Adventures Visiting Santa

Christmas Is Coming

Yes my friends it's that time of year again. CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

I'm not sure why I've been having such a hard time over the last year or so keeping up with this blog. I used to do so good. Dunno what it is....I mean sure the 3 boys keep me busy and all but I find time to Facebook...Sure I've had to stop writing twice since I started this post, once to save my 1 year old that got stuck in the kitchen cabinet and again to pour the sleepy 4 year old some milk. The boys have been awake since before 6:30am and are in need of naps or maybe its mama that needs a nap. Anyways......The kids are doing good. We've been in NY for almost a year now.

Alex is doing great in school. His teacher just loves him. He needs to work on not yelling out the answers and letting others have a chance but his teacher said he's always right lol. He's learning to read and doing good at it. He says he loves math and he learned to tie his shoes (thanks to Mr Paul making him sit and practice till he learned). He told me he wants to spend his summer in SC again this coming summer. I told him I'd have to see what I could do. He's made 2 good friends up here and they take turns spending nights with each other on the weekends and let me tell you have 5 boys in the house is fun lol.

Eian is learning so much in school. His communication has improved so much. He still has a lot to work on, but he's finally putting 3-4 words together to make a sentence. Even if it is "dada woo phone" he still got his point across telling on Will for playing with daddy's phone. I wish communication was as easy for him as it is for his brothers. We are trying to find away to get him an Ipad to use to help with it, but that will be after tax time before we can make it happen. I'm working on making him a picture wall to help at home. His behaviors are about the same, still hitting, biting and throwing things when he gets made which is very often. He finally got a one on one aide at school, hopefully that will cut down on those behaviors at school. After the new year I'm gonna work on getting him so respite care from the Army (he qualifies) so that I can get a small break. We are still no were near potty training but he's gotten to the point where only diaper he doesn't wet threw are the over night ones.

Will is so much like Alex and Eian it ain't funny. He talks nonstop and is a mean little thing. He has started talking back. He loves to dance and play with his brothers. He thinks he's just as big as they are. He's still a little peanut at under 24lbs and still in size 3 diapers. He loves to help mommy around the house. This year is gonna be a fun Christmas for him now that he's older. I need to take him back to the dr he's got one more shot he needs to get.

Oh did I tell you I've had to stop 3 more times since the last time. Dirty diaper, pour Alex a drink and get little kids outta my bedroom where daddy is sleeping. We are going home for Christmas, we leave in 13 days. I can't wait I miss the South and my family and friends. I miss my Shuggy dog too. I'm almost finished wrapping gifts. I got a few more bows to make before I leave for Christmas and clean the house. I asked Joel last month what he wanted for Christmas and he told me there wasn't anything he wanted so we decided to have a real date night while we are home. Just me and him, no worrying about kids, sitters, or anything. So family is gonna watch the kids and we are gonna have some much needed us time as our Christmas gifts to each other. I can't wait.  Well I guess I better finish up the tiny kid got quite and no telling what he's into.

Moving Pt 1

OK so we are moving in just a few short weeks. We are following Joel to Ft. Drum NY. He's been there since Dec 11. It's been hard being away from him again, but I wanted to make sure the boys enjoyed their last Christmas in this house. Boy did they, we got way more stuff than they need. We had a great Christmas. Christmas morning after they open gifts at home they got to Skype with Daddy and it made their day, Mommy's too.

My house is a disaster and now the fun part of organizing and packing. Should be super fun with 3 small kids. Then we move to the next fun part. The almost 900 mile drive with the kids. Oh Boy, can ya tell I'm excited. Note to self pack lots of car activities and melatonin. 

But really I'm looking forward to this I've never lived anywhere other than Union SC except when we lived in Buffalo SC but that's still in Union County lol. I've only been to a handful of states, SC, NC, KY, GA, & TN. Most of those where just passing through. I'm really excited about starting this new chapter in our lives. The boys are excited, OK well Alex is really the only one that understands we are moving and I don't think at 5 he gets the full concept but he's looking forward to building a snowman and making new friends. 

