Year in Review!

I have Mimosa running through my veins and the kids are running around like wild Indians, so we will see how this turns out. Infact, Mary and Pressley are arguing behind me right now over a game they made up..... drama queens! lol.

So here's what I'm going to do: Post pictures from 2012 in no particular order and re-live the fab moments of 2012!!!

 

 

I loved having these pictures made for Mothers Day 2012 :) Don't we look beautiful?!

 

 

Mary started taking ballet at The Tempo dance studio! This was taken after the first recital (she is as far left). "Here comes Suzie Snowflake! Tap tap tapping on the window pane!"

 

 

 

Also, we had a great b-day partay for the kids in March :) Since all the b-days fall in the month of March we decided to go with one big party for them all. Infact, they each had their own birthday cake made by my MIL and it was delish! My saving grace Tessa Shields took the b-day photos THANK GOD!!!

 

 

 

My bestie, Rachel, found out she was with child! The Little Hadlett was soon to come!(She will KILL me for posting this)

 

And, another woman who was first a respected teacher and then later a dear BELOVED friend passed away. I don't know where my beliefs lay but I like to think she is in heaven, whatever her heaven is :) I know that I think about her often, almost everyday. That smile. It gets me every time :) If I am ever half the woman she was I'll be happy with that.

 

 

Mary grew her bangs out and then decided she didn't want them long. Typical woman. lol.

 





We spent a summer by the pool and for some reason a pic of Joey at the Fall Festival uploaded too.... Eh well!

 

Gabe and the kids loved going to the Creative Discovery Museum :) We bought a membership and it was well worth it!

 

 

Ethan just called me a barf sack....

 

 

 

Mary checking out Ethans Christmas gift of The Magic Set :) Abra Cadabra!!!!

 

Joey doing chores! oh yea!!!

 

My first ever leech bite that I sustained in Florida on vacay!!! It was really creepy and it bled forever. gross. sick.

 

My amazingly attractive husband ;) lake deep in Florida!

 

The kids first ever trip to Rock City :)

 

Back to a vacay pic! ( I said I wasn't going in order!) Have I mentioned that I love these kids? :)

 

Eating @ RJ Gators in Florida :) I think this is definitely becoming a tradition :) Ok, now I'm craving the coconut shrimp... guess I'll have to wait another 6  months :(

 

Grandpa Pack and Gabe @ pizza hut after a few games of bowling :) I love that the kids love my dad. As my dads health gets worse I love (even more) the times we get to spend together and how much the kids brighten his day!

 

My moms butt during the Christmas get together! bahahahahaha!!!

 

My sweet Batman getting older every day. This ball of fur has been with me since I graduated high school. Love him!

 

 

Another pic of the gang. In a way it seems like yesterday and in other ways it seems like such a long time ago. I love these girls!

 

To end the blog. This is where Chris and I stayed for our 1 year anniversary :) It was in the middle of no where, but relaxation was exactly what we needed. Our year was full of ups and downs. Chris had 2 heart surgeries in less than 2 months. Gabe went from a 10 to a 16 during the summer and now has body odor. Joey adopted the term "Tomorrow?" and "Later?" which sometimes drives me nuts. lol. Ethan received an award for creativity, which suits him to a tee. Boys joined boy scouts. Mary started ballet. I went from working at logans to packing boxes at Amazon and have decided to tackle college head on and finish my degree :) I'm sure that 2013 will contain ups and downs also, but I know with Chris and the kids, EVERY second will be worth it! Well, I've lost my buzz. Time for another drink!!!!

























 

 

 







A very merry Gilbert Christmas :)

So, another Christmas has come and gone! This was my 3rd Christmas being part of the family scene, and it was fabulous.

I didn't really get into the Christmas spirit until Christmas Eve. lol. I have just been so exhausted from working so many hours and 3rd shift, holiday cheer was the last thing I was feeling.

This is me and my new cookware which was much needed!

Last Saturday we all loaded up and went to my parents to celebrate Christmas a little early. We had all kinds of good stuff to eat. My fave being the cheese ball. yummmm. I had to work which I was super bummed about :( but we went early and Chris and the kiddos stayed a little while longer after I left. The kids all got toys and clothes from Nana and Poppy, Aunt Crystal and Uncle Justin, and Aunt Ashley.

Christmas Eve the ball really got rolling. All the gifts were wrapped and it was time for some fun with the kids! I have really missed them lately, not being at home as much has been hard on everyone, so I had some fun things planned for us. The night before I made lumps of coal :)

Pictured here is a plate of popcorn, Christmas tree sugar cone, and lump of coal :) yum!

