The Night that Flew By

After school I taught Yahtzee Club. . .then picked up the kids. . .then went to the library - Victoria got her very own library card and checked out her goods ALL BY HERSELF. . .then made and served dinner (ok it was only hot dogs, frozen pizza & mandarine oranges - but still) then we made two pans of brownies, 18 normal size and 24 mini pumpkin muffins, then they bathed, then got ready for bed, then read three stories and have been sleeping peacefully for an hour.  Why do I do these things to myself??  What a night.

Gingerbread People

Last weekend we went over to my brother's house on Sunday.  I brought a gingerbread cookie kit.  With four children five and under it was an event.  I made makeshift little bags for the frosting so the kids felt like real bakers.  It was so quiet when they were decorating.  Between the concentration and sneaking candy there wasn't much time to make much noise.

I think there's more candy in his mouth than on the Gingerbread Boy.

Let's just eat that frosting straight out of the bag, shall we?

Victoria's masterpiece. . .that didn't last long!

Mexico 2010

Mark and I had another fabulous time in Mexico last month.  I've put off blogging baout it because I want to add so many details.  I don't want to forget a thing.  But if I wait much longer I may never go back and do it.  The digital scrapbook has come in the mail and the iMovie is almost complete.  How much documentation do we really need anyway?

Our trip got off to a great start.  We had great flights.  We knew what we were doing and we were so excited and relaxed.  I underpacked for once and we took a completely empty suitcase with.  Smart move!

We went jet skiing and snorkeling on our first day at Miroma.

Enjoying a drink at Tequila Barrel.

The last few years I've tried to get my picture taken with a monkey. 

This year I wasn't leaving without one!

We had a family of monkeys living just a few yards away from our balcony.

They're so cute. . . from afar.

Enjoying Happy Hopur in town.

Our gorgeous resort.

We were blessed wtih the best weather we've ever had.  It was high 80's each day. 

The other couple years it's been high 90's and humid.

It's not everyday you can get your picture taken with a peacock.

This is my favorite picture of the 350 we took.  I remember thinking, "It can't get much better," as I snapped it.  A beautiful day relaxing at the pool after spending the morning at the beach.

In the very middle of that billboard is Mark's face.  He's apparently the new Cover Boy for Tequila Barrel's business.  He's on the website and billboards ont he main highway in Playa.  Pretty cool!

LOVE our time at the beach.  Holding hands strolling.  Digging for the most spectacular seashells.  Writing in the sand.  Finding hermit crabs.  Taking picutres of each other. 

That's what I love about this vacation.  Time together.

An amazing sunrise.

We found a new favorite restaurant.  The Mosquito Blue.

Delicious food.  Right on the main street. 

Perfect people watching but secluded enough.  So fun!

Our favorite restaurant in the resort is defintely the Japanese restaurant. 

Once again I was reminded I really do like sushi. 

The making of this meal is really two hour entertainment. 

 We met some nice couples from around the world.

Our favorite hang out in the resort - The Lounge

I don't think there's a thing I would change about this vacation.  We stayed for the perfect amount of time.  We enjoyed a first class flight on the way home.  It was perfect to relax & read. 

We had to perfect amount of relaxing, shopping, lounging and partying.

It was wonderful.  

Already looking forward to 2011. 

Thanksgiving is Different This Year

I don't remember ever enjoying Thanksgiving.  I didn't enjoy waiting and waiting to finally eat as a child.  I certainly don't enjoy cooking as an adult.  I have a weird feeling as I enter someone else's house who's been cooking all day long to feed my family.  It's such a weird weird holiday.

I was talking with Mark about this last week.  He loves Thanksgiving.  Hmmmm. . .most men do I believe.  He assured me one day I would be the one cooking and I'd love it.  Really?!  Do you know me at all??   All he said, "Traditions." 

