New Year's Eve 2011

I'm sorry to have been MIA.  Brien has been home this week and I've been spending lots of time with him and the girls.  We are also dealing with a dead laptop so we're sharing my computer.  It's so odd to think we have to "share" a machine--we've become so spoiled.  If you had told me twelve years ago we would live in a house with this many computers--a couple of them laptops--I would have laughed at you.  Now, I have my machine and B has his.  It's actually been nice having to share because I'm spending FAR less time online than I typically would. 

Which brings me to my New Year Goals:

*Less time on the machine.  I tried, but it seems I have an addiction and it's a struggle.  Sometimes I just find myself aimlessly searching the web when I really have nothing I want to look up.  Doh.  I could be spending that time with my husband and children and reading and making cards, and oh, I don't know, all that stuff I used to do before the siren that is the 'net beckoned.
*I want to make at least five cards a week and revive my poor, sad stamping blog.
*I want to send out at least two cards a week.  If I'm making five, sending two is an admirable goal. Plus, it will have me off the computer and doing something more constructive.  I swear, Ellie's going to think all I do is have my face in a screen. 
*Continue to work on being more green.  Every year I add a little more to my efforts.  I'm thinking eating two meatless meals a week will help with that.  I don't know if that will actually happen (we do try to do one a week), but these are goals so I can work towards it.
*Be more mindful of recognizing family occasions with cards and gifts.  I'm lousy at this.  (And embarrassed to write it. :oS)
*More movement more exercise--it goes right up there with the first one.  I did so well the first half of the year, and then, kaput.  Why why why why why???  It's so hard to get into shape and so easy to maintain it, and yet, I flopped.  No more.  My health, my girls and husband are far more important than my laziness.  I must be more healthy for ALL of us.
*Get out in nature more.  It revives me and restores me to get out amongst God's creation and I need to be more mindful of that.
*Be more mindful of my tone of voice and voice level when frustrated with my husband and children.  I need to be kinder.  That's it, end of story.  As Jessie once said to me, "I love my husband more than I love being right."  That just about sums it up.  She's a smart cookie, my sister.
*Spend less money.  My goal is to not buy anything that we absolutely do not need.  If I buy it, we had better use it. 

There are a couple more goals, but they're a bit more private.  Although this is my personal journal, somethings still need to remain close to my chest.  I've written them down to be more mindful of them.  I have quite the list this year and I know they are all doable. 


2011 was a pretty good year and I have high hopes 2012 will be even better.  :o)

For those of you to whom I owe emails and such, I'll be on it by Tuesday.  I have been thinking of you, but have wanted to take a bit of a break from the 'net.  I know you understand. 

I wish you all a very happy New Year!

Oh, and for Lissie (and anyone else interested):
Some photos for you to enjoy. :o)

We've been busy visiting with Josh, Dana and Ever, taking trips to Richmond to visit, family dinner with Nana and Pop (GG and Bill came into town, driven by Patti, and Bill Jr. and Gayle joined in the fun with them--there was a CROWD last night), and oh so much more.  The girls are utterly wiped out and I'm doing all I can to get them back on track before Tuesday morning...but, it sure has been fun getting here. :o)

Photos from Last Week

 Yesterday was wonderful and perfect and I failed to take a single photo.  How did I manage that??  I did take a video of Ellie flipping out because we wanted her to open her last present.  She had an absolute meltdown.  Wow. 

Mom and Dad came to dine with us and we had a thoroughly enjoyable time, with delicious apps and fabulous dinner.  We had Christmas crackers courtesy Jaydee and Lou and had such a grand time opening them and asking each other the silly little jokes and wearing our paper crowns we decided we simply must do it again next year. :o)

As is typical for me, the best part of my day was watching my family open their gifts.  I get such a thrill watching them open and play with their toys (B included!). 

I received some wonderful gifts and toys as well, and I had to chuckle because Santa knows me well enough to include a box of crayons and a couple coloring books in my stocking. ;o)

 I wanted to get these pictures up before I forgot and they just sat there on my computer.  These are from Christmas Town at Busch Gardens.  The night was warm and it had rained all day.  The place was practically deserted.  It was fabulous!

 The fuzzy zombie children!

 I want B to do this to the tree in my front yard next year. ;o)

 I'm sure it will take no time at all, given you only have to wrap them this closely. :oP

This was over in New France.  I had seen wreaths with ice skates, but not lanterns.

 There were the sweetest little penguins in France. 

 They were completely over having visitors and ready for us to all just LEAVE.;o)

 I can't see you I can't see you I can't see you!

This tree was over in the theater in England.  I thought it was beautiful and then I got a gander at the tree topper.  :oP  Although, I have to say, I'd love to do a tree in white lights and red balls--minus the topper. ;o)

It really was a lovely visit and I hope we can get back one more time before it closes for the season.

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Fisbee Watch

 I'm sorry I wasn't as good about posting Fisbee's antics the past week--things were just so busy. 

