4tunate

Have you ever watched one of those political talk shows on TV where they invite several “adults” on the show and they all talk over the top of one another.  You can’t understand any of them! I personally find it annoying.

As our boys continue to grow and gain more intellectual independence, they also have four differing opinions about nearly every subject.  Sometimes the conversation is laced with lots of giggles, sometimes with passion, and many times with tears.  I could not help but draw the similarity to our political leaders and pundits on TV.  Maybe our boys have a future in this type of work, they are getting lots of practice!

Jen and I readily admit that the noise level in our home has reached a point where it can quickly take you right to the edge.  We have to remind ourselves and each other regularly of the importance of stopping to take a deep breath, pray, remind ourselves of God’s Word, and then reengage our children in love.  We want to make sure you never see us in the headlines, sent to a padded room somewhere.  This is one difficult part of having four ALMOST 4 year old boys. (less than a week!)

While it is difficult, I cannot express the joy that the current stage brings us daily.  I LOVE this age, and wish I could freeze them right here.  NO MORE GROWING PLEASE.  Our gracious God has given us really amazing kids, I am really looking forward to another great year with them!

Brad (Quad Daddy) 

I was looking back at some of our posts and videos from 2010. I’m so thankful to have some of these moments captured – gotta love technology for being able to archive such great memories! Thank you so much for allowing us to share these milestones with you this year! 

Here’s the Top 10 Quad Videos of 2010 in case you missed any along the way:

Starting with a new clip from our Christmas caroling around our neighborhood. I think we’ve created a new tradition! Pretend you’re opening the door to these little sock hat carolers…

1. Christmas Caroling with the Quads – December 2010

2.  Quads Singing Johnny Cash – September 2010

3. “Quadversations” Part 1: Isaac – August 2010

4. “Quadversations” Part 2: Henry – August 2010

5. “Quadversations” Part 3: Brooks – August 2010

6. “Quadversations” Part 4: Clark – August 2010

7. The Teeter Totter Twins – July 2010

 8. The Quads Debut on Live TV on Fox59 Promoting the March of Dimes – April 2010

9. Potty Training Quadruplets Video Diaries Part I (and Part II over here if you want to reminisce further) – March 2010

10. The Quads Get a Mickey Surprise at Walt Disney World – February 2010

Hope you enjoyed some of the highlight reel from 2010.  Wishing you all a Blessed New Year and hope you join us for more memorable moments in this crazy adventure in 2011!

Have you ever experienced a holiday that didn’t turn out so picture perfectly? 

Maybe you can look back on it now and laugh about it. Perhaps it made more of a memory than your plans would have allowed.

We found ourselves in quite a pickle this Christmas, but it left us with good memories and a few laughs at our own expense, because sometimes the best memories are the unplanned not so perfect ones.

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family the weekend before Christmas and with Brad’s side of the family on Christmas Eve. Which left Christmas Day to celebrate with our “little” family.

Just the six of us.  A “quiet” holiday at home.

We had brunch late in the morning – breakfast bowls and Pioneer Woman’s World Famous Cinnamon Rolls. The boys lounged in their pjs most of the day, played with their new treasures, and curled up and watched Polar Express together. It was going simply and perfectly. I planned an easy dinner, so that I could spend time with my family, rather than being stuck in the  kitchen. I put some chicken in the crock pot with a lime marinade, planned a no brainer side; It wouldn’t be a gourmet feast, but it would do.

Or not.

Around 4pm the boys were down for a nap, and I checked in on my slow-cooked dinner.  I stirred it a little and instead of smelling like a wonderful tender cooked chicken it smelled completely unappealing.  I had Brad sample it for me, and bless him for his honesty, he broke it to me that it was not so edible. 

No problem.  Plan B.

I’ve pulled lots of Plan B dinners together before – not to fear.  However, I looked in the fridge and pantry and discovered that the trifecta of all ingredients were completely depleted. No bread, no eggs, no milk. 

How in the world could a quad mom be out of the three essentials of all kitchens on Christmas Day? How could I be so unprepared and empty-handed? 

I started to rack my brain of someplace to get a decent dinner on Christmas.  I turned to Google of course, but came up empty handed except for one remaining idea.

I made a phone call and found that they would be serving food until 7pm.  It would have to do. “We’ll laugh about it later and make some memories”, I thought out loud.

And that’s just what we did.

We loaded the boys in the van, their new Christmas airplanes and helicopters in hand, and headed out in the cold.

The boys ran off some energy in the wide open spaces, gazed at the giant Christmas tree, greeted travelers with a cheery “Merry Christmas!”, and could have flown their planes on the luggage carousel “runway” for hours. And who could forget the Christmas dinner feast of McDonalds for the boys and Qdoba for the parents at the airport terminal?

Was it my finest hour as a mother?  Not really. 

Did the boys know any differently or judge me for depriving them all the holiday fixin’s? Sure didn’t!

Did we make the most of it and make some great memories while we were at it? Absolutely.

It was a not so picture perfect Christmas and it was wonderful. McDonalds and all.