So Thursday came and we headed over to Mama Jeanne's.  It was relaxed.  It was fun.  Kids were playing and rough housing for the first time ever at one of our Thanksgivings.  I was the typical mom saying, "Somebody's going to get hurt."  Then V got kicked in the face.  I kinda liked it.  Not that she got hurt, but she was playing with her cousins.  Loved that Chris and I were together.  Loved that I was laughing with Mark's brothers.  Loved that Mama Jeanne made THE BEST DINNER she's ever made me.  The mashed potatoes and gravy were PERFECTION.  I had seconds at her house and had it again for lunch today.  Perfection.  Loved to watch my kids giggle upside down as their uncles played with them.  Loved my father in law saying he wanted me on his team for Yahtzee.  Loved the long talk Jeanne and I had while the kids jumped into a pile of pillows.  Loved all the leftovers we were sent home with.

Today we had Thanksgiving at my dad's.  Loved we only had appetizers with four children five and under. Loved how my brother played with Christian.  Loved how Ashley played with me.  Loved that Mark made it to eat at least (he had to work).  Loved my dad lying on the floor playing with all the kids.  Loved all the toys and games laid out like kids really live there.  Loved the watching Mama Deb color and do stickers with Victoria and Ashley.  I sat back and drank it all in.  It was a relaxing beautiful sight.  I loved it.  I planned on leaving at one at the latest to get home for a nap.  We barely made it home before two and Christian walked straight to his room. 

He couldn't find a Nuk so I told him the Nuk Fairy must have been here while we were gone.  He didn't even question it and went right to sleep.  So tonight the Nuk Fairy will visit us again.  This time it's a boy fairy.  He asked and I said a boy, I don't know why.  We're all expecting a nice note and an even nicer surprise in the morning for the Big Boy. 

We have one more Thanksgiving tomorrow night.  Maybe I'll actually start liking this holiday.

Breakfast with Santa

On November 13th we had a snow storm.  It was perfect because that was the day Santa flew in to the mall.  We had been waiting to have breakfast with him.  The kids were so excited.  It was truly blizzard like conditions but we made the six block trek over to the mall.  As we walked out of Sears and into the rotundra, there it was. . .Santa's 'house'. We raced over.  We were standing right behind Santa.  He had his back to us and Victoria said, "He must not be here yet."  Then Santa turned around and looked right at her.  It was magical.  Her little face LIT up and she hugged his leg. 

Last year Christian bawled on Santa's lap.  He's been talking about it all year.  This year he was not going to cry.  He was hesitant.  But he didn't cry. 

After enjoying orange juice and cinnamon rolls we colored somje pictures for Santa and wrote out this lists.

I was explaining to Christian this was his chance to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas.  He said, "No. I have too much toys already." 

I was thinking I don't see him cuddling on Santa's lap anytime soon.

Christian said, "I want a new ain with oke."   Santa got it!  He said, "Oh a new train with smoke!!"  Christian was all smiles nodding his head.

Santa asked Victoria to read her list to him.  At the top of her list was a Leapster.  The following day Victoria said, "I feel bad for Santa.  I didn't know Santa doesn't know how to read.  Maybe we could teach him."

Let the Holdiays begin.  This is going to be a wonderful Christmas!

Kindergarten Screening

It was a big night tonight!  Kindergarten screening.  Hard to believe we have an almost kindergartener.  But here we are with a four and a half year old.  Victoria and I were feeling just about the same way I think.  Really excited with a bit of nervousness. 

We dropped Christian off at Grandma's and we were on our way.  We stopped for a caffeine free pop (for me) and some dried apricots for a healthy snack at Walgreens.  We were still 15 minutes early.  We headed in anyway.

Doesn't she look so proud to be an almost kindergartener?

The teacher wasn't with anyone and took us right away.

She set me up with some paperwork on one side of the room and then she sat with Victoria and got her to work.  Her first task was to build two towers of blocks and get another block to balance in between.  I was thinking, oh man, this is how we're starting off?  I didn't think she'd want to do it let alone actually accomplish it.  Next thing I heard was, "Nicely done."  I looked up and there it was.

