She Moved To NYC

My sister in law just wrote on her blog about something terrible that has happened in her family. Actually--it's great for one member of the family--but the others are having a hard time with it. You see, her sister just moved from Utah, and is now ready to be counted among the New York movers and shakers! She got a great job in Manhattan and being a single lady--she was up for adventure. My sister in law is having a hard time with the thought of losing her sister to 2000 miles-but for Emily--she's in for some fun!

Traveling Smart

Some of you may remember that last November I traveled to Las Vegas and promptly got sick! Actually I was sick before I even got on the airplane, but because I had failed to purchase travel health insurance I couldn't afford to call the trip off. Most of the time when we travel we don't get this insurance and we've never really needed it. But when you are face down in a rented toilet bowl----my oh my, do you wish you'd purchased the coverage just to be home in your own bed!!

Boys And Balls

Why is it that kids must do the things you expressly tell them not to do? As with every other parent, in every other house, my kids can not walk and carry a ball at the same time. They must constantly toss it in the air or throw it to each other. Last week their harmless little game of catch caused quite a bit of destruction. They knocked a vase off of the mantle (it shattered), tipped over one of our air purifiers and left a big black spot on the wall above the couch! I've told them over and over if I see a ball in the air I will pop it in front of them, and I guess it's just time to live up to the threat!

Insurance Premium Time

January is always our month for insurance premiums. I think it would have been so much easier to space everything out, but in a way, it is nice because it's always the same. I just paid the yearly auto insurance, up next is the home insurance, and after the next paycheck we will take care of the life insurance. I don't mind paying it, and it does save money paying it all up front, but boy does it shatter my budget! We don't go overboard too much at Christmas, so it all works out just fine, but still, if we spread them out a bit it wouldn't be such a bitter pill to swallow every year!

Eliptical Training

One of my goals for this coming year is to get in shape. Not so much to lose weight to but to become more physically fit. To this end, I have spent several days getting myself accustomed to my new elliptical. I got it for Christmas and it's beautiful, I'm just amazed at how 'not in shape' I really am. I thought for sure 30 minutes would be a breeze, but I'm breathless and DYING after just 7! I shall persevere however, because this year is my husbands 20 year reunion from High School. I would like to be fit and have some muscle tone in my arms before I have to go meet all of his friends again. I was pregnant with baby number 2 the first time around, and I was BIG!

Camping In The Basement

My kids are so funny. They all asked for different things for Christmas this year, but it was all based around a single theme, camping gear! I didn't have a problem buying it, I thought it was a nice healthy hobby that they could enjoy for the rest of their lives. Plus, with my oldest going into Boy Scouts soon he'll need this gear for all of their outdoor activities and well, why not get it now for Christmas rather than breaking the bank the night before the 2 mile hike? What is funny is that ever since Christmas they have been begging me to set up their tent in the back yard so they could camp. They didn't mind that there was a foot of snow in the backyard, they were just excited. Well, since I'm not all that big on frozen popsicle children, we finally decided to just set it up in the basement. Hard, cement floor and all. They started the night down there last night (we left the lights on because the basement can be kind of spooky) and even with the lights on, they didn't make it much past midnight. The each waddled on up to their bedrooms to their own beds.

Golf Addiction

My father in law is the worlds biggest golfer. It's something that he's loved to do since he was a teenager. I have never gotten into the game of golf--I don't really understand the impetus behind it. But it keeps him young, and it keeps me covered when it comes to gift giving ideas. Well, me and everyone else in the family. There is always something new for golfers. Did you know that there are now Nike golf clubs? As if cornering the shoe market weren't enough--they've moved into clubs. I think that's kind of cool! I just wish we lived somewhere where he could get out and golf year round. Maybe when they retire!

2008 Resolution

I have loved being able to use my sisters computer whenever I've needed it. Our old computer would be pretty easy to fix, it just needs a new hard drive, but it would also need to be updated in many other areas as well. It's more of a dinosaur than anything else.

This year is the year of our new computer! I know this because it's what I'm saving up for. Birthday/Anniversary/Christmas--you name it, I'm saving for it! I will miss the "chat" time I get every week with my sister, but honestly--she can't love having us all over at her house all that much!!

Boys Will Be Boys

I think it's so strange how even young kids can find joy in all things relating to cars! My 8 year old has this amazing ability to name every car he sees. He can also tell you about their wheels, spinners, caps ect. He's even got it down when it comes to a billet grille! Now, I'm happy to see all of this, I'm thrilled that he has a memory not to be matched...I just wish he would find something that I may actually be able to carry on a conversation about! In fact, I'm so bad that when I do throw in some of my own conversational inspirations, he rolls his eyes at me and gives me the "correct" answer. It's kind of fun to irritate him with my cluelessness. There is a lot of huff and puff that comes along with it!

Creative Cards & Invitations

I was putting away some of the Christmas cards today, and I realized just how many more people are taking the time to make their own. This is something I've done for a number years. I've done birth announcements, birthday cards, first communion invitations, and Christmas cards. It's just something that I love to do--and I was happy to see so many other people finding the fun in being creative. Sadly this year, I was out of time, and had to just buy a stock card and add a picture of the kids. I hope nobody minded,they all got the same thing. I'm hoping this next year, there will be more time to really get creative again!

