Good Bye 2010...

I saw this on another blog and I thought it was kind of cool. She asks herself the same questions at the end of each year and it's interesting to see how the answers can change and stay the same too. It's kind of long so I won't blame you if you scoot out early ;)
But before that I just want to get some quick goals written down for 2011. Not resolutions, just goals.

1. Take more pictures. I seriously lacked on this in 2010.
2. Document more. Blogging, scrapbooking, picture taking. More.
3. Pay off credit card. self explanatory.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. I just quit Weight Watchers so we'll see how this goes :P

Ok on to the questions...
1. What did you do in 2011 that you never did before?
began a diet and exercise plan. kept it up for an entire year. well the diet part anyway. ran a lot. I hate running. started homeschooling. moved to Oakland.
2. Did you keep any of your resolutions from last year and will you make any new ones?
I tend not to make any resolutions. But I did set 4 simple goals for next year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. My neighbor and friend had a healthy baby boy last January. I can't believe he's almost 1!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
none.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you didn't have in 2010?
hmmmm..... A panini press? I'm pretty easy to please. And a warm gooey sandwich sounds yummy.
7. What dates in 201o will be forever etched in your memory?
A day in January when I decided to take control of my weight and health. July 1st- the day we moved to Oakland. Our entire trip to Disneyland.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
losing 60 pounds. I mean I hate to go there, but it is kind of a big deal. Deciding to homeschool, finding out that it ain't all that bad, actually loving it.
9. What was your biggest failure?
certain parenting moments, of course. And also certain wifely moments too.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Well Pete almost cut his thumb off in July..does that count? We were all pretty sick with colds/flu towards the end of the year. But luckily nothing too serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A vacation to Disneyland.
12. Where did most of your money go?
BILLS, BILLS, BILLS. oh I wish I could say: savings account, instead.
13. What did you get really excited about?
DISNEYLAND! I still can't believe it's over. Man, I love that place.
14. What song will always remind you of 2010?
dude, i have no clue.
15. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Camping. Taking pictures. Scrapbooking. Exercising.
16. Compared to this time last year you are...
-happier or sadder? happier
-fatter or thinner? THINNER! and stronger :)
-richer or poorer? Richer in life, poorer in the pocket.
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
At mom's, then again at Pete's moms.
19. What was your favorite TV program?
LOST
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire.
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
I really don't know. I'm not in the car as much anymore, therefore I don't listen to the radio as much either. Nothing really stands out in my mind.
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Tangled, How to Train your Dragon, Despicable Me. (do you see a pattern?) We also just watched The Town over Christmas and it was really good! I remembered how much I like Ben Affleck.
23. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
Nothing and none of your beez wax ;-)
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
LESS BILLS!
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
What?? I don't even know what this means. I DO know, that losing 60lbs has made my wardrobe very sad actually. I need a whole new one immediately! My closet is pathetic.
26. What kept you sane?
my husband. my mother. surprisingly-exercise.
27. A valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?
I'm still learning.

A White Christmas...

What a wonderful Christmas we had. It was so busy and yucky leading up to it, but actual Christmas was very nice. The only missing part was seeing my dad, who I missed very much. His chemo treatments make him very susceptible to infection so we all thought it best to keep germ-filled kids away for this time. I did talk to him though, and he sounds much better. He's been sleeping well and hasn't had to have his lungs drained of fluid for over a week now so it seems as though the prayers and the chemo are working. Thank you for that! ♥♥
Christmas Eve and Christmas morning were spent with my mom and Mike. I do have pics from that, I just haven't edited them yet. So those will come in a separate post.
Saturday afternoon we headed up the mountain to Pete's parents. There was actually no snow when we got there. We were a little shocked, I thought there would at least be a little. But we were lucky! Just about dusk Saturday night it started to snow, and we woke up to about 5 or 6 inches of fluffy white stuff Sunday morning. :)

This was so funny...Our dog, Maggie just loves Pete and kept chasing him down and then back up the hill we were sledding down. So finally Pete just put her on the sled with him. Can you not see the pure joy in her face? HA! She totally loved it.

This one is all kindsa blurry, but I just love it.

Jake headed down the hill. He was actually the best sledder...made it the farthest each time.

Meggy going all by herself and loving it.

Snowball fight!

Cute Hannah, making a brick for the snow wall.

Jake in his new coat from Grandma Katy.

