I just want to cry!

In fact I did just cry. A lot. Sometimes that's all I can do. All I can say is Daphne...tantrum...ordering a sandwich at Subway. Just about anyone else would have beaten her senseless by now, so I guess it's good she came to us. I'm exhaused. She's sleeping and I'm going to go lay down now.

I Love To Read...

I just do! The older I get the more I love it, and need it. Because I don't work outside my home I just need to read to give my brain some exercise.

Life is all about "what do you need sweetie?" and "okay, everybody get in the car" and "what do you guys want for dinner?" and "of course I'll play a game with you". Life is good, but most of my day is spent doing things for everyone else. Reading is blissfully, completely, and unabashedly all for me!

That being said, here are some of the books I read in the last year and loved:

The Alchemyst (series) by Michael Scott
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Forest Born by Shannon Hale
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins
Fablehaven (series) by Brandon Mull
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series) by Rick Riordan
Guernsey and Literary Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

I read more than just this list, but these are the ones I would recommend to others. The Red Queen, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Guernsey and Literary Potato Peel Pie Society are not as quick/easy to read, but all are great books.

Date Nights

A few months ago we started having date nights with the kids individually. I have to say that it has been more fun than I thought it would be! I think the kids sometimes feel like they don't get all the attention they would like and so they create attention for themselves, usually in ways that I don't approve of.

So we take one of them at a time and let them choose where they want to go eat and then they get to choose an activity. Savannah picked PF Changs and reading a new book at Borders. Olivia wanted Red Robin and pottery painting. Liam chose Pegasus Pizza and lasertag. (Daphne gets lunch dates with Dan and I frequently, so she will have to wait for these "grown-up dates" for a little while.) Each of the dates were lots of fun, but the best part was being together with the kids one-on-one. The funny thing is that when you are alone with each of them the usual bickering is banished, the nit-picking is nil and the fighting is forgotten and you are left with a perfectly-sweet and delightfully-charming child. Ahhhhhhh....now this is the life! :)

Christmastime!

The Bustos Family loves being together and having fun! We went to Shelter Cove at Willamette Pass and had a blast sledding. We even saw a train!





We also love snuggling!




The kids, of course, love the magic of Christmas morning and opening their long-awaited presents!


I even made them matching pjs with their initials on them. They LOVED them! They said it was like wearing their snuggly blankets to bed.



We made crafts, sang songs, took treats to friends and neighbors, and danced our hearts out! We also remembered Jesus on Christmas, the whole reason for this day, and we paused to sing Him Happy Birthday! The glow in our hearts told us He was listening. Merry Christmas!