A little bit of our afternoon...

We are having some glorious weather here and today it was calling our names outside to enjoy a nice little walk. Everyone is finally feeling better. Audrey was running a low fever this week but thankfully, it has passed. The boys had their Valentine's parties at school today and came home loaded with sugar. I think the walk helped them release some of that pent up sugar rush energy.
Happy early birthday to my dad, his birthday is tomorrow.
That's all for now. Lot's of love to you this Valentine's weekend. :)

I can't forget the 9th birthday that occurred

Can you believe that Harrison had the nerve to go and turn NINE on us? Thank goodness everyone was well enough to celebrate at Chuck E. Cheese, it would have been an absolute crime to miss out on that. :) We really had a good time. He invited a couple of friends from school and the scouts and we were lucky that enough of them were around to celebrate with us. Harrison is a neat, thoughtful, caring boy. He can be a bit of a tattle tale, or as we like to call him, "Captain Obvious". I count on him a lot. I have to remember that he is only nine. It is hard to believe that is was nine years ago that he came into our lives, and we are so glad that he did.

We were so festive...

Here's how Christmas played out at our house. Don't we look happy and joyful? Well, we weren't. The boys were sick and Audrey was on her way to being sick. Instead of having Christmas here at our home on Christmas day, we had it on the Thursday after Christmas. Instead of spending Christmas with Robert's family the day after Christmas, we celebrated it on Jan. 2nd. Sometimes these things happen. Kids get sick and what are you supposed to do? While I wouldn't recommend it at all, it was way to have a nice, relaxing Christmas if you don't count the fevers and ensuing coughs that followed. It was still a blessed holiday, that is what is most important. And I guarantee none of us will forget it soon. Except maybe for Audrey. :)
In case you are wondering about that fabulous beaded necklace I have on, that is what Harrison made for me. He told my dad that I didn't have a necklace to wear to the market. I am so happy that he took care of that for me. :)

soon it will be Christmas day...

I'm having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. I alternate between loving Christmas and loathing it. I love all of the obvious good things about Christmas and loathe the crowds, the traffic, the selfishness, the commercialism.

There has also been a lot of loss and heartbreak this year. Robert's Uncle Joe died a couple of weeks ago from the same lung disease that took Robert's father from us and that now is infecting his other uncle. So I don't have to tell you what that does to me, this is a hereditary disease. A friend of mine is going through a brain cancer diagnosis with her 11 year old daughter. As of right now, her future is uncertain. Another friend is grieving for her best friend that she just lost also to brain cancer. Unfortunately I could go on and on. What is it with this time of year? The melancholy just creeps its way in. We haven't had a tough winter here, far from it. The sun is still shining. It is cold but not that cold. My friends back east would call me a sissy and they would be right.

The kids are beyond excited that Santa is coming soon although Santa better hop to it and quick. Those gifts aren't going to wrap themselves! Watching them is all it takes to perk me up, but I still feel for others. That is something I can't stop doing. And as bummed out that I am over Charlie being sick (he has been running a fever for the last couple of days) I sure am not complaining.

So my Christmas cards came from a box this year, and most will probably be late. I may call them, "happy new year" cards. I at least got a photo. I'll leave you with a couple of photos that didn't make the cut.

Merry Christmas and may God bless you in the new year and always.

December begins...

Logan's Candies

Last week we took another, smaller field trip out to this delightful little candy store in Ontario. It was worth the long drive in rush hour traffic to get there. Logan's Candies has been in business since the 1930's, and in their current location since the 1950's. We were there to see how candy canes are made. Let me tell you, if it's not handmade, forget it. I guess I am a candy cane snob now. We were able to try nice warm samples and the boys each got warm candy canes that were still pliable to play with and eat. Here are some photos of our little candy adventure.

Here he has just poured the liquid sugar to let it cool down so he can start forming the candy cane sections.

There are two different lumps of candy. The small one on the left will be the red part of the candy cane. It already has red dye added to it.

Pulling the candy makes it white naturally.

Cutting the canes.....

Making the hooks.....

Aquarium of the Pacific

I think she is saying, "Do you see those seals, mom? They are huge! Can I take one home?"


Today our school group had a little field trip to the aquarium in Long Beach. The price was too good too pass up so we all went. I was a little nervous about taking Audrey because lately she has been very unpredictable with sitting in the stroller. I have had to wheel her out of events while she thrashes about trying to get out of her stroller and other times she sits and enjoys the ride. You can see why I was just a tad nervous, right? Well I am happy to report that she did extremely well. Turns out she loves to watch the fish, or sea lions to be exact. She just ooohhed and ahhhhed her way all over the aquarium. She even dug the sharks. We walked around with some friends of ours and everyone enjoyed themselves. I even go to touch a sting-ray. They feel slimy and rough at the same time. The sea lions were the stars of the show. Everyone loved them the most, they were such hams.
I think we would all agree that our least favorite part was the Lorikeet exhibit. It didn't bother me as much as it did Harrison and especially Charlie but it was a little unnerving to have these birds flying all around you and landing on you if they chose to do so. Charlie made a beeline pretty quickly for the exit there! Audrey just took it all in, such a trooper.