New Year's Eve.................New Year's Eve????............Yes, New Years Eve!!

Odds are this will be the last blog post of 2006. I was recently asked if I do resolutions - No, why set ones self up for failure ------ I do have some goals I'd like to implement and achieve in 2007 but I refuse to put unrealistic pressure on myself.

I am feeling like wet cement today ---- I guess when you don't go to sleep until 5:30 in the morning one would feel like wet cement. We had a blast though. Freaking mermaids:) It was a great birthday.

2006 - wow it doesn't seem like it should be coming to a close. Where did the year go? Loved ones lost - new friends gained - breaking out of ones comfort zone - all in all I say 2006 was a good year. I hope that 2007 brings less loss but love and contentment to all.

Oprah OUT!!!!!!!!

Internet Rat Bastard!!!!...........Things could be worse......

So, I had this great blog entry all done. It was publishing and I lost my freaking internet connection mid post -- so what happened it vanished into cyberhell!!! Rat Bastard!!! I love this phrase!!!!



Here is a picture I forgot to post.
Whitlee getting up close and personal.









I'll try and remember what I posted............................................

So lets start with Christmas eve. We went to Christy's so the kids could exchange presents. I'm not sure if JC and Christopher liked their presents. Whitlee fell in love with JC's blanket while I made it and she drug it around the house for a couple of hours after I finished it. What I didn't notice was that she must have dragged it through her plate with pancakes on it --- there was syrup on his blanket. I am SO SO embarrased!!! Brendan got a telescope which he loves and Whitlee got a baby (her name is rock). She loves it becuase it came in a clear backpack and she can carry stuff around in it!!!!

We went up to Marilyn and Gary's house. Of course they totally spoiled the kids. I know I know grandparents don't have any rules!! As you can see by the photos below Brendan got a super cool Hot Wheel racing track among other things. Whitlee of course HAD to put on her Awesome outfit Grandma bought for her. She stripped right in the middle of the room.

Marilyn had a beautiful tree. Everything on the tree had been made by Grammy. We sure did miss her!!! I think we all thought of her at least a million times during the evening.








Brendan LOVING his Hot Wheels & Track he got from Grandma & Grandpa!!!!

















Whitlee looking "Mad Sexy Awesome" - (her words not mine). The outfit is from Grandma & Grandpa!











So, Christmas morning dawned and we found ourselves lost among mounds of wrapping paper. Whitlee was thrilled with the 12 Dancing Princesses Dancing Stone that Santa brought her -- She also got a battery operated kitty like her Grandma. Brendan was on the verge of a panic attack. He thought Santa forgot him. Santa would never forget him -- his presents were very close to the Christmas Ficus (more about that later). He got 2 boxes of Yu-gi-oh cards -- they are a hard to find item so he was excited that Santa was able to get them.

The mighty Christmas Ficus. No, I didn't make a typo we had a Christmas Ficus this year. We really did go out with Steven, Sharlene and Matthew to hack down a tree. We actually found a good one. We had it outside in a bucket of water until we were ready for it and wouldn't you know it....................IT FROZE SOLID!!!!! So, we had a treesicle. It was frozen for 9 yes 9 days -- by the time it thawed out there was no way that baby was coming in the house. As soon as it warmed up every single one of those needles would have fallen off of that tree. The tree stayed outside and we made merry with the Christmas Ficus:)

We went back up to Marilyn and Gary's house to spend some time with them. The kids really enjoy spending time with them.

Then we went to Steven and Sharlene's house. The first thing I'd like to say is that Steven is in DESPERATE need of medication lots and lots of MEDICATION!!! Only he could be so warped to appreciate what he did. He made the relish plate from hell(see below)

The Relish Tray from Hell!!!!!!







Only Steven would think of this!!! Anyhow I guess that's it for Christmas. I am grateful no puke navidad for us. It was a good holiday and we are fortunate.

I am grateful pure and simple. I am grateful for my kids. I am grateful for families who partake in our Christmas tradition and eat clam chowder on Christmas Eve - even though it was followed in short order by a chorus of puke navidad!! I really does mean more than I can say -- it means as much as cleaning baby puke off the kitchen floor!!!

