Holiday Break Activities!

MOVIE...we watched the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie with some of our best buddies.



Yogurt Mountain...DELICIOUS!











So what did we do after Christmas during the "Holiday Break"...played at the park of course. SO what if it was 40 degrees...kids don't care if it is cold. I also took the girls to Bath and Body Works to choose a favorite lotion (of their choice). My dad and step mom sent the girls an "after Christmas surprise"...a Bath and Body Works gift card. By the way, the aroma of coconut, springtime flowers, and apple pie permeated the interior of my van. Each girl shopped for their favorite lotion and then received their own special bag to carry their lotion in.


We splurged one day and joined some of our best friends at the movie theater. It was grand fun. After the movie, we enjoyed some frozen yogurt at Yogurt Mountain. Claire chose cheesecake with Reese Cup and Brownie (smart girl), and Ellie chose peanut butter with chocolate sprinkles, Jenna decided on peanut butter with Reese Pieces. It was YUM!!

We also had a store credit at Kohl's so after the park, I took them to shop at Kohl's. My favorite memory of our shopping days, is one in which Jenna stops an elderly man and says, "Hi, my name is Jenna and we share in our family"...I guess the poor girl hears it so much that she just naturally thinks of it. We are constantly reminding our children that if you are going to be a member of our family, sharing is just not optional...we share everything in our family.

The random stranger she started talking to, was intrigued with "how I take five little kids shopping"...so I had to share my secret...BENEDRYL!! ha ha ha...just kidding. I told him I talk to God all day. I ask for more patience each day, I ask for forgiveness when I lose my temper and become aggravated, I ask for physical strength to take care of everyone each day, I praise God for my healthy happy children and meditate on the blessing of that to keep me focused on "the bigger picture". It is super hard to not "sweat the small stuff"...but every single day I TRY my darndest to raise these babies the best I can in a way in which God would be honored and look upon me and think..."job well done"!!! And by the way, shopping with five little kids is really hard to do. It is almost like teaching school. You have to "plan" ahead of time. You have to be "prepared". You have to have your materials ready (snacks, diapers, bottle water, crayons and paper, books)and you have to watch your "time management" and be ready to "discipline"....It all works out but it is not easy. I have always said, that I don't want my children to not enjoy experiences in life because it is "hard on mommy", so if my day is a little more challenging than most, that is fine with me. I will take the challenge and do my best.

I love my children and thank God every single day for loaning them to me. They are all uniquely individual and God has a great plan for each of their lives. I am just really thankful He chose me to be their mom!