Wine Of The Month Club

This has been a post a long time in coming! I was so happy several weeks ago to be selected to receive a complimentary trial of a wine of the month club. It came beautifully packaged along with a newsletter and a really nice gift card.

It's a rarity that I get to try something new, so I was excited to read up on this wine before we broke it out for the holidays. It really made it fun as I asked people around the table what they thought of the wine. Many really liked the "oak" flavor that comes from being aged in Oak. Others really liked the dryness in the flavor--while others preferred more of a 'fruity' flavor. But all in all, it went over really well, and was excited to be able to share this with my family members. We do have a bit left over for New Years--but I may actually have to order some of my own!

As soon as I figure out how to download the pictures from my new digital camera, I will post a picture of these beautiful bottles.

Welcome 2008

I was tremendously blessed this Christmas. Not just with the renewed gift of health for all of our family members, but with the temporal needs to care for our family's needs, and to be able to provide a beautiful home for them, and a pretty darn nice Christmas. With the new year comes the close of many the home redo projects. From the Hansgrohe faucets to the new countertops. This next year I don't plan to look at a paint brush for my own home all year long! Helping my sister is another story--but for this house, we are done! Merry Christmas to me!

He's Home!!

How was your Christmas? Ours was busy! Really it was stressed out crazy! My father in law had gone into the hospital for a quick (yeah right) angiogram and ended up being admitted for many days in order to get him stable. It was a close call for quite awhile, but I'm happy to report that he is finally home and resting comfortably. We had Christmas really, really late on Christmas day. My poor kids were such troopers. Most of us were just really worried about grandpa--so we are all thrilled that he's feeling better!

It's Coming Quick

How is your Christmas shopping coming? My sister is done already! Over a week early, I'm so jealous. In fact, she isn't just done shopping, she's got everything but the Santa gifts wrapped and under the tree. She even found several cool things for her husband which is honestly the hardest part of Christmas shopping.

I am getting into the Christmas mood. I haven't been blogging as much recently due to the fact that the kids have been busy with different holiday productions, and I've been trying to bake to get my neighbor gifts out. It's so nice not being the new ones in the neighborhood anymore. We actually have friends to talk to rather than that awkward meet and greet phase!

Oh well, back to my shopping list writing!

Not Again

It's snowing, again! I barely got the shoveling done yesterday and now there are four more inches. Why oh why didn't I head out and buy that snow blower yesterday?

My oldest started to help me out yesterday, which was really sweet of him. But then before he was finished he was pulled away to his best friends house to build snow forts. Now I'm all for the fun of childhood, but sadly he took the only snow shovel we have and he left it there. So tonight when my husband got home and needed to shovel, we had to wake him up, bundle him up in his coat and boots and send him outside to find the snow shovel. He was not happy, but neither was dad, so it all balanced out!

Snow Blower Wanted

I killed myself today! I finished all of my Christmas shopping for all but one child--and he's pretty easy. But when I got home from shopping, it was time to shovel the walks. OH MY ACHING BACK! I definitely want a Snow Blower for Christmas now...this was MURDER! The bottom of the driveway is total ice, and I will have to go tomorrow to purchase the ice melter before I actually head out to take a hack at it! As for now, I'm heading up to bed with my hot water bottle!

The School Just Called

I have to pick Daniel up. I just got a call from the school that he is not feeling well. Poor thing! Out of all of my kids, he handles being sick--the WORST! I'm glad it's this week though, instead of next week. It's bad enough Rob has to drive the two oldest boys to school a half hour away everyday and then pick them up after school. But to have to stick a daytime trip in when one isn't feeling well is just asking too much!

Apparently he has a fever and is complaining of a sore throat--so I believe we will be at the doctors office later making sure it isn't Strep Throat--with three kids to keep healthy, strep would be bad right about now!

Christmas Portraits

I'm taking the kids in later this week to have their Christmas portraits done. This is always an exasperating time because there are four of them. It's never easy to get four kids (including a 2 year old) to look good at the same time. Rob is pretty smart. She just takes individual pictures of her kids and then puts them together in a grid for her card. Every child looks amazing, and the sitting isn't nearly as exhausting.

However, I love the look of a family portrait-or at least a portrait of all four faces in one. So I brave the Kiddie Kandids year after year, hoping for the best! I'll let you know what we come up with!

Yard Work

We spent the afternoon and early evening doing the yard work. Whipped it in to shape, so to speak! We have 6 yard bags full of leaves--and that is more than I've ever had. When I was a kid we lived in a house with so much scrub oak. Every fall we would have to load the leaves into bags and take them down to the bottom of the yard and dump them out. My dad would then go through with his tiller and mulch them all. After many years of this we got smart. We got bed sheets for a king size bed--and we would rake all of the leaves onto the bed sheet and pull it down the path to the bottom of the yard. It saved HOURS of work! Oh how I missed the bed sheets yesterday!

Do You See What I See?

Wow---the night before Thanksgiving--and we are getting SNOW! How fun is that! If it wasn't so dark, and so cold, I would send the kids out to frolic in their first snow fall of the season!

Hopefully it will still be on the ground when they wake up in the morning. The first snow is such a treat!! I can't wait to get out there and enjoy it with them!