RELIEF!

The Christmas tree is DOWN, DOWN, DOWN!  Wa-HOO!  (I hauled the thing all the way outside, down the basement steps - which are covered in some ice-, and into the basement BY MYSELF!  Michael was pretty sure that I had lost my mind...)  Josh has said over and over this week/weekend that he is AMAZED at how long the tree has stayed up after Christmas this year!   Typically, the day after Christmas, the tree is down and back in the basement for another eleven months.  I haven't felt as rushed this year, I guess because I know I can make the time to put it all away when the boys go back to school at the end of the week.  And, the fact that Josh was back to work the day after Christmas- sometimes I get to have him around the house for that extra day, which helps me manage the kids. Didn't happen this year- he was home because of the ice, but he locked himself in the office with a big do not disturb sign.  (Just kidding about the sign-- we all know better, though, than to bug him while he's working.)  

 I also have to blame sweet Nicholas, though.  

The other day I started to take a few of the Christmas decorations down, and the little guy had a fit! He told me that Christmas is NOT over yet and then he begged for the tree to stay up a little bit longer.  I honored his request and held on for another day or two.  And, we continued to turn on the lights each evening, making the family room lights low so we could enjoy the glow of the Christmas tree.  

I really do love and enjoy our tree.

Michael woke up this morning looking just awful.  His eyes were sorta half open / half shut and he was pale as a ghost.  Obviously, the kid is on his way to being sick.  We cancelled the fun plans that I made days earlier with one of my brothers and the boys were allowed to have some video game time while I cleaned up and put away the Christmas decorations.  It feels like we have a brand new house now!  It's awesome- everything feels so CLEAN and NON-CLUTTERED.  

We often joke that Josh is pretty neurotic, but truth be told, I'm just as bad about certain things.  It really is unfortunate that he does not share my passion for organization, tidiness, and cleanliness.  Our house would be so amazing if we shared the same neurotic behavior...

(So sad.)

Along those lines, my New Year's resolution is quite simple:  I want to organize our house better in the year to come and I really, REALLY want a friend of mine to come over and help me figure out how to display the gobs of pictures we have accumulated.  She is a homemaking genius- no joke!- and I would love for her to help me measure, put some nails in the walls, and hang up these pictures that are just sitting in corners of the "office" and the front living room.  Step one is for me to spray paint all of the frames I have the same color.  I'm cool with them being all different sizes, but I want the color to be uniform.  I do have a very cool vision, so maybe I'll share it - - IF and WHEN I get myself and the house in order.  

For a Hot Minute:

... It snowed this morning! And the boys went sledding!  Again!!

The snow was so beautiful and the boys were still on the sled riding high from yesterday, so Josh took them over to the middle school for a little sledding.  On my way to Gore's, to make PW Spaghetti and Meatballs, I stopped by to take a few pictures of the sledders.  Have you been to Gore's yet???  Josh says Gore's reminds him of the Soup Nazi Seinfeld episodes.  Seriously- it is always packed on Saturday's- morning or afternoon.  

Aren't they so cute??  I love, love, love to watch Nicholas climb the hill back up after sledding down. He's so painfully slow, but he perseveres with his tenacious spirit.  

We've really enjoyed today and have not done much.  I have been working on a yummy dinner, while Nicholas had a friend over to play.  Josh took Michael to the rec center, to exercise him, of course.  Laid back Saturday afternoons are a delight, especially when a little snow is thrown in there.  

Here's my favorite picture from the sledding adventure this morning:  

(The Bell Tower)

A CC tradition...  :) 

I just might frame that one because I like it a lot and it encompasses three of my favorite things:  snow, education, and CC.

A Day in Pa...

“We were together. I forget the rest.” 

― Walt Whitman

The boys and I went to Pa with my mom today.  It was a beautiful, special day.  Some days I just feel so, so blessed.  Today was one of them.  Michael laughed so much today, he loved sledding through the apple orchards that my mother knows well.  He begged me to take him to PA to see Grandma, literally, begged. It's kind of a tricky situation because Grandma is in a nursing home and has recently been under the weather, so going home (especially in ice) is not a safe option for her or my mom.  We went, though.  We saw Grandma.  We hugged her and we made her smile.  And, then... we went sled riding for HOURS and HOURS.  I'm not sure that the boys have ever had so much fun.  Honestly.  Michael replayed every single run down the mountains of Mt Tabor.  It was precious and he filled (absolutely filled) my heart with joy.  I will always treasure this day.  And, Nicholas?  He loves sledding, too.  He talked about needing to follow "the rules" of sledding?  And, eventually, he decided that I made for a safer partner than his brother. 

