Photo dump/Catch up

I did this uploading thing backwards again.  So let's go back in time, shall we?

Today, Andrew's class did their Titanic presentation.  Each child was assigned a passenger on the Titanic.  They researched the person, and then created a script.  They had to dress up as their historical person and read the script at the "wax museum".  Each child had a paper button next to them, you pushed the button, and they turned on their flashlight and recited their script about the person's life.  My flash took away the effect, but it was really really great.  The kids had worked so hard researching and writing their scripts.  (and I was soooo glad Andrew's person was a 1st class passenger, whose pictures showed with no facial hair or anything difficult to recreate.  Yay!) 

 It was in the morning, and Lily and Michael were not in school yet, so they got to come along.  They had a blast pushing the buttons and listening to Andrew's friends (many of whom they know) recite their lines.  Very fun!

Let's go back to Valentine's Day.  I made heart-shaped pizzas for the kids as something fun.  I also got them little treats from the local chocolate shop as a present.  Little did I know that now children don't just give cards to each other...all my kids came back with bags...literally bags of candy from some of their classmates.  Seriously?  Let's all back it down a bit.  We know they don't need this much.  It's like it's some kind of competition.  (note:  I have succumbed to this temptation as well...but at least I only attach one Dum dum pop to their Valentine.)

Andrew and his gummy bears

 Lily and her chocolate covered marshmallows

 Michael and his chocolate covered pretzels

The weekend before Valentine's Day, Jeff and Lily went to the elementary school's Sweetheart Dance, an event for Dad's and their daughters.  They got all dressed up and went out to dinner.  Lily was a riot, apparently, talking non-stop the whole time, picking at her dinner (shocker), and then wolfing down half a piece of chocolate cake that her daddy bought her (spoiled rotten).  Then they went to the school gymnasium and danced the night away.  Jeff taught her the YMCA and was forced to meet a ga-jillion hyper 6 year old girls.  He will more than likely be going back next year.  ;)

On one of my better days as a mother, Mike and Lily charted a bag of M&M's.  I don't think I've ever done this with Michael, and he was THRILLED.  They play so well together, I don't feel the need to create little activities like this.  But they really enjoy it, so I've got to remember to make an effort.  It's just so hard for me to interrupt their imaginary play.

Meet Freddy.   Since the fall, he's been living in our backyard.  He got hit by a car or something about a month ago, but he's still up their, limping around.  I kind of can't believe he survived his leg injury...he can't put any weight on it at all.  But he's up at the top of our hill sunning himself almost every morning...and then disappears until early the next morning.  Sometimes we even see his girlfriend...which Lily has name Francine and Michael insists is named Bob.  Perhaps we'll have little kits in the spring.

 Just lounging in the sunshine.

You sharped me!

Just quickly...

Michael has a really cute little phrase that he uses that I must write down to remember for the future.

When something scratches him, or bumps him sharply, he will say, "Ouch!  That sharped me!"

Or if he is playing pretend with his little knights, you can hear him exclaim, "I will SHARP you!"

I don't know where it came from...but it is cute!

A good boy

Last week, after finishing his homework and then dinner, Andrew suddenly announced that he needed to call his friend Ben, "About something that happened at school today."

Andrew is not a phone person...in fact, I can't remember a single other time he has ever asked to call someone for something other than inviting them over to play.  So of course I said yes.  And of course I eavesdropped on his conversation.

I'm so glad I did.  Because it was the cutest thing EVER.

Andrew-- "Hi...Ben?  Yah, I just called to talk about how we got in trouble today in the hall for talking?  I want to try and come up with a plan so we don't get in trouble again.  Do you have any ideas?"

-pause for Ben's response-

Andrew--"That's a good idea.  Or maybe we could come up with some hand signals or something.  Then if one of us feels like we're talking too much, we can just signal each other."

-pause for Ben-

Andrew-- "Yah, or we could not stand next to each other if we're feeling really silly and talkative."

-pause for Ben-

Andrew-- "Okay.  Good.  I just really don't like getting in trouble, do you?"

-pause for Ben-

Andrew-- "Great.  Hey, I got to a new level on Skylanders this weekend..."

