New Years Eve is Always Fun

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 2013!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something New

A friend of mine told me that she had ordered her groceries on line from a locally owned grocery store.  Groceries delivered to her door and for a measly five dollar delivery charge.

Oh joy!

I had to give it a try.  Now let me tell you that I really enjoy my early morning solo shopping trips each week.   The key word being SOLO.  Ever since Annie was a baby I started going to the grocery store EARLY while everyone slept soundly at home,

so as not to take a toddler and a baby to the store.  People would ask me why and how I get up so early to go grocery shopping.  If you have kids, then you probably understand.  I'm a good multi- tasker, but keeping kids from licking the cart, scanning the shelves for the lowest priced item, while pushing a humongous load of food was just not my thing.  So began my early weekly shopping.  I'm gone and home sometimes before anyone is awake.  The store is empty for the most part and I can zip through there no problem.  However, I wanted to give ordering groceries on line a try.  Sitting at my computer and clicking the items that I want instead of walking down isles seemed like fun!

It all went smoothly except for the flour.  Apparently I didn't look at the size of the flour when I clicked on it...mini size!  The kids and I all started laughing when I pulled this single serving size flour out of the sack! 

 

Thomas said, "maybe this store is for single people!"

Goofy Girl

When I went in to check on Evelyn last night before going to bed, I found her jammies in a heap on the floor and she was sound asleep wearing a swim suit and sandles.  It's the middle of January and don't live where it is warm year round.  Evelyn.

It's Possible...

to run outside on the snow and ice because of these babies!  A friend of mine found these at Super Saver Grocery Store of all places.  You hook them onto the bottom of your shoe and I'm telling you, there is absolutely NO sliding around.  Those little metal spikes grab onto the ice and keep my feet in place.  After the first snow we got, I tried running before I had these.  It was ridiculous.  I slid all over the place and it's a miracle I didn't fall.  So the first time I ran with these on, it was kind of creepy.  My mind was looking down at the slick, snow packed, icy road so I thought I had to slow down and tip toe so as not to fall.  Not so.

 

I signed up to run the Half-Marathon this spring.  This race has become so popular in the last few years that I knew if I wanted to get in, I'd have to sign up pretty early.  It opened at 12am on Dec. 21st, and I happened to be up and on the computer so I signed up at 12:40am.  I'm so glad that I did because it ended up filling up by 3:30 THAT day!   I am excited to train for this though.  The last time I ran it was in 2000 with TJ!  It's always fun to have something to look forward to.  This year TJ will get to drive the kids around and cheer me on! 

 

 

 Winter is definitely here.  We had our first big snow a few weeks ago and the kids got a snow day!  I remember as a kid when it would snow and I would go to bed with the hope of school being cancelled the next day.  Such fun! 

We are back into the snow gear...pants, coats, gloves, hats. boots, neck warmers, socks sprawled out all over our entry way.  Which is really hard to believe.  It feels like just yesterday that we were in the middle of summer and the 100 degree temps.

 

 

 

When I got back from a run this morning I was walking up the steps and noticed the snow balls all ready to go.  Must be a war scheduled for today....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have really great neighbors.  They have a girl who is ten and twin boys that are eight.  Perfect ages for playing with my children.  They LOVE to play with them especially outside.   On the snow day they played outside together and then had lunch with us.  George had gotten these face stickers as a gift from school.  They had so much fun with them! 

 

 

 

 

 Lately we've been watching a cooking show on Netflix called Take Home Chef.  It's awesome.  It's about Curtis Stone who is a chef and he walks into a grocery store, finds a woman who is shopping and then asks her if he can help her shop, go back to her home, help her make a gourmet meal for her husband and family.  It's a surprise for the husband and he comes home to a camera crew in his house and a gourmet meal on his table.  We LOVE it!  It's inspired us to try some new meals as well.  I found crab legs on sale at the store and picked some up, knowing how much Thomas would especially love them!  Poor George wouldn't even eat dinner in the dinning room because he was afraid of them.  Yes, he was afraid of the crab legs.

 

 

 

 

Our friend Calvin was here visiting for a week over New Years.  He had just gotten married so we were able to meet his new wife.  We had the best time with them.  It's always fun to catch up with friends we don't see often.  One night we ate dinner about six and then stayed at the table until midnight playing games and talking.  Jenga and this one are our favorites.  We do these cards at the dinner table quite often.  There are all kinds of them.  We have a set about different birds too.   

(That would be Calvin's head that George is poking at!)  They were such good sports with our children and really made an impression on them.  Between Calvin's Navy stories and the fact that Nadine, Calvin's wife is from Canada, they were very interesting to our children!! We will miss hanging out with them.



A Very Merry Christmas

 

Christmas Eve

Our traditional family picture with Lojack!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Morning

We opened presents in front of our real fireplace!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Christmas at my parents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids favorite gifts this year were:

 

Annie: trampoline

Thomas: remote helicopter and Bear Grylls survival kit

George:  car race track

Evelyn:  baby

Pete: board books



Traditions

 

 

 

TJ's family had a tradition of cutting down their Christmas tree every year the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  They went to the same tree farm every year.  When I met him, we continued that tradition.  We took our family picture in front of the same red caboose at the same tree farm where TJ went every year of his life.  Sadly, that tree farm closed down last year, so we had to find a new place to keep the tradition going for our children.

 

 

This season is filled with tradition.  From that first Sunday of Advent to the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas, I'm aware of the fact that everything we do is making a memory for our children.  However, I've learned over the years that they will not listen carefully to every bible verse read as we put our Jesse tree ornament on the tree.  They will fall asleep as I read Jothem's Journey at night or we will even miss reading it for an entire week. They would rather play with neighbors than make Christmas cookies.  We may not make it to the tree farm the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The tree will be decorated with their ornaments and then un-decorated by the three and five year old. (only to be found later in a pile stashed behind the chair.)   They will argue who's turn it is to light the advent wreath.  We will miss three days in a row of putting the Jesse tree ornament up.  But my motherly wisdom, which I am gaining each day, allows me to not fret and worry.  I know that my children will remember the feel of advent celebrated in our home and the anticipation and celebration of Christmas.  I pray they will  hold onto and hopefully continue some of them when they are adults with families of their own. 

 

My Friend

 

 

Pete,

You bring such joy to my life.  In the midst of the chaos, crazyness, business, and loudness that make up my days....you are my silent calm.  You are my friend.  Your smile brings a smile to my face.  You are patient and easy going.  I love you my almost-one year old!

And He Went the Next Day