All I want for Christmas is...

Chris and I are lucky enough that throughout the year if there is something we need we buy it and for the most part if there is something we want, we buy that too.  Neither of us is very materialistic and we absolutely live within our means.  We haven't purchased Christmas gifts for each other really in the last few years.  We usually have a big purchase item that we call a Christmas present at some point throughout the year.  It comes down to this - it'd be spending money just for spending money sake and we're both beyond that.  Anyway, this year is different.  I've got some things I want that I haven't purchased.  I've written a Christmas list for the first time in years.  We'll see if Santa still remembers who I am.

I'd like a new vacuum cleaner.  You may think it's not a romantic gift from a husband to a wife BUT if he promises to use it now and then it could pay off huge.  HUGE.

I'm just a point-and-shoot picture taker.  I have some friends who are amazing with their cameras and that's so not me.  I keep it simple 'cause it's all I know how to do.  I want to upgrade from my little flat point-and-shoot camera that I let the kids take pics with, too, to something just a wee bit better.  This ain't fancy but it's better than what I've got now.

I want a man - any man who is qualified - to be in my livingroom installing can lighting.  If potential were an actual thing and could actually speak, it would be shouting at us for not taking advantage of it in this fabulous house.  It's just screaming to be discovered.  Decent lighting in my livingroom is the first step to doing that.

My friend, Melissa, suggested this and she was so right on.  I'm obsessed with smells and this one is fabulous. 

For numerous years in a row we spent a week in Lake Tahoe, North Shore, in a house that we rent right on the water.  We haven't been for the last two years but now it's time to start our Peters Party of 5 family vacation to Tahoe again.  Summer lake house is on my Christmas list.  

Obviously some of these are somewhat easier to get than others but I am hopeful that Santa will deliver.  And if he doesn't, that's ok.  But I have been a very good girl this year...

What is on YOUR Christmas list this year??

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Ice skating and sucking it up

One of our favorite winter places is Dell Osso Farms, right down freeway from where we live.  This year they've added a skating rink to their winter wonderland.  Today Chris had the whole day off so after Little Girl woke from her nap we headed out to go ice skating.  I haven't been on ice skates in 10 years, Chris in 15 years, and this was the kids' first time. 

William's new experience threshold is extremely low.  This is how new experiences go for him:  apprehension, convincing, attempt, frustration, near-fail, cry, shut-down, cry some more, give up.  I fully expected all stages and we got to the second cry but the give up part never came.  It was amazing and thrilling for both Chris and me to see him suck-it-up.  William and suck-it-up have never belonged in the same sentence before.  This was huge.

Drew was a natural and it amazed me that she did so well so quickly.  She used the buckets for the first 5 minutes but once she got the feel of it she was out there in the middle on her own.  

We all had a couple spills but no one was hurt.  Chris and I took turns, one on the ice and one hanging with Lauren off the ice.  Can't wait to go back!  

Clever use of buckets - an ice skating assistant!

I sucked almost as badly as William but I put on a good show

Ok, here is the attempt after some apprehension and some convincing

Oh, shit.  Here it comes.

Frustration and near-fail and sister to the rescue

More crying but daddy's reassurance helps to soften the blow

Absolutely not hurt but still slow to recover.  This is normally when he'd give up completely.

This is how he was only a couple minutes later.  This is huge!  The 3 year old William would have been in a heap of sulk on the bench but not the 4 year old William.  He's a MAN now!

Lauren and I took a little walk while the others were skating and in this huge big field in which she was playing there was one mud puddle.  Just one.  She found it.

We also saw Santa and got a picture but I'm too lazy to scan it.  What a great day!  And this mama is sore and tired.  It isn't easy pretending to be good at something when really you suck at it.  It can wear a girl out.

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I am Batman, who are you?

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Stuff. Or as William says, "Blahdah, blahdah, blahdah."

