14 Kids + 12 Adults= A completely fun and chaotic Christmas Eve. We had everyone in town together on Christmas Eve at g-mamas and g-papas house. We went caroling, we ate food, and we TRIED to sleep. Dylan's cousin Charlotte came into town from West Virginia and he was in HEAVEN. He slept over with her earlier on the week (his first ever sleep over with a friend). I love having cousins so close in age, it makes visiting even that much better!Here is daddy and DD caroling together at the Brownson's. "Santa claus is comin' to town!"After caroling came present time! The Mount tradition is PJ's on Christmas. The Mount family (Jason and Heidi) went home to sleep (because they were much smarter than I), so here are all of the other kids and granparents in their jammies. My kids had Minnie and Mickey jammies to prepare them for the crazy Walt Disney World Vacation that was only days away.All of the kids slept in the game room upstairs, but surprise, Dylan and Charlotte were the two who had the hardest time closing their eyes. We put them in a seperate room so that the older kids could sleep, and minutes after we did this we came back up to check on them and they were sound asleep, together. So cute!
Christmas festivities began weeks ago, but we are just finally getting to post about it. I will begin with the Christmas ward party in which the kids talked with Santa and took part in their first nativity.
Just a side note: Dylan had been a little pill during the weeks leading up to Christmas, call it excitement or terrible threes, but when he received a video email from Santa himself who said and I quote, "I hear you have been a good little boy Dylan", it got even worse. After hearing this message, Dylan no longer responded to the, "you have to be a good boy or Santa won't come" threat. Whenever I said that, he quickly responded with, "well Santa already told me I was a good little boy mommy, and that he would get me a special present!" Ugh. So on the days leading up to the ward party I was at my wits end with this child and I told him that Santa and I were very sad and dissapointed in his behavior and that he needed to say he was sorry if he wanted to get any presents from Santa this year. So when he got to church, he slowly and shyly walked up to Santa and said, "I'm sorry for being a bad boy Santa". Santa forgave him and he came running into my arms with a big smile on his face because he was going to get his "special present" from Santa this year.This year the primary children all took part in the telling of the Nativity Story. Dylan dressed up as a cow and sat quietly and patiently the entire time. I couldn't believe it! He even sang some of the songs. He moved up to Primary last week and is loving it! He is finally out of baby nursery with his little sister!Sydney couldn't get enough of Baby Jesus's eye that night. She loves baby dolls, and she loves saying her new favorite word, "eye". (She does still get confused between the eye and the nose though when she says it, bless her heart :)The night ended with us being serenaded by a ukulele quartet. Cameron of course was in it along with our good friends Clay, Dylan, Forrest, and my Dylan. They sounded fabulous! What handsome and talented men!
Dylan recently got a new BIG BOY BED! After about a month of Dylan falling asleep on the floor due to his feet touching to edge of the bed, we decided to hunker down and get Dylan a new bed. He seriously would throw fits at night because he was "too big for his baby bed". Ughh, gimmie a break! So alas, we found this bed on Craigslist and had to get it. We were looking for something that would work when Sydney moved in and that would create more room. This bed is perfect! The house part is a bit huge, but I love that it hides ALL the toys! When Sydney moves in we will either put her toddler bed off to the side, or put a mattress right on the floor under the bed, (so she would be inches off the floor). Perfect right? If only the colors were a bit more feminine...but I guess red and blue will have to work with a coed room. If you find any fabrics or fun ideas send them my way...I need to do something in there! For now, the kids are OBSESSED ith the slide. It keeps them busy for 30 minutes at a time...what a life saver! I just have to be careful that Dylan doesn't crush Syd. NO MORE BROKEN ELBOWS! Every now and again Dylan will go stand on his bed and yell, "this is the very best bed in the whole world!" Is he spoiled or what!?
Yes, we have yet another broken bone to add to the list in the Mount family. Last week Sydney fell of the bed at Grandmas house and broke her left elbow. Dylan had pulled her up while we weren't watching (something he has NEVER done) and down she fell. It was a 14 inch fall onto carpet, (a minor fall), one that resulted in a trip to the ER. UGH, if you recall, it was Dylan two years ago that broke his elbow while running to us on a tennis court and falling. Talk about two freak accidents! I can't believe I have had two kids under two break their elbows. STRANGE! At least Syd only needs her cast/sling on for 3-4 weeks compared to Dylan's 7. Both pics are of our cutie pie reading her books. SHE LOVES READING! When she is crying or throwing a fit the best way to calm her is to pull out a book and read or sing it to her. Works every time! I wish the same worked for her mommy! Oh, and aren't Syd's pigtails the cutest? I love having girls...they are so much fun to dress up!
Thanksgiving 2009 with the Mounts=lots of food, lots of people, and LOTS of fun!
Whats a party without good food and a 3 year old setting the table? Or without cutie babies wandering around?What is thanksgiving without Grandpa Mount being the best grandpa in the world, and planning the ultimate scavenger hunt for the kids? It was awesome!
Cameron was in charge of the "littles group".What is a scavenger hunt without a boat ride to the island?Or a human pyramid?Or a good game of b-ball?What is a scavenger hunt for kids that doesn't end in tears over circus peanuts?And what better way to end Thanksgiving day than a game of Karaoke? And/or snuggling with your cousin?
