Wordless Wednesday-So happy together

It's 5 o'clock somewhere....

But that means something VERY different to me than most people. For me, at 5:00 every single day, I am guaranteed the ability to make a phone call, check email, laundry, prep dinner or what have you, and I have almost 30 minutes to enjoy it. I know, I know, you're jealous beyond belief and wonder how in the world this is possible?!?! Let me tell you. It is because that is the time that Dino Dan comes on TV, or as Gavin calls it, Dinosaur Dan. He becomes completely absorbed into this show. Not sure that is something I should be bragging on the Internet, but I've been given the leisure to write this little bit here, because Gavin is five feet away from me, in another world. There could be worse shows, there ARE worse shows, I've seen parts of them. Dino Dan offers the opportunity to witness dinosaurs come to life in a modern-day setting. It's fantastic!LOOK MIMI! DINOSAURS!Completely absorbed......and now it's 5:30. Gotta Go.

CLAUStrophobic

If you have been reading my blog for the past year, you may recall that Gavin DOES NOT like Santa (or the Easter Bunny for that matter)

The beauty of this is that every year I get CLASSIC Santa pictures.
Call me a mean mom, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the crying kid Santa pictures! I know, I'm awful. It's not that I enjoy seeing him scream, but he is a completely fine, smiling little boy, mere seconds afterward. If I thought he was being traumatized, I would not put him through it.

Let's take a trip down memory lane & review the Santa visits over the past 3 years.

2008. Gavin's first Christmas (2 1/2 months old).2009. (1 year)

 2010. (2 years)

 

Merry Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday- "Happy Birthday!"

♪Sim-ply hav-ing a wonderful Christmas time...♪

...in Cleveland!!

This past Sunday we packed up and headed to Cleveland to spend Christmas with the Ivoska gang. I may have only gotten a little over 3 hours sleep due to a night of work, but this is a day I wouldn't miss. We are so lucky to share another year with Grandma and Grandpa Ivoska, and to 8 little tots, GREAT-grandma and grandpa..with two more great grandkids on the way. We are going to have quite a crew next year. Yay! We were also blessed to have Cousins Allie, Sean and James join us all the way from Texas. What a treat!! We were missing Tim, and cousins Bryan, Val and Avery, but they were all with us in spirit:)

The hosts! Joe and Anna Ivoska! 

The party gang for the dayGavin and Sean became fast friends! 

Little man James didn't let 12 stitches get his spirits down. 

My brothers! 

Now this has prom written all over it, doesn't it? My brothers girlfriends are amazing women. I mean, c'mon ..they put up with my brothers! Just kidding Mike and Matt. I love you all!Helping Great-Grandma and Grandpa open their gifts.Hmmm, Hallmark cards, variety of imported beer..no thanks. We have BOXES to play with!! 

But these boxes need a little something...maybe some color, perhaps. 

I think we're missing someone. Who could it be? Why Kate, of course. Gavin's birthday buddy! She actually DID take a nap. Awesome. And now she is up and ready for action!Really, were BLUE candy canes really the best choice? You have previously read my thoughts on blue candy, have you not? Gawsh, but it IS Christmas.

Mmmm, yummy, blue, sugary, sticky, icky joy. *hand raised* Wash cloth, please!

All hyped up on sugary BLUE candy canes, we obviously need some racing now, don't we? On your mark...get set...GO!! 

Did I win?? Let's try a hopping contest?C'mon sis....Here I come guys! 

Burning sugar. Burning sugar. Keep on running guys. 

Lesson for the day: hanging your tongue out DOES make you run faster :)

The salt and pepper dilemma

Today I tackled the spice rack. It was looking mighty cluttered. You wouldn't believe how heavy my garbage can was when I finished. I had duplicates and triplicates of some things, some didn't even have the plastic seal broken, and some that were expired. And when I say expired, I don't just mean a few months or year.. I'm talking 3-6 years expired. I swear, I DO cook dinner in this home. Really, I do.

Now on to my dilemma. I found FOUR opened shakers of pepper along with a giant size container of Morton Iodized Salt, you know, the one with the girl holding the umbrella.  

Not exactly the easiest thing to grab when you need a dash of salt for your fries now, is it? And pepper, apparently we like it and leave it everywhere. I mean, really, four opened shakers? I think it's time to use another wedding gift that has collected dust in the kitchen. I've always had them sitting out, yet I've never filled

them.

 

Nice, aren't they! I really like them. So what is my dilemma?? 

WHICH ONE IS SALT AND WHICH ONE IS PEPPER?!?!?!

I googled it.

I found no right answer.

So if you come over, the salt has 3 holes and the pepper has 5. That's my choice and I'm sticking to it.

Give presence with your presents

When thinking about what to get the kids, yours or those of others, keep something in mind. Kids don't remember who got them a particular toy, they remember the people who play with them.

This year I needed to remind myself of this. It's been a tough year. Fortunately, we are tough people. I enjoy buying gifts for people. I love finding the perfect one for everyone. I go overboard. Every year. But not this year. This year is simple to the extreme. And I'm alright with it....it took me a minute, but I'm alright with it. I've learned my time is the best gift I can give.

So, when you give a kid a toy, get on the floor and help them open the box, set it up, and play with it. That's how you'll show your love. That's how a relationship will blossom. When you see the child next time, he or she will remember you as the one who made the funny voice with the doll, made the cars vroom, and the trains chug, but might not remember it was you who gave the present.

Wordless Wednesday-Silly holiday fun

Bubble Magic

As we welcome December, we also have to accept the frigid temperatures outdoors. So tonight we made it "snow" indoors for a bit of fun!Loved it!

Holiday kickoff

What better way to jump-start the holidays than with, you guessed it, a parade! While the temperature is starting to go down, we didn't let that deter us. We bundled up and walked downtown. The chill did, however,  keep us from staying downtown and waiting for the tree lighting. Rather we went home and lit our own tree nestled cozy inside :) I love the look of holiday decorations all over the house. The stockings are dangling down the stair railing, both Christmas trees are assembled and shining, music boxes and globes cover the hutch and singing mice capture Gavin's twinkling eye. Mr. Elf watches carefully from various locations to

make sure all is well. Christmas is coming and we cannot wait!