We're Still Alive!

I know many of you have probably been worried about my family's health and safety since it's been almost a month since my last post.  Let me assure you that we are still alive even if we are currently a little under the weather with some sort of cold Paxton brought home (once again I say it's a cruel joke that babies have such crappy immune systems).  Here's a quick update of what we've been up to in the last month.

First, I have a confession.  I feel so terrible ... we have hardly any pictures of our Christmas celebrations this year.  And this fact is made much worse because we actually did Christmas 5 separate times!  The only pictures we do have are from Christmas #3.  None of these celebrations were the grand "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"-esque Christensen Fun Family Christmas I'd been dremaing of and planning for since September (minus the shenanigans of course).  But is was hectic and all sorts of fun anyway.

We had our first Christmas celebration at Jay's Dad's house on December 11th.  Against everyone's better judgement, we packed up and headed over for dinner and presents.  I say against better judgement because all 3 of us had the flu.  Paxton was about 24 hours into it, I was about 6 hours into it, and Jay had just started exhibiting symptoms.  However we went because we had presents for people who would be there that we wouldn't see otherwise.  In retrospect it would have been smarter for Jay to have just driven over and dropped our presents off, but you know, hind-sight is 20-20 and all that.  Anyway, we went over and I'm pretty sure we succeeded in ruining the celebration for everyone.  Yay us.  Chirstmas number 2 was a get-together at Cristy and Mark's housethe following weekend.  We did a potluck dinner and then visited for a while.  It was really nice to see everyone before all the hectic-ness (I don't actually think that's a word but whatevs) of the next weekend.  Our third Christmas was with Jay's Mom.  We didn't do a big dinner, just some snacks and just kinda hung out.  Honestly if it hadn't been Christmas Eve you wouldn't have even known we were there for Christmas.  But it was good to see them either way.  Our fourth Christmas was the "Orphan Christmas" at our house.  I call it the Orphan Christmas because it was our first time without any of our parents being there.  My parents and Kinsey were up in Sylvan Lake with Kelly and her family, and Jay's Mom and step-Dad had backed out on us about a month earlier because other plans had come up.  So, we invited our friends Dan and Jess and Lyndsay and Cody over for dinner.  I made hashbrowns and 3 different kinds of quiche for breakfast.  We just kind of chillaxed and had coffee and Bailey's all morning.  This was followed by many rounds of mini-golf on the X-Box (I am very certain that I actually decreed that there would be no video games on Christmas Day, but somehow I was overruled).  I made a traditional Christmas dinner complete with a turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and a ham (I know, I'm super awesome like that) which was all quite delish if I do say so myself!  Our fifth Christmas was on Boxing Day when my parents and Kinsey stopped in on their way home.  We opened presents and then had a yummy lunch of leftovers.

New Year's was not so exciting around tese parts.  Jay and Paxton fell asleep on the couch around 8 pm.  I stayed up playing Lego Harry Potter until about 10:30pm and then went to bed.  I was surprised that I actually stayed awake until midnight while watching tv!  We just vegged out on New Year's Day.  I worked OT on the 2nd and then we went over to Ted and Kim's house for some celebrating with friends.

After the holidays, my work started ramping up to busy-ness.  January and February are our 2 busiest months of the year.  "How busy?" you might ask.  Well I'll explain it for you.  For the other 10 months of the year, someone who is processing the same stuff as me will generally have anywhere between 1 and 5 cases in their inventory at a time.  I think I'm currently at 25.  I worked 14 1/2 hours of OT last week and so far this week I think I've worked about 6 (I'll also be going in on Saturday).  I'm still so far behind that I think I'm ahead!  It's just sad because I usually work until about 6, so I'm home sometime between 6:15 and 6:30 depending on whether I need to stop for groceries or not, and Paxton goes to bed at 8 so I don't get to spend much time with him.  Anyways, that is my whining about work.  I'll save some for later rather than giving it all to you now.

Paxton is busy, busy all the time.  Apparently he has said "truck" and "button" at daycare, but still hasn't said anything at home.  Jay maintains that he says "Mom" and "Dad", but I maintain that they don't count since he doesn't associate the words with us.  Paxton's still loving daycare and is usually happy when I drop him off in the morning.  He's walking and "running" all over the place now.  His newest thing is to push stuff like his toy box (which is actually just an empty diaper box with toys in it) around the kitchen at "ramming speed" and run into the dogs.  They're good sports about it and it gives us many minutes of amusement.

I can't promise any regular posts for the next month and a half since I'm usually quite tired when I get home and I only get 1 day off a week now, but I'll do my best to keep you updated!  Here's your picture fix:

Hangin' out at Crisy & Mark's house 

Lyndsay and Jackie with Alexander and Carter 

Present from Carter

Present from Alexander 

Paxton also loves sitting in laundry baskets and doesn't care what they're filled with 

A fabulous faux-hawk courtesy of daycare ( I know he needs a haircut!) 

So cute moose sweater from Auntie Kelly (and the "Really Mom?" face)

Ramming Speed!

Traumatized dogs

Maggie cuddling with Dan and Jess

Paxton trying to push Dan 

I guess watching Dad peel potatoes just isn't as exciting as it used to be 

Once again with the toy box 

I'm going to get you, Mom! (That's not the stink eye.  It's just the way his face is)