whatever

over a week ago craig called uncle gary
and invited himself out to their farm to sled.
he wanted to use their new four wheeler to pull the kids.
thank you gary and janet for playing with our kids all afternoon.

tractor tires are way cooler than cheap plastic sleds!
the kids had such a good time.
and everyone loves the farm.
i wasn’t able to go with them but lauren had her new camera.
these are her photos from the day…

the biggest golden retreiver in the world.
and the friendliest.

she made this pig picture into black and white.
i thought that was cute.
i was hoping for some baby pig pictures…
this looks like a mama.

i guess they have cows…i didn’t know that.

and a great shot of craig from lauren’s view in the car.

annie is always a good model for classic photography.
timeless right?

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.

i am noticing color today.
here is some color from my kitchen.

this is what made me start thinking about color today…
the veggie backdrop of annie.
she almost always gets to pick a donut to eat while shop.
(do you think that’s why they put them at the front of the store?)

this isn’t about color.
look at these absolutely adorable little ice creams containers.
it’s like less a scoop.
i think they were .50 cents.
i love cute packaging.
they are 2.5″ tall.
that is a real spoon…not a giant novelty spoon.
(that would be funny though)
oh ben and jerry…
you know the way to a ladies’ heart don’t you?!

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.

happy birthday to you!

oh how i miss you.
i miss your sheer honesty…
with me…with yourself…
everyone needs a friend like you.

so i was thinking of you as i went through my pictures
trying to find one of you
and i pulled photos that i thought you’d like.
you like coffee…

unflavored (blech)
with the cream warmed up before you add your coffee.
you like this girl…

alot.
you like burn’s cafe.

who wouldn’t? mmmmm….pie.
you like kids doing this…

i knew it would make you laugh.
you like chocolate chip cookies…

burning hot right out of the oven.
that’s crazy.
you like reading all these…

even if i don’t…”Knowing God” is HARD lisa!!!
you like these guys…

and these guys…

i do too.
and you more than like this guy.

what a lucky guy he is.
and you like salad…

but you like butter more…

me too. especially with sugar.
you like kids showing their arm pits…

as much as the next person does.
you like uncle gary’s pigs…

did you ever think you’d like holding a pig?
you like this sweetie…

so handsome in that photo.
you like emily…

the laziest cat in history.
i wish so much i could celebrate with you today.
i hope your birthday is full of yummy cake….

and no treadmills.
or airplanes.
love you lisa.
happy birthday.

aunt jan…
look what we did today.

we went to borders to spend our gift card.

we had books everywhere.
the salelady was getting so anxious…totally hovering.
we read more and more books.

here’s my pile i never got to touch.
it’s quite different going with the kids…
no coffee.
no chair.
no looking at anything that doesn’t rhyme or pop-up.

these were the final selections.
sean’s is obviously the Pirate/Diaper book.
annie picked Dora’s Manners. (sounds great to me)
scott picked Stink – it’s a chapter book.
and at the last second talby switched her choice to Flotsam.
it turned out that it has no words!
but the art is amazing….
loved it.

thank you again aunt jan.

when i really think about it…
i am nervous for 2008 because of how challenging 2007 was.
my kids are going to each get older this year
and that means more changes and more challenges!
more frustrations.
i don’t look forward to another year of always thinking
“how do i handle this?”
“can i handle this?”
so if i was to say a resolution…
it would be
to be less angry.
figure out the secret to staying neutral in my discipline.
try to be an empathetic (not pathetic) mother.
give more hugs.

that’s all one resolution…not four.
they are a package deal.

but i AM looking forward to creativity that will come of 2008.

i don’t know what i will create….
anything creative is good.
i may begin to paint…did i say that? we’ll see.
it fills my heart.

and i look forward to a bathroom for only me and craig.

not this one..but just the idea of it…
2008 will bring a sink that is just for me.
a tooth brush holder…just for me.
soap and a brush just for me.
no little kiddies allowed.
it will be a dream come true..
i would start demo tonight if we could.

talby and i finally made the pom pom garland.

we each made a strand.
she caught on right away.
that’s me wearing the plaid jammies
(because it IS my christmas break uniform)
and it was 4:00 in the afternoon.

looks like a pro…
she said quietly “we’re just like 2 moms..sewing together…hee hee”

they are kind of funky colors?
i think we are going to hang them in our sunday school classroom.

and one more thing..
this is long isn’t it?
i took lauren and her friend to the mall today.
there were 10 pictures like this on her camera…

total goofballs.
and suddenly…she likes pink.
changes her mind after all these years.

we shopped seperately.
and when i went to the register
with my pile of clearance items…
everything was half price of the clearance price!
i felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
i guess i just misundersood the signs.
it was awesome.