hmmm...

I worked all day yesterday. Got home around 5:30 and opened the garage door to have this welcome me....I was only gone for the day!! Jason thought he needed this to plow our drive and lane. He and Sam went out to do "manly" plowing last night and had a ball. I wonder how long the fun will last!

In this picture I see a happy Sam, an excited Jason and an elated Jack...that worries me.

AH HA!!

We fill the bird feeder in the evening and then it is completely empty in the morning. We figured it was the deer, but not positive...until the other morning. I filled the bird feeder in the MORNING hoping my cardinals would come around. We were enjoying coffee with friends, looked out and AH HA!! It is the deer~ three of them! Look closely, the one has it's tongue hanging out! They drained the feeder in about 5 minutes!

This little girl walked almost to the window, as if she saying, "It's empty. You need to come and fill it."

Well, I didn't fill it, so they went out in the woods to wait...they are worse then the squirrels and rabbits!

A Cousins Christmas

Last night Jason's sister and her family came over to celebrate Christmas. The kids had an awesome time playing hide-and-seek in the new place, playing basketball in the garage and of course playing with their new gifts! We only had blood one time, so it was a successful night!

Jason had to take some time to pray to the purple gods before the game.

Logan, Sam and Jack built with Jack's new trio blocks...

...and Meredith took pictures like she was the paparazzi! Don't you just love her 70's disco hat!! All she needs is a pair of roller skates and the song. "I Will Survive" and she would be the disco diva!

Our little Miss Meredith turns 8 today! Sam couldn't believe that she had been 7 years old for 364 days!! Happy Birthday, Meredith!!!

A Fun Christmas...

Our first Christmas at our new house was a success...even with the nasty weather. Here our the "annual" Christmas pictures by the tree... Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas...

Just want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season! I won't be blogging again until next week, as I am going to enjoy hanging with my family, eating, napping, eating, playing games, eating, napping...you get the picture! Merry Christmas to all!

Kermit...

Sam was plaing Mario Kart the other night and Kermit the Frog joined him...

A New Hat...

Grandma Sharon sent Jack a sock monkey hat form Arizona. He wears it all the time and gets all sorts of comments!! I think it is a favorite of everyone! Thanks Grandma Sharon!

After a Long Winter's Nap...

On Friday, I woke up from a little two hour nap on the couch and looked out the window. "NO WAY!" I said to myself. There was a deer eating from our bird feeders. Sure does beat the squirrels!

The deer or "bucktooth" as Jack refers to them, walked around the house. I took this picture out a different window, which was fogged over, and realized that the deer only had one rack of horns!! On Saturday a doe came to the bird feeder or what Jack would call "A Peach!"

Interesting Sights at the Vikings Game...

Last weekend Jason and I went to the Vikings game up in Minneapolis...instead of sharing the usual shots of Farve and Adrian Petersen :), I thought you would enjoy some other sights from the game....

The Vikings played the Cinn. Bengals. These fans had Bengal tigers hooked through their Vikings horns, by their mouths...

Jason and I decided that this would be us in about 20 years!!

A picture of Jas and I, but look at the guy above Jason's head...SOUND ASLEEP! He kept tipping over and catching himself!

And this is an "oh my" moment. The guy was drinking and toasting the crowd with his prosthetic leg...(I hope this doesn't offend anyone!)
Once again, never a dull moment!

Santa at Bass Pro Shop...

Last night I took the boys to see Santa..at the Bass Pro Shop!! I heard the Santa is awesome, there's things for the kids to do while waiting and a reindeer! So off we went after school...

Santa came to the shop at 5:00. We got there at 4:30, so we were the 3rd people in line! That rocked! The boys went and did some things around the winter village while I waited in line.

The Santa was awesome (with a REAL beard!) Here is Sam telling Santa about the things he would like...Jack waits patiently.

Then Jack's turn. It took him awhile to warm up and then he took FOREVER to let Santa know everything he wanted. Sam is getting the giggles!!

Oh - the reindeer if over Sam's left shoulder. A nice stuffed version!

Behind the Scenes...

While we waited for Santa, Jack practiced his target shooting...

After our visit with Santa, the boys checked out the 4-wheelers...Check out the wild kid on the right. I do wish parents would control their kids in public!!

The boys thought this one would be perfect for our new place! Sam asked if he could go back and talk to Santa...hmmm, think this green number was going to be in the discussion???

We even took a rest in an ice house!

At one point I looked at Jas and said,

"No offense, but I really wish I was shoe shopping right now."

