1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? It has to be wrapped. Where's the joy in opening a bag. Unfortunately unless I can find somebody to wrap my gifts they usually end up in gift bags. Though Melissa likes gift bags because she can reuse them later (you will soon see that frugality is a theme for our Christmases).
2. Real tree or Artificial? I grew up with real trees and we may go back when we get to Cedar and we can go cut down our own tree, but for now it's fake.
3. When do you put up the tree? I try to push it to December, but we usually get it up the day after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down? I think January, and unfortunately it's trees.
5. Do you like eggnog? I think eggnog should be on the shelves all year long right next to the chocolate milk. I wish Hershey's would make an eggnog syrup. Think of it, you could turn all your milk into eggnog, use it as a topping for ice cream, or pour it over pancakes. The possibilities are limitless.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Optimus Prime (you may remeber from a previous post about a toy that I sold on ebay and miss dearly.)
7. Hardest person to buy for? Melissa of course. She doesn't like it when I spend to much, but she also really likes a surprise. One of these days I'm going to spend way too much and see if the surprise wins over the frugality.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Spencer, I hope it stays this way, but currently he loves all the same toys I do so shopping for him is fabulous.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? We have 3, though one is a series of small figurines (I think they have a name, but I can't remember it) that the kids are allowed to play with. some of the heads are gone so we may have to use it as a halloween decoration in the future.
10. Best Christmas gift you ever received? When we were engaged Melissa bought me the "Teachings of the Prophets" set. We weren't married yet so I couldn't get mad at her for how much it cost (we really are tightwads). It was completely unexpected and wonderful. My older brother made me a dresser that is probably second on the list. It wasn't done in time for Christmas so he put a copy of the plan in a large pickle jar and wrapped that up. When he finished it he asked me about putting handles on the drawers, but I couldn't decide what I wanted so they never got put on. That dresser has lived in Logan, Laramie, Denver, SLC, Pikeville, Yakima, Cedar City, and now South Bend. It still doesn't have any hardware.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Slovakian Christmas (This one only my siblings will understand)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Grinch and the Santa Clause series.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever Melissa can force me to do so.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Sure, We have a tradition of getting a 2L bottle of soda each year. The container gets put in the recycling bin and the soda gets gets returned to nature following an extensive water purification process, unless we happen to be tubing up the cabin when the soda is consumed then it just gets returned to nature in it's alreay pure form.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sausage rolls. I'm not sure Melissa has ever made them, but she will most likely learn this year just to make me happy. She is such a good wife. I also enjoy eating lots and lots of chocolate truffles. I was introduced to all of these by Melissa and she has continued her mother's traditions since we have moved away.
16. Lights on the tree? well duh. Who doesn't have lights on their tree? If you reply and say you don't have light on your tree or have seen a tree without lights on it I will delete your comment.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Currently it's 12 days by Straight no Chaser.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We travel whenever we can, but this year will be at home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? If you can't name all the reindeer you don't deserve to celebrate Christmas. Are you kidding me here? Who can't name all the reindeer? It's in the song! A better qestion would be can you tell me how many candles are on the menorah (now be sure to comment if you aren't sure what the menorah is). Let's go back to number 16 and ask if you light your menorah.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel on the upstairs tree, Elf hat on the downstairs tree. I'm told we will be replacing the hat with a star when they go on sale after Christmas (have I mentioned how cheap we are?). The two tree thing is not something I had planned for. We bought a 6 foot tree for our first Christmas together. It was a cheap (that keeps coming up) little thing from Big Lots. We have always intended on replacing it, but never got around to it. This summer I found a nice 8 foot tree at a garage sale so I snatched it up and parted with my $2. I was so excited to show my wonderful purchase to Melissa (she happens to be a Christmas junky). When the moment came her response was, "wonderful now we can have an upstairs tree and a downstairs tree". Whoa now, what did I just do!?! I shouldn't have been surprised because for a few years Melissa's mother had 3 trees in her house, but I was totally blindsided and I fear I may never be able to get us back down to one tree. We keep talking about getting a prelit Christmas tree (after Christmas of course, or maybe at a garage sale), but if the point of a prelit tree is to lessen the work of Christmas I'll be nixing this plan. Three trees is just unacceptable!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present on Christmas eve then the rest on Christmas day. Unless you have my sister who opens up any present she can get to long before Christmas then tries her best to wrap them back up so no one knows. I hope Heather grows up the same way.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The cold, I think the time we've been above freezing since November is better measured in hours than in days. What is this Canada? I'm plotting to spend a few Christmases in Hawaii or Mexico in the future.
