Quiz:

Q: When you have triplet toddlers, what is the state of the tree by the end of Christmas??

A: A VERY bare tree!

Needless to say our tree came down earlier then we wanted. Due to the "Christmas Flu of 2011" our Christmas celebrations with both our families was postponed and I had planned on leaving the tree up till my parents returned from Texas...no such luck. Somehow the babies manage to reach every height and the tree will soon be bent over from the extra weight the top is carrying. At last count the toddlers have destroyed 6 ornaments completely and have required me to repair at least 4, two of them twice. Would that we only had 1 toddler have made a difference...who knows. The year Evie was this age, Shawn refused to let us put up a tree. At Shawn's parents, however, she lovingly and gently looked at several ornaments and that was it. Triplets=TROUBLE! :)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!! We were thrilled with "Santa's" final arrival and to spend a quiet day doing what I call "just being." The night before we let the kid's open their Christmas "nammies" and a few gifts from family and friends. Since we were in quarantine, this is our family picture via timer. This will be one of a few times you will get to see me without makeup, since we had all just been thoroughly sanitized ourselves.















































This is proof that "Santa" did indeed arrive. "He" fills the our stockings, which were to full to remain safely hung by the chimney with care.

One of the best parts of the morning is Evie angrily charging out of her bedroom, yelling at the babies for waking her and coming face-to-face with this sight. She stopped dead in her tracks and was like a deer caught in the headlights, swiveling from the stockings to me and back again. Her only word was, "huh?" Then when I mentioned Santa she had a light bulb moment.

She loved opening her stocking, the babies were...well not unhappy to pull things out. Her favorite part of "Santa's" gifts were the Squinkies she'd asked for which were at the very bottom. The babies favorite are the play necklaces and microphones (which, of course only cost $4 for 3 microphones and 1 pkg of beads...).



"Santa's" note to the kids, and evidence that he enjoyed the treats Evie picked out for "him." One of the disappointments from the illness was not having the energy to make Christmas cookies with Evie this year. She and I will be making peanut butter blossoms this week, while I am home on "break."


































































































Highlights of the day:

*This really started a day earlier: Mr. Grant started using his mouth to open presents. Once again earning his reputation for silliness. He did this for most of his early presents until he realized that this was not an efficient way to open them.
*Evie played with her new squinkie toys all day and the next and the next. She even prefers them over her mommy-daddy-Evie time. I could be mad about this but it is nice to see her appreciate the gifts. This year was the first year she really told us what she REALLY wanted.
*Ella's new cheesy smile. It's photographed in several of these photos...we loVe it.
*In Henry fashion, it took awhile to get him to let go of his sippy to open presents. Even then he still clutched his snack trap...the hungry monkey!is
*Finishing watching "The Nativity Story" during the kids naptime. I am moving this film to the #1 spot and am overwhelmed at how well the film is done. Despite a few inaccuracies,
it still leaves me feeling breathless and in awe. Thanks be to God!!
*Hooking up the Wii for the first time since getting it from Shawn's parents. It was a nice thing to do and "Santa" had gifted us with 2 new games, including a country dance one that I am excited to get back to. If my arms hadn't tired out, I would've danced for hours. Shawn and I also ended the night with this (not the dance game...could you even imagine??) and it's nice to have something new to do during our couple time besides tv/movie/reading.
*Nobody threw up!! Woot-woot!!!!
*The kids all really seemed to enjoy their new gifts.
*Shawn and I received nightstands from my parents, which my dad made and my mom helped with. Shawn's exact statement as we climbed into bed with them in their new spots was "our room looks so grown up!" Very true, considering they replaced cheap Target storage bins. They are really pretty and we loVe them! Soon we'll have to replace our college dressers, get a nice television and grown up bedding. We will actually have a bedroom for 3o somethings that have 4 kids. A nice sanctuary of our own!
*I (finally) recieved the charm bracelet from Shawn that I had asked (begged, nagged, coerced) Shawn into getting for me. It came with 4 special charms: "super" mom (one of the many comments I get with having triplets), i love my daughters, i love my sons, and a "diamond" cross. I loVe it!!!

