Pinkalicious!!!

Katelyn loves the Pinkalicious books.  So when I saw that the downtown library was having a Pinkalicious party, I knew I had to take her.  It was pretty fun.  They had several crafts, a story reading time, and some ballet dancing.  Of course it was all PINK.  Katie really had fun and the best part was that it was just me and her.  Yay for girl time!!

I is

To have another baby or not to have another baby??  I have wrestled with this question for months.  Jared has been adamantly against having another.  But I've been open with him as I've been trying to find out for myself what I thought we were supposed to do or what the Lord wanted us to do.  I've prayed and prayed and just can't find a firm YES or NO answer.  At times I've felt good about having another, even feeling like someone was still missing (like when I was recently making up lunch plates in a row like usual and accidentally added a fifth kids plate), but then at other times I've felt content with the 4 we have.  Anyway, the more I've talked about it, the more open to it Jared has become. 
So for the past few days, I've been trying to figure out how to take a test and have it go ok with Jared (since I was fairly sure it was going to come out positive).  I just kind of said, "well I guess it's time to take a test again".  (I do this whenever I'm not sure).  We were sitting on the bed and I was trying to gauge what Jared's response was going to be (him a little less aware of my certainty that it was going to be positive).  When the 3 minutes were up he said (thankfully with a smile),"well go check it, you either is or you isn't".  I went in and checked it and sure enough it said "pregnant" and I shrieked "oh Jared, I is!" 
Jared has always been excited when he's received this news and this time he was too.  I think he has his worries (mostly financial), but overall he's excited about another baby too.  And the Lord always provides for us.  So welcome baby 5!

Last gift of Christmas

Remember how I'd said that we asked the Haseks to save a special little puppy for us till Christmas? At the end of gift opening, daddy brought in that last present. A puppy! Oh, was Katie excited.The little puppy she'd loved, was now all her own.  She was in heaven.

I think Jared likes the new puppy much more than he's willing to let on.  What do you think? We let the kids name our new family member during breakfast Christmas day.  Coleson is in a major Star Wars phase and he suggested Leia (as in Princess Leia).  All the kids unanimously agreed. I'm hoping that our wonderful Molly dog will help train our new puppy to be a wonderful dog like she is before she passes on.  This is going to be so fun!

Big boy haircut

Ethan got a real big boy haircut today.  He did a better job than Hunter does.  He sat still and didn't even cry.  I was so proud.

Craft time

I made this cute little ribbon Christmas tree today.  It was so fun and so easy.  Katie enjoyed helping me too. I think I'll make a few more.  The blue and silver matched the decor upstairs.  I could make some green and red ones for downstairs.

Puppies!!!

The Haseks' dogs had puppies a few weeks ago.  We were over visiting on Sunday and Katie fell in love with them.  They are so cute and adorable.  She especially bonded with this little black puppy.  The puppy let Katie carry her around all night in every different position and love all over her and the puppy never got tired of it.  Katie carried her around like a baby and still the puppy stayed with her.  She talked about it non stop for the next week.  In the meantime, I made a call to Sonia (who was trying to find homes for all the puppies) and asked her to keep that puppy set aside for us until Christmas.  ;)

Putting up the tree

We had a blast putting up the Christmas tree today.  The boys were so helpful.  Jared let the boys organize, sort, and put together the limbs of the Christmas tree.  It was neat to see them work together.  We snapped this picture of all the kids standing on the piano bench as they were trying to reach the top of the tree.
I love Christmas tree decorating.  I love pulling out all of our beautiful ornaments.  They have such sentimental value to me.  We buy or make an ornament every year for each child.  So there are memories attached to each one.  I dispense them to the children in order of fragility.  Coleson hangs the fragile ones on the top of the tree where they'll be safe and Katie and Ethan hang the fabric and wooden ornaments that don't break at the bottom of the tree.

Everyone working together to make a beautiful tree.