Happy Snappy New Years-- in February

As with most holidays, of course I worked New Years Eve and Day.  So we had the condensed version of celebrating that included me going to bed by 10pm.

We had pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, cheese and crackers and chips.

I rented two redbox movies: Mad Max and Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day for us to watch.  Of course we had to have a craft.  so we made our 2016 glasses.  We used some of the craft supplies Aunt Missy and family sent us for our family Christmas gift.

I had printed out a fill in the blank year in review sheet that everyone answered.

Name: JAYLA
Age: 4
Favorite Color: PURPLE
Favorite Food: EGGS
Favorite Activity: PLAYING WITH DOLLS
Favorite Book: JESUS (The storybook of bible stories Grandma Joy got her for Christmas)
Greatest Lesson Learned: BIKE (riding)
Hardest Thing this year: RIDING BIKE LONG TIME (distances)
Favorite Memory: STAYING WITH MOMMY WHEN I LIVED WITH BETH (after 2.5 months of living in a home without her mommy and daddy, her year's highlight was when she could live with mommy again)
What I loved about 2015: (living with) MOMMY AND DADDY
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn: ABC WRITING THEM ALL
Want to get better at: SCOOTER (Riding her scooter)
Goals for 2016: NUMBERS(count and write numbers)

Name: JAYNA
Age: 10 AND A HALF
Favorite Color: LIME GREEN
Favorite Food: CORN PUDDING
Favorite Activity: PUSH UPS
Favorite Book: JESUS JUNIE B
Greatest Lesson Learned: SCIENCE
Hardest Thing this year: MATH
Favorite Memory: (spending time with) RYLEE, KIERRA, NANA JAN AND CALE
What I loved about 2015: ART (she) MADE
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn: (more) SCIENCE
Want to get better at: BIKE RIDING
Goals for 2016: BEING A SCIENCE (something??)

Name: ANTHONY
Age: 10-11 (he was 10 for a few months)
Favorite Color: GOLD
Favorite Food: GENERAL'S CHICKEN
Favorite Activity: SPORTS
Favorite Book: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID
Greatest Lesson Learned: HISTORY
Hardest Thing this year: WAITING FOR SUMMER
Favorite Memory: GETTING MY NEW BIKE
What I loved about 2015: THINGS (such an expressive kid isn't he?)
Want to learn: HISTORY
Want to get better at: SPORTS
Goals for 2016: BETTER THINGS (whatever that means)

Name: KATIE (Angela's friend who was over)
Age: 16
Favorite Color: BLUE
Favorite Food: PIZZA
Favorite Activity: SHOPPING
Favorite Book: IF I STAY
Greatest Lesson Learned:  NEVER PICK A BOY OVER YOUR BEST FRIEND
Hardest Thing this year: SCHOOL
Favorite Memory: ?
What I loved about 2015:?
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn: ABOUT LIFE
Want to get better at: BEING A GOOD FRIEND
Goals for 2016: TO LEARN MY LESSON

Name: CUPCAKE SUGAR MUFFIN (hahah 6 y/o cousin CJ calls Angela this!)
Age: 17
Favorite Color: BLUE
Favorite Food: CHINESE
Favorite Activity: SHOPPING
Favorite Book: IDK
Greatest Lesson Learned: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ONLY 1 FRIEND
Hardest Thing this year: LETTING PEOPLE GO/SCHOOL BECOMING AN ADULT IS HARD
Favorite Memory:IDK
What I loved about 2015: BEING A PART A MOST WONDERFUL LOVING FAMILY
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn: THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS OF BECOMING AN ADULT
Want to get better at: SCHOOL, PASSING LEARNER'S, GET A JOB, SAVE MY MONEY
Goals for 2016: DRIVE, BE MORE MATURE, GET MONEY, STAY BEST FRIENDS W/KATIE

Name: ALISA
Age: 31
Favorite Color: PURPLE
Favorite Food: PIZZA
Favorite Activity: BEING WITH DAUGHTER
Favorite Book:
Greatest lesson learned: NEVER PUT SO MUCH FAITH IN ONE PERSON THAT YOU BECOME DEPENDANT AND LOOSE THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE LOST
Hardest thing this year: LOOSING SOMEONE THAT WAS CLOSE TO ME MY GRANDFATHER WAS LOVED
Favorite Memory: BEING WITH THE SYKES FAMILY AND WATCHING THEM DO ACTIVITIES.  I LOVE BIG FAMILIES AND AM HAPPY TO BE WITH THEM.
What I loved about 2015: THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn: TO SAVE MONEY
Want to get better at: TO BUDGET BETTER
Goals for 2016:KEEPING MY FAMILY FROM HARM

