Christmas '09

Christmas has come and gone too fast, just like always. I love getting the house decorated, the music playing, and all too soon, I'm working on putting everything away. I've been known to cry a time or two when Christmas is over.

We've had a busy Christmas this year. Lots of kids' activities, and Luke, Katy and Charlie have been in town for 10 days! We've had fun being with them, letting Charlie experience the craziness of his MN cousins, sledding, board games, shopping trips, and plenty, plenty of food!

This weekend we'll start switching gears and thinking about what the next year has in store and getting ready to head back to school on Monday. The years keep going by faster and faster!

2010...already?!

Fun with Dad on the hill!

Love the rosy cheeks!

The kids (and adults) had a great time on the train!

Charlie didn't know what to think of the snow and the cold.

Adam and Charlie "playing" at Nana and Papa's house.

Gingerbread

No, I didn't get all domestic and actually make gingerbread. Instead, we had a day filled with gingerbread activities!

To start it off, Matt was part of a fabulous 1st grade play called "The Great Gingerbread Kid Caper". Papa, Adam and I went to his school to watch the play, and then enjoy decorated gingerbread cookies and punch. It was adorable!

Later that evening, I hosted my 2nd annual neighborhood cookie exchange. There were 14 of us, and we each made 8 dozen cookies! No one actually brought gingerbread, but some of what was there included: peppermint bark, peanut butter blossoms, salted nut rolls, truffles, pecan pie tarts, maple creams, spritz, Norwegian Krumkakka (no idea how to spell that), almond toffee clusters, and a few others. Yummy, yummy! One of the girls estimated that each of us ended the night with 5,000+ calories worth of cookies! Yucky, yucky!

While I was hosting the cookie exchange, Brian took the boys over to Nana and Papa's for their yearly gingerbread house decorating tradition. The boys look forward to this every year. To lessen the chance of arguing over the house, Nana found pre-made gingerbread men, and each of the boys got to decorate a couple of those. They came home a couple of hours later with several elaborately decorated gingerbread men.

Our house is more than stocked with goodies, the shopping and wrapping are just about done, and Christmas is almost here!


A clip of the play

Mrs. Heuser (Does she scream 1st grade teacher, or what?!)

A proud 1st grader!

Cookies from Nana & Papa's house

Cookie Exchange spread!

He's 9!

December 15, 2000. My first baby was born, and we were thrilled to welcome Benjamin Howard into the world. Since day 1 he has been a pure joy and blessing to our family. I can't believe he's turning 9 today! Brian recently reminded me that Ben's time at home is half over. That's all it takes to put my stomach in knots and bring tears to my eyes.

How to describe him? Loving, kind, smart, funny, athletic, curious, protective, tender, confident, a leader, cute, witty, responsible....He's made being a first-time parent very easy!

Grandma was in town this weekend to celebrate an early Christmas, Ben's birthday and the boys' Sunday School program. Ben is out of the awkward smiling phase that most kids seem to go through, and I absolutely love this picture of him!

Adam and Matt love to copy their big brother.

Ben has taught them how to be silly!


We love you, Ben! Happy 9th Birthday!

Portrait Studio

Ben has loved to take pictures with the digital camera for a long time. He's not a bad photographer and sometimes he can have a very creative eye.

Recently he decided he wanted to set up his own photo studio in his room. I let him take the camera and pretty much do whatever he wanted. He came up with everything on his own! All 3 boys had a great time.

Matt made the sign

Ben typed up the photo packages


The boss

The studio


The backdrop



Eager to get working


Subject #1


#2


Self-portrait


Playing with the settings


He really liked this shot!

Reindeer Run '09

Another year of the Reindeer Run has come and gone. This is a 5k I've done a few times, and it's a favorite of mine because it was the first 5k I ever did back in 2004! Last year, my sister ran it as her first 5k, and this year, a high school friend ran it with us, and this was her 2nd 5k. It's a festive environment, very non-threatening and a flat, pretty course.

We had a great run this year, but we did encounter one problem. It had to do with my driving. And parking. And not being good with directions. Missing an exit on the way to the run. Cutting it close time-wise getting to the run. Being too distracted to pay attention to where we parked. Walking for a GOOD HOUR looking for our car after the run in 20 degree temps. Oops. Maybe next year I won't be the driver.

Ready to run! Our stylin' socks

School's Closed!

Why are snow days so much fun?! Probably because we rarely actually have a full-blown school closing, but at 5:30 AM, both Brian and I got the call from our respective calling trees, and we are closed for the day! I just checked the website, and the boys will be home today, too! Now that it's 5:30 and I'm up and excited, hopefully I can get back to sleep.

Too Many!

I just ate WAY TOO many holiday M+Ms. They are so little, but so deceiving. You think you are going in for just a few, and before you know it, you've consumed 1,000 calories you never meant to!

I hope you recognize me the next time you see me!