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Since I only have one to choose from I'm going to have to say Turkey and Ham (I've never had a Christmas without both). I'm thinking that we may start a tradition of having Filet and Lobster for Christmas, but first I have to perfect my culinary skills (Melissa doesn't grill and she's not to keen on cooking shellfish). Maybe I'll try marinating in an eggnog sauce, my mouth is watering already.
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Apparently I wanted a new starter for the minivan. What I really want is to not be called into the hospital that night.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Do guys do these things?
I've never taken part in any of these blog tags, but I liked this one because I've enjoyed reading the comments that people put next to the items they feel a need to justify. I've got lots of comments.
1. Started your own blog (2 actually, though Melissa seems to be trying to wrestle this one from me)
2. Slept under the stars (every summer night from age 5-19)
3. Played in a band (I played for one year then pretended to play for 2 more)
4. Visited Hawaii (not yet)
5. Watched a meteor shower (who hasn't)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I've never gone into debt for my charitable donations. I'm of the belief that this is the only way I can give more that I can afford )
7. Been to Disneyland (Melissa hasn't)
8. Climbed a mountain (Are you kidding me?)
9. Held a praying mantis (I'm pretty sure I did this as a kid, I think everybody does)
10. Sang a solo (every day in the shower)
11. Bungee jumped (I've never been able to justify the cost)
12. Visited Paris (not until we get to Brazil)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (does watching the perfect storm on DVD while sitting on a houseboat count?)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (if photography is an art then I have certainly taught myself an art as I know how to push the button, that said I don't think I'm a very good teacher)
15. Adopted a child (this is a dangerous one for those who have adopted a child if said child is old enough to read but not old enough to know he/she is adopted)
16. Had food poisoning (Only from food made in restaurants)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I'm waiting for the escalator)
18. Grown your own vegetables (I've also failed to grow my own share of vegetable, hence the 23 chipmunks buried in our backyard)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (see #12)
20. Slept on an overnight train (I've slept on an overnight bus)
21. Had a pillow fight (This is a weekly thing in our house)
22. Hitch hiked (um...no)
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (I just started my first real job in July, it will take some time)
24. Built a snow fort (They tend to be pretty pathetic because I get claustrophobic pretty easily)
25. Held a lamb (Actually I've never held the whole lamb, but the part I did hold was rather tasty)
26. Gone skinny dipping (my morals never allowed me to do this with members of the opposite sex and my good sense helped me to see how stupid it would be to do this with guys)
27. Run a Marathon (I've never stuck an ice pick in my eye either)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (#12)
29. Seen a total eclipse (How do you miss these? It seems everybody is outside each time it comes around)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (this is somewhat more difficult in the east where you can't often see the horizon)
31. Hit a home run (I hit a double to right field in my only hit during my only year of little league)
32. Been on a cruise (That's where I met Paige and told my friends in high school that she was the first girl I ever kissed. She was real, but the kiss was a figment of my imagination)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (as opposed to seeing it out of person)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (#12)
35. Seen an Amish community (it's pathetic that we haven't been up to Amish Acres yet)
36. Taught yourself a new language (I've been working on Spanish so I'm counting this one)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I don't like this one because I'm pretty satisfied right now, but I would like a truck and a Polaris RZR to put in the back of it. Of course that would require me to build a carport on the side of the house and we just don't have the money for that stuff, but I'm still pretty satisfied currently)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (#12, and #33)
39. Gone rock climbing (I've been rappelling a bunch of times, but that climbing thing hasn't really appealed to me)
40. Seen Michelangelo's David (#12)
41. Sung karaoke (heaven's no)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (We'll probably do this again before all that Europe stuff too)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (I've given Strangers money but I'm not too sure they used it for a meal...)
