Tuesday, December 30, 2008

My New Car


What do you think? Is it me or what?

Okay its only my new car temporarily! And I would never pick this no offense to those who like it. I was driving home from work today and my van overheated. They think something punctured the radiator. So then I had to wait for roadside service, FHP stopped and I had just talked him into leaving when some nonEnglish speaking visitors came along. Poor guy is a rookie and they freaked him out - so he decided he had to wait the 45 minutes with me until the tow truck came. Then my darling husband, who has now come home to relieve the babysitter who had to be somewhere else, decides I should just ride with the tow truck driver to the dealership where I can get a rental. I am not happy about this - especially since the driver has now commented on whether I am married or not, for how long, how the FHP guy stayed with me because I was "pretty" and I must be smart too to handle this on my own without my husband. Ew! Maybe he was trying to be nice but he was creeping me out! Of course Todd told me he would call the dealer and let them know I needed a rental and was on my way - did I mention he did not do this? Oy vey! Its been a long day...seems like a good reason to go out to dinner to me.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas: The Picture Version

Making gingerbread men on the 23rd:

On Christmas Eve we went to the candlelit service at our church and then picked up pizza on the way home. Its a silly tradition but fun! We also set out cookies and milk for Santa, broccoli for the reindeer (Tristan said they eat all veggies but just carrots) and the kids opened new pajamas to wear to bed.

The next morning everyone checked out their stockings (including Max) and then looked to see what gifts Santa brought. Santa brought Max a huge bone with yummy filling and Tori and Tristan each a Nintendo DS - they were shocked but very excited!

We went to my mom and dad's for a yummy brunch of quiche, caramel rolls and potato bake. We opened gifts there and mommy and daddy were just as surprised as the kids. We got a Wii!!! The kids also got a karoake machine (much to my dismay)! In the afternoon we set up some of our new toys and played. My dad and brother playing darts and the kids singing Camp Rock.

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My parents wanted a picture with all their "grands" - kids and dogs! It was a bit of a nightmare getting the pictures but its not half bad. .

We finished the evening with an Italian dinner here at home with Todd's brother Brett and his family. All in all it was a nice day. We were all spoiled and had great fun giving the gifts we had bought for people!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas All!

Have a wonderful night and a wonderful day tomorrow.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given."
Don't forget the reason for the season!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Gift Cards Anyone?!

While the economy warns against them this year I know many of us still give them and if you're anything like me you know they'll love 'em but still feel a little bit guilty about buying the "easy gift." So put a little effort in (I know most of your scrapbook and have a paper stash) with these easy to make but SO super cute boxes. Picture and free pattern by Heather Bailey - check out her blog on the link to the right, or below to get the pattern.

You can find samples and patterns here!

Monday, December 22, 2008

More Holiday Fun

The kids have had their parties, we looked at Christms lights, the holiday dinner groceries have been purchased and I got to do something special with a special friend!

Sunday I went to the matinee performance of the Nutcracker. The last time I had seen it I had been in school still, working still, had toddlers and was overall exhausted before I got there. Add exhaustion to classical music and a dark theater and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. I had seen it has a little girl and then multiple times as a teenager and remembered loving it. So going back it was wonderful to recapture what I remembered loving - the elegant costumes, the beautiful music and the gracefulness of the performers. After taking so many years of classical ballet and then having had nothing to do with it for so long it was wonderful to go back and see it done so well. Add that to lunch with a fun friend and a "no kids" afternoon it was just so relaxing and put me in the holiday spirit even more.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Couple more days...

I cannot believe that time flew by so fast!!! A whole 'nother week is gone. Yikes. Just a couple more days until Christmas.

I finished shopping for everyone but my grandma and picking up my brothers gift and everything is wrapped, hidden if need be, baked and decorated.

We had a lovely lazy day today...yummy Mexican for dinner and now I am gonna hit the couch and watch a big list of shows I DVR'ed all week! Just realized it had been a week and thought I should post that all is well.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Whirlwind Weekend

It was such a crazy weekend. I did manage to drag myself out of bed some Friday, feeling only slightly better and sounding terrible but up nonetheless. Tori had practice for both swimming and the Christmas musical Friday night alongside Tristans soccer practice so Todd and I spend the evening running kids back and forth. Then I had to work Friday night. While I was sleeping Saturday morning Todd did an awesome job of getting Tori to her dress rehearsal and Tristan to his soccer game. I woke up just in time to go to Rhiannon's jewelry party and then we went to a parade in Dunedin. I took a couple of pictures but the way the barricades were they dont show the parade, just the kids so I am not posting them, cute but not exciting.

Todd and I went out on a date Saturday night - it was so cold! But so nice. We had a leisurely dinner at TGIF's and then went Christmas shopping. I know this sounds like a lame date but it was so relaxing. Even our dates are usually built around a move schedule or meeting friends or being home by a certain time, etc...so this was awesome. We just took our time, wandered around a few stores. I am happy to say we are done!!!

Sunday was Toris musical followed by a lazy afternoon. We did stop by the mall to see Santa (this is probably the last time). Tori told Santa she wanted earrings, so when Todd asked her if he thought she was good and would get them she said "Yeah because they are cheap." Lovely!

