I am a swiss army knife.

according to my husband.

at 2:30 a.m.

the explanation:

I got up to use the bathroom at 2:00 a.m.ish --- this resulted in a certain dog waking up and needing to go out --- I took care of the Scoob and was almost home-free tucked back in bed when I hear Ty start coughing (I HATE COUGHS. I would take the stomach flu ANY DAY over coughs. stomach bugs last 3 days MAX. coughs, at least at our house GO ON FOREVER. enough about that.) So... I proceed to get back out of bed and take care of coughing Ty. at last I made it back to bed. no sooner did Andrew wake up to use the bathroom. I was annoyed.

the explanation:
Andrew is a "piggy-back-pee'er." huh? THAT'S RIGHT. A "PIGGY-BACK-PEE'ER." he gets up and uses the bathroom only AFTER I have have used the bathroom and then taken care of all our little dependents. TRUE STORY!

I would become the piggy-back-pee'er. but I can't hold it these days.

and here's is Andrew's sweet? response to my annoyance (is that a word?):
"Ame: You are a swiss army knife. YOU CAN DO IT ALL!"

ahhh... I felt so much better. (that's just what EVERY GIRL wants to hear) .... until 4:30a.m. when... well, you know....................

the "hand" microphone.

do any of you have certain songs that cause (like an unstoppable force of nature) the "hand" microphone to surface? you know what I mean, right? the HAND MICROPHONE...!!!??? you know, fist clenched, thumb up? I realized the other day that any time Chicago comes on the radio or cycles through my i-Pod the trusty old hand mic makes it's appearance. I can't help it. It just happens.

"Girl, well, it's been one of those days again
And it seems like the harder I try
Over and over, I'm right back where I began..."

what are YOUR hand mic songs? ok ok ok... even if you don't do the hand mic (why not???) certainly there are songs you just can't help belting out...

and needing some advice:
anyone have any suggestions for an external hard drive

and

a maintenance free humidifier (is there such a thing? this weekly cleaning stuff is getting old. and gross.)

the last person?

to post Christmas pictures... I am pretty sure. But better late than never, right? Hey at least my house is undecorated. That has got to count for something.

So enjoy the pictures... all 47 of them.

this year's (uncreative) card...

Hello Santa!


so snowy and SO cold... and yet the kids (and dog) LOVE it!

Hailey's preschool program... she was so cute...


the making and the frosting of the cookies... yum, yum!


Christmas Eve...


still Christmas eve... from Donnie and Tori...

"Where's the baby?" (their fav. Shrek the 3rd line) ... THANKS Donnie and Tori!

from cousins Abby and Avery...

Hungry, Hungry what? Thanks Abby and Avery... they love it!

new jammies, of course...


putting Santa's magic key on the front porch...

a plate of cookies for Santa...


the famous stocking pictures!...


all ready to go...


Christmas is here... finally! Checking to see if Santa ate his cookies...

so excited, so excited, so excited... do you think they are EXCITED???

let the FUN begin!!!...












Scooba dolphin (as we call her) in her too small sweater that drives her absolutely nuts...

and this is how we spent most of Christmas day: on the phone!!!

post-Christmas day sledding -- so fun!!!

had to include these because of their cute church outfits. sadly, Hai wasn't thrilled with the timing of this photo shoot...


New Year's Eve... partying with the Schneider's (party animal #1)

the pregnant gals and Sydney...

Andrew. New Year's Eve hottie.

Andrew. Guitar Hero hottie.

and party animal #2...


our holiday season was so fun and we loved spending it together as a little family. (don't get me wrong: we really really really really missed our too far away families and friends... but even without traveling home, it was still a fun, memorable Christmas.)

my two favorite moments from this year are:
***Hailey's singing (especially Away in a Manger -- "the yittle yord Jesus..." she has a hard time with L's. I YUV YOU HAY-EE!)
***Tyler explaining to Scooba on Christmas Eve morn. "that Christmas is REALLY about baby Jesus..."(he didn't know mommy and daddy could hear him)

and if you made it this far: congratulations. I know it was a long one ;)