Day Seven of Vacation – 27 December 2005

We had a bit of a down day today.

Mike had to go to work to write an OPR (0fficer’s Performance Report).

Jamin got the 5 older kids organized to try their hands at raking yards. I drove them to Lowes to pick up rakes and garbage bags. They ended up raking 3 yards and making $75.

Mom, Stacia, Zander and I did a BX and Commissary run.

The other kids were still raking yards when we returned. We decided to walk to the park with the four younger ones. Arielle, Nolan and Zander rode their bikes. It was a beautiful day here today – 78*.

A pleasant surprise was a package from Grandma Mary and Grandpa Earl. It turned out to be Night Sky monopoly…..fits in perfectly with our astronomy studies. The board is spectacular.

Dinner, another walk, playing “Narnia game”, Mike exploring geocaching and the day was full.

Ah one last thing. Tonight Mike dished out ice cream for everyone. Dad came in by Zander. Zander looked at Dad and said, “Grandpa you won’t like my ice cream”. :::snort:::

Day Six of Vacation - December 26,2005

What does one do the "day after"? We were determined NOT to go shopping. {big grin}

Grandpa played games with the little ones. OK, Jared took this picture and obviously they don't primp and preen for him like they do for mama. {grin}


Mike and I set up toys for the little ones. This is a 3 sided "play Kitchen" from collectionsetc.com. We plan to use it for a pattern. Our kids are really, really into drama. Mike and I have been watching "plays" since Bre was about 6 (she is now 20 1/2 and 20 days). The traditions continues. The last play was a GREAT one that Jamin wrote and directed and Jared, Arielle, and Nolan preformed. I suppose all that practice helped Josiah with the Chapel Christmas Play involvement. {grin} ANYWAY!!!!! We plan to make a couple more backdrops like this in plain colors and then make mountains, clouds, trees etc to velcro on to the backdrop. We plan to make them taller. {grin}

In the afternoon Mike and I took my parents and went out for a bit of "adult time". First we went to one of my favorite stores called "Barbed Wire and Roses" - specializes in TX stuff. Mike and I ordered my new china hutch.

After the above said errand of great importance was accomplished we went to Logan's for dinner. I love that place. Yumm.....Mom and Dad said they have something similar in OR called "Roadhouse". I'd never been to them before but I guess they are a franchise because ours is Logan's Roadhouse. When we got home we were surprised by a CLEAN and UNCLUTTERED home. I thanked the kids and Bre said, "Mom it was JOSIAH'S initiative, he really got those kids to work". He's the man!!

The afternoon found us down by the river.....observing ducks and muskrats. We had tried to catch an afternoon showing of Narnia (Bre and my parents hadn't seen it) but they were SOLD OUT! I didn't knkow movies SOLD OUT in this town. {grin}

In the evening we stopped by DQ for some "whine cooler" and then on to the movie theater. That place was CROWDED. They said they were "really swamped" on Christmas. Ten went to see Narnia (second time - loved it) and Krista and I went to see Cheaper by the Dozen 2. We liked this movie better than the first. Like Yours, Mine and Ours it had some great parts and some lame parts...but overall we got a kick out of the family portrait that emerged. The issues the parents are dealing with mirror our "issues" - in the saying goodbye, family growing older aspect....not in the 8th grader dating or competive dad aspects. {grin}

Thus ended Day 6 of our vacation.

Glimpses of Christmas 2005 - Day 5 of Vacation

Stacia is still too young to really enjoy her 1st Christmas...but we had fun opening her gifts. She received a baby Cabbage Patch from Bre and Krista (with stories akin to Turbo Man from Jingle Bell All the Way), sleep sacks, bibs and pacifiers.

Regardless the gift...the box is always the best toy - Zander

The girls brought each of us t-shirts for NYC...Zander got his today as he was sleeping when we opened stockings last night. Jamin observes that he looks like a "street punk" in this picture.

Nolan receive Hank books and games, a Narnia game, King Arthur books

In a family our size, Christmas involves a significant amount of watching and waiting....Arielle is not thrilled with this...

Arielle had a "doll" Christmas...like her older sisters she has a "collection" of dolls. This year she got a varitety...this fancy one from Collectionsetc.com from Jamin and Jared, a big stuffed doll from Grandma and Grandpa, a Cabbage Patch Doll from Bre and Krista....Mike and I gave her a portable CD/MP3 player with HEADPHONES (the key request) so that she could listen to HER stories and music when the boys are all listing to "their" stories. {grin}

Jared's requests were for GA Henty books and Redwall books. Between us all he ended up getting a couple of Henty and 6 Redwall books in the series (a respectable beginning). He also got a Camelbak water pack for running.

Jamin had requested a camelback water bottle for running and an audio GA Henty book - he got both. He also got a Redwall book, jump rope and various other items.

