Common Mom

On day 1 we got to drive for 8 hours.

On day 2, it rained in the morning and we hung out at the pool.

On day 2, after a couple hours in the pool, the sun came out, so we went out to explore! We had a great time! We started out at Storybook Island . . . a free park. How fun!

After a great time at Storybook Island, we went to get a quick bite for lunch, even though we had ice cream at the park already After that, we drove up a hill to check out a huge dinosaur sculpture we’d seen while eating lunch. Turns out there’s a whole dinosaur park up there! And it’s FREE!!! So far so good on not spending moolah . . . and we’re having a great time!

After a late night driving last night and getting up early this a.m. and having all this FREE fun, Princess was getting tired. So we decided to drive to see The Heads while she took a nap in the car. We didn’t stop to see the heads because it was raining . . . and we’d been there just a few years before . . . and really, you can see everything from the road that you can see from in the park. So we stopped at a profile pull out so Hubby could tell George that he had a bat in the cave . . .

After that, we decided to continue on to check out the Crazy Horse Monument and see how much progress they’d made in the past 3 years. They’ve made a lot of progress . . . although it’s tough to tell since it’s so friggin’ huge! Did you know that when the monument is finished, The Heads will fit on the nose of the horse? That’s how huge this thing is! Anyway, when we got to the monument, we weren’t actually going to go in, but when you turn on the road, there’s no U-turn. So we got to the gate, disappointed that our FREE day of entertainment would be “spoiled” with the $25 entrance fee per car. Turns out, our car has the correct license plates. No kidding! The guy at the ticket gate said “Hey. Looks like you’re from X! Are you sure you’re from X?” Yes. “Excellent. Well, today we’re letting people from X as well as 4 other states in to the monument for free. All we ask is for a small donation to the food shelf.” Um, cool! So we hand over $10, he gives us a ticket that says “Free” on it and away we go. We’re figuring that it’s just “free” day for everyone. But when we get to where you give them your ticket, there are actually lots of regular paid tickets and only a few “free” ones - so it was actually true! Cool! Anyway - the monument is so cool . . . totally worth it if for no other reason than to marvel at the detail and sheer size of the thing. As we left, Dude asked if we could come back to see it when it was finished. I told him that we’d come back, but unfortunately none of us would ever see it finished. I said his grandkids might see it finished. I explained how it had taken over 50 years to get it this far, and that they had so much work left to do. It actually made me really sad to think that I would never get the opportunity to see this beautifully monument finished. I just hope that in 80 years my kids will make the journey back to see how far it has come.

We headed back to town, stopping to let mountain goats cross the road. We met Noisy Grandma and Monster Grandpa at the hotel for some dinner and dice playing. Hubby took the kids back to our hotel (right across the parking lot) to get ready for bed while I stayed and talked to Mom and Brother to make plans for tomorrow. All of a sudden, my mom screams and jumps onto the coffee table. Turns out there was a MOUSE in their room! No kidding!!! So I called the front desk and they immediately moved them to another room. No small task considering how my mother packs for a 4 day trip (I love you Mom!!!)

Heading to bed early to prepare for a fun day tomorrow with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Pat, Aunt Dawn, and Aunt Dawn’s sister and BIL

I sure hope you’re all having a great holiday weekend like we are!

Day 1

The weather forecast was icky . . . and we were a little bored to start the day.

So we headed down to the pool first thing in the morning while it rained. Turns out, the hotel pool has a water slide! What fun!!!

Then the sun came out . . . check here to see what we did next!

We’re on the move again! All kinds of excitement on Friday as we headed out for a weekend of fun with my mom, step-dad, brother, and his wife. Hubby picked the kids up from school a bit early and I bolted from work a bit early and we were on the road by 2:00 p.m. for our 8 hour drive. We ran in to some awful weather on the way!

We were lucky - seemed like we were just ahead of the storms, though. We stopped at a rest stop and heard the sirens from a nearby town going off. The firetrucks and police cars were sitting on the overpass spotting the storms! Being the smart midwesterners we are, we got back on the Interstate We never hit anything awful, but the ENTIRE 6 1/2 remaining hours of our drive we could SEE the awful storm to our west and got to listen to all the tornado warnings and watches and flood watches on the radio, for counties right next to ours. When we looked out our rearview mirror, all we could see was that ominous black sky. Freaky! But we made it without incident and really without running in to any weather ourselves.