 

 

Before I go into our night of festivities I must tell you that I had to make a quick trip to the Dollar General to get batteries for Christmas morning. When I came home I was washing up some dishes and Ethan says, "Christy, do you know you have a hole in your pants?" No, I did not.... Turns out I have a GAPING hole in the back side of my pants. You can see my underwear.... I went to the store like this.... HOW EMBARRASSING!!!!!

 

Anyways, later in the evening we had a smoked turkey for dinner on our new Christmas china (love it!) and then we decorated the sugar cones as trees :) We all sat together and ate our snacks and watched How The Grinch Stole Christmas and drank Grinch Punch :) AAAhhh Memories! While Gabe was eating his "tree" Ethan said, "Eh! It looks like he's smoking a cone!" I don't know where they get the things they say! Then I took this pic :)

 

 

Joey had an excellent day but was really just impatient for my fireplace pic I HAD to have lol. "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!"

 

Then I read the kids the book "The Night Before Christmas" before they went to bed. I had to stop several times during the book to explain what things meant like "tarnished with ashes and soot". Also, Mary wanted to write Santa a note to go with his plate of goodies. The letter requested MORE presents. She only counted 6 under the tree and needed more :/

 

I explained to her that it was ok to ask for more presents but that some little boys and girls would not even get 6 presents for Christmas and she should be thankful for anything that she received. She just kinda brushed me off and wrote her letter without adding anything about Santa maybe taking toys to boys and girls who wouldn't get any. She's a good kid and has a sweet heart, but very soon I plan on the 2 of us spending some extra time doing something nice for someone in need. I want her to KNOW how good they realllly do have it.

 

Then off to bed they went and Chris and I stayed up to see if we could get a glimpse at Santa :) Old Man, must have come after we fell asleep. We never did hear him. I woke up at 5:30  and tried to go back to sleep but it was useless so I got up and made some coffee and waited a little while longer. We finally woke the kids up b/c they weren't getting up on their own. lol. Santa brought the kids a new trampoline!!!! and Chris and I got them an Air Hockey table among other things. One thing I did very well this year was buy things and put them up in the closet during the year. I recommend doing this, especially if you have kids :) It was a life saver for us. Also, used toys. Some people may be against this but I swear you can find new or like new toys and clothes at consignment sales, thrift stores, and yard sales. The best part is KIDS DONT CARE!!!!

 

Of all the toys Gabe got this by far was his fave. Black slime in what he calls a "poison" can. At one point in the morning he emerged from his bedroom with his torso covered in the goo. even in his armpits!



 

Later that morning we went to my in-laws for Christmas Breakfast :) YUM. Then we opened gifts there. Every year somebody gets the wrapped wrapped wrapped wrapped gift, meaning the gift is wrapped God knows how many times. It starts in a huge box and ends up being able to fit in your hand. lol. As you get to each layer everyone laughs, it really is funny though, even if you are on the receiving end. This year was my turn! It started out in a huge box and then I uncovered layer after layer until I got to a few small wrapped gifts. They were sewing accessories to go with my new sewing machine!!!! yay!!!!

 

The kids mom came a little after noon to pick them up. We share holidays. It sucks.

 

This is a cheesy classic made even sweeter by my mothers tacky Christmas sweater :)

Chris and I took a little nap and then woke up and got ready to go to my uncles for Christmas dinner. It was delish. My uncle Pat makes these baked beans in a crock pot covered with strips of bacon. OMG. I have been eating them since yesterday ;) hehehe...

 

Overall this Christmas gets a 10! I got new plates, cook ware, sewing machine, 50 shades of grey, and Gone with the Wind :) However, even if all I had received was a hug and Merry Christmas it still would have been great. The older I get the more I just LOVE being with family. Later in the month my dad will be coming to stay for a late Christmas. I'm keeping all my decor up til he comes so it will be just like Christmas :) The kids can't wait for funny Grandpa Pack to come! Well Feliz Navidad suckers, I'm going to go eat some left overs!!!

AMAZON

I'm exhausted. Who knew packing boxes would be so hard on the body? I honestly didn't think it would be. I was wrong. lol.

Today is my 2nd day off after working 40 hours in 4 days. When I left Logans I was working about 30 hours a week. It goes without saying that this has been an adjustment. Actually, I have to say that working at Amazon isn't a dream :/

.... maybe a bad dream.

