a long winter's break....

yes.

I'm more than thankful that I have this week off. Sad that Lee has to go back Monday-Wed. But so glad I'm off.

yes.

The snow is melting. I'm so. stinking. thankful. Jump in the air and click my heels, thankful.

yes.

Due to meltoff, Hope was able to take off on her new, motorized scooter. To say she loves it is the understatement of the year. SHE LOVES, LOVES, LOVES it. :) Her friend next door has a new motorized vespa-like scooter. So they were off!

yes. :)

Here's Hope, taking a break from kicking everyone's tush with the Wii-action. Best gift of the season. Thank you, Santa!

And here we are...in the falling snow on Christmas day. The whole fam-damily. Merry Christmas!

MVI 2424[1]

Christmas makes me say Wii.....

:) I am SO not a gamer. Probably the furthest thing from it. After yesterday, I believe that's all changed.

Santa brought my baby a Wii. :)

And by Santa, I mean Lee. And by baby, I mean Hope. He can be seen above, golfing.

In reality, the gift was for all of us. After 20 rounds of bowling yesterday, I could barely move this morning. Until I saw that Wii remote calling my name. I've tried all the sports except golf. Bowling is my fave. Baseball, I can get down with. Boxing almost did me in.

And we haven't even opened the other Wii games Santa brought. :)

Both of Lee's sisters and fams came to our digs yesterday. It was a Wii Christmas, that's for sure. Everyone arrived, skeptical of the Wii. And left wanting to purchase one. It's that much fun.

Hope and I always make a birthday cake of some sort (for Jesus!). This year, we did a praline pumpkin torte. It was the hit of the evening. :) Always sure-fire. So yummy.

Hope's letter to Santa just blessed my socks off. I think this will be the year we reveal "the truth." We've set it up along the way with the story of St. Nick and Santa being a friend of Jesus. This year was too hard. And too many questions. It's time. Soon, anyhow.

Besides the Wii, I'd say this is was the hit of Hope's holiday. Life-sized Hannah Montana on her bedroom wall. There's actually one more smaller one on another wall - and guitars and "hannah" stickers. Crazy. But our girl was oh-so-happy.

Merry Christmas! Now let the diet begin! :)

let it snow, let it snow...

...let it snow. pooey. Not a huge fan of the snow, I must say. A day of it? I can deal. Two weeks of it? Not so much. I have been working from since last Monday, it seems. I made a break for it on Saturday - while "the gettin' was good." Glad I did. After 10 hours of snow last night, the office was closed until 10 am - and powers that be were encouraging "those that could" to work from home. So, I did.

This is a view of our digs prior to the last 10 hour round of flakes. S'insanity I say. Insanity.


Lee's commuter car (seen in drive) is not running after the cold snap. Poor thing. We've been thankful for the 4wd on two of our rides. My Honda does well in the white stuff too.

I really have nothing great to blog about. Except for my weather-related complaints. ;-( I believe I am fully-recovered from surgery (yay!). Christmas has exploded in our digs. I have the best friends in my neighborhood. Seriously.

Not sure what Christmas day will bring. Everyone is scheduled to land at our house...but the weather is literally everywhere. Blaketing everything. With no end in sight. :)



A little view of our tree. Can't see it - but red and white is the theme. :) Ho-ho-ho. :)

smiles are free

Just when I think this white stuff (snow. ice.) is going to send me screaming for any sunny destination serving drinks with umbrellas, a moment of pure joy comes my way.

Hope: Mom, can you get my sewing kit?
Mom: Sure. What are you making?
Hope: It's a surprise.

(Hope then parks herself in the bonus room, watching Drake and Josh, sewing and being mysterious).

Hope: Mom, my webkinz are getting married. You're invited to the ceremony.

[mom (that's me) views a dauchsund and a cockerspaniel. Cockerspaniel is swathed with lavender fabric. Its face is covered with another fabric - Hannah Montana fabric.]

Hope: This is wiggles and megan. Megan's face is covered. She'll take off the veil after they say, "I do."

[hope cues orange webkinz cat named "Sally" to officiate. we are apparently very progressive in our pastoral views."

Hope (as Sally): Wiggles, do you take Megan in matrimony? If yes, said "I do."

Wiggles: I do.

Hope (as Pastor Sally): Megan, do you take Wiggles in holy macaroni? I mean, matrimony (gales of laughter)?

Megan: Of course!

Hope (as Pastor S): You may kiss one another!

Hope says to Mom: If this were real, their tongues would like each other.

Mom: WHAT?!?!?

Hope: Because they're dogs Mom. That's what dogs do.

Hope sings the bridal march (or whatever that is called) and carries Megan and Wiggles to their honeymoon destination: the red bean bag called Mexico. Where they promptly fell asleep. Whew! Innocence lives. :)

This scene still has me smiling from ear-t0-ear. Not sure what inspired the ceremony. But I sure got a kick and a half out of the entire thing.

