Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Bill,
Happy birthday to you!
We hope you have a great day!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
an amazing weekend
we had the best weekend of the year! last week paul worked on the holiday so that he could take friday off and we could all head to breckenridge to see the international snow sculpture competition. we headed up about 9 am for a pretty uneventful drive. found the sculptures - not quite as impressive as we had hoped, but still a great time. it snowed the entire time we were there and the kids loved it! after seeing the sculptuures we headed to a local, laid-back spot for lunch and the spiciest bloody mary and beer chaser i have had in a long time. the kids were happy to run around the resturant and play with the wiki stix given to them by the resturant staff. we kept trying to leave the resturant but jack kept eating - and you know, if jack is eating, we're staying.
after lunch we headed to carter park in breckenridge for a little afternoon sledding - THE BEST PART! it was the perfect size hill for young and old. it was the kind of hill every ski resort town should have. paul and i pulled sleds full of kids up the hill several times and then decided that if they wanted to keep sledding, they had to walk and carry their own sleds up the hill. needless to say they walked up the hill until paul and i finally said, "Enough'. we gathered our kids, dusted off the snow and headed home. on the way home I-70 turned into a ice road and we ended up sitting in the car, on a closed road for 2 hours. with the help of a full tank of gas, the DVD player, juice boxes and endless snacks we weathered the closed road due to too many accidents and made it home. what should have been a 2 hour drive took up over 4 hours but we made it home safe and sound. it really was a great day - i hope we can have a few more before the snow ends.
saturday we cleaned and sunday was a very quiet day at home puttering around.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
what if?
i have been watching more tv in the past 2 days than i have in a long time - and that is saying a lot. tuesday i watched the inauguration from the minute i returned home from taking jack to school until President Obama and the First Lady finished their last dance. i couldn't pull myself away - i didn't want to stop watching! there may be more days like this in the future, but there will never be another january 20, 2009; the FIRST day. much of the day i spent on the phone with my mom. we were watching, witnessing together, even though there is 969 miles between us. ellis was in and out of the room, when she would came in the room she would yell, "Barack Obama". there is no one else i would have rather watched the inauguration with, except maybe with my dad too. he would have loved to also be a witness (i miss you daddy!).
i know not everyone voted for Barack Obama. they have their reasons for voting for McCain, as i have mine for voting for Obama. there are those that are still on their witch hunt - trying to find an excuse/any excuse as to why he is the wrong guy. when i say 'witch hunt', i'm not talking about those who are concerned about his lack of foreign affair experience, but those who think Barack Obama isn't a US citizen or worry about his middle name. i think those people have their own personal reason as to why they think he is the wrong person, but that is between themselves and their conscious - it lies within them and nothing i write here will change that. NOTHING will change that. some can dwell on Michelle Obama's dress choice (what a world it would be if we had one uniform or all had the same taste) or something she said many, many months ago (i am guilty of saying things in the past i am sorry for or should not have said - perfection evades me).
President Obama will do something wrong. He will make the wrong choice or mispronounce a word, make silly faces or take the wrong course of action. the cameras will catch it, the media will broadcast it and those on a witch hunt will rejoice and say, "i told you so". just wait, it will happen. i would bet, perfection evades him too.
for now, today, i am filled with hope! what if... what if we spend more time instilling confidence and humanity in our children and less time cleaning the floor? what if we show our children the personal and social benefit of a strong work ethic and less time worrying about who got ahead of us in line? what if we give something back? what if we give something to someone in need? what if the world is a safer place for our children? what if seeing a President that looks like me, makes a difference to children that also look like me - my children? what if the recession does not turn into a depression? what if the wars end peacefully? what if we never have another 9/11? what if? what if? what if?
Sasha, Malia, First Lady and President Barack Obama 'here we go'.
i know not everyone voted for Barack Obama. they have their reasons for voting for McCain, as i have mine for voting for Obama. there are those that are still on their witch hunt - trying to find an excuse/any excuse as to why he is the wrong guy. when i say 'witch hunt', i'm not talking about those who are concerned about his lack of foreign affair experience, but those who think Barack Obama isn't a US citizen or worry about his middle name. i think those people have their own personal reason as to why they think he is the wrong person, but that is between themselves and their conscious - it lies within them and nothing i write here will change that. NOTHING will change that. some can dwell on Michelle Obama's dress choice (what a world it would be if we had one uniform or all had the same taste) or something she said many, many months ago (i am guilty of saying things in the past i am sorry for or should not have said - perfection evades me).
President Obama will do something wrong. He will make the wrong choice or mispronounce a word, make silly faces or take the wrong course of action. the cameras will catch it, the media will broadcast it and those on a witch hunt will rejoice and say, "i told you so". just wait, it will happen. i would bet, perfection evades him too.
for now, today, i am filled with hope! what if... what if we spend more time instilling confidence and humanity in our children and less time cleaning the floor? what if we show our children the personal and social benefit of a strong work ethic and less time worrying about who got ahead of us in line? what if we give something back? what if we give something to someone in need? what if the world is a safer place for our children? what if seeing a President that looks like me, makes a difference to children that also look like me - my children? what if the recession does not turn into a depression? what if the wars end peacefully? what if we never have another 9/11? what if? what if? what if?