We got some not so good news today and day before yesterday............I found out that someone we care about her father has stage 4 pancratic-liver cancer. I know what it does and IT SUCKS!!! Then today I found out that someone else we care about has stage 2 breast cancer -- she is young and has a young child. Both are in my thoughts.

2007 is just a couple of hours away................2007 really already!!!! We will be spending it with friends -- Brendan will be at Steven's per tradition but we will at friends - Jeff playing poker - Whitlee eating powerbar casserole:) and running wild - me........well I will be catching it all on film and maybe making movies!!!!

2007 - it's going to be a good year - I am learing cycles - It will be a good year!!!!
As per a request from Steven -- Snow Miser is gone.

Oprah OUT!!

Freaking internet!!!!!

I had this great post all done and then lost my internet connection while I was posting so of course it is in cyber hell now!!!

I am to tired to do it now so I'll be back later!!!!!

....Oprah out:)

Fa-La-La Christmas is Over..............

There are many things I want to blog about but I want to start with Friday. In addition to it being Whitlee's first gymnastic's lesson she also got her hair cut - now before anyone panics it was only a trim. but a hair cut never the less. She did SO GREAT!!!!!!! Here are a couple of pictures of the event.

Washing her hair

A trim with our beloved Ms. Angie

Looking Good!!!

Getting a french braid

Beautiful Baby Beautiful!!!!!

There is only 2 more shopping days left..............

fa la la la la!!!!

This has been a busy busy week! Life has been stressful maybe not more stressful than any other day but compounded by other life events stressful never the less.

There was school on Tuesday and Brendan was happy to get back. Winter break started on Wednesday. The school's Winter program was cancelled. I'm not really happy about that because Brendan had 2 parts. I still want to see the program. I am working with the school to see if it still can happen.

It seems for every step forward I find I am a block behind:) Ahhhh such is life. Terri (that's Mrs. L. to you:)) and I have decided we are the new Oprah and Gail -- Jeff is starring as Stedman and we haven't decided who D (her husband) is yet. Since D works nights and they have 5 (yes 5) children her free time is limited (I am not going to give anymore information about her since I don't have her permission to talk about her.........yet:)) -- so we have been hanging out at the scino -- Not dropping a ton of money (no Steve I don't need an intervention) but its a nice place where we can sit and just talk - you know mom talk - she can see the humor and not the humor of Whitlee's latest art project -- grilled cheese dipped in ketchup torn apart and plastered on the side of the toy box. Or the delicate engineering of balancing the Elmo couch on top of the coffee table while eating grapes and cookies:0 You have to just LOVE 2 year olds:) Anyhow we have decided the Jade Monkeys SUCK - freaking monkeys...........We have a love/hate relationship with the fairies...........Disco Freddy no longer SUCKS he is the disco king.........The penguins can be really nice..........the dolphins are fickle...............The witches have mood swings.........The big Kahuna is TOTALLY rad.......Milking the cow is a fun place to start...........and any machine over $.05 makes me break out in a cold sweat:) I did however get my totally bitchin white trash Muckleshoot Casino blanket...............hmmmmm now to decide if I want the crystal that is available in January. And for the record I am currently $35 up and I used it to buy part of a ham from the Honeybaked ham store for Christmas. Brendan loves to hang out with her boys as they LOVE Yu-gi-oh:). It's nice she gets me and I don't have to feel defensive about anything --- they are good people!!!!

Christmas.................it's just around the corner and not a present wrapped ok 1 present is wrapped..........really just one!!! I am trying to convince Jeff that since I shopped and purchased the presents he should wrap all of them. He isn't going for that. I haven't given up yet..............they will get done Jeff and I are no strangers to staying up all night wrapping. We have a Christmas tree but it's not in the house -- We had a tree-sicle the bucket of water we put the tree in was a solid block of ice. Even though it has thawed out if we bring that baby in it will lose every single needle on the tree and I don't want to clean that up. So, we are so getto we have a Christmas Ficus - yes that is right a Christmas Ficus. We brought the fake ficus out of Whitlee's room and I trimmed all the branches that she had peeled the leaves off of and tomorrow we will be putting on lights and ornaments - I'll be posting photos when we are done. The kids don't care as far as they are concerned our tree is the jewelery tree that Grammy made us. It has always had meaning but this year it means more to us since it is our first Christmas without her. It doesn't really matter that the tree-sicle is outside a tree doesn't make the holiday - spending it with family and people we care about is what makes it special.

