Sorry it took so long to post...

This is actually the second time I've sent this, so if you receive this twice, blame my work email.....

I have been just so busy at work these past months, that I haven't really posted any blog posts about the kids.  I'll catch up with how Christmas was.

First, let me say that I have tons of pictures from Christmas…and they're still on the camera.  However, I did get myself a new camera.  I got a Nikon D40, which is a nice step up from the EasyShare, although the EasyShare is MUCH easier to fit into the purse! (although Mike would probably say that I should be able to fit the new camera in there, with the size of the purse).

The kids did well on Christmas, although Seamus has been told that Santa Claus does not visit our house, and that he gets presents from Mommy and Daddy.  He understands that, and when people ask if Santa brought gifts, he tells them that he doesn't get gifts from Santa.  He knows that the computer and the guitar came from the store.  However, this whole world is just geared towards kids believing in Santa, so he definitely knows who Santa IS…just that he doesn't bring us gifts.

So, Seamus got the Fisher-Price Computer Cool School, and a $10 guitar from Target that he just loves.  Isn't it funny how he likes the less expensive gift better?  He wanted to bring his guitar to daycare for show-and-tell day (also called 'share' day), and he did.  Ciara got a Graco dolly playset, which came with a crib, stroller, car seat, and some other stuff for the dolly that I suggested her Grandma Darlene get for her.  She also got ponies…she got a My Little Pony from us, and a 2-pack of mini-ponies from Aunt Kimmie (I think she said they came from the dollar store).  The kids got other things too…puzzles from various places (although whoever gave them the little mini-puzzles…those are too small for the kids to handle.  I tried to help Ciara, and then remember why I hate puzzles…they're puzzling!), some art-type stuff, Ciara got another dolly as well.  Oh, Seamus got a toy vacuum cleaner (oh goodness, how could I forget
that…the kids fight over it already), and Ciara got a Little People airplane (they both play with that as well).

We headed out to Mesa twice last week…once on Christmas Eve to Richard's house (this is a Christmas Eve tradition for us now), and then on Christmas Day to some podcaster (named 'Mighty Mommy') that Mike listens to (I think her and her hubby do a podcast that somehow combines marriage and Star Trek.  Anyone that has an autographed picture of Worf from ST:TNG in their kitchen is OK in my book, though).  We did stop at Waffle House for our Christmas Day lunch (and boy, those kids can pack the waffles away), and I think Seamus wants to go back to Waffle House.  For him, that's good eats!  That too, is looking like our Christmas Day tradition.  We were going to go to TGI Friday's, but they didn't open until 3.  I did get some dinner to go from there (as well as a nice $4 margarita…maybe that should be my Christmas night tradition as well, LOL).

The kids have been doing fairly well.  Ciara has quite a large vocabulary…larger than I think Seamus had when he was her age.  She has the benefit of an older brother in this regard.  She definitely has her own opinions…and her and Seamus just play off of each other all the time (which isn't such a good thing when we would like them to fall asleep in the car…they just amuse each other, or tick each other off).  Miss Tammy told me that she LOVES to do anything with art, and that she does play with the dolls in her classroom.  She's usually pretty good at daycare.  She's one of the younger ones in her class, so it's good for her to be with kids that are slightly older than her, but not as old as Seamus.

Seamus has been quite active, but getting into trouble at daycare.  One of the teachers told me that a couple of his friends (and instigators of trouble, as well) are moving up today, so maybe that will help out a little.  He was actually pretty good last week, even with all the traveling (which may have actually helped).  He's pretty bright, and very active, so we have to keep him busy.  His bowling finished for the year, but will start up again this Saturday.  He likes bowling, and has actually been doing fairly well at it.  He has improved quite a bit since the league started…his average is a 64 (it was 48 when the league started, and just steadily went up).  His high game was somewhere in the mid-80's.

Last night, Seamus and I watched 'The Sound of Music' (they took off Home Edition AGAIN…they really need to stop doing that), and I'm not kidding…I had to provide a running commentary on this movie because Seamus asked so many 'why' questions.  YOU try to watch it while answering each and every question…I don't want to THINK about the movie…I just want to watch it!  He did go to bed before the parts where they are trying to escape…so at least I didn't have to explain that.

I should probably get back to work now!