I've finally discovered a noise to rival that of a 4 year old brother fighting with his 5 year old sister!  Angry Birds.  Do you know this game?  If you have an iPhone that you let your child play you likely do know this game.  The background music is the worst.  I hear it in my sleep.  It's not like the old school Super Mario Bros. music that was absolutely not annoying at all.

 

See?  When you're laying awake tonight humming this GD song you can thank me.

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Do you ever drive farther than you need to to go to a place you need to go?  Like there may be a Target down the street but you go to one in the next town over just to kill some time with your kids?  Am I crazy?  We have driven 35 minutes to go to Costco and literally passed 2 Costcos on our way there.  When Chris is at work and the kids have no school and the weather is too crappy to be outside most of the day I do my best to stretch the day.  I've also driven to Raley's to go grocery shopping 25 miles away when we have one that we typically walk to.  Is that weird?

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What is the correct age (in your opinion) to get rid of pacifiers?  *we call them chewies*  Lauren is days from being 21 months old and she still has hers.  We've started to be more consistent with them just remaining in her crib but what are your thoughts on this?  I have to admit that she's looking a little silly with one in her mouth, she's such a big girl.  I never wanted Drew to even see one as a baby and she never had a need for one.  William needed one and I was fine with it.  Same with Lauren.  I kind of just want to let her be with it but as I said, she's looking a little silly.  I'm thinking it's time to be strict with the crib-only thing and then transition from there in taking them away completely.  Good times ahead.

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I haven't had a Christmas list in years.  Sometimes there are little things I'd like but no big things.  This year my last is FAT.  And really nothing is frivolous, either.  It's stuff I need.  I sure know how to make up for lost time.  Chris appreciates it.

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I've applied to a charter school for William and Drew for next year.  We should find out this week whether or not they've gotten in for sure or if there were so many applicants it has gone to a lottery.  If it has a gone to a lottery, the drawing is on December 2.  I'm nervous as hell because I'm loving everything this school has to offer and the thought of this school existing and my kids not being able to take advantage and benefit from it just kills me.  Good thoughts for the charter acceptance, please!

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Do you love Christmas music?  I LOVE Christmas music.  I have it playing on Pandora in the kitchen, on DirectTV in the livingroom, and on XM radio in the car.  I won't get sick of it in the next month but I'm afraid Chris may kill me because of it between now and then.  If I go missing, someone please print this part of the blog and take it to the police.

This is my favorite song, sung by the most amazing group of kids:

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Thanksducken

We had 15 loved ones for dinner and it was fabulous.  Our turducken Thanksgiving was a success although I have to admit I'm still a little grossed out by the whole thing.  I didn't even try the turducken, I just couldn't go there.  Not even the chicken.  I had a lovely protein-free meal.  Everyone else who tried it said it was good.  All the meat was moist and flavorful.  I think the consensus is that if you want to try it one year you absolutely should.  I ordered ours from here.  There is still time to order one for Christmas!  (If you're just checking in on this blog and you don't know what a turducken is, you can read this to learn).

Our day, in pictures:

The night before Thanksgiving, Lauren picking Uncle Cory's nose.

Grandma and Drew peeling potatoes.

Drew's gorgeous Thanksgving Day table.

The family that argyles together... well, you get it.

Drew and Grandpa having a leaf fight.

Following in Jennie's footsteps.  Maybe she'll be wearing a Boston Militia Superbowl ring someday, too.

The Peters boys.  Daddy, William, Grandpa, Uncle Cory

The kids at Thanksgiving.  How cute are little Ethan and Lauren at their own table? 

The turducken!

See?  Nooooooo thank you.

Table of glittery pumpkins, stolen Mormon leaves, candles, good food, and love.

The awesome house across town we go see after Thanksgiving dinner.

Hope your Thanksgiving was made complete by a good meal shared with those you love.

Now on to Christmas!!

Christmas giveaway winnah!!

Yeah, Angela Mc.!  Message me on the fb Peters Party of 5 page with your mailing address and I'll put your crafty can and your Williams Sonoma goods in the mail on Friday!

Thanks to all who played along.  I am truly THANKFUL for each and every one of my readers.

