Exhausted

Friday night Mike and I hosted our annual "500" Neighborhood Card Party. This was our fourth year and each year we figure out something to make it run a little smoother.

With the basement finished we were able to invite a few more people and ended up having 8 full tables! There were tons of people here, but we had such a good time! We have fun getting this ready and it's the one time of year that we make my grandma's eggnog recipe. So, Thursday night found us (mostly me since - we're getting better and more streamlined with this after four years too...) making eggnog late at night. This isn't a "buy-from-the-store-add-liquor" recipe. This is the real thing, people! Fresh eggs that are separated, heavy cream (extra whipped by you!), 1 quart brandy, 1 quart whiskey - and the kicker "for taste" as my grandma told me - 2 oz. Jamaican rum. I'm not sure how I'm tasting 2 oz. of rum over 2 quarts of brandy/whiskey, but maybe it's the secret ingredient...don't tell anyone.

Anyway, Friday night came and our house was FILLED. Everyone brought great food to share and there was plenty of drinking! A few of my neighbors may have left a little inebriated, but luckily they were walking and not driving! Beauty of neighborhood parties! We even saw a couple neighbors make some snow angels in the fresh snow in our yard. That eggnog is some powerful stuff! And this was a first for us...we only had enough leftover to fill one cup! This was a double batch! We reserved it for my dad so he could get a little taste - he's a fan of this eggnog as well and likes that we make it once a year because he usually gets some leftovers. Usually more than a cup, but beggars can't be choosers.

Saturday morning Mike and I were up by 7am to sell CDs at a local holiday boutique. We finished around 1pm, came home and craved a nap, but we had other things to accomplish. Mainly we got organized to do our Christmas shopping so instead of sleeping we made multiple lists and brainstormed. We left a little before 5pm, grabbed some dinner and power shopped. We have almost every bit of shopping done - at least for my mental listing of things. We'll go over them tonight to make sure. But, I'm so sore I can hardly move. Tracy and I started a new workout on Friday and it's a killer. I hurt everywhere and it isn't getting better, it's getting worse.

It's 11pm now. I'm heading upstairs to sit in a chair. We are going over our list, find out what we need still, then going to sleep. Up at 6:30am for church tomorrow until about noon, then we are coming home and doing nothing that requires movement. To make sure, I bought a puzzle for us to work on tomorrow. Wait until you see it!!!

Around Europe in 9 Days

This is late in getting posted, but I thought I'd update you on Mike's European travels from a couple weeks ago. For those that don't know, he went to Spain, Germany, Italy, and England. I don't think he was in any place more than two days and he was exhausted when he got home. But despite going for work, he did get to see a few sites.

The trip began in Madrid, Spain. They were really here a very short time and only got to see the city at night. So, there are not a lot of pictures to show for their time here. However, his group did get to go eat at the oldest restaurant in the world. Here Mike bought himself a pitcher for Sangria's. Good for his future bar.

Below is their wine cellar. I'm not sure if the bottles on the right are original to the establishment...

Afterward it was off to Frankfurt, Germany. Mike and I were able to travel here last spring but we stayed in the Marriott in downtown Frankfurt. I'm not sure where this was located, but apparently bringing your wife on a trip doesn't upgrade you to staying in a castle.

Mike's room was pretty nice. The guys he was traveling with liked to meet in there because it was round and I think a little bigger.

Hard to believe such a frilly room was the meeting place for four guys. Below is my favorite picture from here; ornate armoire, feminine picture, frilly vanity with the BEER BOTTLE on top and Mike's boss sitting in front with a pose of defiance against anything girly.

From Frankfurt they traveled by train to Milan, Italy. Mike said they almost didn't make it to Milan. After the train was stopped somewhere for awhile they all decided to head to bed being that they were so exhausted. Mike stopped to asked the waiter if they were still on time to arrive in Milan and the waiter's response was, "Milan? This train isn't going to Milan. We stopped to split the train and this half isn't going to Milan." Apparently it was a whirlwind trying to get off that side and onto the other before the train took off (they'd already been stopped for 10 minutes). It wasn't made easier by the fact that when you board the trains they take your passports. Luckily they did get onto the correct train in time - with passports. Mike was a little disappointed that he didn't stay awake because the train passed through the Swiss Alps and he thought that would have been neat to see.

Again - he didn't get to see much other than at night. Below is a shopping area they were in. He has no idea who the people are in front, but they wouldn't get out of the picture.

From Milan they flew to London. Here they were able to spend the weekend so he got to see a bit more of this city than any others.

Big Ben:

He did see Westminster Abbey but no great pictures exist.

They walked into Harrods - and two minutes later it closed so they didn't see much.

And the palace. He was not invited in for tea by the Queen.

Mike did do some shopping for all of us. He got each of the kids a watch and some candy.
We each got a hat. A particular thrill for me because I love hats. I got three, in fact!
After he got home he did his best to get back on our time frame, but there was about a week of him getting up at 5am or earlier simply because he couldn't sleep any longer. This did help on Black Friday - he couldn't sleep so he went and got some of our Christmas shopping done....and I got to sleep.

Officially Christmas

We decorated our Christmas tree last Sunday. We've decided to put in the basement in hopes that Santa Claus delivers our ordered couch a little early and we can enjoy the festivities down there....

Until then, we are trying to get in the spirit of Christmas and Mike has been working to make that a whole lot easier!

