It's a Charlie Brown Christmas...

Been awhile. Basically, I kind of think blogs are starting to become void, I know I personally am not so great at reading them anymore. Facebook has sort of filled that need! So, here's the latest on our end of the lane...

• Snow! We love it, we play in it. Claudia refuses to wear her mittens, so she ends up wanting to be held. She was psyched the first time it snowed however....as was Henry. I have never seen him get up and dressed so fast! And if you found a snow angel in your yard, it's probably from Henry.
  
• We're all signed up for Kindergarten for next year. Hard to believe! But we love his school and are so incredibly thankful he is somewhere with people who appreciate the spirit of a young boy.


• Naturally we decorated cookies, and Claudia was very, very precise with her decorations. I love seeing how different boys and girls are from one another! Henry slathers on the frosting and piles up the decor, while Claudia carefully works through each cookie and each detail. Regardless of their technique, they all tasted divine.


• Max has taught Henry how to play chess. I don't know how to play chess. I taught him Connect 4, so there ya go.


• Work is awesome. I absolutely love taking pictures, and love that I go in, get to be creative, then leave and take nothing home with me. I get to be "totally in the zone" at work, and then "totally at home" when I'm done. Perfect.


• The weight loss continues....I have lost a total of 34 lbs up to this point. I officially weigh what I did when we got married. Another 15 and it'll be what we were when we met. And so on.....


• We have rid our lives of the pesky mouse/mole/raccoon whatever, that has been burrowing under the house and making it's way into our walls by way of the pipes. It's gone, and I'm sleeping without scratching. Yay!


• Christmas this year will be quiet. We'll be at home since I have to work the day before and after. Then we'll celebrate a late Christmas with Max's family. We tried to decorate a bit more this year, but it just isn't meant to be. They all fell over from wind, wear and tear, little boys trying to shovel....its still lit up though, so hey!


• Happy to say it has been a nice, quiet month. Adjusting to my working at night/weekends was a bit tough at first, but the kids have acclimated and so has Max. I have to hand it to him...he comes home, takes care of the kids until I get home from work at 9, then goes back to his office until often 1 am. We are fortunate to have become close with some really, truly good people, and thankful for the support we've received over the last several months. No detail there...those people know who they are. :)

Merry Christmas! Many blessings, love, joy, peace of mind, laughter and silliness to you in 2010.

Two Little Monkeys

Jumping on the bed! This is what we do when we have to be inside for 2 weeks because of rain and cold. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Trick or Treat....

Halloween was great. First, Henry's class had a party. He was a pirate and since he was snack person, he got to be line leader, too. I also got to bake for his class. Yay! Claudia was a little less into the dress up. She wanted to be a "neigh neigh horse." Okay, fine. I found a great costume for 90% off. She wouldn't touch it. I then found a homemade horse costume at a thrift store. Nothing doing. So, we threw a hat, boots and pink bandana on her and thus, a cowgirl is born. Max decided to be Hayden Fry. He is a Badger at heart, but I do believe he is starting to bleed black and gold. As for me, I paid homage to the wayward soul who filed the false claim about me for (gasp) baking in my home for profit. Yes, I was an inmate at Kane County Jail, serving my time as the jail chef. Thanks for the idea, buddy! LOL

As for Halloween night, it was another great reason to get our group of neighbor friends together. We went trick or treating in our 'hood first, of which had two homes that gave treats to both children AND adults. We grown ups left with a Miller Lite. That's what I call neighborly. Then we all gathered at our friend's house for a pot luck and lots of fun. Man I love them! It was a great night, and one we won't forget. enjoy the pics!

In other news:

1. I love my job. It's really fun, and it's so great to just do something that is creative and low stress. Now if it could just pay those pesky student loans back with this extra income....