So over the next few weeks my blog will chronicle our move to a new state and the start of our new life. Hope it doesn't bore you too bad.

Now for a few pictures from Christmas

Monkmee Giveaway- Tiny Prints*CLOSED*

I'm big on Christmas Cards, For the past 3 years I've been involved with an online card exchange with other families of children with Down syndrome. I look forward to checking my mail everyday to see the cards that came. They cover my walls during Christmas, then go in a scrapbook to save and remember them. I normally make my own cards, but this year I have so much going on with getting ready to move so I started looking for a company that would do my cards right. Tiny Prints is the company I found. They have some very cute cards.

This is the one I am ordering, soon as I take the boys Christmas picture. It is so cute and I was able to pick font, pictures, and colors I wanted.

This is an idea of what it will look like. some of the pictures will change. I'd be proud to send this out to all of our friends and family.

 About Tiny Prints

To savvy shoppers around the world, the name Tiny Prints stands for high quality products like chic personalized stationery, stylish design and exceptional customer service, but to us the name will always conjure up images of the adorable babies whose photos graced our first line of birth announcements, photo books and baby shower invitations . What was started by three friends with big dreams and a passion for beautiful paper has grown from a tiny, self-funded company specializing in unique baby stationery into a booming online retailer of stylish designs for every occasion that is recognized around the globe for our commitment to customer service and our insistence that personal attention be paid to every order.

In addition to expanding our collections to include fashionable products for a variety of life events, Tiny Prints branched out into the wedding and business stationery markets with the launches of Wedding Paper Divas in 2006 and Tiny Prints Corporate in 2008.

Despite all of this phenomenal growth, we have maintained a constant focus on providing a superior shopping experience to all of our customers. Alongside the hundreds of fresh new designs that appear on our sites each week, we also continue to offer increasingly innovative online tools to make your stationery shopping experience even more convenient than visiting your local boutique. By merging new technology with the traditional art of letter writing, we hope to inspire new generations to continue the timeless tradition of giving and receiving handwritten notes as the ultimate form of heartfelt social expression.

Whether you are looking for chic designs, a fun new way to celebrate a special occasion or a tiny bit of expert advice on etiquette or design, we invite you to join the Tiny Prints family! We’ll help you get together, keep in touch and share your love one little card at a time.

Buy It: Tiny Prints

Win It: Tiny Prints is offering 2 of my readers a chance to win a $50 gift certificate.

You must be a Mama Monkmee Google Follower to participate.

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Mandatory Entry: Fan Tiny Prints on Facebook and tell them "Entered the Mama Monkmee giveaway and I like the _________ Christmas card” where the “blank” put the name of the Christmas card you like from their Christmas cards page. (easy enough) 

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ReTweet- Mama Monkmee and Tiny Prints is giving away 2 $50 Gift Certificates (Ends 11/18) @adjolly & @tinyprints #giveaway

RULES: Open to U.S. Residents. Giveaway Ends November 18th, 2010 at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be selected using Random.org and emailed. You will have 48 hours to respond. If no response prize will be forfeited and a new winner selected.

*I was not sent any thing to post this giveaway.*

Christmas Pictures

Meet Alek

Alek just turned a year old in October and he's waiting on a forever family. He's healthy, happy and developing very well. He's currently living in Eastern Europe in a very good orphanage being taken care of by care givers that love him very much.

Something about this little guy has stolen my heart. We at this time do not meet the income requirments to adopt. But I can tell you that if we did and trust me I've cried over this, we'd be working to bring this little one home. But since we can't our goal is to help raise the money to find him a forever family.

Shelley over at Embracing Life as Household Six is his Christmas Warrior. Head on over to her post about him and donate to his fund if you can. $35 will get you a wonderful Christmas ornament with his picture on it. I got mine yesterday and it will be going on our tree soon as it goes up next week, right along with my boys yearly ornaments.

Look at those chubby legs and his big brown eyes. Lets help him find a family.