All in all it was a busy but nice weekend. I slept in this morning and everyone else if off to school or work. I have to work nights all this week, covering for someone who ended up hospitalized. Blah!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sick

I thoroughly hate being sick. So I went to work today but cannot sit in a chair for long periods of time without my head feeling likes it is going to implode. My nose is stuffy but the sinus pressure is ridiculous right now. So I just woke up from a 3 hour nap and am alterating between reading and pacing my house. Fun! This weekend is SO busy I really need to get well ASAP.

Monday, December 8, 2008

3 Trees

I have had more comments than usual about how crazy it is that we have so many trees. So I thought I would share them. I love them and I feel the need to explain them, because then they seem perfectly normal.

We have three Christmas trees. We have a 7.5 ft and rather wide tree in my living room, its pretty and matches my furniture. Yes you did read that right. It broke this year (see story below) so we will be replacing it this year with a 10 ft tree but same concept. All the ornaments ares gold and white. Its my "pretty" tree. Or my department store tree as Todd calls it. Much prettier at night but this pic will have to do!


We also have a 7 ft tree in the bedroom. This is a pencil tree (think ridiculously skinny) and has all of our sentimental ornaments on it. I got a round ornament each year (Fraggle Rock, Smurfs, Gators, Barbie, etc) growing up and I get an ornament for each of my kids each year (cruise ships, mickey ears, spiderman, etc). And of course there are all those ornaments the kids make. So this is my nostalgic aka traditional tree complete with colored lights.
Lastly I have my snowman tree. I have collected gobs of snowmen over the years but some are just too tiny to display. So they get there own tree - a tiny 3ft tree Charlie Brown tree, its kind of sad but it has that vintage homespun feel I like, and that most of my snowman resemble.

See dont you feel the need to get another tree now?! Honestly if I thought it was a battle I could win I would put up a sports tree in Tristans room and a "FL" tree in Toris room (you know like flamingos, santa surfing, etc). Pretty sure Todd would say no way so I'll be content with these!

My Little Nerds

Beware proud mom moment ahead...

As I posted before Tristan was awarded Character Kid for November for the entire kindergarten class. He had a ceremony and was on the morning announcements(thats what the other picture was) and that was ok to him. He got an article in the paper which he also was ok about it. But this caused yelling, screaming, LOOK MOM MY NAME IS ON A SIGN kind of excitement.


Tori also won an award - artist of the month - for the entire school. She did an etching (think black with colors on top of it). The etching is in a frame in the school courtyard and will be entered in a county wide contest. She also received a paper certificate and some coupons.

Friday, December 5, 2008

$12 Jeans

I missed the last sale which made me nuts so consider this my daily service announcement:

Tomorrow (Saturday jeans at Old Navy are on sale for 12.00!!!!

Read this!

Okay I dont care if you are atheist, agnostic, protestant, Jew or Hindu this is a great book. It is so funny and really quite fascinating. Most of you know I was born and raised and am raising my children in the Protestant faith. I am a firm believer in the Bible, the Holy Trinity and Jesus as messiah. That being said my faith may have led me to an interest in this book but has NO bearing whatsoever on my recommendation. I can honestly say this writer begins his journey as an agnostic and I am not done so I do not know how it ends. Only that its informative, enlightening and downright funny. This guy also wrote a book called The Know it All about reading the entire Encycloped Brittanica and that might be next on my list!

Check it out...The Year of Living Biblically; One Mans Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A. J. Jacobs (editor at large for Esquire magazine).

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Sense of Style

I bought Tori this really cute shirt at Childrens Place yesterday because she was in desperate need of some long sleeve tees and we have not had much time to shop together. So I lay out clothes before I go to work in the morning and I leave this shirt and a pair of yoga pants she picked out on another shopping trip. So today she gets in the car and says she's not sure about the shirt and when I ask why she says...

"It's just not me, I'm more of a girlie girl rock star."

Of course why did I not think of that?! She cracks me up.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Christmas has arrived

While Black Friday and Starbucks Gingersnap Latte's kick off my Christmas season it has not fully arrived until certain things are done. Namely the decorations are up and the first batch of cookies is making the house smell yummy.

Couple of pictures...Tristan putting on the crown of thorns & Tori putting on the star, Todd aiding in both!


Max got a little stressed by the chaos, running between boxes and then finally giving up and collapsing on the couch to watch the rest of the festivities. Ain't he cute?

My snowman collection has grown to 60+ and I just love pulling them out each year. I love remembering where I got each one or who got it for me. The one on the left Tori and Todd gave me her 3rd Christmas, and Todd wrapped it without putting it in the box and the carrot nose popped right out of the paper, it was hilarious!

Last but not least a funny picture with a funny story. We have a fake tree, this is FL, lots of people do. And ours is pretty real looking but this year the top broke, we've had it since our first Christmas...so we had to rig the top. In doing so Todd decided to just jam the star on top so our tree looked like a triangle with the point cut off (a tall skinny trapezoid for you math people) with a ridiculous star on top. Well I had the giggles and the camera simultaneously and just started taking random pictures of Todd who was getting very frustrated with the tree, and me who was celebrating because this means at the end of this year I can buy the 10 ft tree I really wanted but couldn't justify bc I already had a perfectly good tree - and no I did not break it - so I snapped this picture. I love this face...its the face I get when hes trying to being mad at me and is about to be sarcastic but he can't stop smiling/laughing to spit it out. Shhh, noone tell him I posted it, its not super flattering :-)
Sorry if you are just reading this Todd made me remove the picture so you'll just have to imagine it!