So long 2009....

Naturally, when you have two young children,

you have a lot of "firsts". First, you have "firsts"

for your first child, then you have "firsts" for your second child.

2009, was another year full of firsts for all of us.

These well-adjusted, happy boys make me so proud....

Here is our year in photos.

(Having technical difficulties with the slideshow, but I'll add it as soon as

I can)

* Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap*

We know that we are fortunate

Jobs, food, family and lots of laughter in our home.

I am so grateful for my family.

They are my Reason.

Here's to 2010!

Wishing you peace and laughter in your home.

Love, B

Snow!

I'm still working on all of the 100s of Christmas photos from the week, so in the

meantime, here are some pictures of the beautiful surprise snow that

we had yesterday:

And a little video of my very talented dancing babies:

Grandma & Grandpa are now gone, and the house seems empty and quiet, in a bad way.

We had such a nice time with them and hope to see them again in February!

"Look at my shi*"

Baby Bikers

Hillbilly Christmas

It's beginning to look at lot like (a hillbilly) Christmas.....

Today, we were on the ball.

Up and at 'em early, kids fed, dressed in their finest

(which isn't saying much these days).

We arrived at the mall at 10am sharp and were STOKED when we saw that

Santa would be there at 10am.

Things were looking real good.

As we approach the mall North Pole and all of our eyes started

getting bigger for different reasons.

Me: It was a damn good lookin' Santa.

Henry: It was Santa!!

Charlie: Shiny!

Nate: There were only a couple of people in the Santa line.

Or so we thought.

In fact, the "Santa line" started well behind the mall's "North Pole".

Behind the North Pole facade were the many, many, many families

that had obviously been waiting for Santa

since sunrise, standing in the various switchbacks

of velvet ropes.

The parents faces said it all.

Our joyful faces turned grinch-ish.

By the time we reached the end of the line, I was sweating

and Nate was silently throwing f-bombs.

We had a lot of shopping to do today, so we decided to "try again later".

I know, I know....aren't we funny?! Like it was going to improve!

Later, while I quickly shopped,

Nate decided to bring the boys to "see" Santa.

As in, stand in front of the North Pole set up and literally, look at the other

kids sit on Santa's lap.

As we stood in front of Santa, I felt a twinge of sadness...

it hit me that the kids might not get to talk to Santa this year.

That was when Nate did it.

Between paying customers, Nate told Henry to wave to Santa.

Henry: "Hi Santa!"

Santa waved back.

Nate: "Henry, why don't you just yell to Santa what you want for Christmas!"

Me: "WHAT? N---"

Henry: "Hi Santa! I want a Spiderman Bike

and a Linium Falcon!" (Millennium Falcon)

Santa waved again

My mouth hung open.

Nate: "Did you see that Henry?? He heard you! He waved back!"

Henry: "Yea!" Completely satisfied.

So there we were, standing outside of the North Pole "fence"

watching all of the

well-behaved, well-dressed children

wait patiently in line for who knows how long

all to get a chance to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.

We, just yelled over the fence. No waiting required.

At first, I was quite horrified and tried to stop Nate.

But then I thought, why not?

He just wanted to tell Santa what he wanted, and that is

exactly what he did.

Hillbilly? Maybe.

So after we "visited" Santa, we put the kids in the

Burban, rambled over to Red Robin to make

the most of bottomless steak fries and soda.

But we were done shopping, fed and home for naps by 12:30

while all of those other suckas

probably still waited, tired, hungry and on the verge,

if not already in full-blown, temper tantrums.

So. There.

Roof Maintenance

Once upon a time, there was a cute, quaint house made of

gingerbread, covered in sugar and landscaped with treats that made Henry

and Charlie go bat shat crazy with excitement.

But once the bellies were full of high fructose corn syrup and

the sugar crash hit, the boys walked away from their creation

not the least bit worried about roof maintenance.

And so it started to slide.

And slide.

And slide.

Until there was a roof no more.

The neighborhood started to suffer.

And then "Project Housing"* started popping up all

around the once cute gingerbread house.

* Gingerbread trailerhomes made from baby milk cartons on

Family Night in Charlie's classroom.

Deep Thoughts

Just sitting in the dog's bed,

in my mismatched PJs,

putting my thoughts down on my etch-a-sketch.

O' Tanenbaum

There she is. In all Her glory. Twelve towering feet of Oregon Noble Fir.

A tree more fitting for a small town's downtown courthouse square. Or a mall.

But no, here she towers....in our living room.

Nate saw this tree one evening on his drive home from work.

His eyes narrowed in on this beaut and he just knew it had to be his.

