Merry Christmas to all!!

We've been busy for the past few days celebrating the season with family, food, and fun. This year has been the best by far. Yes, we have another addition to join us in the festivities, and also this was the first year that Kenli understood opening presents. Between her birthday in September and now, her comprehension of the concept "presents equals fun" has totally blossomed. It was finally a Christmas that I really got to enjoy being a parent and seeing my little darling's face light up with each princess/Elmo/Jayhawk gift she opened.

Now I can't wait for each Christmas when one of my babies graduates from the "mom and dad open my presents" stage to the "yeah, I love opening presents" stage. I figure the next stage for Kenli to go through will be when she isn't scared of Santa and anticipates his arrival on our rooftop. And I really look forward to attending a candlelight service with the whole family. We just can't make it happen with three babies at that time of night, but someday I know we'll make it.

Here are some pictures of Christmas part I

Cuteness I had to share

Goofball

Silly gal!

One of those first smiles



Looking too precious!

Looks like Keira is going on a shopping spree. I should tell her to put on a top before she goes!

Kaelyn's first Christmas. Kind of looks like a Pope.

HO!HO!HO!

Merry Christmas

Yeah, I know I'm adorable.

Sleeping Beauty

Lovin' chocolate like her mama!



Ladies and gentlemen, meet Miss October 2007!

My little Mama

The whole family and I were in the living room the other night when this happened.







That's right, Kenli had little Keira down on the floor changing her diaper. Matt and I were busy with something for a brief two minutes, and in that time Kenli managed to get Keira to lie down, pulled down her pants, opened her diaper and got another diaper from the changing table before I ever saw any of this.



I lost it when I saw this scene. I actually made Keira lie there for a second just so I could snap a few shots. It was definitely a moment I wanted to record.

And don't worry, I got her up off of the floor and I finished the diaper change.

Farley Favs

Tonight, Saturday Night Live played the best of Chris Farley and I seriously loved it. He was on SNL when I became a religious viewer of the show. Needless to say, I think he had some of my all time favorite characters and skits.




Love the "Van Down By the River" "Well, you'll be livin' in a van down by the river....
WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN A VAN...
DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!







The Bears/Bulls "Da Bulls, Da Bulls, Da Bulls, Da Bulls" or "Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears" all done with a little hula dance and Chris Farley in a coconut bra. Priceless!






And don't dare forget about him shaking it all with Patrick Swayze as a chip'n'dale dancer. Although I've seen this skit about 5,000 times, I cracked up for the entire scene when I watched it tonight.

My all time favorite has to be "Lunch Lady Land." Loved it when I first saw it and it never ceases to make me laugh hard. He just plays a lunch lady to the 't.'

Awesome endorphin release. Will that count as my ab workout for the day??

Colds, Snow, and Crafts

Wow, what a week we've had. For the past 10 days all 5 of us have been sharing some lovely rhino germs. Yep, some kind of nasty cold has hit our family hard. It seems that this little booger (no pun intended) will be sticking around for a while. Add to that the ice and snow keeping us cooped up in our house. Luckily though, we did not lose power. But that's not to say I didn't prepare for the "Worst Case Scenario."

In between the ice early in the week and the snow today, the girls and I were minus a daddy for a few days. Matt flew to L.A. where he heard some people actually complain about how cold their 60 degree weather was. AHHH- seriously, that's not cold. I bet the draft leaking in under my front door and through the fire place is at least 30 degrees colder than that!Needless to say, this week has run me ragged, but I found a new activity today.

My mom has made these little onzies for the girls in years past and I've alwasy talked about how cute they are and how I'd love to make some too. Well, after a qucik 5 min lesson from dear mom, I "mastered" my new skill. Well that prompted a run to the fabric store where I couldn't keep my fingers or eyes from searching the assortment of all the fabrics. I spent about 15 minutes perusing the oranges, purples, greens, blues and holiday specific patterns- but I could have easily spent 2 hours. But in the time allotted, I did find some fabric perfect for what I want to create. Here are a few holiday onzies that I've finished for the girls.

My Jayhawker

Here is Kenli enjoying broccoli and shouting "Go Jay-Dough." And for those of you who have not brushed up on your Kenli language skills in a while, "Jaydough" means Jayhawk.

Right before I recorded this, I asked Kenli, "What do we say to the T.V. when our team is playing?" And of course she answered correctly.

Dancing Queen

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is Keira in her rendition of "The ABC Dance." My little Brownie is so cute when she walks to the fridge, pushes the toy's button, and begins turning in circles when the song commences. So pretty, Keira. Dance your little heart out.

Kaelyn Awesomeness

Here is the sweet little gal giving her mommy a talking to. When she first started "talking" I mistakenly thought she was going to start crying, but as it turns out Kaelyn is just a drama queen. While she sounds like she is going to start crying, she's really just talking. So talk on my little princess.

And her is the super girl holding her head up so well. Yes, she's just over a month old in this picture.

