Dinner with Santa

I would love to show you pictures of our kids from dinner with Santa, but they're on Karen's camera.  I could show you pictures of Colleen's kids, except I don't have a card reader for our camera, and the cable is at the office...  So you're just going to have to imagine it.

Colleen's girls were all wearing emerald green dresses with white fur trim.  They looked like the Something Sisters from the 1930s, but I can't remember the name of the group.  Who knows what I mean?

I do have a picture of us from before we left.

I need to figure out a way to get those bows to stay in their hair for the party at Mom's on Wednesday.

There were 10 families in our group!  Of course, we couldn't all sit at one enormous table, so we were at several enormous tables.  I think we knew around 50 of the people there, plus 4 more who were at the second seating that we didn't get to see ( :( ).  It was SO MUCH FUN to see the kids with their little buddies, dancing and talking and eating and being merry!

It went the way it goes every year - sit with Santa for a picture, do a craft, eat a buffet-style supper, talk, sing carols, dance, do a crazy conga thing around the restaurant to "Feliz Navidad."  It was so fun to share a favorite tradition with so many of our friends.

Monica took this picture of Jack as she was leaving:

She said he looks like a toy in a shop window.  I love it that he brought red and green trains to match the Christmas theme!  And wasn't it good planning that the carpet and the paint match the whole Christmas red-and-green too?

When I asked the kids what they liked best about the Santa dinner this year, Claire said, "Everything!" and she went on to say something profound along the lines of, "That's what Christmas is!  It's being with your family!"

Our friends are family to her, and to me.  Love that.

Previous Santa Dinner posts can be found here, here, here, here, and there.

Things I Don't Understand - Christmas Edition

What is up with the Elf on the Shelf thing??  I am so confused.

Image from graphicsfairy.blogspot.com's old coloring book

So it is my understanding, mainly from Pinterest, that the elf is supposed to sit on the shelf and watch the children (creepy!) and report back to Santa (gah!) but only for December.  Seems like he should be there all year, to truly be effective, unless the sins committed in October don't count toward the naughty or nice list.

Ok, I'm with you so far, even though I think it's important to teach kids to be good for the sake of being good, because it's the right thing to do, and not because there is some material reward at the end of the year for not being a brat, I have been known to say, "Santa is watching!" when one of my kids is just being a pain in the butt for no reason.  (If Santa rewards run-on sentences, I'm gonna get a pony!)

And I get the part about moving the elf every night, because he jet-sets up to the North Pole to tell Santa what you've been up to all day.  Also, it's less creepy if the elf isn't watching you while you sleep, or do other... cough... bedroom things.  Amiright?

I think we need to agree, as a culture, that the sleep-watching thing is CREEPY

But if the elf is supposed to be at the North Pole all night, talking to Santa, and if he's supposed to be the judge of whether behavior is good or bad, why is he getting up to no good in the night while the kids are asleep??

Now, granted, most of my knowledge of this phenomenon comes from Pinterest, but look at these elves...  Why would Santa trust their judgment???

But MOM!  It was funny when Gumdrop Sparklehead did it!  Why are you mad at me?

Can you say, "Ants"?  I knew you could!

I was gonna put it in the Salvation Army bucket, I swear!

He sees you when you're crapping...  He knows whether you wipe!

I find this potty theme disturbing.

Mr. Jinglepants needs to see a urologist.

Oh my God, he peed in the milk!  BARF!

Face it.  Your elf is an asshole.

Aunt Kathryn Wins. Also, Christmas Stuff

Aunt Kathryn wins the prize for emailing me a thank you note from Red Stamp as instructed.  I laughed out loud!  Riley is such a ham.

I spent a good deal of time today planning our holiday activities.  Already.  We're going to ride the Polar Express, and Jack is going to flip his curly lid.  I also got Mom's annual Christmas open house on the calendar, and several other parties and special events.  It's crazy how fast December fills up with activities.  Our favorite for the past couple of years has been the Dinner with Santa at Lafayette Brewing Company.  I've checked, though, and it's not up on their online calendar yet.  We'll have to go for lunch sometime in the next few weeks to get the info.  It's funny - we just kind of stumbled onto that one several years ago, and we've been going ever since.  It's a lot of fun, and the kids really love it.