2. We got to spend last weekend in Iowa City for the football game. Granted, it was a tough pill to swallow when the QB got tackled and thus hurt his leg and is out for the season. Our hearts go out to him as he led his team in the second longest winning streak in the nation. Aside from that, we did enjoy seeing some great friends, family, and a play. :)

3. Finally, I'm still trying to lose weight. I'm at 25 pounds, so 25 more and I'll be ready to decide one of two things: Start running again for real, or have another baby. Guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

You'd think I'd have more to say since it's been awhile (or maybe I've said to much? ha ha), but that's all for now. Have a great couple of weeks!

October Review

Well, let's see:

1. Henry absolutely loves school. His experience has been really wonderful, and our minds are made up that Catholic school is the right fit for the kids and our family. There is just something about your kid coming home and earnestly talking about the importance of giving love to all who cross your path. An important lesson.
2. Claudia also loves school. She loves art and play dough in particular. Oh the difference between boys and girls! She also enjoys getting me to herself for an hour--at least I think she does! I know I love that time together.
3. I have been losing weight. Currently I have lost 18 pounds and people are starting to make comments that they notice, which is very rewarding! Plus I got to finally shop in the non-fat section for the first time in years yesterday!
4. So why was I shopping? Because I got a job. Finally. My streak of "black balled-itis" is officially over. O-V-E-R! I will be working at night and on the weekends, opposite Max's schedule, which will bring in a second income while not having to pay childcare. What will I be doing? I'll be a photographer at JCPenney's. I'm very excited about this as it's something relatively creative and something I truly enjoy. If I'm going to be away from my family, at least it's doing something for which I have a passion!
5. The Hawkeyes are #1 in the Big Ten! It's been such a fun season this year!
   

You all have a fantastic couple of weeks. Happy Halloween!!! Enjoy the pics of my babies. I love them so.

What Boys Do

Boys cheering on football. They were shouting, "Go Pack GO!" The Eagles and Chiefs were actually the ones playing. Who cares though, just another excuse to jump up and down yelling like crazy.

Have I mentioned lately that the Iowa Hawkeyes are awesome? No? Well they are. Have a good week!

Fall Cometh

Autumn actually starts in a week, but all signs are a go:

1. Hawkeye football started with a bang! Oh, and all the other college teams also began the season, but they don't matter much to us. Haha. I suppose it would also mean NFL began, tonight, as the Bears and Packers play. Currently the better team is winning.





2. School started. Was a bit of an adjustment, for Henry it's hard to stop in the middle of his day and go to afternoon school. For Claudia, her life rarely exists without her big brother, so she misses him while he's away. Otherwise, they do love it, and we're glad they have started.






3. Finally, it's apple pickin' time. We picked a couple pecks (hee hee, fun to write) today. The kids loved eating the apples (they each had, count them, FOUR apples today). So, we made apple crisp from scratch this evening. It was yummy.




----Happy Fall!----

Callie the Cat

Introducing the newest member of our family, Callie the Cat. A short hair tabby mix, she might remind some people of another cat I once loved. Callie is calm, easy-going, and only meows in the car on the way to the vet. Something about her however reminds me of my Puppy cat who I loved (and only I loved). LOL
We did not expect to adopt her, but on a whim during a rainy day we went to visit a pet store. The new baby animals were all so cute, and on our way out we noticed an area for animals in desperate need of adoption. One look at Callie and I decided the kids and I needed to have a visit with her. We went back for two more days, and decided she was there for us. She is between 1 and 2 years old, and her prior owners dropped her at the doorstep covered in mats and flees. Look at her now, she is beautiful.

Over the summer we spent some time with a neighbors cats while they were away and Henry continued to talk about having a pet of our own. We knew he was getting to be old enough to treat a pet with care, and he has shown himself thus far to really be good for her, and she for him. He comforts her and tells her it will all be okay, and that she can sleep with his mommy. He tells her he has left food for her in her bowl, and if she wants, he can show her his toys. It's so sweet. Claudia tells her hello frequently. Callie is not quite comfortable yet for my two year old!

That's it on the feline front, have a wonderful week!