Sunday, Fisbee was mild mannered and hung out with the shepherd kneeling in awe of baby Jesus.

 He also gave the baby his blanket and left it there for the rest of the week. 

 Monday found him in the snowman. 

Tuesday was a game of Connect Four with the snowman.

Thursday we found he had made a bed on the tissues...

...and left some magic seeds which we planted as directed that evening.

Friday morning we awoke to find we had grown candy canes!

 Fisbee had to try out the fruits of his labor, of course.

And, Saturday morning, we found him thus.

Hot cocoa was set up and ready to go--just add water.  :o)

We were sad to see him go Saturday evening and can't wait for him to come back next year.  :o)

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I wanted to post these too, before I forgot.  I made these cute little guys for Lil's birthday brekky.  :o)

Meanwhile, B is home all week--I couldn't be happier--and Josh and Dana arrive Wednesday with baby Ever.  I'm SO excited!  I just love this time of year. I'm delighted my typical post-Christmas letdown hasn't occurred yet--here's hoping it won't.  I'm not going to worry about it, and will instead enjoy this time with my family.  :o)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! :o)

Christmas Eve 2011

The monkey bread has been made, the cookies have been set out (with a Coke this year--Lil thought Santa could maybe use the caffeine--wonder where she got that from?), and now B's making us some adult libations.

The candles are burning, the Christmas music is playing and everything is done.

There's nothing left to do except wait for the girls to sleep and enjoy the peace.

This may be my most favorite time of all.  All is calm, all is bright. 

Merry Christmas, everyone.  May your day be filled with family, fun and laughter.

Wonderful Times with My Girls

I wanted to remember this and didn't have time to post last night. 

I have spent two delightful days with my girls.  Wednesday was Lil's last day of school until January 3rd and we met up with Jen, Derek and the kids.  We went to Yankee and then Carrabba's for dinner (yes, Carrabba's for dinner two times in one week--none of us were complaining).  It had been raining all day, but finally stopped just after we began eating.  The temp was around 65 so it was quite lovely out. 

Jen had said they were going to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens and asked if we wanted to join them.  I had had neighbors turned away due to crowds and no parking (yes, they do that there) and was a bit concerned what with it being this close to Christmas, but decided to go ahead and join them.

I stopped by the house for pj's, passes and a stroller and we headed over.  It was DEAD!  The place was practically empty and it was WONDERFUL!  Oh how delightful Christmas Town was.  I have photos on my phone and I'll have to download them at some point.  BG really does the lights-thing up right.  I'm hoping we can get back by before the New Year. 

Then, last night, after we dropped "the girls" (aka Mattie and Zoey) off at Nan and Pop's, I decided to to a light tour.  Ellie fell asleep and Lil and I looked out for all that was wondrous and bright, singing Christmas carols and tunes all the way.  It is one of my most favorite things to do, and some of my most cherished memories with Papa are of riding around singing carols (he could harmonize so beautifully) looking at all the lights.  I hope the girls look back as fondly in years to come.  Alas, last night, Lil kept asking, "NOW are we going home??" :sigh:

We made it home, I got Beanie in her bed, and came down to make Lily some hot chocolate (not that it was cold or anything, because it certainly wasn't at 64 degrees--and to think we had snow this time last year...).  We snuggled in on the couch, watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and reading Christmas stories (A Bad Kitty Christmas, Mortimer's Christmas Manger, Counting Christmas).  Just as we were finishing, B came home. 

We planted the magic seeds Fisbee left (more on that in another post--they grew into candy canes!) and it was time for bed.  It was such a wonderful day and evening.  :o)

Today was a pajama day for my girl.  She has been wanting one and we haven't been able to indulge in one in forever.  Today was the day.  It was spent watching movies, reading books and just being a little kid.  It's a wonderful time of year. 

Tomorrow shall be long for sure.  I have a bunch of cooking I want to get done so I don't have to do it Christmas Day, and we'll go to church.  Lil will help me prepare the monkey bread for Christmas breakfast.  We'll track Santa and watch Christmas movies and read our books and do whatever we can to make the longest day of the year (I don't care what the calendar says about the longest day being in the middle of June, we all know it's Christmas Eve) go by just a bit faster. 

Oh, and lest I fail to remember, the past two days I've had to stop Miss Ellie from opening presents under the tree.  She too is ready for Christmas.  :o)

I do believe my potatoes are just about boiled so I had best be off.  Mushy potatoes do not a good potato salad make...

My Blessings

 I was talking with Brien the other night, saying how blessed we are, what a good life we have.

We have three beautiful daughters--two of whom are still here with us physically, and one keeping watch over her baby sisters.

 The "baby" is no longer a baby.  She is turning into such a big girl.

 There are still vestiges of babyhood about her, the snub nose, the soft, full cheeks.

She's a cutie patootie and she truly does keep me busy.

LOVE this face.  :o)  She is such a sweetie.  She won't be one to let anyone push her around, though.

She keeps an eye on things and knows to whom each and every item in the house belongs, and will chase that person down, calling their name, in order to give it to them. 

