Viva Las Vegas & More!

Ya-ya Vegas Again!!  We headed to Vegas again to see Ms. Krista perform in the Nutcracker at the new Smith Center which is now the home to the NBT.  Our trip was so last minute, but we were excited to leave right after holiday parties at school and drive straight to Vegas.  This time we decided not to stay on the strip,  but by/in a section a little northwest called Summerlin.  We stayed at the JW (trying to build my points) and did not step foot into a casino.  Besides the gas station in Primm I did not see a slot machine.  This trip was so different.  Of course when we got to the resort the kids wanted to watch TV, but Kels & I were super hungry.  By the time we got back from dinner it was time to head to the ballet...not much site seeing this time!  I am sure my kids did not really miss walking nearly 5 miles (like we normally do) up and down the strip.  If we go in March I am thinking we will do some stuff in Henderson.  This trip was really just to see the ballet.  I really do not mind driving.  We had to get up so early on the next day and head home to attend my Poppie's memorial service (more on that later) which was then followed by dinner then Derek's family Christmas Party.  That was a busy busy day that left me exhausted and mentally drained!  See ya next time Vegas...I promise we will stay longer next time.  

I was shocked that I was able to get seats to the ballet, they were high, but with the help of Kels watching Drew and Lilly, Em and I had a lot of fun.  The Smith Center is beautiful!  The Nutcracker was beautiful!  Oh, and the dress Mrs. Brenda got Em was pretty cute too!

 http://www.thesmithcenter.com/

 

 Em loved the tub!

I really wanted to get a picture of them under the Redrock Casino Christmas Tree (I guess it is huge), but ran out of time. So this one will do. 

After dinner at Woodranch we headed to Linda's.  Presents and chaos was there!

The next day I had to get away!  I was so drained that I needed to just sit and watch DeAnne and her mom, along with Megan, make cookies.  It was a nice time and since I just sat with Sammi I got some relaxation in.  Plus Derek was happy when I came home with a huge box of cookies!  That was our first weekend of Christmas Break!!!!

 

Dragons!

On Sunday I took Drew to the Pond (aka the Honda Center, but I refuse to convert) to see "How to Train Your Dragon."  He had so much fun and I am so happy I got to share that last minute experience with him.  

Since I was feeling better I asked Derek if he wanted to take Drew to see Dragons, but that was a no.  I completely understand...football was on.  I am not being sarcastic either.  It was so last minute.  So while Derek had the girls I enjoyed a date with my handsome baby boy.  Hand-in-hand we had treats, he got a light up hat and 'toothless light thingy,' and afterwards he got a shake at Chili's while momma said hello to some old co-workers.  Yes, 8 years later I still know people that work there and some regulars!  And 13 years later Derek still likes me to pick him up Chili's:)

The show.  What can I say?  I thought this show would be a little more like the one I took to Hailee when she turned 7!  I can not believe I have had my blog that long,   http://derekandsaraleefam.blogspot.com/2008/08/walking-w-dinosaurs-hailee.html,   4.5 years ago!  As far as I know the same company that did "Walking With the Dinosaurs," also did "Dragons," and I must admit that I, as an adult, liked the Dino's better.  This show was just like the Disney movie.  Do not get me wrong I LOVED the movie years ago when it came out, but I thought it would have been different.  It is hard to describe.  We take our kids to a ton of different shows, but this one was not that great.  Maybe I was still not feeling well or nervous about the Pat's game.  Anyways!  The show was most enjoyed by those between the ages of 2-8.  Drew, the most important person there, LOVED IT!  He loved the big dragons and how Toothless flew and of course, he loves his hat.  He wants to be a viking for Halloween.  I am hoping that idea stays because I am thinking the girls could be princesses!  Lets hope!   

Drew is just so cute!

**I had the cutest picture of Drew and I, but I deleted it!**

Then after a sad conversation with my father about the loss of our Pat's.....me and kiddos headed to our bed to watch 'Good Luck Charlie'  and stare at Drew's hat twinkle on the ceiling.

Flu Anyone?

The previous post was started on a Friday night and finished on Saturday morning. SO, I am counting Friday night as a great 'lonely' night for me. Saturday I went to a 31party and that night hung out with a neighbor. A nice weekend then BAMMMMBAMMBAMM....

Momma, was not feeling that good.

