Christmas 2011

At Botanica to see the lights...and Santa.

At Union Station. Our annual trek to see the trains. And eat at Fritz.

With their new electronic toys.

No coats in December! (unlike this year) At Grammy and Grandpa's house.

Not recommended for anyone over 12 years of age. You'll wind up with a black eye.

See?

It's called a soccer ball...you kick it with your feet.

Related:
Christmas 2010
Christmas 2009: part 1,  part 2, part 3, part 4 (I guess I had a lot to say that year)

Christmas 2008: part 1 (not sure why the video does not work), part 2, part 3
Christmas 2007

2011 Year in Review

Not much has changed in the last year.

Wait, one thing did. The boys now wear glasses. And we did go to the beach this summer.

Adam is in 3rd grade. His favorite subject in school is Math (and not just math, hard math).

Zach is in 2nd grade. His favorite subjects are recess and lunch.

Related: First Day of School

Our house is still full of Legos. We like Star Wars, and we still play soccer (Scott is going on five years as coach.)

Related: Life of a Soccer Mom

Scott is still an investigator for the Department of Defense.

I still do PR for the Kansas Credit Union Association.

We went skiing again this year [video 2:22]. We still had to carry massive amounts of awkward equipment weighing approximately 127 pounds.

Zach got stuck in a bush, and Adam plowed into me [video 0:22].

Related: Boys: Please Ski Responsibly

Lifestyles of the rich and famous

We became part of the rich and famous as we rode around in a limo looking at Christmas lights.

Now, the rich and famous probably do not take pictures by the limousine, because, well, riding in a limo is an everyday activity for them.

 

  

There were 10 of us, and this was the first time in a limo for many, including my 99 year old grandmother. My nine year old informed everyone this was his SECOND time riding in such luxury.

I could get used to it.

Baking by the numbers

49 sugar cookies in various shapes including wreath, gingerbread man, Christmas tree, candy cane, bell, star  and mitten.

48 peppermint brownie bites

44 chocolate dipped vanilla wafer caramel sandwiches

42 peppermint kisses

30 pieces of toffee crisp

22 chocolate dipped pretzels with sprinkles

24 toffee bars

6 mini loaves of holiday pumpkin apple bread

1 large loaf of holiday pumpkin apple bread

3 trips to the grocery store 

3 items borrowed from 2 different neighbors (apple juice, Crisco shortening, green food coloring) 

2 number of times brown sugar and butter overflowed onto stove making a sticky mess

1 lesson learned: if you mix red and a drop of blue food coloring you get a 1984 mauve color

Related:

2010 Baking by the numbers

Why don't boys understand clothes?

In the last two days, I have had these conversations with the males in my house.

Conversation with my 8 year old:

Me: "Try these new clothes I bought you."

8 yo: "Do I have to? I don't need any new clothes."

Me: "Honey, you don't have enough clothes, and we don't wear dirty clothes."

He agrees after more grumbling, except then says things like this:

"These pants are too loud."

"These pants are too long and get caught in my shoes."

"These pants are too short and go up my bottom."

"These pants are too loose and go up and down when I run."

"This shirt's sleeves are too short. See how when I raise my arms above my head the sleeves go down my arms?"

"I don't like the stripe on here."

"This tag really sticks me."

Me: "Fine. I don't care what you wear to school as long as it doesn't stink and does not have stains on it...so just pick something out."

Conversation with my 9 year old:

Me: "Did you get that shirt out of the dirty clothes?"

9 yo: "Yes."

Me: "Why don't you wear a clean shirt?"
9 yo: "I don't have any. They are all short sleeved."

Me, after looking in his closet and finding five very cute striped long sleeved t-shirts, four of which would match his grey athletic pants very nicely: "You have five long sleeved CLEAN t-shirts in your closet."

9 yo: "Those are NICE shirts...they don't have anything 'cool' on them."

Me: "Fine. I don't care what you wear to school as long as it doesn't stink and does not have stains on it...so just pick something out."

Conversation with my husband:

Him: "Does this jacket go with these pants?"

Me, eyeing the garment in question: "How long have you had that?"

Him: "I haven't worn it in probably five years..."

Me: "No. How long have you HAD it?"
Him: "Oh, at least 10 years...but does it go? What?"

Me: "It doesn't look right...does it even still fit?"

Him, turning in the mirror: "Well, yeah...see?"
Me: "Um...no. What do you usually wear with those pants?"

Him: "They have a jacket that goes with them."

Me, bewildered: "Why don't you just wear that?"

Him: "I don't know, I think the jacket is at work. So no to this jacket?"
Me: "You are not wearing that."

Him, sighing: "Well, can I still wear this tie?"

Me: "No."

Him, big sigh. "Well then you have to pick out a tie!"

Then after a brief pause..."so this (holding the jacket from which I think is from the early '90s) goes in the give-a-way pile?"

Related:

January 28, 2010: Pick Your Battles