Christmas Morning Pictures

Here are the pictures from Christmas morning. There were so many presents with 13 of us in my parent's house that morning! Since the kids are a little older now it was a bit more chaotic than Christmases past, and all the presents were opened in an hour. That's pretty quick for us! The girls got V-smile Pockets for their big gift, and the boys got a big pirate ship complete with canons that fire and sails that go up and down. Of course John got the elephant that makes amazingly realistic sounds, and Corey got a tool belt and set from my parents. Kylie also got some Polly Pockets, and Caitlyn got the Barbie styling head she's been asking for for months. Jeremy got a sander, clothes, a new camping lantern, and a gift card to Home Depot. I got a new Vera Bradley purse which I absolutely love, a couple new Playstation games (yes, I still love video games), and a couple new Willow tree figurines. All in all, I think we were all more than satisfied with our gifts, and the best part was the fun opening them with family. After an incredible breakfast and a great lunch, we spent the rest of the day enjoying our new gifts, watching movies, and relaxing. We even played a few games of SkipBo, and a game of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" which I got from my parents for Christmas. I won, of course! :) Enjoy the pictures! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with one more!

Pre-Christmas Festivities

We arrived in Tennessee the Thursday afternoon before Christmas, and thus started the pre-Christmas activities. There was visiting with old friends, spending time with our niece and nephew, last minute shopping, visiting Santa st the Bass Pro Shop, family game time, Christmas Eve homemade pizza and pie-making, and Christmas Eve candlelight service to name a few. We had a fantastic visit, and really enjoyed all the time we were blessed to be able to spend there this trip. Here are some pictures from all the festivities. That Saturday night, my brother and Jeremy attended a Nashville Predators game (NHL hockey), and had a great time. Then the next afternoon, my brother calls to say that his company has two tickets to the last Tennessee Titans home game and no one was going to use them!! So off to the game my dad and I went. We had a blast! It was very cold, but we didn't care! The Titans defeated the Jets 10-6. Our seats were right on the corner of the goal line about 18 rows up from the field! There were some incredible quarterback sacks by the Titans! Anyway, if you can't tell I really enjoyed it, and was thankful for the time I got to spend with my dad. We don't do much just me and him, and it was a great Christmas present for me. Thanks to Andrew for the free tickets!! Well, here's a few pictures from the game. Monday I'll post the pictures from Christmas day. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with one more!

Hours In the Car

Every time we make a trip to Tennessee, or Indiana, or Wisconsin, it takes hours and hours of driving time of course. Having four small children in the car that long can be maddening! We have been very blessed to have children that travel pretty well. We also have invested in some great tools of the "traveling with children trade", a portable DVD player with two screens, V-smile Pockets for the girls, snacks galore, and each child's own personal bag of toys, coloring books, and crayons. Occasionally, even these sure fire tools don't work and someone has a meltdown. Usually this has to do with lack of sleep and/or having to go potty. Now that the kids are getting a little older, we do manage to make it two hours or more in between potty breaks. Jeremy and I have both been saying for a few years that we need to write a traveling book for parents. A book that list all the fast food places with playlands on a certain interstate, rate them by cleanliness, and list what exit they are off of and whether the playland is indoor or outdoor. A book like this would make traveling so much easier!! God has always kept us safe on the highway with all the traveling we do, and for that I give Him all the praise! It's a jungle out there! Christmas pics to come soon. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with one more!

***This post includes a video***

Big News!

Yes it's true! We recently found out we are expecting another baby. The Knutson Klan is expanding once more! We are all very excited, but I don't think it has truly sunk in all the way yet. The kids keep changing their minds, but as of right now the boys are voting for a boy, and of course the girls are voting for a girl. It's still early, but so far I'm feeling well, just a bit tired. We returned from our Tennessee trip last night, and are busy unpacking. We had a fantastic trip, and I have lots of pictures to post! We really enjoyed spending time with our family. I will post pictures as soon as I get them uploaded. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with one more!!!

Merry Christmas To All

Love you all! Have a fantastic Christmas! We will be returning on the 26th. I'll post lots of Christmas pictures when we return.

