Happy New Year

Hard to believe it's been half a year since I last posted. My blogging has suffered tremendously because of the simple fact that I do not have enough hours in the day to get every thing done. So my blog is down at the bottom of the list.

But I had to post a few pictures from New Years Eve that I am borrowing from Courtney. We have spent so many ( I think about 7) New Years Eve with our good friends and we continue to have blessed years. So why risk it and break with tradition. Besides, I love this group and it's seems like forever since we are all last together.


The kids have all gotten older....and so have the parents.






I joke about us celebrating New Years with the East coast instead of central time. But this year it was even hard to do that. I suggested moving our celebrations to noon instead so we would all be awake next year. We will see what happens but in the meantime, Cheers to a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all my loved ones.

Easter 2011

We had a very full Easter weekend. It started off with a brunch/egg hunt at our neighbors house across the street. They have had this brunch for the last 5 years and it just keeps getting bigger. Lots of food, mimosa's and visiting. And oh yeah, I forgot to mention over 1500 eggs filled with whatever goodies will fit into them. The kids look forward to this every year and so do us parents.

The egg hunt was not as crazy as last years and in fact I think the baskets got full before all the eggs were gathered. But the kids persevered and somehow found all the eggs.


I briefly got a picture of them showing off their loot before all the kids congregated on the steps to compare, trade and just eat candy.


I thought it would be such a waste to not try and get a couple of pictures of the kids together in their Easter clothes. For the most part it worked out. I still have the odd look or funny eyes going here and there. But I wasn't going to make them suffer all day long.



After church, my parents came over for a late lunch so we ate, and napped and napped some more. The kids meanwhile were running wild in the streets with all the other neighborhood kids that were still on a sugar high from all the candy the day before.

New Years Eve 2010

We had lots of fun with all our old neighbors on New Years Eve. We decided to do it old school for all of us and go back to our glory days of hanging out by the fire pit. It's what we all used to do when the kids were smaller. We would put them to bed and reemerge with beer and baby monitors and get in our adult time. How the hell we did it, I do not know. I guess I am just getting to old to fully appreciate sitting by the fire pit freezing as much as we used to. The kids were all inside the game room at the house across the street without requiring baby monitors. So I guess we are just getting old. But we still had a lot of fun.







We had way to much food of course, some fireworks and lots of joking around and good conversation. What more could you ask? We brought the kids out at midnight (Texas time- We didn't even have to pretend and use NYC time this year).


I can still talk Dave into posing for just about any kind of goofy picture. That's what happens when you know someone from high school and college.

And since poor Janne had literally got off the plane from Finland only hours before and was jet lagged and to tired to run from the camera. He was unable to hide and run off from actually being in a picture. He still managed a way of not being serious in a picture though.


Then because I am old, and because my youngest is still technically only 4 we packed up soon after and came home to bed. Well all except Hubs and Dave, they stayed up all night long. That came back to bite him on the bottom when we had to be at K.'s soccer game on New Years Day. (Seriously, who plans these things)

But it's a new year and time to embrace all that it brings with it. But no worries about leaving behind any of our dear friends. You just can't beat a good Redneck Drive Fire pit reunion.

Cheers!!

Christmas 2010

We had a very quiet Christmas Eve at our house this year. Since my parents were at my brothers family this year it was just us. So the kids and Hubs did some last minute shopping. When they got home it was time to start making some Christmas cookies. I had made some sugar cookies for them to decorate. I pretty much just put the stuff in front of them and let them do it how they want. I used to try and get them to make them pretty and Christmasy but since that never worked I gave up. I figure some day when they are older and I may get cute cookies again. Until then, I just let them enjoy themselves

So I set them up with 4 dozen cookies and left the room.


I came back 30 minutes later to see what they had come up with and to get a few pictures of them smiling nicely for the camera. Instead I got this and only 33 decorated cookies.









But what can you say, they are kids and yes I have to claim them as my own. But that's really about all I can say right now.

After the Christmas cookie decorations we went to Mass. And for the first time in forever, all the kids sat quietly and paid attention. It was so enjoyable, a true Christmas miracle of sorts. Either that, or it was just so crowded that they just didn't have enough room to misbehave that much. I'll choose to believe in the Christmas miracle aspect of it.

After dinner and a movie at home, it was time to put the kids to bed and wait for Santa to come. Which he shortly did.

Gigi, our boxer couldn't have been more excited about Christmas than she already was. And I must admit that by this time I was just as tired as her, so off to bed we went.

Random holiday pictures

I mentioned the Christmas tree falling on me while I tried to put it up. But I am just now getting around to posting a picture of the very huggable monstrostity.


