Good Christmas!

  Christmas was awesome this year! NO ONE WAS SICK! And I had such a wonderful time with my family.

   I remember as a kid seeing my dad and mom get gifts like tools, kitchen stuff or something practical like that, and I always felt so bad for them because they never got toys. I wonder if my kids will feel bad for me when they see the quilt my mom is getting me. I know they are interested in the Flip Video my dad got for me, but that’s hands off. The flip out USB arm could easily be turned into a shark’s dorsal fin. Not something I want. Unless I purchase the waterproof housing for it. Not going to happen. Although I was kind of wishing I had it a few days ago when I was using it to film sledding. A Ziploc  bag did the trick for the time.

Here are some clips…. you may laugh out loud at my “ugh”s, commentary and other random things I say.

Sledding1

Sledding2

Sledding3

Sledding4

Kind of goofy, but I think the camera does really well for the dark.

Here’s some of the boys earlier in the light-

Boys1

Boys2 (I love this one. Andy is singing “Jingle Bells” as he’s walking. He was so tired, but still didn’t want to come in!)

Boys3 (Jack was very scared about going into the timber. Later when I was sledding I went into them and the boys were watching me from inside and Joe said where I went, and I guess Andy stared saying “oh no! no no no!” And started to cry. So sweet)

 

 

The faces of Andy in about 5 seconds:

 

This is classic Jack- one sock on, one sock off.

These are from Christmas Eve at my dad’s:

This is Kelsey the cat. She’s  around 20 years old. I can still remember the day we got her!!!

 

Amy and Jack. I mean “aunt-ma and Jack”

And, here’s Christmas morning!

Christmas morning

Ok, well, I love it! The best thing is how small it is.

So, I’ve spent about 4-5 hours this week sledding. That was in 2 days. I finally had to take a break because my knees were so bruised, along with other parts of my legs, and my arms are so sore. I’ve come to the point where I think a knee board would be wonderful. But at $70 I don’t know about it. Maybe I’ll check ebay. This really could be something I could get into. It’s so much fun.

We’ve got a new layer of fresh snow out there now, and it’s been 2 days since I’ve been out there…..  maybe after the kids are in bed New Year’s Eve Joe and I will go out for a midnight run. I love being able to sled at night. The light over the garage is great.

  We’re off to shopping tonight. I need some new snow boots. DON’T BUY SKECHERS CANARY!!!! I bought some not even 2 years ago and they are falling apart.

I’m thankful I didn’t get hit by a truck today.

just a bunch of randomness

   I just spent a few minutes trying to open Paint Shop Pro so I could paste in something I saw in an ad so I could show my sister. It was a picture of the back of a man’s head with his hand on top and his fingers pointing to left (kind of like trying to see how tall he was) I kept thinking it was a bird. Even after I looked at it closer and realized what it was, I still thought it was a bird again. So, I thought I’d show it to her, but then realized it’s just really stupid.

  So, Jack killed 3 of my 4 mollies last Friday. He spooned them to death while I was cleaning the tank. Fantastic. I do have one left, plus an albino cat and angelfish Joe’s mom gave to me. We had a good time up that way. I  was so bummed out that we missed the big holiday light display up there. We showed up 6 minutes too late. Because the boys were thirsty and we forgot cups and had to stop and get some. We ended up going into a nice neighborhood and seeing the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. I wish I would have remembered I brought my camera sooner!

 

Not really lit up, but I had to snap a picture. There were so many homes like this up there in Beaverdale. Beaverdale Bricks.

I am still so bummed out I forgot I had my camera.

Angelfish-

And last night we went to the mall. Ok, I went to the mall, Joe went to Menards. I have a picture of Jack and Andy with Santa for their 1st Christmas, so I had to get one for Alex-

  He was so awesome for this as well. He was all smiles before I even handed him over. So, after this I pulled out the baby carried from the diaper bag and put it on, and then put him in it. Genius invention. No hands, Ma! Still, a 16 (or something) pound baby it still heavy to carry like that with a diaper bag. So, I headed to Bath and Bodyworks to get some things. I wasn’t paying attention I guess and as I turned around the diaper bag hit a display of pretty Sweet Pea lotions. I turned and said out loud “You are kidding me.” And I laughed. I only knocked one over. But that one knocked over about 20 more. I spend the next 5 minutes setting it back up. Then I finished shopping with drool monster there. The cashier wasn’t very pleasant. She didn’t ask me where I wanted the receipt, no eye contact and NO “THANK YOU”! What’s wrong with customer service? Grrrr. Oh well.

   I went around to some other places and for an hour and a half, bless his little heart, Alex was perfect. Not a peep, not a whine, nothing!! My back is still feeling the effects of the carrier today. Ouchie.

I can’t wait for Joe to get the dryer fixed tonight!! I haven’t done laundry since Friday!! A little backed up here. Still a mystery how the dryer ran for almost 2 days straight. Dreading tomorrow’s laundry fest. But at least it will end with fun at my dad’s for Christmas!!!

  Andy got sick last night, but he seems ok so far today. I think I’m feeling a little down as well, but I’m trying to ignore it. Maybe it will go away.

  Alex was up all night last night crying from what I can assume is cutting teeth. Come on toothy!!! Or teethies!

 

  I am so happy and so blessed to be married to such a loving husband, and have such wonderful little boys. I really do feel like the queen of my castle… most days.

Have fun with this with the kids!!

http://portablenorthpole.tv/home

Merry

Christmas!

Just a moment

   I need just a moment to sit and type as bit even though I am busy. I’m just going to sum up our week. Oh, what a week it has been! I can only pray next week goes better. I keep hearing about all this sickness going around, and I am praying extra hard that it misses our home. Last year we were all down with the flu Christmas Eve- a few days after Christmas. It was terrible.