And Megs in her new coat too :)

There's more, but those were the good ones, and the only ones I felt like waiting for blogger to upload. :) Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!! We're taking the week off from school work to hang out, clean up, reorganize, and move forward into 2011.

10 things I still haven't done

The Holiday Procrastinators Edition

1. Finished my shopping. Yep. Still two gifts to buy.
2. Wrapped presents. I usually leave this till last anyway, but since we're going out of town Friday, I really need to get this done ASAP
3. Bought stocking stuffers. I do have some chapstick and a notebook for each. But yeah, that doesn't really "stuff" a stocking.
3. Made my contributions for Christmas breakfast and Christmas dinner. I can't really do that till Friday anyway, but it is still one more thing to do.
4. Found my kids snow clothes. Or bought them new ones. I'm not a fan of snow. Because I'm not a fan of being cold. And I find it silly to buy snow clothes for a once maybe twice a year event. (Nicole and Beth are laughing right now, I'm sure!) But it must be done. Grandma has lots of snow at her house and there will be lots of playing in it, I'm sure. But I can not find the snow boots we bought last year?? Where are they?
5. Bought batteries. I haven't even checked to see what kind the DS takes. Better do that quick. Knowing me, it won't take batteries but some other 40 dollar charger that doesn't come with it, that I'll have to hunt down Christmas Eve at Walmart only to find out it's sold out.
6. Finished baking. I still want to make more cookies. We've made 3 different types and they're all gone.
7. Laundry. I mean, I know this doesn't really count because there's ALWAYS laundry, but it does matter when you need to pack and there's no decent clean clothes.
8. Pack. I need to pack.
9. Neighbor gifts. I do have one neighbor and I'd like to take #6 and give some to her. She drives me nuts sometimes, but she really is a good friend.
10. Relax. I can't wait to get to my mom's Friday and just chill and enjoy the season. And then get to Pete's mom's on Saturday and chill out again.

Oh for cute!

We made graham cracker houses today! They turned out so cute! And I think I had more fun than the kids. Megan was more interested in eating the candy at first and then got creative. Jake was having fun at first and then got bored. Me? I just kinda went crazy. It was fun and easy and I'll think we'll be doing this again next year. Totally worth the 15 dollars I spent in candy we'll never eat.

You can click on the images to make them larger

I followed tips from this site. It worked really, really well. The icing is disgusting, so don't eat it. But it is exactly like tacky glue. I didn't use the hot sugar method to stick the grahams to the cardboard, it worked fine without it. The directions to cut the graham crackers worked perfectly! I made up the houses myself ahead of time because I knew my kids would just get frustrated and I wanted them to just have fun with it. Plus, I have control issues. ;)
Here are the finished houses. They're so cute! Megan is on the left, Jake in the middle and me on the right.

A Tuesday in December.