And then they chatted for a few moments about boy stuff before hanging up.

This is what happens when 2 goody-two-shoes get married and have babies.  You get the ultimate goody-tow-shoes.  I am so grateful that Andrew has this good friend who does not mock him for calling to discuss not getting yelled at.  That listens and suggests ideas.  Although when I told Jeff this story, he said, "Hand signals?  How about just NOT TALKING?  Wouldn't that be simpler?"

My little nerdlinger.  And his fellow nerdlinger friends.  Love them.

2 down...1 to go

No, this isn't a post about who is sick!  Hooray!

No, this is a post about finishing my second stocking.  Cross-stitched, anyway.  Aunt Sara has been notified that once I stitch all 3 kids' stockings, these will be coming in the mail for her to complete (read: cut out and attach to a felt back so they will be actual stockings.)

Since it took me a combined 6 years to finish these, I think she won't be receiving them for a while.

The whole shot:

 Up close shot to give an idea of how many little stitches are actually on these suckers...and why it took me 6 years to complete them (I also read a lot...and now you will believe me that my house is not clean)

Another one bites the dust

The boys are sick.  All 3 of them.

Jeff has a really bad sinus/head cold with swollen glands and sleep preventing badness.  He just looks miserable.

Michael has a cough/runny nose/ high fever (103 and change usually).  Oh, and as of the wee hours of the morning, vomiting.  Luckily for him, it is his first time ever throwing up.  And he ate almost nothing yesterday, so it was more like dry heaving.  Poor baby.

Andrew has basically the same thing as Jeff...except he has a fever (100 and change usually) and a cough on top of it.  He looks pretty miserable.  This is coupled with the fact that his nose is practically bleeding because he refused to actually blow his nose.  Seriously.  The kid is 9 and can't blow his nose.

Lily is fine.  Well, Lily has a pretty nasty sounding cough...but it's dry and annoying more than anything.  She insists I take her temperature when I take the boys' temps, so I know that she is usually around 97.1.  Low normal temp like her mama.  I spent most of yesterday trying to keep her away from her brothers and washing her hands as much as possible.

I am fine.  Tired, as the boys have gotten me up 4-5 times a night for the last couple of nights.  But I feel fine.  Not even an ominous tickle in the back of my throat.  Don't worry.  It's coming.  It would be AWESOME if it would come on the weekend, when there is a back-up, hopefully healthy-by-then parent.

So all in all, not too bad.  When we were reviewing our medical stuff from 2012, we realized that our kids weren't sick (other than little colds) the ENTIRE YEAR.  So I knew the shit was going to hit the fan in 2013.  I was just expecting it to happen when Jeff was in Asia for 2 weeks and I had to be sick and deal with sickos all on my own.  Don't get me wrong...it could still happen that way.  But I appreciate the little bolster to our immune systems first.

Enjoy your cold day!  At least only Lily has to go out in it today!

Brothers

Andrew and Michael are 4 1/2 years apart.  They very rarely play together.  At least not alone together.  Lily is the linchpin that holds them together in play time.  They love each other and wrestle around and Andrew is very very patient with Michael when he wants to play a computer game/with Andrew's toys/etc.

There are glimpses of the future.  Like last weekend, when a football game was on, and Michael and Andrew were watching it with their dad.  I just watched them and flashed forward to when they are all big loud men yelling at the tv and enjoying each other's company thoroughly.

Michael is still little...but I think the brotherly bond will grow more and more as he looks up to his brother and wants to do things with him.

A few mornings ago, Andrew and Michael needed to bathe before school time.  It's always a delicate balance between having enough time to wash well and not using up all the hot water.

Andrew went first, since he actually has to catch the bus at 8:30.  He is completely self-sufficient in the shower, so all I have to do is point up the steps and point...he does the rest.  He is not completely competent...sometimes he comes out with dirty ears and the back of his shirt sticking to him because he forgot to dry all the way off.  But...whatever.  Clean ENOUGH.  (we are in trouble once he actually starts to stink, I suppose).

