Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Our decision

Andy and I chose to go to Durham, and stay in the Marriott downtown.
We are here!
Yippie!
We love it. :)
More later
Ten years ago today, we were about to have a rehearsal dinner and ...well, get married!
Yahoo!!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

A party in every room...






The pictures do not go with the post:
The pictures are of outside this morning--before it snowed a lot!
We went out in the woods and Andy pulled the children in the kayak.

The title of the post pertains to last night.
We had a video in Victor's room.  We had a Thomas train tent in the living room--the "Clubhouse"
The dining room was a pirate adventure.
And all around was a shoot out--Victor has learned to cock his new Nerf gun...so he shoots it
one sponge dart at the time. ;)...so sweet!

It reminded me of college when people would have parties and there would be a different party theme in each room of the house.
Kiddie style...

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Wait for it, wait for it....

Getting together with all of the family is always so...{fill in the blank}.
Right now I am going to talk about the funny part.
The next time you get together with yours, notice this:
From each person, there are some things that they will always say, regarding certain topics, or certain
ways that they always address certain prompts (like ones that call for a certain story they always tell), or
some opinion they have {that everyone knows} that, each time the topic comes up the
person (include yourself here) must always state that opinion--just in case you have forgotten it, from last time.
HA!
Andy's sister and I were saying, "If only we could invite a stranger--a rich one--and bet on what everyone would say..."  We would certainly not have financial worries.
It almost as if these get togethers were rehearsed.
Throw wine in, and it just gets funnier. :)

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Well, it't the countdown, for Daddy and for me, now.
The countdown for kids has ended.
They have gone to bed.  Not to sleep, yet..only to bed.

We have tracked Santa on Norad.
We have watched the videos.
We have gone to Church to sing Carols and have a pageant.
We have visited with Family.

The only part left, now, is for Andy and Me to work our buns off
and get this stuff set out.
We have to find it all--some of it I have hidden from my own self! ha!
No fireballs this year. :)
http://spilgree.blogspot.com/2009/12/okayim-sayin-it.html
last year's fireball...
That was me trying to link back to an earlier post--let's see if it works!
I usually do not wrap all of it.
So, we'll see on that one.

Favorite highlights this year, {so far}
Hearing Victor sing, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" for the second year, as it is his all time favorite
Having Camelia over with her girls to exchange gifts...she is soooo sweet, and tonight she brought
us tamales for supper--she makes two special ones for Elena and Victor that are not hot--tied
with a corn husk bow "Mama, I love Camelia's tamales!"
Finding a Marie Antoinette Action figure for my sister--"with head ejector action" {super ha!}
US Cellular's "all our phones are free" deal...oohoooohhh it was so tempting..but I did not take them up on it...we are waiting for two incomes...b/c GOD knows I love a gadget!
Those are the ones so far...but one might anxiously await my excitement when it snows tomorrow. ;)

Good night!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Just that way I like it....

So...an impromptu get together!
Tomorrow night, we will be...
Laura
Lara y Cal, Y Lily Y julia,
Jacinto y Camelia y Yineth Y Yailin
Y
Sissy Y Danny, Y Caroline, y Collin y clarissa...
All in our house
con snacks y algo para tomar..
y regalos (gifts) y fun!
Salud y Tierra y Merry Christmas!
No invitations..just come as you are, and float in and out as you wish. :)
The more the merrier.

Beautiful Picture --If I do say so myself

This was the girl's club after church last Sunday.  We were all dolled up. :)  I almost cannot believe that Andy and I pulled that off..it does help that Victor wears regular clothes to church.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Goody Bags


Each goody bag had two or three haystacks and two or three cookies...almost everyone ate the goodies immediately.
The other goody up there at the top is Eva Lou and her {thumb} this AM when she woke up ...so sweet!
She was also sweet singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to me last night at 2:00 in the AM (the first time she has ever sung it).

Making cookies for {goody bags} last night

Last night we made haystacks and snickerdoodles.  This first picture is of the table after we made cookies...Eva got her hands on the bowl of cinnamon sugar...and well....

 I sure do wish I could edit the roll out of these two...ooooohh weee....
But besides that...Andy was capturing the moment.
Roll a little ball and then roll it into the cinnamon and sugar..
Now that one is too little...Is this one right Mommy?  --you get it...







 A Picture of each child making the cookies...and then
 Eva...Do you need your diaper changed?

Ahh haa...Mommy...I love making cookies..I want some more Pepsi, please...No, I do not feel one bit
bad that you are having to sweep and mop the floor.

Today we took all of the cookies to school to give them out in little treat baggies that had Christmas ribbon and a gift tag..A picture of that is coming too.

My question to Andy as I was punching holes in ziploc bags and feeding ribbon through tags and bags..."Do you see what having a {bleep} compels me to have to do?"
His answer:  "You know you love it."

