Jealous???

Here it is.. in all it's kelly green glory. THE snowboard coat.
(Oh, and my cute husband.)

Were you expecting something more?? I'm not sure why I'm so very pleased with it..
I realize it's just a green coat-- but it's the PERFECT green coat. Warm, and puffy and water-proof and comfy. And green.

A Is For Apple (And Freaking "Adorable")

Sorry. Can't help it. I just really, really, REALLY enjoy this little human..
and really, really, REALLY think it's fun when Grandma sends fresh Gymboree get-ups to adorn her in. (As you can see by her expression and willingness to pose.. Sophie also really, really, REALLY enjoys it herself.) Hooray for Grandmas.

Nothin' Like A Tantrum To Start Things Off..

Hey! It's 2009! What do ya know?? That is ONE more year farther away from the one I was born in. (This has GOT to stop.) I'm wrinkly.. I enjoy bread pudding.. and almost all my kids can now make thier own cereal. How does time just KEEP rolling?? But can't complain.. the New Year started with good friends, good food-- and one VERY upset Sophie. My usually very pleasant and always ready for a party girl.. was NOT entertained by the unexpected shot of silly string aimed at her at midnight by her well-meaning-party-starting Dad. The following was her startled and offended reaction.

And so began the New Year!
(Maybe she was just upset her usual bow was not in place.)
Luckily.. she was quick to accept an apology, with her "It's O.K. Dad." reply.. and the night ended with sparkling cider and hot brownies. Doesn't get any better than that! Oh wait.. it DID..
The next day we hauled the troops up to Beaver for some good times and a great little snow storm!
Here's the radical crew..

(Next time I'll get my very cute new snowboard coat on film for ya. I'm not the best boarder out there, but I may very well have the cutest coat.)
Bo looks so rockin' in his get-up I couldn't resist gettin' a few shots of his dude-esque-ness.

Or Jasens.

Sophie was geared up and ready for me to pull her around in a sled like a snow princess.

(Next on the endless shopping list of snowboarding junk that's fun to buy, little girls PINK goggles.)
We're headin' back tomorrow. Hope to see ya there!
(I'm the one in the cute coat.)

P.S.Can someone PLEASE tell me how to rotate my pictures on here??

Fa-la-la-la-la!

Look! It's CHRISTMAS!

From a good snow storm..

..to a brand new snow outfit.. (does someone like to pose??)

..to Bo's Christmas Concert

..to TWO Christmas dresses..

Yup. Definitely Christmas.
Now. About the Christmas cards. The following is the picture I used for my Christmas cards..

It seemed O.K. at the time.. but somehow upon shrinking it into a bordered Christmas photo (which I wasn't happy with, so ended up putting in ANOTHER card border. It's jacked up.)I found I resembled an asymmetrical-faced transvestite with fuzzy ocean-air hair.. it really looked freakishly different from the original(as many of you across the miles will be able to enjoy as you recieve copies of it.) Hmmm. Too late to do anything about it now.. and I know its not ALL about the Christmas picture (but it KINDA is..) So this is my disclaimer. To those of you that find my card in your mailbox.. I know. I look a little creepy.. and I should of gone with THIS one..

BUT! It's Christmas! And we're warm and safe and happy.. Sophie dancing around in her bloomers from under her church dress-- singing random Christmas lyrics, presents tucked away hiding in every spare nook and cranny we could find, and a really cute tin of peppermint bark on the counter. So I won't sweat the card. So I'll love that there's snow to look at, and lights lining our little downtown, and treats from neighbors pouring through the door. So fa-la-la-la-la. Merry Cozy Christmas to you.

Now THAT'S Annoying.

Sophie just crawled up on my lap (that's not the annoying part.. that's cute) and pushed some button that just deleted my whole list of friends blogs. THAT'S the annoying part.

Good Question.

Bo wandered up to me the other day.. double dimples in tow.. and ask,
"Do people with brown hair, have to marry other people, with brown hair?"
(I think he was just checkin' his options.) A few moments later, on a seemingly completely different train of thought.. he was back by my side.
"Mom. When I get older like you-- will I have to worry?"
"Worry about what?" I asked.
"Oh.." he answered, kinda thinking a minute..
"like about, car insurance and stuff?"
I'm pretty confident I have never discussed anything on the subject of car insurance with him ever. I was kinda shocked he even knew it was a thing. I could of responded with..
"Actually, YES. You'll have to worry about that, and maybe even have it, but not get your cracked windsheild fixed for 2 years, like Mom, just cause you'd rather buy Old Navy clothes than pay your deductible."
But I didn't. I just smiled and said
"Have fun being little and NOT worrying about stuff."

SOS Pads. Who Knew??

My sweet Mom, kept a very tidy house. I remember always being proud when walking in with friends after school-- at the clean, orderly-- and always tastefully decorated home she made for us. I always loved all of our houses.. all the decor.. all the well-kept homey-ness it always was. The crazy part is that admist all my Moms tidiness (with 5 kids, a dog, and plenty of church roadshows to write and direct, weddings to decorate for, and football pants to wash..) us kids never had so-called, "chores." Now as I got older I remember always being pretty good at keeping my own room cleaned up.. and secretly helping out around the house with little "The Good Fairy Was Here" notes left behind for my Mom... but it was all.. voluntary. Hard as I try I literally cannot remember my Mom ever telling me to do anything specific around the house. I'm sure there was occassion-- and I remember randomly helping out, vaccuuming and squirting down a bathroom here and there (in fact I do specifically remember her showing me the 'get all around the base of the toilet' technique.. and she called the pee drops from the boys on the rim,'butter stains'..)but for the most part, she did it all. She was just happy to have us being kids, doing kid things. So long as we were making good choices-- and loving eachother.. she was good. (For those who never had the joy of knowing my cute Mom.. let me take this spot to just say she was really, really, great.) SO... this brings me to my blogging point today. I consider myself a decent homemaker. I'm a mediocre cook.. excellent laundry doer, and always make my bed. I vaccuum pretty regularly, sweep a little less than is required, but honed in on my Moms skill of keeping things straight. Presentable. Uncluttered. Sink empty. My ability to never leave a room without taking something out of it that belongs somewhere else is a mastered skill straight from Mom. BUT-- there's a few things I never picked up on. While I was busy picking out Homecoming dresses and deciding which bangle bracelet to wear with my royal blue flats (well, royal blue bangle, ofcourse. It was 1989..) somewhere I seemed to miss the Mom lessons that teach you things like what kind of starch to use when ironing, or what the true process of mopping a floor looks like.. (I always end up on my hands and knees with a wet paper towel.. but I have a feeling there's other options.) Then there's my husband. HE, (although you wouldn't guess it from his own house-dwelling habits.. love ya honey!) had chores. So he will often reccommend a product or process for cleaning totally foreign to me.. which I respond to with a blank stare. So imagine my intrique when he picked up SOS pads at the store the other day. The burner trays (if that's even what you call them.. you know-- the silver things under your burners that your boiled-over pasta gets gunky in)were getting embarrassing.. and my paper towels and hot water just weren't doing the trick. Long story short (wait, actually.. this is just a very, very long story.) I tried SOS pads for the first time in 13 years of marriage. Wow. They work. And TOTALLY remove, gunk. (As well as the finger nail polish Sophie spilled on the table a week ago.) Gone. Poof. Wa-la. I thought Magic Erasers were the only thing capable of such miracles. Other than roughing up my hands a little (is THAT why people have rubber gloves?? It's all coming together.) it was a very exciting experience. So there ya have it. For the other possible TWO of you who haven't tried em.. SOS pads. Getcha some.