Imagine these filled with Brach's pick-a-mix,
hanging on the doorknob.

When I was a kid we used to go to Marshall Field's and have cocoa in the Walnut Room and see the tree.  I'm not sure that we did it every year, but when we did it was really special.  We also went to the Kiwanis Lunch with Santa when I was very little.  One of my few real memories of my Papa (he died when I was 6) is going to that event with him and my uncles when I had the flu, and getting sick in my salad bowl!  Of course he took me home right away.  They used to hand out those red mesh stockings full of candy, and my mom hung it on my bedroom doorknob (we lived in the house my sister lives in now, so I must have been between 3 and 5).  I couldn't have any, of course, because in the 1980s when you threw up your mom starved you for at least 24 hours minimum, and it was torture to have to look at it.  I still remember feeling so frustrated and disappointed, 30 years later!

I really like candy.

So far I've managed not to get all grumpy and stressed about Christmas like I normally do.  We'll see how long I can keep that up.  It's just so much pressure being the mom, and feeling like everyone's Precious and Important Holiday Experience is in your hands.  (Ok, that's b.s., I got stressed about the holidays before I had kids - it just got harder after the kids were born).

I know it's early to think about Christmas, but I'd love to hear about your family's holiday traditions.  Do you get grumpy and stressed, too?

Red Stamp

No one is paying me anything or giving me anything to write this post.  I just like to share the cool stuff I find with you all from time to time.

I suck at thank you notes.  I mean, really, really suck.  It's not that I'm ungrateful, I'm just really busy, and for some reason finding a stamp is as hard in this house as finding tape or a pair of scissors that is still suitable for cutting fabric (seriously, family, lay off Mommy's scissors!).  Excuses, excuses, it's one of the things on the short list of things I wish I could change about myself (we don't need to get into the rest of that list, it's depressing...  But I'd like to be in a single digit size between now and when I die, and also I really would like to cure my chronic foot-in-mouth syndrome).

And then I found out about Red Stamp, and everything changed.

Red Stamp is an iOS app.  You download it free from the app store, then you give it permission to muck around with your photos and your contacts, and BAM!  Instant thank you notes.

Seriously, look at the one I made from our Halloween picture in like 33 seconds:

Or this one that I sent to my mother-in-law after our trip to Chicago:

Or this one I sent to Uncle Doug and Aunt Kathy:

Once you've designed your card, you can email it, text it, save it to your camera roll, post it to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or you can pay $1.99 to have Red Stamp print it and send it to your recipient in the actual mail!

I am using the heck out of this thing.  Sure, the same functionality is available from a variety of websites (I've used Shutterfly for the past several years to do our Christmas cards, for example), but this app is so quick and so slick, and it makes sending personalized thank you notes so easy, that I have officially run out of excuses.  I don't have to plug in my camera, upload to my computer, walk uphill both ways to the post office...  I just choose the cute layout (and they have a lot of cute ones!), choose the picture, change the text, choose the recipient, and hit "MAIL IT!"

The other thing that I love is that they're something that the recipient will actually keep and enjoy, rather than just reading and saying, "Oh, that's nice," and tossing away.  (Actually, I keep every single personal piece of mail I get, from letters to thank you notes to Christmas cards, but I'm crazy like that.  Most people don't.)  I wish I had found the app before we left the Jack Hanna show, because I would've taken a picture of the kids.  I found it later that same day.  I just happened to have taken a picture of the logo on the wall and the screen to blog about it. 

So, there you go.  I just made your holidays a LOT easier if you have an iOS device.  You can just email me the thank you note. 

November 1

Dear Mrs. O. and Mrs. W.,

I am so, so sorry for inflicting my children on you today.  They are hungover from sugar and too much excitement.  You should get hazard pay.

When I told Claire that she could have "two pieces of candy" I failed to tell her that I meant fun sized pieces, and when I wasn't watching she ate a fun sized piece of something and then 3/4 of a king sized Reese's PB cup package that Grandpa Bob gave her.  I only know this because I found the wrappers on the counter and Claire on the ceiling.  She'll probably come down from the sugar high around 11 am today.