It's not a difficult job as far as brain power goes, and that's obvious when you look at some of the people that work there. Infact, people haven't been that welcoming. By the 2nd night I was expected to pretty much be able to stand on my own two feet (which for the most part I was able to) but when I did have a question a smile wasn't that forth coming. Maybe I'm just being a pansy, but I like being social and running my mouth. At Amazon I have my little work space, it's loud, and people are tired, and nobody talks to me. The new hires don't really talk to anyone, myself included, the few times I've tried to make jokes they don't laugh. I'm telling myself they just don't have a fab sense of humor like I do :) The only thing people seem to think is funny is that my last name is Pack (still haven't changed it through ss *long story*) and I'm in PACKing. After hearing that joke a few times I'm over it.

Working 3rd shift has also been an adjust for the entire house hold. I feel guilty for not being at home, even though I am working for them. This past weekend I slept all day only to have a couple of groggy hours with the kids before I had to leave and do it all over again :( Plus, Chris is having to do pretty much all the house work, home work, baths, laundry, etc.... Also, not sleeping with Chris has been hard :( Besides the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window not hearing his snore (lol) makes it difficult to sleep peacefully.

The upside: I'm already meeting the required rate that I'm not expected to reach until the 4th week. The last night I worked I was at 144% (they didn't know they hired a bada**). So, they aren't breathing down my neck atleast. Plus, I'll be glad for payday. I took the job for the money and b/c I knew that OT was going to be worth it :) I'm not quiting.

1) I'm not a quitter.
2) I have responsibilities.

So, I'm toughing it out. Hopefully, my body will start adjusting to the night shift and the soreness will go away. We are on 50 hours this coming week and possibly 60. I've never worked so much in my life. I used to think that to be a well-rounded person you should have atleast one job in the service industry (like serving). I still hold true to that belief, but now I'm adding working in a warehouse. lol. Also, even though I just started working in a warehouse I can already say 100% that I love and appreciate my husband even more than I did before. I had no idea how hard he worked and how exhausted he must be until I started at Amazon. He comes home from working OT and still manages to help ME out. I feel like I'm good for nothing b/c when I get home it's hard to feed myself. lol. much less do housework.

Lastly, people are crazy. By this I mean people who order from Amazon. lol. To each their own , but I would never have thought I would pack so many dildos and male enhancement pills... WITH childrens books and toys.... I even packed an inflatable beer belly (hot ticket item this Christmas!). Powdered peanut butter *just add water and stir*. Shaved fish, freeze dried, from Japan. You name it. I think I've seen it.

Well, that's it for now. I'm going to soak up my last day off before heading back in. I'm already dreading it.

Thanksgiving.

Well, first off I just want to say.

I can't breathe through my nose :( A few days ago it started as just a little tickle and since then has developed into a MONSTER. I go back to work tomorrow (on Black Friday) I hope I survive.

Other than my Thanksgiving cold, the holiday has been fabulous :)

My dad came Tuesday night and after a few hours of playing with the kids a mysterious white garbage bag appeared under the Christmas tree... (my dad got super creative with that one lol)

He said Santa must have made a pre-christmas stop b/c they have been so good. Really, the kids didn't care they were already digging through the bag. There was a few little toys and a connect four game which has been really entertaining for them. Chris and I also got a wall clock from Santa. I hadn't realized until my dads last visit that Chis and I didn't have a wall clock anywhere in the house. We always use our cell phones :/ Turns out the kids LOVE being able to tell the time. lol.

Chris cooked a ham and a turkey Wednesday and I made the fixins: mashed potatoes, corn, shells and cheese, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, sweet potato casserole, and crescent rolls. It all turned out amazing and this year I didn't burn the sweet potato casserole :)

The kids had so much fun showing Grandpa Pack the Christmas tree and all the decorations we have put up so far. I'm not finished yet though! You know me.. I'm Penny Pinching Polly, so I have of course gotten all the decorations from the dollar store, thrift stores, or the kids and I have made them ourselves :) I even used a coupon to get the Christmas tree! Judge me if you want. I love being frugal!

Speaking of frugal... Mary had requested a Furby on her Christmas list. I did a quick search on Amazon and saw that they were going for a pretty penny and went ahead and put a red "X" over that one. Not on her list but in my mind :) So, anyways last week we stopped by the Goodwill in Lafayette to look at some Christmas decor and I was letting the kids look at the toys but I told them since it is so close to Christmas there would be no toy buying. Well, whada know, there sits a FURBY in the ORIGINAL BOX. Mary is begging and pleading for me to get this Furby. It's all she's ever wanted. She will never ask for anything else as long as she lives. lol. I am the queen of restraint and said no, but while her back was turned I grabbed it and took it up front and payed for it :) it was 2.99! I figure if it works I just scored the deal of the year, and if it doesn't I'm only out 3 bucks. Do not under any circumstances mention this to Mary if she is around. You will ruin it.

