Random Pictures

I've got quite a few pictures, some of which are Christmas related, and others that aren't. I thought I'd make a post of somethings I've been meaning to post!

We got bored one day when it was yucky and snowy we decided that maybe we could braid MacKenzie's hair (okay so it was my idea, not so much hers!)


See I told you it was my idea. Although, I did get pictures of her smiling, and she did love it...until bed time came. Then she wanted me to take them out. NOW.



What would you do with this assortment of things? I had a great idea after winning this giveaway.



They turned into these nifty little gift tags. I was so pleased with them, I'll be making them EVERY year!!



Our lovely gingerbread house. Believe me it turned out prettier than I'd imagined. It was Dahrran's idea that we "have to follow the box. See we can do it just like this."(and points to the box.) So pretty it was!(and still is for that matter) I just can't let myself let the kids eat it!



They were pretty impressed and proud of their project...despite MacKenzie's face!



Last but not least. During our Cranio Journey I was fortunate enough to "meet" two ladies. We emailed back and fourth, and a few phone calls with them just listening, and me in tears confirmed what I'd already felt in my heart. They're a big part of our decision of the choice of Endo Cranio, with Dr. Jimenez. You see they're not only AWESOME ladies, but they're both Cranio moms!!! One was through it a while ago, and the other just more recently. They were a great support system and help during our trips.

Although we'd emailed, talked on the phone, and seen pictures of each other's kids, we'd never met. I'd never met her boys or seen how Cranio "looks" when it's all said and done. We finally got the chance to play at a great place called Lost In Fun, it's a great place to get together on a COLD day! (which it was!)

Here is MacKenzie and Kaitlynn playing having a good ole time!



Here's a picture of all three Cranio Kids together. This is the only one they were all three smiling in. Too bad they were looking at Brenda and Susan!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!! Sorry to keep you waiting!

This blog started as a way to keep our family informed on what was going on with us, and Kaitlynn's condition, but it's turned into so much more. It's a way to make friends, and that I have. I've come across many people that I'll never be fortunate to meet, but we'll make friendships that I'll cherish forever.

See this marks my 100th post. And as a way to say thank you I want to give you a couple presents. Today is Christmas, and I want to give!

Jenny is an amazing lady, with beautiful children. We've been fortunate to meet and even get our kiddos together to play. Jenny is a Stay at Home mom, and with her husband they own Harmony Grove Candles. Their candles are just heavenly, and the best part...you don't even have to light a flame. You see they're wickless and their aroma refreshes your whole home. Just read about their candles!

"Harmony Grove candles are created only using the highest quality fragrance oils available. Our fragrances are well known for their room filling and natural aroma from start to finish. It is our goal to provide fragrances that bring about fond memories, create a relaxing and cozy environment, and provide a welcoming feeling to all. "

Jenny was kind enough to help me out with my little giving post. She has put together a package that will warm your home just as much as it has mine!

Up for grabs is:

1 Harmony Grove Candle in Brandied Pear (my FAVORITE)

1 Harmony Grove Candle Warmer

Another great lady I've "meet" through blogging has been Kindra. She's got the warmest heart, and is the nicest lady. I've had the pleasure of buying from her, and will do it over and over again. Kindra was so easy to deal with, and she ships things out SUPER fast. Just go read her feedback over at her etsy store.

Kindra has also been kind enough to help me out with my 100th post.

Up For grabs from Kindra:
This lovely block set, I love the meaning, and it will go great in any home.

Here's how to win!!!
1. Come back and comment Every. Day. (7 chances there)
2. Blog about it. Tell everyone on your blog about it, and you'll have 5 more chances to win.
3. Leave a comment for Jenny or Kindra and let them know what your favorite thing is.
4. Become a follower, and let me know.
5. If you left a comment on the last post, I'll give you and extra chance.

Contest runs today (12/26) thru New Years Day (1/1/09) midnight.
Two winners will be chosen on 1/2/09 and announced, and notified.

Pictures, Tagged, Announcements!

Here as promised are MacKenzie's Birthday Party For Jesus. The had such a good time, and it was great to be able to spend time with her at school.

First up, the whole class with their teacher Mrs. King

And well as Mrs. King says " It's all about the snacks!!!"

Then there was plenty of time to play. We played Ring around the Rosey, and Kaitlynn loved being able to spend time with her big sister!

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I've been tagged to open up my picture folder, and pick the 4th folder, and the 4th picture and explain if necessary!

Well it's from our LAST swimming trip of the summer!

I about forgot I've got to tag 4 other people!

So I tag:

1. Beth

2. Jenny

3. Bridget & Jessie

4. Ashley (I'm excited to see what she's got with her world travels!)

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Also the big announcement is comming...but not today. I've got to get my cookies baked yet. I know it's Christmas eve, and you don't even have cookies baked for Santa??? NOPE. I. feel. horrible. about. it. But I guess as long as we get them baked it will be all okay?!?

