Merry Christmas!!!!

So Jeff (me) gets this brilliant idea: Since Rachel isn't used to sleeping in a bed yet and climbs out of bed at 3 in the morning and likes to wake up mom and dad at 3 FOR THE DAY, let's suprise Cari's parents and go over to Columbia on Christmas Eve and then show up at Grandmommy and Grandpappa's house! BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!

It starts with Christmas Eve. Rachel comes in at 1, 2, 3 -stays in bed on my side till 3:30, kicks me, beats on me, puts her hair in my nose, puts her fingers in my nose, laughs, giggles, squirms, lives up to the "almost 2" stereotype perfectly-3:30 gets kicked out of my bed, goes back to her bed, comes back in at 4, back to her bed, 4:15 Kaitlyn comes in and snuggles between Jeff and Cari, Rachel comes back in at 5. The body that Jeff's mind usually inhabits gets out of bed and stumbles with Rachel to the front room ("no we are not watching a movie") and snuggles with Rachel to see if she will go out. 5:10 Rachel and Jeff are passed out in the recliner. 6:30 Kaitlyn comes in and wakes up Jeff (thank goodness!!!!). Rachel gets put back on her bed, Kaitlyn gets a movie, and Jeff gets ready and goes to work. Work is a half day (YEAH!!!!!) with a Christmas Party (read that as a lunch catered in from Jack Stack's barbecue!!!!!!!!!)

Side note...if you come to visit and would like to experience great KC food...we'll have Jack Stack's....oh yeah!!!!! BEANS, brisket, burnt ends, ribs, chicken, cheesy corn bake....just a sec...gotta get some of the leftovers....

ok...fingers washed...

After a pathetically slow sales morning, we eat, and eat, and eat, and eat just a little bit more...oh yeah...good food. (Did you keep track of how much sleep Jeff and Cari got from 22nd to the 23rd?) Jeff and Cari come home, pack up the kids and drive over to Brian and Andi's house for Christmas Eve. We get there at 5:20 and immediately sit down to eat with the missionaries. More food. Brian makes REALLY GOOD GRAVY!! Eventually it is time to put kids to sleep. Jeff is getting a sleep deprivation migrane already. Let's just say it was entertaining watching Rachel climb out of the Pack and Play, fall in to the Pack and Play, and FINALLY lay down to sleep. Jeff goes back up stairs, watches really cool nature shows about REALLY BIG SNAKES being in Florida, and then is falling asleep on the couch. Goes downstairs to sleep. or attempt to sleep.

12:30 Kaitlyn comes in to snuggle. 1:30 Rachel crying, needs blanket back over her. 2:00 Get kicked in kidneys. Again, and again. Fall off airmatress onto REALLY COLD FLOOR. 3:30 Go get Rachel. Snuggle with her on the loveseat. 4 lay down on air matress to sleep, struggle to keep entire family on the mattress without falling off/letting kids beat each other up. 6:30 kids go upstairs with Andi, watch movies and eat breakfast...Jeff and Cari finally fall asleep. 7:30 Jeff gets up to help Andi. (Ever have a guilty conscience dream?....yeah...immediate wake up call)

Eventually we go to Cari's folks. Rachel falls asleep in the van in less than 5 minutes. Jeff calls over and talks with Kevin...expresses regret and that I'll call again after everyone gets there. We then show up a few minutes later. We make Grandmommy REALLY happy. Jeff has a "warm fuzzy." It almost makes up for the sleep depravation, but not really. We do the presents thing, the food thing, the talk thing and then kids are going to watch a movie (LOVE PIXAR SHORTS!!!!) and Rachel falls asleep in dad's lap before the movie starts. We load up kids and drive. Kaitlyn is out quick. Rachel wakes back up as we put her in the car, and then falls asleep 30 minutes later.

Make it back home, kids still asleep. WOW. Kaitlyn wakes up as we get her out of the car. Rachel stays out. Jeffer does the quick wrapping thing to the presents, wakes up Rachel, opens presents. Eats leftovers....mmmmmbeansmmmmchickenmmmmmbeansmmmmmmcoleslawmmmmm oh yeah leftovers.....mmmmm.....

and then we go over to Anthony and Jessica's for more presents/dessert/game time. Jeff gets to race and then Anth and Jeff get to play together..Ahhhh relaxation and stress relief

Jeff has a great brother!!!!!

We pack up the kids, bring them home...they have crashed. Cari is on the phone with my mom. I've been typing. I have mentally vacated the premises at this point. BUT HEY!!!! I got a post done!!! wow.... How bout some pics???