A look back at 2010

Wow this year when by fast and was so much fun.  I was going to do a recap of 2010 but I don’t know where to start.  It was really a great year for us.

Emma turned 1 and I was finally able to have that ladybug party I wanted for years.

Tyler had a great party at the zoo for turning 5

I lost 50 pounds (1/2 of that on TV)

we got a new camper and had 9 amazing camping trips

We meet Yogi bear,  Boo Boo and Smoke the bear

while kayaking I was able to watch a bear on the shore

we climbed 2 mountains plus Whiteface

we visited Santa's workshop and Herb brooks arena

we finally made it to the ice harvest in Millers mills

We had a great garden harvest to include watermelon and Brussels sprouts…a first!

We had out photo taken with the DD coffee cup at the outdoor game

We went on the polar express

Tyler started and loves soccer

Tyler is rocking out in Preschool

Emma is growing every day

Well there you have a recap of some of the big events of the year….Photos for most are available right here on the blog! Happy New year everyone see you in 2011

Winter Layout

So do you like it?  I need a better photo for the header.  I guess we just need to have a photo opt outside today…or I could use the photo from our xmas card….hmmmm..stay tuned folks

The Exercise Tournament

 

I stole this from my Friend Jenny.  She did it last year or was it the year before? ANYWHO!!!

Here's how it will work:
Sign ups are open until Sunday January 2nd midnight.
I’d like to get the money by January 11th if you could.
$4 will enter you for the exercise challenge drawing

The Dates:
tournament will run from Sunday January 2nd until midnight Saturday February 26th.
Our weeks will run Sunday to Saturday.
Each Sunday I will post who is still competing here on my blog.

The challenge {should you choose to accept it}:
to work out 4 times for 30 minutes a week.

To win the challenge:
You will need to email me on Saturday to let me know you have fulfilled your minimum requirement of 30 minutes 4 times a week.
I won’t be keeping a total count of minutes, all I need to know is if you are in or out.
This will be an "on your honor" log.
There are no exercise police coming to check up on you so please be fair.
Everyone who fulfills the required 4 times a week for 30 minutes will continue on to the next week.

No excuses, no whining, etc.. etc..

If you don't meet the requirements, you are out.

All of those left at the end of the 8 weeks will have their names put into a drawing & the name drawn will win the money. If I do not receive an email from you by Saturday February 26th you will be considered out.

Hope this will be motivation for everyone after eating all those cookies.You can post a comment here to let me know you'd like to join, facebook me or send me an email.

if you don’t want me to post your name you can come up with a “username” !! Let me know if you have any questions. Hope you will join us!  All our welcome so invite your friends!  Its more fun to workout as a group!

Christmas wrapped up in a Blog

good morning everyone!  Can you believe its New Years eve already?  wow.  I have been slacking on my blogging..sorry.  Here is a Christmas recap:

The Tree:

we went with the Hulls to find the perfect tree!

	The boys dragged them out for us.  Our trees were BFF as they grew next to each other!
On this trip, I found out that my kids have the same habit:
	Emma was not into photos on this trip
	Look Brayden found his tree!
	Here is our decorated tree, with a few gifts under it!
	If I could find the gift receipt I would return tem, obviously they are not working properly!

We also had Xmas at Aunt Laurie’s!  Dinner, gifts and a cookie exchange who could ask for anything more??!!!!!!

We had Christmas at the farm on Sun the 19th

	ending the party with the wrapping paper war

Finally Santa came!  After that it’s a blur.  lots of people, food, cookies, gifts and places. On the 26th we went into recovery mode but then Tyler got the stomach bug.  we have been cleaning up and putting things away ever since.

So there you have xmas wrapped up in a blog!  I hope to take down the tree today and all the decorations.  Maybe blog a recap of the year.  If I get real adventurous I will even change the background from fall to winter!!!

Happy new year my blogger!

Polar Express

On Thursday we went on the polar express.  We all had a great time, which is not what we expected at 430am!  I will tell you about the polar express then recap the day so you can get a full understanding.

We arrived at Union Station just before 6pm.

After they elves sang a song and selected one little boy to receive the first gift of Christmas we boarded the train.

My kids, or I have never been on a real train.  So this was a new and exciting experience for us.

The train took us to the “north Pole” to pick up santa

Once Santa boarded the train he visited with each family

Both kids were very sleepy, but this was the most he had talked to Santa.  Emma wanted nothing to do with him until it came time to give Santa a high 5!

After the train ride we were treated to hot cocoa and cookies. the kids were just loving it even though they were both so very tired.  Emma was asleep before we even left the parking lot..Tyler was asleep before we got onto Route 12.