Our goal for Christmas as mentioned in this post, is to spend the day worshiping the greatest gift of all, Jesus. We do this by making the day as relaxing as possible. No stressful meals or cleanup. No hurried showers and rushing from relatives to relatives. Just fun, family and Jesus. After presents and a light lunch (not all of our appetites had returned) I set the kids up for some art time. The babies enjoyed eating coloring with their new crayons and Evie drew and finger painted. The word on her sheet is her recent interpretation of her name. She was doing it preciously, but as new letters are added to her repertoire they are also added to her name, for Evelyn (Evie) is now spelt with a P and D.

Not-so-Merry Chirstmas

It's typical that when one goes out and about after Christmas that you are asked how your Christmas was. Let me tell you about "Christmas Flu of 2011." Now for those that are from MN or even IA, you well remember the infamous "Halloween Blizzard of 1991." Even this year, its 20th anniversary, people were sharing their stories. That is how I will remember this Christmas.

It started on Friday, with a text from Shawn: "Grant puked all over so come right home."
Half an hour later: "Evie just puked. Get home now."

I was at the movie with Jessie and had to leave 45 minutes early to come home to two VERY ill kids. Let's just say they were staring at a basin every 10 minutes. I joined them sometime later that evening. By 1 am, round one was done. The kids and I were exhausted. Grant woke at 2:30 refusing to sleep because he was so thirsty. He and I slept in 30-45 minute sections, interspersed with refills to his sippy. Evie joined him at 5:30, also thirsty.

Ella was hit the next day, in 3 random vomits which lead to complete confusion on our parts. Was she sick or not? That was the end of round 2.

Shawn went down at 9:30p Christmas eve and like the 2 kids was completely knocked out. Round 3 ended at 4:30a. We spent Christmas day recovering and without a visit from Santa. Needless to say it was not how we expecting the Lord's birthday to be celebrated!!

With everything, I try to think of some positives that came from our Not-So-Merry Christmas:

1. Thanks to the sickness and following days of no appetite, I am a little closer to my first 33 before 33 goal: lose 33 lbs.

2. Henry didn't get sick.

3. The kids won't remember it.

4. Once again I proved to Shawn that my GI tract is made of steel. His level of sickness vs. my level...

5. I was able to clean/sanitize/disinfect both bathrooms and all bedding was changed and washed. Something that NEEDED to be done.

I love...

...this man! {Happily} Married 7 years today at approximately 4pm. In 7 years, we've:

1. Became a doctor.
2. Bought a practice.
3. Had a little girl.
4. Had 2 surgeries, 6 hospital stays.
5. Got a niece and a nephew.
6. Gained a brother-in-law.
7. Lost a sister and 2 grandmothers.
8. Moved our practice.
9. Had triplets.
10. Laughed
11. Cried.
12. Experienced disappointments, joys, miracles, answered prayers, overcame fears, medical scares, and temper tantrums.
13. Fell more in love!

Shawn,

You are my best friend. You are the one I want to read my blog the most, tell me I'm pretty/wonderful and your opinion means the most. You make me laugh. You still make my heart flutter. You are my everything. I love you!!

Tawnda

It’s the Third Thursday Blog Hop where once a month you can “hop” around to different mom blogs to find encouragement on the topic of the month. Today’s topic is “When did you realize that you weren’t on your own in this journey called motherhood?”

I first started to realize I wasn't on my own during my first pregnancy. My sister, Keesha, was also pregnant at the time and we shared a lot about the ups and downs we were experiencing. When my daughter was born, she was the first to offer me practical advice. Having 2 very different children, hers slept all day while mine cried all day, made me long for more mother friends who'd been there and knew my frustration and exhaustion. I joined MOPS and have met quite a few "veteran" moms and now I can empathize with other mothers whose babies aren't seemingly "perfect" from the beginning.

My life took a whole different turn when I learned I was pregnant with triplets. I knew that I would need special friends who had lived through multiples and could offer advice or at least commiserate when I felt overwhelmed. I found that in a local group for mom's of multiples and an online group for just those of us lucky enough to have triplets.

I am so very thankful for both of my groups of friends. Motherhood is a journey I love but it is one without a map or perfectly outlined itinerary for tantrums, sibling arguments and 3 toddler's throwing food on the floor at every meal. My friends, my sisters, my mother, and the blog/forum communities help me keep my sanity, give me practical advice and remind me that even if I'm not a perfect mother my kids will be ok.

