Breakfast with Santa

One of the Christmas festivities at my work is a breakfast with Santa for the kids. It's for ages 10 and under- which I thought would be fun for Caleb, Lilly.
Lilly was all about it. She went right up.
She held a 3 minute conversation with Santa.
Caleb- not so much. He was not happy being dragged to a "baby Christmas party"


This is the picture that we brought home with us:

It was a horrible experience- until they told him he could pick out a stuffie.


And from then on, the day was perfect and there was no more pouting.




He even suggested this pose:



Proving that he is not too old for stuffies. He's just too old to sit on Santa's Lap.

I'm pretty sure he'll be too old for stuffies before too long and then I might just have have a good cry.

They grow up so fast


Merry Christmas!

In which we risk our lives for Lil's Birthday present

We bought tickets to take Lilly to see the nutcracker. After our Narnia experience last year, I Really should have thought twice before opting not to buy insurance on the tickets.

Lilly seems to have a Snow jinx and I will do my best to talk her out of a winter wedding if this trend continues.


Anyway, it really should not surprise us that the night of our nutcracker concert we get hit with the biggest snow storm since the 96 blizzard (or so says the news report). 18 inches and blizzard like conditions.


18 inches of snow be darned. We were not going to miss this. We all don our snow boots with our Christmas dresses.

And we head out into the white wonderland.

The orchestra played beautifully. The dancers were amazing and we made it home in one piece.

We were smart and parked in the garage (so worth the $8.00!) and only had one near catastrophe on the way home.

Lilly loved it and has been twirling around the house ever since.

Some more Christmas cheer

Another song from Abby's Christmas concert in the mall.


You must visit the blog to see the video

It's a Hanukkah Miracle!

Lilly has a jewish friend in school. Last year she asked if we could get a menorah and I could not find one any where. I promised her one for this year that we could light during Hanukkah.

I ordered one back in Mid November. Plenty of time beforehand right?? Wrong. It was back ordered and I got a letter from amazon apologizing for the delay, but they would not be able to ship it until December 28.

So I had to come up with plan B.




It's an advent calendar with candy under each candle. Not exactly an menorah, but it will due.


However, I was shocked when at our doorstep today was a box. And in that box held a Hanukkah miracle. The menorah.



Lilly was ecstatic.

Christmas Cheer

Enjoy some Christmas cheer.

The video is from Abby's Mall concert last week. :D


Email and facebook people, you must visit the blog to see the video

In which I become an Aunt for the 9th time

• He looks just like his daddy, but has his mother's ears.

• He was born on 12/6 at 6:12

• He weighed in at 7lbs 7 oz and is the 7th grandchild

He is perfect in every way.


Welcome to the world little Awnan. Your auntie Jen loves you very much.

Making things merry and bright.

Do not be offended this year if you do not get a Christmas card from us. After the past two years of failed Christmas Card sending attempts (and that was when I didn't have a job!)- we have decided not to even try this year. Somethings have got to give and that was one of them. :(

Consider this your Virtual Christmas card from our family to yours:


This just happens to be number 93 on Shunk 101. Our first cross off on the list! How very exciting!

(email people, you must view the site to see the video. Or if you are my friend on facebook, I have also posted it there)


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On a side note, life has been kind of crazy around here. Going back to work has been such a challenge and finally after almost a year later I feel as though we are finally getting a routine down and although it needs some help tweaking now and then, it's finally becoming our new normal.

It helps that I have a paid chef now to help out. :D Yup, you heard me, a Paid Chef! - Chef Abby.

She's saving up for an i-touch and so I get out the stuff for dinner and she makes it and then I pay her. It's working out pretty well if I do say so myself.


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Yesterday, the boy had what he called "the best day of his life"

His sisters were away, and I took him to see Planet 51



Which he LOVED, btw. He was giggling the entire time.

It started to snow and he was running around the parking lot catching snow flakes on his tongue.

We finally went and redeemed his Pizza Hut Book it coupon, which had the "best pizza he's ever had"

And since he was so good while we were shopping, I decided to Pick him up a stocking stuffer lego set

When Jim came home we went out to eat and then watched A Christmas Story.

The boy may be weird. He may be gross. But he's also a great kid. We had so much fun.


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Don't hate me for what I am about to write next.

As of yesterday at 7:00 pm, eastern time- We are done Christmas Shopping




It's a Christmas miracle!

Shunk 101

In my quest for finding fun things to do I came across the idea of doing 101 things in 1001 days (read more about the project here)

I have a small obsession with lists. I love them. Instantly I knew this was going to be our next big family activity.

I sat the everyone down and talked to them about it and they all agreed to humor me. And so Shunk 101 was officially born.

For the past 2 weeks or so we have been working on the list.

We have weeded out the impossible ideas such as walking on the moon or selling Caleb at the next yard sale.

We have made it economically possible to achieve all of our goals (sorry kids, there will be no trip to Oregon to sleep in tree house hotel. Bummer!)

We even have a nice little spread sheet printed up and posted in our dining room to remind us of our goals.

And so today, we start our 1001 day long adventure.

I give you The list:


Shunk 101

Start date: December 1, 2009
End Date: August 28, 2012.

