Internet messing up

If you don't see me around much, that is why.

Highly Addicting

This site allows you to create your own paperless snowflake. I have always loved making snowflakes, so it really appeals to me. You can check out snowflakes created by other people, leave comments, and forward your snowflakes to your friends. I know it sounds silly, but I was very addicted to this last Christmas season. Once you start seeing how intricate other people's snowflakes can be, it makes you want to experiment with your own. Seriously, I could spend an hour doing it.

Happy Birthday to Levi!

Three pictoral arguments against real trees

No matter how much we try, our trees always lean at least a little.

This was the mess made just from setting it up. Is there a vacuum out there that this won't clog? Add water to the mix, and it is just gross.

We didn't realize that the tree we chose had a very crooked trunk, which not only made the leaning problem more difficult, but shifted the weight of tree in such a way that we needed to weight it down with the heaviest object we have available- my ancient sewing machine! This is not the first time it has been used for such a purpose.

I love real Christmas trees, I really do. They are beautiful, they smell nice, and there is a certain romance to them. If I had a maid, I would probably get them every year. However, I am still the maid around here, and so this is definitely our last year with real one. The day after Christmas, we are going to hit the Christmas clearence and hopefully find a nice, pre-lit plastic beauty that will just need to be pulled out of a box next year instead of being strapped to the top of our mini van.

So, new poll - do you use a real tree or a fake one, and why?

Poll: Do you like Egg Nog?

I did not grow up drinking egg nog. I don't think my mom liked it or something. Chad introduced it to me after we married and now the holiday season isn't complete without it. So who out there likes it and did you drink it when you were a kid?

Just a little side story - Chad was at a work Christmas party a couple of years ago, and he took a drink of egg nog and turned to his boss and said, "This tastes funny," not realizing that egg nog is often an alcoholic drink. His boss got a big laugh at the expense of Chad, and that was the end of Chad's egg nog consumption for the night.

Colin the Cuddler

I came into the living room yesterday to see this sight - Colin snuggled up to Evan, watching TV, with Evan inching further and further away. Colin has always love to cuddle up to people.

Chad and I like to joke about it because he will often jump on Chad when he is in bed or sitting down, intending to wrestle with him or tease him, but it is like Colin can't help himself, and in about thirty seconds he is just cuddling Chad instead of messing with him. I don't mind because I always know if I ask him to, he will be more than happy to sit and snuggle with me for awhile.

He has been a cuddler since the day he was born. He loved to sleep on our chest. This is one of my favorite pictures of all time- thanks goes to my mom, who took it.

This was the night we brought him home from the hospital and I had to include it because he looks so tiny - and Chad looks so young!

Feel good movie

Audra and I ditched our kiddos and went to watch "Enchanted" the other night. I really enjoyed it and I am glad that I didn't subject Chad to watching it, because it was not just a chick flick, but a chick flick for girls who are nuts about romance and who want to live in a fairy tale. It was wonderful. I really think the lead actress, Amy Adams, made it what it was. I want her cast in a new Anne of Green Gables movie, only she might be a little too pretty for Anne.

PS. I just made the connection that she was the purse girl - Katy- on "The Office" who Jim dated.

What Christmas music does to Gabe

While we were putting our tree up last night, Gabe decided to show us his signature dance move - turning in a circle. By the time I started this video, he was already very dizzy. And yes, Chad is wearing a swimsuit with a hoodie. To set up a Christmas tree.

More miniature golf pictures

I took these pictures while Chad was getting the free bumper boat tickets.

Goodbye, sweet mistress

On Saturday, Chad lost an important member of his family. The second love of his life, the Accord, was sold. He seemed to get over it pretty quickly when he had the check in his hand. Kinda makes me wonder what price he would give me up for.

Since Chad is taking the bus every day now we decided that we didn't really need a car that nice, and we would rather finish paying off students loans. Yes, I know I said student loans were going to paid off a long time ago, but the house sale didn't go through (again and again) and even though we have a time and date at a lawyer's office this Thursday for the closing, I am still not holding my breath. Anyway, in the meantime, the sale of the car gets us one step closer to wood floors or an Ethopian baby.

Plus I am now convinced that Chad has a future as a car spokesmodel, so maybe that can bring in some extra money.

Slick Deal

Well, this isn't an absolutely incredible slick deal, but it is pretty cool if you were already planning on buying PJ's for your kids for Christmas, and if they like Disney stuff. The Disney Store has their PJ Pals on sale starting at $6.99 and today they ship for free. Use the code 3199 to get 15% off of the already low prices.

Mini Golf Adventures

We decided to go miniature golfing the day before Thanksgiving. Colin was very excited and the weather was like Blythe at Christmas, so we were having a lot of fun. Then not long into the game, we hit our balls into the windmill and waited for them to come out and down towards the hole....well, two out the four balls came out slowly, and the other two never did.

The boys all took a turn looking and trying to see if anything was in the way, but nothing worked.

So Chad went and got two new balls and we informed the people behind us to avoid the windmill. We continued on, and a couple of holes later......

We again found ourselves waiting, and looking for our balls to come....

"Colin, can you believe they got stuck again?!"


"This is ridiculous!"

By the time we got to the third malfuctioning hole, we gave up and asked for a refund. They gave us free tickets to the bumper boats instead, which made Colin and Gabe very happy. The bumper boats had spray guns attached to them, and Gabe was happy only until about the tenth time he got sprayed right in the face. It was a fun day. By the way, we have gone to this place before and it was just fine, so I don't know what was up.

Thanksgiving

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day with Bobby, Sabina, Evan, and Sanitago.

The food and company were outstanding. The kids got to play for hours, the big boys got to watch football, and Sabina and I got to browse through ads together. Gabe was the kid who lasted the longest at the table. The kid loves to eat.

Sabina's incredible turkey

Sabina knows how to de-bone an entire turkey without taking it apart! It is sooo cool. Then she stuffs it with onions, seasonings, and ham. You can cut straight through without ever hitting a bone. Not only is it very cool, it is very tasty and very moist. As long as I live near them, I will never have to cook another turkey, because who wants a turkey with bones when you can have a Sabina turkey?

For the Beauty of the Earth

Chad and I have a Thanksgiving tradition of singing this hymn before we eat. It would probably be cooler if we had any musical talent :o)

For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth, Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour, Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow'r, Sun and moon, and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent child,
Friends on earth, and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild
Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.