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Pictures of Christmas stuff in house

This post is actually going to end up being comical...b/c you know that is how stuff turns out when you have three children running around--and none of them is even big enough to make a sandwich.
I start out with all of the decorations placed decoratively.  Then, depending on how the children react..they all get moved.
Sometimes the new spot is one the children choose.
Other times it is one that gets chosen by Andy or me or the babysitter who is being driven crazy watching the stuff {almost} get broken. :)



Elena made this wreath last year in school.  It started out low down...and ended up...at the top of the china cabinet...notice my lladro girl up there too..oh yeah she watches us from a high perch--lest she lose a limb!

 This is my wonderful cabinet that I would {love to have} as a spot to look beautiful..
lets see...the soft/plush snowmen that sing are up there..someone wanted them to shut up, I bet...
Ommm the pinecone turkey is hanging out til Christmas..There is one of those nesting doll things.  ha!  Wonder how many of the little ones are actually still in there...
The nativitiy scene has been placed at the way top (I did none of this mind you).  When I took that out it was put in front of the hearth---you can see it in the other picture I took of the mantel...
Now
this lovely little table also resides in the dining room and is low enough for little eyes and little hands.
Eva is not content with pushing the button on the gingerbread house...oh hell no!---She has to carry it around the house..we have had this since Victor was a baby...and I KNOW he was able to look and "only push the button"  If Eva sees this...she has to carry it.  That Santa/Rocker/Piggy bank--is made out of some kind of resin..we know b/c it got dropped and the back of a rocker fell off and we figured out that it is not ceramic.
"It won't cut you Grandaddy, see?  It's actually made out of plathtic"
Oh, good then...

See it all starts off pretty..then...well, you can see..we have the decor--it is just not placed well..
No wonder Martha only had the one kid--can you imagine what she would do around here?

To see some more Christmas decor {stuff} in some more peoples' houses--go here. :)
http://jenontheedge.com/
She's got us hooked up! :)

So ready for a break!

PS--my throat is hurting like crazy!!! This is b/c i have gotten too worked up about something..I do not know what it is ..but when {whatever} it is is over with--the throat will get better...
Yuck!
Hey out there in bloggy land..if you are looking for my Christmas house pics...scroll down a bit. :)
Or read til you get there.
They are good. :)

Today I zoomed to get my haircut, then zoomed home out of the snow.  It is just ice/raining here.
Tomorrow we have a singing thing at church.  Elena will only participate if Victor does it.  He is the guts of their sibling endeavors.
I think he enjoys this.
Then Monday..the next to the last day of work before a nice little break. yippie!  We all need a break.
I am going to get some baby sitters...and get away by myself some too.
Riding in my car, by myself and listening to my music was the best today...by myself. :)
So, I have two more times to dress everyone, and try to look well put together before Christmas...I am thinking this is all going to work out. :)
Good night.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

It matters {to them?}

This evening, after I got home from work, and watched Oprah (very interesting today, btw), and then fed everyone..I went into the bathroom to freshen up...
you see...we were off to a CHRISTMAS PAGEANT.
I was standing there..pondering what to do with my greasy face (wash it or not?), what to do
with my greasy hair...not wash it --that's for sure...
what to do with the corduroy pants I have on that have been slimed my children all day...
What to do....
Knowing in my sensible mind..that ugh..who cares?  You have been at work all day,
your husband is out of town...ummm you have three children...
JUST GO TO THE PAGEANT ALREADY...IT IS NOT A FREAKIN BEAUTY CONTEST.
Au contraire...mi amigo!
Ummm..
oh back to thinking standing at the sink..I thought, this is my new resolution..no pageants..no shows...no
participating in any concerts until any given child enters the ole kindergarten....NADA!
I mean --do they even care about it?  would it not be better for them to be in the bed?  i mean the pageant is always at supper time...and then bed time...it is almost comical to watch all these people their fiftylleven children into church bawling and squalling and hollering...all in their Christmas clothes and bows...
when they out to be in the BED!!
So...that was my resolution for about ...oh, half a second.
I realized {actually} it does matter to my kiddies...my offspring...they do remember their shows.
They do like to get up there and mumble baby Jesus stuff (I think in their own mind they are singing out loud??)
They do like to watch the video later on...
So off we went--video camera in hand.
It was all over in 50 minutes..not too painful...
BUT--To fill you {all} in on the beauty protocol..ughh...don't show up to these extra curriculars in your street clothes..lest ye be called raggedy..oh no honey..I think even a few moms pulled their big ass bows out tonight, AND the matching smocked dresses...
ughh..once again..I am actually beginning to agree with Victor--he just wears his pants that {look like} pajamas no matter what the occasion..and he is still handsome to me..
and as I sat there I thought.....

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Aha!

Thursday afternoon 3:45:
Me:  Manyana en la escuela les van a dar a todos los estudiantes un libro gratis.  Es un regalo.  Van a tener todos los libros sobre las mesas y las clases pasan alla en la biblioteca, y cada alumno va a poder escoger un libro y guardarselo para siempre.
Elena:  Oh, Mama do I get to go back to school, then, tomorrow, I want one!