And today was Thanksgiving and we got off to a great start :) met my Aunt Kathy this morning with dad before he headed back home. Then the kids, Chris, and I went to my moms for Thanksgiving dinner :) We were packed in there like sardines but I love being with my (extremely loud) family. Poor little London, even in her unborn state, was terrified to move so I could feel. I suppose this is something she will have to get used to. As I sit here tonight, I really want to have a baby. lol. Who knows what this next year will hold? Maybe, I will have to be content with spoiling my newest niece :)

Onward to Christmas! I'm very excited and it will be here and over before we know it and a new year begins... Where has the time gone? The kids are getting so big and smarter every day... It makes me nostalgic but proud. Sometimes I try to picture how they will be as adults and what they are going to do with their lives... this must be the tryptophan talking...

And to end this blog, an actual conversation between Ethan and Grandpa Pack:
Ethan- When you go to heaven one day who is going to get your cane?
My dad- Well, I haven't really thought much about that. I hope I wont go to heaven for a while longer.
Ethan- Well, I was just thinking one day when I get older I might have a bad leg and need a good cane.
My dad- That's true. I'll keep you in mind.

I love that my dad is getting to spend this time with the kids :) They brighten his day so much and seeing them together warms my heart :)

Well deserved *me* time.

Well, the year is winding down and in a way I wish I could say that my to-do list is.... but as most mothers and wives know it NEVER does. lol.

One thing that I have told my self lately that I must do, is to start finding someway to do something for myself. I spend every waking moment doing for Chris and the kids, or working. My first year of marriage has been a blessing, but one lesson I have learned is that I can't do EVERYTHING.

I am a control freak. I like doing things my way. I'm having to do a better job at letting this go (for my sanity).

Number one on the list is taking better care of myself :) I have started a diet. I downloaded My Fitness Pal on my phone and so far it has been wonderful. I know why I have never counted calories before... b/c after 200-300 I lose count. MFP keeps up with it for me and it also has a large data base of restaurant foods and grocery foods that I can quickly look up. I recommend the app.. It's been a life saver :) So far I have lost 5 pounds. I have always been impatient with weight loss , but this time I am determined to do it the healthy way. So, if that means I lose it slowly, that's fine, as long as I keep it off :)

I went for a walk a couple of days ago and I was really surprised at how out of shape I am. I guess I just assumed that b/c I work on my feet I was in decent shape.... no I'm not. lol. Just walking for 45 minutes was a workout. I've got some improving to do there.

Number two, hopefully I will be returning to school in January. It will all come down to the financial aid. I'm excited and nervous, but I know it will be worth it. I want to do it for me, but also for my family. We deserve some financial stability :)

Also, a little update on my downstairs... I seem to have had two cycles in the past two months. I'm hoping that somehow (maybe the weight loss?) my body is finally getting its hormones leveled out. It would be great :) Right now it is the 29th day of my cycle and for 2 days now I have been cramping... so I'm hoping that Aunt Flo is about to show up. If this is TMI for you, pretend you didn't read it.

Besides Aunt Flo deciding to show up at random my Baby Fever has reared its nasty head again :/
I blame Rachel and my SIL Alicia (who just found out she is having a bebe girl). I just want to have a sweet smelling little bundle of joy to hold... I want a boy b/c they are less drama, but I want a girl to dress up. Eh, well if it's meant to be then it will happen (but that's a hard pill to swallow...).

Tonight was one of the few nights here lately that the kids and I just got to chill. After I cleaned the house up a bit we just relaxed. It was so nice not having to hustle to get homework, baths, and supper done. Or worry about dance practice or cub scouts. I wanted the kids to be involved in something besides just going to school, but MAN I didn't think about how much EXTRA work I was adding to myself. lol.

Well, I'm going to wrap this up :) Can't wait for girls night monday with Rachel :) BD part DEUX!

a quick update on gilbert happenings!

So, I decided I would jot down a few lines before going to bed. I've taken a sleep aid so don't judge me if my typing gets a little slurred as I  go on. lol.

Well, in case you didn't know I had applied for a job with Walker county family and children services. It was something I was really keeping my fingers crossed for. It would have been flexible for my schedule and would have been a steady income which my family desperately needs. Unfortunately, it didn't work out.