This milestone also happened on the way - yeah . . . I’m a freak We need to save money so we can sell this car before the miles get too high!

Day 2 recap, coming up!

 The Egg Hunt

The View On The Way To Boarding

Keira Uses The “Little Kid Mirror” In The Hotel Room

Dan (left) and Jason (right) Practice Connecting Their Turns
While Keira Works With Her Instructor (center)

Keira Practices Her Turns

Boarder Boy

Boarder Dad

Boarder Mom

Who Knew The Easter Bunny Was A Skiier?

My Daughter Will NEVER See This Picture
Or I’m Sure She’d Want To Do This

We all got our own gear finally (way cheaper overall instead of renting all the time!). I’d say we even kind of look like we know what we’re doing! We’re definitely ready for another lesson

There is a Christmas tree decorating contest at the park in Hubby’s hometown, so we took the kids down there to check them out. There were a lot of fun ones! Please excuse the lack of quality in the photos . . . it’s difficult to get photos of lights with a point and shoot digital camera

I FINALLY got around to the Hoopla However, I can’t get to Andrea’s blog to find the rules . . . but from what I remember, you blog 12 random things about Christmas, you MUST pass it on to a particular person, and you CAN NOT use the dreaded “m” word in describing the post - sooooo, let the HOOPLA commence!

1. I really miss that my kids don’t have elementary Christmas concerts like I did back in the day. They go to public school, so there are no holiday programs at all - boo hoo. But, I do remember mine and I LOVED them. When you would get all dolled up in your Christmas dress, leave the house at promptly 6:40 p.m., head to school, line up in perfect order, and walk in in a single file line with the rest of the school (500 kids K-12, so not a ton of us!). Then you’d sit in your little square on the stage bleachers and wait patiently for your turn to sing. If you were really lucky, like my class, you’d have a hearing impaired person in your class and you’d have volunteered to spend your recesses for the month before the program learning the songs in sign language. Then you’d get to walk down front to the risers with the rest of the signers while the others stood on the stage. And when you were finished signing the songs with your best hearing impaired friend and the other volunteers, everyone would clap and say that they didn’t know which person was hearing impaired. Then of course we got to go see SANTA - fun fun fun!!!
2. I LOVED the weeks before Christmas when we got to spend any spare time in class folding every-single-page of a Reader’s Digest. And then, we got to spray paint it a lovely silver, add some gold wings and a head, and take it home for display right in the center of the kitchen table. Ahhhhh - good times, good times.
3. One of my favorite all-time memories is going to my Gma and Gpa’s house on Christmas Eve. ALL of my cousins would be there . . . my mother grew up in a family of 7 children and everyone would be there with their kids. When we were little, we would play upstairs, sliding down the forever long and narrow set of stairs on our tummies. Now that I have children, I realize how LOUD we must have been, and how patient our parents were not to tell us to “knock it off!” a gazillion times Then, at promptly 7:30, we’d hear sleigh bells and everyone would push and shove to get down to the kitchen first, because SANTA was there! Everyone got a gift - and we all had to sit on Santa’s lap to get it. Grandpa always stood behind Santa with the hugest grin on his face - I will always remember that. After Santa, each of the families had to sit on the “davenport” to get a family photo taken. What fun! We always had so much fun and I will always remember how warm and cozy it was in that kitchen with EVERYONE there happy as can be.
4. I LOVE the smell of fresh cut Christmas trees. No fakes, no trees from lots . . . fresh cut trees from the tree farm or the forest . . . mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
5. Is anything better than watching your little ones in footy pajamas and bed head opening their gift from Santa on Christmas morning?
6. Christmas Cookies - who doesn’t like Christmas cookies? I remember playing at my Aunt Patty’s house all the time as a child. Two of her kids were the same as me and my brother. She would spend an entire summer baking cookies and bars for Christmas! Every now and then we’d get brave and sneak downstairs and sneak a cookie or bar out of the freezer. But if you EVER got caught, the world would end . . . that was probably the only time the 4 of us worked together Otherwise it was Pat and Scott against me and Chad. Did you know that a Christmas cookie tastes much better in July when it’s forbidden than it does in December when anyone can grab one off of the plate?
7. Snow - let it snow let it snow let it snow! I really don’t understand how people who live in warm climates get in to the Christmas spirit. Growing up in the upper midwest, we had cold and snow . . . that meant Christmas. If it’s not white, it’s tough for me to get in the mood.
8. Ham . . . and turkey, and mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, and salad, and orange fluff, and gravy, and pie, and bars, and drinks, and rolls . . . yummy yummy yummy . . . how can you NOT like Christmas dinner!
9. Did you all get a Christmas sweater like I did as a child? We all got a brand spankin’ new sweater to wear to Christmas at Grandma’s house. And I’m tellin’ ya, these were some stylish clothing items!
10. I always got a “unique” gift from Gma and Gpa for Christmas. All of the uncles got the same thing. All of the aunts got the same thing. All of my boy cousins got the same thing (there are 5 of them older than I am and 1 two weeks younger than I am). Then there’s me . . . I was the first granddaughter, and I got a unique gift, meaning one that wasn’t like 15 others under the tree. All of my girl cousins are younger than I am, and they would all get the same gift as well. I guess we all know who was Gma’s favorite
11. We always got WAY more than we ever needed to for Christmas gifts. I really honestly have no idea how my parents did it. But we always had tons of gifts under the tree and we never went without. My mom loves giving people things as much as I do . . . so that had to have played a huge part in our Christmas celebrations.
12. Family - I have such a wonderful family, immediate and extended. My mom has 6 siblings, my dad had 3 siblings, and my stepdad has 10 siblings. We were always around tons of family and had so much fun. As an adult, I’m still so blessed to be able to be around family during the holidays. What my favorite thing to do now is to take the kids shopping to buy gifts for kids that are so much less fortunate than we are. I want my kids to understand how lucky they are to have such a loving family surrounding them and how lucky they are to have a house to live in and food to eat. To me, nothing says Christmas like giving to those in need and spending time with family.