Mary Grace has a pretty serious sugar addiction to start with, so her blood sugar level isn't too far above her normal pre-diabetic level.  However, she IS reacting to her sister's hyperness, and so she's unusually grumpy and short tempered.

In addition to the sugar, they were also both up about an hour and a half later than usual last night.  Sorry.

Most of all, I'm sorry for being very, very relieved when it was time for them to go wait for the bus.

Sincerely,
Amy

Meaningless Gifts

Thanks for all the nice comments about the new bedroom decor!  You guys rock.  Jamie suggested using books to raise up the right hand lamp to the level of the left one, and it worked beautifully!  You're so smart!

So I have a dilemma.  The room parent is organizing a fall party for one of my girls' classes.  The note home said "feel free to bring in 22 non-food trinkets for the class."

A+ for saying "non-food."  My kid does not need 22 pieces of candy a few days before Halloween.  I am being 100% truthful when I tell you that we still have candy from last Halloween (and last Christmas, and last Easter....) in the house.  Mean Mommy does not let the children eat much candy.  Seriously, look at all the candy.

I took this, consolidated it all down into the blue bowl, threw some away,
and then promptly found ANOTHER container of candy.

Here's my problem, though...  We already do Valentine's day, and there will probably be a "holiday" party.  So, assuming that everyone participates, that means my kids will be bringing home 66 trinkets or pieces of candy per year.  Each.

132 is a lot.

I have two kids.  So assuming I spend twenty bucks to get these cute witches broom pencils for the class, times 2 kids in school, times 3 occasions per year...  That's $120 a year for a bunch of clutter.  (Or ~200 trinkets and $180 when Jack is in school!)

Furthermore, these transactional gift giving occasions - where you're required to get something for each child, and each child is required to get something for your child - I think they detract from the true meaning and spirit of what gift giving is supposed to be about.  How can I expect my kids to understand gratitude and generosity and those really important values when they're getting a bag full of cheap plastic crap from China three times a year?  (At the beginning of the school year I divided up all the pencils we got last year into two bags and sent them to the girls' teachers for their classrooms - and I still had a ton left.)

On the other hand, though, I don't want my kid to be the one jerk who shows up without something.  I don't want them to be singled out for not participating. I don't want them to feel uncomfortable if all their friends bring them something, but they don't have anything to give in return.

So what do I do?  Do I hit "reply all" and say, "Really?  Let's skip the trinkets!" and link to the blog (that is a VERY bad idea, no one should read this blog).  Do I just suck it up and send the trinkets and find something cheaper to buy in bulk to send?  Please tell me that this madness will end sometime in the next couple of years!

Love and kisses,
Scrooge

July 4 Drought Prediction

Indiana is experiencing a pretty severe drought right now.  I've tried to do my part by getting my car washed, but what rain we've had has been short and localized (of course that rain was on the day that I washed my car - you're welcome!).  The grass is brown and dying in our yard.  I really worry about the farms.  Expect food prices to be ridiculous this winter if we don't get some rain soon.

Yesterday a grass fire about 5 miles away caused one interstate and one highway to be shut down for half an hour because the smoke was limiting drivers' visibility.  This sort of thing is common out west, it's virtually unheard of here.

There was a partial burn ban (basically they said, "We really recommend that you don't set anything on fire right now, but we aren't going to fine you if you do...") earlier this month, and it got upgraded to a full burn ban (no bonfires, no trash fires, no fires, and please don't pitch your lit cigarette butts out the car window either, genius) a week or two ago.

Unfortunately, as if we needed further proof that the Indiana legislature enjoys a long history of insanity, Indiana has a law (IC 22-11-14-10.5) preventing counties and towns from banning fireworks on certain dates (around July 4 and New Years).

Somebody already fought for your right to par-tay.

I've never understood the appeal of fireworks.  I think I'm too Scottish.  In my opinion, you might as well stand in the yard and set twenty dollar bills on fire.  But we have several neighbors who love fireworks, and we've returned home many a July 4 to a traumatized dog and a ton of debris in our yard. 