   It was so cold earlier this week. I walked for about 10 minutes outside in the wind waiting for Joe to come pick me up from an appointment. He forgot his cell phone so it didn’t dawn on me until  my ears were numb from the cold and my forehead was hurting from the wind that maybe it was a bad idea and I should just call Menards and have him paged. Duh. But, wow! What a refreshing feeling to have warm blood rushing back to your cheeks and face… and have it stay warm! It was a cool sensation.

  I was late to this appointment. By more than 10 minutes! I am never late like this and it bothered me to no end. When I got home I glanced down at my calendar and I had wrote down 11:25. My appt was for 11:15, and I knew that. It was 11:15 in my phone and on the white board calendar, and I knew it in my head. I had scheduled myself to be late. Also, my phone alarm goes off 15 minutes before the time of my appointment, but it can be changed. I leave it set to 15 minutes for most things. Yeah, my alarm went off 5 minutes before 11:15… or 15 minutes until 11:25. Funny stuff I tell you.

Here’s Jack with some whiskers-

My mom’s birthday was on Wednesday, and it was also Alex’s 5 months birthday! I had to make a cake (for my mom. I don’t celebrate month birthdays…. ok, maybe 6 months just so I can make another cake). Anyway, lightly using “had to”. I really wanted to! I need the practice.

 

I know I need work, but it’s fun practice.. and yummy, too!

Earlier that day I stepped on a cup Jack left on the floor. He seriously hardly ever does such a thing. I twisted my ankle and it hurt for a little bit but the pain went away. I even jumped on the treadmill and ran around with the boys. I was wearing my walking shoes. After I changed out of my indoor shoes and put my boots on to go to my mom’s house, the pain really began. My foot began to swell and I couldn’t walk on it at all. Thanks to my brother, Jared, I was able to make it to the van to leave. He did, however, kick my foot in trying to help me. Took a big old RX dose of Ibuprofen and iced the sucker when I got home and then went to bed. It was much better the next day and again today. Still swollen and sore, but I am living with it. Who knew a sprain could hurt this much?

So yesterday was fun. I had my ankle to deal with and my kids. My kids were missing their angel wings yesterday…..

  

I just love how the beam of light is being accented by the ashes. Oh, and you can see their toys in it was well. Ashes are awesome for driving cars through. So, I was very blessed to have a fancy Kirby to assist me in the clean up. It just needs mopped now. Now, remember sprained ankle here! I had to carry the honkin’ vacuum down the stairs, too. On my way back up I noticed a single paper towel on the stairs half way crumbled and stained with ashes on one side, on the other, a place for a little fist to hold. Well, I have to give them credit, they kind of tried to clean it up. But Jack gives himself away all of the time when he looks at me, grabs a kitchen towel and runs down stairs yelling “Don’t come down here, Mom!” You better believe I’m coming down there now!

 

  Ok, as the day went on we made cookies….

     

The got to lick the beaters before I added the oatmeal- 

 

Then after Daddy got home we made some Apple Cinnamon Chex mix!

Here they are discussing the baby raisins. The little raisin eggs that have baby raisins inside.   

 

Here, Andy is opening an egg!  

No baby raisin eggs in it yet!

 

Ok, Not a lot to entertain you immensely but I just wanted to throw this one out there before we get busy! Have a good weekend!

Life

    Life in general keeps on moving. That’s nothing profound. Around here, though, it feels like it’s moving way too fast. I think I’ve become like my husband and started taking on too many tasks and projects at one time. I just need to slow down for a bit.

     I also need to get some more of this weight to come off, but that’s my own fault. People keep making me cookies. And they are all good. I mean each cookie is good. It’s getting bad. No more cookies, please. I think I’ll start taking my dessert as ice with food coloring. It looks appealing.

   I think Andy is still awake. Serves me right for letting him nap for over 3 hours today. But I enjoyed it so! Ph, that reminds me… I have to go sneak into their room and put some Lansinoh on Jack’s lips. It is hands down the absolute best things for chapped lips! It’s thick, but it will stay on all night, and usually takes care of the issue over night, but not longer than a day. So from my experience anyway. You’ll find it in the nursing section at Walmart since it’s original intent is for nursing mothers and sore nipples.

   So I kind of got tired of paying $22 a box for contacts (6 in each one) and did some online looking. 1-800-contacts was about a dollar more expensive with shipping, and so was lens.com. But then… I discovered a place that sells my brand for $15.24 a box… PLUS!!! FREE SHIPPING! I have to buy 2 boxes every time since my eyes are not at the same strength (or weakness, whatever) so it’s $44. I stretch my contacts to the limit as well. I wear them longer than I should. Anyway, that’s an awesome savings! PLUS! They come right to me! No more lugging the kids out to go and get them. shipmycontacts.com. Well, I haven’t ordered from them yet, but I have my stuff in the cart and ready to check out.

   The boys played in the snow last week and had a blast! But 1st here are some pics of Andy-

 

Ok, now snow pics!

    

 

 

AH, that was fun. I’m looking forward to more snow as well this week!

  The next day I started my cakes for the church’s cookie walk. I was so excited to make a cake! So I made 2.

 

It was fun. I think the frosting stiffened up a bit before they were finally sold on Saturday.. since I made them up on Wednesday. next time I need to remember to keep them covered better.

 

OK, the 1st one is good.

The second one I love Alex’s face.

The third one is mid-milk drool!

 

 

Here’s my boys-

And that would be all for now. I’m needing to hit the hay!