So there you have it - my obviously totally random Christmas Hoopla I’m going to tag only one person - Ami at Cup Runneth Over. She’s got such a beautiful family

We’re here! We made it to our first Christmas Extravaganza destination. After an hour at the airport and two hours in the air, the kiddos had the pleasure of a 2 1/2 hour van ride to get to Gma and Gpa’s house. I must say, my kids are great travellers . . . maybe it’s because they each took their first 14 hour road trip around the ripe old age of 2 months old. So they’re used to travelling, and they really do great. Anyway, they did great on this travel day as well . . . a photo journal of their ride in the van

Stop touching me! Orrrr . . .

 

I’ll hit you in the head with my water bottle!

Jason - get in the picture! And let me tickle you!

Travel Buddies

We also got to see this on the way. Of course it lost some of
its beauty through the van window

Regina posted this Christmas Meme, and since I’m travelling today, figured I’d throw it out there for your reading pleasure

1. Wrapping paper of gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Real or artificial tree? Real – gotta love the smell of fresh pine cut from the forest!

3. When do you put your Christmas tree up? As soon after Turkey Day as we can get up to the mountains to cut one down.

4. When do you take the tree down? The first weekend after January 1^st.

5. Like egg nog? Not unless it is heavily spiked

6. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope

7. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmmm . . . I always got great stuff – can’t choose just one favorite gift.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for? Either of my children

10. Worst Christmas gift? Don’t think I’ve had one. I love Christmas and it’s always fun and awesome!

11. Mail or e‑mail a Christmas card? Snail Mail, definitely

12. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story – hands down!

13. Favorite food to eat at Christmas? Any of my mom’s cookis/cakes/bars/treats

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope

15. Favorite lights? Candy striped rope lights

16. Favorite Christmas song? Traditional – Winter Wonderland; Romantic – When It Snows (Jim Brickman); Fun – It Must Have Been Ol’ Santa Claus (Harry Connick, Jr.); Kid – Rudolph

17. Travel during Christmas or stay home? Depends on the year. Last year everyone came to visit us. This year, we’re travelling. Either is fine with me as long as we get to see family!