Sasha, Malia, First Lady and President Barack Obama 'here we go'.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
when close is too close
last night about 4:30, jack came into our room and said he had a nightmare. i tried to get him to go back to his room and then decided i was too tired for that fight so i told him to jump in. he snuggled in and than said, "please move over mom, i need more bubble space". for those of you who don't know what 'bubble space' is, it is your own personal space. i told jack if he needed bubble space, he should go to his own room. needless to say, he slept with me.
paul is in phoenix enjoying a midwinter, work subsidized vacation with all of his present and past weather-geek friends. last night when i talked to him, he complained that i wasn't talking loud enough to be heard over the party/music. poor guy!
paul is in phoenix enjoying a midwinter, work subsidized vacation with all of his present and past weather-geek friends. last night when i talked to him, he complained that i wasn't talking loud enough to be heard over the party/music. poor guy!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
day 7 of the new year
for the first time this year, in what seems like months, both jack and ellis are at school and i am home alone. i had so many things i was going to do today, and i find myself walking around my QUIET house, accomplishing nothing. oh well, i work hard most days, i deserve a few quiet moments.
for the third time this year, hellis (see ellisisms) had a total meltdown. we were out to eat with ben, iam and jenn and hellis decided that nothing was good enough at lunch. she began by laying on the floor, then throwing trains (thomas trains), then kicking train across the restaurant, then yelling. i tried my best to calm her down but ended up carrying her to the car where it took me a solid 5 minutes to get half of her strapped into the car seat. after gathering jack, i managed to get the other half of ellis strapped in and we set out for home. jack asked me to turn up the music because, "ellis is screaming too loud." when we pulled into the garage i noticed that more than half of her body was out of her car seat. she was still yelling at the top of her lungs, at this point i didn't know what about. i pried her screaming body out of the car and into the house. she kicked me as i carried her to her room and i had to stand at her door to keep her in her room. 30 minutes later i changed her diaper and coaxed her into bed. she napped for about 2 hours and woke up with the best demeanor. we ended our afternoon playing trains and my little pony.
it just goes to show you, what you have one minute can change the next.
for the third time this year, hellis (see ellisisms) had a total meltdown. we were out to eat with ben, iam and jenn and hellis decided that nothing was good enough at lunch. she began by laying on the floor, then throwing trains (thomas trains), then kicking train across the restaurant, then yelling. i tried my best to calm her down but ended up carrying her to the car where it took me a solid 5 minutes to get half of her strapped into the car seat. after gathering jack, i managed to get the other half of ellis strapped in and we set out for home. jack asked me to turn up the music because, "ellis is screaming too loud." when we pulled into the garage i noticed that more than half of her body was out of her car seat. she was still yelling at the top of her lungs, at this point i didn't know what about. i pried her screaming body out of the car and into the house. she kicked me as i carried her to her room and i had to stand at her door to keep her in her room. 30 minutes later i changed her diaper and coaxed her into bed. she napped for about 2 hours and woke up with the best demeanor. we ended our afternoon playing trains and my little pony.
it just goes to show you, what you have one minute can change the next.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
Happy 2009!
It's hard to believe another year has passed and we are faced with a year of enormous possibilities! I am hopeful for the new year. I am looking forward to what is yet to be.
This morning Jack, Ellis and myself took Grandma Joan to the airport. That was the fastest month-and-a-half. She arrived in late November and spent Thanksgiving, my Birthday, Christmas and New Years Eve with us. Mom and I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas gifts, we went shopping the day after Christmas for Christmas bargains and too many days in between. We all spent 3 days in Aspen - snowboarding, riding the bus, playing in the snow, looking for inexpensive and kid friendly restaurants (yes, they do exist) and of course, more shopping. We baked cooking, made gifts for the neighbors and watched movies with the kids. For as long as I can remember I have called my Mom everyday, I have also called her every 4th of July as I watched the fireworks and every New Year's Eve, to wish her a Happy New Year. It was special to wish her a Happy New Year face-to-face and kiss her cheek.
Thank you Mom for spending the holidays with us! It was the best Birthday and Christmas gift you could give this family. We were all sad as we left the airport and talked about your next trip West. We love you and miss you when you are not here!
To all our family and friends, we wish you a Happy New Year! We hope this new year heals old pains, brings health and happiness and a more positive new year. Most of all, I wish you all PEACE.
It's hard to believe another year has passed and we are faced with a year of enormous possibilities! I am hopeful for the new year. I am looking forward to what is yet to be.
This morning Jack, Ellis and myself took Grandma Joan to the airport. That was the fastest month-and-a-half. She arrived in late November and spent Thanksgiving, my Birthday, Christmas and New Years Eve with us. Mom and I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas gifts, we went shopping the day after Christmas for Christmas bargains and too many days in between. We all spent 3 days in Aspen - snowboarding, riding the bus, playing in the snow, looking for inexpensive and kid friendly restaurants (yes, they do exist) and of course, more shopping. We baked cooking, made gifts for the neighbors and watched movies with the kids. For as long as I can remember I have called my Mom everyday, I have also called her every 4th of July as I watched the fireworks and every New Year's Eve, to wish her a Happy New Year. It was special to wish her a Happy New Year face-to-face and kiss her cheek.
Thank you Mom for spending the holidays with us! It was the best Birthday and Christmas gift you could give this family. We were all sad as we left the airport and talked about your next trip West. We love you and miss you when you are not here!
To all our family and friends, we wish you a Happy New Year! We hope this new year heals old pains, brings health and happiness and a more positive new year. Most of all, I wish you all PEACE.
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