We Made it to 2006!

This is the Christmas Card pic I sent out this year.

This is the pic I wanted to send out, Gabby is trying to hold the screaming
babies and Matt and I are making the best of it.

I guess, like most things in our lives right now, this news is late in coming...I'm late for everything...doctor appts., church, parties, making supper, getting to work, getting to bed...so that's why I'm only writing now about what has transpired in the last several months. It's either that or give up my dream of becoming as prolific a blogger as Squirrel Girl. I always think of things I want to post and then someone goes and poops in their pants and I'm diverted once again.

I begin with a quick snippet of Gabby's 3rd Birthday, which was one highlight of our December. I had the whole family over along with several friends for Gabby's princess party. As everyone knows by now, Gabby is IN LOVE with all things "Cinderelly" or princess. The morning of her party (Dec. 11, one day before the actual birthday) she awoke to her decorations and her gift from mommy and daddy. To the chagrin of those trying to dispell the myth that life is not full of happy endings and Prince Charmings, Gabby immediately put on the Cinderella dress up dress and "glass" slippers we bought and refused to take them off for 3 days. And I cherished every second of it. After everyone left, she sat at her new extremely tacky Disney Princess table in her attire and played tea party. Nothing could have been more girl and nothing could have been cuter. She still wears it at least once a day and has added several items to her princess collection. She has also figured out that daddy is mommy's "Charming". I'm not telling her otherwise.













Once the BIG BIRTHDAY was over and all of the pre-cleaning, actual party, and after-cleaning were taken care of, it was on to the next party. The Witschen Christmas party was the following weekend. Every other year we all get together. Since the family is ginormous, that's about all they can do. I think it's great that they all still get together. Gabby had the best time with her cousins, Michael and Ryan (who are twins and the sons of Matt's sister Bev and her hubby Dave). I love these pictures of Gabby, the delight of her laughter made everyone laugh:












We had the Dehmer Christmas Eve at our house the following weekend. Thus began the entire cycle again: cleaning, cooking, house full of craziness, late for midnight mass with Anna, after-party cleaning...and it was wonderful and yummy and fun and full of babies and happiness and giving and love like always. Here are some pics from Christmas Eve at our house:




Mommy and her handsome man. I never have pictures of me and my babies since I'm always the one taking the pics. Bubby gives the BEST kisses. Well, the second best in case daddy is reading this.








Papa, Niklaus, Roman and Wyatt. Finally some boys in this family! Wyatt was trying to keep up with his older cousins.









Opening gifts. The infamous "bag o guns" from Uncle Pete to Matty. What Christmas is complete w/o machine guns?




After Christmas, with Auntie Anna still staying with us, we had a lovely few days of rest and fun and SO MUCH HELP from Anna. I had pics of the babies taken which was a disaster, they cried the whole time. And then, since the country has not yet found Anna's Birthday to be more important than the fact that it is Christmas Eve the very same day, we had to celebrate Anna's 21st the weekend after. I say, "had to" but "got to" was more appropriate. We had so much fun. It was the first time that just the sistas went out.

Laur, Anna and I met up with Rach and Dad and Rudy later to ensure that Anna had a proper right of passage into legalness, thus, we ended up at..da da da dum, The Corner Bar. It was everything we thought it would be. I think I decided I could handle a Corner jaunt once every 5-10 years or so and that's IT. I rarely go out late and rarely indulge in the spirits, so it was too much for me since the next night was New Year's Eve. Matt and the kids and I went to his sister's and stayed out way too late again. Anna had all her friends at our house so I freaked out all day making sure it was clean. We had a nice time once again and I think Anna did too so all was well and the Holidays came to a close.

So often, people complain about the busy busy-ness and how it's so hectic and they spend too much money and blah blah blah, but I love the chaos and the "stress". I love having Christmas at my house, despite all of the cleaning and work. I rue the day that someone in our family suggests that we have our family party at --heaven forbid-- a rented hall. Yuck, ick, spchleecht. I'd rather go into debt adding on to my house just so we can all get together.

I have lots more photos and even more memories but I must call it a night. Just to be complete though, here is the rest of the news in list fashion, some of which will be illustrated with photos later (esp. since I'm having a hard time posting my pics and it's late): Gabby has been 100% potty trained for some time now--hip hip hooray, Wyatt started walking, then running, then getting up by himself, Bella started walking too, Matt is finally realizing his dream of owning a shed -- ground is already broken, I am realizing the dream of a vacation w/ just my hubs in Feb., Laura is ready to have that baby in a few weeks, Deb is close behind her, Anna is back at school and Gabby and I are going to visit her this weekend, Auntie Noelle came for an overnight to our house so Matt and I could go on a date--what a FRIEND!!, Bella had pneumonia, Wyatt had an ear infection, everyone got healthy, I'm feeling as though 2006 is going to be quite a wonderful year.