Insert favorite rainy day quote here

Yup, it's raining here. Rained all day yesterday and is still raining. Our backyard is waterlogged and the patio has standing water from about 4 feet out the back door, all the way out into the yard. Glad we don't own this house.

Brian has already written about our day yesterday, so I'm not going to repeat it. I will say I was not impressed with Benihana and am missing our old haunt in Omaha, Kobe Japanese Steakhouse. We'll have to keep looking for good hibachi/teppanyaki here, I guess. And as far as my impression of The Ringer, it was mildly entertaining. Not worth a full-price admission, probably worth a rental.

The boys get to brave the rain for today's Raiders/Giants game in Oakland. According to the forecast at Weather Underground, the rain may stop before or at least during the game. So maybe they won't get soaked. They're taking along our Mickey ponchos from one of our long-ago Disney World trips, just in case. That's about as close as we come to having rain gear in this house.

Not sure what the girls and I will do for fun this afternoon. We'll come up with something.

What's on my mind

As I tried to think of something to write about tonight, the only thing that really comes to mind is this wonderful birthday card Noah received today. Oh, it was accompanied by gifts, but for me, the card outshined them all. You see, this card was from his best friend back in Nebraska. Not only had he taken the time to remember Noah's birthday, he took the time to sign the card with a personal note. "Wish you could still be here. Love, Logan" It took every ounce of self-control I had to not burst out in tears when I read that. Ok, so I'm sitting here crying as I type this. Is there any better gift than to know you are loved and missed? I am so glad Noah has Logan for a friend, and that they are not letting the miles separate them in any other way than physically.

Spit and polish(ed)

Today Emily and I were treated to manicures and pedicures at a day spa in Napa. Santa left us each gift certificates in our stocking, and we wasted no time in getting appointments. There is nothing like a good foot/hand massage. Like tickling, it's just not something you can do to yourself. I wish I could just set up regular appointments for my hands and feet (oh heck, I wouldn't mind an all-over rubdown as well!).

Plans are shaping up for the birthday weekend. Right now, it looks like we'll be spending Friday in Sacramento... shopping, dining, perhaps seeing a movie and/or doing a little sightseeing. Then on Saturday, Brian and the boys will be taking in the Oakland Raiders/NY Giants game. Or it may just be Brian and Noah. Joel keeps changing his mind. Whoever stays behind with me will get to do something fun here around home. Noah is excited because they are going to ride the BART to the stadium. We drive past a BART station every time we go to and from church, and he has always been interested in it. Maybe I'll get a chance to ride the BART before we leave CA, too.

The early bird catches the worm

Well, not really worms, but then I'm not a bird, either! I took advantage of my early-morning nature to head to the base exchange for its 8 a.m. post-Christmas opening this morning. I was not unrewarded. I left with 4 new Hallmark ornaments, 2 boxes of Christmas cards for next year (I wish Christmas was next week, so I could send them out now), and 8 rolls of Hallmark Christmas paper. I love the Hallmark wrapping paper... so easy to cut. I also scored 2 more sweet finds:

This Mary Engelbreit Santa
















and this Lenox Christmas bell:



It's been a very nice day with the kids. They've been playing with their new things. Joel says his favorite gifts were his Leapster and the Harry Potter Lego set (the Graveyard Duel). I had a great time helping him put the Lego stuff together. I could seriously get hooked on that stuff! Halle's favorites were her Leapster and Easy Bake Oven. Noah liked his Batcave and Batman figures, plus the ESPN Shot Block basketball set. And Emily... well, she said her IHome was "sweet." That's a real compliment coming from her.

Now we need to prepare for Emily and Noah's birthdays (both on Friday). We're still scratching our heads about deciding what we're going to do.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve meme

Seems like just about everyone is doing this meme, and since I don't have much else to write about today, figured I'd jump in!

1. Hot Chocolate or apple cider? Hot chocolate (especially if it's Starbuck's Peppermint Hot Chocolate!)

2. Turkey or Ham? For Christmas dinner? Neither. I usually make lasagna, although this year it will be manicotti.

3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree? Fake and prelit. No more fights putting on the lights!! We tried real a few times, but Brian couldn't decorate without breaking out into a rash.

4. Decorations on the outside of your house? Just a simple prelit greenery swag over the front door.

5. Snowball fights or sleddin'? Neither. I make the hot chocolate and warm socks for those people who do.

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping? Sometimes

7. Favorite Christmas song? Too many to name

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies? Bring 'em on!

10. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Before Thanksgiving.

1i. Stockings before or after presents? Before - as soon as we wake up!

12. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them? Do people really do that anymore? I'd listen if they did. Better yet, I'd go do it if I had someone to do it with!

13. Go to someone else's house or they come to you? Sometimes we get to spend time with friends at our house or theirs, but usually it is just us.

14. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so when? We listen to Linus read it.

15. What do you do after presents and dinner? Play.

16. What is your favorite holiday smell? Peppermint

17. Ice skating or walking around the mall? The mall.

18. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day? The kids usually get to open one thing on Christmas Eve.