He took me to meet The Tree on Saturday.

While obviously ridiculous, 6 feet too tall and environmentally irresponsible,

I just couldn't deny Nate The Tree.

He was in love, goofey smile, twinkling eyes and all.

It was as though I was seeing him as a 4 year old on Christmas morning.

I caved.

Half a free donut and small fortune later, we drove away from the lot.

With a specialized tree stand contraption.

The 8 inch tree trunk intimidating me through the sunroof above.

I swear it was crying, or maybe just weeping sap.

I really, honestly, try to be a responsible renter of Mother Earth.

I have a very close friend and I work for a company that encourages

"sustainability" and "responsibility".

And by "encourage", I mean my company took away my trash can

so I have to recycle everything

and my good friend gives me weekly leaflets, emails and forces me to watch

PETA videos as I struggle to look away (just kidding, Ang)

This was anything but sustainable and I knew it.

On the drive home, my mind worked quickly to think of what I can do

to make up for my environmental indiscretion.

I already recycle, reuse and drive a small fuel efficient car.

I already shy away meat (most of the time)

and leather products and just this weekend

turned down a beautifully hideous* sheepskin rug for my living room.

I decided that this year, I'll make it up.

I'll strive to do more.

Learn more.

Teach my kids more about their Mother Earth.

* The top of the rug was soooo beautiful, that is, until you turned it over. The bottom side reminded me of my poor dog.......E-"ruff" said.

The tree was just gorgeous and smelled like you crawled into an Elf's house whose floor is layered in pine and sugar cookies.

You want to crawl up it, build a tree house and spend the

next few weeks breathing the amazing scent it emits.

It makes you envy squirrels.

And then the justification hit me, just like that....

The tree had already been cut.

There was nothing I could do to change that.

I could, however, make it the most beautiful tree ever.

More beautiful than another family that would have bought it

and maybe bound it with Dollar Tree tinsel garland.

I love catching Nate staring at the tree when he thinks

I'm not looking and imagine that he is reminicing

about his childhood Christmas'.

I loved seeing Henry hang all of his ornaments on one branch

like my little sisters used to do and

loved seeing Charlie copy Henry's every move even though

he had no idea why we were doing what we were doing,

or how to even hang an ornament for that matter.

You walk into our house and you know it is Christmas.

Not just because you have to physically step around the tree,

or because you are hit with the intense scent of pine

that you can occasionally taste,

but because The Tree has become a symbol.

A massive statuesque symbol of

magic,

hope,

traditions,

giving,

family and most of all, memories.

Our tree is FULL of memories by way of the ornaments that hang from it.

Thank you Mother Earth for our beautiful tree and all that it means to my family.

Happy Holidays

Rusty Griswold: "Dad, this tree won't fit in our back yard."

Clark: "It's not going in the yard, Russ. It's going in the living room."

Shuga

My Bucket

Dog Gone It!

Oh Higs...our Free Range pup.

You can't cage this guy.

But the groomer tried.

Higgy must have pitched a fit, caught his front left claw in the bottom

grate of the holding cage and tore it plum off, or most of it at least.

Because what didn't rip off, had to be surgically removed a little later.

That would be two anesthesia naps in one week for this little greasy guy.

Tonight, he is soft-casted...

Under constant supervision*

*herded

And well medicated....

Get well soon Higs.

Snuggies and Cheese

It is a cold night and its been a long day at Elementary School.

You've been looking forward to coming home, changing out of your leggings and tunic

and into your pajamas.

You curl up on the couch with a tall glass of....apple juice, and are looking forward to reading your newest issue of....House Beautiful that came in the mail today and curling up with a fuzzy blanket next to the fire after eating your satisfying dinner of Mac-N-Cheese.

But wait, how do read a magazine AND curl up in a blanket?

Introducing...Teen Snuggie:

Brrriiiiing: "Hello? Peter?"

Without Teen Snuggie, you'd talk to Peter and shiver because you can't stay snuggled and warm with the phone at your ear.

Thank You Teen Snuggie!

Maybe Teen Snuggie just ain't your thing.

Then maybe you should just order a piping hot pizza from Bellagio's

to stay warm and then run around the house flying your Lego ship

keeping the family safe from the Bad Guys.

Mmmmm....cheesey goodness!

Thank you Ax and Kysa for staring in your first product commercials.

Royalties forthcoming. I'll have my people call yours.

Oh Beavs....

We were dressed and ready

Stretched and warmed up

And while it was a great game, were so sad to see the Beavs lose the Civil War.

Looking forward to next years' Civil War.

Cousins

And that, dear friends is a room full of precious.