On the road again...

Well, we are headed out to balmier weather and doting relatives tonight. I hope my children cooperate on the plane and sleep. Heck, I hope I cooperate on the plane and sleep! I will post more next year (corny I know, but always a fun joke).

Happy New Year!

On the fifth day of Christmas...

My children gave to me: a disastrous house to clean up all day long! (I know that doesn't fit in with the tune, but whatever). Dn. John is back to the grind today at work, and I am CLEANING. All day. Well, with the exception of sitting down and writing this blog. And I'll probably check my email and Facebook...so, I suppose at some point in time today I will clean. My goal today is to get the upstairs all cleaned. That way, I can do the downstairs really well before we leave on Wednesday, and in theory come home to a clean house after South Carolina.

SOUTH CAROLINA!! I hope it's warm, because it's -10 today up here in Alaska. I would love to be able to take my kids outside without worrying about frostbite. We're staying in today (duh, 'cause I'm cleaning, right?), with the exception of taking Megan to the doctor to check on her nasty cold. Which reminds me...I should call Kali and bum a ride for that. I wonder if she's awake...

But as I was saying, South Carolina. I've started making my lists (and checking them twice-ha!) so I don't forget anything. I'm incredibly irritated that we have to pay for our baggage, but there's not much we can do about that. I hope my kids sleep on the plane. But once we get there....ah....vacation! My in-laws take such good care of us whenever we visit. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, and also having a bit of a break from my kids. They'll be so entertained by grandparents and aunts and uncle that I think I'll get some down time. I plan on sleeping. :) And shopping, but we digress.

Well, Megan and I are rocking out to her music on her pink Hello Kitty boom box. I should put some Metallica in it or something, just for the irony factor. Although, she does like Pearl Jam. (Daddy's girl, I know).

Okay, okay. I'm logging off...going to clean....

The long overdue update

Marina eating her Christmas dress...
My beautiful girls in their matching dresses! You can't tell in the picture, but Marina's shoes are totally Wizard of Oz--super sparkly. We love them. Well, Dn. John probably couldn't care less, but I love them. This picture is after Christmas Liturgy...the girls were just chillin' on the floor while we sang Christmas carols.
Opening stockings in bed before church.
While visions of the Chicago Bears winning the Superbowl danced in her head....
Megan's stocking!
"Helping" decorate Christmas cookies. The shirt came off quickly before frosting got all over it. It's actually all over her face and in her hair, but the picture doesn't do justice.
Decorating the Christmas tree!
It really doesn't even need a caption, does it?

So we will start off with a super cute video of Megan and Dn. John decorating our Christmas tree. That is one of the things that is way more fun to do with kids! She was so excited about every ornament, and each morning we can't do anything else (ANYTHING ELSE!!) until we turn on the Christmas lights. I think she is going to have a melt-down when we have to put the tree away.

The last couple of weeks have been delightfully busy! A huge highlight has been the visit of our close friends, Matthew and Anastasia, and with them, our God-son Luke. They moved to Pennsylvania a few months ago, and we have really missed them! So having them back in town has been fantastic. Anastasia and I--with some other close girlfriends--all left our kids with the hubbies and had dinner last Sunday. That was super fun. Matthew and Dn. John have been playing the Wii a lot and having tons of fun, while Luke and Megan are reunited and enjoy demolishing things together. Their baby is due in March, so then Marina will have a Howell playmate too. :) But seriously--and I know they're reading this at some point--WE HAVE MISSED YOU GUYS!!! It has been so great having you over...and back to the norm of Matthew not knocking (haha) and raiding the fridge. (Thanks for shoveling, too!).

Over Christmas day and the next, we got about 8-10 inches of snow, so it was definately a white Christmas. Our new snow tires KICK BUTT and we haven't gotten stuck or had problems or anything, which is almost a downer because Dn. John would've called in sick yesterday if he couldn't have made it out of the driveway. Oh well.

Christmas was lovely, as usual. It was a more spiritual Christmas for me this year than any other year, which I quite enjoyed. While acutally listening to the Megalynarion on Christmas day (what a novel concept, I know), I got chills and was quite choked up. It just hit me all of a sudden-this is TRUTH! Christ was born for us, and all of creation is filled with joy! It was awesome. It IS awesome.

On a sadder note, my sister Jessica's lieutenant at her fire station died suddenly Christmas morning. He was only 35, and leaves behind his wife and two little girls. I'm not sure of his name, or the official cause of death, but please keep his family and all the firefighters in your prayers. It was a pretty big blow to my sister--they were good friends.

Megan thoroughly enjoyed opening gifts, as most two year olds do. She got all kinds of fun things, but topping the list are definately the baby doll/stroller/car seat/cradle set from my parents, and her Hello Kitty! boom box from Aunt Kali, Uncle Steve, and the boys. Dn. John got some Wii accessories from me and the Macalinos, and a new Uncle John's from my parents. He's downstairs Wii-ing it up right now. I got a new rolling case for my sewing machine from my husband, and an electric griddle from the Coleman's so I can kick butt making pancakes. My parents also gave me some cash to buy a Cricut machine, which I have been wanting for awhile.