44. Visited Africa (not too high on my list of priorities)
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (yeah with my siblings when I was a kid)
46. Been transported in an ambulance (I've never even been a patient in an ER)
47. Had your portrait painted (but Spencer draws me all the time)
48. Gone deep sea fishing (Maybe next year)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (#12, seriously what's with all the Europe references? Where's the questions about Machu Pichu, The Amazon, or Iguacu falls? Now those are some worthy destinations)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower (I give up)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (in the tub)
52. Kissed in the rain (seriously what married man hasn't been forced to do this by his wife?)
53. Played in the mud (every chance I get)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (I've driven to them lots of times, but I've never seen a movie there)
55. Been in a movie (Usually I'm the director, but occasionally Melissa takes over and I get in on the action)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (what's so great about the wall? It's a giant wall that stretches across a continent, big deal.)
57. Started a business (hoping to never do this)
58. Taken a martial arts class (I don't know if Capoeira counts as Martial arts, but I took a Capoeira class in Brazil)
59. Visited Russia (not until we get to Hawaii, Brazil, Europe, and Africa)
60. Served at a soup kitchen (Sadly no)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (hence the title of the post)
62. Gone whale watching (I do this all the time and something tells me I'm watching in the wrong places)
63. Got flowers for no reason (I got them for Melissa)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (not as much as I should)
65. Gone sky diving (Definitely a top 10 moment of my life)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Europe again?)
67. Bounced a check (I am way too anal for this one)
68. Flown in a helicopter (Engine failure makes me a little afraid to do this anytime soon, there's no coasting in with a helicopter)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (then sold it on ebay for $300 and bought a universal weight set that I gave away to a neighbor in Yakima. I sure miss that toy)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (Ah Good old American landmarks)
71. Eaten Caviar (fish eggs? I don't think so)
72. Pieced a quilt (I am a heterosexual male, no offense to any of you men out there who have pieced a quilt. Wait a minute no male is going to read this post all the way to #72)
73. Stood in Times Square (We'll get to that hopefully before Hawaii)
74. Toured the Everglades (I've been to Okefenokee swamp. I think that should count)
75. Been fired from a job (not in this lifetime)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (Europe is quickly moving below Russia on the list of places to visit)
77. Broken a bone (I did break my nose, but that doesn't really qualify as a "bone")
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (I've never even been on a under-the-speed-limit motorcycle)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (We listened to NKOTB all the way there and all the way back with our exchange student Hajime)
80. Published a book (I'm working on my skills through blog posts like these)
81. Visited the Vatican (Isn't that in Europe?)
82. Bought a brand new car (Only after the Probe died on the road between Tooele and WVC, I don't plan to buy a new car ever again)
83. Walked in Jerusalem (Definitely want to do this before Europe)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (I'm from Cedar City, UT and we have our own newspaper so this one isn't too difficult)
85. Read the entire Bible (I have according to the Gideons)
86. Visited the White House (I've driven past it. Does that count?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Ah the joys of growing up in rural Utah)
88. Had chickenpox (I think this one's a yes, but I'm not entirely sure)
89. Saved some one's life (I'm not too sure how instrumental I was in the life saving, but none of my code patients have passed on my time....yet)
90. Sat on a jury (I hear the ticking every day and it's driving me insane. When will my time come. It's like waiting for the Code siren to go off.)
91. Met someone famous – (this is very ambiguous because what qualifies as famous? I’ve met people that are “Utah famous”)
92. Joined a book club (I leave these to Melissa)
93. Lost a loved one (We lost Mark once coming down from the cabin, but we found him a short time later)
94. Had a baby (I'm really beginning to think I'm of the wrong sex to be doing this)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (I don't like Texas)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (It was more like bobbing)
97. Been involved in a law suit (not yet)
98. Owned a cell phone (I sure don't want to)
99. Been stung by a bee (Only once)
100. Read an entire book in one day (one day I read six, and Spencer loved every one of them)
So there you have it folks. I'm not going to tag anybody because just having read this far I think you've suffered enough.
I think that for the next sewing group night I'll make up my own list of 100 things that all men should do. I can assure you the only reference to Europe on that list will be driving on the Autobahn in a Ferrari (or the Italian sports car of your choice).
