"Hey Ashley."

"Huh?"

Funny Charly story. My mom made the little ones jammies and gave them both a coffee cup with hot chocolate and bedtime story books. The cups were wrapped in bubble wrap. So Charly was opening her gift bag. She pulled the tissue paper off of the top and threw it on the floor as her eyes opened wide, and her mouth dropped as she gasped. She pulled out the coffee mug wrapped in bubble wrap, unrolled it and chucked the mug on the floor and smiled with her foot long sheet of bubble wrap. Luckily the mug didn't break. It was so hilarious because we thought she was excited to get her own coffee mug, it was just excitement for bubble wrap.

Which makes me think about Jackson and how many times he's got stuck to the ice rink. He'll deny that he was actually testing it out and I thought I had eliminated the possibilities after my chat with the kids when we were finished watching A Christmas Story. Even explained to them a little mishap I myself had on the playground in the second grade. I'm guessing the first time he just wanted to see if it was actually true. He's sticking to the story of how it was an accident. He only lost a little bit of skin on his lip that time. The second time may have actually been an accident from his fall. He lost a little more skin on the tip of his tongue and on his lip, a little more blood. but all ended good after a day of sucking on a cold wet washcloth and drinking plenty of water, his tongue recovered well. Kids.

They crack me up, the little terds. Here's a fun video, maybe some of you have already seen it. Ashley showed me and I have to watch it once in a while because it makes me smile. It's so typical, the younger child doing something off the wall and then ends it with a grin. I can relate. But these are someone else's kids. Enjoy!

Jack is wearing red third form right standing in the back row.

Charly has been harder to manage when it comes to getting dressed. Another lovely girl phase. After getting her outfit ready for the school program and almost completely on, she refused it. She changed her mind three times. After being five minutes late out the door and not able to compromise what so ever except for the warm winter tights, I said screw it, let's go. Besides, everybody deserves some dork moments. She's all about NOT looking pretty these days. She likes fancy things but if someone tells her she's cute, pretty, or beautiful she'll go and change. Today's choice was Ashley's old Spacejam summer jumper with basketball buttons that my mom made her years ago. Handed down to Charly and she could just wear that thing every day if I let her. A pair of fancy socks over her tights, and a pink plastic headband that she insisted on putting in her hair all by herself. Keep in mind Charly hates to wear her hair up or pony tails, clips, anything. She screams every week when it's time to pull hair up for ballet class.

So, once we've been through a couple of songs and Mrs Claus came out on stage to sit in the candy cane chair and watch the rest of the show, Charly decided to dance where she was standing. She'll dance and dance if nobody is watching, but if you look at her, she's done. I managed to turn and take a shot just as a song came to an end and she posed for her big finish. It was hilarious.

Oops, busted.

And Ashley.The choir did twelve days of Christmas with a beach theme. The signs were held up to help the audience remember what was in place of the five golden rings and such. Ashley held a crab. Hhmmmmm. I wonder if that was on purpose.

It was not a matter of who won or lost, but how to play the game. I'm not even sure if there was an actual score being kept . It was so cute and yet so hilarious. At that age, it really doesn't matter so much where the puck actually went, the most important part was to hold their stick in the air if they scored. Jackson is on the far right, white shirt, black helmet, yellow tape on his hockey stick. Remember, blue is officially not his favorite color anymore, yellow is. He is far right below too.

Above he is in the center in what they call the "ready position".

After a hard worked game, he was off to the concession stand for a box of popcorn. Or two.

Then home to shovel, shovel, and shovel more snow off of our rink. Jackson hopped on his tractor and was pretending to be the zamboni.

I wish we could turn that thing into a plow in the winter. Hhhmmmm. Maybe with an extra shovel and some duct tape.

Jeromy's message was :

Sorry we can't make it to the phone right now, we're probably out in the woods killing something or...

You hear me in the background saying no thinking he was just messing around with me when he was telling me he's going to change the message, I didn't know he was actually recording. So then he says,

What do you mean no no? We are, or we're running with the kids to a school function or another. Anyway, leave a message at the beep and we'll get back to you.

We got quite a bit of feedback on that. After hunting season was over, for the most part. We thought it was time to change the message. I just threw on the old simple one with our number and said we'll get back to you.

Jeromy called home later that day and left a message saying how ridiculous it was that we erased his superb message to throw on that. And I should've at least tried to put something on the with some Christmas spirit or something.

I called him back and got his voice mail. I told him I got his message, so bring it on!

My message in a rap form:

HO HO HO...And some holiday cheer! Thought you could reach us, well we're not here! Hear the phone go BEEEEEEEP! You know what to do, leave us a message, and we'll get back to you!

My mom said I rock. My friends call me M.C.KIM. but you know, I'll save that talent for when I'm old and gray, I'll be like 'Lil Gramz. It could happen.

The kids liked it so much, they'd play it over and over again. Until Charly hit the erase button by accident and then got mad because we wouldn't play it for her. So, I did it again but not the same as that first one.

I guess when you call us, you never know what you're going to get.

Even though the temp has been 22 below, it's been very nice for flooding our rink. 

This is our little Bear.

Jeromy brought he/she (not sure yet) home with him on Friday. He saw him as a black speck in the snow about 100 yards down a farm road. It was about 22 below zero that day and this little kitten was freezing to death. Literally. We've been in contact back and forth with our "Most wonderful vet in the world" and hoping our new addition to the family will be okay.

