Two Funny Things

1. Today Bob referred to the movie "Caddyshack" as venerable.

2. Connor had a stomach ache this afternoon and Bob was giving him a bit of a fatherly lecture about eating so much crappy food and how if he ate better he wouldn't be sick. Curled up on the couch, miserable, Connor listens and when the speech is done he croaks "Mom, can I have a carrot?"

In For The Eve

It's time to ring in 2012 and we are spending it in our jammies. The boys and I are tired from our road trip to Nana's this week, Connor is feeling a little under the weather, and overall, we're happy to not have a big brouhaha. It's seven o'clock and Palmer just fell asleep on the couch and Connor is up in our room watching a football game ( which is all he seemingly does these days ).

I used the afternoon to cook. I will on Monday, too. I'll be on a business trip this week and I like to make sure the boys are fed before I go. I'll make a meatloaf and some chicken enchiladas. Those plus the leftovers from tonite should round out the week-and our backsides!  Happy New Year, everyone!

 Ina Garten's Parker's Split Pea Soup

Fannie Farmer's Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Real Maine Whoopie Pies (from scratch!)

78%

visited 39 states (78%)
Create your own visited map of The United States


I have visited 39 of our 50 United States.  I'd like to make it to all of them.   I've been able to to tick off two in the past 6 weeks due to an interim job I've been doing--its a side benefit.   I had never been to Michigan or Wisconsin and I had to go to Detroit and Milwaukee for some meetings.  Next week I'll be able to check of Minnesota--its January--weather permitting.  If' I'm lucky, I'll also get to see the shopping "mecca"--the Mall of America.

I'd imagine I can get Arizona and New Mexico easily.  Probably a trip to the Grand Canyon in my future anyway, so those two shouldn't be an issue. And maybe a future cruise to Alaska.  After that, though, it gets hard.  I can't see making it to Iowa, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho, or Oklahoma for any recreational purpose.

Excursion

We usually make it downtown to see the National Christmas tree each year, but hadn't gotten around to it in the weeks leading up to the holiday.  On the spur of the moment this afternoon, we decided to head down to see it.   We knew it would be interesting because the tree that had been there for years (a photo of it is the front page of the blog right now) was toppled by some heavy winds this spring and it was replaced by a smaller (26ft) tree this summer.  Its really small compared to the old one--about half the size.  But the lighting design is new and it looked pretty.

One of my personal favorites  is the Yule Log. Its totally bizarre.  A big concrete pit surrounded by chain link fencing with giant tree trunks burning in it.  It gives off alot of heat, but its totally random and odd.  There used to be a very out of place wooden Olde English style sign announcing it but now there's nothing, just a burning hole in the earth.  Kind of down-market for the front lawn of the White House, I think.   Here we are--you can see the glow of the fire to the right of the boys.  And what design genius decided it was a good idea to paint the top rail of the fence with some red-orange spray?

Before Christmas, there is a big line waiting to go into Santa's Workshop.  Today, this sign pretty much says it all.

Here's the best shot we could get--it was really crowded and crazy and I couldn't find anyone who spoke english to take the picture.    A nice japanese man took this after he adjusted all the settings on my Nikon. (I am not kidding.)  Bob looks a little like tetanus is setting in.  Sorry, hon.

And finally, I can't leave this one out.  I took it in the car on the way home.  Now that's the magic of the holiday season right there in one shot, isn't it?

Happy Merry Joyous Sweet!

It's almost 11 am and the whirlwind is slowing down a bit. Its been a busy 24 hours in Tatertown!

This is the view the kids have in the morning.  Hope that climber is a big hit because Santa had to get a little medieval on it to get it in the house.

And this is where our Elf, Arnold was all day on the 24th--buried waist deep in a container of Christmas balls.

Some treats for Santa and the reindeer!

The tree after Santa's delivery!  WOW!!

Arnold's last perch on a trapeze at the entrance to the tree room.  He wrote the boys a nice note and said he'd see them next year.  I think he's headed on a cruise with Santa--at least that's what Connor said.

 Pencils in my stocking!  Just what my teacher said I needed!

Yan Yan in my stocking!  Whooo Hoooo!  My little hands can't rip it open fast enough.

This is the Happy Christmas Morning Dance!

My first climb up the wave!  I can't wait to see what Jingle has been doing in here!

Wow.  I think I kinda like this thing about the presents!

Now that's a gift!

Connor's best gift of the morning from his Dad.  I actually thought he was a little choked up!

Pure happiness.

Pure love.

And Connor's favorite moment of the morning--he actually gets his own cup of coffee which he begs for every day and never can have!

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Eve Jammies

We're all ready in our new jammies for Santa to come and bring us some goodies!  Happy Christmas everyone.

Play With Me, Brother!

After we saw Santa this morning, we stopped in a the toddler play area in the Dulles Town Center mall.   When Connor was little, we visited here frequently.  Somehow, thought, Palmer had never even seen it.  As you'd expect, he really really enjoyed it.  And Connor really really enjoyed following him around and protecting him like the great big brother he is.  So sweet.