5QF- First one of 2012!

1. What is the weather like where you are and do you like it?

Right now, I'm LOVING it!!!  WE had a spectacular sunrise this morning that we got to enjoy on our commute to school...the forecast is 49 and sunny today. 

A FAR cry from what it's supposed to be this time of year in Michigan. 

2. When you're sick what do you seek comfort from?

Solitude.  I just need to be left alone.  I don't want a pity party or someone doting on me....AND I don't want to have to deal with my boys arguing or making them dinner.

I just want to be left alone.

3. What do you need to do before the end of the month?

HA!  I just have to laugh at this question...and ask something along the lines of:

What DON'T I need to do before the end of the month?!?!?!

Over committed, am I.

4. Have you ever served on a jury?

Nope.  Was selected for jury duty selection when I was pregnant with A.  I had just left my job, so I had nothing else to do....but wasn't selected.  The selection portion was pretty interesting, though.  Whoa nelly.

5. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

This is one of those questions that they throw out at you quickly right before the end of a job interview.

And, of course, a lot of animals go through my mind and what attributes they have that I would love to possess.  I'd love to fly like an eagle- graceful and elegant.  I'd love to be a race horse - athletic and powerful.  I'd love to be a dolphin - fun and playful.

But, it all comes down to the fact that I'm a dog person, and would probably choose to be a canine.  Why?  Because (most of them) are loved as a member of a family, hugged, cuddled, and I am a loyal person- just like the dogs I know are.  So, there's that.

Happy Weekend!

Someday I'll post a nice flowing post....today is not that day. At least I have pictures.

Christmas Recap.

I realize I've fallen dreadfully behind on updates.

So, here's a quick Christmas recap.  Sorry if its choppy.

Getting ready for the Christmas program/ Advent service at church.  The preschool/ school ran the service.  Too cute.

Christmas Eve with D's family.

He's just too cute with the little ones.

Still melts my heart.

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A. is certainly a "grandparent kid."  He loves them.

I love poppa hoppa's white-man's-overbite.



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My in-laws get our sense of humor in many things.

Their gift?

The National Lampoons Moose Mugs.

Oh yeah, baby.

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There's 4 grandsons all within a few years of each other.

This is always a recipe for wrestling.

Too bad uncles don't like to play along.

Carnage (sorry, uncle Ryan!)

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Christmas morning

At home.  Just the 4 of us.

I love it that way.

The boys receive gifts from "santa", and

we have a breakfast birthday party for Jesus.

I made PW's cinnamon rolls gf style.

(not recommended, by the way)

Well...unless you have a husband like D.

He ate 6 that morning.

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Then to my parent's house after church.

Christmas couple and family pictures.

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Lunch.

I look forward to this lunch all.year.long.

I'd love to say just kidding, but that would be a lie.

Mmmmm.  Crab legs and t-bones.

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A. opened a Nintendo ds.

While he was excited about this new venture into technology,

I LOVE C's reaction to his brother's gift!

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C. helped everyone (that would let him) open their gifts.

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C opens his very own ds. 

He was so surprised. 

And excited!

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Two days later, the crud hit our house.

C. was violently sick.

D and I felt "whonky" the next two days.

A. skated by scott free.

How is it that my pukey kid didn't catch this bug?

I'm grateful!

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A few days later, we were able to meet our "new(ish)" nephew, Jimmi.

He and his parents live in N. Carolina...and flew up on Christmas Day.

We sanitized the house just in time for a visit.

Then, low and behold, the rest of the family comes along.

And all SEVEN cousins were together for the first time.

Sorry for the fuzziness....my battery died, and the only thing we had to take the picture was my mother-in-law's camera.  I sharpened it as much as I could, but hey...at least the picture has been taken!

Ok, that's all I've got.  Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Last 5QF of 2011

Here we go!  Last one of 2011!  It's not to late to join in on the fun, friends.  It's quick and (relatively) painless.