We aren't going to Jeff's dads until January - I think the plan right now is to try and go down Friday night before our Snow/Ski weekend with the football freaks. We'd go down Friday spend the night and then leave Saturday to drive to Mt. Hood. I wonder how long it takes to get from Portland to Mt. Hood -- we should check that out. Can you believe we are going to the snow on purpose!!! I know I know pretty crazy huh!! The kids are so excited. I think Brendan is waiting for us to say we aren't going. We need a getaway weekend. We didn't go on vacation this year - not even the beach so snow in the winter it is and probably the beach this summer (but I can't think of that right now). We are gearing up to be snow bunnies ok I'll resemble a polar bear but we will have fun fun fun. Of course I am bringing my computer I never leave home without it -- I am actually only bringing it so I can download the photos I take. My goal is to take a MINIMUM of 3000 yes that is THOUSAND pictures - I think I can do it. Ahhhhhh, visions of scrapbook pages are dancing in my head.

Whitlee started gymnastics today --- she loved it -- I am trying to upload some video of her -- it was precious!!!!! Cheerleading starts the 28th of February - we are EXCITED.


And here is Brendan............


Whitlee got her first "real" haircut -- it was actually a trim but then Ms. Angie french braided her hair -- I literally took 500 pictures:) I love my new camera:)

Jeff doesn't have to work on Tuesday so I am going to see if I can take Brendan into downtown to see the Bodies Connections exhibit. He has really wanted to see it but it's not really something that I want to take Whitlee. The only thing is to see if they are open the day after Christmas. I'll have to check into that. Maybe I'll have him take Whitlee to see Charlotte's Web so she can scream "RATS RULE!!" at him. Hum........something to think about.

Extra Christmas Vacation Day or two...........

Well, only one extra day......Evergreen Heights had no electricity - so Brendan had a 4 day weekend. He was wishing that it would turn out to be an early Christmas vacation start but NO WAY!!! The school got electricity this afternoon and they were working on the boiler -- I am actually glad there is school I have a present for Brendan's teacher and the principal - add to that I have some "errands" to run and doing it with a 2 year old who won't remember what I bought it PERFECT:)

We don't have a Christmas tree this year -- well that isn't true we do have a tree-cycle. We had our tree outside in a bucket of water and well ----- it FROZE solid!!! It has been that way for 3 1/2 days. Even if we were able to hack it out of the ice and bring it inside once it warmed up we would loose all the needles. So, I am tomorrow I am taking the 6 ft fake ficus I have in Whitlee's room and we are going to decorate that! How getto -- or I could take Terri's idea and go buy the 2 ft pink tinsel tree -- I know that at least Whitlee would LOVE it because it is her color.

We have put up Grammys tree -- It brings Brendan and Jeff comfort. This is going to be such a hard Christmas.

I should have my shopping done tomorrow - then all that will be left is the wrapping man I HATE the wrapping ---- I still have the calendars to run - I only have 2 months left to do.

Tonight was the Cub Scout meeting that Jeff dresses up as Santa. It was PRECIOUS!! Whitlee didn't even realize that it was her dad. She was SO excited to see him and he called her by name which sent her over the moon!!! She kept saying Santa knew my name. She was sure to ask him if he was still coming to her house and did he remember that she wanted a Dora Princess (I'll have to find that tomorrow) and the 12 Dancing Princesses Dancing Stone (That's in the closet). Jeff.....I mean Santa asked her if she had been a good girl this year and she was so honest and she said well, sometimes I give my mommy attitude:) Out of the mouth of babes!!!!

I am off to download the pictures of tonight -- I'll post them later.

3 Days............

Since I posted anything well our internet connection was out. I know I know that is whiney and selfish and spoiled. There are many many people who don't have their power back and we are lucky to have not lost ours.

