First One Brother than the Other Brother

"We look like Papa now!"

Ballroom Showcase!

Oodles of Videos for YOU Bebe! And for anyone else who wants to see what a fun night was had by all. Yet another reason to love this school...middle school ballroom.

Mac dancing with Jordan and Sean




"FLASHMOB" Dance and Father Daughter Dance



Dr. Wendy (the principal!!!) and Mr. W (the ballroom teacher that all the kids love!)

thirteen...THIRTEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"thirteen years ago today...." as the story goes, "our shining star was born"....

We love you Mac. You were a beautiful and outstanding baby, a delightful and wonderful child and NOW you are INSPIRING and AWESOME teenager. TEENAGER!!! (yes, after 13 years we have earned the right to be completely and unabashedly MUSHY!!!)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooooo

AND xxxxoooooooxoxxxxxxxxxoooo
AND


now let's party!!!

Emmett's New Haircut!!!!!!!!!!

human video game (in undies)

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"

(Martin Luther King Jr.)

Received a great e-mail from Michelle Obama (we're pals, you know) asking me to participate in a day (or more!) of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday. The e-mail came with a link that makes it easy to volunteer in your neighborhood doing something...reading to foster kids, helping with afterschool homework, neighborhood clean-ups and garden projects, making brown bag lunches for those who are hungry etc etc. Check it out HERE. They make it really easy to find something we can all do be of service today!!!

birthday cakes on the brain

I can't believe I am wasting time doing this but these cakes are fricken hilarious.

Matt...

...and the
awesome new
meditation bench
that Chris made!

While the GOP wants to put an end to the health care bill...

...the 18,ooo + Physicians for a National Health Program and I are still wishing it would go completely in the other direction...

(Check out some of the frequently asked questions.)

We Hope Finley Loves Pokemon

Here are some pokemon we think she might like...

Ledyba, Turtwig and Squirtle!

What she needs to know . Silas says...

"There are zillions of pokemon, like little animals that are caught and trained. They live in pokeballs until their trainers have them come out to battle.

They like to battle, it's a fun game for them and they are never really hurt in battle.

They each have special powers and strengths and the cards describe what type they are."

For Silas its really all about looking endlessly at the books and cards and having me read them.

He begs Emmett and Mac to battle him all day long and they do...as long as they can stand it. Emmett is the one who passed on this love and is proud that Silas is so interested in reading because of it!

So there's the deal-eo around here. All pokemon, all the time. We really hope Finley is into it.

If not, I make a mean fort and Mac is getting her American Girls out for some lovin'...and there's always the trampoline!

xoxoxoxo (Aunt Sugar Cookie and Silas;)

Migraine Relief

I haven't had a migraine for 3 weeks now. I am crossing my fingers. It seems that if I take 2 Valerian capsules (usually for sleep and anxiety) with one Excedrin within the first hour of a developing migraine it goes away! GOES AWAY! Unreal.

I even woke up in the middle of the night with a screamer and within twenty minutes it was gone.

It doesn't seem to have negative side effects, isn't addictive and won't make me fall asleep during the carpool and I only need to take 2.

It also seems to work for the worst migraines triggered by barometer changes. Oh my god. The only negative thing I have heard about is that over time it can stop working. So far so good! I only wish I had heard about it long ago.

Thank you NPR.

Head-to-Toe Flannel

Just can't seem to find the time to blog about the many, many things that have happened so I have decided to start small.
Here is one of my favorite Christmas gifts (left).
Worlds Sexiest Nightgown! Especially when paired with wool pancho and weird boots while taking out post x-mas trash.

Matt just loves it so.

Happy New Year everyone.

A Great Christmas!

Besides the technology inundation, I'd say it was a perfect holiday! Christmas Eve full of food and laughter. Meg and Crys, Cia, Larry and Larry Jr and Richard, laughing and singing right along with Matt, Nana, the kids and me. I always wish that I took better or more pictures on Christmas Eve but I guess I am too busy having fun.
Christmas morning is just always magic. I think its the cinnamon rolls and the feliz navidad chihuahua!

And now for the endless videos...I couldn't choose and I know Bebe and Cami and Feee will love them!
...the crazy kitty...

...fruits of jolly...

...christmas morning, 6:30 a.m....

...2 hours later, they forget to check the last day of their advent calendar!...

I am still freaking out that Mac has a cell phone and we own a Wii. Yikes. Both came with a lovely set of parent-rules...

All in all, a GREAT Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve Day!

December 2010



Emmett at his Class Christmas Party singing "Country Roads"
good friend Riley.


Merry Christmas everyone.
The minestrone (for Nana) and potato soup (for Mac) are on the stove.
We are stocked with olives and dips and crackers and salad and cider and pies and cookies.
The kids have made an actual CHART of how many presents each person coming to our house is getting and they have made most of them! Silas every now and then will wrap up something random and add it to the pile.
We've made the gingerbread house and we are almost to the last day of the advent calendar (today was a slip of paper that read "lets make SUGAR COOKIES"...so we did).
Last night Nana and I took the kids to see "Little Fockers" and, oh my god, was it inappropriate for Emmett. Oops! (He's been telling jokes about it ever since. I am cringing!!!)
Papa is working until 2:00 today and it won't feel quite right until he's home...but this is a lovely Christmas so far. (Despite the December pitfalls... the flooded heater under the house, the broken computer, the branch that fell on our Valentine Apricot Tree, the leaky cabin roof, the handyman that jipped us for $240, the little leak that turned into a nightmare and last weeks flat tire- the 5th this year!! Yes, we will be completely happy to say good bye to this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
But this moment is magic and I am taking note (or taking blog).
I love all you beautiful people out there. May Your Christmas be
Peaceful and Cozy and full of LOVE!

School Pictures, 8th and 4th grades!

(I know I'm not supposed to say it but, dang, they are cute!)

While I was dealing with an online banking issue....

...doing this....

...Silas found my camera and decided to do this.