Happy New Year EVE

To celebrate 2009 this blog will get a new look & title

c-ya in 2009

the Wii debacle

our Wiimote claimed it's first victim
with one over zealous
throw from the resident 6 year old
my candle never saw it coming

what do we do when we are snowed in.....

so now i get it

why the snow is a big deal here

THERE IS NO SNOW REMOVAL

and when i say none I mean NONE

when i did venture out to the store for some last minute things

the parking lots were covered with about a foot of ICE yup the snow had been left so long it was like driving on icebergs

in our parking lot they didn't remove the snow from the top of the covered parking so

they collapsed....on the cars

YUP...guess it was a good thing we don't have a covered space ( never thought I would say that)

now we have finally witnessed Seattle's snow removal plan

It has begun to rain--and the rain--is REMOVING the snow

so now we have PUDDLES everywhere

but at least everyone here knows how to drive in the rain

PROBLEM SOLVED

here is what went on in our home during the snow days

daddy snuggled, cuddled, teased, & giggled with the kids

Emme cooked up so treats



the boyz escaped the house to build a friend

and make some Angels


And i BAKED

chicken pot pies...among other things

recipe will be posted HERE

then she decided she didn't want any hair in the front & was less than remorseful about using the present wrapping scissors to take care of her perceived problem.

so

TODAY WE GO OUT

pacific science center --Ahoy !

Christmas in our Home

On a day like today....

I wish to keep my home decorated for Christmas year round. The Christmas tree is lit, the children are giggling while playing with their treasures, the beautiful smell of pine wafts from the oil burner, the kitchen is full of homemade delectable(s), & Christmas music still plays. Yet maybe it isn't that I want to keep my home decorated...maybe I want to freeze this moment. My children are all still young & free from most outside influences. Could they really stay this way forever....please

Yet as I write this...I realize. We are celebrating Jesus Christs' birth and his plan for us. Which is a plan of happiness....a plan that includes facing adversity....a plan that through trials we can become as we were intended from the beginning.

Although I would love to freeze this moment, I realize the importance of the NEXT moment.

So....I will drink it in...I will appreciate this time I have...I am the only one who can let the outside invade my home & I will not let it !

CHristMAs DAy

Well it hit our home like a ton of bricks

well a ton of bricks that fell at 6 AM

after a night of late praying for the UPS man to deliver

( to no avail )

the boss dug his new ride

Grandma sent homemade aprons for the GIRLS
And the 'rents finally gave in to the boys dream of owning the elusive
{Wii }

and domestic diva EmmE enjoyed the best

fully loaded kitchen

EVER

FUNNY MONDAY..it's back

The other day.......

i took the kids to see the Nutcracker ( 11 o'clock kids showing)

and

Emeline who was soooooooo super thrilled to see the "balletd"

enjoyed the ballet

endured the intermission

ewed and ahhhed at all the tu tu's

then about 10 minutes from the closing curtain

she said in her LOUDEST SHRILLEST voice

" MOM..I HATE this....I JUST WANT TO GO EAT PIZZA"

LOL..well i wanted to

your turn

your turn

your turn

your turn

retracted {ISH}

so i guess a little bit of an

apology

is in order

to the good people of SEAttLE:

I am sorry...you do have a lot of snow this year

i realize that without

snow ploughs

general snow & ice driving knowledge

&

salted roads

you have adequate reason to be concerned for your

vehicular safety

thus it is more than understandable

that you would

call a ENTIRE week

of snow days

why the change of heart

you may ask

because

today not only was my eldest able to stay home with me

but the Mr. was encouraged

via email

to stay at home and build snow men or make snow angels with his family

THANK YOU

Washington snow

THANK YOU

i loved & appreciated the day spent with my

family

chess was played, dolls hair combed, tuna melt bagels devoured, furniture rearranged, fire made

&

joy was felt

Quirky

well the snow fell here.......just enough to whiten the trees

and

i guess freak out the entire city

we are going on the THIRD snow day

yup

Jaxson has yet to step foot in Kinder since

the ummm......inch of

SNOW FALL

giggle giggle giggle

even the Mr.'s colleagues are concerned....so each evening they prep their work for the next day and take it home..just in case they are unable to return to work the next day

WELL I guess coming from UTAH where the

SNOW is SERIOUS

and yet I am straining to remember even ONE snow day

I just don't get what all the fuss is about

yet, I enjoy having ALL my children at home with me

and am planning GREAT things for the WEEK before

CHRISTMAS

i hope the snow finds you all well & if you are lucky out of school

Pictures of my Mom's THANKFUL event

How do you seat over 50 people beautifully....well if you are my mother this is how

the pumpkin themed table seats

each person with their own place card..of course

the feather table/ thankful table......thankful to be sitting at that table

the acorn table...complete with acorn bowls to hold the cranberry sauce

the pear table.....red chargers for all

and the famous table named for the main dish

and you mustn't forget the children...

each with their own coloring book ( turkey shaped of course) and turkey with markers for feathers

We are SOOOOOO very THanKfuL my Mother stress's herself out over these amazing place setting...thank you thank you thank you for your many Robert's Visits

ode to M201 on our one week anniversary

Dear new apartment,

we know you never thought you had a chance

winning our affection seemed impossible

and only one week in

you have almost won us over

with your

pool

hot tub

sauna

beautiful fireplace

and mantle seemingly made for our nativity

yes it helps that

you have been decorated

for

our favorite season

yet, there is something about you

is it that we are all forced to be closer together?

is it that we never needed more space?

is it that we are finally doing the things we feel are most important?

or is it simply that you are very easy to clean?

for all the reason above & many more we are sure

that our year here while waiting for home ownership will be

just as delightful

as any we have had before

thank you

thank you

thank you

for being so accommodating, warm, and lovely

***pics to come***

Funny Monday

9 & 1/2 hours into a

13 hour drive home

1 am

middle of

NoWHERE

we

got a flat

yup

FLAT TIRE

not unexpected

earlier

we had tried to change it

because it wasn't holding air

but it wouldn't come off

so we filled it

and hoped

it wouldn't pop

at

1 am

shucks

the MR

bundled in every coat we could find

spent uuuuuu

about an hour

until he finally gave up trying to get the tire off

then drove it off ( carefully )

funny ?

maybe someday

un {packing}

re {designing}

very {tired}

no {internet-yet}

super {crazy}

no {new header}

4 {restless kids}

great { vacation}

blessed {carvjal's}

saturday we are "supposed" to get our Internet set up

more then