Christmas Day - Sister's Christmas Exchange

Okay let me explain the Sister's Exchange thing...I have been trying to figure out what to call it when we celebrate with my sister's family for Christmas...it can't be a Whiting or Schlatter exchange because we have those already with each of our in-laws...it really isn't a Converse exchange because there aren't any Converse's there and none of us are Makey's either (other then my mom)...so I have decided that when we celebrate with my sister I'll call it the Sister's Christmas...because Marion doesn't have any sisters (well...sister-in-laws but not sisters)...and I don't have any brothers...so there you have it...doesn't that work well!

Anyway, so here are the pictures of when my sister's family and ours exchanged our gifts on Christmas evening...you will note that Abigail is in almost all the pictures...she just hopped from one present opening to the other! We draw names each year...so far it has been pretty even between Rox' family and mine with Mom but next year we will have to just throw everyone into a hat and see who gets who!





















Okay this was a funny one so I have to explain...when talking to my sister about what Jeff wanted for Christmas it was joking said he wanted a hot tub...so I found a little dolls bathtub and filled it it blue crete paper and gave him a doll's hot tub...it was even more funny because Abigail drew his name so it fit very well! It was pretty funny .... or at least I thought it was! His real gift was a RangeFinder for his golfing!


































































I was pretty excited because I got my large Crock POT! YEAH! I really wanted one that I could fit a whole chicken in and not have to put a foil tent over and have it leak all over my cabinet...I have already done two chickens and a couple of soups with it! I was SO EXCITED...can you tell!

Christmas Morning 2007

Okay so then Christmas Morning the kids had one present left to open...this was supposed to be their BIG gift of the year...this year I make the kids bedspreads for their rooms..I wanted them coordinating but not matching...so Abi got a Precious Moments Princess of Hearts themed demin bedspread and Nathan got a Case IH Red Tractor denim bedspread.

I got more of when my family came but they will have to wait until another time...

Sixth Day of Christmas

The Sixth Day of Christmas is our BIGGER day of Christmas usually...and usually we wait to open that day until after the Christmas program that night but Dispatch switched things around this year so there weren't as many services and so we decided to go ahead and open the presents in the morning!

(as a side note...I didn't get pictures of the program, but I'll try to get some and then maybe I'll be able to post them later...Abi got to be an angel and sing some songs and Nathan was the 2 year old baby Jesus in one of the still scenes)

So back to the sixth day...Abi got a craddle for her baby that rocks...you can see the finished product in the last picture.

Nathan got a new little tractor.

Daddy got his coins for this year, and Mommy got socks (I may have gotten those last two mixed up..but none the less you know what I got ;-)

And Grandma Makey got her warm Jammies that she was wanting!

Fifth Day of Christmas

The Fifth Day was Sunday Morning...

Abigail got a high chair for her babies to sit in...Nate got a helicopter to put together like the car earlier...with the wrench...he DID NOT want to leave that at home!

Daddy got more hankies, and Mommy got more M&Ms - plain this time!

Grandma Makey got some fuzzy warm over socks!

Fourth Day of Christmas

On the Fourth day of Christmas my family gave to me:

Abigail got a little purse which is pink with hearts - she has already hauled lots of things around with it.

Nate got some more cars - my madness continues...however my intention was to let him play with them for a little while and then what I did was seperated them into punches of like nine cars and put all but one set away...that way when he looses them all I can haul out another set and walha...more cars!

Daddy got Peanut M&Ms - great minds think alike - and Mommy got a Cherry Pepsi that day!

Grandma Makey got some foaming Pear Juice Soap from Lemongrass...a spa place that make them from scratch each order...all natural...really neat stuff!

Third Day of Christmas

On the Third Day of Chirstmas my true love gave to me:

Nate got a battery operated toy wrench and a car that he can put together and take a part with screws...he played with the wrench more then the car but I think he'll grow into it...he really likes the mechanical part of things.

Abi got her last outfit for her babies...this was an excercise outfit.
Daddy got much needed hankies and Mommy got Peanut Butter M&Ms.

