Mile Stones of 2008 & 2009 Resolutions to keep the new year moving forward...

MS 2008: Moving out of our home of fifteen years, into a smaller, but better home...

R 2009: To move into a bigger home with my lovely family...

MS 2008: Sold, recycled, donated and or trashed over half of what we all had collected over the fifteen years... (Very Liberating)

R 2009: Try not to collect so much stuff...

MS 2008: Found out I'm going to be a Grandma...

R 2009: To be the best Grandma ever...

MS 2008: I lost about 25 LBS, changing the foods we eat...

R 2009: Continue to eat right and loose about 15 more LBS...

MS 2008: Found and started communicating with several long lost family members and or friends, some mine and some my husband's.

R 2009: Continue to communicate with the family and friend we've found and perhaps be lucky enough to find some more...

There is probably more, but those are the big ones.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas 2008

This was the first of 15 Christmases spent in a new home. Everything was different and it was wonderful. This year the kids and I had the chance to bake pies and cookies, watch a new Christmas movie every night and just enjoy the holiday. Something we never really seemed to have the time for in past Christmases. Everything was pretty relaxed, with the exception of one unpleasantry on Christmas Eve. May all the Christmases to come, shadow this one.

Hope you all had as wonderful of Christmas as we did. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

This morning there was a fresh sheet of ice on everything. Today it has snowed and rained ice pellets. As I write this a fresh sheet of ice rain is coming down. The weather is crazy. I must admit though, it is quite beautiful.

LET IT SNOW*~*~LET IT SNOW

Today the snow has slowly fallen all day. Very slick, but beautiful. Jack Frost has certainly taken up residence here in the greater Northwest for awhile. This is the first white Christmas in a lot time. I love it...

Snow Day

For those of you that live in states that gets a real snow fall, this will be laughable. Snow is so rare here on the valley floor, that when it happens we get very excited. For us 2 to 4 inches, means just about everything shuts down. It is because it is a very wet snow and that makes it very slick on the roads. We have so far only received a light dusting and I can't get the kids to come in. This cold sometimes snowing weather is suppose to last through the end of the week. We might even get a white Christmas, which is almost unheard of here.

{{{{Bomb Threat at Mikie's High School}}}

Today at 10am all of the students and staff were promptly evacuated from Evergreen High School, follow a bomb threat. No one was hurt and the Portland Bomb Squad got to use their bomb destroying robot on a suspicious looking backpack. (They are at a school, imagine there being a backpack) There were 2 other suspicious devices found that turned out to be nothing. All is well and back to normal.

My son will be Marching in the Inaugural Parade 2009

This is my son Michael's first year of high school. (For those of you that did not know that) He is in his fifth year of band. He plays the trumpet. This year the Evergreen High School Band gets the chance to travel to Washington DC. Furthermore, they found out about a week ago their band gets to march in the Inaugural Parade. This is a huge honor and privilege for the EHS band members. It is an event that will certainly go down into the history books. Everyone from the student, to their family and friends have been working very hard to make this trip happen. All of the students and chaperons that are going on this trip have been fundraising and working none stop to gather the money needed to go on this once in a life time adventure. I know Mikie has had a lot of support from many of his family members. ((Thank You All)) So far we have been able to raise over $800 dollars towards Mikie's trip. He has about $200 left to go. If there is anyone who reads this blog that would like to make a donation, please leave me a message and I will get back to you with the details. Thank you for reading.

Ornaments

Traditionally every year for the passed 14 years we all make a new ornament for our Christmas tree. This year was going to be no different. I went online and found what I thought to be a great idea for this years decoration. I think they turned out great.

Pretty sure IT'S A GIRL!!!

Yesterday Kristine had her second ultra sound and because she is now a little over 20 weeks, they were able to look for the gender. But wouldn't you know it, Jelly Bean is as stubborn as her mom. The first time the tech looked, her legs were closed and the second time the tech looked, Jelly Bean had her hand in the way. The tech was pretty sure the baby was a girl though, so we will go with that for now.

It was DeLightful...

Yesterday we all went to see the lights at Ester Shore Park. They were beautiful, we go look at the lights every year. I think I enjoy them more then the kids do. Last year we ended up locking our keys in the car, so we all waited at the Hilton Hotel across the street until Kevin came back with our spare set. The kids had a great time going up and down the elevator looking at the different floors, that according to them looked exactly the same. They liked this so much, they all requested we lock our keys in the car again. Silly kids...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Yesterday with the help of my family we got our tree up. Today I'll put up garland and more lights. We also got the watch the first of many Christmas movies together, (I'll be home for Christmas), not my favorite, Hope picked it out. It was good though. A few of my favorites include, It's a wonderful life,The Muppet Christmas Carol, While you were sleeping, The Grinch, Elf and of course all of the classic Christmas cartoons (Rudolph, Frosty and Santa Clause is coming to town). All in which I intend to watch with the kids, to get into the spirit of the holiday.