Big To Do's

Busy day yesterday and lots going on lately. When we got Charlie, I noticed his nails probably needed to be cut. I'm not familiar with how long they should be and how to cut them. So yesterday I needed someone to show me how to do it, so I went to a groomer in town and she did it for me. I didn't bother to watch or see how to do it because she only charges $3...for that amount of money, I'll just go to her when I need it done. So we went and got his nails clipped and he got all dressed up with a nice little Christmas bow. Isn't he just so handsome? I love the little bow...I'm that dog owner. IF I could have found a little Christmas outfit for him at Walmart when I was there last he'd be wearing it and having his picture taken. We also went to the Post Office and mailed off our letters to Santa. Ian and Lee both wrote theirs and I helped Dru write his. Dru also colored Santa a picture. Well really the picture was a bunch of squiggly lines and one BIG circle, his version of writing a letter. He was so funny! Now the boys can't wait for Santa to write them back! One perk I LOVE about living in a small town is that the Post Office workers or someone (maybe this happens in all towns I don't know), writes the kids a letter back and also sends them a coloring page! They LOVE it and I've kept them all. There will come a time when they won't write anymore...how sad! We were so busy yesterday that the littlest elf fell asleep at dinner. With his jelly sandwich in hand and some in his mouth and sugar plums dancing in his head. He was tuckered out, refused to lay down for any amount of time for his mid-afternoon nap or early evening, however you look at it, because I'm sure he thought he was going to miss something with his brothers and cousins. So the high chair seemed the logical place to sleep...still in the thick of it all. I love this chair...if he does fall asleep I can lay the back down and then he's a bit more comfortable...his own Lazy boy...cracks me up. It's also on wheels so I can move him around the room or out of my way while he's sleeping.

Well that was part of our day. With only 9 more days left until Christmas I'm positive our days will get busier...some I do to myself and others it seems are out of my hands. So here we go...are you guys ready?

Christmases Past

Christmas 2002



(I don't know where or what I did with years '03-'04)



Christmas Morning 2005



Christmas 2006

Christmas Morning 2007

(yes I realize this is a crappy picture of me, but I was the last one having to get up)
Christmas Morning 2008

At our house we have a rule that no one can go out where the tree and gifts are until everyone is up. Naturally, Frank is the first one up with his ears on listening for Ian. Who is naturally up...but what is funny is we can never figure out if Ian's snuck out there before Frank wakes up at the crack of dawn. I suspect Ian does/has and tries very hard to make it look/sound like he hasn't.

So all these morning pics are before we've all gone too see what Santa brought! I hope to do this picture for as long as I can.

The 787

As some of you might know today was the first test flight of Boeing's 787. Kind of a big deal around here with the unveiling and test flight of a new airplane around here in WA. In 2007 Frank got to go to the unveiling of the 787 and Ian got to go with his dad. Oh how he was excited and now every time he sees that airplane he gets all atwitter about it. Ian really got to experience a once in a lifetime thing. I don't think he knows that just yet but I think someday he will, he remembers it all.

Here is Ian in the bus that shuttled them the hanger where the unveiling was suppose to be. Ian was SO excited to be going.Frank and Ian on their way to the seating area.The unveiling!!!! Frank and Ian in the front of the new airplane! Well you can read what it says...Dream linerSo those pictures are from June of 2007, flash forward to December 2009. This is a picture of the airplane taking it's first test flight. It was cut short today because of the clouds...so weather related. I will be honest with you, I was the turd in the punch bowl because Frank reminded me this morning to watch the take off and I blanked on it. He was disappointed that I didn't watch it. Frank worked on the material the plane is made out of...some composit material. I felt so bad that I forgot. Thankfully he wasn't terribly upset with me but I still feel bad. It's like he said...it is helping pay for all the things we have..created his job. BAD wife! Sigh...I'll shoot for GOOD wife tomorrow! It's a whole new day then.