Grandma Makey was here then too and she got socks I think...

Second Day of Christmas

I don't have a ton of pictures for each day but I tried to get at least a couple of them for you:

The Second Day of Christmas we forgot and Daddy had to come in all dressed in his Farmer Getup to open presents....

Abi got another little outfit for her big dollies (mostly holly) it is a jammies outfit.
Nate got some cars...well lots of cars but there was a reason for my madness in this.
Daddy got a new cap that said Lebanon, Kansas on it.
And Mommy got some tea light candles!

Days of Christmas - Day One

Well, the count down to Christmas came very early this year...or at least it seemed that way. I have to confess that I was planning on updating the days of Christmas each day but didn't get that done so I am doing it all at once but the dates will be right nonetheless...

Anyway, so the first day of Christmas Abi and Nate were VERY excited that they got to open presents in the morning and here are some pictures of them...

Abi got a dress for her baby doll (see last pic for dressed Holly)
Nate got some life figurines which included a Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Teenage Boy & Girl, and Toddler Boy and Girl...he LOVED them.
Daddy got something that is really for Mommy and baby but that is okay...Daddy can share!
Mommy got a little house figurine with a note that read "A cozy little getaway for the two of us..." I think for now that the figurine is a close as we will get to actually seeing anything like it! ;-)

Our "1-2" Inches of Snow (yeah right)

Okay so the forcast said 1-2 inches possible accumulation with a total of 3-5 for two days...this is what we woke up to this morning:































































The kids absolutely CANNOT wait to get out in it...the only other thing that is pressing on their minds besides playing in the snow is playing with their cousins who are over at Grandmas! However, I don't know that that is going to happen because we wouldn't even be able to get out of the garage to get to the road even if the road WAS plowed...I keep telling Abigail we'll have to see...

I am actually really excited too...I MISS the Michigan snows and I SO wanted snow for Christmas...it looks like even if we don't get anymore snow between now and then that we will at least have some on the ground...Marion is NOT a snow/cold person so he thinks I am crazy but I just think it make Christmas all the more fun with SNOW!

I am hoping there will be enough that maybe the cousins can go sledding when they are here...I'll have to see if Roxanne can fit some sleds in the back of the Tahoe!

33 Week Dr. Appt

Well, we had the follow up appointment for last week's excitement.  The ultrasound and blood work all came back with good reports.  NO dilation and minimal if any effacement.  The baby has moved a bit more and we aren't quite as uncomfortable as last week (at least I don't feel like I am constantly on the baby's head).  My blood pressure was still doing good and overall Dr. Conant felt that we are having real contractions but they are probably par for the course with this third baby!

 

He did say the common standard at Smith Center is to not deliver before 36 weeks (which is around new years)...but after that he'd consider or at least start talking about the possibility of delivering earlier then the 21st date if we are still contracting and having the same symptoms.  Of course he'd prefer to get us to 38 or 39 weeks if possible.  I guess we will just see what all happens between now and then!

 

Overall the baby is doing well, the cervix is holding up and though I am rather uncomfortable all else is well.  We are very thankful for God's hand of provision and sustaining power.  I am trying very hard not to complain because I know the gift that God has given is worth much more then the trial or discomfort in bring the gift into this world! (though I wouldn't mind a prayer or two if you think about it :-)

My Farmer Boys...so far...

Well today, Nathan REALLY wanted to go with Daddy to do chores and was VERY upset when Daddy said no...so after awhile when Daddy could, he came back in for Nathan to help with chores outside.

It was REALLY cold so we had to bundle up real well...here is Nathan with the second layer of clothing...see his nice hooded jacket and work boots :-)





















Here they men are getting ready to feed and water cows: Next year Daddy will have his hands full with two little boys! (so we think ;-)

Baby Update

Well, we are now past the 32 week mark and things are happening...

We have been having quite a few contractions for about a three weeks now and Monday they seemed to cultivate into some early labor signs. At my appointment on Wednesday, Dr. Conant felt strongly that we were in labor at that point but that it stopped and did not produce much of anything...I was not dialated or anything like that...

