Buh-bye 2010

Is that Baby New Year I see?  In about 21 minutes, it'll be 2011.  Wowza!

All I can say is

I am very glad there is only one more day to this week AND year.   This past week wasn't the best in a lot of ways.  I don't like to wish time away (bad karma, heeee!), but there are some days I am good & happy to see come to an end.

I'm into self-reflection these last few days.  Which doesn't leave a lot of time for blogging or housecleaning.  Is that one of the best rationalizations you've heard lately?  lol

Good night and most likely I will blog tomorrow in several segments to get the post count up just a tiny bit.  I want to do "Best of the Blog" recap--some of my favorite posts, pictures, stats, and other stuff.  I'll review last year's resolutions; not sure if I'll make any this year.

See you December 31, 2010

Vanity Fair

I got the issue of Vanity Fair with one of my two boyfriends.  This time, it was Johnny.  As in Depp.  *swoon*  I will most likely sleep with it under my pillow like a 14 year old.  :)

A few more

A few more cute ones I wanted to share--

 

Late with the photos

Here are some holiday photos.  On Christmas Eve, we made hot chocolate and I surprised the kids with whipped cream.  We rode around and looked at Christmas lights.  Then they opened their traditional present on the Eve, the new PJ's.  John Sam is so big and handsome, almost as tall as the tree.  Caroline was unhappy because she likes her bangs down in front and they weren't, resulting in more grouchy poses.  After Santa came, I took a picture of the tree while Tokyo supervised.  ;)  The last one is on Christmas morning, and it has that glow that I love.

 

Almost New Year's!  I'm ready for the cold to go away now. I'm so glad the kids don't have to go to school in the 30s--it's too hard.  Totally over it, as the kids would say.

by CGB

The Tree of Christmas

I get tired of calling it a Christmas tree all the time.  ;-p

The kids decorated it Monday while I was at work.  The breakables had the snap-on clips already attached, so everything got hung with tender lovin' care and raw artistic flair.  Before we put the skirt on it tonight, John Sam vacuumed underneath and around the tree. I was getting the giggles watching him. Then I put the skirt around, he put some presents under, and Caroline put a few more down.  I didn't like the flash going off because I wanted the tree lights reflecting in the TV glass in the picture.  I covered the flash and it gives the pictures a red tint.  I like!

Repetitive Repetition

I've been realizing of late that I sometimes post stuff I've already posted--quotes, titles of posts, etc.  I have a lot to do otherwise, or I'd be searching and checking my previous posts to find the duplicates.  But it's on the to do list for 2011. 

Everyone is sick at work and those of us who've had it are afraid we're going to get it again.  *shudder*  More repetition?  Is there a pattern emerging here?  ;-D

I did manage to sneak in a little shopping today, now blogging, next is the heating pad in tandem with the Chritstmas cards.  I'm very late this season.  I seem to recall a similar post last year about that same topic . . . lmfao!

Here is the last corny statement I'll repeat:  I'm going to bed early tonight.  xo xo xo xo xo

P.S.

I'm blogging sans glasses, so forgive typos, missing words or extra words.  wheeeeeeee!

Like Mommy, Like Son

It would appear that while sleeping, John Sam has revealed his potential Indian name . . . Hot Heels Two.

For an explanation of our family shorthand, this is the original post Indian Names Blog Post

Going to bed as the cold is pissing me off.  Hugs only to prevent the spread of germs ;-0

The Wellness Streak

My streak of staying well has come to an end.  I've got the Christmas cold.  *crap*  I feel a little dehydrated and tired, but otherwise okay.

Good night, happy snoring and turning the pillow to the cool side ;)

Average

This Just In:

I got a C in Editing Essentials.  I posted on FB that it was C for crap.

Ah, well.  Next semester will be here before I know it.

And later I'll be back with a philosophical post about how this class doesn't indicate that I'm a bad writer who needs to keep  her day job....

Let me tell you about fleece....

Fleece blankies.  There is no substitute.

Everybody in the family has their own fleece blanket.  Even Tokyo has one.  I just got a brand new one for Christmas.  It's electric.  Just like a blanket-sized heating pad.  Oh yeah!!!  (thank you Mami!)

I had to put sheets over the rosebushes.  Here's hoping they make it through tonight's hard freeze, which I heard will extend south of Lake Okeechobee.  Brrrrrrr.  The temperature dropped 4 degrees on my way home from work, so I know it's going to be super cold.  Grateful that I am fortunate enough to be out of the way of Mother Nature, and thinking of those who aren't.

Post Final Exam

I make the most of all that comes,
And the least of all that goes.

