November:
- Finished out the month with a trip to L-Town for Thanksgiving with my mom and dad and siblings. As usual, we ate some great food, drank some great wine, and had more fun than should be legally allowed. Got some great shopping in, as well as a gourmet dinner prepared by a long time family friend.
- Saw Santa Clause over Thanksgiving and M. was not having any of it. She screamed at the sight of him and clung to me like a spider monkey when we tried to sit her on his lap. She kept saying, "No Hanta. No Hanta". So, big brother stepped up and gave the big man a few items from M.'s list.
- Kevin and I spent the beginning of the month in the Dominican Republic. Kevin had won this trip through work last March and we were finally able to go. My mom was a Godsend and spent the week with our kiddos. We had such an amazing and relaxing time. I highly recommend this destination to anyone seeking a beautiful beach, friendly people, and a relaxing time. We would love to go back!
- When we returned from the DR, we spent the next weekend in Lawrence with Kevin's family to celebrate Christmas. There was a lot of "cousin time" to be had, and we had a great time with "grown-up" visiting too.
- December 22nd was P. and K.'s class parties. They both had fun playing games, eating snacks, and having gift exchanges. I remember how much fun those days were too!
- We headed to Ohio for Christmas on the 23rd with my mom and dad's families. Christmas Eve was fun and came complete with a chocolate fountain, much to the delight of the girls! I wish I had some pictures, but as the evening wore on, Kevin and my cousin, Corbin, found themselves in prom dresses. It was priceless. Christmas morning dawned at a reasonable time and the kids got everything they asked for on their lists. Where Santa dropped the ball, Grandma and Papa were right there to pick it up.
- The Christmas Story gift exchange we had with my cousins had us all wetting our pants. Especially when my cousin Jordan (he is 30 years old) came out in his pink bunny pj's. P. was totally excited when my gift was the Red Rider BB Gun. He was bouncing around...until he heard that there was no way in h** he was going near it until he was at least 14 years old. That chilled him out pretty quickly!
- Christmas night was full of wonderful food; some of the most fabulous wine I have ever had; some Rock Band with the cousins; and some more wine; and great times with family. Needless to say, it was a bit rough the next morning for some if us, but we had such a great time I think we'd all do it again.
- We headed home on the 27th and spent the rest of the month relaxing together, as Kevin was able to take off until January 5th.
Well, we have started back to school and had two snow days so far. These were ridiculous, as we never had more than 3 inches of snow; however, it was bitterly cold for a week. We have spent a lot of time by the fire this month and snuggling together. (Not going to complain about that.) Kevin underwent his first Lasik procedure on the 14th and will complete it this Friday. He is loving that he will never have to wear his contacts again.
P. is getting ready for his school's science fair. He designed his own experiment to see which evaporates faster: hot water or cold water. He and Kevin will finish the board this weekend. It has been fun to watch him figure it out!
K. and M. have started back to gymnastics. K. has moved up a level and is learning to do some tricks on the bars and a higher balance beam. M. LOVES to go to "nastics", as she calls it. She likes to do the backwards rolls and walk to the balance beam "myself". M. has really started talking up a storm and can say 4 word sentences. She is also starting to tell us when she has gone to the bathroom, and at times, tries to remove what is in there with her hands. This has caused major panic with her Dad!
We also did an impromptu home improvement project this past weekend, as well. My Grandma is giving us her dining room set, so we painted the room a gorgeous red color and hung a new chandelier. It will look great once the furniture gets moved in (we are still waiting for this to happen). Hopefully it will be here by the end of the week!
So, now you are caught up on all that has been going on (in addition, to the daily routine). February is shaping up to be chock full of tidbits: Superbowl Party; M.'s Second Birthday Bash (complete with Yo Gabba Gabba Cupcakes and a mystery dinner theme); and my Happy Chinese Mardi Gras Luau at the end of the month.