1. What's the oldest piece of clothing in your closet?

Well, I have a piece of lingerie from our wedding night...stashed in a back dark corner somewhere in there.  Otherwise, the closet has had some good purges since moving into it a few years ago.  I don't know why I keep that article of clothing....my mind is a strange sort of pack rat.

2. How many random blog readers have you met?

Zero!  Most of my readers are already my friends.  There were a few acquaintances that I've met recently that have read the blog, and therefore know a lot about me....which meant we were fast friends, and I had a LOT to catch up on in order to get to know them better. 

Otherwise, there's a select few that I've grown close enough to to befriend on facebook.  And knowing them better makes me love them all the more!  And perhaps obtain a puppy.  (long story)

3. Do you let your kids stay up till midnight on New Years Eve? (Or, if you don't have kiddos yet, did you get to stay up until midnight as a child?)

We have plans to have family fun on NYE...but, no the kids won't be staying up until midnight.  Not only are we not fans of that at all, they'd NEVER make it.

I tried a few times as a child to stay up until midnight....never made it until I turned about 18.

4. What are the gas prices where you live?

Yesterday they were $3.32.

Ten days ago they were $2.99.

Sheesh.


5. What is one resolution that you know you should do but are too afraid to try?
 
I'm not too sure on that one.  I've never really let fear control my movements or decisions.  Wait...I have in the past....and perhaps I let fear subconsciously control some actions, but nothing like "I should do that, but I'm afraid....." 
 
Sky diving....that could fit under this category. 
 
Always wanted to try it.
 

The unwelcome guest

Something moved in on my little guy.

An unwelcome guest.

Just what we DIDN'T want for Christmas...

I'm heading into the trenches for the next few days....

...a regular post will be forthcoming when we resurface.

Catch you on the flip side.

(what movie?)

From our family to yours....

Oh so selfish

I'm shopping for Christmas presents.

Only, I'm done shopping for Christmas presents.

I've been done since before A's birthday (2 weeks ago).

And yet, I still go shopping.

And I bought myself a sweater.

And I bought myself some earrings.

And I bought myself a new (SMALLER!!!!) pair of jeans.

The only thing that redeemed me is that I also bought some cough drops for A who is fighting a bit of a head cold.

Whew....so glad for those cough drops....otherwise I'd think myself oh so selfish.  ;)

Tuesday Miscellany

It's the Tuesday before Christmas...

I have nothing on my mind, and I have everything on my mind (and to do list) at the same time.

Which means there's no room left in this brain of mine to compose a coordinating blog post.

Miscellany seems to fit the bill of my mind....so, we'll go with that.

1.  I have come to a point in my life that I'm realizing the friends I've let go of weren't really the greatest friends to begin with.  The friends I have in my life now are the ones I want there.  They support me, pray for me, give great hugs, and are a boatload of fun to hang out with.  I dig them.

2.  Wipeout is, by far, one of my favorite game shows.  They pull all these super annoying people on there....(you know, the kind of people you'd slap across the face if you met in real life?) and they hit them and make them run into large objects at full speed. 

3.  German web sites are hard to navigate when you don't sprekense duetsch.

4.  Friends are great for texting you phrases like "we're getting our BOOTIES on the treadmill next week!  Get ready!"  Again...see #1.

5.  Having a finite budget for Christmas....in a separate bank account....has worked wonders in keeping me withIN the budget.

6.  Finger Jello takes longer than I thought to set up.

7.  Kids getting sick right before the holidays clearly sucks.  Thank goodness for vitamins and expectorant!

8.  Gluten free chex mix rocks.  And puppy chow.  Mmmmm.

9.  My husband and I can throw a mean Christmas party.  And our pastor can mix a mean (and sneaky!) sangria.

10.  I'm so grateful for grandparents who are willing and able to take the boys.  I get a small break (to enjoy silence) and the boys make priceless memories.