The Nuts and Bolts of My NEW New Year's Resolution

So my original New Year's Resolution was to get all of our boxes unpacked and have everything in its place by the end of January. MH's extended trip south of the equator and our delay in CA due to Snowmaggedon in DC have shot that plan all to hell. As a result, I've had to push back my mission completion celebration to at least April 1. I was going to change the date once more upon returning home from CA last night and enduring The Boy's interrogation about my unpacking deadline. Okay, maybe "interrogation" is a little strong. He is only 4, but his sigh and "Are you going to get rid of these cardboard boxes" comment almost put me over the edge. Then I remembered his comment in the crowded airport van about my butt being waaaaaay too big to fit between his and The Girl's car seats, and I decided that he can deal with a little cardboard. Brown is the new black anyway. I tried to play it cool like it was ironic that he was saying my butt is big because it is so tiny and adorable and oh, don't kids say the darndest things? And then he hits me with the cardboard box comment. Is it wrong to want to have revenge on a 4-year-old? Probably not. I've met some 4-year-olds who deserve my wrath (Carlitos, I'm talking about you!), but revenge against your own blood (who happens to be 4)? That may be a little dramatic. Instead of revenge, my unwillingness to organize our house will now be a lesson in flexibility.

So now that that resolution is out the window... I was at a loss. Then it hit me as I was reading one of the greatest season's greetings newsletters ever written. My friend's teenage son earned (is that the right word? I mean, I would have loved doing it as a teenager had my parents sent out letters like that but let's face it, I don't think I was a typical teen) the privilege to write the annual family newsletter. He took it to a new level... none of that BS about all the wonderful achievements made and hurdles overcome by each individual family member. Nothing about why you should be jealous of them. Nothing preachy (although it seems vegetarianism is taking over the household). Just the nuts and bolts: Dad cuts the grass. Mom plays on facebook. I loved it. It totally made my day! And then I realized how selfish I have been! My New Year's Resolution shouldn't be about me?! It is about bringing something more to your life! So in order to improve your life, my new and improved NYR is to get back into the groove and focus on the mundane activities of my family and then report on them here on my blog.

So, "Happy New Year" and "You're welcome."

Up in the Air

As I type, I am flying over Missouri. We're finally on our way back to the winter wonderland of DC after a week of canceled flights. I thought I'd post a few pictures of our latest adventures in CA with a few summer photos thrown in for fun. Check out how big all the kids are: Sophie (5), Jack (4), Max (blond 2), Nico (brown 2), Violet (girl 2), and Baby Owen!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our own Warehouse Mouse and Smitty the Imagination Mover!

February photos

Here are some pictures from The Boy's birthday party (at the school he no longer attends), our trip to Arica, Chile with our friends that have since left us (sniff, sniff), and day to day stuff.

You had better look at these pictures, or else!

Internet At Last

We have Internet back home, but having isn't always having, if you know what I mean. I am unable to upload pictures... mainly because I am not patient enough. It takes about 8 hours to upload a reasonable number of photos and that's not just choose, click, and upload... that's sitting there for 8 hours to monitor the progress and make sure I don't get kicked off. So, I am in the process of uploading all of our photos of 2009. Here's a few from January including the kids' birthday.

Santa Claus Came to Bolivia!

For some reason I can't find all of the pictures we took on Christmas Day. They are here, somewhere, in our computer. You will see that we were at our loveliest because the water went out in our neighborhood while we were cooking Christmas Eve dinner. We have a cistern, but MH didn't want to use it for frivilous things like bathing or flushing because we didn't know when the city water would come back on. And Lord knows that is pure cleanliness in a pipe. So, only water for cleaning the turkey and washing dishes until December 26. Good thing The Girl and The Boy got a new kitchen so they could help out!

December Slideshow

Finally, I can upload. Here are some pictures from December including Jack's school's graduation ceremony, Santa, and Violet standing. Also check out the adorable photos of our adorable children. They aren't wearing matchy match sweaters, but consider this your Christmas card...

Santa's Elves

Here are The Girl and The Boy cuttin' loose with their cousins Sophie, Max, and Nico. Which dance is your favorite?

• Disco
• Charleston
• Country
• Classic
  

You Say Parade. I Say Desfile...

Here is our July slideshow.

Christmas Traditions

When we got married, I thought my holiday celebrations couldn't get any stranger. Pirogis, beet soup, bacala, peas and sauerkraut, pizzelles, Tombola... and most sacrilegious of all... opening presents on Christmas Eve. These were the traditions I was introduced to when joining MH's family. What happened to laying around in pjs all day, watching "It's a Wonderful Life," playing Trivial Pursuit, eating shrimp and cocktail sauce followed by a traditional Thanksgiving feast on Christmas Day?

Over the past 10 years or so, we've introduced a few other unconventional activities from parsnips in Prague with a bunch of Brits, to unheated German vans in the mountains of Austria, and rainy car-tours of tacky Christmas light displays, to name a few. But this year, we have topped all oddball holiday activities. First there was the Christmas candy preparation from atop the birthing ball*. As if that wasn't odd enough...