This morning I came in from shoveling and heard Christmas music piped through the house! Not just the radio, but the Christmas music CDs we've collected through the years. After almost a whole year without our music system working because it was shut down to work on the basement, it's back! As we sat eating breakfast listening to Bing, Harry Connick, Jr, and Josh Groban we all started getting a little bouncy in our seats.

And to prove that the music is doing it's thing...

Bad Genes?

Apparently anal-retentive tendencies are hereditary.

Recently my mom came home with a small pack of M&M candies for each child. To most people this would take approximately one minute to gobble up.

Not my kids.

First there was the sorting. Each child has their own preferred method:

I believe mixed in with all this there was some counting. After the sorting was finished it was on to the eating...er...sucking.

Hence, M&M's can last a good 30-45 minutes in this house. Unless I get near them. Five minute tops on a King Size bag.

Thankful

This evening we went to Dan & Kelly's house where we dined on a delicious meal. We got to eat some great appetizers beforehand - I tried out a new recipe and Kelly made this AWESOME artichoke dip. Delish.

Anyway - it was a good time with family and friends.

The picture below was taken after Dan wiped whipped cream off his finger...onto Maddie's face. This is the same uncle that taught her how to scoop peanut butter out of jar...with all her fingers at once...when she was about two. You'd think she would have learned by now not to trust him around food.

Dan and Kelly also came up with a great dessert for the kids - they all got to decorate turkey cookies. This provided a lot of fun, quite a bit of mess and a nice sugar high.

I thought I'd round this out with some things I'm thankful for. These are other than the standard "family and friends". I mean...I'm very thankful for my husband and kids. I love them to pieces, but I try to realize that thankfulness every day...at least every few. My extended family and friends are perks that I realize I've been quite blessed with in my life. So, apart from that...here's some less obvious things that I've realized over the last day or so I should also be thankful for:
1. My kids are able to feed themselves. We generally have to help dish up plates, but after that, it's every man/woman/child for themselves. This means we all get to eat meals together and communicate. With my teaching schedule I generally don't get to eat with everyone Monday through Wednesday which makes me appreciate Thursday through Sunday more. I love our dinners together.
2. Mike's knowledge when it comes to handy-stuff. He really can figure out either how to build a lot of things, or how to get the answers to do it. That might mean calling my dad, searching the Internet or *gasp!* reading a book. But, he's really pretty awesome with all that and I might take it for granted at times; especially when my computer acts up.
3. My music skills. Not to toot my own horn, but I play pretty well. And it gives me a lot of pleasure to sit and play for my own enjoyment or others'. This morning in church the choir sang a piece that my friend, Susan, wrote the words/melody to and I wrote out the choir/piano parts. We were pretty proud of this effort - and the fact that it actually sounded good. A couple years ago I would have laughed at anyone if they told me that before two years was out I would have recorded a CD and written choir music. But...just goes to show how much is possible in our lives.
So - Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you found a moment to appreciate the big and little things in your own lives!

Day for sliding...no matter what

Saturday the kids woke up fairly excited because there was actually snow on the ground. They had breakfast and raced to get outside. Maddie wanted to shovel the deck and Jake wanted to go sledding. Maddie changed her mind about 10 seconds later and decided sledding was the ticket.

All this for the less-than-one-inch accumulation we had.

Jake jumped on his sled and...moved about 3 inches. Not to be outdone by Mother Nature he pulled up his sled, and took another running leap. This got him 3 inches further than before. This cycle repeated until he was about halfway down the hill and I suggested he and Maddie move to the driveway where, although there wasn't more accumulation there was the possibility of more icy conditions.

So they both tried this. I think the whole process was abandoned in less than five minutes. "A" for effort though.

That night they weren't daunted and came up with all new sledding possibilities.

Speeds reached in excess of 5mph once they got the toboggan style going...

Lights, Camera...doh! The LIGHTS!

This project has been ongoing for over a week. I think my dad's ready to tear down a few walls in order to figure out the solution to our electrical dilemma.

Here's the background info: Last week I asked my dad to help me put up the Christmas lights outside. I didn't really foresee it getting any warmer so we might as well get it done. Now, I don't think there's anything that my dad does without first fashioning a tool of some kind out of some thing. That day was no exception. He's now the proud owner of a tree-light-hanger-helper-pole. I'm sure in further development it will also develop a better name. But, he took a long PVC pipe and cut out some notches on the top for the wire lights to sit in and we could hang lights without spending too much time going up and down the ladder. It really did work fairly well.

The kids had several friends over and they were playing a game that Rachel wasn't interested in, so she decided to help us instead. My own kids wanted no part in the festivities, but my neighbor's kid did; at least we are interesting to someone.

So, we went to turn them on and...nothing. I know - I hear you all shouting, "Didn't you test them out first!?!" Loud and clear - got it. And no, we didn't. I can't say why, we just didn't. This is where dad now probably wants to tear down our walls. Because on Round 2 of putting up lights he came in completely frustrated. All the lights worked on his TEST ROUND in the house, but nothing worked when hooked up outside. We don't know why, there's a current there (discovered after further tool testing...) but for some reason that will remain a mystery, nothing works.

So as of right now we only have the possibility of beautiful lights. Hopefully we'll figure out this stuff before Christmas arrives. Better yet - before snow and extreme cold arrives.