Happy Birthday Sister!

Sister A was the New Year's Baby of her time. 1963. Noted in the local newspaper and received special gifts and all. Famous at birth!

We always celebrate her birthday by going for breakfast/brunch. Over the years we have brought babies with us, dined at the Teahouse at COP, breakfasted at home (too many small kids to go out), laughed, been asked to leave the restaurant to make room for other diners and now her daughter babysits my boys so that we can dine sans enfants. It's wonderful!

The last two years we have found a delicious, amazing brunch at a hotel that is akin to breakfast on a cruise with animal shaped butter and such. We love it! And go alone! Even better!

This year will be no exception.

However the highlight for me, besides spending time with Sister A, is the gift. This year her gift is completely heartfelt and unexpected. Not the heartfelt part, but the actual gift.

It's a long complicated story that requires a two page genogram, as we only share the same birth father, not the same birth mother, however were raised by the same parents including my birth mother as my sister's mom died when Sister A was 18mths of age.

Anyway....

Found, thick with dust, in a long forgotten cupboard at Mom's, was the wedding cake topper from my father and his first wife's wedding (1960ish)..... my sister's mom. So, I brought it home, washed it and have displayed it in a shadow box with blue-grey glitter in the bottom as the dress Miss M wore when she married my father was bluey-grey. (I know that dress is about somewhere and want to find it too!)

Hopefully, Sister A loves her gift. It is heartsy and filled with a history that we know little of, but out of that past I received a sister who is also a dear friend.

Happy Birthday "Lala"!

Cake Topper from A & M's wedding. Circa 1960~ish.

Christmas Morning Pics

Bup with his Santa gift that W requested on his behalf.

Santa came! Ready to unwrap.

Happy Bup - notice the line up of unwrapped gifts?

W thrilled with his freshly built Droid Tri Fighter

A little late....but better than never right?

Our Christmas was so quiet and peaceful and...bizarre! There was just the three of us as B is back at work. We celebrated earlier in the month when B was home so this was just Santa's time to shine.

W slept in until 730 then raced upstairs to wake us 'cause "Santa CAME!" It was sweet to see W waiting happily in front of the tree while Bup tried to rub the sleep from his eyes and focus on what was happening. Thank goodness for technology as I thought to Facetime B on his Iphone so that he could "join" us for the kiddos gift opening. Kinda sad that we depend on Apple so much in this house, but we're grateful just the same.

In the afternoon we had a sweat pants inducing dinner at my sister's with just my mom and her friend as additional family. Quiet...calm....Q-U-I-E-T.

These two most recent Christmases have been the quietest I have ever experienced. I am not complaining. However, if Mr. B thinks he is working next year.....well, we'll just invade the wellsite and see how that works!

Hope your Christmas was lovely....peaceful and filled with laughter.

New Years Baby

May this New Year's Eve be one of celebration (however that may look), wonder and good wishes for the upcoming year for you and your family.

Do you remember watching the New Year's Baby cartoon on TV as a kid? Big fall down ears, top hat and all?

 Well, who knew that flash forward many years and I would have my own replica?! 

I miss that little babe! Now he's 4yrs and there is no way he would let me take another pic like this....so I'll reap the benefits while I can. ;)

All the best in 2012!

Boys Will Be Boys

Oh.
Mothering boys. I love them dearly, but really. Who signed me up for this!
Why am I ranting? Well....

Today....after many small challenges, breakages, forgetfulnesses, on their part of course (cause Ha! It's never me. Never the Mom!) ....I sent W to the linen closet for a towel as I was cleaning up a spill in his room.  He did not return.

So, I sent R to "help" him. R did not return.

Off I went. Meeting silence in the laundry room. R standing in the middle and W....

.....well, W was attempting to crawl out of the washing machine.

* * * * * * * 

As W started sliding down the railing on the school steps, I reminded him that he was going to fall on his little noggin. 

Well, it wasn't his noggin that got hurt.

"Owwww!" As he holds his...ahem....private parts.

"I hurt my nuts."|

Gahhh! What?! WHERE did he get that word!

"Uh, W, where did you learn that word? We don't use it. It's just slang and doesn't sound nice."

"Why don't we say "Nuts"? It's the same as penis."

"Uh, no." And then an explanation ensued. By the way, B the D is with us...he's the DAD and a MAN and so why am I giving male anatomy lessons?!

