a little recap of our week

we've got our tree hung and i've started wrapping presents but i'm still not allll there when it comes to christmas this year

what is my problem? i can't muster the motivation to do christmas cards or reallly get in the mood.

maybe once our projects are all wrapped up....

 while driving around with the kiddies after school the other day

i realized i feel a total sense of relief once they're all home from school

and back with me

i love this car-full

and it makes me feel like such a mom to have everyone with me 

 eleanor and henry are good friends these days

 sillies

 i've been thinking about how time heals things

and noah's been asking lots of questions about my ex-husband/his biological dad

and i'm just really happy to say that i'm happy

at thanksgiving, my sister monica asked if i hate my ex-husband

and i don't

and i'm glad i took the path i did

and i'm happy to be open with noah about our past

it's just nice to know i've healed from such a terrible time

and i got the very best thing out of our marriage, noah!

the reason i looked like a baby is because i was one

and now i get to balance 3 kids on my lap at once!

 last night we went to a near-by retirement center to sing Christmas carols

and play bingo  for scouts

 i was so, so proud of noah for sticking back and asking a sweet old lady if she'd like to play bingo

and slowly walking her in the other room

while holding her hand the whole way

 then he pulled out her chair

and helped push her in

 michael helped olive and eleanor play, too

or at least eat all their m & ms

 hazel played, too

 noah helped her mark all her numbers

and when he won a round of bingo,

he gave her half his candy cane

i could not have been more proud of him

he's such a sweet boy

of course everyone loved henry, too

they gobbled him right up

and i'd tickle him every time someone smiled at him

so he'd smile back and they LOVED it :)

now i'm ready for the weekend

i don't feel like i've seen michael enough (he went to bed super early last night)

and i'm tired of doing all the parenting

five kids are a lot of work....

happy weekend!!