1. Started your own blog (2 actually, though Melissa seems to be trying to wrestle this one from me)
2. Slept under the stars (every summer night from age 5-19)
3. Played in a band (I played for one year then pretended to play for 2 more)
4. Visited Hawaii (not yet)
5. Watched a meteor shower (who hasn't)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I've never gone into debt for my charitable donations. I'm of the belief that this is the only way I can give more that I can afford )
7. Been to Disneyland (Melissa hasn't)
8. Climbed a mountain (Are you kidding me?)
9. Held a praying mantis (I'm pretty sure I did this as a kid, I think everybody does)
10. Sang a solo (every day in the shower)
11. Bungee jumped (I've never been able to justify the cost)
12. Visited Paris (not until we get to Brazil)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (does watching the perfect storm on DVD while sitting on a houseboat count?)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (if photography is an art then I have certainly taught myself an art as I know how to push the button, that said I don't think I'm a very good teacher)
15. Adopted a child (this is a dangerous one for those who have adopted a child if said child is old enough to read but not old enough to know he/she is adopted)
16. Had food poisoning (Only from food made in restaurants)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I'm waiting for the escalator)
18. Grown your own vegetables (I've also failed to grow my own share of vegetable, hence the 23 chipmunks buried in our backyard)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (see #12)
20. Slept on an overnight train (I've slept on an overnight bus)
21. Had a pillow fight (This is a weekly thing in our house)
22. Hitch hiked (um...no)
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (I just started my first real job in July, it will take some time)
24. Built a snow fort (They tend to be pretty pathetic because I get claustrophobic pretty easily)
25. Held a lamb (Actually I've never held the whole lamb, but the part I did hold was rather tasty)
26. Gone skinny dipping (my morals never allowed me to do this with members of the opposite sex and my good sense helped me to see how stupid it would be to do this with guys)
27. Run a Marathon (I've never stuck an ice pick in my eye either)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (#12)
29. Seen a total eclipse (How do you miss these? It seems everybody is outside each time it comes around)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (this is somewhat more difficult in the east where you can't often see the horizon)
31. Hit a home run (I hit a double to right field in my only hit during my only year of little league)
32. Been on a cruise (That's where I met Paige and told my friends in high school that she was the first girl I ever kissed. She was real, but the kiss was a figment of my imagination)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (as opposed to seeing it out of person)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (#12)
35. Seen an Amish community (it's pathetic that we haven't been up to Amish Acres yet)
36. Taught yourself a new language (I've been working on Spanish so I'm counting this one)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I don't like this one because I'm pretty satisfied right now, but I would like a truck and a Polaris RZR to put in the back of it. Of course that would require me to build a carport on the side of the house and we just don't have the money for that stuff, but I'm still pretty satisfied currently)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (#12, and #33)
39. Gone rock climbing (I've been rappelling a bunch of times, but that climbing thing hasn't really appealed to me)
40. Seen Michelangelo's David (#12)
41. Sung karaoke (heaven's no)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (We'll probably do this again before all that Europe stuff too)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (I've given Strangers money but I'm not too sure they used it for a meal...)
44. Visited Africa (not too high on my list of priorities)
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (yeah with my siblings when I was a kid)
46. Been transported in an ambulance (I've never even been a patient in an ER)
47. Had your portrait painted (but Spencer draws me all the time)
48. Gone deep sea fishing (Maybe next year)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (#12, seriously what's with all the Europe references? Where's the questions about Machu Pichu, The Amazon, or Iguacu falls? Now those are some worthy destinations)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower (I give up)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (in the tub)
52. Kissed in the rain (seriously what married man hasn't been forced to do this by his wife?)
53. Played in the mud (every chance I get)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (I've driven to them lots of times, but I've never seen a movie there)
55. Been in a movie (Usually I'm the director, but occasionally Melissa takes over and I get in on the action)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (what's so great about the wall? It's a giant wall that stretches across a continent, big deal.)
57. Started a business (hoping to never do this)
58. Taken a martial arts class (I don't know if Capoeira counts as Martial arts, but I took a Capoeira class in Brazil)
59. Visited Russia (not until we get to Hawaii, Brazil, Europe, and Africa)
60. Served at a soup kitchen (Sadly no)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (hence the title of the post)
62. Gone whale watching (I do this all the time and something tells me I'm watching in the wrong places)
63. Got flowers for no reason (I got them for Melissa)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (not as much as I should)
65. Gone sky diving (Definitely a top 10 moment of my life)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Europe again?)
