Post Christmas review ....

... just how did we do?

Dh:  relaxed and watched football (both college bowl and NFL) games ... enjoying the family and food (and even Max, who was his constant companion).  He also got a beautiful hand-knit cap from me for which he got lots of use since, altho we didn't get but a dusting of snow, it was COOOOOOLLLLLLDDDD (the winds were about 45mph coming off the Lake) around here.

While dh and Max watched football (and the kids came in and out), I relaxed by doing a 500-piece jigsaw all by myself.  Isn't this a lovely puzzle .... I rec'd it from a lovely friend!  It was so relaxing working away while the football games were playing in the background ... altho I kept getting confused on when it was a good thing or a bad thing since they kept switching from game to game!  I even put aside knitting to do the puzzle -- which took a few football-games' worth of time but is so very pretty.

The kids, too, had a wonderful Christmas ... all getting what they wanted and having lots of time to play and enjoy and share with each other.  [And only one calamity:  a toy BamBam rec'd from St. Nick was "kaput" an hour after he opened it ... it is being sent back today and dh took JP to get a "real one" after morning Mass!] We're also re-thinking the whole idea of giving a digital camera to LegoManiac -- granted St. Nick brought it but WE'RE the ones of whom he keeps taking less-than-attractive candids! But StringBean loves her dollhouse kits (she got two) so much she even cleaned off her desk in her room so she can start to work today on building the smaller of the two:  the Primrose and then move on to the Laurel!

We wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON .... which we'll celebrate till January 9, the Baptism of the Lord.  So .... off to party!

 

Are ya ready for some football?

Bam-bam is ....

hmmm, wonder who he'll be rooting for????

 

We are in mourning ....

Ole Miss beats LSU 25-23 in one of the best (and saddest) games we've seen!  There was MUCH crying and gnashing of teeth around here but it was a college ball game like none other.

Congrats Ole Miss for your first win against LSU in the past 11 years.  And LSU, we still love you and Les Miles!

See you next week in Arkansas!

LSU -- we love you!

... especially BamBam.

He spent precious play time one day a few weeks ago writing a note to LSU Head coach Les Miles.  He wanted to wish them well in the game against Florida (which they lost, but played well) and let them know they had big fans up in Virginia. 

Saturday, we had one happy boy around here:

Thanks, Coach Miles, for understanding just how much a note would mean to my little 6yo!

Family: crafting during college football games

Poor String Bean -- she just really does not like college football ... and since we have cable this year, we actually can WATCH college ball so she is definitely out of luck.  So, this morning she and I spent a mommy-morning running errands with the first stop being the craft store! 

We chose fabric for a ballet-class bag for her, wall decals to do her room (I spent today washing the walls in her room so the walls should be ready tomorrow for decorating -- we'll definitely post pictures!), and miscellaneous other craft necessaries.

Here's her very first sewing-machine sewing project!  A simple drawstring bag for her ballet-class stuff.  And boy is she proud ... she was also amazed at how much faster it is to machine sew than it is to hand-sew!  Her stitching is really pretty even -- thanks to a piece of blue painter's tape placed on the plate that she could use as a stitching guide.  Looks like we have a sewer in the family -- she must take after dh's side of the family (unfortunately, I sew for necessity rather than enjoyment or skill).

Here you can see both sides of the bag ... and it's full with her stuff, so a perfect size!  She looks pretty proud of herself, doesn't she?

And, boo hoo, ND lost to Michigan ... lots of gnashing of teeth tonight ... but at least String Bean is happy!

End of Summer, Start of Fall ...

... and school all the time and college football and cooler weather -- as my 6 yos says, "bring it on"!

Saturday, we celebrated the end of summer and beginning of Fall:  the opening day of college football party and the annual lighted-boat parade here at the lake.

We love college football games around here ... and this year, since we finally have cable, we actually can watch and SEE the games!  Unfortunately, the games weren't the best -- we were watching Nevada at Notre Dame and it was such a rout, that it got boring after the first quarter.  We switched around but all the games that were on seemed similar routs.  What to do?  Eat all the junk food String Bean and I prepared for the boys:  buffalo wings, taquitos, dilled cream cheese, pizza, chips, crackers, celery & carrots (for SOME nutrition), and just about every other kind of game-day food you can imagine ... with pride of place going to our traditional "game day menu": cheese whiz!  We know it's bad for us all ... but hey, we just buy it for college football games!

On Saturday evening, LegoManiac and I boarded a party barge and headed out into the lighted-boat parade.  This parade had been postponed twice due to rain ... but we couldn't have asked for a better night -- full "corn moon", clear skies and calm "seas".  Our "Mame" boat didn't win, but we had a great time and dh and the littles said we looked great.

Today, I attended the annual "hoa" meeting ... not alot discussed but good to get involved.  The rest of today was spent in true holiday fashion -- laying around, reading fun books and catching some smaller college football games.  Don't you just love Labor Day?  And yes, it's getting chillier here -- less than 75 degrees all day, kind of gloomy and a bit rainy ... leaves are starting to change and windows and doors wide open to bring in the fresh air!

Welcome FALL!