"It's the most WONDERFUL time of the year!"

I love this time of year! I have had my house decorated since just after Remembrance Day (which is a good thing since I would never have time to do it in December) and my baking exchange was at the beginning of December so that has been done for awhile (although I still have some other things to bake... of course).

I am basically done my Christmas shopping. I have a few small things to pick up but all and all I am almost done!  I love wrapping gifts.  The kids and I have been busy wrapping a few gifts each night.  I still have a closet full of them to wrap.

 Last weekend was the Church Christmas Pageant. Makenna, Rhiannon and Jorja were all angels. (just like always) Rhiannon was the angel Gabriel so she even had speaking lines.

Shallen enjoyed watching from Mike's knee.

After the pageant there was a visit from the man in red. 

Jorja jumped right up on Santa's knee!

Shallen wasn't even scared at all!

Look at that "toothless"grin... wonder what she wants for Christmas!

Even big girls can sit on Santa's knee... you know if you don't believe you don't receive!

This weekend is one of my favorite weekends of the year. Now some people may say I am crazy but I actually love when we have our annual McClelland Christmas party. We split it up into a two day event this year. On Friday night, Makenna had 6 of her friends over for a sleepover. They made Christmas cut out cookies, decorated ornaments and watched Christmas movies.

On Saturday afternoon, Rhiannon and Jorja had their Christmas party. They each invited some friends to come over. During the afternoon we decorated the cookies the big girls made the night before, painted our Christmas banner, made decorations, colored and had a gift exchange.

Some of the cookie decorators!

Guess who got caught eating the icing!

And the best part is eating the cookies!

Painting some ornaments!

Creating the Christmas Banner!

It might seem insane to some of you that I organize and do all this by myself (with a little help from Mike) but I really do enjoy doing it. My kids look forward to it and it does, hopefully, create some lasting memories.

Coloring some Christmas Pictures.

This year for Christmas Day all my siblings and their families will be home! We are all going to hang out at the lake. It is going to be so much fun! We are so excited to all be together on Christmas Day. That has not happened for a long time.

I am looking forward to some down time over the Christmas holidays, even though we have two weddings and I have a pile of marking!!! (like always) I have recently opened an Etsy site for my Bows and Gurls Hair Accessories. (I know, as if I don't have enough to do) I also started a Fan Page on Facebook so you can check them out there if you are addicted to Facebook as I am. Anyway, I am planning on making some bows over the holidays too.

I plan on spending more time blogging over the holidays and maybe that should be one of my New Years Resolutions!!! (maybe not since I never seem to keep them!)

Here is a Christmas Funny for you....

And talking about "flat tires" I almost forgot to tell you about our new addition to the family.  Mike and I bought a New-to-Us 2010 Dodge Caravan! It is pretty overwhelming with all the new technology and touch screen and what not, but the kids seem to love it! It has the built in DVD player which I think will be great!

Anyway, I am counting down to school being done on Tuesday... who am I kidding... it is not like we are going to do much for those two days anyway!!! LOL

Oh, and if you are waiting for a McClelland Christmas Card/Letter you will be waiting for a long time! I will not be sending one this year... some how it got left out of the preparations this year. Since you are reading my blog right now I can assume you don't need to be updated on my less than exciting life anyway!

Finally... An update.....

Well as you can tell I have been unable to balance work and life.  In order to keep my sanity a few things have had to slide and my blog was unfortunately one of them. I have been kept busy trying to get my homeroom website going for my 801-derful class.  It has been a bit more of a challenge than I thought it would be.



The Princess Vampire... So Scary!



Now I would like to update you on some of the goings on over the last month or two! i  can't believe I have neglected to post to my blog for that long!!!



The Little Devil!!! How fitting!



My Halloween Monsters!




The Little LadyBug... she was going to be a witch but refused to wear the costume.
Luckily I have lots of extra costumes her size!



Jorja and Lily were enrolled in Sparks (the youngest Girl Guides)

Makenna got her second year pin at Girl Guides.

I was enrolled into Girl Guides as a Leader for Sparks (got my ONE year pin!)

Here is Makenna's Girl Guide group with Leader Auntie Andrea!

I am the worst mom! Rhiannon was enrolled into Brownies and got her second year pin. She was in Sparks last year. However, I forgot my camera and took pictures on my phone and they turned out crappily!!!! 

Rhiannon finally lost her front tooth.  It has been loose since August!

So in a nut shell that is what we have been up to! I hope to get back on track with the blog!!!  I know you are all waiting on pins and needles!

Bye, Bye Baby....

We had a family wedding last weekend. Congratulations Amanda and Wade.  It was so much fun! We got to see many family members that we don't get to see very often and I got to hold and cuddle little babies!!!!! The wedding ceremony was at the Forestry farm in Saskatoon so between the ceremony and supper we all went to the zoo.  Talk about making memories.