67. Bounced a check (I am way too anal for this one)
68. Flown in a helicopter (Engine failure makes me a little afraid to do this anytime soon, there's no coasting in with a helicopter)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (then sold it on ebay for $300 and bought a universal weight set that I gave away to a neighbor in Yakima. I sure miss that toy)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (Ah Good old American landmarks)
71. Eaten Caviar (fish eggs? I don't think so)
72. Pieced a quilt (I am a heterosexual male, no offense to any of you men out there who have pieced a quilt. Wait a minute no male is going to read this post all the way to #72)
73. Stood in Times Square (We'll get to that hopefully before Hawaii)
74. Toured the Everglades (I've been to Okefenokee swamp. I think that should count)
75. Been fired from a job (not in this lifetime)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (Europe is quickly moving below Russia on the list of places to visit)
77. Broken a bone (I did break my nose, but that doesn't really qualify as a "bone")
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (I've never even been on a under-the-speed-limit motorcycle)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (We listened to NKOTB all the way there and all the way back with our exchange student Hajime)
80. Published a book (I'm working on my skills through blog posts like these)
81. Visited the Vatican (Isn't that in Europe?)
82. Bought a brand new car (Only after the Probe died on the road between Tooele and WVC, I don't plan to buy a new car ever again)
83. Walked in Jerusalem (Definitely want to do this before Europe)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (I'm from Cedar City, UT and we have our own newspaper so this one isn't too difficult)
85. Read the entire Bible (I have according to the Gideons)
86. Visited the White House (I've driven past it. Does that count?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Ah the joys of growing up in rural Utah)
88. Had chickenpox (I think this one's a yes, but I'm not entirely sure)
89. Saved some one's life (I'm not too sure how instrumental I was in the life saving, but none of my code patients have passed on my time....yet)
90. Sat on a jury (I hear the ticking every day and it's driving me insane. When will my time come. It's like waiting for the Code siren to go off.)
91. Met someone famous – (this is very ambiguous because what qualifies as famous? I’ve met people that are “Utah famous”)
92. Joined a book club (I leave these to Melissa)
93. Lost a loved one (We lost Mark once coming down from the cabin, but we found him a short time later)
94. Had a baby (I'm really beginning to think I'm of the wrong sex to be doing this)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (I don't like Texas)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (It was more like bobbing)
97. Been involved in a law suit (not yet)
98. Owned a cell phone (I sure don't want to)
99. Been stung by a bee (Only once)
100. Read an entire book in one day (one day I read six, and Spencer loved every one of them)
So there you have it folks. I'm not going to tag anybody because just having read this far I think you've suffered enough.
I think that for the next sewing group night I'll make up my own list of 100 things that all men should do. I can assure you the only reference to Europe on that list will be driving on the Autobahn in a Ferrari (or the Italian sports car of your choice).
Monday, December 8, 2008
Finally My Celebrity Status Is Secure
Here's a link to an article about me in my hometown newspaper.
Well actually it isn't about me per say, but it does mention me.
I'm not specifically mentioned by name, but if you read far enough you will get to the part about the son in residency. That's me! Famous indeed.
Ok, Ok, this is an article about my Dad and his battle with Lymphoma (he's currently winning). He's very embarrassed about the whole deal so I'm doing my part to get the word out to further increase that embarrassment a little bit.... and because I love him.
Well actually it isn't about me per say, but it does mention me.
I'm not specifically mentioned by name, but if you read far enough you will get to the part about the son in residency. That's me! Famous indeed.
Ok, Ok, this is an article about my Dad and his battle with Lymphoma (he's currently winning). He's very embarrassed about the whole deal so I'm doing my part to get the word out to further increase that embarrassment a little bit.... and because I love him.
Happy Birthday Kristian
Kristian turned 2 on Friday. I think he must have known it was his birthday as he was per-ma-grin all day. He woke up with a huge smile and ran around excited for most of the morning. Spencer and Jessi kept telling him that he was the boss since it was his birthday. He seemed to relish in this and had a great time being "in charge" of their play time throughout the day.