AHA!  Gotcha!
I was talking to Camelia. In Spanish, and who joined in??? Elena!
I was telling Camelia that on Friday they were going to give out books at school.
A gift for each student.  They all pass through the library and pick out a book.  They get to keep the book.

She did, btw, get to go to school on Friday and pick a book.  She has not put it down since she got
home yesterday.  She has read it non-stop.  She read it with a head lamp in the bed last night...
be still my heart!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Update...

The fever turned out to be --sinus infection..very swollen tonsils...two prescriptions...
Could one nerve attack about a violin concert do all of this???
E is quite sick! :(
She is trying to be well, as she does not like to miss stuff at school.
BUT--she will be staying home until further notice. :)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Poor thing!

So, we had an interesting outing tonight...
To a gigantic Assembly of God church--warehouse sized (won't even begin to imagine the things that might go on in that worship service--nope)
It was a pretty, and nice/warm church, though...
Oh, we had to drive a good 45 minutes to get there...
to go to a...
Violin {concert}.
Well, you have to try everything {once} right?
Here is how it all went down...
We arrived at the church with me having to pee like crazy...
I got out of the car--with Victor in the backseat SLEEPING.
I drug him out of the car....threw his coat on him, and proceeded to run into the church..
My exact words, "I WILL leave you in this parking lot if you start all that crying mess!"
Then I just ran.
We entered this fine est. with Victor trailing behind me wailing as only a three year old {boy} can.
On to the actual rehearsal, in which Victor decided that standing in front of the church with oh, 60 other kids, and his violin was not his cup of tea, today....soo....
You guessed it!! He {cried}, and he did not stand up there.
On the other side of childhood....and personality...there stood Elena...
I took Victor out, and she just stood there...
The whole time.
We watched her..proud.
When all was said and done--she was trembling uncontrollably..scared/nervous to DEATH!
So, to summarize.
We are not a violin concert performing family.
Ya esta!

We did try just b/c we love our Violin teacher so dearly.  She is such a breath of fresh air...in a small town.
She is fun.  She was glad to see us there.  She was playing with the orchestra.
If we go tomorrow night we will go as a family, eat sushi first and then go to the concert --to {listen}.
I do not thing I will ever forget Elena's little sweet self trembling, at the end of that!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

blog updates

So, just in case you follow the sidebar...
I have added a cool blog that is all about the Duchess of Devonshire.  I am attracted to this blog, simply because it exists..and entire blog devoted to this subject...fun to read.
I have deleted Big Mama's blog--well and so did blogspot, apparently, according to Cynthia (the blog master of that blog).  She never updated it, and it got deleted.
Let's see...
Oh, and thanks for all the compliments.  When I put {decorator} in {} those...
That meant, that I am not one.
When there is an empty space that needs some love, I just put some stuff I like there.
I pay no attn. to symmetry, spacing, centering, appeal...nah...
It's more like this..
Mantel, stuff I like, stuff on Mantle.  I can do some simple things like--I have two of these so one could go on one side and one on the other...
Something like that.
BUT--using a critical eye to determine if I have placed all of the favored objects to achieve maximum happiness for the senses of another person....nah...
So, when something comes out really super (as determined by a person who does have those kinds of skills), then I get excited!  woo hoo!!!
Okay, that is all...y'all check out that blog--I mean if you do ever follow my sidebar, and if you are into the 1800's and nobility at all...

Friday, December 3, 2010

Christmas Decorations




Well,
Actually, the top one is of Eva Lou drinking her morning cup of coffee.
We all drink coffee now!  Of course the childrens' coffees are mostly creamer {pumpkin spice} for Victor, and sugar, and then just enough coffee for flavor.
I don't think it would really hurt them if they wanted a full cup, to be honest--but they like it
the sweet way.
So about two years ago I ordered those snoopy cups--three, not two {just in case}.
They are teeny and the have Snoopy on one side, and on the other one it says, "Sometimes it helps to pretend you don't hear."
Eva LOVES this cup, and her coffee, and holding the cup all by herself, and making her "drinking warm coffee" face.
Re:  Christmas decorations...
That mantle--in my humble {decorator's} opinion--is the freakin bomb!!!
Eva and I gathered the holly and the nandina berries today.
Those balls are like individual mini disco balls..they have LED lights that turn different colors slowly...then the cut out snowflakes make them cast shadows onto the mantle...so fun, and exciting.
I usually do not do any mantle decorating.
I still need to tell the story of Victor and decorating the tree.
It is coming soon.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Question:

Andy has proposed a teeny trip--two or three days--for our anniversary.
The anniversary is right about New Year's Eve...
He thought NYC--but then we said --not on New Year's Eve.
Y'all give me some ideas..
We thought skiing--but there is not snow yet...is there?
....
Ideas anyone???
Cool places you have been on short excursions??

Spot on!

Spot is our family's chihuahua.  He is what we call, "an evil dictator/stuffed animal come to life".  Sometimes, after he has ...