--Sara Teasdale

Aqua Sand and Procrastination

Introducing Aqua Sand, one of the few things that kept both kids occupied for about an hour at the same time.  It comes complete with a great big mess!  It is cool science--educational--and they had fun. I love the pic of them together.

 

Where did I get my gorgeous red Christmas cactus?  At Publix :)  Then I had to change the background to match it.  :)

The procrastination part of the title is code for supposed to be studying but avoiding studying for that final exam.  I organized everything in chron order so I can re-read it all from start to finish.  I should be able to do it twice before the exam.  I turned in the paper today on my lunch hour, so I have a little leeway on the procrastination scale, ha.

The extra sleep I get from going to bed early tonight will definitely be a good thing.

~~Caroline is eight and thinks it's great~~

We had a big day for Caroline's eighth birthday.  She is very much her own little person.  More accurately, her own big person. :) She is our beautiful, smart, sassy stinker, with that little laugh you wish you could save up.  We love you Caroline Grace--Happy Birthday Little Blue!

 This last one says that if my camera battery doesn't run out PDQ, I'll be taking the next set of pictures through a broken camera lens.  Just translating.....

xo xo xo xo

Gymnastics freebie

I wanted to have Caroline's belated birthday party at this place we checked out today.  They offered a free class for each of them.  John Sam had serious fun (photographic evidence to follow after the post).  Caroline mentioned a few (read: at least 10) times that she wasn't doing it because she didn't want to break her neck. Note to self:  NO birthday parties at the gymnastics place for her.

John Sam, on the other hand, is ready to sign up right now.  :)

 

Charles Caleb Colton

The bed is a bundle of paradoxes: we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret; we make up our minds every night to leave it early, but we make up our bodies every morning to keep it late.

 (quote from Charles Caleb Colton)

December 1

Seriously.  December 1?  How is this possible?  Didn't I just get that great Halloween costume for John Sam, like, yesterday? 

The little cold snap might get me in the mood enough to listen to Christmas music, and that usually gets me into the season.  Bring on the Rosemary Clooney!  :)

Ready for MoMA

Ahem, that would be THE Museum of Modern Art ;)

These were on display in the art room at the Literacy Night event.   I didn't know the kids' work had been chosen and I was disappointed that I didn't get to see them "up in lights."  I think the judges were wise to feature these two original pieces of art.

Grayson is FOUR

Happy Birthday Gravy!  Tia loves you and so do the rest of BaumgardnersFour plus Tokyo.  Hope your special day is wonderful!

Eleventh Wedding Anniversary

Steel is the traditional gift suggestion for eleven years of marriage.  When one considers the properties of steel, it seems beautifully symbolic.  Steel is a shiny metal with an attractive finish.  It is strong and resistant to fracture, yet is malleable and easily forged into different shapes and angles.  Durable and long lasting, it is a lovely choice for the 11th wedding anniversary because it is resilient to the wear, tear, and challenges of time.

The 11th anniversary gift flower is the morning glory.

Right of Way Violation

I'll  have to go back and check and see how many times my car has been mentioned on the blog. 

 

Oh.  Gee.

This looks wayyy worse than it was/is.  We were turning into Burger King and the light was red so traffic was backing up and people were trying off and on to let me go across.  A semi was stopped in the center lane, the car in the lane closest to me slowed down and waved me across. I was thinking, finally, someone else is letting us across and just when I moved into the center lane the semi moved forward.  He didn't see me until he heard the uh, crunch.  Everyone is fine, everyone has insurance, and now everyone's car is driveable.  The semi was unloaded and driven by a really calm guy and his wife.  They weren't upset and asked about me and the kids.  Then we had a super fun time waiting for FHP and AAA, who got there sooner than we expected.  The trooper looked like Andre Braugher and mentioned that I couldn't have been going very fast since my airbag didn't deploy.  Hee!!

We got our Burger King meals while the trooper wrote out the insurance papers and gave me a right of way violation ticket.  The semi driver told the trooper he didn't think I should get one, which I thought was nice, but he was definitely in the right. I felt pretty fortunate about getting a ticket instead of something much worse.

The tow truck driver had the Magic game on the radio while we got our short tow to the house.  John Sam didn't mind the ride.  Caroline didn't like it, and I told her we wouldn't be doing that again anytime soon.

Great AND Grateful

A photo jubilee from Turkey Day

Grandma/Great-Grandma - also known as Nana Shuman :)

 There are a lot of repeats so that everybody was in at least 1 or 2 photos... 

Thanksgiving 11/25/10

Gobble, Gobble!

Sensory Time!

P.S. Here are pictures of gingerbread men the kids made.  You can tell whose style is whose, right?

 

The one who wanted a cookie
but had to settle for delicious ham instead