Here is the first and probably last picture that you will see of me this pregnancy. I am 22 weeks here and I already look like I am 7 months! CRAZY! It is amazing how each pregnancy is so completely different. I am bigger, moodier, zitty-er, and my heart palpitations are crazy with this one...I probably should look into that :)
I am a SAHM who started this blog as a way to journal about our everyday lives. There are so many sweet moments that I don't ever want to forget, and so I write. Some may judge or hate me for being so honest, or for my parenting techniques, while others might learn a thing here or there. I am just me, open and honest, doing the best that I can. Motherhood is hard and it is a learning process. Hopefully my kids will look back and read this years from now and laugh at all that they put their parents through.
1)I am a Gemini 2)I thought I was going to be eaten by a shark at age 11…I have a huge scar on my leg to prove it 3)I exaggerate and say things I shouldn't when I am nervous 4) I have always wanted to be in a choir 5) My greatest fear is to not be important to those I love 6)I didn’t go in the ocean for about 5 years…refer to number two 7)I LOVE picking (zits, hairs, nails, anything really...nasty I know) 8)I make smoothies at least once a day 9)I am still afraid of the dark (only when I am completely alone) 10) I hate feeling stupid 11) I bite my finger nails 12)I grind my teeth when I sleep 13) I am VERY opinionated but I refrain from sharing it (most of the time) 14) I love art, but I suck at it 15) I have accidentally peed in public at least 10 times since the age of 8 16) I have a real drinking problem that has nothing to do with alcohol 17) I can’t keep my sneezes quiet 18) I have never liked my hair 19) I am OCD about melted ice cream 20) I nannied Rob Lowes nephews in college 21) Met Terri Hatcher for a job and Cameron couldn't resist talking to her about her Seinfeld "real and fantastic" role 22) Some of my friends call me cheap, mostly because its true 23) I am almost unbeatable at Dr. Mario 24) I have witnessed two seperate deaths 25) I love Tae Bo 26)I am addicted to all sports 27) I am terrified of snakes 28) I sing and make up my own lyrics when I am alone 29)I was born on my mothers birthday 30) I broke my back water skiing at age 12 31) I have had 12 moles removed 31) I actually prefer silence to music (especially with two kids, how on earth did Cameron marry me?) 32) the piano is my favorite instrument 33) I was voted most inspirational in college (on my volleyball team) 34) If I were a boy I would have been Brady West 35)I am really shy upon first meeting you (I know, who would have thought right?) 36) My sister is “my person” 37) I cry often when I am moved 38) I am getting quite good at forgiving everyone but myself 39) I am a BEAST when I am tired 40) I have stood at the top of the stairs with a knife threatening to hurt whoever was in my house on more than one occasion 41) I am allergic to deodorant 42) I am going to be an Labor and Delivery Nurse one day 43)My biggest pet peeve is inappropriate cell phone use 44) I get overwhelmed easily (why do I have three kids again?) 45) I hate being misunderstood 46)I thrive on spontaneity 47) I broke my arm falling off a skateboard (from the sitting position) 48) I love self help books 49) I hate public speaking 50) I have superhero strength when I a disaster strikes…seriously 50) I have had 4 piercings 51) I have always gotten out of my speeding tickets 52) I love Christmas music 53) My love language is quality time 52) I have had Pityriasis rosea 53) I broke my friends arm in 6th grade letting go of her at the skating rink *oops* 54) I tap dance in place when I am bored 55) I like to self diagnose...its a problem. 56) I think feet are the ugliest part of the human body 57) I am Young Women's president in my church 58) Laughter is my therapy 59) My kids are the cutest kids on the planet 60) I have a problem with locking my keys in the car 61)I backpacked Europe for nearly three months after living in Portugal and playing semi-professional volleyball 62)I sucked my index finger as a kid until they had to put a metal contraption in my mouth to get me to stop...this is the same finger that Sydney sucks on 63) I don't like animals,(In high school, I had to bring my dog by myself to the pound to be put to sleep, I have never recovered) 64) nothing makes me feel more sick to my stomach than running over an animal in the street 65) People who wink a lot freak me out 66) my favorite piece of furniture is my bed 66) My most treasured object in my home is the Starry Night painting my mom painted 67) I have purposely called 911 twice in my life 68)I don't eat breakfast 69)I have cheated death twice 70) I have driven in an ambulance 71)I have had lice 6 times in my life (I shared helmets in softball) 72)I have severe anxiety which makes me a bit crazy at times (refer to 78) 73) I am very sentimental 74)I hate when I can't do something physically 75)I absolutely hate raisins, they look wrong 76)I can't multi task 77)I was voted most athletic in my high school 78) I am a kid at heart and am kinda spazzy (to the point that people sometimes question weather I am drunk or not) 79) I am obsessed with Sees Bordeaux and select truffles (the raspberry, key lime, and lemon, yumm!) 80) I love sleeping just so I can dream...my dreams are good! 81) My favorite candies are tootsie rolls.
Here is daddy and DD caroling together at the Brownson's. "Santa claus is comin' to town!"
After caroling came present time! The Mount tradition is PJ's on Christmas. The Mount family (Jason and Heidi) went home to sleep (because they were much smarter than I), so here are all of the other kids and granparents in their jammies. 
My kids had Minnie and Mickey jammies to prepare them for the crazy Walt Disney World Vacation that was only days away.
All of the kids slept in the game room upstairs, but surprise, Dylan and Charlotte were the two who had the hardest time closing their eyes. We put them in a seperate room so that the older kids could sleep, and minutes after we did this we came back up to check on them and they were sound asleep, together. So cute!