Joel stayed home from work today because...he's got the bug. I was really hoping it wouldn't happen, and expecially now. He doesn't seem to have the same bug as the rest of us got though. He just can't get warm, and has knots in his stomach. He's spent the morning laying down and resting, so hopefully he'll feel well enough to make it to church this evening. Other wise I'm on my own! (don't worry the children have been warned...if you're not good we're not going to open presents tonight!)

What's on your holiday plans? Ours include church, then soup with my dad and grandparents tonight as well as opening gifts. Coming home WAY too late tonight, and getting to bed. Joel has to work tomarrow for a few hours, if he feels better. The kids will then get to open their stockings, and santa gifts. We'll make breakfast...mommy will blog about the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT....and then when daddy gets home we'll open gifts. For luch we will be spending it with my Dad's family. It's the first time we've gotten together in 4 years. My aunt, and cousins haven't even gotten to know the girls, and haven't seen Dahrran in a while. So it will be a great time to finally get everyone together.

That's what we're doing...tell me what you're doing!!! Their just may be a bonus if you do...hint hint!

And be sure to come back tomarrow for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Out of the Mouths of babes

Me: MacKenzie you have such a skinny tummy. (as I help her button her jeans) You're lucky you don't have to work for it.

Mackenzie: I have to work for it.

Me: You have to do sit ups and run to get your tummy skinny?

MacKenzie: YUP.

Me: No you don't. Silly Girl.

MacKenzie: I love you mommy,(and as she walks off) Scary tummy mommy! Ha, ha, scary tummy. Kaitlynn I just called mommy scary tummy.

It's come and gone.

The sickie bug that is....well atleast we hope it's gone! It hit Dahrran first, then MacKenzie, then poor little Kaitlynn got it, and last but not least it's hit me. Not that I was to pleased to be under the weather with the nasty little bug. I do have to say though that I'm glad it's gone....we hope...Joel has yet to get it. And we need it to stay that way!

MacKenzie had her Christmas Birthday Party for Jesus on Thursday and I've got some great pictures to share with you!!! I know like you really want to see pictures of. my. kids.? Sure you do! But you're going to have to wait! I'm sorry, but there is a house that's calling my name.

For some reason, when Momma gets sick it's like the rest of my house decides it doesn't want to be clean. The toy boxes seem to vomit all over the place, as well as the laundry hampers, the dishes can't seem to make it to the sink because they're too sick as well, and well any trash that just happens to be in the can now decides it should remain on the floor. Not only does my house look like it had an upset stomach, along came a snow storm that sneezed all over the outside!

There is plenty to be done around here...and blogging with pictures isn't on the top of the to-do list! Sorry everyone, you'll have to wait!

365 or 1460 ***How We Spend it!***

*** How We'll Spend It! ***

With two sick little girls curled up on our laps with the "puke bucket" between us! What better way to tell your spouse you love them, then to hold your sick children. I tell ya though to see him melt at the thought of his little girls being sick makes my heart melt!

Back to Life, Back to Reality!

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Either way you look at it it's been Wonderful. Full of fun, full of challenges, but still wonderful. I can't look back on the last 4 years and help but wonder where they've went. Actually I don't care where they've gone because I've spent them with the man I love.

Four years ago today we said "I do" and professed "to God, and these witnesses," our love for each other. I knew the minute that I'd told him I was having his child, that he was the man I'd spend the rest of my life with. We were both young, and things were so confusing, but he made them calm, and my thoughts collected. He didn't falter or waive, he said we'd figure it out, and figure things out we have.

Joel, I love you more than I did the day we got married. Everything we've been through would've tore many couples apart, but for us it has made my love for you even stronger. There are so many things I've learned just by being your wife. You make me a better mother, sister, daughter and friend. I finally know what I want out of my life, and it's you and our family. Everything else will find it's place if it's "meant to be."

It may not seem like it now, but one day soon we will realize our dreams have come true. So many have, and there will be many more if we work hard, and love each other. I love you babe!!!!

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On another note, I won a great little giveaway a week ago, and you've got to see what I won!

Aren't they just adorable??? I got them printed off over the weekend, and I am SOOO excited to get all my presents wrapped and get these little bad boys on them!!!!

You want to know how to get your hands on some handmade little goodies of your own???? Go on over to 3 Little Flowers - The Blog and check out Anelys stuff. She's got a giveaway going on that ends tonight! If you don't have your Christmas cards done yet this is P-E-R-F-E-C-T for you...or me, cause well mine aren't done yet either! I'm thinking they're going to be New Years cards instead this year!!

Surprises in Store! **UPDATED**

Okay so I've got a few surprises, and no, The Cast Kids are not going to have a baby brother or sister. But we will have an addition to our family.

I can share one of them with you today, and the other in a while...but time will tell on that one!!!!