Another thing about my little one....

she only sleeps being cuddled. The girl could be exhausted. But she'll cry and cry until someone picks her up. And ten seconds later, the poor girl's eyes are closed for three hours.

Well, one thing is for sure-- I've got a strong-willed, strong-bodied little princess. Congrats, you passed initiation into the Copeland sisters' club. Kenli and Keira welcome you with open arms.

Maternity Talk

For all of you out there who don't appreciae all of the unsolicited pregnancy talk that comes with a growng belly...

I totally could have used this shirt a few months ago. That's the passive-agressive, annoyed, pregnant lady coming out in me.



Apparenlty, if I have another, this is the shirt I need. I'm 2 for 3 so far.

And here's the shirt I'll probably end up needing because we just can't make boys.

It's Been a Month of Many Thanks!

Thanksgiving marks one month since Kaelyn was brought into this world-- and I have so much to be thankful for.

Even in this unpredictable world, I can always count on thanking God for all of the wonderful people in my life before I close my eyes at night. Life has never turned out the way I planned for it to, but I have been shown that my plans are nothing compared to what I have been given.

With this quick "Thank you" post, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. And may you remember all of the reasons you have to be thankful this year.

Here are three of mine

Giving thanks... If I have to... I guess

Some of the best things about this time of year include friends, family, food and the final "F"---

FOOTBALL!



I know, I know, so many fans out there. And why not? Football does so much for so many. It brings strangers in the same family together for a few hours, it provides a reason for people to gather and eat good food, it unites others who share a passion for the same team, and it provides relaxation for a few--I suppose it also provides stress for even more people. It is for one or all of these reasons that most men (and women, too) I've met in my life can't tear themselves away from the comfy couch and big screen come Saturday afternoon... Sunday all day.... oh and sometimes even Monday, Thursday and Friday.



So, before my husband and I tied the knot, one of the reasons I was happy to take his hand in marriage was because I thought his interest in football was like mine with a celery stick-- something I'd settle for after searching my fridge for much tastier choices that ended up not being there. In other words, I thought he only watched the Chiefs on Sunday because there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING else on t.v. Sunday afternoon. I thought it was a much deserved three-hour rest on the couch that he needed after slaving away in a classroom all week. In fact, this is when my interest in watching football peaked. I actually looked forward to spending time zoning out in front of the t.v. as well.



Fast-forward two or three years...

I CAN"T STAND WATCHING FOOTBALL... for more than a few hours----- a week! From Saturday morning through Sunday night, the only sounds coming from my living room are annoying announcer voices, fans cheering and the crashing sounds of helmets. Not to mention this happening again on Monday night. I can't take it anymore.



In a perfect world, only the Hawks' game would be seen in my house. I do enjoy watching the Jayhawks play- and not just because they're rockin' the college football scene this year. I've just always liked watching them. But that's about all I can handle.



But my husband can and loves to handle much more football. And I'm left wondering, "Why has his preference for weekend activities changed so drastically?" And I have come to a conclusion.



As hectic as life seems when you are a bachelor teaching your heart out and working almost 24/7, nothing compares to having a family-- especially one as full and young as ours. Since this date three years ago we have added three girls to our family. Needless to say, life is a bit more demanding. Aside from working 40 hours a week, he now has a wife, three young girls, and a house to take care of 24/7.



So, I suppose I could see where a reason to sit down and watch some football might be, well.... needed. Even though he is usually changing diapers, fixing bottles, or vacuuming the floors while watching a game, at least he can escape from the daily grind a bit. So, I've decided that instead of hating almost all football, I will "thank" football for providing my husband with some time to "relax" and "escape" fort the weekend. And I say this if I have to... I guess!



I've just learned to cope by delving in to one of my passions... or by doing laundry.

And I wish this is what we were doing instead of watching football!!!

Upadatng the Rants

So, just to prove that I live the same existence everyday, I don't really have a new topic to discuss; however, I can update you on the events of the week since I've posted. By the way, I'm working on having new things to discuss-- I've started reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. Yes, I know I'm a bit behind with Oprah's book club. I've just been a little busy with life.

Back to the update...

1) Those empanadas are still waiting to be created in my kitchen. I did, however, use the chicken to make tortilla soup before it went bad.

2)I'm feeling more and more comfortable everyday about my decision with Kenli and preschool. I realize that pulling her out is helping her adjust to all of the new challenges at home. So far there have been no negative side effects. We'll just try again next year when she's older and not trying to adjust to potty training and a new sister.

3) Keira is also doing better. I have seen a huge decline in the tantrums from Keira. The one-on-one time seems to being working. I just need to learn to be patient and wait it out. This too shall pass.

4) Ok, so no date night yet-- we are just three weeks into our family of five status.
But Matt and I did get to share some kid-free moments together on Sunday afternoon. The babies were all asleep in their rooms for about 2 hours and Matt and I were able to cook, eat, and relax together for that time. It was amazing to see what two hours of being husband and wife instead of co-parents can do to rejuvenate that bond.