The best news is ... more snow tomorrow.  I just wish we would have spent the night.  Next time, next time.  I love my Grandma's home so much.  It's kind of like being at a resort, but better.  There's no better place than Grandma's house, no matter how old you are.  

More pictures tomorrow of this beautiful, beautiful place.  

Such an awesome day:

This morning we woke up to more SNOW!!  It was heavenly.  

Josh attempted to drive to work, but quickly turned around.  He could barely get out of the neighborhood without sliding all over the place.  So, even though he was sequestered in the "office" for the better part of the day, we were all so happy to have him HERE, safe and warm.  

I attempted to clean up after setting Michael up with a new Legos project and Nicholas with the new paint set from Nina.  After I finished cleaning the kitchen and organizing from yesterday, I sat down with Michael to help him build some sort of "Ninjago" car.  All I can say is, GOSH!!, Legos are so complicated!!  As kids I think our repertoire was limited to a rudimentary house and maybe a car or two?  Maybe that's just my imagination, but I really don't think that Lego sets used to be this complex.  

Again, Nicholas tried his best to use all of the red paint in one sitting.  He was tired and restless today, so he was not able to completely finish the entire painting.  In fact, he was so tired that I made him take a bath in the middle of the day and have a big lunch so that he would sleep well this afternoon. Which, thankfully, he did!  I think he slept from about 1:00 until 4:30, which was so needed.  

After BOTH boys enjoyed HUGE lunches (for them), I made them both hot chocolate.  They were in complete heaven. Michael has been asking for hot chocolate for days, but I don't like him to have the hot chocolate in combination with other sweets.  Because they have indulged in so many sweets lately, adding hot chocolate to the mix has been out of the question.  

I know.  I have issues.  However, I SWEAR that I have a health issue going on right now because I have been eating way, way, way too many sweets.  Honestly.  My body feels so unhealthy from the Monkey Bread for breakfast and the piece of fudge here, piece of fudge there. I realized this Christmas how sad it is that I can no longer eat as much of my Dad's fudge as I want without feeling cruddy.  I also realized the same thing about Monkey Bread.  Honestly, I tried to ignore the fact that Josh and I were eating Biscuits dumped in butter, and two types of sugar.  But, sadly, I couldn't, especially since I have not been running two days in a row now. So,  as a treat, today I had the best salad ever- straight from my friend Annie's greenhouse.  It's like a taste of summer on a winter's day- these greens. She even makes salad dressing too- without ANY chemicals or things you cannot pronounce.  I felt so good after eating the organic greens grown by her husband.  If you live in the area, you must try the vegetables that they grow! :)  

You can see how exhausted Nicholas was in the pictures below.  Complete exhaustion. Josh joked numerous times today that he can't BELIEVE that the Christmas tree is still up.  Really, it is a shocker.  I started to put Christmas decorations away today, but I slowed myself down and tried to help build Lego cars instead.  I might take it all down tomorrow, we'll see.  

This evening I told Michael and Nicholas that they could watch Rudolph or Frosty one last time until next year because tomorrow we are going to pack away the Christmas movies.  You know what Nicholas said??  

"Well.  That's sad."  

He's right.  Christmas came and went way too quickly this year, and I don't even want to think about the boys going back to school next week or tax season starting.  So, I won't.  Tomorrow we will enjoy yet another lazy, stay at home day.  :)  

THIS... makes me excited...

1. I taught myself how to do a screen shot using the Mac this evening!  Yes, I'm sure everyone else in the world knows how to do but me, but still, I learned something today!  

2.  Winter weather makes me so, so happy.  Josh is always surprised by this.  We have been married for 11 years now, and each year he is surprised by how much I LOVE snow, sleet, and wintry mixes.  Considering that he will be working late, late into the evening on Wednesday, I should NOT be excited. I am, though.  Maybe he'll work from home that day?!?!  It's a last resort for him, but still!  I love it when he works from home.  ♥

3.  The boys are so excited about Christmas, especially our family being together, that I can't help but to feel excited, too.  Nicholas has moved all of the ornaments from the middle of the tree to the bottom.  I'll have to take a picture tomorrow.  It is the cutest thing ever.  And, for the first time in YEARS I don't think the tree will be taken apart the day after Christmas... Maybe?  