By nighttime, there was a few inches of snow on the rink. After it stopped snowing, I went out and shoveled it all off. By the time I only had six feet of snow left to shovel, the snow began to come again. At least it didn't snow as much after that.

That same night, Jackson had hockey practice, Ashley had basketball practice and a little gig with band so Charly and I were on our own to string popcorn and cranberries for our tree.

Jackson was concerned when he heard that she was going to sew with a real needle while he was at practice. He said to me, "Mom. I'm real worried that Charly is going to use a real needle. What if she pokes it through her finger?" I told him, "Then we'll tape it up." He mentioned his concern two more times before he was out the door. It was cute.

She made a four foot long string and then made two little ones for her own tree. I was the only one that pricked their finger!

Charly also had fun using the camera that night.

Jackson put the balls on the tree the next morning. That's about all we could do.

By bedtime last night, the popcorn string on the bottom had been removed and never found again. Any ideas? I've got one, he just couldn't wait. Hope it comes out okay.

This year has whizzed by. It seems as just last week we were taking down our tree and getting ready for spring. I've been in a funk all year. With that said, I have been on the lesser side of celebrations. So when it came time to get a tree, I was happy to pass the buck to Jeromy. I'm sure he was happy too as I have from time to time shot down his tree selections. This year I told him pick anything out, I don't care, as long as it has soft needles and big enough for the living room. His choice below. I think my SIL would love it though because I remember her talking about picking out the Charlie Brown tree every year.

A cedar tree. Jeromy always wanted one, and he got one this year. He said it was this or a birch.

Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree....

I count thee branches on one hand........

Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree...

You hardly fit on the tree stand........

I ponder how...........to dress you up

In fear...........your branches go ker-plunk!

Oh Christmas Tree.....Oh Christmas Tree

Please make it through the New Year...

Everything needs a moment to shine. I'm planning on making decorations with the kids this year because I seriously doubt the tree can hold decorations as well as twinkle lights. More pics to come.

Charly had a good day. Here are shots from her day.

Charly had a permanent grin basically the whole day. We went to Pizza hut after Ashley's basketball practice and Jessica met us there. After that, we all went to Jackson's hockey practice. After that, we ended the night at home with Charly's choice of Vanilla cake with strawberry frosting. Mint chocolate chip ice cream with Reddi-Whip.

Picture by Jack while I was changing a flat tire.(2006)

Charly LOVES homework. She can't get enough. Don't worry, we give her plenty and if we don't, I find things like this floating around. And in this case, you'd think her daddy put her up to it. He didn't.

I should get her to write on each letter that comes in and sort them out in categories.

We love you sweetie. Hope you have a good day! You are such a silly girl.

I asked Charly this morning if she felt like she was five because she looked like she was five. She had just woke up and was kind of out of it, and just sat there staring off into the distance. About fifteen minutes later she stood next to the kitchen counter and said, "Look! I'm taller now. Because I am five years old."

Today, Jeromy is parent helper at Charly's class. We bring snack for all of the children on days that we are parent helper. Charly got to pick what we should bring for snack since it's her birthday. She chose carrots, apples, and her very favorite, pumpkin pie with Redi-Whip. Jeromy has taken over my mom's tradition of filling your mouth so full of whipped cream that it's piled higher than your nose. Something that she loved as a kid when she'd visit her grandparents or aunts and uncles or something. Since most of what Jeromy does is kind of like an overkill, you can imagine how scary that can be. It should be a very interesting day at preschool today. Charly was so happy that her daddy was coming to class with her.

We left her a car to drive home after cheerleading practice last night. I was a wreck until she got home. Kids. Tonight she plays her first game on the varsity team. So much excitement. Good Luck Ash!

We've been trying to lose the cold that our household caught about a week ago. Those darn bugs are so annoying! I've been lacking energy to keep up with regular chores in between running with the kids to and from activities.

I've been itching to get our ice rink going for a month now, hoping to get started on that the tail end of our weekend.

Deep Thought By Jack Handey:

Every time I go to a party, I laugh and laugh, every time someone says something, in case it's supposed to be funny.

I asked the younger ones what they were thankful for this year.

Jackson said he's thankful that he's going to a feast at Grandma's house. And he's thankful for Star Wars.

Charly said that she's thankful for her potato turkey with a big turkey head. And she's thankful that she's going to go to Grandma's and eat a roast beast.

More fridge art. Charly's art is on the right. Jackson's art is on the left. Jackson had to disguise a turkey like a member of the family so he could live past Thanksgiving. Jackson decided to make a hockey player turkey. The card with his hand print reads,

Handy Turkey

This isn't just a turkey,

As anyone can see.

I made it with my hand,

Which is a part of me.

It's made with love

Especially to say,

I hope you have a very

Happy Thanksgiving Day.

I am thankful for family and friends, all that we won't see this holiday season, all that we won't see until we leave this earth, all that I get to see every day. Thank you.

Some funny shots of Ashley blowing out the candle on her triple chocolate birthday cupcakes. Her cup cakes were originally stacked and shaped like the number sixteen but you can imagine how well extra moist cupcakes want to hold still. Yeah, they bit the dust, a few times so they ended up laying down and covered with what ever little frosting was left. It's not the looks anyway, it's how it tastes right?