Happy Gobble Gobble.  

 

"Middle of the night" shopping trip

As you know I live and die by the clock.  Well, I don't so much but my kids do, thanks to me.  I don't care the event, holiday, who is visiting, etc., it's how it is.  And I have to say, I've had three amazingly happy, sleeping babies and I'd like to think some of it is because of the strict sleep schedule we keep.  As Drew gets older, though, I find myself becoming a little more lax.  And because it's so rare that we deviate from the norm, it makes these kinds of occasions extra special.

Drew has been my Thanksgiving helper this year.  She has decorated the mini pumpkins for the placecards, she wrote everyone's name, she ironed the linen napkins, she's going to set the table, and she's very anxious to help cook on Thanksgiving.  So, last night after the kids went to bed at their normal time, I was going to leave to go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving.  She heard the keys jingling and she peeked downstairs and said, "Where are you going?"  I said, "I'm going grocery shopping for our Thanksgiving meal."  She asked if she could come and I said no, it's bedtime.  She turned and went back upstairs.  Then I started thinking...

I went up and said to her that since she's my Thanksgiving helper this year and it is a big responsibility, it actually would be a good idea if she came and helped me shop for everything.  She had her pajamas off before I was even finished talking.  She threw on a dress and some sandals and in her wet hair we headed out to go grocery shopping in the 45* weather at 8:00pm.

Drew was in charge of the list and since she can now read, she actually was a huge help.  We got everything we needed, and a candy cane we didn't, and came home with the goods.  It was awesome.  More for me than for her, if that's possible.

It's the little things.

Happy Thanksgiving.

  

Pile o' pillows

Chris is at work for days in a row.  The kids have vacation this entire freakin' week.  It's been raining and very wet outside for many, many days.  What's a poor mom to do?

Well, make a pile o' pillows, that's what!

What do you do on rainy days when even Spongebob has worn out his welcome in your house?

Napping activities

Today is day 2 of feeling not-so-well.  I mentioned my issues here, remember?  And although I don't think I'm at the base of a flare-up, I've just had two icky days now.  Usually if I dope up and take a nap, I wake feeling better than when I laid down.  This afternoon after I put Lauren down for her nap, made the kids some popcorn and popped in Fern Gully, gave them directions to not fight, don't answer the door, and most importantly, don't wake me up unless one of them was bleeding , I laid down to take a nap myself.  I woke up an hour and a half later to two things.  The smell of burning plastic and a clean house.

Apparently the one bag I had made wasn't enough.  They put this one in without taking the plastic off.  Thankfully one of them had the smarts to shut it off when it started to "smell like when daddy changes the oil". 

The picture doesn't do it justice, there is melted plastic all over that old man's face. 

"We cleaned up for you"  - and they did!  And the astonishing part of this is that things were actually all put where they belonged, not just tossed in a pile somewhere. 

You should try leaving your 4 and 5 year old completely unattended for an hour and a half and see what happens.  Either they'll burn down your house or clean it.  I was lucky with the latter.  This time, anyway.

I love Greg Lake

I love Christmas music and have just as of this weekend given myself permission to listen to it in the car.  If you have XM radio you know there are a couple stations that are strictly Christmas music.  This song came on this morning and it was horrible.  Like, really horrible.  So horrible I had to look to see what the hell it was.  This is what it said:

Then I thought, well maybe it's not so horrible after all.  I mean, if Greg believes in fat, he can't be all that bad.  Right? 

Listen for yourself.

Swirly days

You know how some days just seem long and swirly?  Like events swirl together and the clock freezes and then all of a sudden it's mealtime and you have nothing planned and blah, blah, blah?  Not like a horrible, awful day but just one that you kinda wish would end so that you could snuggle in alone and watch Oprah's Favorite Things on Tivo in peace and quiet?  That was/is kind of my day.  BUT then this happened and I smiled, a real smile, for the first time today.  It's the little things that matter and it's usually this little person who reminds me of that.  

 

Yeah for learning how to jump!

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