Catching up

After being gone 39 days and being home only a week now, I am still trying to catch up.  Catch up on sleep, laundry, cleaning, the kids school and sports, and my much loved DVR (which I have yet to sit down and watch one show!).  It was a long time to be gone...bear with me as I am still catching up.

Indianapolis

I have now been in Indianapolis for 1 week..woo hoo! (I am trying to focus on what time is over not how much time is left). Although I won't be here sightseeing,  between meetings I have been able to snap a few photos.  THIS is where it will all happen in just a few weeks....

It is a beautiful stadium.  Although we don't know who will be playing here in a few weeks I knew Kelsey would love seeing the Colts turf.

Just a few blocks away is where I will be for the duration.  This is my new office for the next month plus. 

To those back home, I miss you all, and this is where you can find me!!

Survivor

You know the show(stranded on an island for 39 days, with complete strangers to outwit, outlast, and outplay while competing for a million dollars).  I am a huge fan.  Although I am not embarking on the popular television show, I am leaving tomorrow for 39 days.  This is where I will be.....

It is that time of year.  The time I pack my bags and go to work...at the Super Bowl!  This year it is in Indianapolis.  This will be the longest I have ever left my family.  Although I will not be with complete strangers, or have to outwit anyone (I hope), I will have to survive 39 days without hugs and kisses from my cuties back home(sniff, sniff).  On the up side... I will win the paycheck at the end!!!!  

Happy New Year!!

Hope you all had fun ringing in the New Year!!  It was a long night.  We are looking forward to 2012 and what it  brings for us!

Christmas

Christmas morning we thought surely the kids would be up early anxious to see if Santa had come.  But at about 6:45 we decided we better wake them since Matt had to be to work soon.  I wasn't sure Santa would be making a big stop, but boy was I wrong!  He came!!  I think Jingle may have fibbed to the big guy?  Here is what Sadi got:  

She got a bunch of La La Loopsey dolls and a tree house play set which we all got to play with, 

 She also got lots of Barbies.  You may have noticed in the first photo there was a Ken barbie that came with all of these.  Well as Sadi does not hold back what she is thinking EVER, when she saw that she said "Uh I DID NOT want this, here you go Chase" as she threw it to him.  Thanks Santa!

 Chase was thrilled when he found this super hero loot waiting for him.  He got 4 movies (The Avengers, Captain America, Thor, and the Green lantern).  Along with them he got every hero figure and an evil villain.

 But I think he most enjoyed all the masks and weapons.  We repeatedly saw him dressed as the green lantern,

and Thor.  He also got what he really wanted (although I didn't get a picture of it) a watch.  Not just any watch a cars watch which he was sure Jingle told Santa about because it was just what he wanted.

 I think Kelsey was thrilled the big guy thought she was good enough to get this pretty keyboard.

So as chaos broke out all day long, we got to listen to her practice her skills (I think she may have decided it is going to take a lot longer to learn than she had anticipated).  She is wanting to learn how to play one of the songs from the movie breaking dawn....maybe we should master twinkle twinkle first?  She also got new clothes and fun girl stuff. 

I surprised Matt with what he has really been wanting for a long time, an I-pad.  I think he loved it.

They  kids had fun opening presents from us later.  Which again Sadi did not hold back when she opened new pajamas we bought her and said "I didn't want this!  Can I open another one?"  Good thing we were redeemed when she opened a blanket (I had made each of the kids)and said it was just what she wanted.  They each loved snuggling up in there new blankies!

It was a crazy, noisy, busy day ended with great food and family!!  Merry Christmas!!

Christmas eve

This year Christmas eve was a little bit different for us because Daddy had to work all night.  So although our tradition is usually to play games, eat yummy food, and spend time doing Christmas things we changed it up a bit so we could all be together (as much as possible).  After all isn't that what is the fun part?  We spent the day together hanging out, and hey we got what I think is our first family photo of the year!

 Later that night we all headed to Daddy's work and spent the night...

 Bowling!!  I think Uncle David won every game, but we all had fun.  We ate dinner in the restaurant there and Daddy was able to eat with us (when he wasn't running out to fix a problem).  When it was getting late we left Daddy at work and headed home to decorate our cookies for Santa.  Sadi taste tested many cookies (to make sure they were safe of course).

 I think Santa got the most decorated cookies ever!

We watched a short movie and read our final Christmas book "Twas the night before Christmas", and then it was time to hang the stockings or for Sadi try it on once again to make sure it still fits!  I think in a year or so it will be time to get a bigger stocking.

And FINALLY it was time to dream of sugar plums and hope that Santa would come!

Saying goodbye

On Christmas Eve it was time to say goodbye to our little elf Jingle. He really has become one of the family.  His last few nights here of course he was still busy finding things to do while we slept.  Just 3 days before the big guys arrival he was found having a camp out with Woody.  They were roasting marshmallows over the fire.

 Just 2 days before Christmas he must have know the kids needed a little help being good because he brought them a treat with a poem which read:

With little elf eyes watching you,

There's not a lot that Santa misses.

So to help you be good today,

Here's a bunch of sweet elf kisses.

 And on Christmas eve morning he was ready to party with us.  He had brought his very own merry-oke microphone which turned your voice into an elf voice.  It even came with a very clever little music book that had elf lyrics to all the songs.  My favorite was this song which I thought was perfect for Sadi:

(Sung to the tune of Jolly old St. Nicholas)

Jolly old St. Nicholas,

tell me if you can,

Am I on the naughty list?

I'm afraid I am.

Seems to me it all depends

What you mean by "good."

I'm not really bad you see,

I'm misunderstood!

It was so fun having Jingle this year and the kids were sad to see him go.  We blew him a kiss, and told him we would see him next year!