So Andrew is upstairs showering.  I am cleaning up in the kitchen.  I hear Michael's voice echoing down from the upstairs...giggles and loud talking.  I start charging up the steps, full of vim and vigor...."For the love of...why can't he leave his brother alone for one mother-loving minute...we have to get going to school and you need to leave him alone...why doesn't anyone value privacy in this house...get the heck out of the..."

And then I reach the top of the steps and see Michael pajamas in a pile in the hallway.

And I notice that Michael is in the shower with Andrew.  Which is weird, because Michael ABHORES showers.

But there he is...face dripping wet and soap all over his body.

And I hear Andrew, "Now, don't forget the bottom part of your legs.  Yup.  Just like that.  Next I'll show you how to put shampoo in your hair.  Get your head wet.  Just close your eyes and let it run over you.  That's right.  Good job."

Oh.  How my heart melted.  Michael is willingly soaping up his head and body...and then sticking his whole head under the stream of water to wash it away.  He trusts his big brother unquestioningly...more than his mother and father apparently.  And Andrew takes that very seriously (in important situations anyway).

They were so proud of themselves when they got out of the shower.  Michael yelled, "I showered!  With Andrew!  I'm never going to have to take a bath again!"  Andrew used his big important (kind of condescending) big brother voice for the rest of the morning, "Well, YES, Michael.  Let's play together.  You did such a good job."

Brothers.  It's just so sweet.

A hairy challenge

Jeff is a pretty hairless guy.  We have always joked that I have more chest and upper lip hair than he does (I just joke with tears in my eyes).  Because he is so hairless, he's never tried to grow any type of facial hair.  Which is generally fine with me, because I don't prefer it anyhow.  BUT.  He can grow hair!  Out of his face!  I thought he should try to see what a beard would be like at least once in his life.  Right?  So I challenged him to grow a beard over his long Christmas holiday.  And then his boss coincidentally gave him the same challenge.  And he listens to his boss.  So...

Phase I:

Here's the beard.  After 3 weeks.  No trimming.  That's it.  I think he looked the best when bundled up in his wool dress coat with a scarf.  Very professor-ish and Sean Connery-ish.  His co-workers reaction was mixed.  Then men liked, the women didn't.  Jeff's hair is very gray on the sides of his face, but not on his chin or upper lip.  Weird.  I didn't get a picture of that, however.  Just this shot before he shaved it into Phase II.

Phase II:

The goatee.  This was the most popular at work...and I guess with me as well.  He managed to get rid of all the gray, and look relatively trimmed and civilized.  He thought it was a lot of work to keep maintained.

Phase III:

Ugh.  The mustache.  Ugh.  Isn't he just...creepy?  Like a 70s porn star or a child molester or some postal employee that is about one step away from SNAPPING?  This made the women shudder at his work and then men shake their heads.  It only lasted a day.  Thank the Lord.

Now he is back to my clean shaved Jeff.  It was a fun experiment...but I'm glad to have him back!

Random photo day!

My kids are pretty bored of tv.  I guess 9+ years of it will do that to you.  But it's okay, because now they can occupy themselves pretty well...even if occupying themselves often equals chasing and tormenting each other.  Can't have it all, right?

This morning I was fixing chili to put in the crock pot.  Lily was upstairs playing with her Playmobile, and the boys were in the toy room...Andrew reading and Michael playing Crazy 8's by himself.  Not a bad life we're living over here, I gotta say.

When they do watch tv, they can get in some crazy positions.  Here they are watching Phineas and Ferb one night...all piled up together like a little of puppies or something.  Crazy cute.

 Note zombified faces.  Classic tv watching zonk out.  Unless it is America's Funniest Home Videos...then they are swinging from the chandeliers trying to create their own home video winners.  -sigh-  I hate that show.

Sledding at Grandma and Grandpas!  When you run out of sleds, just grab a large piece of cardboard!

 Crafting with Aunt Sara.  She got Lily and Andrew modeling clay.  They are thrilled with it.  I am not so thrilled with the now permanent knick-knacky mishapen mutant animals that we now can keep forever.  yea.

 Sledding at Colin's house.  The hill was much further away and there was zero adult supervision/help.  It was not nearly as successful as the sledding at Grandma and Grandpas.  Oh well.  At least they had fun landing in the drainage ditch!

