For The Kid In All of Us

The cutest gift I think I've ever received: My 5 yr old nephew was very concerned that Eric and I "would be sad at work if there aren't any toys there".  So for our gift he picked out a Slinky Jr. and a magnetic block with stars and moons on them for us. How cute was that?  He thought these were the "perfect things!" 

Clay, I can't wait to take the block to work and play with it.  Ron, Ross and Connie will be so jealous!  

So This Is Christmas

to quote John Lennon.  

Eric worked today and I spent the day at home because the pending storm was going to hit about 2 p.m., about the time of Christmas Dinner in Beaver.   Okay, so it is now 7:30 p.m. and we have yet to see any snow.  I could have been to see family, eaten really great food and been home by now.  Thanks a lot weatherman!

So, while I was home writing in my journal and watching the Hallmark Channel, I decided to charge up Roomba and let it go on its maiden voyage.  Can I just say that I love this thing and that I loved it in the first 3 feet of carpet that it vacuumed?   Everyone should have one.   Eric wondered if we needed a fleet of them. Hmmmm, I will think about that one. 

On the Solstice, I lit my cute little Yule candle holder (5 colored candles for the elements) and let them burn in my window sill.  I can't recall what type of candles they were, but they burned up really quick (apparently).  So when I went to check them, a very short time later, my Yule log had caught on fire and was found smoldering in my window sill.  Yikes!  Bummer.  It was a cute little thing that I had for about 5 years or so, and now it is charred and sad.  :(    No, I can't smell that kind of stuff (or most things), so please don't ask why I couldn't smell it burning. 

Now for the BEST part:  Saturday I will get the electric motor on the Trikke.  Yeehaw! My neighbors are already asking to try it out.  Can't wait to let them.   

Finally Festive

The last time any of the holiday decorations saw the light of day at our house was 4 years ago.  Yes, hard to believe it was that long ago. In 2005, we were both so sick during December we didn't even care (and then about 2-3 days before Xmas we wished we had a tree up); 2006 we were waiting to get into our house and had no room for even a little tree in the trailer; and in  2007, Eric had shingles and I was at the academy.  No point.  I think my family thought we were chronic scrooges. 

Truthfully, we buy what we want all year round at my house, so we have gotten out of the habit of exchanging gifts.  Usually, it's BIG stuff that we count as Xmas!  (Car, house, vinyl fencing) This is also pretty frustrating when family wants to know what we want or need.  Sorry, guys!

So, this year, I promised.  Eric and I put the tree up.  We bought LED lights this year, and so we have a boat load of indoor and outdoor lights to give away.   Since is the first one in our new house, It was hard to find find places to put everything.  I don't have nails in the walls to hang stuff, and I was really considering it.  Being a creature of habit, it all still looks weird to have everything moved around, so I am trying to adjust.

Last night, Eric looked outside after it quit snowing and and thought we needed pictures of the snow and lights on the front porch.  Unfortunately the ones we wanted didn't show up very well.   These are my favorites and were really fun to take.  Glad I had my new down coat (Santa really likes me)!

UPDATE:

That boat load of lights left port shortly after this was posted.  Sorry if you wanted them. 

My house yesterday

*********

My house today

Any questions?

Caroline

Hmmmm....I am a bad big sister.  I blogged two of my sisters and my mom on their birthdays and I forgot to do Caroline. What is really bad about that, you might ask? Well, I remembered my error the day AFTER her birthday (October 10) and today is, oh- December 11th, maybe?  

Caroline is the second child in the family. She has dark naturally curly hair (which is a later-in-life phenomenon that I was not aware of- when I was home, it was stick straight).  She was probably more of a tom boy than me growing up.  I say that ONLY because I ran, hit, kicked pulled hair and threw a ball like a girl (I think I could take her now).   I had the basketball and football, but she played high school basketball and understands football.  

This chick is a Doctor of Pharmacy.  She has always been a leader- and wow, I could tell you some stories like how she got her only A- ever and got an entire class to walk out on a teacher with her (and you thought the Verizon people had people!).  Caroline is married to Brent and is a mom to 4 boys and Autumn, all who I adore.  They are good kids and SMART!  Her 5 year old son uses words we didn't know at that age (seriously, he's like Linus on Charley Brown).  

There is so much more.  

I love you!

Shop for Mom weekend!

This event has gone on for 33 years, beginning with just my dad and me.  We would go Xmas shopping for mom in Cedar.  When the other girls got to be 8 yrs old then they got to join us.  I remember it was really hard for me to share and let each one come along as they got older, but I have learned to play nice over the years.  

Dad, Valerie and I picked up Caroline and Andrea in St. George and then we hit the mall and other places with "The List."   We picked up surprises for our own lists, and then I took a photo some of the loot.   Okay, now how surprising would that be on Xmas day when they've already seen what we bought on this blog? Now that I've had sleep and am rational...no pictures for you!

Our day was exhausting! We ended up at the Pizza Factory for lunch where Caroline had to wear the bread twists.  

 

As we traveled along, we ran into alot of people my sisters know, because they live there.

This little baby was the sweetest thing I had seen in some time.  He was in a front carry pouch where one foot was tucked inside and he used the other as a pacifier.  His mom let me take these photos (thanks) and I thought you'd like them too.  He just makes me smile!