Sunday morning I woke up in a sweat, not really knowing what it was. Sleep, sleep is what I needed. Maybe I had one too many glasses of wine? Then I started shaking and my temp was 100.00 (high for me). No, no, no, no I am not going to get the flu. I filled up with water and soup. Then headed for the E, D, C's in the bathroom. Oh no, nothing is working!

Monday morning...MOMMA officially got the FLU! Achy and swore all over! Daddy stayed as long as he could from work that morning, but finally had to go. The day was horrible!

Tuesday morning I went to the docs after battling a fever all night that reached an amazing 103.9! I swore I had pneumonia because Drew had it the week before and I was not sure if I was headed down that path. Nope, it was the flu.

Wednesday, the cough came and I had that damn fever.

Thursday, could not talk all day and I kept the kids from school. I could not move. But yeah my fever broke!

Friday...cough, cough, cough.

Saturday.... officially no more fevers, just a cough.

............................................................

That was my 2013 Flu. I have never had the flu. I have had the 'stomach flu' and get it every year around New Years. I have never had a cold/flu. They are SO different. I had no idea what it was like and really did not know what was wrong with me. I never get a flu shot, but next year I will for sure be doing that (yes, I know the strain is different). I felt like I would never get out of bed. I felt like my head was going to start to shake. I could not text/email/dial the phone. I would rub my legs because they hurt so bad. I was joking because I kept saying I was going to be bed sores! I have never ever ever been that sick and I do not want to be until I am old and going to die.

Upside, I pretty much caught up on my DVR, Drew became an even better & sweeter big brother, my husband went to the store more times in one week than he had in a year, and I had so much time to sit/lay and think about my life. Ah life.

I am really hoping that you did not get the horrible cold/flu of 2012-2013, or at least will not!

Relaxing!

I am having the best night EVER! I really am! Derek and I have been frustrated by our lovely middle daughter's, "I am going to freak out then cry about every little bump in the night, which turns into Lilly joining in, which then leads to them coming to our room...most know how this story goes," for the past few weeks. It has not been fun. I love my monsters so much but DANG I need to sleep! Thank goodness I do not have a "toddler or newborn" I think I am way too old to keep up!

So, back to my best night ever..okay in a long time. I just realized it is 12:05am, I am watching Grey's Anatomy and crying, I am printing up so many recipes, and I am ALONE! Yes, Derek is in the room...but I am alone! No kids screaming or wanting to hold my hand while I sleep, no kids asking me in the middle of the night when it is going to be morning! In fact right now, Grey's ended and I am just sitting here listening to he hum of the desktop. Love it. Then again now it is 12:07am! It will for sure change! They will come in and ask me for something and I will give in. Or maybe like last night Em will bring in stuffed animals and blankets, put them at the foot of our bed, go get Lilly.. who will be crying from her sister waking her up...t hey will then crawl into bed with us (even though Em has made them a bed on the ground), and I will say "I have had enough" and sleep on the couch. This usually happened around 4am, so if I am off to bed in a few minutes I will at least get a solid 4 hours of sleep in! But for right now they are all tucked in bed and I am headed there myself. Life with three busy kids under seven, I have realized, has made me LOVE these moments more than anything! Both the frustration and silence is worth it! I would never have it any other way.

Oh, but I must write about my new internet LOVE! She is the Pioneer Woman. She is just great! I have spent the last few hours looking at her blog, printing recipes, reading her story and I just LOVE her! I rarely post links and so on, but I will for her... http://thepioneerwoman.com/

I was watching her show on some network..I guess I should know that, when she was making salisbury steak with pea/carrots and pasta with alfredo sauce. OMG, all of the food that I love. Anyways, I never really followed up on looking her up, but I did the other day and made the steaks, which Derek loved and Drew said it is the 'best thing ever.' It is just 'good home cooking' that is not too too bad for you:) I am making her recipes on Sundays because really I am only having carbs on Sunday (well, for the past three weeks) and just can not give up mash potatoes or pasta everyday of the week!

Regardless, yummy! If I added stuff or looked at Pinterst I would add/like/pin/whatever it is her site to there!

Oh, 12:29 and now this is the middle child. Awesome!!!

yes, I did take a picture of her since I was just sitting here!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh how lovely is family! Does the song go that way? haha

Regardless, Christmas was pretty STRANGE this year!

Pretty trees and lights are always lovely. We also loved to see our monsters tear open presents three different times, but it was a strange holiday season. More on that to come in a following post.

On Christmas Eve we went Auntie Deb & Uncle Kev's house for Christmas Eve. I have not been to their house since I found out I was pregnant with Emma! It actually turned out beautiful and so pleasant! I was relaxed and was able to take some pictures! I forgot what that was like!