Christmas

I love Christmas. It is my FAVORITE day of the year. Even though it's in the middle of my LEaST favorite season, winter, I think that if it was in June it just wouldn't feel the same. It's the one time of year I really love living in MN during the winter. Our new house lends to my adoration of this special time of year because it was meant to be decorated for Christmas. Here's what I mean:





Here's the kids decorating the tree for the first time:







The kids really enjoyed themselves. The "babies" have "re-decorated" the tree for us several times, but that is slowing down...mostly because most ornaments are out of reach. However, they've left the stocking pretty much alone. You can see by their outrageous expressions the joy they had exploring our new "toy."


For the second year in a row, we will be sitting tight for Christmas. Shawn and I, BK (before kids), decided that despite how much we enjoy Christmas with our families, we wanted the kids to be able to awake Christmas morning in their own beds, and unwrap presents under their own tree, just as we did as children. I've never liked how anxious and stressed everyone gets about a day meant for celebration of a baby born to be our Savior. Therefore we do NOT make a big deal of cooking all day and cleaning. No rushing from house to house. No hours of travel. Instead, we will be making two different soups (one of which is chili) in the crock pots, bake some garlic bread, open gifts, blow out candles on a cake, watch Christmas movies in front of our "roaring" fire (aka corn stove), read the Christmas story and stay in our new Christmas pajamas all day. Our goal: to keep Christ the center of our celebration and celebrate our love for Him and each other.

33 BEFORE 33

My sister had a brillent idea of creating a bucket list of sorts to complete before she turned the big 3-0. I am, somewhat unfortunately, already been there and gone BUT in the spirit of her list I decided to create my own before the BIG 3-3. I, of course, celebrated my birthday in October but unfortunately as with everything else am behind on documenting it. Here it is:

1. Lose 33 lbs.
2. Scrapbook ALL of the loose pictures I've printed with the good intention of scrapbooking.
3. Read one personal growth/business book per month (12 total).
4. Take my kids on a great adventure.
5. Make Top Flight (it's a business thing)
6. Get to work early by being prepared the night before.
7. Kick my diet dew habit...for good.
8. Get out of my comfort zone...be bold with GOH & proxies (it's a business thing).
9. Workout 3 times a week. (I really don't like this one but it needs to be done and said).
10. Take a long weekend away, just Shawn and I.
11. Get out with the triplets more...take them to the mall, the park, the cities etc.
12. Become a crock pot crazy. Cook at least one meal this way per week.
13. Eat 3 veggies a day (hey, I barely eat one)
14. Take a Zumba class.
15. Give a speech.
16. Serve on a board.
17. Keep the kitchen table hot spot free, kitchen counters too.
18. Get the new house 100% organized and unpacked.
19. Save 10% every month.
20. Try out a new recipe twice a month.
21. Cook dessert with Evie.
22. Make a new friend...have playdates.
23. Read my bible consistently 30 minutes a day.
24. Finish year 3 of my nutrition certification WAY before the end of the year.
25. Have Shawn teach me how to drive a stick shift.
26. Start a blog for our office.
27. Write every week in the kid's journals.
28. Add in bedtime story and prayer to the triplets bedtime routine.
29. Become a secret Santa (with no one in particular, everyone is a candidate for a surprise)
30. Have a YES day for Evie.
31. Enroll Evie in gymnastics.
32. Go on a family picnic.
33. Give us a raise.

The Big Guy

Dear Santa,

I am so beyond excited for your arrival!!!! Last year I had a great time meeting you and I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies we left out for you, remember dat? I'm not perfect and sometimes I get in trouble for loving to much on my brothers and sister. Or not listening. Or whining. Okay, and sometimes I have a complete and total meltdown. BUT I am becoming a sweet little girl, learning lots and I love to give gifts to others like my special drawings of monsters and portraits. I have already been hard at work on an ornament for you and several drawings. I know that we've already chatted about what I REALLY want this year but just in case you forget I would love some Squinkies, especially the Little Mermaid ones!! Otherwise, take care and give the reindeer hugs. We'll leave the lights on but the fireplace off, cookies are on the table. Merry Christmas!!

Love, Evie



Dear Santa,

Despite how it looks we really enjoyed meeting you this year. Truthfully, it was like a first for us since we were really only 4.5 months old last year. It seems like you got smaller but we think that it must be that we are getting so big (we can show you if you don't believe us!) We don't really have any toy requests this year, our toys just can't compete with cupboards, bathrooms, diaper champs and Evie's toys. So surprise us!!! We promise not to eat to many of your cookies if you promise to forget any of our "alleged" naughtiness. Okay?? See you next year!

Love,
Ella, Henry & Grant