I can't decide if we should stay home this year and keep one hand on the garden hose; or if we should put everything irreplaceable in the car, double our insurance coverage, and go to the municipal fireworks.


I predict that unless we get some rain Hoosiers with fireworks will cause dozens of fires this July 4, and will do millions of dollars worth of property damage.  

Happy Father's Day

After swimming lessons, we spent the afternoon out at Grandpa Ben's farm with Grandpa Bob and Grandpa Ben's friends John and Carolyn.  We had a cookout and sugar cream pie, the state pie of Indiana.

Like Indiana, it's sweet, but a little weird.

Happy Father's Day to all of you who are dads.  It's not an easy job.

The Word of the Day...

The word of the day is SUGAR.

If Valentine candy isn't the best reason to get a sitter and go out for dinner, I don't know what is.

Sorry, Grandpa Bob.  Heh heh heh...

Happy Father's Day!

When I chose a father for my kids, I was so smart. I took all the best qualities of 

and 

plus some of

and

and I found one man who possesses all the best qualities of all the dads in my life.

I didn't know it at the time, but I'm so glad that he already had a whole bunch of

And it was a surprise to find that he even shared some of the qualities that made

...so special.

Add up all of those great men, plus 10 years and three kids, and you get

To all of the dads who taught me to recognize the best daddy I could have possibly dreamed of for my kids, and to my kids' dad, thank you for everything that you are, and everything that you do.

Happy Father's Day!

Mother's Day Spookiness

Yesterday was a super busy day.  I ran errands while the girls were at school (car wash, Hobby Lobby, pharmacy, accountant's office, picking up keys for the new intern at work...), then I came home and made them lunch, then Dad watched them for a while so Jack and I could go to work.  I got home about 3:30 and started frantically cleaning, since we're still in post-vacation-mess mode and my father-in-law and his wife were coming over for dinner.

As I was rushing around, I got warm so I opened up the screen door to let in some fresh air.  I looked outside and there was a car full of people, talking animatedly and pointing at my house.  Their windows were down, so I shouted, "Ya wanna buy it?"

A man shouted back, "We already did!"

Huh?

I said, "Oh?" because I couldn't think of anything witty.  He said, "We were the first owners of this house, back in the 60s!"

"Really!  Well, come on in!" I said.

"Seriously?"

"Of course!  I'm sure you'd love to see it!"

So they pulled around and parked in front, and came inside, everyone talking at once.

It turned out that the father had been president of the bank, and they had three kids when they moved in here - a girl, another girl, and a boy.  Spooky, because we have the same arrangement of kids!  They teased me that we were going to have another girl, because they'd brought their youngest sister home when they lived here (she wasn't with them yesterday).  If we do, we'll have to name her Betsy.  Speaking of names, the oldest daughter said that she has a granddaughter named Mary Grace!  Another bizarre coincidence - their bedrooms were in the same places that ours are now - the boy had Jack's room, the parents slept in ours, and the girls were upstairs.  They even had a baby changing area in the same place we have one now for Jack!

Of course, a lot has changed.  The kitchen is arranged completely differently from the way it was when they lived here.  The fireplace was added (I never knew that, I figured it was original).  The tile in the upstairs bathroom is original (and not too bad looking for 48 year old tile!).

They stood in the kitchen and pointed at the corner where they'd had their TV.  "Do you remember sitting right here and watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan?" they said to each other.

After they'd been here a little while they said that their mother had died this past year, and that their father was having a hard time, so even though they live all over the country, now, they'd come back here to remember, and to feel like they were near her.  She and their dad were married for 58 years.

I was so pleased to be able to let this family into our home, so they could feel close to their mom again.  They were so lovely.  It was obvious that they are a close-knit family - exactly how I hope my kids will be when they're grown.

When I said, "How funny that I just happened to be at the door when you stopped!  I'm usually in the kitchen.  And how odd that I felt moved to say something to you!"  They replied, "Oh, I'm sure that was Mom, making sure that we got a chance to visit our old home."

I hope so.