 Lily posing with Violet in their matching pjs!  Thanks, Aunt Kate!

 Andrew with Munchkin.  He is only allowed to handle the little critter in the bathtub.  Because she is fast.  And if he drops her she can't escape anywhere.  And I don't want little hamster/mouse hybrids when Munchkin meets the field mice that like to camp out in our fireplace.

 She is awfully cute, though.  And quite calm and patient about a 9 year old handling her in a porcelain tub with no escape tubes.  She's chill like that.

Sometimes it's hard to be the loser

 We play a lot of games over here.

Michael got Crazy 8s in his stocking this year.  It has been an instant hit with all the kids.  We've been playing a lot in the last few days.  Like 10 games a day for the last 3 days.  They even play by themselves.  I came home from the gym yesterday just as Jeff was leaving for work.  It was 6:45 in the morning, and all 3 kids were sitting around playing Crazy 8s.  Weird.  But awesome.

Lily has not won a single game.  Not one game.  She is just horribly unlucky at it.

So we came home from dance class and I asked if they wanted to play a game.  They both yell "Crazy 8s!" and then Lily stops and groans and says, "I never win that game."

I said, "Perhaps you are the unluckiest player ever.  Perhaps if you lose again, you will get an award."

So we played a game.  The longest game ever.  And Lily lost.  Of course she did.

So I popped up and got her an award.

A little closer if you must see it...

Michael was a little jealous and wanted to know what game HE is the unluckiest at so we could play it and he could get a ribbon.

Sometimes it's just too easy to make them happy!

My new love of sports

Me and sports...well, we haven't mixed in the last 35 years.

I am just not interested.  I can't even bring myself to care even a little teeny tiny bit.

I have no coordination or athletic ability at all.  My 4th grade gym teacher even told my parents I ran wrong. I played on exactly zero sports teams.  Never.  Not even soccer in elementary school like the rest of America.  (Unless you count "Lou's Lambs"...my church softball team freshman year in high school.  I don't).

I went to every single high school football game.  And never learned the rules of football.

I went to basketball games in college.  I famously called out, "What a great layover!"  Meaning turnover...I think.

I married Jeff.  Whenever our tv is taken over by sports, I read.  Or leave the room.  I just. don't. care.

And then.


My Andrew started to play sports.  He is in basketball this winter.  He is on an intramural team and a travel team.  That is 2 practices and 2 games (at least) each week.

And I look forward to watching those games almost more than anything else in my week.

I can't explain it.  I sit on the edge of my seat and cheer on Andrew and his teammates.  And the boys on the opposing team also.  Who can't cheer when a 9 year old boy makes a great shot?  Who cares what team he's on.

I am learning how the game works by watching the boys learn each little thing.  I'm learning the penalties and fouls by watching the boys learn step by step.  I am riveted the entire game.

I burst with pride as I watch Andrew do AMAZING.  He is no longer the dramatic, injury-prone, sore loser.  He bounces up from injuries (which are few) and desperately wants to play.  He stands up and watches and cheer on the game when it is his turn to be on the sidelines  When it's his turn on the court, he comes alive.  He is an incredible defender...always on his man and where he needs to be.  He listens to his coaches, internalizes it, and puts it into action on the court.  He in the rebound king, using his height to just reach over the other boys' heads and snatch the ball in mid-air.  He breaks away to the other end of the court.  He needs to work on his shooting...but he's very good at passing and often will make an amazing pass to one of the shooters on his team.  I am in awe of everything he can do...knowing just how hard it is...how I could never do it.

I watch college basketball with new eyes.  These big competent men are someone's babies.  Some proud set of parents out there have watched them since they were little guys. (I still have trouble watching an entire game though...it's not MY baby out there, after all.)

This is something new to me.  Enjoying sports.  Just another thing that having children has changed deep down to the core of me.  Basketball.  Who knew?

Resolutions

Last year I made a few resolutions.

And I did well.   Not with the whole sugar thing.  But with the exercising thing.

As of June 30th, I had lost 18 pounds.

As of December 1st, I had not lost any more, but had kept off those 18 pounds.  Because I maintained running 2-3 times a week and lifting weights 2-3 times a week.