I think I smiled to myself and continued with my paperwork.  She was given different objects, a green cube, a yellow car and a blue button.  Then she was asked to describe them.  The words she was using were very descriptive.  I defintely smiled to myself.  Then she had to count blocks.  1-10 no prob.  Then the lady asked how many blocks there were.  (Trying to see if she understood that she just counted ten and realized that means there are ten there without counting again.)  Victoria leaned slightly forward and said, "Ten," just a little slower like, "Are ya following me lady?  I just told you that."  She was also asked to repeat 1, 2, 3, even four numbers.  She did it no problem.  I think I actually let out a little smirk.

Next they tested language.  A brother is a boy and a sister is a girl.  A elephant is big and a mouse is small.  A table is made of wood and a window is made of glass.  Victoria throughly enjoyed this 'game'.  She was all smiles and swinging her little legs back and forth.  Then she had to tell about something that happened to her today.  She told her how Kris made vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting on top for Dani's 11th birthday.  The teacher's whole box with filled with a sample of my daughter's language.  Big smile.

On to gross motor.  She was asked to hop on one foot.  If you know her this is her favorite past time.  She hopped 17 times round and round in circles while talking.  She only needed to get to 5.  Then on to the other foot.  She past with flying colors.  Next she had to skip.  Really?!  Skipping?!  I have some second graders who don't know how to skip.  She tried and did a strange half hop have dance to the other side of the room.  Then the teacher demonstrated.  Next Victoria did her best, however, she did not skip.  The teacher still said, "Well done Victoria."  Later when we picked up Christian she told him, "I learned how to skip today."  About 20 minutes into the testing the teacher told Victoria she could choose a book.  She chose Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon.  We already have every other book on the shelf, they were from the $1 section of Scholastic.  While waiting for the teacher, I began reading it to Victoria and we talked about what other books David Shannon has written.  We have recently read two of them.  When the teacher came back she asked if I was a teacher.  

Does the general public not discuss what other books the author has written?  Can't every four and a half year old rattle of another title or two by that author?  Or Arthur as Victoria likes to call it. 

The teacher went over the results with me.  Not word for word but She Is A Rock Star was basically the result.  She needed a score of 14 to enter kindergarten and she got 25.  The lady added it up in front of me and under her breath she said, "I don't know if I've seen a 25."  I held back my smile since I was actually face to face but I did feel my entire body relax.

Then it was off to the nurse who check her weight: 32 lbs and height: 38" short.

Then she tested her beautiful blue eyes:

She's wearing sunglasses with one side covered in tape.  She had 20/30 and 20/25 vision.  Not bad coming from parents as blind as bats.

Then her hearing:

Perfect.

As we were going over those results the nurse asked where I teach.  I told her and then she said her best friend teaches there.  She's actually right across the hall from me.  So we had a nice chat and sent us on our way with our info. for kindergarten rally night: Feb. 22nd.  Can't wait.

I am so proud to be Victoria's mommy everyday.  But today I felt like I was validated.  Like I was handed a gold star.  Or an A+, my favorite.  My little girl is right where she needs to be and I couldn't be prouder! 

You can't wipe this smile off of my face tonight.

It's Slippery Out There!

After getting ready for Sunday School this morning I saw a missed call.  Sunday School had been canceled due to the ice.  Victoria and I did a happy dance in the kitchen and got our jammies back on so fast!

Unfortunately, my dad slipped on the ice in his driveway, right in front of my brother's van.  He hit his head hard and ended up in the hospital.  Thankfully, he should be released soon.  He's got a gash in the back of his head and it bruised and sore but it could have been so much worse. 

Mark's Aunt Jane slipped on the ice so bad yesterday she broke her wrist and will have surgery on Tuesday. 

We've spent the last half an hour working on Get Well cards.