I then decided that I might as well post a few other random pictures that have been taken over the last few days. I could actually make an idividual post about each one but I don't really have the time or energy to do it. So thought that I would at least get the pictures up for those friends and family that actually look at this and just want to see pictures.

Both K. and Hoss had school Christmas parties that I was able to go to. They were very excited about this and I was able to get a few pictures of them. In between the paint, glue, glitter and sugar they were ingesting.

Thanksgiving 2010

We had Thanksgiving at our house this year. Since my parents moved here we have yet to have it at their house. It just seems to work better here in keeping the kids out of our hair while we finish all the cooking. And of course once the napping starts it is much easier to send them off to play video games or something else quiet if they are at our house.

Mom and Dad arrived early Thursday morning with Z. and A. who had been having sleep overs. And then Mom and I finished up with the last of the cooking. Z. had made homemade chocolate pie at Grandmama's house while she made the pumpkin and pecan pies. He also made deviled eggs for us. He did a great job with both. I've never even made a chocolate pie from scratch so I was very impressed with his.

A before picture of the crime scene. The kids always get so excited when I break out the china and crystal. They love getting to eat at the fancy table.

We got everything and everyone settled and then I remembered my camera. I put it up on the tripod and was going to get a group shot of us no matter what. Preferably before we all looked bloated and stuffed.

So we gathered around the table and said a prayer of Thanksgiving. We are truly so blessed. We remembered those we love both near and far. Then we started to serve the food buffet style. But then I remembered we didn't have our group picture yet. So I told everyone they couldn't touch a bite of their food until I got a picture. I thought I was going to have a mutiny on my hands and as such only was able to get two pictures of everyone.


The kids were grumbling about their food getting cold and wanting pie. They didn't seem to get it when I told them the pie was cold and they always ate so slow their food got cold anyways. But I took the hint and had pity on my parents and Hubs and let them eat their hot food.

As we sat down and ate, the kids all mentioned something they were thankful for. Such simple things for the most part and a very lighthearted conversation. Until Grandmama of course. After her twenty minute dialog of all that she is thankful for we teased her mercilessly and continued eating. Hubs were particularly thankful for his 3 car garage this year since he mentioned it during his turn. I'll have to write more about that later.

So we finished up with to much pie and a long afternoon of naps and football. Pretty much standard Thanksgiving tradition around any household I'm sure.

I'm Tree Hugger

I'm a tree hugger. Not by choice by accident. I have on average about 10-15 kids cruising in and out of the house at any given day. Today when the 9 ft. Christmas tree topples over on me...nothing, nobody, no help. Just me and the tree...Huggin' each other.

I'm done hugging now, the tree is technically back up if a little smooched looking. But that's okay, because I hugged it all better when it fell down...on me!

Halloween 2010

I have to at least put up a picture of my kiddos in all their glory. Since I've been so busy with all the busy scheduling of 3 kids and 4 teams. Z. decided to forgo the dressing up this year and instead stay home, pass out candy and watch the Rangers and Giants play in the World Series. So that left me with the three younger ones. We had Hoss being a zombie of sorts (not sure exactly but it was the grossest thing he could find). K. decided that she had to be a lady bug. I was hesitant at first because with that kind of costume you are guaranteed to have a chilly night so be forced to wear of jacket and cover it up. But it stayed warm so she got to wear it just as it was meant. Then we had A., who at 4, enjoyed it more than anyone. She was a mermaid of course. It's what she's been planning on since August so I was glad for her.

Since we didn't have Z. with us, I was able to keep our trick or treating to about an hour and we didn't have to go to the Nightingale house of carnage. So with A. leading the way we hit as many houses as we could. Grandmama came with us and laughed at Hoss and K. remembering dad's strategy from the year before. Zig zag back and forth across the streets so you don't have to back track this way you hit the maximum number of houses in the shortest times. Funny what things kids remember but I'm not really surprised, anything to get more candy. A. soon picked it up and was going full force. We came home with three very heavy bags of candy which were immediately Dad and Pappy taxed which meant that all the Butterfingers and some Hershey bars were soon confiscated. Funny but I don't remember them out walking the neighborhood. I'm thinking that was a definite case of taxation without representation going on there. But since the kids were to busy bouncing off the wall on a sugar high, they didn't notice and everything was fine.

The Big Egg Hunt

We were invited to some neighbors who live on the lake for an Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt. So we packed up the kids and the camera and headed out to visit with some of our friends around the lake. They had collected over 1500 eggs and had spread them out over the backyards of about three houses.


