whatever

overheard in the dark
on the drive home from a christmas celebration
sean says to his siblings…
“who would win in a slap fight – Harry Potter or the Hulk?”

it caught my attention.
they all laughed and then started in on their own.
they were each shouting
“who would win in a slap fight….”

Billy Ray Cyrus or Elvis?

the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty?

a clown or Dad?

Frodo or Luke Skywalker?

Jamie Lynn Spears or Brittney?

Chicago or Kansas?

Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp?

Fred or Barney?

and my favorite…again from sean…

Salami or Ham?

where do they come up with stuff?
there were at least 20 more but these were my favorite.
silly silly children.

it’s been a wild weekend.
friday night scrabble.
lauren had nothing to do so she played with us.
i only play to be a part of the family…
making a moment…bonding and all that.
i don’t have a scrabble kind of brain.
they play for points.
(it takes forever)
i am lucky if i can make a word let alone put it somewhere worth points.

craig makes killer tapioca pudding.
he has made it for us since we first got married.
it’s one of his specialties.
pancakes is another.
he and i are the only ones who like it it.
which makes it an even better treat.

i taught annie how to play memory.
now we have to play it everyday.

she got a match!
this game was bright and early…
8:00 AM saturday morning i believe.
the sun was just coming up over our neighbor’s house.
she’s getting pretty good.

and even more wild…
we went swimming.

the hot tub was great.
other than everytime i went in it annie would scream and cry
until i’d get back in the pool with her.
i guess if we are going to go swimming close to bedtime on a day without a nap…
that’s what i get.

and wrapped up the weekend
making straw and bead necklaces with my kindergarten sunday school class.
oh yeah…there was also a 10 hour cleaning spree in between games & swimming.

this place is just too exciting.

i don’t want to forget….

craig’s mom asking for annie to sing her program song.
she stood up on a chair in front of us all
she shouted very loud waving her arms
“EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!”
not Away in the Manger.
then she giggled like crazy.
so did we.

craig’s mom opening her gift with annie’s help
she says “we got dat! we got dat fo you at da MOLLL!! yeah…da moll”
nodding her head up and down.
she likes to talk about the mall.

scott reading the christmas story for all of us on christmas morning.

annie being sick for all of christmas.
poor baby.

all the christmas art…
different every year.

annie knocking over a table in my mom’s kitchen
with a candle, lots of dishes and food on it…
trying to get to her beloved playdoh in the bottom drawer.
we were very lucky that she wasn’t hurt.
wow…it was the loudest sound i have ever heard!
when we were leaving my dad hugged annie and said
“thanks for breaking my dishes”
she said “Wham-pa that was a ass-i-dent!”

the beautiful snow that almost ruined christmas.
(those are my mom’s christmas lights shining through the snow.
it was nearly impossible to drive in.
thankful that everyone made it safely.

a really lovely time with craig’s dad’s side of the family.
so nice to just sit and talk this year.
i really enjoyed it.
becky’s house looked so pretty.

fondue at our house…2nd year in a row.
we love hosting parties.
craig’s family has fondue every year…
anything you can dip or fry – they do it.
lots of food…
then games for the rest of the evening.
chad, ross and gary you are too funny.
“terry brown”
“meat lover’s pizza”

seeing everyone get excited when they opened their aprons.

meeting amy’s friends from college
and getting this beautiful handmade christmas greeting…in chinese.

changing our christmas this year.
giving each child only one gift and their stocking…
and seeing how happy they were.
no complaining (lauren tried to be unhappy but couldn’t stay that way.)

hope your christmas was full of funny special memories too.

what a wonderful christmas.
really really lovely.
lots of snow and lots of family.
happy kids
happy family
lots and lots of laughing.

“stockings” came in boxes this year.

“knee high socks!!”
she will only wear knee highs this year.
so she was thrilled about 4 new pairs.

hannah montana and friends.

heeleys.
shoes with wheels in the heel.
this was what scott wanted.
now…how many days till a broken arm?

sean received legos from everyone.
he said at my mom’s
“this is one of the best days of my entire life!”

i hope you all had a wonderful christmas too.
we all got new jammies…even me.
this is my official christmas break uniform.
messy hair, no make-up and giant coffee cup required.

it started out innocently enough…

grandma had gingerbread men for the kids to decorate.
great idea grandma!
we made sure there was plenty of frosting.
no one had to wait to create.

mmmm….looks yummy?

we finally saw santa.
he happened by craig’s office yesterday.
with rudolf and the grinch.

this is talby’s face she makes when she is nervous…
always.

annie was keeping close eye on that grinch.
but they weren’t afraid.
and there was no crying.
santa misunderstood what talby was asking for.
she said “it’s okay…when he brings me that i will just give it to annie”

just as i was about to get the perfect shot…
annie was done.
“see ya”

upstairs on their way to craig’s office
they saw him again through the glass wall.
knock knock knock
“santa!! santa!!”

then some time to play on daddy’s marker board.
and computer.
and mess up all his drawers.
and eat cookies from their christmas party.

then we went to the carwash.

seriously…this was the highlight of their week!
better than santa?
better than cookies?
these girls know how to party.

we got some snow.
the kids immediately wanted to go sledding.
this year i went…just for the pictures.
i haven’t gone for years.

as soon as we got out the car
i remembered why i don’t go sledding.
i hate being cold.
oh my goodness it was cold.
but i got annie to the top of that hill and then she was hooked!

after 15 minutes her little pink cheeks couldn’t take it anymore.
and i was right there with her.
i was done being cold.
we sat in the truck watching everyone go up and down again & again.
we were warm.
but i really needed some hot coffee.

i am so glad we had snow.
it feels like christmas when it comes in december.
the bad part of snow….