This afternoon The Boy and Papa carved our Christmas pumpkin (left over from Halloween). If you thought The Boy was confused by the smock and hat combo, to top it all off, we traipsed him outside in 40 degree weather (note the ice on the patio in the background), cut open a frozen pumpkin, and tried to tempt him to stick his hands in it. He preferred using a spoon, and there was a moment when he considered eating the pumpkin pulp. Instead he decided to "keen up" by putting all of the seeds and goop back in the pumpkin as Papa attempted to scrape it out. Perhaps we've introduced the pumpkin-carving a bit too early. Maybe next year!

* Note on the "birthing ball incident." I have been having some abdominal pain/pressure due to the position of the baby and find it uncomfortable to sit anywhere but on the ball. It is a little low to use at the kitchen table, so while I was smashing up candy canes for peppermint bark, MH suggested that I should put "it" on top of the chair so I could get more leverage. Horrified, I scolded him, "Are you kidding me? I'll fall and crack my head open." It took about three-and-a-half seconds before I realized that MH wanted me to put my candy operation on the chair, not the birthing ball. Can you imagine me on the ball on top of the chair? Our next new holiday tradition would have been an emergency room visit!

Are you really THAT surprised?

I think we have all agreed over the years that I... am... a... nightmare. Remember the extra eyebrow incident? The ankle email sent to every American in Turkey debacle? The Worm? Those are just three examples off the top of my head. Now we have the Breakfast of Champions.

You know how when you are at someone else's house and you try to do a good thing it never turns out the way you expected? Welcome to my life. Even though we were traveling to the in-laws for Thanksgiving, we wanted to have our traditional and delicious sour cream coffee cake. We brought most of the ingredients from home (so as not to pillage my in-laws baking supplies) and got to work late Wednesday night. I was a little lost in the kitchen but MH (my honey) was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction of the mixer, butter etc. Then we realized I forgot the cup of sugar, so I rummaged around on the counter and found a big canister of coffee and a small canister of sugar. Figures. MH has been drinking espresso since he was 8, so the larger coffee canister didn't really faze me. The batter was a little thick (kind of like dough) so we added more sour cream and then went into the other room to watch Rachael Ray while the cake cooked.

Sidenote: We love Rachael Ray's book - Express Lane Meals, but I am not so sure how I feel about her. Actually, I guess I don't like any tv chefs (is that cheves?). They make it seem so easy, and I am sure they don't cube all that food themselves. I'd like to have invisible help in the kitchen, too. Plus, she does wasteful things like throw salt over her shoulder. She didn't spill it or sneeze or anything, so technically I don't think the devil is after her. She seems to have pretty good luck, anyway. Like I said... wasteful. You know, Rachael, someone has to clean that up!

By now my cake was finished. We went in to taste it - you know, just to make sure it was done all the way through. I took a huge bite and immediately spit it out. MH thought that I was joking around because we often play the "Oh, that's disgusting, you won't want any" game so we can keep all the good food to ourselves. You can probably tell where this story is going, but I was blinded by the aroma of cinnamon. The only thing that crossed my mind was, "That must have been a bad spot." As if coffee cake has a "bad spot." The only thing that crossed MH's mind was, "Boy this cake must be really good if she is pretending it is that bad!" So we each took another big bite... and promptly spit them out into the garbage and sink. My mother-in-law asked what it tasted like. Our answers were a perplexed, "Salt!?" Apparently she wasn't so surprised. She asked, "What canister did you use?... because the small one is salt."

Yeah, I know, pretty predictable, especially after my rant about Rachael Ray being wasteful. Serves me right, I guess. MH and and my MIL were nice enough to stay up and make me another coffee cake. I didn't think I deserved it, but I think they were both afraid that I would try to make another one on my own.

The Ladybug Was Robbed!

I never win anything. Actually, that isn't true. I won a free dinner for two at a nice restaurant once, but I ate so much I puked it all up as soon as we got home. I guess it is better to get sick after a free meal than one I paid for.

Other than that delightful experience, I never win anything. I feared I would pass this trait on to The Boy along with my "monkey toes" and habit of sticking out my tongue when I focus on complicated tasks (such as shoe tying), but I am pleased to announce that the curse has been lifted. At our neighborhood Halloween party, The Boy won the "Cutest Costume" award. Rightly so, if you don't mind my saying. Seriously, the kid is cute. We had to chase him down quite a bit because he kept running either away from the party or toward the food table (another trait of Mama's, I suppose). At one point he stampeded a bank of parent-photographers (see photo). I think this drew him to the attention of the judges. As with many elections these days, there were, of course, naysayers who thought the contest was fixed. When The Boy's name was announced, a dad shouted out, "The ladybug was robbed!" Not only was that rude, but I think it was also wrong. You be the judge...

You Be The Judge...

"Robbed" Ladybug

"Cutest Costume" Winner