To recap my day:  David has been plowing all week from 1am to 1pm, Emma woke up at 130 with a low grade fever.  I gave her Motrin hoping she would go back to bed.  Nope Motrin makes her hyper.  by 330 she had woken up her brother.  I was unable to get both of them back to bed.  At 4am the dog puked while Emma finally went to bed at 5am.  My alarm goes off at 5am so there was no chance of me going back to bed, I did take my time that morning and was  a little late going to work.  I don’t even remember walking into work.  I had planned to get out early for the polar express but work and other ideas.  I ended up being there till 435pm.  when I got to my car I could not find my keys because they were locked inside it.  David had to drive over and unlock the car.  As a result David and I didn’t get dinner before the polar express.  As we drove to utica we realized we forgot emma’s shoes.  I don’t remember going to bed that night but I know I slept for just about 8 hours and I could of slept for 8 more

Christmas in overdrive

Every year I say “next year I will not do this, I will not let myself get this stressed”.  And every year I do it again.  I would really like one year of just enjoying the season.  My plan for this year was not to get behind with these goals in mind:

1) get most of your shopping done by Dec 1st

2)get most of your wrapping done by Dec 5th

3)Have all decorations done by the Sunday after Thanksgiving

4)Cookies the weekend of the 12th

Well yes I do have most of my shopping done, it basically the little things left.  I have nothing wrapped, of course I am here on the computer and not wrapping.  Everything was decorated last weekend and next weekend we do plan to get our tree and make cookies. 

Its that darn wrapping that make me stressed, it seems to take so long. And then of course the real problem I have is that I book us for too much. And that is how I get behind! 

Here are the highlights of this weeks festivities:

A visit with Santa at the green

Making plates for Santa’s cookies

The finished products!

Gingerbread house making!

Last year we made one from a kit and I ended up with my hands stuck to it to keep it from falling.  this year we got one that was preassembled!

Today we basically just hung out at home and did these little projects.  We stayed in our PJs and had a fire all day it was great…until I realized I have to go to work tomorrow….

On Thursday we go to the polar express..wish us luck!

Tis the season of Happy and Joy

Okay the reality it’s the season of stress, spending and gluttony.   There is so much to do in these short days its hard to just enjoy it.  That’s the problem with coming from big families, so many people to see, so many people to buy for, so much freaking food to eat. 

I will do what I can to keep my plate empty.  I am not gaining back what I worked all year at keeping off!  As for the shopping, Brenda and I took on Black Friday like a Army ready for war.  Each store a battle, the only battle we lost was sleep!  We were pretty successful this year!

I do enjoy the trill of black Friday and the savings.  So I think I would really go no matter what.  But I would really love to spend the day in Clinton or Old Forge and go on sleigh rides and such.  But its hard, I need that marathon shopping and savings to survive the season.  We buy for so many people its crazy.

Last year we wanted to stay home on xmas.  Everyone was mad at us.  David, I, Tyler and Emma are a family too and yes we are part your family.  So they expect their all family at their Christmas celebration.  We ended up just running from house to house each day and then on the 26th everyone came to our house, through out the day, to see the kids toys.  I had a hard time understanding that since we wanted everyone to come to our house to begin with, but I have come to learn that being an adult will mean you never understand a lot of life.

So this year we are debating Santa coming a day early.  He would come the morning of the 24th and we would enjoy the morning as Christmas morning.  We would have all day to chillin’ in our PJs and play with our gifts.  We have no place to be till 4pm that day.  Then on the 25th we would have a slow relaxing morning before going to more people’s houses for celebrations.

So is it wrong to do that, everyone is going to have an option.  We will be right and we will be wrong.  But bottom line what is best for my kids ??  When my parents divorced santa had come a day early so if does that for divorce I would think he could do it for us to keep world peace!! lol  Ahh the stress of the holiday.  Drink and be Merry!

5 Times the Fun!

I really do not know what happened, just last weekend it was August and now it’s Thanksgiving week.  Really where the time go?  I feel like I am in a never ending state of playing catch up.  I broke all my rules with Tyler’s Birthday party this year.  I booked the zoo a month or so ago but then I never took action on anything else until 2 weeks ago. 

We decided to do a “friends” party at the zoo from 2-4 then have a family party at the house at 6pm.  Well I never let the family know until last week and then just today I noticed that I had not given 2 people their invitations.  This is so not like me. I typically have everything determined in October, party supplies no later than Davids birthday.  I ordered my normal cupcake rings but this time they arrived on baking day..danger!  I hope I can pull it together by Xmas.  Here are some of the great photos from the events:

My Goodie Bags	The Cupcakes
Can I just tell you as a mom, buying this pails are such a great investment because they can go with any theme	This year since the party was at the zoo we of course did Diego the animal rescuer
The Kids were able to feed the camels, by stuffing boxes with bamboo and paper

Then our we were able to have visits from 3 animals

And then it was cake time!

I know what you are thinking..Where is Emma?  She missed the zoo party but was at the party at the house.  She has pink eye

But its not getting her down!