Josiah got a paint ball gun...he quickly explained to Mike, Jamin & Jared that until THEY also own guns they will be simple target practice for him. This was a Christams/birthday gift and the boys all have birthdays between now and the end of Februrary. Paint ball wars have become a new hobby of the men folk since moving to TX.

Mike & GPS...he was happy.

Aftermath of Christmas

* Note in addition to the things mentioned in the post "my shocking Christmas" I also received the complete Penn Dutch series....The kids each got me one or two...these are set in the Amish community with the heroine being a Mennonite and are very funny. Jamin got me a under the cabinent radio so I can listen to Rush or Sean while I cook and Josiah got me a great rustic moose for the wall. The girls got me a snowman and bear nativity.....

GIRLS' QUILT

Special thanks to the members of Support4HomeSchool email list who talked me step by step through this project. I can now share a "bit". Krista mentioned that she wanted a "blanket" for Christmas...not a problem at all...Walmart is right down the road. Then she commented that she wanted "Mom and Arielle to make it"....THIS was a problem. I don't sew.

{excerpt history of our family boycott on Walmart - SHS can SKIP }
We began the odysey with a trip to Walmart to buy supplies and ask questions. When I told the clerk, "we have a few questions" she said, and I quote, "Oh GOD, what do you WANNNT?" I told her we'd buy our supplies and ask our questions at Hancock fabrics. A few minutes later, in another part of the store another clerk yelled at Arielle and I for smelling some cologne that Arielle wanted to buy for Mike. I DID write a comment card with date, time and clerk's names and quotes. I left my phone number, name and address and said that we'd not be back until after Christmas without an apology. After a week Mike thought I should contact the manager and make sure she had seen the comments. She had. She told me it was against her policy to "contact customers and apologize for the clerks, I'll deal with it." I decided it was against my policy to give my money to businesses with rude customer support. SO....all through this season we have explored our other options in our new homeplace....and we've found that other stores in town have GREAT customer service and that online shopping is WAY cheaper because we don't have sales tax, impulse buying or shipping in most cases. Not having walmart as an option caused us all to be much more thoughtful about what gifts we wanted to purchase...instead of roaming the aisle looking for things that cost $10. {grin}

{Quilt story resumes}
We headed to Hancock and found friendly clerks, better fabric selections and answers to our "how to" questions. Through this project I learned to thread a machine, sew a somewhat straight seam, wind a bobbin, replace a machine needle (3), adjust tension and how to stretch a 45" piece of fabric to a 90" blanket. It was good.

The quilts were from Mom and Dad and Arielle. They were both in the same box and it was funny that they each reached for their quilt immediately....Krista purple and Bre pink. These blankets, and the ones we made my parents, are "prayer blankets". Each time we tied either fleece or yarn we offered a prayer for the receiver of the gift. We told them that we wanted them to be reminded that they were covered with their family's prayers whenever they used them. As Arielle said...after we had finished tying one said of Grandpa's no sew quilt...."that's a LOT of prayers for Grandpa, I think I've run out of prayers". {big grin}

The daughter who started the project...

Bre thinks the blanket will make a nice travel companion....

My Shocking Christmas

We have an ongoing joke in our family about Mike's Christmas Eve shopping for "moi". We also have a budget....$50 per person. I told Mike all I wanted was a well thought out gift...not the "what's left at Walmart" spree. {grin} A little joke for those of you who know that THIS year we aren't shopping at walmart - which has led to much more thought going into our gifts.

Imagine my shock....when I dumped my stocking and THIS fell out....it was a gold chain with a heart pendant with rubies and diamonds....considerably more than the budget. THEN Mike told me that he made plans for me to go and order my CHINA HUTCH tomorrow. This is one that I've been saving for...I have about 1/3 of the purchase price saved...and it's also considerably over budget. I was shocked...and I teased him about going over budget. His answer: there was no budget set for stocking stuffers. He stayed within the $50 budget for gifts with a wonderfully warm new pair of slippers and a cleaning apron from The Clean Team. {grin}

BTW HE got his GPS today (25 Dec) and loved it. I showed that I can match Mike in creative budgeting by taking the $ saved from not doing the pj thing for Christmas Eve and putting it towards a gift for him. {grin}

Stacia isn't sure what all the excitement is about but she enjoys being in the center of the family gathering.

Sites from Christmas Eve - Day 4 of Vacation

Bre admires the book mark that Arielle picked out for her....

Sister time.....Stacia watches the nail routine.....

Josiah Big Brother Extradonaire









Late night for Zander.....He loves having Krista home

Stacia's First Christmas (Eve)

She no sooner had her darling red Christmas outfit on than she spit up all over it....so we went with Plan B....4th of July...well not really...it had red and stars...that's Christmas. Stacia now belly laughs, rolls over and tries desperately to catch up with the other children.