To which W replied, "Well, there feels like there is a ball in my testicles."

Ugh! I give up!

* * * * *

A couple of weeks ago we were visiting dear friends out of town. They too have a funny little man who witnessed a moment when R and I were talking and not communicating well. 

Little Cutie Cornberg....age 5yrs.....tells his mom, 

"That brain surgery didn't work very well, because he's not listening."

Bahahahaha!!!

Now! If that's not the quote of 2011, well, I don't know what is!

Thursday-Morning Love...

This quiet Thursday morning I am loving....
....that 4 other students from W's class were "tardy" with him. We weren't the only ones in the office for a late slip this morning!

....watching and listening to R and B build an Iron Man. Great fine motor practice! R is so wiggly (keeps popping up to kiss my knee) and exclaiming, "It's hard!" yet he's getting it....just needs a lot of encouragement and assistance.

....sitting beside the Christmas tree, diet coke beside me, boy and the dad on the floor in front of me, and no where to go. Thursday is the only week day that we have absolutely nothing scheduled. It's our home day. Hallelujah!

What are you loving on this Thursday?

Holiday Laughter = Sanity

Sometimes the month of December can be a little stressy.
Time passes too fast....so does the cash from our wallets...weird rellies come out of the woodwork and have all sorts of demands (and I just may be one of them!)....sleep deprivation is rampant....too much food, sugar, chocolate and not enough wine....whatever the cause, I hope the month of Christmas is bringing you happiness and peace.
If you're having one of THOSE days, here's a few funnies to help you get by with a smile.

 Please excuse the profanity!;)

I so want to be this gal when I am 100....except I'll be lighting a cigar!

 Yup. Need I say more?

When we have sticky snow...the boys and I are doing this!

And last but not least....I would love to make this mat for our front door! Ha!

(all Courtesy of Pinterest)

Giggling yet? Hope so!

Merry Boys

Grocery shopping can take the wind out of any mom's sails but these two little cuties were so happy, had their listening ears tuned in and made the whole experience joyful.

Aren't they cute?

And no.....they're not getting vitamins for Christmas! (Tamara...you crack me up!)

Baby Girl

While we're on the topic of cupcakes, this little Muffy spent two days with us. She is such a sweetie...content....loves to snuggle....coos and smiles, especially when I sing to her. She is hilarious at feeding time. As soon as I tuck the bib under her chin, her legs start kicking, she starts huffing and squirming and if she would only get her fists out of the way she could start eating! Funny girl.

Sweetly sleeping in the sling with me.

Babycakes

This pretty pink lady has graced our home as a Christmas gift.

"Pinky" is not something I would have bought for myself....so that makes her a worthwhile gift. Plus, she is super fast at baking tasty cupcake treats. 5-8 minutes and there were 8 golden Pumpkin Cupcakes cooling on our counter. Who can complain at 5 minutes for a batch of cupcakes!

Our Babycakes, Pinky, is a hit. Each member of our household was thrilled to come home from gymnastics and find warm cupcakes and the aroma of cinnamon to greet them.

Looking for something unique to add to a Christmas list....such as yours...then this little baker just might be the one!

Advent

As a child Advent was not recognized by our family.  It was in regards to church and the upcoming Christmas program at school and Sunday school. But there was no chocolate a day Advent calendar or anything else. So, I love celebrating it with the boys.

Don't you find that the activities or celebrations you missed out on as a child are one's you want to create for your kiddos? Or is that just me?

Anyway, back to reality.....

Last year we marked the Advent tradition with our little wooden Advent house and in each door/drawer was a small Christmas decoration  ( I mean tiny!) or festive eraser, tattoo, etc. The boys LOVED it! W prayed every morning after checking the Advent house. He's so cute!

(photo courtesy of Pinterest-katherinemarephotography)

So, this year the house is on display, but I have wrapped 24 books for the boys to open. All in identical paper with no name noted. Surprise!

I think we may add an activity a day to our Advent traditions. A book to read and an activity to enjoy....at least 15 occupied minutes!;)

And day one of Advent was as equally thrilling as last year. W instantly knelt on his knees to pray and R kept saying, "I just love my surprise present. I love it!|

What are your Advent traditions? Do you light a candle each week? Only wear blue or purple?;)
Use an advent calendar (Lutheran tradition)? Nothing?