There were eggs everywhere and to me, it looked like more than enough eggs for the kids that were there. Z. had gone ahead earlier in the morning and helped to spread out the eggs for the smaller kids so he didn't actually hunt them. But he did give his little brother a heads up about an awesome egg which held a cool truck in it. He even showed him where he hid it. Then children were finally set free to gather eggs (it looked like a plague of locust swarming the eggs) leaving nothing behind. Anna made out pretty well and so did Kate and Michael. (Yes, he did get that egg Z. had staked out for him and was very excited about it).


We let the kids get settled in with checking out the eggs and all they held and the grown ups finally got to enjoy our brunch and Mimosa's. It was a big fun party that started early in the day and lasted through the afternoon.



Happily, the eggs didn't make it much longer so we didn't have much fighting about candy after that. But even the kids had so much fun they didn't complain to much.

Making Christmas Cookies

Making Christmas cookies in our house is a messy deal. I just tend to line everything up and step back. They all have fun doing what they want and I just have to clean up afterwards. But regardless of how pretty they turn out, they always get eaten. Toss in a few cheesy smiles for mom and everyone ends up happy.

Not ready

Holy Cow, it's the week before Thanksgiving and I'm not ready for the busyness that seems to come along with the holidays.

I've not got a shopping list ready for either the Thanksgiving dinner (which I'm not really responsible for this year) or for Christmas presents. I'm not ready to get out and go to all the different classroom parties and celebrations. I'm not ready to get out the decorations yet. I'm not ready to fuss for my youngest to leave the tree alone. I'm not ready to do any of the serious heavy baking the kids have come to love having. I'm not ready to deal with all the extra people in the stores (including the grocery store). I'm not ready to deal with all the extra excitement and energy the holidays bring out in the kids.

I'm just not ready. Does that make me a scrooge? I am ready for my kids to be home on breaks from school though. Even if there is more fighting, I miss having them around. But I'm just not ready for the rest of it yet.

Time has caught up with me

It hit me this morning, Halloween is tommorow. I knew it was coming and have somewhat prepared for it. I have no less than a million bags of candy. So much in fact that I could probably feed a third world nation for a month if it actually had any nutrional value to it. The kids all have their costumes and only one has decided to change her mind. But since she already has a princess costume in her closet it isn't that big a deal.

So how did time catch up to me? I just realized that I don't have a pumpkin for the kids to carve. I really am tired of the whole pumpkin carving thing. It's very overrated...and more importantly Messy. And it never fails that I or Hubs end up doing all the work since it's so gross. The kids love the end effect of a Jack O Lantern but don't like the work involved. So I guess tonight we will be making a Jack O Lantern. After all, I'm a sucker for getting my kids something as easy as that to make them happy. But I can honestly say that I'm really not all that excited about it. Except for the pumpkin seeds, I love roasted pumpkin seeds. But can't I just go buy a bag of those at the store and save myself all the work?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my friends and fellow bloggers. The past year has been a very fun one for me and my family. And as I look back at some of what I wrote about during the past year I realize something. We are BORING! Our family never did anything really big that could count as a milestone. Nope not us, we stayed home and didn't vacation anywhere. But even in all of our Boringness we still enjoyed ourselves. We revelled in all the small ordinary things like snotty noses and Popsicles. And even though I'm sure it's boring for millions of people for our family it was just right. And hopefully for you few readers that come around our boringness didn't do you in to much. I can't promise not to be equally as Boring in the future but I hope to improve on it a tad bit. So Cheers to you my friends and raise your juice boxes to a Happy Healthy and Fun New Year!

Man of the Year

It has been quite the week around here. We had family in for Christmas so were all set to enjoy ourselves. But then it happened, the dreaded virus struck. First one and then another started to feel bad. By the time Christmas morning rolled around, only half of us were even healthy. But even those numbers couldn't last. From what I can tell only my Hubs has stayed healthy. Which is quite unusual in itself since he always catches what the kids have. My family went home and took with them a very unwelcome present. And this Christmas goes down in history as the germiest one ever. And my sweet Hubs is definitely up for man of the year. He's taken such good care of all of us and the house at the same time. After a week of feeling terrible I am finally coming out of the worst of it so can now only fully appreciate all he has had to put up with. He has even kept up with the laundry which is hard enough to do when your not dealing with a bunch of sick people. As well as taking down all the Christmas decorations so I wouldn't have to do it. Yep, he's definitely up for Man of the Year. Where is that write in ballot?

Are you a Peeker?

It's that time of year when our houses are brimming with presents for our families and ourselves. Which brings me to my question, Do you peek into your presents? Now I must tell you right off the bat that I am a reformed peeker. I come from a very distinguished family of peekers (all extended though...see how I distance myself from them now).