She sees photos of people she knows and loves and identifies them.  Last night, she looked waaaay up high on my tippy top shelf and said (while pointing), "GG!)  And it was. :o)

She loves to look at photos of her big sisters and try to figure out who is who. 

She doesn't have time to be little.  She is ready to be big.  RIGHT NOW! She helps move laundry from the washer to the dryer (climbing almost inside as her little feet leave the ground), pushes the buttons to start the machine, and so much more.

She makes sure her laundry (and mine. and daddy's.) is in the hamper and puts her pajamas away every morning.

She loves to play with anything that may potentially belong to Lily.  She is especially enamored of Lil's Tag pen and her new 'mote control car.  Oh, and my lap top and phone.  She loves those as well.  :shakes head:

Her speech is exploding all over the place.  "Lil-lu-lu-lu-lu-ly" has been replaced with "Will-wee" or "Wil-ly" and she can say the names of most of her family members. She has yet to meet a stranger and will walk up to anyone to size them up and then demand a hug.  Yikes!

Her newest favorite food is "chock-ick" and her pallet is beginning to contract some.  I hate it when that happens...

Meanwhile, this big girl's pallet is expanding all over the place!  She will try and eat so many things we couldn't get her to go near just six months ago. :o)

Lordy she's getting big. 

 Okay, maybe "big" isn't the right word.  You saw that picture of her with the two other angels--who are YOUNGER than she.  But, she's looking so much older.  In our house, we like to say we have "babies", "toddlers", "big kids" and then "kids".  Well, she's now a "kid".

 She's a truly wonderful child, full of imagination and fantasy.  She makes my heart nearly burst when she shows such love, care and devotion to her little sister.  Her 'mote car was brand new yesterday and she let Ellie play with it, showing her how to work the controls.  She doesn't gripe or complain when El gets into her Tag, she simply cleans it up. 

Six.  What a glorious age, six.  She believes--oh how she believes--in Santa and fairies and magic, and yet, she's practical and wants to know how everything works.  She constantly needs explanations about the wherefores and whys of the world. 

She's a messy little pack rat who has been known to stuff dirty clothes into corners, but she's patient and kind and truly seems to want to be friends with everyone.

She's cracker jack smart too.

 Her reading is coming along beautifully and I'm hoping we get to experience the "Christmas Miracle" that so many primary grade teachers are privileged to witness.

The "Christmas Miracle" reveals itself when children who could barely read or were struggling along, or, were even on grade level suddenly find all those letters and sounds make sense in that context and start reading like gang busters.  It could be a big miracle such as that, or a smaller one, but somehow, it always seemed my kiddos would come back from break, and over half of them experienced it.

I so dearly wish for Lil to love reading as much as B and I. Oh, and her little sister. ;o)

We are blessed by her. 

And, continuing to count my blessings, we have wonderful family close by with whom we can visit fairly frequently.  I'll be getting together with Jen and her kiddos this evening.  I know Lil will be stoked to visit her cousins. :o)

 I'm blessed to have a husband who is handy and a child who is healthy and walking and climbing and an excellent problem solver.  For the first time ever in this house we are without baby gates downstairs.  You see, the other day, B was walking through with a large load and Ellie opened the baby gate for him and promptly closed it behind him.  Yup.  Those baby gates are really effective at this point...

So, I'm left with a wall that needs some repairs and a bit of paint (boy, I have no idea how I lived with that tobacco gold for so long...).

 I blessed I have a husband who rather ungrudgingly tolerates having four Christmas trees in the house, even though he has told me if he were to live alone he probably wouldn't put up any decorations.  Wha...? I can't even imagine.

 I'm blessed I had a grandmother who loved us all so much she started a family tradition of candy making and passed the recipes down to us so we in turn could show our families our love for them.

 I'm blessed to have wonderful friends who send random gifts out of the blue and include gift tags with butterflies because of a special Monkey Girl.

And friends who continue to send ornaments for Hannah's tree every year.  Thank you, Jaydee and Lou, this is perfect.

And, still more butterflies. Dani, the girls loved this one--as did I. :o)

I figure I must have put something good out there to have so much good come to me and I'm thankful for that.  I gave thanks at Thanksgiving, but I'm even more appreciative as Christmas approaches and we'll be celebrating the day once more without a special sparkly girl.

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Today's Sparklies:

1.  Holly was sent an early Christmas present:

 It's almost as big as she is!
2.  Just about all the gift wrapping is done!
3.  All cards are addressed, signed and stuffed into envelopes.  Now to get stamps tomorrow...
4.  It's the last day of school until 1/3!!!!!!  I'm SOOOOO excited!!
5.  Meeting up with Jen and her kids tonight. :o)
6.  Talking with Dani today.  It's always good to catch up.
7.  This one is from Monday, but still fun:

Fisbee and Santa remembered Lil's birthday!

Fisbee even has a sparkly party hat to match the one on the card!

No milestones.