Too Long Gone

You know you have been gone from your blog too long when its address drops off your "favorites" list!! Good grief! I went click my favorite link, as I always do, and my blog link was GONE!! After a moment of sheer panic, I realized it had been a MONTH since I had posted and my link had disappeared due to lack of use!! So sad, but just the way my life is right now! This morning I did, however, have a few stabs of guilt, and a bit of blog withdrawal, so I decided to update NOW, rather that "later when the kids are asleep, I'm not so tired, I'm more relaxed, etc.etc.etc." As I SHOULD know by now, there is NEVER a perfect, quiet, relaxing time around here, and opportunities to update have to be taken where they can be found!

Christmas for us was WONDERFUL!! We had a great time! This year we had told Thomas that we were scaling down a bit from what has, in the past, been a time of GREAT excess here in the Gallaher household. I felt the need to simplify for number one, sanity purposes, and two, because these kids don't NEED 17 more boxes of plastic toys and gizmos!! They just don't. They each got GREAT toys, most of them playsets, cars and the like which require imagination and thought!! Thomas did get Guitar Hero III, but having tried it myself, the amount of coordination and rhythm needed FAR outweighs the video game aspect of it!! We had a nice Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's, opening gifts and eating wonderful food, then had them over Christmas Morning to do Santa gifts and our presents. I made a very basic breakfast for everyone and we all just enjoyed watching the kids play with their toys! Christmas Day was relaxing, and I cooked turkey, stuffing, casserole, and pies for dinner. Very low-key and enjoyable.

The kids are doing great. Thomas is missing basketball during the holiday hiatus, but he has practice tonight to try to help fill the gap. That, his Guitar Hero game, and his new Ripstick will keep him busy today! Benjamin got some cool playsets - a pirate Playmobil one and a cool wood train set, along with the Power Rangers set Santa brought, and he keeps busy playing quietly by himself with them for 30-45 minutes at a time!! Max got his beloved "kickar thing" (guitar) from Santa and plays it A LOT! That and the Alphabet Song from his Fridge Phonics toy are about to drive me batty, but make him VERY happy, and a Happy Max is a (mostly) Quiet Max, and we like that, so we are adapting! In the midst of the noise and chaos, Abby is like the calm in the storm! As long as she is fed, she is a happy, sweet baby who smiles and coos and wiggles around! Such a lovable little bundle of pink!!

I'm off to pick up and find homes for toys and clothes, and get ready for our Electives Gear-Up meeting tonight. I have errands to run, and menus to plan, and clothes to wash! Here are a few quick pictures and I promise to try to update more often!


Thomas - Self-Portrait

Thomas and his Elves decorate the tree!

It's the All-Underwear Decorating Crew!!

Merry 1st Christmas Sweet Abby Grace!
At the park on a warm winter's day!


Pretty in Pink!