 

 

I loved to relax and watch my monsters at my Aunties opening jackets, a few toys, and undies (I made fun of Drew). It is crazy at Christmas on Derek's side and I am always worried that my babies will not like my side as much as his. My side is so much smaller, but what I have come to realize is that the simple things for my kids are what they remember the most. Like, my kiddos always remember my mom and Brian getting undies for them (aka panties) or Jo & Ken always getting them sweaters/jackets. Just like they remember getting a ballet bag from grandma 'just because' or pictures from CEC with Chow a little bit more than the explosion of Christmas.

I actually laughed when I wrote the last two sentences above. Our kids have NO IDEA what we got them on Christmas morning....it just goes to show that with that amount of toys they may not always be remembered no matter who gives them. Then again, we choose how many presents they get and of course we want them to have a lot. It makes me think, if Derek did not have the income he has or if we did not believe in more-more for Christmas, would our monsters remember more? I know I remember many Christmases when my sisters and I did not get as much as we would have liked. I DO remember those presents though. I now shake my head because, why?? Why, Why, Why hate the month of Jan? Argh, oh well:)

 

Then when we got home that night while Derek was taking a shower, I TRIED to grab a pic of the girls and I, just the kids, and Drew with me for a present I thought of at the last minute. Well, that did not happen!

Above is what I think is the best (second best is the middle in the below collage) from a quick photo sec. I LOVE the girls dresses! I know they may be BIG for some, but Mrs. Brenda got hem for them for Vegas (post to come) and I just had to have them wear them multiple times. They turned out to be their Christmas Dresses..I could not help myself!

 

Then the count for the Big Guy came! Once daddy was out of the shower we set up the Frank the Elf to hitch a ride with Santa, some cookies for Santa, some milk, and a carrot for the reindeer.

Then it was time for "Night Before Christmas," which was read by Derek again this year. They did not listen to Papa (Derek's dad) reading it. One year I am sure Derek will do it. It must be so hard to have your father read as a tradition, which is posted to the internet, and then see it year after year. Too much to handle. To die so young!

Then the morning comes! A morning full of love, laughter, daddy's cooking, monsters tearing wrapping then asking for batteries, text messaging, facebooking, parents stopping by, oh and of course...watching 'Christmas Story," while trying to grab a nap! Love, Love, Love!!! Yes, I love Jesus' birthday and according to Drew he is very old! Love his birthday, but this year has not be great, but I know that for a time the years will be just fine. Wow the holiday's can get intense!

 

Of course there was also a dance show performed by the girls for my mom and Auntie Chrissy. They really are dancing fools! I wish there were more people at our house on Christmas Day to witness the choreography the girls do!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season!

 

Via Truck!

I am so amazed that the amount of snow some people live in.  Most of my family lives in snow!  We will not even go up to the mountains when it is snowing.  Chains, what are those??  So every year our neighbors dad (he as a cabin in Big Bear) brings the snow to our kids!  I will laugh if one day our kids end up snowboarders...but I highly doubt it because they played for about 10mins and said they were too cold and we went inside for a warm bath.  I kid you not, that is exactly what happend!  Thank you B's for having us over! 

Below look at EM!  She put a helmet over her snowball.  It was her babies bed.  Of course her brother knocked it down a few minutes late.  Such a brother.

Ringing In 2013!

Happy New Year to everyone out there! I hope that your first few days of the New Year have been great and no one has given up on their resolutions! I know I have not! Well, that is because I don't make any! Well, I should not write that, I think I did last year and I think it was to be a better mommy or something like that. Best resolution to say you kept because who wants to be that mommy with that resolution that broke it!

This year we are starting our new tradition of Chinese food on the Eve and a cake for dessert. We got the cake from the store and food from our fave "Wings." After eating we went to the G's for a bit, came back home at 8:50 to get ready to celebrate the New Year at 9pm eastern time! I am hoping that I get at least two more years with Drew where I can do this. Unfortunately, when Drew realizes what we are doing at 9pm then the girls will be told by him and so on. Dang! He does go to bed at 7:30 on the dot...I hope that will last.

 

 

Then after the kids were all sleep daddy and I headed outside with Alisha and Issac for some "adult time!" After a few minutes I was headed to head! But those few minutes I had with 'adults' was nice! Btw, I have no idea why I stuck my tongue out in the below picture...I thought it was funny to post!