A great start in 2010

Dad and John read Dinosaur Books. Then tickled and tickled. We spent time with Daddy's side of the family. Mom knitted alot. We played video games together as a family. We ordered in from our favorite Chinese place and shared all the entrees. We snuggled on the couch and tried out new hairstyles. The girls decided to try dance classes for the spring semster. We laughed at each other alot. John wore blue jeans, and he LIKED them, with a long sleeved shirt, WITH underwear. Mom felt warmer somehow. It was a banner day, and a wonderful start to the year. May all our days be this wonderful.

Merry Christmas 2009

When Christmas Day rolled around this year we were still sick. I was so glad we had done our big gift opening the week before with Brian. I had saved the kids Zhu Zhu pets for Christmas day. It was all I could do to get them wrapped and their little sleeping bags sewn. Clearly, they were a hit.... with everyone except the cat.

Brian was off working and we missed him. We canceled our original plans with Grandma and Grandpa because we just couldn't muster the energy. But, we got to catch up with them a couple of days later. We spent the 27th with my side of the family for Christmas. Everyone came into town and we got to see all our family. While my brother and his family are working away from Texas, we really look forward for the time we get to spend with them. That was super fun!

Happy Birthnuakkmas

Tuesday was a big day for us. We had the fifth night of Hanukkah, celebrated my birthday early at Chili's (Brian will be out of town), and we had our family Christmas early (so Brian could be there for it). Very time efficient! I have to say, it is a relief to have the more commercial and time consuming parts of Christmas over with. Now I can just relax and enjoy crafts with the kids and holiday movies....Oh, and finish all the holiday sewing projects.



So we were on our way to Chili's and I see John goofing around in the backseat. He stole Chloe's beret and jammed it on his head. He looks like one of those mushroom babies from Super Mario Bros.



Another funny pic. I think she might pay me good money to burn this one later in life. We bought the kids several dart tag sets so that we could play as a family. Here is Emma in all her "gear". Oh. My. She is adorable. They have commandeered my dining room chairs for days now building bunkers they can defend.

Pet Grooming Misadventures

Okay so first the good pics. We went to Safari Pets, the groomer's/puppy seller's to drop of Mac for grooming. He was shedding his undercoat horribly, it was coming out in big chunks. The groomer told me she was going to "have to trim his undercoat". I thought that sounded reasonable. Expecting to come back to a dog with slightly less undercoat.

The kids kept themselves entertained begging for a new dog. Ha! No way. So I appeased them by taking pictures of them with the puppies.

So.... Skip down a few pictures. THIS is what I picked up from the groomer. a BALD DOG!!!! And trust me, in this picture the flash is his friend. It bleaches out all the pink skin and the absolute butchery that is the job these folks did. He looks like an underweight piglet, or maybe a grossly overweight rat. My poor. poor. cold. dog. Its bad. Its going to take about a year for his coat to grow back in. Meantime he will have no protection from the cold, or the sun. We are going to have to sunscreen our dog. And we get to moisturize his skin daily. Ugh.

The girls have fussed over him non-stop. Keeping him bundled up. He appreciates the attention. It makes the intense shame he feels abate slightly.

I have just today stopped wincing when I look over at him. The girls and I cried for him when we got him home. Especially when we saw all the wounds the shaver had left behind. Needless to say, we had to go and buy him a small wardrobe of sweaters. That is the bright spot here. The girls are LOVING dressing him up each morning. We got him a dog snuggie so he and Chloe can match!

Space Center

The Bass Pro Shop Winter Wonderland

Before today, I had never been to a "wilderness store". Unless you count Academy. I went there to get John a simple slingshot last year when we studied little house on the prarie. Brian was envisioning a simple split stick with a rubber band. Instead, I upgraded it to the super cool "wrist rocket" model with steel ball bearings to shoot. Brian had one of those "have you lost your mind?" discussions with me. Apparently, grown men use those to fell deer.

I guess I am not a wilderness girl. Every time I mention camping Brian starts laughing hysterically and reminds me that: A. there is no climate control in the great outdoors, B. critters live there too, C. they call it indoor plumbing cause there ain't none outdoors. This has effectively ended all camping related discussions. So I haven't ever had the need for the type of things they sell.

But I have to say, their Winter Wonderland they have set up is a little bit of awesome. These pics are the ones I took, but they provide you with a free little snapshot in a cute frame and they did a cute candy cane craft.

The kids had a blast, they have a little nerf archery/gun target practice area and I had no idea they sold toys there. Its a pretty cool store, I think we have been missing out.

And I managed to resist the urge to buy the boy a BB gun. All my neighbor's windows breathed a sigh of relief.

Beckett the Panda party

We visited Borders books for the Beckett the Panda Party. Chloe had weaseled one out of me when we were there buying school books. I was in the school/adult section when she found me.

Chloe: Mom, can I have this panda? I love him sooooooooo much!!!!

(Chloe jumps up and down frantically)

Me: I don't think so, Christmas is so soon, why don't you put him on your Christmas list?

(Chloe deflates like a sad balloon and does the sad walk back to the kid's area)


About fifteen minutes later I head for the kids section where I find Chloe staging a sit in. Clutching Beckett, rocking herself back and forth, tears streaming down her face. According to the other Mom sitting there, who clearly thought I was abusing the child, she had been in this nearly catatonic state the whole time. (PS, thanks alot ma'am, way to stay strong. Whose side are you on?)

Naturally I caved. By now she had deposited enough body fluids on it we had to buy it.

She has loved this panda to death. So when we found out there was a party for him we HAD to go. Emma brought alexander the horse. They did a great job! They had cake and hot chocolate for the kids and crafts. The girls really enjoyed themselves. John hung near me, unless he was torturing his sisters with his scissor fingers. He would take their crafts and say "snip snip" while doing scissor motions with his fingers. The child has perfected the art of annoying his sisters.

The employees putting on the storytime were super interactive. Apparently, Borders offers storytimes nationwide through the week, if you have one near you, check it out.