Shallen getting a ride at the Zoo!




All the kids... see Beiber... I mean Kingsley with all the girls!




Taking a Train ride at the Zoo! Hold on tight!






Tansley and Mak... the beautiful big girls!



The absolutely beautiful bride!



Uncle John and the girlies!




Rhiannon even stole the camera and got a picture of me!




The dancing queens!



Then this weekend we had our annual fall Kids' Toy and Clothing Sale. It was a great success and my spot in the hall was right beside a very small and very cute newborn baby girl.  My uterus was screaming and my ovaries were tingling.  I resisted all day but while the momma was putting her stuff away at the end of the day I got to hold and console her crying newborn.... ah the joys!

Time flies by oh so quickly.  In the last week Shallen has stopped having a bottle and has started sitting in a booster seat at the table.  She is getting so big.  She is no longer a baby anymore. She is using more words and is starting to get a two year old attitude... man this kid knows what she wants!!!

She is like her momma... happiest when she is eating!



Isn't she the cutest??? Ok.. I might be biased!



If I would have known how much I enjoy babies and kids I would have gotten knocked up earlier and had way more babies!!!!  The thing is that I love each stage.  I am enjoying being a mom of "big" kids as much as a mom of babies.  (though at this time I am missing the little baby stage... maybe it is just because I know that it will not come again)

We are a very busy household. With the girls in dance (Makenna informed me that she wanted to do Tap and there is a tap class for her age right after her Jazz... so of course I caved so she is now doing Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Hip Hop...) and Guides, Brownies and Sparks we are quite busy but I love every minute of the craziness.

A very close and dear friend of mine reminded me that Makenna's time of living in my house fulltime is over half over. What a sad thought.  I am not going to wish this time away.  Don't get me wrong. We have our bad days.  My kids freak out just as much or maybe even more than most kids but when I look back at their time with me I hope that there are memories of snowmen, cookies and singing songs in the van.

Hug your kids and appreciate today!

And then she was 5!!!!

We had a very busy weekend.  Jorja turned FIVE!!!  Afterschool on Friday she had a small birthday party with a few of her friends. We had a Dance Party. We played musical pillows and freeze dance.  I wasn't going to have the kids paint a birthday mural but Jorja said that everyone else got one from their birthday... guess that is becoming a McClelland birthday tradition.

Grandpa Worsley stopped by to hang out with me and the kids. He had a meeting and wouldn't be able to make it to the family party in the evening.  He is just a big kid himself so he fit right in! (I have a video... but can't get it to load! LOL)

All the girls got along so well. The party was a blast and the time just flew by.

Later on in the evening, Auntie Bonnie, Keanna, Courtney and Farm Grandma all came over.  Grandma brought doughnuts for the birthday girl, since Jorja doesn't like ice cream which is Grandma's usual birthday treat.

Jorja ended up with a wad of birthday money which she promptly spent when we went to Saskatoon on Monday. She purchased new earphones for her MP3 player and a new DS game. What a lucky girl!!!

Cheque-tember!!!!

Yep, it is that time of year. You know the one when you burn through more cheques than you use for the whole rest of the year!!!  Yep, fall registration time.

I think we have it all figured out and everyone signed up for their "stuff".

Makenna is dancing Jazz, Ballet and Hip Hop (as well as a duet later on in the season and taking her Ballet and Jazz exams). She is also enrolled in an 8 week after school Volleyball program at her school on Wednesdays after school. I hope she enjoys it since it is the first time she has tried Volleyball.  She is also doing Guides on Thursdays.

Rhiannon is dancing Jazz, Ballet and Tap (as well a solo and duet with Jorja later on in the season). She is also taking First Communion and First Reconciliation classes at the church.  As if she is not busy enough she is in Brownies this year.

Jorja is dancing Jazz and Ballet (and a duet with Rhiannon later in the season). She is also in gymnastics for a 12 week session. She will be beginning in Sparks this year. (first year of the Guiding program)

Once I was done signing all the cheques I realized that my monthly dance fees would be enough for monthly payments on a new van .... oh well... at least the kids are happy and involved and that is what matters right?!?!

So basically I am chauffeuring kids Monday through Thursday. (Luckily I am carpooling with some other moms and since I am chauffeuring my own I might as well drive other kids right!!!)

Now if you think I am REALLY crazy ... wait for the kicker.......... I have just "volunteered" or more like been "suckered" into being the Sparks leader!!! AUGH!!!!  Oh well... I am sure it will all work out... RIGHT????

Oh,  did I mention that "on the side" I teach full time????? LOL  Now I remember why I love summer holidays so much!!!! HA HA HA HA HA.... I am INSANE!!!!