Name: BETH
Age: 31
Favorite Color: ORANGE
Favorite Food: PINEAPPLE CAKE AND FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
Favorite Activity: FAMILY CRAFTS AND OUTINGS
Favorite Book: FACEBOOK ;-)
Greatest Lesson Learned: YOU CAN'T FULLY PREPLAN LIFE OR YOU'LL MISS A LOT OF LIFE'S BLESSINGS.  KEEP YOUR WORD, EVEN IF IT'S HARD
Hardest Thing this year: LEARNING MOM HAS CANCER AND A POOR LIFE EXPECTANCY
Favorite Memory: VISITING AND MAKING MEMORIES WITH EXTENDED FAMILY
What I loved about 2015: (living with) MOMMY AND DADDY
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn:
Want to get better at: FORGIVE, FORGET, MOVE ON
Goals for 2016: FAMILY PICTURES WITH MOM AND KIDS AND GRANDKIDS AND COMPLETE (SOME AT LEAST) OF A BUCKET LIST WITH MOM

Name: S.C. GILBERT
Age: 31
Favorite Color: BLUE
Favorite Food: WINGS
Favorite Activity: INTERNET ACTIVITIES
Favorite Book:
Greatest Lesson Learned: LEARNING WHO'S TRUSTWORTHY AND WHO'S NOT
Hardest Thing this year:CAMPING
Favorite Memory: SENDING JAYLA TO SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME
What I loved about 2015:
Looking Forward to 2016
Want to learn: HOW TO MAINTENANCE A HOME
Want to get better at: STARTING CONTROVERSY
Goals for 2016: BECOMING A TEAM LEAD



Then it was cupcake decorating time

Well, some thing have changed in these first two months of 2016, but kind of interesting looking back at our hopes and goals for 2016 and where things stand now.

Merry Christmas... in February

Apparently my time management skills are lacking big time, still.
On Christmas morning I had to work 5-12:30, so I exited the house after strategically placing the bag of Santa gifts, while the house was silent and still.

When I got off I went to mom and dad's  to pick up Jayna.  Then we headed home to open gifts.  And boy did we open gifts!  The kids were royally spoiled, all four of our kids!  And for that another clear season of thankfulness.  God has provided as we have doubled in size.

stocking were hung on the dresser with care... Angela, Jayna, Anthony, Jayla and the cats too

Of course it had to begin with a bang when Alisa accidentally bopped Jayla in the face and tears flowed.  But still, here is our before picture---1:30pm we began the gift opening chaos at home!

poor Jayla and her fat lip

one of my fav was Ang's personalized mug

Everything Angela wanted  and asked for was basically clothes

Her big gift was a high quality hair straightener

Anthony' has loved his first good quality watch and his new wimpy kid book he kept reading instead of opening gifts

Anthony's big gift was I restored one of my older bikes; a Raleigh that's 15 years old beats a brand new big box store bike

.

Jayla's big gift was a blessing our church friends got her!  The corner bottom photo is Jayla telling Marko off for calling frozen Pocohantas--- repeatedly

Jayna got a nice variety of art supplies, a few clothes too

she got the midlevel gifts instead of a big gift; a pogo stick, chair and electric pencil sharpener

After opening gifts the kids had a brief stretch to play before it was time to go to Grandma Pam's to do the next to last round of Christmas.

Daddy and his kiddos all gifted out!

the girls all got new bath towel robes and all the kids got new slippers and electric blankets... Jayla's blanket isn't electric because 4 seems young for that.

 It is very rare we see Marko's brother or the sister in-laws so it was nice seeing them.  Unfortunately his brother and one sis in law and son didn't arrive for several hours after the scheduled time but we made the most of the time we had.

Grandma Pam, as always outdid herself, too much food, too many gifts <3

Anthony was thrilled with 2 new kideo games and a remote control plane, Jayla loved her microscope and video recorder, Jayla got lots of frozen goodness and Ang got some clothes and scarves

A miracle, these little momma's girls warmed up to Marko--- he got a high five and a hug!

ops we may have made Momma tear up with her new photos of her grandbabes...And the adult kids got some gifts too!

About 10 we left Momma's and Marko and Ang headed home while the rest went to pick up Corey from work.  Bummer he had to work a 12 hour shift, but a job is certainly a blessing.  So, I had separated all Jayla's gifts so she could open the ones Cory and Alisa bought her once Cory was home. 

Jayna's sketchbook, Anthony;s hat, Angela's nails, Beth's mug

And just like that our day had come to a close.  And what an eventful family filled few days it was!

The cake we made Christmas Eve

 And life continued, as normal, with a 5am shift on the 26th... the one and only day the cats could enjoy the tree.  Because as soon as I got off on the 26th I took the tree down!

Sampson and Phoenix