Our Advent Tree

Only 5 days till Christmas! I still can't believe it got her so fast. We leave early tomorrow morning for Tennessee. We're all pretty excited, and the kids of course can't wait till they can open presents. It will be a full house at my parents', but that's the way we like it. There will be lots of card games, movie watching, and of course eating all the great holiday treats my mom makes. We have truly been blessed this year, and I am definitely very thankful this Christmas season. To keep us all reminded of what's important this Christmas, Jeremy and I have been doing nightly devotions with the girls counting down to Christmas. Awhile back my mom gave me a book called Family Traditions, and a partially finished Advent Tree. She had already done most of the work, so I just did a little sewing, and tadaa! The Advent Christmas Tree was ready Every night after our devotions the girls add another ornament to the tree representing one thing about our Savior. There's a picture of the shepherd's staff to remind us that the Lord is our shepherd, and of a dove to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. There's also the candle to remind us that Jesus is our light in the darkness of this world. You get the idea. We have really had a great time doing it, and the girls look forward to it every night. I was really proud of us, right up until Kylie's Sunday School teacher told me that Kylie said in Sunday School class last Sunday that Christmas was about Santa bringing us presents! How embarrassing! At least we're trying right?! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Down For The Count

What a crazy weekend! Although I think I said that last weekend too. You can definitely tell that it is close to Christmas. Everybody's schedules are insanely busy! The end of last week, I pulled something in my back, and was in quite a bit of pain this weekend. My back is getting better, but still quite sore. Sore back or not, we had things to do. Saturday morning we had a Christmas party for the kids at church. Santa was there, and I wish you could have seen John's face when he saw him! He was in complete amazement, and when Santa gave him a gift he was so excited. Corey wouldn't even get close to Santa. I was expecting that so I wasn't surprised. We then left the party and went to see Dawn and give her her Christmas presents. Please pray for her. She was very happy to see me, and spent almost the whole visit on my lap. She loved the new scarf I crocheted for her, and we looked through the photo album I made for her of pictures from her time at our home. She is not adjusting well to her new home, and will probably be moved again unless something miraculous happens. I left that visit in tears. I told Jeremy later that I just wanted to bring her home, but I know that we can't. After the visit, we went to church to practice for the Christmas program. By the time we got home early that evening we were tired! Yesterday was about just as crazy. We had Sunday School and morning service. Then we rushed home for lunch, and a short rest. Then it was back up to the church by 3:30 to run through the program one more time, a quick dinner, and then the performance. Jeremy played a part in the play, and I sang in the choir. Jeremy did a great job as "Grandpa Billy". He was so nervous, but he did fabulously. His "grandpa voice" was the best! Caitlyn sang in the junior choir again, but Kylie wasn't up to it last night, and watched happily from the audience. We were pretty tired when we finally made it home last night, but relieved to be finished with the program. Now we have till Thursday to get everything packed to go out of town. Besides a few little things, we pretty much have a clear schedule till we leave on Thursday morning. Aaahhhh! I can't wait to get to Tennessee. The kids are very excited, and so are we. A quick note: My cousin Matt Moss is getting sent back to the states (from Ecuador) just in time for Christmas! We'll be praying for a safe trip. Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

What is Christmas all about?

Just a reminder of what Christmas is all about. Enjoy your Christmas!

**This post includes a video**

No More Pukey Kylie

I think she has finally gotten over the worst of it.Kylie hasn't thrown up since yesterday at about noon, and she is definitely getting her appetite back. I was a little worried yesterday, but she seems to be coming around. Thank you to those of you that prayed. God is good! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Talking Kitty

Jeremy and I saw this cat on America's Funniest Home Videos. It's Jeremy's favorite, so when I saw this video, I knew I had to post it. Enjoy!

Pukey Kylie Update

Kylie is still throwing up, but she is going longer in between vomiting episodes. She has perked up a little, and I managed to get her bathed without too much drama. Currently she is in Jeremy and I's bed watching Scooby Doo. She keeps asking me when she's going to stop throwing up, but sadly I have no answer of course. Hopefully she'll be able to keep something down soon.

