and it starts again!

I knew this day would come. I lived thru years of torment while Phil was in Scouts. It was a great experience for him and a wonderful way for Scott and Phil to bond when Scott came into our lives. I on the other hand could never set foot into a Scout meeting and live a very fulfilled life. Tonight, I entered round 2 of Scouts. I knew it would happen. and I would NEVER deny Andrew the opportunity that Scouting provides. I promise to smile thru all of the Pine Wood Derbys, I will duly hit all my friends up to buy popcorn from Andrew. In return I will have to buy what everyone else's munchkin sells with a happy heart and a lighter wallet. I Promise to look into finding the glue to put patches on the uniforms because I don't want tales of my past sewing misfortunes to haunt Andrew (or me ) for the rest of my natural life.

On the camping note however I will do so will with a smile on my face and my massuse's phone number on speed dial. I am currently checking into what latest camping gear offers. you have to understand in my first go around with scouts I had a 3 room tent, with an oversized queen blow up mattress that my sheets would fit. I had my pillows from home. The tent was big enough to hold 2 folding chairs with cup holders. I got rid of it years ago. My friend Joan and I would head for the nearest mall on the yearly canoe trips. I will go camping again but only with updated versions of my previous camping life. Scott and I had been married a month and almost divorced over an ill fated canoe trip. I swear the paddle could save itself as I was going under. it was every paddle for itself.

I will do it with a smile as I did the first time. I promise.

plagerism. Thanks Elaine

find something to believe in. Believe in a higher power, believe in karma, believe in your partner, believe in the regeneration of life, believe in mercy, or believe in anything else. But I do hope you find something to believe in. It'll provide you strength when you're not certain you have it. Second, a smile can go a long way.

This is from my friend Elaine's blog. this was advice she gave her son in her monthly letter to him. Elaine is an extremely eloquent writer and these are certainly words to live by. (for the record her older sister and my sister were best friends when they were young and I used to babysit them. ) Who knew that little moppet could teach me so much as an adult.

I love your blog Elaine and miss it when you don't post. You are a remarkable mom and human.

Oh here is the link to her blog.

Why?

Why is it the United States people are more concerned about who got screwed in the fight to host the Tonight Show than they are with their fellow humans who are fighting for their lives and existence in Haiti?

quiet

THe house is strangely quiet and feels very large and empty right now. It is amazing how the presence of one person home on break or their returning to college can change the feel of things so much.

off again

Well tomorrow we are headed back to Disney for another mini trip. Phil has never been to Disneyland so we thought we would head down for a couple days. Last trip for a while. Scott has a couple business trips coming up and Phil will be back in March with fraternity bros. Dad will be here in MArch as well. Nothing on the horizon for me until June when we head back to Kansas for our class reunion.

Another year coming to a close

I said i was going to attempt 170 post in the past year. I managed 86. not the number I had hoped for but it is an improvement from last year. Things were a little hectic this year with Scott's second surgery, then the car thing.

Looking back I am ready to not only close the door on this year but this decade. It plain and simply sucked donkey D****.. I am looking forward. Who knows what the future holds?

This coming year - I am making plans to go to Disney with my oldest friend from grade school. I have always wanted a girls weekend at Disney and I can't think of a better person to do it with. I have our class reunion this summer. Number 25. WOW!!!!! Phil turns 21 in May. that makes me feel just as old as going to my 25th reunion.

My goal for posts this year is 100. I think it might be more doable than 170. so I will set the goal low and feel great when I surpass it.

May your New Year be filled with all you wish for - health, happiness and love. What more is there?

new yarn

Christmas Morning in Pictures

Please see this blog

I rarely refer you to another blog but please read this and understand why we need healthcare reform

Connor and Helen Grow Up

Cathy

Polar Express

I feel like time is slipping away. It is the first time I have felt that with Phil. I am becoming aware that Christmas on Christmas may end in the next couple years and I am trying to savor every minute of this Christmas. Next year we have plans for a family vacation Christmas but I have a sneaking suspicion some one new may be joining us. (all I am going to say on that) I actually found myself crying yesterday to "slipping through my fingers" from Mama Mia.

So this Christmas I resolved to make it memorable. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Polar Express thru one of the home school groups for the 4 of us.(there are 14000 tickets available every year and they sell out in less than 6 hours) We had lunch, toured the California State Railroad Museum, the took a train ride to the North Pole. It was a wonderful afternoon and evening.Let's get this party started

The engineer asking for directions.

My handsome boy

The chefs handing out cookies

Hot! Hot!Ooh, we got it!Hot! Hot!Hey, we got it!Hot! Hot!
Say, we got it!Hot chocolate!

Just love this picture

What can I see?

We still believe.

Listening for the magic

This is where the magic is.

Officially Happy

Phil arrived today. We all went to the airport to pick him up. As we were waiting for Phil to get his bag Drew looked at Scott and I and said "We are a family again."