A side story:
On Sunday I headed to work. Sam crawled in bed with me that morning and said, "It's ok that you have to work all day today, mom. Jack, dad and I are going to hang out and do some man stuff. It really beats going clothes shopping with you." and off he went....

We Have Nature!!

We finally put some wild bird seed into our bird feeders and honestly, I was a bit disappointed that the birds weren't flocking to the feeders! Well, the other day I looked out and much to my delighted surprise...NATURE!! Even better, a cardinal was at one of the feeders...I love cardinals (especially in the snow.) I told the boys to check out the bird on the feeder and did the teacher thing, "What type of bird is that boys?" And Jack replies, "A Cyclone!" Sam and I looked at each other and then I replied..."Yep, you are right!"

WOW! What a storm...

On Wednesday, the forecasters kept telling us that we were going to get 10-14 inches of snow. Sam just could not believe that, so we decided to put a ruler out and measure it for ourselves! We stuck is on top of the grill because it was out of the wind (just as John McLaughlin has taught us to do!)

The boys could not wait to head out in the snow Thursday morning. By 9 am they were bundled up and out playing. We had to check the ruler first!

WOW! What a storm!!

Yesterday, we were literally snowed in. We could not even attempt to get out of our driveway. The person that said they would plow our drive had not shown up, so we got contacted another person (thank goodness - Jas and I were getting a bit nervous that we may not get out until spring.) HE got stuck at the top of our lane the drifts are so high! Thank goodness he was able to get out (with the help of a friend) and he chipped away at our drive and got it done. I want to go out tomorrow and see the drifts...we couldn't see much tucked back in here!

A Rant from Aunt...

I know we all feel the pressure of the season. I got this email form my sister the other day. She is being the awesome aunt (which she always is) and is trying to locate a Pillow Pet for Jack for Christmas. I laugh when I read it. I am sure we have all felt this way at one time or another during this blissful season...

ok, those pillow pets must be a hot item (other than that robotic hamster that is all the rage)...........i have been all over the web and the pillow pet people out of of "silly monkey" until dec 1st. go back on today to order silly monkey...and they are still out. i found some cold blooded b***rd selling some of these for $200. the lowest price i found was $100. they are profiting from us desperate aunts that need the fricking silly monkey to bring christmas joy to our beloved nephews! i will keep looking. if you happen to see one........grab it and i will pay you back.fricking pillow pet people.......make some more monkeys and fast!

Gotta love her and I hope her language doesn't offend anyone. :)

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Happy Birthday to one of the biggest kids in the family!! We love you!!

A Cookie Walk...

On Saturday, mom and I took the boys to a cookie walk. Jack couldn't believe that you could go pick out cookies and then just bring them home. Well, is didn't take long for either of the boys to get use to the idea.

It just so happens that Nancy, of Lee and Nancy who we bought our house from, was there helping with the walk. It was funny because when Jack saw her he leaned over to Sam and said, "There' Lee and Nancy." I think he believes that her name is Leeandnancy. The boys pointed out what cookies they wanted and then Nancy put them into a container for them, because she had the sanitary gloves on!

I got a great shot of the boys because they were HOLDING the bribe. If they took a good picture, then they could have some cookies! I don' think I have ever seen Jack smile so big!!!

Completed Page and Day 3...

I am off to a great start, if I do say so myself. I actually finished a page for my December Daily Album. I am doing an 8x8 one because I think I have upped my chances of completing the album due to the smaller size pages!

Yesterday I spent some time wrapping presents. This is huge for me! I am one that will wrap the week of Christmas, or even the night before. Then it bums me out because I spent so much time wrapping and then the work is demolished the next day. SO, this year, one of my goals is to have the wrapping done so we can enjoy it...I know, weird! Also, I am going for a red and white theme under the tree. It always looks so cool in the magazines. Well...

I wrapped the boys' gifts. They always pick out their own Christmas paper and it so does not go with my red and white theme. Also, poor Jack. I put out the presents and it is absolute torture for him. He begged and begged to open one and then quietly took one into the other room to open. I kept telling him I was going to have to hide the gifts so he wouldn't open them. He finally turned to me and said, "I want you to hide these things from me." So off to a hiding place they went!

We had flurries and a blustery 28 degrees here yesterday. Jack was so excited to see the snow. When he saw the snow, he turned to me and stated, "Let's go to sleep!" (REALLY!! Jack wants to take an afternoon nap...pure heaven to my ears!!!) But I thought I should double check. "Why?" I asked..."Because it is snowing, so Santa will be here any minute now!" Poor kid...it is going to feel like years until Christmas!