Christmas Joy.

As much as I would LOVE to say that this is our beautiful white Christmas, it is not.  This was actually our view as we left New York at Thanksgiving time.  However, it may be my only snowy picture from this winter, so I have to include it.  We only got one slightly snowy day last year, so we are REALLY hoping for a nice snow day this time.

 

 

But, now to get on with that Christmas joy... beginning with Christmas cookies.

 



 

And our trees.  Both of them.

 





The Santa hat.  When it came time to place the star on top of the tree, we couldn't find the base.  The most important part of the Christmas tree was missing!  Bryant wanted to go buy a new star but, we couldn't find one that we liked. So, I bought a Santa hat and threw it up there.  The search for the star continues.

 



 

The Christmas card.  Saturday we dressed up the kids, sat them in front of the Christmas tree and started snapping pictures.  Here's a few... guess which one made the cut.

 

And, our Christmas picture. Bryant's height lined up very conveniently with that Santa hat... that was not planned.

 



 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

ICE! in November...

November started with the elections, which meant we finally had daddy back!  He spent the month of October on the campaign trail with Biden... home a week, gone a week... all month.  Finally he was home by the start of November and we kicked off the month with some family time at ICE!. 

 

I know I've gotten pretty terrible at this blogging thing.  Let's face it, it's time consuming, and I've been spending my time elsewhere.  And I know that my photo storage for the blog is about up... so soon enough I may just stop the blog all together and you'll have to follow our family on facebook.  I'll let you know when that happens.  But, until then you can still find us here... from time to time.

October in a nut shell....

Trick or Treat and leaves...

 

 

 

Oh, and Hurricane Sandy... Which gave us no power and water in our basement... all while Bryant was away... so momma had to do the clean up.

 

Hello, Hello.

I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello.

 

Meet, our toaster.  It was a wedding present about 12 and a half years ago.  It has worked like a charm.  Toasters NEVER last that long!  Except now it has decided to burn everything.  Right now it has found it's new home, in the garbage.  So, goodbye oldie, hello new one!

 

 

Bryant was so thrilled with himself, he won this on Quibids.

And I got  my new bag today. Hello, Hello! 

Food...

Food.  It's what we survive on.  And it's what we love.  For these kids, it's fun too.

 

10.  She ate 10 chicken wings, and was oh so proud of it too!

He said, "mom take my picture"... then devoured, and I got this.

Bryant made spaghetti and meatballs, Gracie decided to eat all her meatballs in one bite.  And she did.

And this little guy was so funny to watch slurping.

Nathan told him he was a messy eater.  Eli replied with, "I no mess.  I E-i.  E-i- E-i- Oh!"

Yum.

September stuff..

Now that it's October, I guess I should post the rest of the pictures from September.  What can I say, this blogging thing is just not working for me lately.  Life is busy... and computer time is rare.  Except today, pay day, therefor it's also pay some bills day.  So, I can steal a second to update the few that may be following our family's happenings.

 

 

Here is my T.  I have been wanting this T for some time now.  And thanks to Michaels I now have it.  The kids comments:  "Wooh mom, there's no glass"...  "It's 3D,  how'd you do that?!"... "what's the T for?"..."Treacle".

 

And here are my cool dudes.  Peas in a pod, I tell ya.

Soccer season has started.  Nathan is on the Thunder Cats team.  He seems to be doing better this year at soccer than in the past.  He still prefers to play defense, in particular goalie, even though at this age they aren't supposed to play that position.

 



Gracies' team is the Silly Cats.  Rather appropriate for a group of 4 and 5 year olds.  She is SO excited to be playing soccer.  We told her she has to wait for soccer to be finished to start dance this year.  Our schedule is so busy as it is, our motto with the kids is "one thing at a time".  The funny thing is that she has such dainty kicks, and her toes are always pointed... as if she is used to that!  haha  Dance is definitely her calling (for now), but she did score 2 goals on Saturdays game.  Maybe when she grows up she can invent some type of soccer ballet.

 



Bryant is assistant coaching for the Silly Cats... I can't express how much he resists the temptation to just take over.

Bryants' brother Stefan, returned form Afghanistan recently and made a pit stop to visit us on his way home to New York.  Stefan wanted pictures of him an Bryant in their ACUs together.  And of course they had to throw in one that shows the difference in rank.  I tried to suggest that Bryant put his foot on Stefans' back while Stefan was doing the push-up.... Stefan didn't go for that though. 



School...

 

September 4, 2012.  The day after Labor Day.  The first day of school.

Gracie: Kindergarten, Dr. Leblanc

Nathan: 2nd grade, Mrs. Boston

 

 

First week of school, Gracie lost her first tooth.  Only thing is she didn't know where it was.  I told her that she probably lost it while she was eating her lunch.  So, she wrote the following note to the Tooth Fairy with a picture of the cafeteria that she drew with the tables and their numbers of where her class sat and ate lunch that day.  She also included a map of the school.  In the morning she found a note from the Tooth Fairy at the bottom of her letter, a dollar under her pillow, and one map of the school missing.  Apparently the Tooth Fairy came through.  However, this smart cookie asked me this morning if we gave her the dollar, I replied with I believe it's from the Tooth Fairy, she said yah but the dollars from the Tooth Fairy are supposed to be signed by the Tooth Fairy, mine isn't.