Too much time on my hands?!

The boys and I have really enjoyed our time off from school together! We had to make a few returns yesterday and decided to do a little shopping for Herbie while we were out and about.
We went just to get a collar, leash, and a couple of toys, but wound up with much more!!! Old Navy had a great sale on ALL their clothes!! Needless to say, I couldn't contain the shopper in me! So, here's Herbie's fashion show!

I completely forgot what it was like to have a "baby" in the house. I'm practicing for Asha! :) Herbie is now almost sleeping through the night. He goes to bed around 8:30pm and is up between 3-4 am to go to the bathroom. Then he gets in bed with Shad and I and sleeps until around 6 am. Everyone laughs because we have a "routine". Did I mention he's completely potty trained? Yep- 1 week and we're done! Good job, Herbie!! Wish it were that easy with kids! :) I go back to work on Monday- wonder if I could get maternity leave?! Ha! Ha!

The MOM Song...

My friend Jenn shared this hilarious video with me this morning...

A "Herb-alicious" Christmas!!!

We have a new member of our family...

meet

HERBIE

isn't he just the cutest little stocking stuffer?!
and that's exactly what he was, our stocking stuffer.
His mama is a Pomeranian and his pop is a Shitzu.
He is such a little lover!

My mom's dog had pups on the night we all went to the Watoto Children's Choir. Shad and I both said NO WAY, NO DOG!!! The boys fell in love with them and named them all! Every time we would visit they would play with them and love them up. Again, Shad and I both said NO WAY!! I became attached to Herbie and picked on Shad about bringing him home with us but NEVER thought he would cave. Well, Christmas Eve my friend Kristen came and took the female pup and the kids were heart broken. When we got home from my mom's Christmas Eve, Shad told me to call and ask her to bring Herbie in the morning when she comes to watch the boys open presents. I didn't get my baby girl for Christmas but Herbie sure did bring joy to my kiddos!! Did I mention that out of 3 pups, 2 have a Shitzu for a dad and 1 has a Pug?! Good thing she's a dog!! Ha!

We had a great evening with my family on Christmas Eve. The boys got Rock Band and played that for awhile. My Grandma Kay came down and we played a little euchre. She loves to play cards!!! Then around 10 pm we headed home to get ready for Santa. Nothing real exciting... nothing beats good food and having your family around!

A funny little story for all of you who have a child teetering on the Santa thing...

Treyton doesn't really know which way to go with Santa. He has sat down and logically thought things through and tells me "things just don't add up, Mom!" Well, my mom always told me growing up that "Once you quit believing, you quit receiving!". So, not to completely ruin it for Cooper, I played that card. He wasn't buying it. On Monday, I told all the kids to make sure their bedrooms were all nice and tidy so Santa would stop. This makes the 3rd year that Austin hasn't believed in Santa but he has never spilled the beans! Treyton said "NO! I'm not cleaning my room. Your so called Santa will still come even if my room isn't clean. He wouldn't leave presents for the other boys and not me! Watch and see!" Oh... was I ticked!! I calmly said, "No child of mine would be that disrespectful to someone, let alone their mother, so... you watch and see!" While the other boys buzzed around helping me pick up and do the dishes, ect, Treyton moped around doing everthing BUT help out. When Shad got home I scooted out to the store and made quick phone call to my friend Nikki and her husband and asked them to help me out with the little stinker. I changed their name to Santa Claus and the ringtone on my cell phone to "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and they called the next day to "check their list" and to update their records! Treyton is always the first to grab my cell when it rings so it threw him when the caller ID said Santa Claus. He answered it and chatted for awhile and has been the perfect little helper since. It would of broke my heart not put gifts under the tree for him but I would've done it! Our children do know the true meaning of Christmas, but they don't stay young forever. :)

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes!! The Zithromax has kicked in and I'm feeling much better!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

Fun with family...

The past couple of weeks have been crazy around the Alsworth house!!! I can't remember if I mentioned that I'm working full time at the Elementary School. I'm in Cooper's class as a 1:1 aide for a little girl with severe behavioral problems. I committed to a long term subbing position (6 months). I started in September and will be there until Easter. At the time I thought it was perfect with the adoption and all, but I am in way over my head!!! I would take my 3 boys on their worst day over her. Yes, she is actually THAT bad! I look forward to my weekends off and count down to the long breaks like our 2 weeks for Christmas. Every now and then she will say something sweet to make me forget just how bad she had been acting that day and then she is right back to her old behaviors.

