Unwrapping

My Mom, Jeff and I took Gabe to our local Conservation Club for a Christmas party. Santa was there passing out presents to 50 sugar buzzed kids. This marks yet another notable milestone. Gabes first wrapped present. Santa knew just what he needed, new diaper bag toys! A squishy yellow ball, a carousel with sliding rings, and noisy puzzle ball.  Gabe wasn't thrilled about opening it but once he found out the paper crinkled he was all over it.

Making the dough

My Grandma makes cranberry bread for Christmas. It's my favorite, really my FAVORITE food. Actually there are a lot of things my Grandma has introduced me to that are my favorites. Pizza rolls from the bakery near her house, sugar cookies (from the same bakery), cranberry bread, peanut brittle..... thanks Grandma. So as I was saying before my stomach started rumbling for delicious junk food. My Grandma always makes this cranberry bread for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year she's making all kinds of stuff, which leaves her with very little time for bread making. This is going to sound so stupid but I'm very excited that this year I get to make it. Not that I'm taking over for her, but if I'm trusted to make a food that is so important to Christmas dinner, I'm honored. I hope I do her proud. I did a lot of test bakes, tried a few different recipes, experimented with butter (on accident but still). I may weigh 10 extra pounds when it's all done, but it was totally worth it.

I'll just ride my broom

I hate being with out my car. It's like having a disability for me. Jeff took mine this morning because his truck is getting a new windshield on it, and maybe if he's lucky a Christmas present will be installed as well. Anyway, he had more important things to do, like go to work, I'm staying home with Gabe. We don't NEED the car, but my morning seems so incomplete without it. Every half hour or so I look over to see if my phone is still on the counter, it is. I think, what will I eat today? Then, Kendall....there is still food in the house! OK, well maybe I could go get my oil changed today? SEE I told you I needed my car!

Schedules collide

Last week Gabe wasn't feeling to hot, so I kept him home from school. At the end of the week 7 hours of daycare cost me $200 combined with 16 lost hours of work....I feel like I'm throwing money out the window.  On a positive note, Gabe is feeling MUCHO better.  He got lots of sleep, did some exploring, started really walking on his own, mastered the sippy cup and tried milk for the first time. I suppose even though my wallet is a little on the light side this week we have a happy camper on our hands now and that's more important.

This week we got a few inches of snow, possibly more to come, and below freezing temperatures. This means....no school again. Why couldn't this have happened last week? Hopefully it will be just one more paid for, but not used daycare, and one more missed day of work. My Mom offered to watch Gabriel while I went in for a couple hours to get some necessities done, which is a huge help.

Now I'm rolling the dice of life, cummmmooonnnn lucky TUESDAY!

Meet Santa

He was happy at this point

who ARE you?



Brendan, Gabriel, Santa Clause (duh) and Joshua





Grandma was holding back on the eggs.



Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a picture of your kid with Santa and a bunch of dead animals on the wall!  This was our Sunday breakfast at the local conservation club that our family are members at. Gabe and two of his cousins got to see Santa Clause and even got 3 tiny dinosaurs each for being good little boys. My Mom had fun sharing her breakfast with Gabe. I had fun eating my own breakfast for a change :)

Christmas Cookies galore!

The first year Jeff and I spent Christmas together I was in a cookie exchange. My first pick was peanut butter kiss cookies, but those were taken. Then I thought maybe I can make some sugar cookies? Nope those were taken too. The only thing left was gingerbread cookies. I had never made them before but volunteered anyway. After buying ALL the ingredients, flouring my entire kitchen, baking 12 dozen cookies, I called for reinforcements. My parents, Jeff and I spent about 5 hours frosting cookies. When the last cookie was finished up I vowed never to make them again.

The following year to get in the Christmas spirit I mentioned making cookies. Jeff said he loved the gingerbread ones, so...... anyway it's been a tradition around here even since. This year I made over 100 cookies, some gingerbread and some sugar. All need to be frosted and I'm pretty good at taking my time putting the finishing touches on them.  Needless to say it's taken forever, but the cookies look and taste amazing. Merry Christmas Jeff, and for this there will be nothing for you under the tree ha ha ha

sleepless in the living room

Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. I'm exhausted tonight, mentally and physically. I've tried taking a hot bath, watching TV, checking for Facebook status changes, eating, wrapping presents, preparing Christmas cards....the list really goes on and on.

Maybe the thing to do is just lay down, in bed, with my electric blanket on, with my snoring hubby and try to fall asleep. Can I do it? Close my eyes and think of nothing? I tried a couple hours ago. I got really sleepy, couldn't even keep my eyes open. Got on my comfy pj's, lay down and POOF thoughts start coming from every which way! Slow down thoughts, it's late and I'm sleepy. I tried pleading with them but they wouldn't stop. Now it's almost 2 hours later, my eyes are even heavier now.

Maybe, just (yawn) maybe. I       can      (ahhhh)     fall    asssllllleeeeeeeeeep.

Potato vs. Potatoe

I'm not the best speller or the best grammerer out there. I get pretty embarrassed if I find out I made a mistake when writing. It's like getting caught passing a note in high school, there is no way out of it. You WROTE it, it's on paper, there's no point in saying you didn't. Go straight to the principals office, do not pass go, do not collect $200  :(  Then hope the teacher doesn't hand it back to you with a bunch of red marks and a grade on it.

Although I am imperfect I still have a couple spelling pet peeves. I use Facebook.com and tend to see them mostly used on there.  I've been tempted to ask other writers of posts if I am perhaps wrong, but instead I rely on my built in spell check.

I spell "tomorrow" others "tomarrow"
I spell "congratulations" others "congradulations"

Pet peeve I do myself, this is to prove I am imperfect and know it. I start a lot of sentences with "I". I try to retype them and am sometimes successful, but most of the time end up leaving it alone. This is quite possibly driving someone else crazy right.....this.....minute.

up up and go

Just wanted to say that this week has been a blur of milestones for Gabriel. He is crawling faster than ever, got his 5th tooth, is clapping his hands,shimmying along furniture like nobodys business, standing up unsupported and he's even taken a few steps. Now, I don't believe any of the steps he's taken with out support stemmed from a conscious decision to walk, but more a overhaul of excitement. He knew he did something awesome when he stood up alone, so he moved the fastest way possible to Jeff or I for a congratulations hug.

Good job Gabriel!

Now I'm going to make sure the safety lock is on the stairs.