5) I haven't been in the mood for wine lately. It's nice to enjoy a glass and relax, but there's not much relaxing going on here. Instead, I crave water to the point that I'm afraid I'll run our pipes dry.

6) No plans for a restaurant yet, but I have come up with a list of some of my favorite foods that are wholesome and good for you (at least as far as I can tell).
Earth Grains whole grain whole wheat bread
Weight Watcher's black cherry yogurt
Mama Mary's whole wheat pizza crust (which I can't find anymore. PLEASE let know if you can find one.)
Turkey pepperoni
Kraft Live Active cheese snacks
Heartland whole wheat organic pastas
Skippy all natural creamy peanut butter
Libby's organic beans
Del Monte organic tomato sauce
Prego organic spaghetti sauce
Tropicana fruit juice
Hunt's organic Ketchup
Those are just a few of the products I substitute for the "regular" product that isn't as healthy. These products are also taste-tested by me and my family and there have been no complaints.

7) Still no clue about the Oprah show. Really, though, it's the least of my worries. Update 11/15... it's next Tuesday. Just in time for after-turkey day-shopping!


Now that you are updated on my previous rants, I will be working on that "new topic" thing we discussed earlier in this post. No promises, though.

Rants

SO I have some free time and I really want to post; however, due to lack of sleep, food, water and my increased stress level... well, let's just say I don't have a normally functioning brain right now. But I want to write!!!!!!

So here are some issues/ideas/thoughts/fantacies spinning in my mind.

1) I have all of the ingredients for some yummy, Paula Deen empanadas I really want to make; I just don't have the time. AHHHH, that frustrates me. If some of you haven't heard, I have an obsession with finding new recipes and trying them out on my family and friends. And now it's all I can do to find the time to find these new recipes. Let's hope I get to make these before the chicken goes bad!!!

2) Did I make the right decision by pulling Kenli out of preschool? This one floats around in my head everynight. Really, I've almost come to the conclusion that I made the right decision. And if I didn't- well, I just hope she's too young to remember.

3) What can I do to help my one-year old feel less stress. Ever since the baby came home, she has been having a rough time. I give her one-on-one attention as much as I can, but I don't think I'm cutting it. At least according to her.

4) Will I ever get to have a kid-free date night with my husband before I reach middle age? That one's self-explanitory if you know that my three kids are 26 months and younger.

5) Why isn't there more wine in this house? It is one treat that I really enjoy a couple of nights each week. Just a half glass relaxes my mind and body.

6) I have this wild fantacy about being able to walk into a restaurant and not have to worry about what bad "stuff" is hiding in the food I order. I really want to open a retaurant where all of the food is naturally healthy and made in a healthy manner. For instance, all food would be made without trans fat. I'd make everything fresh from scratch and it would all be low in sodium and sugar. Also, I'd use lean meats like ground turkey instead of beef, lots of fish and skinless chicken. Nothing processed or made from enriched flour-- only whole-wheat for me. Lots of baking and grilling, but not much frying. Does anybody know of a place like this where the food is actually good? I think it could be pulled off, but not anywhere around here. Oh, and it's smoke-free.

7) When is Oprah going to have her "FAVS" show? This is the only way I can stay up on new technology. She's keeping the air-date a secret. Doesn't she understand that some of us don't have every afternoon free at 4 o'clock? I need the date, lady!

Ok, I've vented a few of my thoughts. Don't worry, I edited for content so I didn't scare any of you too much from being my friends/family.

I think I'm going to go and spend some of my free time with my family-man hubby.

Fall Lovin'

We Copelands are known for loving the fall.

The crisp autumn weather is a breath of fresh air after enduring the summer's heat.

Colorful trees line the streets and saturate our parks with their beauty.

The blend of vanilla, fruit and various spices fill my home and make it heartwarming and mouthwatering.

Chili and cinnamon rolls!

The few weeks where Jayhawk basketball and football overlap.

Not to mention that all of my sweeties were born within a month of the onset of fall-- making my home feel even warmer.

I don't even care anymore that I'm constantly made fun of for buying fall scented candles in early August. Yes, I really do that. Oh, and I have an embarassing amount of fall decorations that I usually set out. However, they are sitting in my basement. What can I say, I just haven't had time to put them out this year!

One of my most favorite fall days ever was last Tuesday. Matt was still off for paternity leave and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. There was enough of a chill in the air to wear a jacket, yet the sun still warmed every inch of my skin. All 5 of us had a decent amount of sleep the night before- so our spirits were high. And with the alignment of the weather and our energy that day an imprompteau trip to the park was a must.

Kenli hit the swings and Keira followed her sisiter.



Then Daddy wanted to take them on the merry-go-round.

So off they went while Kaelyn and I stayed behind to take pictures.



This was Kaelyn's first outing.




After multiple visits to the slide everyone was hungry and we ended the night with a mexican feast at Taco Villa.






Truly an awesome day!