Christmas is a time to share....

That was one of the choir songs that we sang at Church on the Christmas program day, and it hasn't left my poor brain alone since then. If I ever go insane (yes Michael there is a slight chance that I won't) you will find me rocking in a corner singing "Christmas is a time to share, a time to love and a time to care". Anyhow, I have been putting of the official Christmas blog and the reason really comes down to CARTER. During Jackson's football season (Sept. or Oct.) I was video taping Jackson's game while plugged into a light post at the field. For whatever reason my battery was uncharged, let's blame that on Carter too. Anywhooo there was no way the Cougar man could sit with Michael or my parents in the stands. Instead he was busy tackling my legs to make sure the video would make people motion sick in the future. When alas, (I feel I don't use the word alas enough in my writing enough, alas a new resolution use alas much more) he didn't center his tackle and slipped off my legs hitting the cord causing the the battery charger to crash to the ground and then spark, pop and a little blue flame even appeared. I bet you thought the camera crashed to the ground-- but I have watched a bazillion Royal Knight football games and I know how to hold a ball(camera) thank you very much! Anyway the burst of flame did something bad to the camera (flames + cameras = bad) and alas, it worky, worky no more. So we limp along until the first week of December not video taping a thing, (I admit I enjoy watching things with my own eyes much more than through a LCD view thingy) and I am busy using the still camera to take individual pictures of preschool children for them to use in the crafts to come---I took pictures of 19 (there are 20 to take naturally) of them when the camera took a fateful trip in a four year olds hands. I know of the camera's last moments because the perpetrator took pictures of the last few moments of the camera's life before cruelly ending it. I admit to leaving the camera in a reachable place, but there was a preschool bathroom emergency that I dashed off too ( imaging Mrs. Becky with a cape if you would). Anyhow there was a picture of the legs of the red piano where I left the camera. Then the preschool room floor, then the ugly carpet on the stairs, then the kitchen tile floor then.....nothing ever more. So by the first week of December I was completely camera "free" and depending on the kindness of relatives for the December Birthday's to come. Why was I telling you all of this? Oh yeah, Santa brought Michael and I a new video camera that takes still pictures too.... only when I put the card in my printer it keeps saying "card access error" Uggggghhhh. So no Christmas pictures yet-- just know we all never looked better and when I finally do post them remember that I lie at times! It was a quiet Christmas just Mom, Dad, and our little family. We had no dinners in Moses Lake or Mattawa do dash off too and it was fun for the kiddos to play with there new stuff and watch the new movies all day. Of course I was a bleary eyed' bad cook all day so Christmas keeps some traditions. All in all I have enjoyed being with just my little family but I really have missed the chaos of 16 (almost 18 Congrats Courtney and Brenda!!!) cousins and the grownup groupies they bring with them. I'm off now, I decided that in order to bring back some of the Chaos I would take 6 (Jax has a friend apparently, who knew?) to Tri-Cities (1 hour and 15 minutes away if you are not "driving" a sled down the bad roads like I am) to "run" to Costco, church bookstore, fabric store, Mall, target, and maybe Lowe's!! Should restore my chaos quotient in less than 15 minutes if I 've done my calculations correctly. Alas, I don't always calculate correctly.

Carter Michael Noftle Big Tough Awesome Straight

That's right on December 10th, 2008 Carter Michael Noftle Big Tough Awesome Straight turned four. Four, how did my BABY turn four? Now some of you may be wondering about his lengthy name. Since Carter was 2 or so we have been teaching him his name is Carter Michael Noftle and we always get the same response, not Michael. He has vehemetly denied for 2 years that Michael is not a part of his name. We even tried to bribe him once with a new light saber if he would admit to the middle name of Michael, it was to no avail. So for the past year his Daddy, original Michael (like original crispy - makes me hungry for KFC) has been negotiating with Carter to include Michael in his name. Carter always has a lengthy name for himself sometimes it has been Carter Cougar Noftle or Carter Noftle green yellow (favorite color plus his hair color) or Carter Noftle Big Tough Awesome Straight which has been his name for the last six months or so. By the way straight refers to the fact that when he sits on his Dad's lap he knows how to sit still or "straight" and not be wiggly. Bet you were wondering about that! So to make a short story longer he is now four and now lets us say the Michael part of his name, haven't heard him verbally admit yet but baby steps, baby steps! Here is some Carter lingo to brighten your day;

anysing=anything

chechup=ketchup

Sairduh=Sierra

uke tywalker=Luke Skywalker

yightlen a queen=Lighting McQueen

tweep=sleep

plelo=pillow

tumming=coming

turcht=church

nack=snack

twattwick=chocolate

pep in ronies=pepperoni

As you can seen that if you check the blog next year at this time you will most likely be hearing about Cougar man's visit to the speech therapist! We are loving this little guy and his antics so much. I was really worried about having one kid at home-afraid that he wouldn't have a playmate or whatever but it has been great. I think he has great days with me and then he is always thrilled when the kids get home too. He just always seems to be happy. What a lucky family we are Carter makes the best caboose!

Main Man Has Birthday.....

That's right it is my Main Man's birthday today. I really love his birthday, and the reason is purely selfish, you see I am 1 month and 28 days older than my man. And for 1 month and 28 days he finds hundreds of ways to bring up the fact that I am 38 and he is 37, but alas my love, today you are as old as your "Old Lady". Deal with THAT for the next 11 months and 2 days! I could get all mushy and tell you how awesome this guy is, like how he never struggles with Middle School Math homework like I do. Or how according to people I have talked to at Irrigation shows consider My Man one of the top drip irrigation designers in the WORLD not just nation (who could possibly know that information?). Or I could tell you that he is a great cheerleader for our five children and loves to support them in their activities. I could say what a great singer and help around the house he is ( I could but that would be a lie!). But I won't because he hates cheesy stuff like that. Stuff where I put how I love him more now than when we were both young, skinny (well skinnyish) and carefree. But he hates that mush, soooo I'll just sayHappy Birthday and skip all that lovey dovey junk. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Thanks for Thanksgiving

Family from far away, 28 people sleeping over at a lodge, horse riding, Metallic girls concert, light saber fights, fixing food, eating food, cousins getting to play with cousins, Thank you Thanksgiving.