As of December 31st, that number was down to losing 13 pounds.  But WHATEVER.  So I was bad at Christmas.  Okay, the whole Christmas season.  Damn Sara and her delicious chocolate dipped peppermint treats.  Oh!  And the Rolos melted on pretzels.  Damn you, SARA!

Ahem.  I digress.  I'm back on track.  And my New Year's Resolution is to just keep on keeping on.

1.  Keep exercising and eating well.  Go back to what I did last January-June.  Evaluating if each snack is worth putting in my mouth.  Birthday cake=WORTH IT.  15 Hershey Kisses that I find in the bottom of a drawer=NOT WORTH IT.

2.  Lose about 15 more pounds.  I am now confident that I can do it.  If I just stick with my "Eat less, Do more." program.

3.   Run a 10K this year instead of just a 5K.

4.  Keep appreciating that I am now saying, "JUST a 5K."

Books I've read...part 1

I think I'd like to log here the books I've read with a short one sentence description.  Then I could reference it when people ask me for book recommendations.  Or just send them here.  ;)

I wrote a list in August, so I guess I'll pick up from where I left off there.  Then I'll try to remember to do this a few times a year.

1. The Gift of Rain, Tan Twan Eng   A boy from Penang is torn between loyalties to his white family (he is mixed) and his Japanese sensei when Japan takes over his country during WWII.  It was...meh.  Beautifully written, but it was almost like the author was trying too hard to make it deep and thoughtful.
2. Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn.  If you haven't read this you should.  A man's wife goes missing and he is the primary suspect.  Full of twists and turns, the characters and plot in this book are twisted and unpredictable.  A very fun read.
3. Angle of Repose, Wallace Stegner.  A historian delves into his grandparents' history in the newly settled west through his grandma's letters.  Narrative switches back and forth from the grandson in the present to the grandmother.
4. Lone Wolf, Jodi Picoult.  A brother and sister fight over whether to take their dad off life support after a car accident puts him in a coma.  In classic Picoult style, there is courtroom drama and the characters take turns telling the story...including the voice of the father through his books.  Lots of interesting facts about wolves, since he studied wolves and even lived with them for a bit.
5. Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides.  Probably one of my favorite books this year.  It is the story of a hermaphrodite who is raised as a girl until the age of 15.  But it is so much more than that.  A richly layered story going back 3 generations and in the process showing where the mutation in his genes came from.  Very very well written.
6. The Violets of March, Sarah Jio.  A woman finds a diary at her aunt's house and discovers secrets from her family's past along with weird parallels to her own life.  Kind of boring and not well written.
7. 12.21, Dustin Thomason.  An epidemic linked to the ancient Mayans occurs on 12-21-12.  A doctor and Mayan scholar race to find a cure.  This was fun to read right before the actual end of the Mayan calendar.
8. We Need to Talk About Kevin, Lionel Shriver.  In letters written to her husband, a woman tells her life story as well as her son's...trying to understand what went wrong to make her son kill 11 people in a school rampage.  Very timely, now.  
9. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving.  Boy tells the story of himself and his friend who is an instrument of God.  I had a really hard time getting through this one.
10. Crow Lake, Mary Lawson.  Story of 4 orphaned siblings and their small, isolated Canadian town that helps to raise them and keep them from getting split up.  Story is told in flashbacks when the girl comes back to the town for Christmas as an adult.
11. The 19th Wife, David Ebershoff.  Two stories told in juxtaposition...Brigham Young's 19th wife's story from the 1800s and a present day 19th wife accused of killing her husband while her son who was kicked out of the cult tries to prove she didn't do it.
12. The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  A girl raised in foster homes learns to live life emancipated and speaks her emotions through the language of flowers and their Victorian meanings.  Lots of flashbacks to the foster mother who taught her about flowers.  I read this for book club, and I liked it more than I thought I would.  Still not one of my favorites, though.
13. The Boy in the Suitcase, Lene Kaaberbol.  A woman receives a phone call to retrieve a suitcase and finds a boy trapped inside.  A thriller as she is hunted for having the suitcase and tries to find out who he belongs to.
14. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce.  A man in his 60s gets a letter from an old friend who is dying and decides to hand deliver a response...and ends up walking 600 miles to do so.  The story is about his evaluating his life and the people he meets along his journey.
15. The Twelve, Justin Cronin.  This is the sequel to The Passage.  If you liked the first book, you will really like the second.  I felt like he tied up a lot of things that were left hanging, and took us on another adventure...not quite as wild and confusing as the first book's.
16. The Sense of an Ending, Julian Barnes.  This won awards and stuff.  I really couldn't get into it.  The first part is about this man's childhood friends...and then it flashes to the present when he reconnects with some of them.  Ugh.  Full of philosophical drivel.  Unless you LIKE philosophy.
17. 11/22/63, Stephen King.  This is King at his finest.  This is another of my favorite books this year.  A man from 2011 travels back in time to 1958 through a rabbit hole and decides to try and prevent the Kennedy assassination   And there are layers upon layers to that story as he lives in the past leading up to the assassination.  It is richly layered and full of interesting fun things about the late 50s that make it feel very authentic.  I really recommend this one.
18. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood.  Tale of a future society where fertile women are kept as slaves to propagate the species.  Really weird and a rather unsatisfying ending.
19. The Children of Men, PD James.  In an attempt to get a better ending to a similar idea, I read this book after #18.  Humankind cannot reproduce and society changes as the population ages.  The cousin of the head leader of England is drawn into a rebellion group.  A better ending, but not as well written.
20. The Roots of the Olive Tree, Courtney Miller Santo  This is the story of 5 generations of women who are being researched for their longevity genes.  As the geneticist finds out those secrets, we find out the secrets in each woman's past.  A very satisfying chick book.  I liked it quite a bit.
21. Ape House, Sara Gruen  A bonobo ape sanctuary gets bombed and the apes are sold to an unknown buyer after their handler is harmed in the blast.  She teams up with a reporter to find them and get them back.  This is full of interesting facts about bonobos and well written.  But I didn't find the ending as satisfying as her other book, Like Water for Elephants.
22. This Year It Will Be Different, Maeve Binchy.  A collection of short stories about families at Christmas.  Very typically Maeve Binchy, so if you like her stuff, you will likely like this book.

