This are a few photos from the actual day (Jan 25th) that Acacia turned 8. The plan was Randy was going to take the kids to the monster truck show. On the way to the arena he heard on the radio the show was canceled. No explanation. We found out later that the manager of the show was run over by one of the trucks. It was an accident and I am very thankful my kids were not there to witness it. Sooo - plan B. Good Times restaurant. For your birthday they bring out a nice bowl of plain vanilla ice cream ... AND this HUGE tray of every possible topping you can think of and let you have at it. You would have thought they brought out liver and onions. We did not even get a glimpse of a smile out of her. So, she takes this bowl of ice cream, selects rainbow sprinkles ... AND THAT IS IT!! What the heck is wrong with this kid??
But, we did get a smile out of the gifts she had waiting for her at home. The long awaited Chia Pet (Shaggy head) was waiting for her from Emme! I searched at least 3 Walgreens and the Super Walmart before I found one! I can't wait to see those darn green sprouts start coming out of his head!! Thanks Emme!!
Click the images to see a close up of what the Shaggy Chia pet will look like!!
Well, it's still pretty darn cold here. The kids have missed a total of 4 days of school now. We have lived here for 12 years now and most years the schools never closed. And since we've had kids they closed maybe one day a year for 2 years. Sadly, the past two days they missed (in a row) were due to temps being too cold. So, the excitement of a stay home snow day, quickly turns sad when they realize they can't go out to play. If you notice on our temp thingy here, it's negative 12 and the low temp for that day is listed at negative 16. This device does not measure wind chills. This is just straight out temps. Brrrrrrr. 61 and 56 were the high and low temps INSIDE the house up to that point!!
The kids got a ginger bread house and tree for Christmas from Great Auntie Kathy. They both enjoyed assembling them and eating the glue (frosting) and decorations. Chris took his tree to a friends house and it was devoured immediately. Acacia's house lasted a little longer, but here are a few photos of it's destruction.
Having spent Christmas at Emme and Nono's we had to have all our loot mailed back to us. After a bit of a scare (wrong tracking number) our packages arrived and we had Christmas all over again along with some items we saved for opening with Randy.
We are not really sure why, but Chris felt it necessary to had in a corner while unwrapping each item and then turning around rapidly to display it to us.
Chris is truly in heaven with his collection of Power Rangers now - thanks to cousin Tyler!
Acacia has found a new treat - Toblerone bars!! Mmmm ... me like Toblerone bars!! Come on now! Who does not like them??
The kids also got to open their ginger bread house and tree from Auntie Kathy! These were a big hit. See other post for house consumption ....
Well, this was a first for us in a few ways. First, we decided to travel with the kids for Christmas. Emme and Nono hosted Christmas with all my siblings, their spouces, kids and dogs. Well, Noah did not come :( But, Newman did! NC for Christmas is really not too bad! 65-75 degrees! Long walks on the beach collecting shells and tossing the fresbee for the dogs. Anyway, with Randy starting a new job and doing experiements that are very specific and unique, he was not sure how much time he would be able to take off so we bought tickets for the kids and I to go for the week, with the expectation that Randy would join up with us a little later. As it turned out, he was not able to come at all. But, I think he enjoyed his quiet time in the house (and the lab). Christmas apart was another first. :( My time, was not so quiet, but it was nice. With expected travel delays we arrived at Emme and Nono's after a drive, an unexpected bus ride, a flight and another drive around 4a (instead of 1a) and crashed. Valerie was already there. Chris, Yoli and Newman arrived Sunday and the Berg's arrived on Monday. We went to the beach a couple times. We toured a train museum and went on a couple scavenger hunts. The kids, together scripted a play - complete with tickets, playbills, costumes and props. All 5 of them had key roles. The play was entitled "The Birds". They turned a bed into a nest by cutting up a bizzilion pieces of construction paper and tossing them on the bed like confetti. Christmas eve the kids made reindeer cookies and Santa made an appearance on the roof that got all the kids to bed pretty darn fast! Christmas day was a flurry of food, ripping of paper, screaming excitement and crashing hard! All the kids got scooters from Emme and Nono and spent as much time outside on them as they could. Nono made his amazing home made waffles and got the A-OK - thumbs up from Chris (who is used to frozed waffles). Emme baked and cooked as much (if not more) than normal. Valerie was the little cleaner - organizer elf and really never seemed to quit (as there was just no chance to)! Yoli cooked! Bill cooked! Cheese trays from Holland, memosas made by Val, cheese cakes, apple/toffy pie ... It was all just great! One night we walked a few miles to the river house, built a fire and made smores! Just what the kids needed ... a little sugar! But, the miles we walked to get home certainly did not hurt in helping them to fall asleep! Emme and Nono's house was decorated as if on display and we tried to take advantage of as many photo opportunities as we could! The down sides were Chris mysteriously misplacing his car keys. This lead to two seperate tows on the flat bed and a new key cylinder for the Nissan. And Bill woke up Christmas AM ... sick. Sick enough that he was unable to even made it down from the "FROG" all day. No breakfast, no opening presents, no lunch or dinner .... You know when Bill does not eat - something is wrong! Luckily, it seemed to be a 24 hour thing as the next day he was able to come down and open his presents. I think Julianne then got a touch of if and by the end of the week, Emme got it too. I think the Learishes escaped in the nick of time as non of us got it. The day we left, we had to leave around 3:30a to get to the airport for a 9a flight. This was not fun. It was a bit foggy but we made it ... to the airport. We even got into Chicago. Then the fun began. Our flight was delayed at least 5 times and we changed gates at least 4 times. Not just gates, but entire wings of the airport. Each change was about a 20 minute commuute with the kids and all their stuff. But, they were real troopers and did great spending the extra 4 hours in the airport! Finally, we arrived home ... I don't even recall the time. I just knew I needed a shower and bed. That is pretty much what I did! The kid talked Randy's ear off about the past weeks events, took a bath in the "big" tub and went to bed as well. It was a great trip and a lot of fun. I can't say I'll be looking to travel like that around the holidays again, but spending Christmas with my entire family all in one house was something we had not been able to do in more years then I can recall! To see all the photos from this trip, just click the link! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!! Slide show of Christmas at Emme and Nono's - '08
This are a few photos from the actual day (Jan 25th) that Acacia turned 8. The plan was Randy was going to take the kids to the monster truck show. On the way to the arena he heard on the radio the show was canceled. No explanation. We found out later that the manager of the show was run over by one of the trucks. It was an accident and I am very thankful my kids were not there to witness it. Sooo - plan B. Good Times restaurant. For your birthday they bring out a nice bowl of plain vanilla ice cream ... AND this HUGE tray of every possible topping you can think of and let you have at it. You would have thought they brought out liver and onions. We did not even get a glimpse of a smile out of her. So, she takes this bowl of ice cream, selects rainbow sprinkles ... AND THAT IS IT!! What the heck is wrong with this kid??
