Can you feel it?

Have you been bitten by the Christmas bug yet? I've been waiting for that "I'm so excited for the Holidays" feeling. I LOVE Christmas time. It is my most favorite time of the year. My mom always made Christmas so wonderful for our family...almost magical (at least for me!) She baked, she wrapped, she decorated, etc...she was truly a "Martha" in her day! Anyways, something about this time of year takes me back to the excited feelings I had as a kid and I am always anxious to recreate those moments for my family. Well today it hit me. I was grocery shopping, of all things, and those (sometimes obnoxious) cinnamon pine cones penetrated the air, and I finally got that "yeah!!" feeling! Usually by now my Christmas shopping is well under way, if not finished. This year, however, I am a little behind...so I need to get busy. I can't wait to get out my decorations, shop, wrap, listen to Christmas music.........! YEAH!!!

So hard to understand...

Sam: "Mom, I want to be a vampire for Thanksgiving, Liz told me she wants to be a bunny, Matt could be Airy Potter and Zach would want to be the Screamer."
I think he really just wants to do the whole trick-or-treating thing again...who wouldn't?

Frat Party...(Alpha, Beta...Whatever)...

So the boys had some friends over today after school...this is just a little idea if what things look like after "the boys" have been hanging out in their domain called the basement. I think the only things missing were empty beer bottles, boxers hanging from the lampshade and togas. I know this "mess" is not that bad (this is only a portion of what the basement looked like), it has definitely looked worse after an afternoon of boy bonding (this is just the ONE time I wasn't too mad to find the humor in it)-however, for any of you who know me well, you know I don't do well with messes in my house. There, I said it...I'm a little anal about the way things "look"...even if it is for a group of 9 & 10 year old boys.
(I love the Skittles wrapper laying next to the pirate patch...what a party!!!)
So until next time...PARTY ON!!!!!

Lunch Bunch...

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun!!!! You girls make me laugh and smile and make me want to be a better person!! Thanks for a great afternoon!

So impressed...

Yesterday I went to the school to help with the 4th grade end of the term reading goal party. There were three classes with about 25 kids in each class. One by one the classes came outside to play some relay games that myself and another mom organized for them. The relay they were doing was an obstacle course that ended with them shooting a basket before going to tag the next kid in line. Now, while there are plenty of fourth grade girl & boy athletes...there are some that are not. As these not-so-great athletes were taking their turn shooting a basket (we had them stop trying after 10 failed attempts) my stomach was in knots for them. This was the kind of relay that as a fourth grader I would have instantly faked a stomach ache with high hopes of being sent to the nurse, or just given the ok to "sit that one out". I just would have been in fear of being made fun of if I didn't make a basket right off...and that was my fear for these few kids that were trying and trying and trying, with no success. I was trying to listen for the words I was afraid of hearing...not-so -nice words...Guess what? I didn't hear ANYTHING of the kind! Not even from the kids I was positive would fail my little test. Instead, I heard wonderful words of encouragement, even a pat on the back from a classmate saying "it's ok, you did a great job!"
People like to say (and I know I have said it) that kids are mean. Well, this group was not, and had every opportunity of being so. I couldn't have been more proud if I was each kids own mother ...and I was the very proud mother to two of them:)!
I know that each kid experiences this kind of junk at some point, some experience it a lot..but I am absolutely loving where we live and LOVING the kids my kids associate with everyday! Thanks 4th graders! You guys ROCK!!!

Tagged?...(thanks Jen..)

I was "tagged" by my friend Jen to answer the following questions:

WHAT WAS I DOING TEN YEARS AGO:

Ten years ago, this month, I was newly pregnant with twins (only at this point we thought there was only one bambino) and put on bedrest for a week..the first of three times I was temporarily placed on bedrest. I was sick and really tired and totally LOVING being pregnant (what was wrong with me?). I was working full-time in a salon, and lived in a divey little apartment in Sugar House with my new hubby of 5 months! Sorry, no pictures will be shared. Even I don't want a photo recap of that!

WHAT WAS I DOING ONE YEAR AGO:

One year ago we were stressing about selling our home, having already bought the new house! Living on the edge, we were...Seriously, I lived, ate and breathed house selling. I couldn't watch any of my favorite shows on HGTV about house selling because they physically made me sick. Thankfully, five days before the set date of moving into the new house we sold it..WHEW!

Old house...

New house...

(no exterior pics of either, that I can find!)

5 PLACES I'D RATHER BE:

*On the beach with J-dub & the kids in San Diego
*Away for the weekend...ANYWHERE...with John
*My bathtub
*Target or the Mall BY MYSELF!!
*A cozy cabin in the mountains with my little family and no TV!

5 FAVORITE SHOWS:

*I Love Lucy
*Anything on the Food Network (cuz I secretly wish I had my own cooking show)
*Letterman
*The Office
*Dancing With The Stars (NO LAUGHING!!)

5 FAVORITE SNACKS:

*Diet Coke (I'm totally with you on that one Jen)
*Pretzle Crisps (from Costco)
*Honey Crisp Apples
*candy, candy, candy (been really good about not indulging in that one lately)
*Craisins-cherry flavor

They just don't get it...

Conversation on the way home from parent/teacher conference...

Me: "Matt, I am so proud of you! You are doing so good in school!"

Matt: "Yeah... you, too...oh wait...you don't go to school."

Me: "Sure I do. I go to "Mom School"... every day...Mommy 101."

Matt: "So do you just get a babysitter for Sam and Liz while you're there?"