This is last year's (2007) Christmas Picture. I can see another little face in a similar photo for this year's Christmas Picture (Please, God).

Just another busy weekend at our house: I get up early on Saturday to put the dog out - he starts yipping at way too early an hour to be let out of his crate and outside, while bringing him back in (he is 15 years old, blind and deaf so I have to go out into the yard and get him or he gets lost in the yard and will wander for hours, unable to find the back porch - honest! this has happened) one of the horrible cats scoots out the door. I yell for the kids to help (they are still asleep), toss the dog in the door and turn to chase the cat, only to find that the cat has taken one look at the 'great outdoors' and turned tail to run back in. Unfortunately, I have shut the door so he can't get back in. Luckily, he stopped and froze so I grabbed his tail and then the rest of him, scooped him up and managed to toss him inside. I go in, kids are still asleep so I start fixing breakfast. Aidan gets up and goes immediately to the computer to start his current game up. The girls are still asleep. Around 10:30 I wake the girls, they stagger out by11:30 and grab a bit of brunch. They start fighting with Aidan over who's day on the computer it is - a very regulated and maintained (by them) schedule - God forbid one forgets and gets on the computer on another's day. We talk a little bit about whether to run errands before or after riding lessons and decide to do them after. Kids get ready and off to riding we go.

After lessons, we hit Hobby Lobby looking for some stuff Aidan needs for his school project (build a Forest biome), then to Michaels as we don't find everything at HL. Stop at PetCo (as it is right next to Michaels) for cat food for the old, picky cat. Krystal wants to go to the book store as Brisinger has just been released so we head off to Mesquite (and the nearest book store). Kids are hungry so (after much discussion and arguing) we head to Razoos for dinner. Book store is a rare treat as I never get out for less than $300 and this trip is no different. Ayin has FINALLY found some books she likes so she stocks up, Aidan finds a couple of books he wants and Krystal gathers her stack. I limit myself to 4 books (all authors I keep) and we head out. Back home by 7:30 after leaving the house at 12:30.

Today (Sunday) we have to start setting up the room upstairs as a guest room (after re-arraigning the down-stairs bedrooms to make room for Sean); Aidan has a birthday party to go to, Krystal has Faith Formation, Aidan has to make his biome and Krystal has some paper she needs to complete (on the computer - even though it isn't her day) and print for school tomorrow. And I wonder why I never get the whole house clean.