1. I'm trying really hard to enjoy this holiday season. But it's tough this year. With us being sick and my dad being really sick added to the normal stress of the season, I'm just having a hard time really getting into it.
2. We did finally get our tree up. With a few mishaps and shenanigans, it really deserves it's own post :)
3. my advice to you: don't get divorced. It makes your children crazy well into their adulthood. This isn't meant to make either one of my parents feel bad. I understand now why it happened and I am essentially ok with it. I don't wish for my parents to be together or anything. It's just a fact. And Christmastime is the hardest.
4. more advice: if you have the means to do it, have more than one child. Again, this is nothing against my parents. I had a wonderful childhood, I really did. But now that I'm an adult, I have no one (like a sister) to b*tch to about family crap. So I come to the internets to complain instead. You're welcome!
5. I tried to make cookies yesterday for our charter school teacher. We meet with her once a month to make sure sure we're on track and following state standards for our grade level. Anyway, the cookies were a complete disaster X two. I wanted to make jam thumbprint cookies. I went to the internet in search of a recipe since I couldn't find the one I used to have. Anyway I made up the recipe, but doubled it since it only made 10 cookies. Who makes only 10 cookies?? Anyway, you're supposed to roll the dough in your hand then in sugar, then use your finger to make a well for the jam. Well, the dough was WAY way too crumbly. It wouldn't even stick together. FAIL #1. So I went back to the internet and found another, similar recipe and just added to what I already had mixed (probably a bad idea). They stayed together though, and I was able to get them in the oven. But then...Then the jam melted out all over the place. And the actual cookie? wouldn't even cook all the way. Even after 15 minutes. FAIL #2.
6. I made up a batch of regular old chocolate chip this morning and filled a little tin. You really can't go wrong with chocolate chip, right?
7. Why did I ever think $500 would be enough money to buy all the gifts on my list this year? $500 sounds like a decent amount, even too much really. But hot dang! money goes fast. Especially when Santa decided to go ahead and get child #1 what he really wanted. $500 for both kids, Pete, parents and 3 nieces + 1 nephew.
8. I'm going simple this year on the gifts. For my kids that pretty much means: something you want, something you need. I left out the something you wear and something to read. Only because Jake's gift was expensive and he doesn't need new clothes right now. I will probably get him a book though. I mean, how could I not? I'm still working on Megan's gifts, but she really doesn't "want" anything yet. She still hasn't quite grasped the concept like Jake has. And that's ok. I know what she likes so I got her that.
9. Yes, Santa caved and got Jake the Nintendo DSi XL. I wasn't going to do it. I had completely talked myself out of it. But there were several factors in my final decision: 1) I know it's what he really, really wanted. And I can't stand a disappointed kid on Christmas. 2) We don't own any other gaming system. No Wii, XBox, Playstation or any of that stuff. 3) Pete said, "WHAT?! you're not getting him that?" after I thought he didn't want him to have one. All that, plus I found a really good deal, I had a coupon on top of that and games were 50% off at Toys R Us. But he ain't gettin' nothin' else from us. Except maybe that book ;-)
10. I don't know what else to write. I'm exhausted just reading back what I wrote, and assume you must be too if you made it this far!

Aaahh, city life...

Sirens, freeway noise, people....
Spiders, bugs, ticks, mice...
uh huh. you read that right.
Living here on this hill, smack dab in the city, is very much like living in the country.

Last night we had two encounters that just go to show how much we don't live in the city. First, at dinner Megan is pulling at her ear. Pulling and pulling and saying how much her ear hurt. I just figured the cold that we've all had must have finally turned into an ear infection. I mentally thought ok after dinner give her some tylenol, in the morning make an appointment and get some pink stuff. But she kept pulling and tugging and was almost in tears by the end of dinner. So I took a look. Behind her ear was red and swollen...it almost looked like poison oak or something. Then I saw it. Right behind her earlobe was a tiny little black tick trying to dig it's way into her brain! A tick! On my baby! EEEEWWW!! Pete pulled it out and all was fine.
So after that, I decided to take a long hot shower and get cozy in my jammies. (And make sure I didn't have any ticks! EEEWW!!!) I wanted to sit down by the fire and read my book. I got out of the shower and heard a muffled little meow meow outside the bathroom window. I knew it was just our cat, Miss Kitty, wanting to come in from the cold. I finished wrapping my hair up and getting my jammies on, then went down the hall, through the kitchen and into the dinning/entry/fireplace room. (it's a multi-functional space and I don't know what to call it) I found my family all huddled around Pete. Bang! Pow! Zip! They were playing some silly shooting game on his iPhone.
I opened the front door and then the screen to let Miss Kitty in. But she wasn't right there.
Hmmm, I thought.
Me: Miss Kitty! Kitty, kitty, kitty! Come on pretty girl. (makes silly kissy noises)
I heard something, then saw her fluffy tail as she whizzed into the house.
Bang! Pow! Zip! Everyone else is still intently watching the video game.
As I turned from closing the door I see Miss Kitty proudly perched in front of me with something in her mouth.
Me: Ahh! She has something in her mouth!
Bang! Pow! Zip!
Me: Ahhhh! It's a mouse!
Cue cat to then drop said mouse onto the floor.
Bang! Pow! Zip! Awesome Daddy! Yes!
Me: It's still alive!!! GET IT!!
Bang! Pow! Zip! seriously, no one even moved! Really?!
Me: There is a MOUSE and it is NOT DEAD! GET. IT.!!!
Bang! Pow!
Me: Seriously?! Put the freakin game down and get this frickin MOUSE!
Pete: ok, ok. (in the nicey cat talk voice:) get it Miss Kitty. Get the Mouse.
This whole time I'm trying to get someone's attention, Miss Kitty just sat there proudly. And the mouse, fortunantly I suppose, just stood there stunned. Once everyone started moving, well, so did the mouse.
Me: Ahhh! Get it! GET IT! Ahh!
Miss Kitty did kinda pat at it a little. But where was her killer instinct?? Where where her claws and her fierce, flesh tearing teeth??!
Pete: She's not just going to let it go, she'll get it. (said just as she let it go again and it scurried off into the kitchen)
Me: AHHHH GEEEETTT IIIIITTT!! NOOOWWW!!
Pete then stepped on it's tail and had it somewhat controlled.
Jake: I'll get the broom!
smart kid!
Pete then whacked the mouse on the head a couple times, scooped it up with the dust pan and that was that.
WHEW!