Growing up I could find the presents that my parents hid within days of it being brought into the house. I would pillage through the closet, crawl through the attic and even unlock the camping trailer all to get to the unknown presents calling my name. Naturally my mom soon became aware of my little problem and decided that she would start to wrap the presents. Little did she know that it only slowed me down that first year.

I became so good at unwrapping and rewrapping presents that no one ever really believed that I had peeked. They would tape entire edges of the wrapping paper and then look for evidence of my peeking. They never could see it though. Yet whenever they quizzed me about what was in the present, I could always tell them. Right down to the size and color.

I had such a problem peeking that when I finally did finish peeking at all my presents I was sad that I couldn't peek anymore. So I did what any little sister would do. I started peeking in my brothers presents and then rewrapping them. And again my family didn't really believe me when I claimed to know what was in his presents as well. But one Christmas morning as I handed out presents to everyone I proved it once and for all. I was able to tell them not just what was in my presents but what was in everyone's presents under the tree. Yes as you can most definitely tell, I had a serious peeking problem. So I decided to peek no more.

And I didn't for a very long time. But when Hubs and I were dating I told him about my peeking problem. And of course he didn't believe me. So naturally he had to test me. Once again I had to brush off my old rusty peeking skills (which really weren't that rusty)and I proved to him how great I was at peeking. He had double wrapped my present thinking he was sneaky but even he was impressed that I had peeked and re double wrapped the present without a trace.

So here I am today, years after my last peeking challenge by Hubs and I can completely and honestly say that I am not a peeker. I guess I have gotten old and the challenges just weren't enough for me. Now I actually look forward to being surprised Christmas morning because that really happens all to seldom. But I guess that since technically I still wrap most of the presents I do know the majority of the gifts under the tree.

Christmas Tour

It's definitely looking like Christmas around the blogosphere. And BooMama is hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes. And since I love to visit other people's home I decided that I better show off my small bit of Christmas decorating that we have.

So let me begin at the front door where you will be greeted by Santa. If it's after dark then he has sparkling lights to show you in. But then again if the batteries are dead (which is often the case) you won't even notice the lights on the wreath. But you will see the pretty white lights on the house that Hubs puts up for me every year.


On my dining room table is my Holy Family. It means the world to me since it was my grandmothers. It was given to me after she passed away. I always love taking it out each year and hate to put it away. I never thought I'd love paper mache so much.


On our kitchen table is our Advent wreath. It's a very special one this year made from a paper plate and green garland and four small white votive candles. My three year old made it at church for us and she is so proud when we light it every night. So this is the one we are using. After all, it's not every year you get a new Advent wreath.

Next you will come into our family room. We have a small tree (it's small since technically I can put the star on top without a stool) covered in way to many decorations. But with four children all wanting to put them on the tree, every branch is prime real estate. We have all our stockings hanging from the mantel. And yes, I am a bit of a Type A personality in that they must all match. But they have the cutest snowmen on them. And although you can't see it in the picture my Christmas tree skirt also has cute snowman faces all around it.

On my mantle I have my Advent calender tree for the children to open each night. But since my children don't know what patience is, we always have issues about waiting for their night to open the box. So instead of opening a box every night it usually turns into an every four night event. Then all the kids get to open a box at the same time and no one gets left out. I don't know why it doesn't bother them to go days in between but it doesn't. I also have a few more of my snowmen on one end of the mantle.

On the other end of the mantle I have my Santa collection. I have gotten a few here and there over the years and now I think I may have a Santa addiction. But since it only affects me once a year I don't worry to much about it.

Next we will head into the kitchen where I really don't have to much to share. Except this lone little Snowman paper towel holder. It was given to me one year and I really like it. He's always sitting by the hot stove so it's a wonder he hasn't melted yet.

I also have my Christmas dishes in the kitchen. Every year the kids are anxious to start using them. So out they come and then all the food gets pushed aside so they can look at the pretty tree and presents on the plate.

Now BooMama asked us to share a special holiday treat with those of you who dropped by. And I must admit that treats just don't last long in this house. So sadly I don't have any pictures of recent treats to show you. But please know that if you come by you will get a lovely cup of tea or coffee. And if your super lucky you may even get a Surprise Snowball.

Surprise Snowball
40 Hersey Kisses
2 c. flour
1 c. Margarine
1 c. pecans, chopped
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Unwrap Chocolate kisses and set aside. Blend together margarine, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add pecans and flour to mixture, mix well. Chill dough mixture for about 10 minutes. Shape dough around each chocolate kiss covering completely. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

Thanks for stopping by and just be warned that those Surprise Snowballs are addicting and messy to eat with all that powdered sugar. And if your interested in seeing some more homes then head on over to BooMama.