Christmas Party

Yesterday, I had this amazing spurt of energy! For the first time in over a week, Tayzia slept through the night! I ended up tossing and turning like usual, but was able to quickly get back to sleep. Then around 4 am, I couldn't sleep anymore, and I got up and started getting things done.... (nesting????) I was also geared up to wake up all the kids and head out to the BX at 7. Why you ask? Well, because I saw in a flyer that the BX was selling some nice looking massage chair covers. You know, the things you lay onto a recliner, or sofa, and you can turn on a vibrating thing, or heat? Well my parents have one built into one of their chairs, and it's fabulous, and I realized that's just what my aching back needs! I tried to get one the day before, but I couldn't find them anywhere. Then, when I left the store I was given a sheet of coupons, and wouldn't you know it, right there on the coupon, for the next morning only, 7-9 am, all of them were 50% off! So you bet, I got the kids up, got them dressed and off we went. I walked in, and asked where they were, and found them...... by the clocks. Yeah, probably the only aisle I didn't go down the day before because clocks, and chair covers don't seem to go together. Anyway, with my lovely coupon in hand, I picked out the nicest that they had and boy is it nice! It's a shiatsu massager, so it has these rotating ball like things that go up and down your back. Ohhhhhhh so nice. Sadly, I used it so much yesterday for my aching back, that my back feels bruised today, so I have to wait for a few days before I try it again.... Oooops! But so worth the money I spent, because I saved over $50 on it!
After coming home, and cleaning for a bit, we headed over to the Maintenance Children's Christmas Party. We've done this every year for the kids. It's basically a large room, where every squadron has a table with a craft, or activity to do with the kids. You get stamps on a card, and then when it's full, you get to go and take a picture with Santa. They usually have hamburgers and chips and drinks to give you as well. This year was very different. First, there was hardly anyone there! Usually it's so packed, you can't see straight. We got there an hour after it started, and it was just a few people milling around. They didn't do hamburgers this time, instead it was a table filled with donuts, and cookies. Great for kids, not so much for me! There weren't as many activities or booths, or maybe there were, but with it being so un-crowded, it seemed like less. Corben didn't want to do much of anything. The only thing he seemed interested in, was getting the candy cane tattoo on his hand.... He was pretty ornery the rest of the time.

Rylissa LOVES fake tattoos!
Tayzia picked out the snowman by herself, and promptly washed it off in the tub that night!

Each year, Santa shows up on a fire truck, and every year, I miss getting the shot of him on there, but since there weren't many people this time around, Rylissa was able to go right up to him and shake his hand. She also wanted to show him that the tattoo she chose was one of Santa himself. He was pretty pleased by that!

Rylissa LOVES crafts. I wish I was more of the sit down and do crafts with your kids kind of mommy. Instead I love doing crafts, but usually I do them myself... shame on me. So she just ate this up! She made paper bags, reindeer, Christmas trees, and got to color and get tattoos, she just loved it! Tayzia was too busy trying to run away from me the whole time, so I ended up strapping her down, and feeding her candy canes to keep her quiet. I'm sure she LOVED that! (sarcastic eye roll here). If I wasn't so large and preggo, chasing her wouldn't have bothered me so much, but I'm not very good at running right now.... :)

Finally, right before we went to see Santa, we had a slight pants wetting issue with one of the children..... (not one sitting on anyones lap... ) At this point, we were done. There was more to do, but since I don't regularly carry an extra pair of size 5's around, we couldn't stay. So we got our photo with Santa (which is probably the best one we've gotten ever! I must say, I was pleasantly surprised at how UN-pregnant I look in this one, and most the kids had happy expressions on their faces!!!!!) and off we went to finish our day of cleaning at home. I got so much done, I fully expected to go into labor...... yup, not yet. Oh well!