I did some Christmas shopping tonight and then Terri and I went to the Cino for a couple of hours --- the fairys were nice to me but the jade monkeys and the witches were not -- Louie the Lobster gave me some of my money back but I am about $10 down - not bad for a couple of hours entertainment.

Whitlee is AWESOME!!!!! Potty training is going SO well!!! She really really does want that big girl bed. She had an accident today but it wasn't her fault.

Brendan is doing well -- His Christmas program is on Monday afternoon -- He is so excited about it. He has speaking parts!!! I am going to take lots and lots of pictures so I'll post on Monday.

I think that is all for now -- I am really tired and need to sleep............Cunningham OUT!

12 more days.............just 12 more days..............

until Christmas!!!! Can you believe it! YIKES and like every year not a present wrapped -- man I just HATE and I mean HATE wrapping presents - I don't mind doing the shopping for them I just hate wrapping them. I may enlist Jeff's help as of this weekend. I am almost done shopping ALMOST! There are a few people (Grandma and Grandpa and Sharlene) who are not being helpful I see cans of corn in their future:)

Last night (Monday) was skate night -- since Brendan is still under the shadow of grounding we took Whitlee -- Brendan was there but was being used for child labor (someone had to help stuff those boy scout flyers). I forget she is only 2 sometimes -- This was only her 2nd time on skates - she is a natural!!!! As you can see she didn't need my help!!!!

Monday Monday Monday...........................

So the clock says but as far as I am concerned it is Sunday night:)

I haven't had much time to blog recently -- Brendan is really giving us a run for our money right now --- needless to say he is grounded and I mean bottom line grounded no tv no computer or video games but he did log and extra 500 minutes or so of reading this weekend -- he read an entire biography on Walt Disney:) If I were a betting woman I am guessing he won't be lying in the near future.

Anyhow I am off I have a billion things to do before I do a billion things tomorrow:)

Food poison..................

it sucks!!! Last night I had the enchalida from HELL --- the pukes started and man have I been in a world of hurt -- Jeff and I you should see us what a pair - he was home sick today that is day 2 - you know in order for him to be home he has to be REALLY sick!!


I'm only on for a second.....................

Christmas is just around the corner...fa la la la la

Trying...........I am trying..............really I am........

I just can't find my Christmas spirit! It's no secret that I don't enjoy the holidays in general -- no warm and fuzzy holiday memories. Although I do have memories of the relish tray from hell and burned homemade clam chowder with raw potato hunks:)

Since having children I have REALLY tried to "get in the holiday spirit" this year I just don't feel it.

I just got word that an old friend is moving back to the NW area -- not back to Seattle but maybe Portland -- that's closer than San Francisco. It will be good to see Emilie:)

Brendan starts 5th grade basketball practice tomorrow -- He is SO excited he can barely contain himself!! He is very excited his friend Blake who is homeschooled will be playing on the team with him. He has been waiting since Kindergarten to play on this team. It's going to be a good year!!!!

You may have noticed that I only have one song on my blog ipod -- it is from my favorite Christmas movie - A Year Without A Santa Claus - enjoy

Heat Miser

Snow Miser

What a difference a year makes..........................

I think it is safe to say we have left the puke zone!!!! Whitlee is feeling GREAT(knock on wood!!!) There has been nothing for over 24 hours and she actually had cereal with milk!!!

I decided to "chance" it and we went to see Santa today -- Whitlee and I did a dry run last week -- very casual and we just went and talked to him. He was so kind to her - She was VERY VERY excited to see him today - Brendan well not so excited but then again he is 10 years old!!!. We only had to wait in line for 45 minutes...Not bad. When they opened the gate for us Whitlee literally sprinted up to Santa. She couldn't get on his lap fast enough. I'm going to post the picture from last year and then this years shot ----- What a difference a year makes!!!

This is last year...........



























And this year......
























Double click on the bottom photo for a better view of the shot.

I am dreaming of puke.................

seriously!!!! I "think"(fingers crossed) we may be exiting the great vomit period................Whitlee seems to be feeling a bit better - notice I say seems....she has fooled us before. I figure at some point I'll get some sleep!!!

I know this is short but with all the puke I have masses of laundry!!!