What more is there to say?

just when I think he can't surprise me

Every once in a while Scott really surprises me. Today was one of those times.

I am not a big comedy fan. Can't stand most stand up comidians. There is one exception to the rule. BILL ENGVALL! That man can make me laugh so hard I fall out of bed.

He knew I would NEVER EVER spend the money to go see him so for Christmas he bought us floor seats for his show. Feb 27 can't get here fast enough.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME.

I LOVE MY HUSBAND

Everybody's fine

If you happen to go to see the movie "Everybody's Fine", keep your eye out for a train scene. Scott's aunt Jayne Houdyshell has a small part. She is currently starring on Broadway with John Stamos in Bye Bye Birdie.

Christmas dinner

Shock of all shocks - I have most of Christmas dinner planned and I have 25 days to go. It will be a departure from our normal calorie laden heavy cream and butter meal. I hear my arteries unclogging as I type. I have invited our priest and his wife, Father Ray and Deb to Christmas dinner. Their kids and grandson were with them for Thanksgiving so they were going to be alone for Christmas. Can't have that so I invited them to ours.

Scott wanted something lighter than our normal fair. He wanted an Italian flair. Italian flair for Standing Rib Roast? OK let me think about it....

Gotta love Facebook. I saw my friend Judi was online. I knew her from High School and she currently lives in Italy. I asked her what there traditional Christmas dinner was. She told me on Christmas Eve they would be having Lumache. UMMMM Don't think so. Snails have never passed these lips and never will. Next suggestion.

We came up with:

Polenta with marinated mozzarella
Prosciutto with Brie and Cantelope
Butternut Squash soup with sour cream
Standing Rib Roast
Zuchinni (something) it is browned in olive oil and salt and then sour cream in added at the last minute for a nice sauce
fresh green beans

Something decadent and chocolate for dessert. Maybe mini chocolate lava cakes. or Creme brule?

Now Drew won't touch any of it so for him....Is McDonalds open on Christmas day?

shopping

I have come to the conclusion this year if I can't get it online with Free shipping it isn't going under my tree. Amazon will be my best friend by the time I am done.

Be Thankful

Be thankful for those who you share the day with. They love you.

Say a prayer for those who are alone. Say a prayer for those in harms way.

Be safe.

I know my family is thankful I am not in charge of the gravy this year.

I am thankful for my family, my friends. I am thankful for the blessing that have been granted to us.

Every day

Every day God shows me why He chose the path for me that He did and for that I am grateful.

halloween at the orginal mouse house

She really does make wishes come true

Waiting for a parade

Drew and Max on Air Guitar

fighting Darth Maul

Meeting Drew Hero

Drew and Jack before the Halloween party

OK Update time

OK I have been MIA for a while. Just haven't had the motivation to say much. Shocking for those that know and impressive for those that don't.

We spent several days at Disneyland. Great time but we agree that Disney World is much much better. Even Scott who really has had no opinion on my Disney obsession felt that in the future a weekend trip for a fix to DL was fine but he would prefer to take the time and money and spend a week (10 days in my opnion) in Florida. We are kind of looking at that option for next Christmas. HAve to see how money pans out. Pictures from Disneyland soon.

We still love the church we found in July. They are the best most genuine people I have come across in a long long time. We have truly found a home.

I have been dyeing yarn like a crazy woman. I have 2 craft fairs coming up in the next couple weeks. Don't have nearly enough yarn but I am supplementing with some other stuff. Hoping to make several hundred dollars to pay for Christmas.

Home schooling is gettng better. We are finally getting a routine and Drew is working really hard. He struggles with Math but we are finding ways around that. We do lots of unit projects. Right now we have one on Dinosaurs, one on forest animals. We do English every day. We are also working on a health unit.

I have Christmas projects in various stages of completeness. ML's is done except for snipping threads and having it blocked. Sues needs to be sewn together, Jane's needs to be finished and blocked and I need to be knitting like a fiend on Phil's. Drew also wants a scarf done. ACK! Once the yarn is dyed I will be knitting like a fiend. Knitter's elbow here I come again.

Phil will be here December 16 for about a month. Can't wait to see my kid. Haven't seen him since June. That is a long long time.

OK you are now up to date. I promise to be better about this. I have realized I will not make my goal for posts for the year. But there is always a new year tomorrow.

Trees

Last Monday and Tuesday we had a very bad storm. 60 MPH winds 3 inches of rain. It doesn't rain much here so while 3 inches may sound like nothing to you in Sacramento that 3 inches put us at 442% of normal precip for the year. So it was significant. We lost a tree so it also did lots of neighbors but here are some pics from the storm damage.

Neighbors yard

Our lost tree - the roots

The tree from our yard

Our tree laying in the neighbors drive way.