Happy Mother's Day.  I hope that you feel close to your mom tomorrow, wherever she is.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

I adapted my favorite oatmeal pancake recipe to make carrot cake pancakes this morning.  They got four thumbs up!  (It looks like a long ingredient list, but it's mostly spices).

Happy Easter!


Carrot Cake Pancakes
 
Makes about 18 pancakes

 

3/4 cup oat flour (pulse rolled oats in food processor or blender - 1 c oats = 3/4 c oat flour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

dash ginger

dash cloves
3/4 teaspoon Kosher or coarse salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2 tablespoons honey
2 large eggs, beaten

 

Optional:

chopped pecans

raisins

Whisk the dry ingredients (oat flour, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, spices and salt) together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the butter, milk, shredded carrot, honey and eggs together until thoroughly combined. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Don't overmix.

Cook on a hot griddle or in a skillet.  If desired, spoon batter onto griddle, then sprinkle raisins and/or pecans onto the top of the pancake just before flipping.

Serve the pancakes hot, straight from the skillet or keep them warm in a low oven.  Serve with honey and Greek yogurt, maple syrup, or sweetened cream cheese.

This is the best way to get a serving of veggies in before noon!

Organizing My Life with Evernote

(No one paid me anything to write this, although I'd happily accept a year of Evernote Premium in return for being such a nice blogger, if the Evernote people happen to find this...)

I've been looking for a solution for literally YEARS to the information overload that plagues me.  I think I've found it with Evernote.

Evernote is free.  You download the app to your phone and your computer, and you can access it through the 'net, too.  You can save images, photos, lists (with check boxes), web pages, PDF files, notes... and in the premium version you can save Microsoft Office documents.

I have to admit, I've had it on my phone for a long time without realizing its potential.  But yesterday I had some time to fool around with it, and I'm really excited about the possibilities...

One area where I have total info overload is recipes. I'll be surfing and I'll see something and think, "Gosh, I really want to try that!" but then when I sit down to plan our grocery list I have NO idea what to make.  I can't remember that there was this recipe on Allrecipes and that recipe on Pioneer Woman and so on.  Well, now when I'm surfing and I come across a recipe, I just "clip" it to Evernote.  Just this morning I made Oatmeal Pancakes from Smitten Kitchen (LOVE these) and I clipped it to Evernote (with a picture copied and pasted into the file!) so that next time I want to make them, I don't have to search for the recipe (and run the risk of finding the wrong Oatmeal Pancakes because I can't remember which blog it was, or the risk of the whole blog being taken down for whatever reason).  If the internet is down, I can still make them, because the file is mirrored on my computer.

I can scan in my own recipes and put them in the same "notebook."  Then, when I make them, I can take a picture with my phone and upload it to the recipe easily.  I can tag all of my recipes, too.  Entree, Beef, Chicken, Dessert, Must Try!, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Christmas Cookies....  The possibilities are endless, and it will make them easy to find.  And it's SEARCHABLE!

Now, imagine I'm at the grocery store and I suddenly have an urge to make pancakes...  I can call up the recipe on my iPhone and make sure I have all the ingredients (ok, bad example, because I always have all those ingredients, but if I wanted to make some exotic recipe that didn't just use pantry staples, and I couldn't remember if I needed lemon or lime or whatever, I'd have that information at my fingertips).  If I'm up in Grammaland and I want to make a new Christmas cookie with Mimi, we can pull up all my recipes on her computer and use them there.  And since it's web, phone, and computer based, I don't have to endlessly print out the same recipes (or type up the same recipes to send to someone - I can e-mail it to you straight out of Evernote).

Ok, so beyond recipes and groceries, I have plenty of ideas for how Evernote can simplify my life.  If I'm talking to someone and they mention a book I'd like to read, I can put it in a special note (with check boxes!!) called "Books to Read" - then, 10 years from now when I have time to read again, I can call up that list and have all those book titles at my fingertips.  Ditto for movies.  How many times have we been sitting in a theater watching previews and said, "That looks great!" but then we get to movie night and we can't think of anything to rent.  Oh my gosh, that happens every time!