18. Can you name Santa’s reindeer? Happy, Dopey, Bashful, Grumpy, Doc . . . oh wait, those aren’t reindeer.

19. Angel or Star on tree top? Neither – rotating santa in sleigh being pulled by reindeer.

20. Least favorite thing about this time of year? Grumpy people at the stores trying to get their stuff done. Get happy people! It’s Christmas! This should NOT be work or stressful.

21. Which one person do you really want to see blessed this Christmas and why? Can’t pick just one. Everyone I know deserves to be blessed!

I’m sure we’ve all read these tips before, but with the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season upon us, sometimes we forget. So here is your friendly reminder

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.
 
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single- malt scotch, it’s rare. In fact, it’s even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!
 
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy.  Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
 
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
 
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
 
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
 
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.
 
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
 
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
 
10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
 
Remember this motto to live by:
 
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

Happy Turkey Day To All!!! We’ve got  two families coming over today to enjoy Turkey Day Dinner with us. We’re orphan families, so we decided to get together. And really, we HAD to have people come over because my hubby is completely incapable of making a normal sized turkey - he’s got to get at least a 20-pounder. There are only 4 of us. And while I love turkey soup, and turkey sandwiches, and turkey commercials (don’t know what that is? You’re not from the midwest, are you?!) . . . well, you CAN have too much of a good thing. So, we’re off to start making Turkey Dinner for 12 Woo hoo!

Here’s a sample of what a typical Turkey Day schedule was for me as a child growing up in the midwest . . . land of Catholics, Lutherans, and big families!

7:00 a.m. - Wake up to make casserole/orange fluff/dessert to take to Turkey Day Dinners at G’ma’s/Aunt’s house.

10:00 a.m. - Arrive at maternal Grandma and Grandpa’s house for “brunch.” You arrive at 10:00 because they asked you to be there at 11:00 - if you’re not early, you’re late! And you just KNOW they’ll need help setting up, even though they’ve been cleaning for 3 days straight.

11:30 a.m. - Get in line to get Turkey Day feast from buffet, elbowing your 15 cousins so you can be sure to get some orange fluff from the “salad” section of the buffet. Sit down and eat while taking as loudly as possibly in teeny tiny kitchen. After 7 minutes, make joke about how loud it is, everyone laughs, everyone takes a bit of food, chatter begins and steadily gets louder. After 7 minutes, lather, rinse, repeat.

12:00 p.m. - Open mouth wide while Grandma shovels the last bite of potatoes into your mouth because she just can’t bear to throw it out. “Eat this, or I’ll give it to the dog!” Um thanks G’ma - I’d love to have some, uh, dog food.

12:15 p.m. - Begin cleaning up kitchen with the other women while the men watch football or play pfeffer (don’t know what pfeffer is? You’re not from the midwest, are you?!).

1:30 p.m. - Mention that you have to get going because Dad’s sister is having Thanksgiving at 3:30 at their house.

2:15 p.m. - Actually walk out the door.

2:30 p.m. - Arrive at Dad’s sister’s house because you were asked to be there at 3:30 p.m. If you’re not early, you’re late! And, you are certain they will need assistance getting set up.

4:00 p.m. - Get in line for Turkey Dinner from the buffet, elbowing 9 cousins to make sure you get in line early enough to get some green fluff from the “salad” section!

4:04 p.m. - Get in trouble for not taking enough food - you’re going to waste away, you know!

4:30 p.m. - Continue stuffing food in your face even though you’re way too full and can’t possibly eat another bite.

4:40 p.m. - Wonder why oh WHY you didn’t remember to wear pants with an elastic waist?!

5:00 p.m. - Wiggle your fat ass out of the chair and try to get up to help clean up the kitchen while the men watch football.

6:00 p.m. - Mention that you must get going otherwise you’ll fall asleep right there on the couch next to Grandpa, with his pants unbuttoned and mouth wide open snoring.

7:00 p.m. - Actually walk out the door, with several containers of left overs in your hands.

7:30 p.m. - Arrive home, put on the biggest pair of pants you own, grab a beer, and watch football in the quiet of your own home.

We had so much fun growing up with all of our cousins around, laughing and playing at Grandma’s house. That is one thing I wish I had for my children - family closer. But, we have a great family of friends here and are making memories of our own that I hope my kids will cherish forever.

What’s YOUR Thanksgiving Day ritual?