I'm finishing off the year reading Winter of the World, by Ken Follett.  I just tried The Satanic Verses, because I was curious and it sounded interesting...but I just couldn't get into it.  I'm getting better about putting down books I really am struggling with...but I feel like I need to keep a separate list of those so that I don't just keep re-reading the same books I don't like!

What now?

The car is totally packed.  We have eaten all the leftovers and extra food and finished the last of the milk so that none will be left behind.  Our dog has been sent ahead to Ohio with the Grandparents so that she doesn't terrorize my sister's bunnies when we arrive this evening.

We watch the weather channel.   Our trip is marked almost perfectly on the map!  Except it is marked by a pink stripe of ice/snow/dangerous winds in the mountains.

Oops.

Looks like we'll be delayed a day.

Anyone have any extra milk?

One more year of Christmas magic

Ah.  Another successful, wonderful Christmas.

First, it snowed last night.  Just a touch.  Just a magical little dusting to make it feel like Christmas.  "Let It Snow" was on it the car, and Lily listened for a minute and then gasped and said, "It's just like tonight!  Let it SNOW!"  We went to church last night, and all 3 kids sang in the children's choir.  Then they stood in the live nativity scene while the Christmas story was read from the Bible.  And when they returned to us, they darkened the church, passed around a flame (we each had a candle),and we sang Christmas carols by candlelight.

Michael fell asleep on the 3 minute car ride home.  We woke him up so he could pick out a cookie for Santa.  Andrew went outside to spread the reindeer food that he and Michael had brought home from school.  Lily wrote a note (shocker) to Santa.  "TO SATA  I LOVE YOU"  Andrew wrote a novel about being good and taking care of the reindeer, etc etc.  They all went to bed easily (it was way past their bedtimes).  We made sure to tell them all that they could come get us at 6 (as if), but if they woke Grandma and Grandpa up before that, there would be a penalty, and we wouldn't open gifts until 7.