19. Favorite Christmas memory? Any good memory is a favorite.

20. Favorite Part about winter? Emily and Noah's birthdays, just 5 days after Christmas

21. Ever been kissed under mistletoe? No, we've never had mistletoe at our house.

The day approaches

Brian is out finishing his shopping. We're waiting for him to get home so we can all go see Cheaper By the Dozen 2. Sometime either before or after the movie, we want to get haircuts for the boys. Then it will be a typical evening here at home, with a little bit of holiday preparation thrown in. We haven't wrapped the bulk of the kids' gifts yet, so we still have that left to do. Then I need to make a couple of batches of fudge to take to a Christmas Eve gathering at the home of Brian's boss/partner. I will also be making those stuffed mushrooms I made last weekend, but that is a "do the prep work just before leaving/bake them when you get there" kind of thing.

This will be one of the first Christmases on a Sunday that I can remember. It will be interesting to see how it goes, considering my kids aren't the "wake-up-Mom-and-Dad-at-an-ungodly-hour" kind of kids. Most Christmases, I sit around waiting for them to wake up! But this Sunday, we'll have to make sure everyone is up, presents are opened, and everyone is ready to leave the house by 9:15 so we can make the 35-minute drive to church. Should make for some {interesting} video footage. (Donna, notice the brackets?) I wonder if I should hide the video camera....

No White Christmas for us here... The song is more like "I'm dreaming of a wet Christmas." Those of you with white stuff, enjoy it for us.

A little something extra

No, this isn't a good something extra, at least not for someone out there who wanted to send something to a friend. Let me 'splain. Last Wednesday, I took 3 wrapped gifts to the UPS Store located so conveniently a mile from my house. I filled out the paperwork to have these 3 gifts packed and shipped to my best friend's home in Nebraska. Today I received an email from her, telling me that the package arrived, but that there were *4* gifts in the box. In addition to what I intended to send her, lying on top of everything else in the box was a mailing tube with an art print in it. Handwritten on the outside of the tube: "To Roy and Jill---From Jasmine, Mikki, Sherry & Me." Now I don't know who Jasmine, Mikki, Sherry, and me are, but I can only bet they would not be too happy to know that Roy and Jill did not receive their art print. I made 2 different phone calls to the store today and still haven't gotten the situation cleared up. Tomorrow I am taking the boys for a haircut just a couple of storefronts down from the UPS place, so I will try to handle it face to face. I think I'll be doing my own packing for now and using the USPS. My friend's package she sent here cost less to send and got here faster.

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When I take the time to hunt down the USB cable to the camera (ok, I doubt I really have to hunt; it's probably in the camera bag), I'll upload a picture of the gingerbread house that Brian and the 3 youngest kids made last night. They did a great job. Now the kids are counting the days till they can demolish eat it.

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Sights and sounds of the season

As I sit here, I can hear Brian and Emily laughing as they play PlayStation together. The 3 youngest have been engaged in various activities; earlier, I could hear them singing Away in a Manger together. Noah came and asked me to play it on the piano and I had to transpose it downward 3 steps in order for him to sing it. He's not quite 10, but he is already losing that "boy choir" voice.

Behind me in Emily's room, I can hear Summer giving her exercise wheel a workout. Campbell is lounging in the living room watching all the various goings-on with a somewhat interested gaze.

The house is still relatively clean, thanks to everyone's hard work over the weekend. It makes for a peaceful night. No silent nights in this house, but all is calm and bright.

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Yesterday morning's Christmas program went pretty well. There were a few glitches (such as a couple of praise team altos .... who shall remain nameless .... not being able to see their music in the dark and having to hum/mumble (humble?) a few words of Mary Did You Know?), but as Jarrod and Rick put it, the cute factor of the preschoolers helped to obscure those foibles. Joel even had a little featured spot on one song, being that he is just about the only 5-year-old who can snap his fingers like a pro. He helped out the Harbour Lights Preschoolers on The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy.

My favorite parts yesterday were Jarrod's telling of the story in simple, modern language. It was very powerful. And Tom's portrayal of Simeon was moving, as well.

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Work and play

You know the saying, "All work and no play make Jack (Jill) a dull boy (girl)?" Suffice it to say that life here has been anything but dull. There was plenty of work over the past couple of days, but it culminated in an evening of fun here at the old homestead.

Yesterday was spent with schoolwork, shopping, and cooking (snickerdoodles, peppermint treats, and chocolate peppermint fudge). Today I was out and about at 9, getting my hair cut and colored, then came home and made more fudge, this time the regular chocolate version with walnuts. Did some cleaning and picking up, then I had to run to the store again while Brian did his bit of cleaning on the house. By the time I got back, it was time to make crockpot cocoa and start getting the treats laid out on the trays. I set out some cheese and Ritz crackers and made stuffed mushrooms. (These mushrooms are unbelievably easy to make.... take some baby portabellas, remove the stems, wash & dry, and spoon in some Philly Cream Cheese with Chives and Onion. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.)

The company started arriving right on time. We spent the first hour or so just shootin' the breeze and snacking a bit. Then we got down to the serious business of fun. We were able to play 2 games of Apples to Apples before it was time for Rick and Virginia, Jarrod and Lauren, and Doug, Melody, and Suzy to make their 45-minute or so drive back to their homes. There was much laughter.... I'm still chuckling that hairball was chosen as the best answer for sexy. Jim, do you think that beats Meredith's mischievous mold choice for weirdest/funniest winning answer?

2 of the families that were originally coming weren't able to make it tonight. But I have plates of goodies for them.... So although they missed out on the fun, they still get something yummy.

Now for some sleep. Tomorrow is our Christmas program at church, and I'm "on." Wouldn't do for me to be yawning up front!