Last week she came into school all excited and said "Mrs. Alsworth do you want to know what I got you for an early Christmas present?"

"No, let it be a surprise! You can show me at our Christmas party on Friday." I said.

"Oh, Mrs. Alsworth, I got you Christmas earrings. Dangly ones! I'm going to wear them tomorrow to show you!" she exclaimed. :) A little sweetness shines through every now and again.

The kids had their Holiday performances last week. The entire 2nd grade recited poems and sung carols. Cooper was the announcer for his class. The 4th graders just had a movie day and the 6th grade band performed at the Middle School Holiday Concert Thursday evening. It's kind of sad to see Austin growing up so fast- Middle School already!!!!

Friday was a snow day and school was cancelled!!! Yeah!!!! It gave me time to get my baking done for our Christmas party with Shad's family on Saturday. We were blessed to have Shad's brother and his wife home from Myrtle Beach for the week. They left 75 degree weather to come to NY for temps in the teens. Brrrrrrr.....

This year we exchanged homemeade gift baskets. Everyone's was perfect!! The boys and I made rock candy, peppermint bark, butter rum and M&M cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip loaf with cream cheese frosting, chocolate covered pretzels w/sprinkles, and "reindeer poop" (chocolate covered peanuts and marshmallows) for our basket. We threw in a couple of mugs and hot chocolate, and a bottle of Glenora Grinchtraminer wine (their version of Gewurztraminer). It turned out quite nice if I do say so myself! :)

And the boys still found time to build an Igloo!!


On Saturday Santa stopped by to say hello to all the kids during our Christmas party. It was so nice to have all the nieces and nephews around. I wish we did it more often!! We really are blessed to have so many loved ones to share the holidays with. Our weekend ended on Sunday with the baptism of our nephew Ethan. What a great way to celebrate the season!!!!

The kiddos enjoyed sled riding at Uncle John and Aunt Sue's while I stayed in and made peppermint hot cocoa for everyone.

And nothing says Merry Christmas like strep throat and a sinus infection... yep, I woke up Monday morning with a "mouth full of gumballs" and a "balloon ready to pop" attached to my neck. I get so stressed around the holidays that I always wind up sick. Usually it's severe bronchitis or pnemonia so I guess I'm lucky this year!!! Ha!

We will be celebrating the holidays with my family on Christmas Eve. It's a much smaller ordeal than with Shad's family as I only have 2 sister. Shad has 3 brothers and 1 sister. Scott, Shad, Shawn, Shane and Candi- say that 10 times fast!! :)

Happy and safe travels to all!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

One year ago...

One year ago today we began our official journey to our daughter, Asha. I am filled with emotions that I didn't know I had!! I really wasn't expecting it to take this long even though I knew it could. I hadn't emotionally prepared myself for the reality of it!!!!!

Each step has brought such joy along the way and I now long for "the call" from Tami.  It's really hard passing the 1 year mark still without a picture and no answers.  I am a good one to give words of inspiration but have a hard time finding it within myself.  Right now I'm just trying to take it one day at a time.

Tami emailed me today and shared a verse from one of Steven Curtis-Chapman's songs and scripture.  What a great help it was to me to hear the words.  Although I've turned to scripture for answers before, today it has helped my ache a little different.  I'm not sure why, it just has.  I've told many others to just trust in the Lord because he is the only one who has the answers  but for some reason I wasn't listening to my own advice.

“God is God and I am not. I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting. God is God and I am man. So I’ll never understand it all. For only God is God”  

“Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”  Prov. 19:21

I am still clinging to HOPE that I will have a sweet face to go with her name by the end of the year.  I am trusting that I have been given signs along the way and have just ignored them. (Kristi W. knows about my phantom emails and such.) If you are or have ever been in a lengthy adoption process I would love to hear your story.  I am looking for anything and everything uplifting right now!

Gidget had asked awhile ago if I had gotten any "xmas" gifts for Asha while I was Black Friday shopping and the answer is...  OF COURSE, YOU SILLY WOMAN!!!  Hahahaha!!!!  Only 1 though.  I got her her first Cabbage Patch doll (and my mom pulled mine out of her attic for me to get ready for Asha).  I will post a picture as soon as I can unbury her from the boys xmas stuff.

In "honor" of hitting the 1 year mark, I bought Asha a puppet that sings "Close to you".  If you aren't familiar with the words they go...   "Why do birds suddenly appear, every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be, close to you. Just like me, they long to be, close to you."  He is so soft and squishy!! Shad thinks it's goofy but I just love it!!!