We got busy today!

NO you freaks! Not the mommy & daddy alone 'busy'. I'm talking about busy cleaning up around the house.

The skies opened up and the sun shown down on our house. I was NOT the only one cleaning. The Hubs cleaned too! He hauled up off his toosh and did some chores.

We did laundry. I say "we" because he started the first load of wash. Yeah. I did about 4 other loads. And got them into the drier. And put them away. But he started!

We took down all the holiday decorations. He got the kids started with the tree ornaments. I got all the lights off (since I really twisted those cords around the branches this year). I then put everything in the big plastic bins. The Hubs did not keep the colors together though. He mixed all the creams with the gold and with the burgundy bulbs.

[gulp]

I was about the get all anal retentive and get all the bulbs together in boxes with their partners, but I didn't. I let it slide. I was just glad he started to get the tree un-decorated. Once the tree was bare, he undid it all and put it in the bag and put it into the garage.

Since he was putting that huge tree bag and 6 boxes into the garage. He took the time to sweep the garage and reorganize all the boxes we've got in there. This was the FIRST time since we've moved that he's swept that place up. He even discovered a couple moving boxes that we hadn't unpacked. We've not got our cactus margarita glasses and pitcher!

AND...drumroll please!

I reorganized all the cabinets in our kitchen!

Yes. I was a crazy person and moved all the plates, glasses, sippys, and miscellaneous stuff around in our kitchen. The plates, cups, and utensils are in the cabinets closest to the dishwasher and the breakfast table. I had originally palced them right next to the pantry. But that wasn't quite working out. No one wanted to put the dishes away because we had to walk 4 steps to and from the cabinets. I designated a lower pull-out cabinet as the 'kids' stuff. There are plastic plates, bowls, and drinking glasses for them to grab themselves! It worked out fantastic this evening. The Princes was able to 'set' the table herself!

Even the pantry got a 'face lift'. I put all our emergency stockpile up at the very top of the pantry. Now those 'hands off' cans of soup and fruit and all are out of site. So we now only see the stuff we're going to use at eye level. The emergency stockpile? It's our build-up of supplies in the event that the 'bird flu' comes our way. OR in the event that Mommy and Daddy are down for the count due to illness.

So we started our the first day of 2006 on quite a cleaning frenzy. Hopefully this bodes well for our family and for our home. That we all pitch in together to get things accomplished. That we all do more to keep the house clean and tidy. Thank goodness we've got trash pick-up in the morning. Our bin is FULL!

What did YOU do this first day of 2006?

Typical year ending saying

Have a Happy, Safe, & Prosperous NEW YEAR!

It'll be year of growth, of change, of learning, of living, and of loving. I hope you relish in the moments. The good and the bad. Cherish those moments where YOU have the power. Those moments where you get to decide which way your life will turn. The moments where others have control? We can only hope that a good decision for all is made.

You all caught me post a couple wine coolers. I'm philosophical. I'm buzzed. But I do wish you all the best. My brightest hopes for you all to SHINE in this coming year of 2006.

The growing artist

Most of you know the Princess and her art. That she is a budding talent. Like I'm not biased or anything, right?

Anyway, I do believe that my little guy is learning to find his own 'voice' in art. At daycare, they did quite a few holiday pieces. And I know that these things will probably not last the test of time. SO....I've taken photos of all the items he's brought home. And now? I share them all with you!




I just LOVE it all!

A new season begins soon!

I'm a geek. I know it already.

But I am so excited that Battlestar Galactica is going to be starting a new season on January 6th! ARGH!

I just LOVE this show. It's a lot different than the original but that's fine. I love the spaceflight scenes. The camera work is a lot edgier than the regular network shows (cut here - cut there).

Come on you SCIFI geeks! Let me hear ya!

It's what captured their hearts

We didn't go the expensive route on gifts. For the most part. We mainly got inexpensive items for them. But stuff that we knew they'd be interested in.

The jackhammer and googles for the Bear? Instant hit. He's been wearing the googles quite a bit. That jackhammer is just about ready for a new set of batteries. Cost? Less than $5 at Tar-jay on Dec 24th.

The barn, horses, and accessories for the Princess? Instant hit. She's played with it for two days. She's incorporating all the My Little Pony items into the barn. The barn with all it's accessories? $15 at Tar-jay.

The two work-out bags? One for each of them. So they can punch the bags instead of each other? $5 and $3. But really PRICELESS! They've been pretending to fight 'bad' guys today.

I'm really glad that these inexpensive gifts have caught their attention. No flashy items. No huge technically difficult items that we had to assemble. Basic stuff.

I just had to get it all out of the boxes. HA!

But I know this type of thing won't last long. My girl is in school. My little guy in daycare. They're being exposed to things without my knowledge. They're interacting with kids who watch Nick Jr, Nickleodeon, and Cartoon Network. I know the expensive stuff will be requested anytime now. I know. But I can relish can't I? Relish in the fantasy that the thought of a gift (no matter what is inside) is awesome enough.

Exhibit A

I had to show you all the gift that has surpassed all others in the last few days.

Here is my little guy after he got us to open the box.Note the look of glee on that face.


Here he is the next day before breakfast arrived at IHOP. He's got the safety glasses on. Thankfully, the jackhammer stayed at my Mom's house.


After he got a couple swigs of water he was back to work. Coloring. With the safety glasses back in place.


Oh my boy!

As secure as a bank vault

Some parents might take issue at putting toys together.

My issue? Getting items out of their boxes.How parentproof do they had to MAKE those containers?

There's the box. There's the tape at each possible opening. There's the plastic twist ties at every crevice imaginable to hold the toys to the additional cardboard piece inside the box. But then they have tape to hold down the twist ties?

I felt like I needed a tactical plan to get the toys free. FREE!

Each box was a mission. I was amazes at how even My Little Pony was secured onto a molded piece of clear plastic. I needed a pair of scissors every gosh freaking time I opened something.

But then there's the battery compartment. I had to find the tiny little screw driver to open up all those compartments. To throw in 2 or 3 or 4 AA batteries. Batteries that'll only last a week or two. Then I'll have to break out the screw driver once more. That is...until the toy breaks. OR when the kidlings lose interest in the toy. Whichever comes first.

MAN! I'm sure there's someone who gets paid to think of how manufacturer's are going to package these toys. And secure those toys so well that we parents end up silentlyl swearing (or not so silently swearing) as we open up each twist-tie.

My plan was foiled

Remember how I wanted the Hubs family to give him the kids' gifts when he went up there with the kidlings for his Mom's birthday celebration?

None of them gave him the presents. Apparently, the Hubs told his Mom that we'd be up there for New Year's Eve and we'd all open gifts at that time. Then my MIL sent emails to their side of the family telling them of this fact.

So my idea of coming home to a tree filled with presents from Santa? FOILED!

Like I already knew. No one in that family listens to me. I can stay even keeled. Not harm a fly. And still get no respect out of that family.

I really have to say that I dislike his family right now. Not hate. Hate is a horrible word. They just think of themselves all the time. And that frustrates the HELL out of me.