they got to enjoy the true story of Christmas. It was a beautiful sight to see ALL my children sitting there enjoying the Christmas service together.

We then came home and Nana and Papa brought over dinner. We had a wonderful dinner with my Dad and Nana and Papa and Tiffany and Nathan. Then we retired to the den to open presents.

Everyone was a little slow getting into the moment but it didn't take long for them to figure out the process. I have always wrapped everyone's packages in the same paper. Every child has their own paper. It didn't take Jaryd long to figure that out. Kailyn on the other hand didn't quite understand the process. I am sure next year the race will be on. We had each child put their trash in the trash can as soon as they unwrapped a package. Kailyn became the trash woman. She enjoyed putting the trash away more than unwrapping the packages. Santa came the next morning and that was a real surprise for all. I think next year they will be a little more savy to the whole procedure. They didn't understand all that was going to happen this year.

After Christmas, we went to Kevin's Mom's and then on to Kevin's Dad's. It was fun visiting with all the family. Kevin's brother and family was there and they got to see the kids for the first time. All the family has really rallied behind us and loves the children as though they had been there all their lives. As I stood on the stage last week at church and looked at the children, I realized was a true miracle it was to have them in our lives.

Here are a few more pictures of the mayhem. Thanks for all your prayers and love during this time. We can never tell you how much all of you have meant to us. Those we know and those we only know from the blog. We hope to meet all of you some day.