The Cheesecake, Funny Man John, and Pukey Kylie

There are a few odds and ends that I wanted to post about today. I've included two pictures. One of John in his funny disguise. He got these glasses at the dentist office a few weeks ago, and he loves them. I thought he looked too funny! The other picture is of a chocolate chip cheesecake I made for the Christmas party last night. I know it's silly, but I was so excited that it turned out well, and it looked just like the picture on the recipe! Anyway, we may be heading to the doctors office here shortly. Kylie is sick, and she's not looking too good. The poor thing has been throwing up all morning. There are a lot of viruses going around. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Children's Choir

Here's the Children's Choir Video. Jeremy and I watched it again last night and laughed! Kylie really can't stand still, and both of the girls keep turning their feet out. If you have time, watch it a second time, and just watch their feet. They're the only ones doing it. It must be in the genes! My favorite part is Caitlyn's curtsy at the end.:) Enjoy! We have our Sunday School Class Christmas party at our house tonight. We always have a good time! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Only 14 Days Till Christmas!

We had quite the crazy weekend, but much was accomplished. We got almost all of our Christmas shopping completed on Saturday. Last night, the children's choir sang at church, and it was Kylie's first time. She did pretty well, but was quite fidgety! :) I haven't uploaded the video yet, but here's a picture of the whole children's choir. After church, we tried to get the kids together for a picture, but Kylie had fallen asleep during the service. It turned out to be a good picture of Caitlyn and the boys though. I took a picture of Kylie after she finally woke up. Well, we are refinancing the house and the guy is coming to assess the house today. I need to get busy and get stuff picked up. Also, something is up with the blog layout. I tried to fix it this morning, but it isn't cooperating. You can still see everything, but it just looks la little different. I'll work on it later. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

That's My Story, and I'm Sticking To It!

My mom sent this to me, and I just had to share! Love it!

Hearing Evaluation

This morning I had my annual hearing evaluation. I have been having some problems with my ears, so I was anxious to hear what the doctor had to say. My hearing was the same as my last hearing evaluation, which is very good. So far since they diagnosed my initial hearing loss, my hearing has remained stable. They are still not sure what caused my hearing loss, though. I keep telling them it was all those years of marching band!! Just kidding, Dad! After a long visit at the office this morning, they have diagnosed me with TMJ. I didn't know what exactly that was, but apparently I have arthritis and grinding in my jaw joint that is causing pain in my ears. My allergies are also pretty bad right now which is causing pressure in my ears. They prescribed some new meds for my allergies, and gave me a list of things I can do to help my TMJ. Just like normal arthritis, it has not been a constant thing. When it does flair up though, I have ear pain and increased headaches. Stress apparently makes it worse. Oh well! According to the doctor, I probably have had this for some time, but it was just never diagnosed. Anyway, I was very excited to get a good report on my hearing evaluation, and at least my TMJ is nothing serious. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Guys and Dolls Pics

Just a quick note: My brother Andrew posted a slide show on his blog with pictures from his last play, Guys and Dolls. You'll never guess which one he is! He looked so different with no facial hair and makeup! Check it out at http://middlemckays.blogspot.com/, or scroll down on our blog page and click on the link to the"Middle Mckays".

Aunt Candy

I wanted to take a minute and tell you about my best friend. She recently posted on her blog about how much she appreciated our friendship, and I realized that I don't always take the time to let her know how much she is appreciated. So here it is, even though it's way past due! Candy Robinson and I have been friends for nine years. We have been through many joys and trials together, and have always encouraged each other. Aside from Jeremy, Candy knows be better than most anyone. She has been a huge support for me during some very hard times. When I was sick and pregnant with Kylie, Candy was the one that came in the middle of the night to watch Caitlyn so Jeremy could take me to the hospital, the one who has lifted my spirits on numerous occasions. Just last Saturday night, we had a girls' night out. We met for dinner and then did a little shopping. We had a great time, and also some quiet time to share our victories and struggles. Probably the biggest secret to the success of our friendship is that we aren't afraid to be ourselves with each other. That trust is hard to come by, and something I don't take for granted. We always have the best time laughing and being silly. Laughter certainly is the best medicine! Jeremy is good at encouraging us to go on overnight trips, just us girls. We usually do this a couple times a year, and it is always a highlight for me. The funniest part is watching how relieved Mark and Jeremy are when we return home to help with the kids! I was there through her prayerful search for a godly husband, and God answered those prayers with Mark. I was extremely honored to be her Matron of Honor at her August 2006 wedding. Our kids lovingly call her Aunt Candy, and always look forward to time spent with her. She has been there for each of them since the day they were born. I look forward to being there for her children, and I pray that I will be a help for her. Though I don't mention her near enough, Candy is always there, behind the scenes supporting me in all my endeavors. Living here away from our families is tough at times, but having Candy here makes it feel more like home. Candy, thanks for being such a great part of our family! We love you!