4.  Michael wrapped up a bunch of presents for Josh and me this evening- they are things that he has gathered up around the house.  So, we just might be opening a bag of dog food on Christmas Day, I don't know!  We'll be surprised, I guess.  Tonight he asked Duncan if he would mind having a little friend join the family, and he was not talking about a new baby.  He asked Santa for a PUPPY.  (Have mercy.)

December: Instagram Style

 Phone Shots from December :

Nicholas drew his first PERSON!! Isn't that just the CUTEST thing you have ever seen?  I love the learn to write, learn to draw stage.  It is awesome.  Really, I do love it and I am sad to think this is our last experience with watching a little one (of ours) learn to write letters.  

Our Christmas tree!  We thought about chopping down a real tree this year, but then we realized that we needed buy lights and a stand.  For the sake of saving money, we stuck with the artificial tree again.  And, I really do love it....

I know I should have waited for Christmas... But!  I couldn't, my legs hurt.  

So... I am in LOVE with the new, pretty Asics Kayanos- size TEN!!! (I order big to prevent blistering, which really, never seems to help...)

Michael and I the night of his concert.  It is blurry, but I still like these pictures.  :)  They make me smile, he's such a good boy and is growing so quickly.

  

 Nicholas and Michael- football posing before Michael's concert.  

A portion of our Christmas card this year.  Nicholas did the water color painting, Michael did the writing.  I had to make him slip a "t" in the spelling of Christmas.  They both were very proud of the card, which made it an even more special process.  

Our dresser became Lego central.  Nicholas has taken to building with Lego's, as well, which is fantastic.  I love to build things with the boys.  

Nicholas paints nearly every day.  Honestly.  He loves to paint, it really seems to calm his wild spirit and take him to a happy place of peace.  

Look how carefully he works.  Again, I love certain parts of this age. Red is his favorite color, by the way and is always used first when he receives new paints.  Always.  In fact, we are already out of red paint.  

A picture from an early, early morning run in town.  I love our town at Christmas time, and always, really.  Isn't the tree pretty?  

Nicholas and I went swimming two Friday's ago, the day of the shootings.  We swam happily, completely oblivious to the tragedy that struck earlier that morning.  I don't think I will ever forget that day.  

Middleburg- Nicholas and I went out to lunch one day with Josh this week.  Had a great time and we stopped by the best shop ever, Lou Lou.  I can't wait to go back one day, without little boys.  :)  Nicholas attacked a stand of earrings and claimed to be "working."  He made a mess.   

Nicholas working in the bedroom.  I moved his desk into our room so he could work while I got dressed for the day. He wanted me to pretend to be the teacher, while he was the student.  When I told him that his picture was beautiful, he told me that is NOT what his teacher says to him when he colors at school.  His teacher tells him (according to Nicholas) that "there is still more to color!!"  :)  

Look how happy he is to be all dressed up for the concert!!!  Ugh.  Torture.  For me, not him.  

Josh has been doing an awesome job of coaching an instructional basketball team.  It is a great outlet for him and it is something that he truly enjoys doing with the boys.  He is starting to loosen up about Nicholas participating- Nicholas (and a friend) are allowed to stretch and run with the team during practices.  Games are a complete struggle. He is not allowed to play on the phone or with video games, he can watch or color.  It's a lot of fun, sometimes out of the corner of my eye, I see Michael playing in the game.  

Pre-Christmas photos from Thursday- before we headed out to shop. Shopping with two boys is not easy and it is not fun.  We survived, though, and got everything accomplished that we needed to that evening.  

Homemade applesauce is one of my very favorite foods to make.  It is SO GOOD and is SO EASY and it reminds me of my Grandma Rose.  

Friday.... Another Friday morning swim.  We swam for about two hours on Friday, and then had lunch at Wegmans.  The boys slept soundly the whole way home.  It was a deliciously quiet ride home and a very laid back evening.  The more we exercise these kids, the more mellow they are??  Funny.  I feel that way about running.  

Nicholas - sleeping on the way home from swimming.  

Yesterday.  Once again, we exercised the kids and they were so much fun to be around last night.  Josh and the boys played basketball for HOURS at the Rec Center. I couldn't believe how long they lasted.  And, again, they were mellow yellow last night.  Ahhhh......  I swear we didn't slip anything into their sippy cups last night.  ;-) The mellow behavior was all exercise induced.