Let's say I'm out shopping and I see something that my mom would love.  Well, we draw names at Christmas so I don't get her a Christmas present every year... but I could put a note called "gift ideas" in my phone, and jot it down, and then if I draw Mom I've already got an idea for her.  I could also clip a website to Evernote if I'm surfing and run across something I'd like to get for her.  Awesome, right?  I can't be the only one who gets to December and draws a total blank on what to get for everyone.

We get freezer beef every year.  I am considering making a checklist of what we get, then checking it off as I use it.  With the checklist function, there is a lot of potential for inventory. 

But wait, there's more!  If I'm on the phone with someone at work, and I need to take notes on the conversation to refer to later, I have a whole notebook called "Work" where I can keep that stuff, and tag it so that I can find it.  There are about a thousand ways I can use it at work, all of which are boring because they're work, so let's move on.

Kids' sizes?  In a note so that if I'm shopping without them I can remember what size shoe they wear.  I never remember shoe sizes.  I can put BJ's sizes in there, too. 

Medical stuff that I need to remember?  Note.  Tagged with the person's name.  Magically accessible from anywhere so that if (God forbid) we're in the ER and they need to know when something happened, I can call it up and tell them exactly.

We want to build a house in a few years.  As I'm surfing if I run across an idea I like, it goes into Evernote.  If it's in a magazine I can scan in the page.  If it's at someone's house I can take a picture with my phone.  So when we sit down to design our "forever" house, I'll have years worth of ideas at my fingertips.

I can even take pictures of the kids' art projects (or scan them) so I don't have to store the originals.  Tag them with the kid's name and date them, and poof!  Instant preservation.  It doesn't get much easier.

I just couldn't wait to share this tool with all of you.  I hope you find it as useful as I do!

Dinner with Santa

Monday night we went to LBC for the Dinner with Santa.  It was truly a last minute decision because MG had been sick all day Sunday with a pukey flu.  I am SO glad we went!

When we arrived, they seated us with a Christmas ornament craft.  It was a Christmas tree with sticker ornaments.  Then we went up to tell Santa what we want for Christmas.  MG drew a picture for him, which I thought was so sweet.  After that, there was a nice buffet dinner.  The best part, though, was the dancing.  A woman played the keyboard and sang Christmas songs - Santa even danced with the kids for one song.  He must have been hot in that suit!  It was a great time.

I clouded up because my Papa and my uncles used to take me to the Kiwanis Lunch with Santa, and I was about MG's age the last time I went with Papa.  Being there with my own kids was a real "circle of life" moment, and it brought back that memory (one of the few authentic memories of him that I have - he died when I was 6) so clearly.  I told one of the waitresses, as I choked up, that attending Dinner with Santa was one of the best things we ever did.  She must have thought I was nuts!

Anyway, if you're local you'll know what LBC is (e-mail me if you don't), and if you have kids I HIGHLY recommend that you go next year.  It was only $5 for kids and $13 for adults - what a deal!  It's definitely going to be a Pretty Baby Family Tradition.

Later, this boy gave his big candy cane to Claire.  She's already a heartbreaker at age 3!

SO excited to dance with Santa!!

Frightful Weather!

My bonus mom, my siblings, and their significant others were supposed to come down from Grammaland today, but couldn't because of the weather. 

Claire is all worried because she thinks they can't come down because of a lizard.  Hahaha!

MG seems to be coming down sick, so it's probably for the best.

Nothing goes according to plan.

I Nest Wrong

Some people go on vacation when they're expecting.  Others will get massages, manis, and pedis at the spa.  What do we do?  Home repair and improvement.  Nesting generally isn't supposed to involve this many power tools.  But our girls wanted bunkbeds, and because of the wonky ceiling and enormous window in their room, the pre-fab one wouldn't fit...  So, we improvised.

Here's the before:

There is no potential for head injury here!  Let's elevate this bedroom!

That's better!

Mommy spent a LOT of time sanding.  We can't have our princesses pricking their fingers and then sleeping for 100 years, after all. 

Oh wait, that was a spinning wheel.  Well, whatever.  Look at all that dust!

Then Daddy sanded for a while.