:(

Since that didn't pan out for me I have decided to go back to school :) it's something that I have been wanting to do for some time now but for different reasons have been putting it off. No more shenanigans though! I'm going to go hard and get it done. Hopefully, I will be able to go back in January as long as I can get the right financial aid (fingers crossed!). I'm both scared and excited :/

The kids are also doing fabulous :) My dad was able to come stay with us a few days for Halloween and the kids LOVED having him here. Honestly, I think they almost killed him within that short period of time. Grandpa! Grandpa! For once they weren't shouting my name every few minutes. lol.

Last weekend we had our annual family photos made :) Maybe you have seen them on Facebook? They turned out great! Better than I thought actually. It was soooo soooo very  cold that day, and the kids were pretty miserable. Poor Joey is skin and bones as it is, poor fella.

I'm getting reallllly sleepy.....

One more thing! I have started a diet, and so far I have lost 5 pounds :) I'm very excited about it. I've been using my fitness pal for 2 weeks and have steadily been dropping weight, and the best part is I don't have to deny myself anything! I can have a candy bar if I want it, I just have to remember that it is going against my calories. Next week I want to start going walking a few days a week :) I also want to start hiking some. I haven't been hiking in years, but it's something I miss.

Any who, I need  to be getting off here. Update soon!

in sickness and in health

Well we are half way through the month and I find myself asking where has the past month went?

So here is an update on Chris:

He had the ablation on Sept. 28th. Things seemed to have gone well the only negative being that when they pulled on the catheters he got a hematoma. So, when he started to heal he had a HUGE nasty colored bruise on his thigh. He went back to work on Monday and on Wednesday he had yet ANOTHER episode of rapid heart beat. They told us that there was a 95% chance he would never have issues again and just 5 days after surgery the same problem comes back and this time it's worse! Saturday we went to the emergency room only to be told he would have to follow up with his cardiologist and sent on our way. Monday he went to the cardiologist to pick up an event heart monitor. He was told to wear it at all times except when sleeping or bathing. The monitor held up to 5 recordings. Tuesday he worked almost all day with his heart going crazy, all the while recording every episode with the monitor. At the end of the work day he finally went to the nurses station and they had to call an ambulance for him. Second ambulance ride in a month! My husband is 34 this should not be happening! This time we went to Memorial and they also said that he would have to follow up with the cardiologist but they would prescribe him a beta blocker to hold him over (hopefully) until he could see them. Chris wanted to return to work the following morning (Wednesday) but on the way to work... you guessed it...his heart goes into super speed mode. So we decided to just go see the cardiologist that day. When we got there they printed off what the monitor had recorded and Tuesday his heart rate had been 270+. That's when they told us that they would have to admit him. If that were to happen again he needed to be somewhere that they could take care of him, and another ablation was scheduled for Thursday morning. The 2nd ablation was performed Thursday morning and he actually did much better with this one than the first. Very little bruising and so far he feels just fine. After the 1st one not going well and the SVT coming back I'm holding my breath and knocking on wood that the 3rd time will never be the charm.

On top of Chris' health issues a very dear friend of mine is losing the fight against cancer. Holly and Chris have taken up every inch of my mind the past several weeks. I literally feel like I've been functioning in what Gabe likes to call a foggy fog. I go to sleep at night but don't really sleep and I wake up but I feel like I'm  not really awake. I'm exhausted and I'm stressed out. Chris and I are struggling financially to keep our heads above water with him missing so much work. And not that our kids are spoiled but I hate telling them we don't have enough money for little things at school, etc. Plus, Mary asked me today if Daddy was going to be sick on Halloween and if he was who would take them trick or treating :( They have worried too. Bless their buttons. I feel like I'm stretched as thin as I can go. At any moment I may explode and start ripping heads off. The past couple of days when I find myself thinking about Holly I have to start thinking of something else b/c just the thought of all the pain she is going through and what her children must be feeling and her devoted husband who I have grown to admire so much.... I feel like my heart is being twisted into knots...Why? Why does she have to endure this? Why do her children have to watch her die? People say it's what the Lord planned but I don't GET that. I'll be the first to admit that I question my faith and this why.

While Chris was in the hospital I thought for a brief moment what my life would be like without him and the truth is... I wouldn't be me anymore. He is literally my other half. Thinking about living the rest of my life and not having him to share it with is unbearable. Hollys' husband Chris is an amazing man. I don't know how he has stayed so strong. He hasn't just stayed strong for Holly but for her kids and his kids and their shared family and friends. Saying I admire their commitment to their marriage is an understatement.

Besides the kids the only ray of sunshine here lately has been that my best friend is being induced tomorrow night :) I have already warned her that I've been a basket case lately so don't be alarmed if I cry more at the birth than anyone else. I can't wait to hold that sweet little ball of baby :)

I can't quit crying!