UGH!!!!!!!! So I'm not going to make it to 100 posts for 2007 (which would have been double 2006). Bummer. Oh well, I'll shoot for 150 in 2008.

HAPPY NEW YEAR -- welcome 2008! Hoping for more travel with friends; a healthy family; successful business; and meeting my weight loss goal. I'll take the first three and just enjoy chocolate if I can't have the 4th.

(ready to help the tile guys with the backsplash)
I know I tend to share a lot about Ian. He makes it so easy.....he's the baby, we are together for more one-on-one time I had with any of my other kids, and he is just so stinking cute. (sorry, I'm biased) I'm really trying to treasure my time with him b/c with the other kids growing up so fast I know my special time with Ian is short-lived.

spinning on the swings

flying with his 'Superman' shadow

waving to his adoring fans walking into his Christmas concert



enjoying our Disneyland adventures



Plus, I need to make up for the fact that he was only about one sentence in our Christmas letter.

Yes, you are seeing Ian in December in a wetsuit and rain boots warming his back by the fire. He slays me.

Our conversation just now as I was reading my friend Deana's blog and he saw a pic. of her new niece:

Ian: "that's a cute baby"
Me: "yep, it is. You are my cute baby"
Ian: "no, I'm Daney"
Me: "no, you're my baby"
Ian: "no, I'm a big boy"
Me: "no, you're my baby"
Ian: [cupping my face in his hands] "listen to me, I am your Ian"

...........it's the good stuff............

Merry Christmas!
The overall consensus....
Maggie -- THRILLED with her DreamLife game and Barbiegirl thing; I probably won't be online ever again.
Sean -- LOVES his swizzler car track and the Fathead is already up; the Nerf gun bullets are going to be the death of me.
Amanda -- beyond EXCITED about her Dora cash register (especially since Santa got it wrong last year and brought the Dora Kitchen) and her Webkinz border collie. She is applying makeup at her new vanity as I type.
Ian -- DIGS his Leapster but is also very happy about Sean's car track. Currently he's trying to master the Flippin' Frogs game. Cute and easy game, not complicated or obnoxious with a million pieces.

Me --- furiously typing so I can shower and play with my new AWESOME digital camera....a Rebel XTi. Lots to learn and discover. DH did good. Yeah, me!
Collin --- likes his gifts good enough (clothes, new biking socks, an LL Bean rain coat for work) but nothing stands out except the JUMBO remote that he might be able to read w/o his glasses. He's busy prepping the prime rib for dinner.
Fritz -- is steadily working on his huge beef knuckle that is bigger than his widdle head.

To all of you with snowy weather, throw an extra snowball for me.

Rockin' around the Christmas tree.........I think the Beastie Boys 'bring out the dough it's Christmas YO!' was on at this moment.

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care




Fritz took it all in stride
our beautiful frasier fir; Merry Christmas!

It seems like I'm always rewinding to catch everyone up on pictures. Here are my two little sous chefs on Thanksgiving. They just appeared like this; they were too cute and ready to work.

Helping Sandee with deviled eggs; then they helped with green bean casserole, corn casserole, and sweet potato casserole. And I didn't loose my mind. They still didn't eat most of what they made but it made them feel like they did something. I have a plan. Thanksgiving in five years will not involve cooking on my part. Ha!

Now, if dh keeps playing flag football on Thanksgiving morning I'm not sure that he'll still be able to make the turkey though.
This bruise looked like this within an hr. of being home from the field. OUCH! It was like watching a bunch of 7yo. boys play in grown up bodies. You should have heard it: "Do OVER!" "there are no do overs!" "he didn't score" "that's cheating" "fine, play like that" Honestly, it was the funniest thing and I can't wait to watch again next year.

Ahhhhh, it's feeling like it's REALLY fall and moving toward Christmas. Lately it's been in the 60s during the day and in the high 40s at night. For us SoCal weather-deprived folk, it is SO NICE. Many trees have even had some yellow & red color changes before losing leaves (unlike just losing leaves b/c they are dry from drought conditions). We've even had some rain recently. But enough about the weather.

It's all about --- fires in the fireplace, peppermint mocha, Christmas cookies, and the topper.....peppermint soap!

SHOWTIME!!!!!
The girls are having a ball; and I have to admit, so am I. They were in the opening night show and had a bunch of friends there to see them along with Me, Dad, and the boys. Here are some pics. from right before the show --
"Christmas with Scrooge"
Maggie is in the chorus (poor girl) and Amanda's is Fred's daughter (so Scrooge's great niece)

----I have more pics. but blogger isn't letting me upload them right now, so more later.....

A Make-over

Just got tired of looking at the dots. It served me well, but I wanted to spruce things up a bit. It's like rearranging your furniture; same ol' house but it feels so much better. Add a few decorations (ie, the survey & header) and VOILA! it's all new :) AND the best part -- you can read some great blogs from the links off to the side. I'm still tweeking things, but I like it so far.

What about you.......Love it; hate it; did I miss something?

De-Je-Vu!

So my crazy husband and his buddy Ron have once again decided to go to the National Championship game. For good reason -- B/C LSU is going (GEAUX!) and b/c they are playing Ohio State. It's the perfect match-up for these two grown boys.

Now, don't forget last year's adventure
http://www2.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=32957975&postID=116829840759907771 where they didn't even GET INTO the game. They watched it at Applebee's in Phoenix. [snort!]

As of yesterday, they HAVE airline tickets for the Championship in New Orleans. Of course, they HAVE to go. Now, they HAVE to get tickets or they will be watching the game from the French Quarter.

Trying to finish up my Christmas shopping......the adults are pretty hard to finish up. This time of year brings out the gift options and choices on kiosk displays everywhere. You know what I'm talking about-- watches, wallets, gloves, ties, generic blah/blah/boring and the holiday favorite, fruitcake!

Glancing through the Bed, Bath, and Beyond flier today I came across this treasure--
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14399593
I don't if I'm skeeved more by the thought of someone needing to use one OR actually using one.

Here's another fun find -- http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14779434 it looks great in the grand scheme of things, but then reality slaps me in the face and it simply would be SILLY for several reasons: 1) wine in the tub -- it would look like a crime scene with me and my spastic self. 2) by the time I set it all up someone would come pounding on the door. and 3) I enjoy a soaking bath once in a great while, but showers are simply quicker.

So, I giggled my way through the flier and did find something I really need --http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14759174

Don't laugh b/c you probably have a tennis ball hanging in your garage to help. :P