Want in on our surprise?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

I'm super excited. We're going to adopt an elf!!! Really a real elf from the North Pole is being sent to live at our house. Santa emailed me and asked if we would be willing to adopt one of his sweet little elves. From what I know, the little elf will come to live with us sometime tonight. We'll get to choose a name for him, and hopefully he won't get into too much trouble!!! He'll be with us during the holiday season, and will return to the North Pole each night to report back to Santa himself. After Christmas is over, he'll return to the North Pole to help prepare for next year. Hopefully he'll be able to stay with us for many Christmas's to come, and will be a great addition to our family!

I'll be sure to take pictures of our new elf, and his new family soon. And I'm sure we'll have many adventures with him/her. There are quite a few other little elves that are living with families across the US. Go on over and check out Bob and Twink! They seem to get into trouble....I hope ours is a good little elf!

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Meet Mr. Jim. He came to our house yesterday, I'm not sure how he got here in all of the snow!!!! But he made it and that's what counts!!! He didn't want you to see his face just yet, so instead you'll have to settle for this.

Not Me Monday

Another edition of Not Me Monday is going on and I want you to participate!!! If you don't know how please go check out the rules on McMama's blog!!! Then when you get ALL done doing your Not me's go on over and be sure to enter your blog so other NMers can come check out your blog!!!!


Onward we go!

While trying to get some grocery shopping done on Thursday, I did not pick up a box of My Little Pony snacks, and proceed to open them and give my screaming daughter a package. I also did not then pick up the handful of snacks that she dropped and proceed to give them to her. Really, how filthy are those floors?!?

I also did not let MacKenzie stay up until daddy got home on Friday night, even though it was past her bed time, and she was clearly exhausted. I also did not have to carry a sleeping toddler to her bed when daddy got hom because she did not fall alseep because of said exhaustion.

I did not teach Kaitlynn to throw away her diapers because she knows how to walk. I mean really, what kind of mother makes her children carry their diapers to the trash can. And in throwing away diapers I do not mean disposables, because we're strictly a cloth diaper family, and I do not have a stack of disposables sitting in the drawer right now. Nope Not Me!!!!

My step sister is doing a report on Kaitlynn's Cranio in Jaunary at a competion for FCCLA, and after reading report I most certianly did not dry up an ink pen in corrections! Really not so much corrections as in editing. I would never re-write her report for her because this cause is so near and dear to my heart!!! Help is more the word...right???

Lately, I have not let my laundry get WAY past redemption. I mean seriously I faithfully go down to my laundry room every day and put a load of laundry in the wash machine. I also then fold that laundry when it comes out of the dryer and it goes STRAIGHT into our dressers! I LOVE to fold and put away laundry!

I am not out of things to say because you know I don't forget them unless I write them down!!

Shoppe till I droppe!

"Do you have all your christmas shopping done yet?" This question has been asked over and over again of my the last few days. And as a of a few days ago the answer to that was always "no." I wish I could say that after a long long day of shopping yesterday, "I'm all done", but I know that's not true. Granted it's only a couple things that I need to pick up, mainly for the girls. (who wouldn't thunked it I thought Dahrran was going to be the hard one this year!!!)

Hopefully with a little bit of finishing up next week I'll be ALL. DONE.

First Snow

We've had a couple little snows, nothing too much, just enough to make the ground sparkle, and when the sun came up it was pretty much gone. So what do we do when Mommy realizes it that it's snowing, and it's almost bed time. Do we go to bed? HECK NO. We put on our boots, our snow coats aka farm coats (no I don't really have special coats for snow, it's just what MacKenzie called it!) and we go play in it. Forget that it's bed time and that it's still comming down!

And of course when Kaitlynn saw the big kids getting on their snow boots, and such she wanted to go! She even waved bye bye to Joel when he asked if she wanted to go outside!

See Grandpa this is how you make a snowball!! But I don't have any gloves MacKenzie!

Christmas Program Time

Tuesday night was Dahrran's Christmas program, it was K-2. He was so excited, and wanted to wear his good clothes to school that morning. He got to play a Shepard, but for a few minutes before it all started he was asked to be a wise man. (we were told this later by his teacher, one of the boys in his class was late showing up, and so she'd asked him to play his part, Dahrran's response "um...I guess I can") Thank goodness the other little boy showed up in time, and relief came over Dahrran. Any who, here's some pictures!!!!

Dahrran the Shepard.

Dahrran and his wonderfull Teacher, Mrs. Wiemer!!! (she was also mine, and Joel's second grade teacher!)

Wordless Wednesday

xmas card picture, originally uploaded by jacastfamily.

If you're a mom!

Check this out!!!! You'll love it, just make sure if you're at work to turn your speakers down!!!!

**I know short and sweet, but I'm busy this week again, so everyone, HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!! See you this weekend!