Kelli FINALLY Updates!!! Hooray!

Trying on Mommy's shoes

Cat nap with Daddy

This face says it all!

HO, HO HO!

Avonlea and her drum. She couldn't put it down.

LC in his walker. He can really cruise now!

Can this kid be any cuter?

We took 6 pictures of this same pose hoping one would turn out okay. This was the best one. :)

The Linkster opening up a gift. His favorite part was eating the paper.

Yes, I know it's been a long time since last blogging. My deepest appologies. :)

The Bates family had a wonderful Christmas this year and although things were a little different this year (no outside lights up, no major decorations inside, we got our tree up late, boxes were everywhere and construction dust was still found in places around the house), we counted our MANY blessings the Lord has given us and enjoyed every minute of our time together as a family.

The kids really enjoyed Christmas morning at home opening gifts. Avonlea actually got the hang of it this year and was able to contemplate who Santa Claus really was. That was fun. She is really into musical instruments and anything Little Einsteins so she received the dolls (Annie, Quincy, Leo and June) from my parents and we gave her some musical instruments (just play ones of coarse...a recorder, she got two drums, a tambourine, a xylephone, etc.). The funny thing is that the one gift she really wanted (and asked Santa for) was a trumpet (like Quincy from Little Einsteins). Well, I found one online, but somehow my information was entered wrong (it was only my fault) and long story short, it never got sent out, leaving Avonlea trumpet-less. By the time I figured out that it hadn't been shipped out, it was too late and no one had any plastic trumpets anywhere. I was stuck. Luckily, Avonlea never mentioned anything about it Christmas morning. I was off the hook. Phew! Anyway, the important thing that Avonlea did learn was gratefulness for her gifts. I think she said "thank you" for every gift and loved giving hugs after opening things.

We also sang "Happy Birthday to Jesus" on Christmas morning before breakfast. We stuck a candle in Avonlea's French toast and she got to blow it out. It was sweet. The past few years that Rob's mom has been teaching in China, I have been in charge of the Christmas breakfast cinnamon roll tradition (homemade cinnamon rolls mind you...not Pillsbury!). Well, this year, my dough failed to rise (I think it was too cold in our house and too humid outside...temperature matters in this case) and Pillsbury had to do. Rob was a good sport and I promised him another try at the homemade rolls sometime this month when I get a chance.

Robbie and I really enjoyed just sitting back and relaxing a little during this Christmas vacation. We usually hop a plane and get over to London, but this year we had to lay low financially with all the rennovations going on. It was really hard on Rob not seeing any of his family, but we had a fun time talking over the computer (Skype is awesome for those of you who haven't tried it and it's FREE!) to our family over in the UK. Having the time off, we were able to unpack (again) boxes in our garage, move bins off of our back porch and get the house in working order again since we're finally finished with the house rennovations (praise the Lord!).

Avonlea, Lincoln, Kelli and Robbie updates...

- Avonlea is now using the potty on a regular basis at home, but we haven't worked up the courage to not wear a pull up on outings quite yet. She's had too many accidents outside the home.

- Lincoln still has his two bottom teeth and loves to chew on anything he can get his hands on!

He also enjoys his walker and can pretty much get anywhere in the house now with the floors being wood and not carpet. He loves his new-found freedom.

- Rob went to the Bucs playoff game today with some buddies from work (we lost to the Giants...tear, sigh). Season is over for the Bucs, maybe next year.

- I am enjoying being home with the kids and not having to jet out of our house at 8:00 in the morning due to construction workers. I'm also in the process of finishing up a preschool curriculum that I wrote to help in teaching a few children (and Avy) as I begin to take in 2-3 preschool-age children next month to help with some bills. Avonlea is such a social child and I think she'll really enjoy having playmates during the day. The childcare program will be run on a teacher's annual schedule (off on summers and holidays) and parents won't have to pay. I know a lot of daycares and preschools make teachers pay for those times, but I won't. That will give me some time off as well to regroup and still have some one on one with my own kids. I'm also going to have hours that are early in the morning and not so late in the evening (again, teacher's hours). Wish me luck with this! :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! God Bless you in this new year of 2008.