However...it produced enough that I am pretty uncomfortable now as the baby is MUCH lower and I feel that I am sitting on his head! I am also continuing to have contractions and lower pressure with back pain.

Dr. Conant wanted another ultrasound to check on the cervix and the baby and so we had that done on Thursday. We found out we are having a boy...so we are excited about that! The cervix looked good from the technicians point of view and she said our baby boy was about 4 lbs at that time. I go back next week and we'll see what Dr. Conant says then. I think he agrees that this baby may be coming sooner then later! We'll keep you all posted as I can.

Christmas Cookies

This year we decided to make a few cookies and treats to give a neighbors and friends. Here are Mommy and Abigail working on cookies...You can't really see Mommy's tummy but it is really sticking out there now! (which is why I am wearing an apron...otherwise I am just COVERED with whatever I am cooking!)

Decorating our TREE

After we got back from Tree Fest, we decided to decorate our own tree for this year! Here are the kids and Daddy decorating the tree while Mommy got out the ornaments.




































Abigail's Baby Christmas ornament




















Nathan trying to show his Baby Christmas Ornament

More Christmas Tree Decorations

Here are some more pictures of them decorating!









































Daddy put the angel on the top when we were all done...Abigail wanted to know why we didn't put a star on top! Well, she ended up having two trees, one with a star and one with an angel!




















We also hung our stockings up...Here is Nathan pointing to HIS stocking!

Downs Tree Fest

The Downs Arts Council puts on the thing called Tree Fest each year. I have really enjoyed going since Marianne took me the first time. Anyway, various people and organizations purchase a live tree and decorate it with a theme or give away items and then they all get set up in the Memorial Hall. People then purchase chances to win those trees.

I think it was last year that we won the kids table and chairs from Domeny's and this year we won another tree! This is also the first year we have taken the kids. Marion went with me this year and we had a great family outing. Below are the few pictures of the kids at Tree Fest and one of Abi with our new tree in the living room!

Thanksgiving 2007

Well, other then having the stomach flu at the beginning of the week we were very excited to have Thanksgiving this year and to see family that we hadn't seen in a while.

We started our holiday off on Thursday with church and then lunch at Marianne's. I don't have any pictures of this as I didn't have any batteries in my camera and the ones I had ordered that were supposed to be here didn't arrive until Saturday after Thanksgiving. Anyway, the kids had fun visiting with their cousins, though Nathan didn't eat much ( I don't think he was fully recovered from not feeling well).

Then on Friday we celebrated our Schlatter Christmas as this would be the only time we were all be together before the Christmas holiday. Marianne had made all the kids matching outfit pajamas and they wanted to get their annual grandkids photo...Do you know how hard it is to get seven children all under the age of 6 to smile and look at the camera. I think they finally got one but they had to black out my knee as that was the only way Nathan would sit in the picture. Here is one I "doctored" and thought turned out pretty good.














Then after that was all over, we had the gift exchange and snackies...here are the pictures from that!



































Here is a picture of Mark, Karla holding Erik, and Heather with Tucker. None of the pictures I received had Marvin in them. (again, I didn't have my camera there so I am just going off of what was taken that day by others).

Here is a closer picture of the youngest Schlatter to date...Heather realized that this would be the only gathering where Tucker was the youngest...our next time together will probably be after our baby is born.













We left Friday night a little before 8 pm as they started to put the kids to bed. We found out the next day that it was shortly after 8 that people started getting sick and over the course of Saturday I think everyone of the eleven staying at Marianne & Jim's got sick execpt one! I am not sure if the ALL threw up but they all weren't feeling well anyways! It was definately a memorable event for them all. We were banned :-) just to assure we didn't get it again and to assure everyone could rest! We will never know if it was food poisoning or if it was the flu bug but whatever it was...it hit hard and fast...everyone was able to go home on Sunday though my kids were very disappointed they missed out on seeing their cousins again!