Pete: jeeze you panicked. You acted like that was like a big deal or something.

I just looked at him quizzically.

Can someone please explain to me how having a real live mouse in the house is NOT a big deal?

The weekend that wasn't.

I think this is the latest into December I have gone without putting up our Christmas tree in years. Yep. It's still not up. This right here?: The extent of our holiday decorations. I had a horrible nights sleep Thursday night. It was windy and there was this noise outside that was driving me absolutely mad. Crazy mad. I couldn't sleep. And the short times where I did drift off, I had the weirdest dreams. Anyway, Friday I got up, shook off the no sleep and decided we should have a craft day. I took a shower, got dressed and we headed off to Michael's to grab some glitter and Styrofoam cones. I don't even know what happened, but after 20 minutes in that store, I was done. I felt like I could hardly stand. We came directly home and I was done. Fever, chills, aches. ugh. I just hate feeling like that. I'm just barely feeling better today.
So no tree up. No fantastical holiday baking day. Although, we did manage to get in a few crafts. And about 10,000 movies in our jammies. It was funny because Pete came home Friday and spied that little tree next to the fireplace. I had picked it up at Michaels because it was 50% off and I thought it was cute. Anyway, Pete goes "so is that our Christmas tree this year"? He was kidding. My first reaction was HECK NO! you Grinch! But part of me kinda thinks: that wouldn't be a half bad idea! I'm not going to do that to my kids though. I'm not that mean. Mostly.
Anyway, we did manage the glitter trees. They took all of maybe 10 minutes to make and look really cute in person. Martha Stewart extra fine glitter is awesome. The tallest white tree is actually covered in doilies. I 100% copied the idea from Rhonna Farrer and it took about 5 minutes. Hers still look cuter than mine does though. Megan made all the sequin snowflakes. We painted a bunch of popsicle sticks white, some sprinkled with Pink Paisley glitter too, and then she glued a bunch of craft sequins on. They are pretty cute. I punched holes in them so we could hang them on the tree, but now I'm thinking they look pretty cute on the mantel. I couldn't keep Jake's interest with the crafts, he was much more interested in shooting his BB gun instead. Oh well. We'll see what this week brings. I better go get the tree out now, so at least I can see it and get it out of the box!

Christmas cookies...

It's that time of year again. The time of year when I get crazy ambitious with my ideas for holiday baking. Every year I think I'm going to have a whole day-NO-a whole weekend full of FUN baking!! Then, about halfway into the first batch of rolled out cookies, I ask myself...why am I doing this again??
But I just can't help myself. The idea always creeps in, and sounds like a good one in the beginning. We'll see how far I get this year...

So far here is a list of what I would like to make:

*Cream cheese frosted cut-out cookies -so yummy!
* Mexican Wedding cookies -nobody ever eats these but me and my mom but dang, i love them!
* Pepparkakor-These are a traditional Swedish cookie, kind of like a thin crispy gingerbread. Pete grew up with his best friends mom making these all the time. So they are for him. I like them too though.
* Chocolate chip- because who doesn't like chocolate chip?
* Spritz- again, probably only me and Megan will eat these, but they're so buttery and yummy. I just hope I can get the right consistency with the dough so they'll come out of the cookie press correctly. There's a real science to it.
* Thumb prints- can you tell i really like the buttery cookies? mm mm mm!
* Peanut butter
* Snicker doodles-another of Pete's favorites
* Some sort of chocolate dipped pretzel, or pretzel/chocolate combination. Haven't quite decided what yet.

So what are your traditional Christmas cookies, or candies, or baked goods?? I'd love to try something new. Share a recipe if you have one! Does anyone make biscotti, or candy or fudge??

Wednesday. Wordless. sorta.

Kinda boring this time. But I'm almost getting into the Christmas spirit. Happy December!