When we started making his cake he went from per-ma-grin to totally hyper. He kept running around the kitchen trying to push me out of the way so he could see what was going on. For a 2 year old he is surprisingly strong and I eventually had to get Jacob to take him downstairs as I couldn't get the cake iced with him pushing me every 2 minutes. This put a momentary damper on the per-ma-grin but he got over it when he was shown the finish product.
For dinner we had Kristian's assumed favorite, Pancake Dinner. We assume this is his favorite as he can put them away like nothing else. He enjoyed his pancakes, sausage, biscuits, and fry ups. (So its not the healthiest birthday dinner) As soon as dinner was cleared he was ready for cake. He grinned from ear to ear while we sang happy birthday to him and then couldn't quite figure out while we all kept telling him to blow on it. With a little help from his siblings we got the candles blown out and then enjoyed his football shaped birthday cake and ice cream.
After cake and ice cream it was time for presents. Kristian understood this year that there was a toy inside the paper and couldn't tear it off fast enough. I love when they get old enough to understand the concept of presents. He was very happy with his gifts and played for them for the rest of the evening. At bed time he climbed in his bed with his new football and was particularly happy when Mom and Dad decided it was okay for him to sleep with it, as it was his birthday. And you better believe he was asleep before he even had a chance to play with it. Nothing like a great birthday to wear you out.
Kristian is such a joy in our lives. He is a ball of energy each and every day and can go for hours. He is generally a pretty easy going kid and doesn't get upset to often. He likes to pack away the food and I often wonder if he is ever full. He is learning to talk more and surprises us each day with the new words he has picked up. He is really starting to love playing and watching sports with Daddy. They cheer on their teams and practice play on time-outs. It is a blast to watch. We are so grateful to have his precious little spirit in our family. We love you, Nader Man!
Christmas is Coming!!
We spent last Sunday and Monday getting our house ready for Christmas. It took two days this year as we had two trees to put up. Ah yes, I am following in my Mother's footsteps. (Although I have promised Jacob that I will never make him do three trees) Jacob found a great tree at a garage sale last summer for $3.00. He bought it thinking to replace our smaller tree. I was so excited when he brought it home to realize that I could now have two trees.
It was the perfect year to start the two tree tradition as we now have two rooms for Christmas trees. We put the "new to us" tree in the living room and decorated it with the matching ornaments, ribbon, and white lights. How we got all of these matching decorations is a quirky story.
When I was pregnant with Spencer the company that I worked for announced that it would be closing its doors. My boss and I were responsible to go through all of the assets and account for each as we sold them. When we got to the end of the list we realized we still had a few things in the storage shed that hadn't been accounted for. This included the Christmas Decorations for the tree they put in the lobby each year. As it was never listed as an asset it wasn't required to go in the "sale" pile of assets that had been sold to another company. And wham, suddenly I inherited a beautiful set of ornaments to decorate my own Christmas tree. And all I had to do was lose my job :) I also got a cool office tree (one of those fake ones) but it never made the move.
So this "new to us tree" and "new to us decorations" now makes up my "formal" Christmas tree. I love it. I can't tell you how happy I am not to have Homer Simpson hanging on my beautiful Christmas tree. I can't wait for the after Christmas sells. I would like to get a few more of the really nice ornaments for my formal tree, just for some variety, but I can't bring myself to pay for them at the before Christmas prices when I know they will be going 50% - 75% off after and it really looks great now so it is definitely something that can wait.
So where is Homer now? We set up our old tree in the family room and even bought (shocker I know) some colored lights and a few more glass balls for it. (the ornaments where a little thin now that they are divided between two trees, I love that Dollar Tree.) The tree turned out great and it is so fun to see all of the handmade ornaments that the kids have made. Although I think next year we won't be putting candy canes on it as I keep finding them stuffed in my couch cushions, broken in half with one bite out of them. Thanks Kristian.
All in all, it turned out to be more fun to set up our Christmas stuff then it has been in the past. Spencer was much more of a help this year and all of the kids really seemed to get into the process more. The kids get so excited each morning to take another mini ornament out of the advent calendar and they plug in the Christmas lights any time they are in the room. It is just fun to see them so caught up in the Christmas Spirit.
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