I went and played in the bell choir for the 11pm service.  I ditched early to try and catch some shut-eye before the kiddos woke up.

Fast forward (but not much) to 5:30am.  We hear Andrew open his door and stumble downstairs...as quiet as a herd of elephants.  He comes barreling back up and barges into our bedroom saying, "I don't care about the penalty, I'll take the penalty, I GOT A HAMSTER FOR CHRISTMAS!!!  SANTA BROUGHT ME A HAMSTER!!!"  Michael and Lily got up right about then (I can't imagine how they knew Andrew was awake), and we proceeded to stall in our bed for a few minutes.  We got Grandma and Grandpa up and started the present opening.

We succeeded in taking turns opening gifts, and the kids were all super excited to watch each other open gifts...although not as excited as opening their own, of course.  They got lots of loot and were totally spoiled, although I'd say Lily kind of got the raw end of the deal.  All she asked for from Santa was a Fijit...so she got it, but it is totally stupid and a waste of time.  So bummer for her.  Maybe next year she'll ask for something cool instead of some dumb robot toy.  :)

I was spoiled rotten...Jeff got me a trip to California to visit my friend Pamela in May...they plotted together to pick a good time and it's all booked and ready to go.  My in-laws got me another Kindle...the new paperwhite one.  You know, because my Fire is stolen by my kids all the time and doesn't work outside or in the glare of the car.  How ridiculous is that?  But I'm not returning it, and I love it so much. :)  And my Kindles talk to each other, so if I'm reading a book, it will always be on the right page, no matter which device I last read on.  Cool.  And my in-laws got Jeff and I tickets to see our favorite comedian...babysitting included.  Plus I got sweaters and workout clothes and blueberry tea (that Michael picked out).

Jeff got 3 cans of pumpkin from Michael (because Daddy likes to make pumpkin pies and pumpkin bread and pumpkin pancakes), a pair of fleece pajama pants with footballs on it from Lily (because he likes to stay warm and he likes football), and Andrew got Jeff lots of Kcup varieties for his morning coffee.  Jeff got expensive gifts and then put the kids names on it.  Cheater.  I call cheating!  He got himself a new iPod touch and I got him a computer bag a few weeks ago, when I thought he was going to France.  Cheater.

It was lovely.  It is 2pm, and the kids are all still in their pj's.  They have been candy grazing all day and getting along, sharing all their new toys very graciously with each other.  It's lovely.  Just wonderfully lovely.

Tomorrow we are supposed to drive to Ohio.  But it's supposed to freezing rain in the mountains.  And then snow and be very windy.  -sigh-

It's Christmas Eve!

Ah, yes.  Christmas Eve.  When anticipation is at its highest and there is nowhere to go and nothing to do and nothing new to play with yet.  This year I was smart and planned some activities for us.  A gingerbread house that actually worked out.  Another batch of cookies to bake...but Jeff ended up doing most of it.  He's a darn good baker.

Now the little ones are playing with Grandma's iPad, and Andrew is watching a taped UD basketball game with his dad, and Grandma and Grandpa are "watching" with them (read: sleeping sitting up on the couch).  I have a roast in the crock pot for dinner, and a chicken and broccoli quiche cooking for lunch.  All the presents are wrapped and ready to go, and I am SO EXCITED to see their faces when they open some of these gifts.  Spoiler alert:  Andrew is getting a dwarf hamster.  OMG.

Anyhoo.  I'll kill some time with funny Michael stories.

Lately, everything that pokes him or bruises him is "Sharping" him.  As in, "Mommy, I fell down and this block sharped me in the eye."  It is very cute.  Jeff and I have taken to using that new verb in our own speech.  As in, "You sharped me when you spilled milk all over the counter."