We thought Frank might have his 15 minutes of fame on TV tonight but it wasn't so. While he was out at the Boeing airfield to watch the 787 land he was interviewed by KOMO 4...they asked who he was and how to spell his name...but sadly we never did see him on TV. It wasn't meant to be...I think it would have been cool, Frank on the other hand wasn't so sure about it.

So that's what happened today...

Red Letter Day

What a day today was!!! Such excitement! Lee has been for MONTHS asking when his loose tooth would come out...seemed like he was asking every day. I really wanted to just rip it out for him but knew that wouldn't help down the road.

He's been eating apples, not letting me slice the apple, in hopes that his tooth would come out that way. Then it seemed all the sudden his tooth got really loose and it would be a matter of time. Then wouldn't you know it, the tooth finally fell out! He was brushing his teeth and it fell out and into the sink!

He came out screaming 'IT FELL OUT!' I cherish the look on his face when he came and told us all. He was excited and shocked that his tooth was finally out! Ian was so excited for him and Dru SWEARS he's got a loose tooth too! He better not! So we got on the phone and called both sets of the grandparents and they were appropriately excited!

Here is Lee right after he came running out to show us the hole where his tooth had been.

Here is the infamous tooth! It's SO tiny and amazing!
So that was the major excitement for the day and it was! What a rite of passage for kids...I hope everyone had a good day today!

Gingerbread House

Every year Oma and Grandpa make a gingerbread house for my boys to decorate. This year the kids just needed Grandpa to ice the house and then the boys applied the candy. And when I say applied...I really mean they put as much candy on the house and the tray they could get away with, so that later they could eat that much. Eventually they are going to have to have one kid do one side, then the next kid will have his turn...you get the idea.This was one side that wasn't quite done yet...still a work in progress.The chimney needed snowman on it...and I personally enjoy the tree PEEPS on the side of the house...when we got home I allowed the kids to eat 3 pieces of candy...So Dru promptly picked a snowman and two trees. What cracked me up was that Ian and Lee pick 3 little pieces and Dru goes for the gold and picks 3 big ones...where were Ian and Lee on that one? A view of the trees on the roof...along with the fish...just one random fish...that was Lee's contribution.This side was Dru's...he put as many peanut M&M's as he could on his wall...

After making their house it was playtime with Oma and Grandpa. Dru was being silly with Oma...they were cracking each other up. Eli was so funny! He just made himself right at home in the Lego box. He was enjoying himself.All in all my boys had a good time making their yearly house with their grandparents. It was fun going there. They always look forward to it and it's a good tradition during the holidays. I hope everyone is having a good Monday!

Kennel Club

So the other day I was folding clothes and I caught the boys in Charlie's bed. I thought this was so funny and so did they.Charlie on the other hand wasn't so sure about having two little boys in HIS bed...can't say I blame the guy. I can't stand other people being on my side of the bed...touching my things...drooling on my pillow...you understand!But he was so good, he put up with it and let them play in his bed...what a good boy Charlie

Caroling

As I was driving home yesterday from Wally's I was trying to sing along to a Christmas song I like. While I was trying to singing I was thinking I wish they would just leave the songs well enough alone and sing them like they were meant to sing. Mostly so I could sing with them...let's face it I'm no Bette Midler...although I'd like to think I could give the woman a run for her money while I'm singing in the shower. But lucky for me I live with my own Simon and Frank would be quick to remind me that maybe I should just stick to my day job.

Anyway, all this to say or ask...what are your favorite Christmas songs? I was thinking about mine and this is what I have come up with thus far:

What Child Is This
Hark the Herald
Christmas Eve at Sarajevo~Trans Siberian Orchestra---really their whole concert is a fave

I can't think of the name of the song, but in the chorus it has 'fall on your knees...oh hear the angels voices...o night o night O night divine...'


So that's what I have come up with so far...

What are your favorite Christmas songs?