Happy New Year--LATE

Thought I'd post a couple pictures from our New Year's celebration at my bro's house (Our camera's battery died, so we don't have any good ones). We have started a tradition where we celebrate "New Year's in (insert country)" to help us get the kids to bed earlier. Somehow we still end up celebrating at 12:00 our time (the kids miraculously hold it together, too. It's like it's 6:00 pm). But, it's a fun excuse to cook different cuisines anyway.

2006: New Year's in Paris: Crepes, pate, etc.
2007: New Year's in Italy: Chicken Parmesan, Pasta, bread, proliferoles, etc.
2008: New Year's in Greece (the Mediterranean): Kabobs, hummus, pitas, etc.

Corrupting our child

Just a fun holiday moment with Little Man boxing with his cousin, M. (It's M.'s Wii. Or should I say it's my brother, Craig's?) The Wii is seriously the ONLY video game I would consider letting into the walls of my home because you actually have to DO something.

Note: I STINK at Guitar Hero. I'll just add that to my list along with Dance, Dance Revolution. Maybe if I actually spent time playing them I would get better. (Don't worry I didn't do Dance, Dance Revolution 7 1/2 months pregnant. That would NOT be a pretty picture).

It's a bird, it's a plane...

No, it's BUNNY-BOY! The little man will run around like this and yell, "Bunny-boy!" Sometimes I even become "Bunny-mom." Sorry, no picture for that one.

Bunny-boy's special powers:

X-ray vision (those eyes have to do something!)
Super-fast running (he goes around and around our dining room table)
Can make a huge mess in less than 1 minute
Can clean up a whole basement in less than 10 minutes when bribed with Little Einsteins
Can spill his drink 5 times during 1 meal
Can tackle his sister in 2 seconds (it helps that he is only 1 pound lighter than her)
Can make you laugh at his antics all day
Can give the best hugs

Banana Feet

I have been searching for the perfect yellow heels for months. About a month ago S. found THEM in J.Crew. A little too pricey, but thanks to patience, sales, plus extra 20% off sales, plus the wonderful internet where you can find codes for free shipping for your favorite stores, they are now mine. Good thing accessories still fit with my growing belly. Merry Christmas to me.

In the Spirit of Christmas

Boo: "When I grow up, before I even become a mom, instead of wasting my money on cars I'm going to give it to people."

Two weeks prior, we were driving to Grandma and Grandpa Mud's and we saw a Ferrari and after pointing it out to the kids S. said he would never waste money on that. The kids do listen sometimes.

Snow=Sleep

Ahh, the first snow. I don't think I have appreciated snow this much since 1996. I got up at 5am this morning to check if there was a delay, and SUCCESS!! A two hour delay=no seminary!! I feel like a high schooler again and finding the joy in no school.

S. came home early yesterday to take the kids sledding. They bundled up and had a great time while I made dinner and some hot chocolate. I remember back in college S. came and knocked on my window and woke me up with the first snow. He had walked all the way to my house in the snow just to let me in on the excitement. Glad to see not much has changed.

P.S. Happy St. Nick Day!!

100-1=

99!!! Can you believe it?! My grandmother is 99 years old. I can only DREAM of living that long! I probably won't make it because of my lack of exercise, use of pesticides in our food, living in Provo, UT with the pollution of Geneva Steel, living in London and having black boogers--that can't be good, or living in Mexico City and all the pollution there. I think I need to do some research on what the cleanest city is and try to earn some years back on my life that I have lost.

If I were to learn from my grandmother what the keys to living to 99 are:
SALT. Seriously. She piles on the salt AND butter.
Don't eat out.
Do your floor exercises everyday.
Read the newspaper.
Keep your brain active.
Be selfless.
Be a hostess of the Southern kind (She is from Kentucky).
Laugh.

I am constantly amazed at her memory. She can recite poems and tell stories like she is 16.

She was an English teacher for years at Washington Lee High School and even taught Warren Beatty and Shirley Maclaine. Whenever she reads about them in the newspaper she just says, "Oh, Warren." She's almost famous.

We lived with her and my grandfather for about 1 1/2 years (before and after Mexico). She is an avid reader, and keeps up really well with current events, even though she has never used the internet and keeps all of her cool whip and country crock butter containers. One of my favorite questions that she asked us after reading the newspaper was, "What does "Dubya" mean?" After having a good laugh we told her that it was talking about George W. Bush.

What takes the cake? She still lives in her own house, and even took care of my grandfather until he passed away in May. She is COMPLETELY with it, minus some hearing. We love her, and my kids ADORE her (as she does them).