My 4 Boys & Me

Busy, busy, busy!  This is the time of the year when I wish most that I could slow time down.  I just have SO many things I want to do & I want to be able to really enjoy every bit of it!  I think the trick is probably to not try to cram so much into such a small amount of time, but I just can't bring myself to cut things out of our schedule.  All that being said, we really have had a great holiday season thus far & I absolutely TREASURE each little special moment we've had with the boys this year.  

We started the Elf on the Shelf tradition this year!  We talked about it last year but decided to wait one more year.  It has been SO much fun!  My mom ordered our Elf from Pottery Barn for us & we watched the CBS show & then she "presented" our little family with our very own elf! He's quite cute, with brown hair & blue eyes, of course :) Westin named him Polo.  Polo is always the first thing on his mind every morning-- his first task of the day is to seek him out & find out where he landed.  For as mischievous as my precious boy can be, he has been SO good and hasn't even attempted to touch him (the biggest no-no, if you've read the book!) or mess with him in any way.  Kreg & I are just having too much fun with this new little tradition for our family!

I took the boys to see Santa at the Chapel Hills Mall here in town-- my sisters & brother & mom & I used to get our picture taken with him every year :) Westin had been SO excited for days about going to see him, and told me he was going to sit on his lap & tell Santa he would like a toy gun & some toy cars for Christmas.  The whole way to the mall he couldn't stop talking about how exciting it was!  Well, we got in line to see him & the poor baby just couldn't bring himself to go see him!  He just cried & cried & said he just couldn't.  He told me later, "Santa is a nice man."  I don't know exactly what was going through his mind, but I know I was scared of the "nice man" for several years when I was little, so I didn't push him at all.  He'll be there next year :) Tucker, on the other hand, was very happy to see Santa! I got some great pictures, just wish I could have gotten both boys in them!

Westin took a lot of pride in helping his Daddy with our Christmas tree this year!  Almost all of the ornaments were placed (all along the bottom, ha!) by him & he had something to say about every one of them.  Tucker enjoyed getting into all the ribbon (just like Westin did 2 years ago :)) & watching all of the lights.  He is trying SO hard to crawl-- he can rock forever up on his hands & knees, he can lunge himself forward, and he can crawl backwards... I know it's probably just a matter of days now before he gets all of the motions together and is in to everything!  He is such a strong baby-- he's been sitting up & pulling up & doing planks & push ups for a couple of months now... I guess maybe he's a little football player in the making? His daddy would be proud! 

Speaking of football... in the Kell household, we have three football teams we follow.  The Arkansas Razorbacks, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Denver Broncos.  Since we are now officially a house full of boys, football is a BIG DEAL. :)  Kreg is not OFFICIALLY a Broncos fan, so officially, neither are his boys... just me, I guess... but, they are all Tim Tebow fans :) We keep up on a lot of the Tebow-mania that has hit Colorado & Westin & I watched this video this past week:  http://youtu.be/zMK9FKMG3Nc  Kreg came home & had some other video of Tim Tebow on his phone that he was watching & Westin comes around the corner, hears the video playing & starts singing, "all he all he does is win, all he does is win, let him play let him play!" OH BOY. You know you're a big deal when... :)

I think I can officially say that I am completely addicted to cloth diapering. A lot of "you" who read this have asked me about it & how it's going, what's working for us & what I can recommend/advise so far.  I think I'll try to put together kind of a step-by-step what we're doing & what I'm using & how I'm washing, etc... It might have to wait until after Christmas, though :) Suffice it to say, I have gotten rid of the disposables & almost cry everytime I have to put one on Tucker! I didn't think I'd ever say it, but I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the fluffy bottoms!  I've been blessed to be able to review some cloth diapers for the blog I write for occasionally, A Nation of Moms .  This has helped me try out what's out there without breaking the bank, which has been great!  I've learned a lot in the process & think I'm in a groove now that works really great for us-- it's saving us money on our monthly budget, it's so much better for Tucker's bottom, and I think they're a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.!

We were blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas this past weekend with my mom's side of the family in Denver.  We got loved on & spoiled & ate way too much & made some more great memories! My Grandma is the Christmas Lady & I think she always will be in my mind! I just don't know anyone who brings so much joy at Christmastime & finds so much joy in Christmastime & she has made it such a special time of year for my mom & for my siblings & me & now for my babies too.  Of course, I got up there with my camera & no memory card :( I will have to get the pictures my mom took!  

We will celebrate our Christmas together a little early (on Thursday night & Friday morning) and then head to Searcy to celebrate Christmas with Kreg's family on Friday.  We're really looking forward to seeing everyone & having everyone together for the first time in a year & a half! (too long.) We're also really excited about our "road trip" in my awesome new mini-van.  I tell ya, I keep finding more & more things about that car that I love.  Like the 8 cupholders just for the front two seats.  And the little mirror that lets me see the entire back two rows without turning around.  And the built-in sunshades that I can pull up on all four back windows.  And the automatic doors & back hatch.  And the remote start.  And the back-up camera.  Why didn't I want a mini-van before?? I just don't know.  These things are awesome. 

 Christmas Eve marks 4 years since Kreg proposed :) I have always LOVED Christmas, but every year since then I have one more reason to get warm fuzzies every Christmastime! In some ways it seems like it's been a lot longer than that, in other ways it seems like yesterday! It was the perfect proposal & I am so very blessed to be married to my very best friend :) I love you, Kreg! Forever & ever.