Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Gaggle of Girls

Diane and Me with our all-female offspring:

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Holiday Happenings

We have company in for a week during Thanksgiving and it has been a little crazy around here! We added a family of 6 - 3 adults and 3 children (2 months, nearly 4, and 6 1/2 years old)to our humble abode. Let me just say that there is never a dull (or quiet) moment. The Ruckers are here visiting family as is standard for Thanksgiving and we are having a great time having the families together. The only thing that is not working very well is the sleeping. There's not a whole lot of sleeping situations happening as planned. This was the original plan: Diane and Derek on the 3rd floor sleeper couch with the baby; Mary's bed joined Emma's in the Dora room and the queen sized inflatable mattress on the floor for Sabrina and Fiona; the second twin bed from the Dora room into the nursery for Grandma Mary to sleep in and us in our room. The first morning found Sabrina in Grandma Mary's room sharing a twin bed and Mary in our room on the floor. The next morning found Diane and Baby Brianna on the couch in the living room, Sabrina on the third floor with Derek, Fiona in with Grandma Mary, and Emma on the floor in our room. We've just about given up on any night time order whatsoever. And if you can follow all of that then you are doing better than we are.

Thanksgiving dinner was here, with my parents, my grandfather, Jim's mom and Avis joining us. I really enjoying maiking all of the Thanksgiving Day food. This year we brined the turkey overnight, which gave it a fabulous flavor and texture. I think I will ALWAYS brine fowl from now on. I highly recommend trying this recipe.

We are spending a great amount of time working out with the Ruckers. Today Jim, Derek and Sabrina went to the rock wall at the fitness center and spent a good portion of the afternoon rock climbing. Then Diane and I went back and swam for a while. We also raced down the water slide, but only twice. Whee!!!! The day started out with the girls frosting Christmas cookies, which I made a video of for you to see.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Dora and Swiper

Emma doesn't usually do a Dora role play, and today we found out why. Mary isn't quite the willing accomplice Emma would like her to be, apparently.


The Ultimate and Terrible Demise of Little Guy

Emma has an imaginary friend, who she pulls out occasionally. This is not the constant friend who never leaves her side. This is someone who comes out when she is playing with others and joins in. His name is Little Guy. The other day (Tuesday) I was driving to go do errands and there was a clump of dirt in my tire, clanking around as clumps of dirt tend to do when stuck in the wheel well. I stopped briefly to get out and look at it and announced to the inquisitive girls what it was and drove off. Then Emma broke out in screaming and sobbing fits.

"NO! NO! MAMA! IT'S LITTLE GUY! YOU SMASHED HIM WITH YOUR TIRE! STOP! YOU'RE HURTING HIM! IT'S ****LITTLE GUY****!!!"

And so the car ride went, with Emma convinced I had just killed her imaginary friend. Yep. Ran him over. Much like Grandma and the reindeer in that catchy holiday song. Emma was beside herself for the rest of the ride. At nap time, she had nightmares about Little Guy. After nap time, she moped about and looked wistful, saying the house was an awfully sad place without Little Guy. About every hour she teared up and mourned her loss.

It's amazing to me that I have never come across any parenting articles about how to handle this occasion.

Monday, November 13, 2006

And the Stockings were Hung...


Well, there you have it, the fabulous tree in the living room, with matching decor. Sunday the girls helped me and Grandma decorate the little tree in the foyer with Hallmark ornaments (read: less breakable). They were so excited it was hard to keep up with them, but they enjoyed it so much it was nearly insupportable! Grandma Saunders was a good sport and I think she even enjoyed herself. We all had such a nice, Christmas-y time and now the trees are up, thanks ever so much to Grandma!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

12 Days of...

BUSY-NESS! What on Earth have I been doing??? Well, let me tell you, my friend. ***I*** am getting ready for CHRISTMAS! Friday my mother-in-law and my niece came over and we spent all day long making our Christmas cards, with lots of red and green candy and many Christmas music CD's. I made 38 cards out of the 60 I need. That was a very productive day! I worked hard enough on those that I had a cramp in my hand later that evening. Something like carpal tunnel for stampers. Ouch!

Today we took the girls to gymnastics, where both of them proceeded to crumple into small melted toddler piles when they should have been doing donkey kicks or candle sticks or something. Really, Mary was a pile on the floor and kept saying she was tired. Poor girls were just not in the mood to be jumping and flipping about, even if they are unbelievably cute in their little leotards. Then we met Niecey at Sam's Club and found her some new tires for her little car and we got her a few important food items to take home with her. I'm so glad I'm no longer in my 20's and on my own again! The girls continued to be melted messes so we took them home. While Emma neglected her naptime and refused to sleep, we put up the big Christmas tree. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! This is the first year the living room is painted a rich burgundy and it matches the colors of the tree ornaments. It is all so sumptuous and glamorous and makes you want to weep it is all so Better Homes and Gardens. At some point (when the furniture is back in place) I'll take a picture to share with you. Kind of sad this will be the only year it will be in that room. HUH!

After all of that holiday happiness I went and worked out - swimming again. And I did my personal best! I swam 1/2 mile today. You can check out all of the statistics on my Triathlon training blog here. So now we are exhausted, sitting in the family room just listening to the laundry get washed in the washing machine. When I have some energy - tomorrow - I think I will run for 3 miles. I'm serious about getting with the skinny.

I'll keep you posted.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Halloween

Just for those that continue to think about that long past holiday mentioned above, here's a treat. The little girl in the JoJo costume is my good friend's daughter.

Christmas

Well, it is snowing today. Not just lazy, drifting, thought you might not notice flakes - we have full white out conditions over here in southeastern Michigan. Were you expecting a post about Halloween? Well, it is November SECOND, which means we are a full TWO days into the Christmas season. The catalogs are spread out on my kitchen table, with dogeared pages and ink stars all over them. Christmas cards designs are piled on my craft table, waiting to be tried and loved - chosen to be the special one that is duplicated 60 or 70 times over and them sent all over the Earth before the end of December. Even the weather has given up any hope that fall extends one MINUTE past October 31st. There is no time for wallowing and focusing on Halloween any more - that holiday is SO last Tuesday. Time to dig out my holiday CD's and mull the cider - we have cards to make!