As one of my facebook buddies wondered: Future wedding planner?

Hmmm. One can only hope. :)

I love being Hope's mom. :)

k

Christmas Questionnaire

1. Fresh tree or fake? Fresh. Although, those prelit jobs are looking better every year.

2. Favorite ornament? It's a toss between a hand-made ornament of silly snowmen from 1994 with my name and Lee's on it or the ceramic angel ornament my mother in law gave me the same year.

3. Favorite Christmas Song" Breath of heaven. Ave Marie. Baby, It's Cold Outside.

4. Favorite TraditionPicking out a tree. I don't know that we have one. Just doing it together. Watching Lee work hard and chopping it down (smile). Bringing something warm to drink.

5. Favorite Gift Ever Received. Hmm. Lee gave me an engagement ring one year. That probably tops it. And surprising me another year with Barry Manilow tix in Vegas (my fave!).

6. Favorite Christmas Prime rib. Mashed potatoes. Gravy. My Grandma's fried green beans. ANd plenty of dessert.

7. Favorite Christmas Cookie. Butter nut roll cookies. Sugar cookies with frosting. Who am I kidding? I love them all!

8. Favorite Place To Be? With my family. :)

9. Favorite Memory? When my sisters and I were very little girls, Santa came to visit us on Christmas morning at our Mom's house. We didn't really know what to do. I knew it was our neighbor. It was the first year my Mom and Dad were divorced...and I knew my Mom was trying to surprise us. :)

10. Favorite Christmas Movie? I actually love all the holiday flicks, but my favorite is Miracle on 34th Street.

Seven things...

I'm not feeling too bloggy, so I've decided to cheat.

7 things I can do...

1. Counted Cross stitch.
2. A cartwheel. Still. Craziness, I know.
3. Wake up on time without an alarm clock. Every single day.
4. Make almost anyone laugh.
5. Draw snoopy, woodstock and the entire gang.
6. Graphic design. Although, I don't do it much lately.
7. Sing the words to just about every Barry Manilow song.


7 things I can't do...

1. Maintain an organized system for more than one week.
2. Lose weight. Sigh.
3. Go without conversation for very long.
4. Cut up, eat or cook any "meat on the bone." Except turkey. I can eat that.
5. Sing. Well, anyhow.
6. Be late. I think, it's inborne. And rules my brain.
7. Resist chocolate.

7 things I always say...

1. Seriously?
2. "I'm done!"
3. 'Sup buttercup?
4. For the love of Fred...
5. Can you please pick up after yourself?
6. Thank you, Jesus.
7. Let's move, shmoove.

7 things I always eat...

1. Rice cakes with Adam's peanut butter and fruit spread
2. Chicken in some form.
3. Mints. I don't know the brand - but they come in a circle container and are sugah free!
4. Strong coffee with cream. Technically that's not food, but it's life to me.
5. Herbal tea.
6. Too many sweets. sigh.
7. Almonds

7 things you probably don't know about me

1. I wrestle with my past almost every single day of my life.

2. I would like to be a writer. But when I say that, I don't really know what that means. I've had jobs that were primarily "writing." And it drained my brain. I think I would like to write at my leisure. A novel of some sort.

3. I am inspired by great art, phenomenal photography and amazing color combinations.

4. I could not live without music. I love to sing and dance - but do neither in the company of others.

5. At my core, I believe that absolutely anything is possible. Anything can be worked out. And anyone can do just about anything if they put their mind to it and do the work. I really, really do.

6. I have an addition that I am working to overcome (don't worry, it's not substance abuse!).

7. I could spend one month alone, in my house and find perfect peace.

7 things I would do if money were no object:

1. Live someplace sunny and warm.

2. Buy set my Dad/stepMom and my Mom in paid-for homes. Um, separately. Not together. And my FIL and SIL too. I think I'd lump us in there as well.

3. Purchase the biggest Dooney and Bourke bag around. :)

4. Prepay college tuition for Hope. Including master's work.

5. Quit la job and become that writer that lives within.

6. Drink Starbucks every single day (from the store, not my coffee maker).

7. Support needy families. I think this would be first, actually.

7 things I am wishing for this Christmas:

1. Meaningful time with family.
2. That Hope will remember the reason we celebrate (birth of Jesus) and celebrate Him.
3. For the entire family to go to Christmas Eve services.
4. A large amount of weight would miraculously leave my body.
5. Very selfishly, a new cell phone. Although mine works just fine. I reallllyyy want an Iphone.
6. A fresh start.
7. Something unspoken and not meant for the blogwaves. :)

Happy December! :)

santa parade...

:)

my girl cheers in two santa parades...

...and she was awesome! :)