Catching up! Christmas Eve

Wow I'm having a hard time keeping up with the blog.  I think now that facebook is so easy and accessible on my phone most things get published on there and therefore I don't feel the need to post it again on here.  I've also contemplating stopping the blog because I don't think anyone really reads it but really it's more for my children and me.  I love looking back over the years and seeing the changes in the children and reliving their accomplishments.  Also I would hate to stop and for Hope to not have any memories on the blog.

So here I am catching up from where I left off.  Christmas Eve and Christmas.  We had a great quiet Christmas Eve.  My inlaws, My parents, My brother and his wife, and a friend came over that night.  We had a roast for dinner and Conor helped make some pies.  Steve had to work Christmas Eve so his mom helped me get things ready.

Hope really enjoyed all the food and getting to know all the family.  Her and Landon tried playing with each other a few times.  It was fun watching them open presents and Hope got a hang of opening presents pretty fast.

Landon and Hope playing

Hope in her Christmas PJ's

Zoe opening her Christmas Pj's

Sean (brother) & Anna (sister in law)

Hope opening her present

Parker got a chess set

Hope wearing my new scarf

All the cousins together

Landon is ready to open his present

Zoe loves her present

Hope helping Conor

Thanksgiving and Doctor appointment

Wow what a whirlwind of a week.  I have debated on continuing the blog lately.  This is the first time I really felt like it's a chore to keep up and I'm not sure if there is really anyone reading it a this point, so basically it's just a journal for me to keep.  I still have not totally decided on what to do and I feel bad to stop because Hope is now here and I don't want to be one of those parents that take lots of pictures of their first children and none of their babies.  So for now it will stay, who knows maybe I'll change it up an make it a little different. 

So back to last week.  The kids went back to school after having three weeks off.  I think they were ready.  We had to go in and re-register each of the kids since they had been gone more than 10 days.
So we brought Hope in the little one's school, and boy was she a celebrity.  It was obvious that the teacher's had been following along in their classes and everyone knew who she was.  My favorite comment came from a boy in Zoe's class " she's so cute I want to hug and kiss her"!

Afterwards we went into town and showed her off at Steve's work.  We also made a quick stop at my work and quickly learned we had forgotten the diaper bag.  We had a stop at Kmart and pick up some diapers and wipes and new pants. 

Thanksgiving was nice.  It was just our family and my parents.  We had a delicious dinner and later my brother, sister in law and nephew joined.   Friday we got up early and shopped and my Aunt from California came up. I am now mostly done with shopping.  Saturday Chase had a wrestling tournament and I went to the movies with my brother, sister in law and nephew.  Hope was great!

Sunday we attended Church and she loved all the singing.  She even made a new friend in the Nursery.

Monday she had her first doctors appointment.  She had to get three shots and bloodwork and a TB test.  It was hard to see her so upset.  We found out today that her blood work looked good!  Praise God that she will not need any further care for what was considered her special need.

I will leave you with a few pictures!

Our little beauty

Playing with sister

Caring the turkey

Toasting with her sparkling cider

Facetime with cousin Brianna

She loves the dogs but the dogs are not to sure about her

Rest time with Baba

First pumpkin pie with cousin Landon

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  Today was a good day.  Yesterday I had to work and kept getting called back to work.  I just wanted to make it to my mom's house long enough to eat and see the family open up gifts.  Well I got my wish and right after everyone had opened their gifts I was back off to the Hospital.  The kids got all that they wanted.  We got a date night envelope from Anna and Sean.  So sometime soon Steve and I are going out!  We received money from Robin and Susan for our adoption fund!  It was a lazy day with lots of food and family laughs.  Here's a few pictures from the morning.

Parker's gifts

Conor's gifts

Zoe so excited