So, now that we have the major structures in place, BJ is at the hardware store trying to figure out a solution for the stairs and/or ladder.  I guess what he had planned isn't working.  Some kind of saw malfunction or something.  I think leaving them this way would really cut down on the number of times the kids get up during the night, but I'd probably end up changing the sheets more often.  Do you think we could teach them to use chamber pots?

Anyway, once we have the ladder/stairs done, we'll cut the facing that will go on the front out of plywood.  Each loft will look like a castle tower, we're going to paint them gray and then sponge on some stone, maybe some arrow slits or windows or something...

...then we're going to get two identical bookshelves to put on either side (where the dressers are now), and we're going to paint the backs of the bookshelves to look castle-y too.

BJ has plans for a drawbridge in between.

We need to clear out the rug (pictured above, all rolled up and stuck against the bed) and the stand for the fish tank (BJ thinks that we should sink it into the floor to make it a moat, but I don't want fish in my bedroom ceiling). 

We have a LOT of painting to do, but I can't really do it when I'm pregnant, so it'll have to wait.  Mary Grace wants her bed "hot pink" (behind the tower face) and Claire wants hers "hot purple." 

Once we're all finished, all the stuffed animals will become Royal Subjects, and they shall move upstairs.  All the dress up clothes will make their way up to the Royal Wardrobe, too.  It should really make the family room look cleaner once we're done.

So that's what we did on our Thanksgiving break.  And now I'm thankful that BJ's going back to work tomorrow, so that I can rest!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving American readers!

This year, as always, I'm thankful for my wonderful family and friends.  I'm thankful that my kids are healthy.  I'm thankful for my husband and for everything he does for our family.  I'm thankful that my pregnancy has (so far) been completely healthy and uneventful, in spite of all my worrying.  I'm thankful that the crisis at work worked out the way it did.  I'm thankful that our business has weathered the recession.  I really have so much to be thankful for, it's hard to list it all.

Photo by floodllama on Flickr - because it cracked me up

I'm especially thankful that each of you takes a moment out of your own busy life to stop by here once in a while to check in on mine.  I'm thankful for all the compassion and support you show through your comments here and on Facebook.  I really appreciate each of you.

With love,
Amy

Halloween

We spent most of yesterday finishing the siding on the northwest side of the house, and when I say "we" I mean "BJ and his dad did all the work while I came out and made encouraging noises occasionally, watched the kids, and made sure they ate a nice hot lunch."

These are essential services.

We have two more sections to finish on the house, and then we'll be done. 

At around 3:00 they called it quits, and we carved our pumpkins.  I like doing them on Halloween so they don't rot or get smashed.  Then we put the girls' costumes on (Woody and Jessie from Toy Story) and trick or treated in our neighborhood.  When we got too cold to go on, we came home and watched "The Great Pumpkin" and let the kids eat way too much candy.  We confiscated the yucky ones - like the peanut butter cups and the Kit Kats and Almond Joys.  Heh heh!

It's hard to believe it's November and time to start thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Where has 2010 gone?

Father's Day

I asked the kids if they wanted to give Daddy a Father's day message on the blog, and here (word for word) is what they said.

Mary Grace:  I love you most of all, Daddy.  You are my favorite.  I love that you fix all my toys.  I'm thankful because of my Daddy because he gave me the bamboo a long time ago, and I still remember it.  I want to take you to see the Shrek movie for your next birthday if it's still in the theater.  Or, maybe we can go get the movie if it's out on DVD, and we can watch it with Daddy.  I love you forever and ever and ever for all the things you do with me, like taking me to the Science Cafe and taking me to go launch rockets, go on vacation, wrestle, and robots!  Most of all, thank you for getting me the robots and thank you for taking me every place I like.

Claire: I love you after and always. (I think she means "forever and ever and always," like the book.  :)  I asked her if she wanted to say anything else, and she repeated it three times, just like the book.)

Amy:  Thank you, BJ, for being such a wonderful dad, and a wonderful husband.  I love you.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Father's Day!

April Fool's Day

I had a lot more free time last year.  Click here to read about my prank on the kids.

This year, April 1 falls on one of those running-from-the-time-we-get-out-of-bed-until-bedtime days, so no prank this year.