Dropped the ball

I completely dropped the ball on getting pictures posted from our great Thanksgiving weekend. I've been staying away from the computer as much as possible during the week and it seems like every time I sit down to post something I don't quite have enough time to think of anything worthwhile to say. :-)

Yesterday we had a great and very busy day. We celebrated St.Nicholas Day first thing in the morning with shoes full of fun goodies. The kids had put some leftover Halloween candy in Brett and my shoes before they went to bed, it was really cute.

Brett made a nice big breakfast and then Aidan had his karate test. He tested for his orange belt (white, yellow, yellow-stripe, and now orange in case you were wondering the order). He did great! Here he is doing his form. What a change since he started in karate less than a year ago. He is much more confident in what he does. We are very proud of him!



After the test Brett had to leave and go to direct the pep band at the basketball games and I took Emma to her make-up class for ballet (they canceled a couple of classes due to a parade and Thanksgiving). We came home, had lunch, let the kids play with their St.Nicholas Day presents. Emma and Aidan each got a computer game and Gianna got a playdough thing. After the kids played and I cleaned the kitchen from our yummy (but very messy) breakfast, we got bundled up and went out to see Brett at the basketball game. I love that we are so close to campus. We enjoyed a nice walk to the gym and had fun for the first 12 minutes of the game. Gianna (notice I didn't mention naps anywhere in our day) decided to act her age and so we left with her screaming, "But I will miss daddy!!!! Bye daddy!!!!!" at the top of her lungs. Motherhood sure is humbling.

We came home, took baths, video-called cousin Lauren, and ate dinner. Brett joined us as we were finishing up dinner. The kids went to bed and Brett and I hung out and deliberated what to do about Christmas presents for each other. We're soooo cool. He's getting a renewal membership to the Percussive Arts Society (which is something that is semi-required for his profession, but rather $$$), and I'm getting a new infant car seat! :-) I told you we're cool. We are really focusing on keeping things simple this year for several reasons and to be honest, I'm just absolutely thrilled about the present that will arrive later to sit in the infant car seat that I could care less that it might rate fairly low on most people's "coolness scales".

Right now the kids are snacking on a favorite treat of ours, popcorn and M&Ms, and watching a movie. Brett is at a rehearsal, and I'm enjoying watching the snow fall! I'm sure the resident snow shoveler (Aidan) will be up with the sun (or non-sun which is usually the case up here in the winter) ready to get the snow off the sidewalk. Unfortunately for him he didn't put the shovel away the last time he shoveled, but left is laying in the backyard, and it is currently being covered up by a few inches of snow. Oops.

Tonight I'm going to focus on getting ready for the week and hopefully will finish Gianna's scarf (finished crocheting Emma's already). I still have nightgowns and some pjs to make for the kids for Christmas but of course I can't work on all of that while they are awake so my time is limited. I'm putting those projects off for as long as possible because I'm afraid of my sewing machine and have to get over my fear every time I decide to do a new project.

I've rambled long enough. So I'll leave you with this quote from Gianna,

"Mom, what are we going to name our baby?
"Well, mommy and daddy will let you know what we name the baby"
"We could name her pink baby, but, nah...she's not pink.....oh, I know....we could paint her pink!"

Have a great second week of Advent!