And as for the next few days...we leave for South Carolina on Wednesday night!! We seriously cannot wait to see our Rogers family, as well as show off our girls. :) The plane ride is going to be helacious, I'm sure (with a five hour layover in Houston TX), but so incredibly worth it. Kathryn and I have big plans to do some major cooking (including--but not limited to!!--a (late) Thanksgiving meal (turkey and everything!), and a big brunch). It will be awesome.

Well, I think that about covers it! It's been busy, like I said. I'm going to head into the grocery store in a few minutes, and then we have plans tomorrow with a bunch of friends, so that will be fun. Hopefully now that the insanity has died down, I will post more often again!

I haven't forgotten...

So I had no idea that I had such a following! Four people (FOUR!) have mentioned that I hadn't written in a long time. Well....I'm just so excited that people read this! So I really haven't forgotten. I just haven't left the kitchen too much in the last week or so. The net result is trays of yummy and ever so unhealthful goodies that are adorning my kitchen table...and the tables of many of our friends and family.

Christmas is tomorrow (in like an hour and a half, actually)...I feel relatively ready, but have decided that Christ Is Born! whether I get it all done or not. And as I feel that is the attitude I should be having, I have decided not to stress. The gifts are wrapped, there is food in the fridge that just has to be put together before brunch tomorrow, and the house is somewhat clean (Somewhat is as good as it gets these days).

Look for a much cooler post in a couple of days, along with pictures and videos of my beautiful girls. Merry Christmas everyone! Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Success!

I pulled it off! The pecan caramels that I completely ruined the other day turned out fantastically today. I am so excited. They taste great, and they look good too. The only irritation is that they have to be individually wrapped in waxed paper, and I made a bunch. Oh well.

I took Marina to a quilting class today, and she was a big hit. My quilting instructor actually had her Mom visiting in town, and she came to the class, and spent the first 45 minutes oo-ing and ah-ing over her. Marina was--of course--adorable, and laughed and smiled. It was super fun. Plus, I got the Christmas gift that I was working on 90% done. Yay!

Top Ten

I decided today--while making 50 pounds of fudge at the bakery--that today's post would be my top ten favorite movie/TV lines. As I thought about them, I realized that most of them require context to be funny. So I am just going to laugh at them myself, and if anybody else gets them, it will also be fun.

So here are my top ten, in no particular order....

1.) "Dan Marino should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell." --Ace Ventura
2.) "Oh, I'm Ross. Two women love me. They're both beautiful and great. My wallet's too small for my 50's, and my diamond shoes are too tight!" --Friends
3.) "If we end up sharing a cell in federal prison, I'm not giving you a drawer." --Alias
4.) "Dude, it's a llama!" --Dude, Where's My Car?
5.) "Wise man say--forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for a late pizza." --Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
6.) "Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?" --Monty Python & the Holy Grail
7.) "It's called 'Basic Instinct,' Grandma." --Scrubs
8.) " 'Where's your other hand?' 'Between two pillows.' 'Those aren't pillows!' " --Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
9.) "Swingler...Swanson...Samsonite! I was way off." --Dumb & Dumber
10.) "The pen is blue!" --Liar Liar

The master of the stall

That would be Megan.

It's kind-of amazing, actually, that she is only two years old and is able to stall so successfully. Well, at least she tries. A couple weeks ago, I was putting her to bed and we were walking upstairs past a hanging basket of fruits and vegetables. This is what I heard (as she sobbed), "Mommy! I want an orange!" (We walked a few steps). "I want a banana!" (We walked a few more steps). "I want an onion!" The onions are in the top basket and were the only thing visible at that point. The child was definitely grasping at straws. (Now the Shreck monologue is running through my head....Ogres are like onions! "What about parfaits? Everybody loves parfaits!")

Dn. John is trying valiantly to get her into bed right now in the next room. She is putting him off for all she is worth. This is a daily ritual for us now. He is way more patient than I am--I usually get tired of the act and walk away; then she cries. He sits and reads stories and gives umpteen hugs and kisses...oh well. Maybe it's because he doesn't deal with it all day. By 8:30, I am WORN OUT!!

I made 40 pounds of fudge at the bakery last week. It is gone. Sold. Vamoose. I have to make more on Friday. I am slightly irritated. And I completely botched the pecan caramels I was attempting at home. That's a pretty rough one to swallow actually, because the ingredients weren't cheap, and the batch is totally ruined. Ah well. Live and learn, I suppose. My husband thinks I am stretching myself too far. I referred him to an earlier post. I AM AN OVERACHIEVER!! I'm sure it's in our marital vows somewhere that he just has to put up with it. I put up with him all the time. Case in point--I just put my three month old GIRL to bed in Chicago Bears pajamas. Did I complain? Nope. He'll eat the Christmas candy, right? Yes he will. Do I like the Bears? I have no opinion. So I guess it all works out. I think I will save the Bears argument for another day, in an argument that I am actually trying to win. With the whole cooking and candy thing, I'm pretty sure he'll give up eventually.