Yesterday we took the grandparents and kiddos to a local shopping village.  It has been built to look all old-timey and has lots of unique shops.  At Christmas time, the put lights on EVERYTHING, and cook apple cider on a cauldron in the center green...and it is very magical and nice.  We were popping in and out of stores and running through light tunnels, etc etc.  At one point, Lily, Andrew, and I were in a shop entirely devoted to dog and cat stuff (think pads of paper with dogs on them, costumes for dogs, gourmet dog treats, stuffed dogs, etc etc).  Jeff was outside with Michael, and watched as Michael walked into the shop next door...a woman's clothing store that is apparently owned by a non-Christian.  It is very nice inside, but there was not a Christmas decoration anywhere.  Michael did a loop inside the store, and then stormed out.  He went over to Jeff and said disgustedly, "That place HATES Christmas."  Jeff said the expression on his face was priceless.

That's all for now.  I can't wait to see what is in store for us tomorrow morning!  Yippee!

Off to school they went...

I am a very logical person.  I logically know that evil can appear any time, any place.  That being at school is the 2nd safest place for my children.  I mean...if a shooter appeared at the grocery store while I was shopping with them, I'm pretty sure I would be the only one trying to shield and protect my children.  While they are at school, every single adult present would do everything in their power to keep them safe.

I know this logically.  And so I was not afraid to send my children to school yesterday.  I spoke with Andrew and Lily about it before school, assuming that they would hear about it from other students.  I stressed that I felt their school was safe and they should feel safe there also.  I stressed that if they were to learn anything from this tragedy, it is to listen to your teachers, and always do what they tell you...even if it seems really strange at the time (like climb into this cabinet and stay quiet).  Trust your teachers.  They love you.  Trust your school.  They want to protect you.

And then I took them to school, because Monday is cello day, and Andrew hates maneuvering that monster on and off the bus.  (side note:  encourage your child to pick violin, not cello).   And I smiled and kissed Andrew as he waltzed into school.

And then I drove away choking back tears.

WHY?

No amount of logic can quell all of that Momma Bear instinct.  Even though I logically knew school is safe...I wanted my baby bear where I could see him.  Touch him.  Hug him close.  Throw my body in front of his to save him.

I shoved it down pretty quick.  Logic took over.  I refuse to live in fear.

And when I picked him up yesterday afternoon, he practically shouted, "I had a GREAT day at school today.  My cello teachers said..."  all the while Lily was chirping about her new sight word and how they got to finished their movie from Friday and...

I'm glad they went to school.  And I am so so so grateful to their amazing teachers who made it a fun and wonderful December day of school for them.  Just like normal.

Photo dump...backwards!

So I'm dumping photos from my camera on here today.  Unfortunately, I put the pictures on like the old Blogger used to do it...backwards.  So let's go back in time, shall we?

This morning.  Everyone is singing in the children's choir at church today, so they actually cleaned themselves up.  We decided to take Christmas card pictures, even though we are not sending out Christmas cards.  

They basically alternated who had crazy or sleepy eyes.

A few days ago.  Vacuuming with his monster hat on.  It was a party favor at a birthday party we went to last week.  He loves it and wore it for about 2 days straight.

 Lily writing one of her countless notes.  I had to document it.  Also?  The crazy morning hair.  

(not pictured: rats nest on the back of her head)

 Last Sunday we decorated cookies.  It was actually fun!  No one cried that they couldn't eat every cookie they decorated.  No one fought over sprinkles or icing.  It almost makes me want to do this more often.  Almost.

 This is where Shadow sleeps.  In the kids' play house with the pillow pets.  She blends in...kind of like ET in that one scene.  Very cute.

 This girl loves her dog.  Her dog doesn't love her Christmas sweater quite as much.  Especially when it's been 50 degrees for most of the Christmas season this year.

 Andrew opening his gifts.  With the vultures watching on.

 Andrew thanking Lily for her gift.  Isn't he gentle and sweet about it?

 Sweet mother.  We're going to light the house on fire with all those candles!

 A few weeks ago.  Just trying to capture Andrew and Lily in a sweet moment...reading Garfield together.

 While Jeff played Lego's with Mike.  On the kitchen floor.  In front of the fridge.  While I was making dinner.  Michael always chooses the best places to build.

 Did I mention she loves this dog?

 Way back to Andrew's birthday outing.  Here they are waiting to get into the show.

 Posing on the throne.

 Sword fighting.  Of course they are.

 In our seats, waiting for the show to start.

Phew.  There you go.  Our last month or so.  Now off to church I go to watch them sing!