Snow Surprise

We were quietly doing our normal daily routine...... okay, so maybe not quietly, anyway, back to the story... when suddenly the house was pierced by screaming! Caitlyn's screaming to be exact. All I caught was something about snow and a blizzard. Soon, all the kiddos chimed in, pulling me to the living room. It was then that I understood all the excitement. Outside an absolutely beautiful soft snow was falling. It has been cold, but we weren't expecting snow today! The kids were so excited, and their excitement became contagious as we walked outside to catch snowflakes. Their little faces glowed. Only when you see snow through the eyes of children, do you truly understand how marvelous it is. To think that every snowflake is unique, and God created every one. It's amazing! I thank God today for His little reminder of how incredible this world is that He created! If you get a chance this winter season to see snow, try and see it through the eyes of children. It's so much more meaningful that way.

P.S. This post has a video. So if you receive this via email, be sure to come check the video out!

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas..........

As I said the other day, we spent this past weekend getting the rest of our Christmas decorations up. After I put the stockings up, Jeremy decided it looked too empty and put everyone's stocking up. Last Christmas the whole McKay Klan came to our house, and everyone had a stocking with their name on it. The only stocking missing is Corey's, but that will be remedied soon. With all the decorations up, and Christmas music playing, it is really starting to feel like Christmas time here! This Saturday, we are going to try and finish our Christmas shopping. Then all that's left until we leave for Tennessee is some good old Christmas parties! I am definitely in the Christmas baking mood. I made chocolate cherry truffles on Tuesday and some cinnamon raisin bread. The girls and I tried a new cookie recipe yesterday, and made some more bread too. I'm making some chocolate mouse today to go on top of some brownies for a party tomorrow night. Anyway, all this desert talk is making me hungry! If you get a chance, be sure and see the new "Mr. Bean's Holiday" movie. It just came out recently on DVD. It doesn't have anything to do with Christmas, but it's extremely funny (if you like that stupid Mr. Bean humor) and extremely clean and any age appropriate (it's rated G). The kids really liked it, and Jeremy and I had some good laughs too. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Kylie's Fashion Sense

I'm always telling every one how crazy Kylie's sense of fashion is, but here's proof. I took a picture of her everyday for a week. As long as we are not going out in public, she has free reign over her clothing. She has a few staples that she mixes and matches with other pieces: the black leotard, red hat, and yellow doll sweater. Normally she also wears one of her brightly colored striped socks or tights. For some reason those were not part of her fashion equation last week. Another often seen piece: the pink tutu she bought for Halloween. She has actually worn the tutu in public on a few occasions, you know, like to Walmart! At this very moment she is wearing the black leotard, the red hat, a bright yellow shirt, and a pair of brown leggings with flip flops. Kylie is one brightly colored ball of personality! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Playtime With Dawn

Yesterday we spent a fun-filled day at the Playroom again. This time we met Danessa (Dawn's new foster mom) and Dawn there for some long awaited playtime. Dawn was very happy to see us, and the kids had a great time. John and Corey did their usual twenty or more wardrobe changes, and the girls were quick to make friends with the other kids there. We were all wore out by the time we headed home! It was hard to say goodbye, but we'll see her again soon. We spent the weekend getting up the rest of our Christmas decorations. We had a good time, and the decorations look great! Jeremy did an awesome job on the tree and our outside lights. He bought the new LED lights, and they really have much brighter colors. I'll post pictures of the tree and such later this week. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

P.S. Caitlyn lost another tooth this weekend. That's three teeth in two weeks! The tooth fairy needs a break!

Check it out!

Just wanted to remind you all, if you haven't already watched the "itch'staboles" video from Thursday, be sure to check it out! I uploaded the video a different way hoping to get it to go through on the email posts, but it didn't. You have to surf to the blog page to see it, but it's definitely worth it. So funny!