Travel:
1. Go to Shunk Pa for the afternoon, search for a "Welcome to Shunk" sign. Take a family picture in front of it. Create Christmas card from said picture.
2. Go see Wicked on Broadway
3. Visit two states we have never been to before (1/2)
NY- Caleb 3/28/10
4. Hike Bushkill Falls
5. Picnic in Gettysburg
6. Visit the PA Grand Canyon in the Fall

Family Fun:
7. Go on 3 Mommy/Daddy/Abby Dates (0/3)
8. Go on 3 Mommy/Daddy/Caleb Dates (1/3)
New York City 3/28/10
9. Go on 3 Mommy/Daddy/Lilly Dates (1/3)
Nutcracker 12/19/09
10. Take 8 trips to new places (1/8)
Planet Trog 12/28/09
11. Make a list of 25 things that makes us happy (0/5)
12. Go on a photo scavenger hunt in two different cities
13. Build the snow speeder model (Jim and Caleb)
14. Make a creative cake/cupcakes with the kids for their birthdays (1/3)
Fail-y Rainbow Cake
15. Go to the Philadelphia Art Museum
16. Family Game night with a game we have never played before (2/3)
The Crazy old fish war card came 1/3/10
Mr Men & Little Miss Twister 1/18/10
17. Go Glow Bowling
18. Play Lazer Tag 12/28/09
19. Go roller skating

New Experiences:
20. Zipline
21. Take Abby, Caleb and Lilly to a High School Play
22. No TV/video games for one week (0/3)
23. Teach Lilly to ride a two wheeler
24. Go to Creation
25. Go to a Dueling Piano Bar
26. Go tubing

House:
27. Reface the kitchen cabinets
28. Finish trim in dining room
29. finish trim in powder room
30. Tile Kitchen floor
31. Tile Upstairs bathroom
32. Fix Electrical Problem
33. Weed mess out back
34. Finish retaining wall
35. Deep Clean the kitchen (1/3)
36. Clean out kitchen cabinets
37. Clean Carpets (0/4)
38. Paint master bedroom
39. Put up blinds in the kids rooms
40. Paint wall on the front patio
41. Put flowers in planters in the front patio

Creative:
42. Learn how to use my sewing machine (Jen)
43. Use the typewriter in 10 projects (1/10)
Valentines Day Heart Project 1/31/10
44. Use the silhouette in 10 projects (0/10)
45. Crochet a scarf (Abby)
46. Do 10 Instructables (2/10)
1-up mushroom Ornaments 12/09
Mexican Egg Rolls 3/10
47. Create a year at a glance book
48. Make linen napkins
49. Make/buy pillows for Abby's bed
50. Make a headboard

Food:
51. Do not eat out for 5 weeks (0/5)
52. Make a successful meatloaf
53. Visit 10 area restaurants we've never been to before (3/10)
CiCi's Pizza Buffet 12/28/09
Malnari's Restaurant 1/11/10
Bubba Gumps 3/28/10
54. Eat vegetarian for 20 meals (3/20)
Couscous Salad & Carrot Soup 1/9/10
Panera's mediterian Veggie sandwhich and French onion soup 1/23/10
Veggie Soup
55. Plant a windowsill herb garden
56. Make a pie crust by hand
57. Try Cavier
58. Make a beef wellington
59. Make bulk cookie dough and freeze it
60. Purchase a chest freezer 1/4/10

Photography:
61. Take a picture of the same scenery in all four seasons
62. Take a photoshop class
63. Take a family portrait
64. Purchase Studio lights
65. Do a "framed" photo shoot

Health:
66. Purchase a treadmill
67. Participate in the webwalking USA project


Organization:
68. Put all music on a device
69. Create an updated budget
70. Organize passwords and Log ins
71. Set up an allowance/chore chart for the kids
72. Scan old pictures into the computer
73. Convert to an electronic Calendar
74. Purchase shoe storage
75. Create a better launch pad
76. Acquire a cross cut shredder
77. Recreate a better filing system that what we have now

Just for Fun:
78. Blog updates on Shunk 101
79. Have a party to celebrate the end of Shunk 101
80. Make year in review videos (1/3) 1/1/10
81. Create a music video with Abby
82. Create a music video with Caleb
83. Create a music video with Lilly
84. Read War and Peace (Jen)
85. Put a puzzle together as a family
86. Fly a kite
87. Watch all the Star trek movies together (4/10)
1/8/10 Star Trek the motion Picture
1/15/10 Star Trek II
1/19/10 Star Trek III the search for Spock
1/31/10 Star Trek IV
2/10 Star Trek V
2/10 Star Trek VI
2/10 Star Trek VII
3/10 Star Trek VIII
3/10 Star Trek IX
88. Finish Paper Mario and Super Paper Mario
2/09- Jim Finished Super Paper Mario
3/09- Jen Finished Paper Mario
89. Learn how to make an oragami Crane

Holidays:
90. Go caroling
91. Learn about Hanukkah 12/20/09
92. Give presents to a needy family/angel tree (1/3) 12/09
93. Make a deck the halls video
94. Dye Hollowed out easter eggs
95. Make Halloween Costumes instead of buying them
96. Make Handmade Valentines day decorations with the kids
97. Go to Gring's Mill Christmas
98. Take the kids to see a passion play
99. Weed out Christmas ornaments- saving them for when the kids move out
100. Have a christmas tree campout 12/27/09

and last but not least:
101: have fun spending time together as a family

She's going to make a great wife someday.

Lilly made this for Jim yesterday:



Translated it reads:

Take the staples out of the wall so I can put the stickers. Jim list to do get done today in the girls room

A little background. When we moved in I put on her wall a bunch of Anne Geddes pictures and being quite stupid I put them up with a stapler. I have since taken the pictures down but I could not get the staples out of the wall without tearing the drywall apart. Lilly has these Wall stickers that she wants up, but we couldn't put them up with all these staples hanging out in the wall. I've been asking Jim to do this since the end of summer. And well, It hasn't got done yet.

Until today. Apparently the six year old honey-do list worked and when Lilly came home from school, her wall was staple free. :D

Who says 12 year olds are too old for dolls.

So Lilly really, really wants her own American girl doll for Christmas. She has been playing with Abby and her dolls and that's been ok. However, there seems to be a lot of bickering as to *how* they play.

Lilly wants to be their mom. She wants to feed them and cuddle them and feed them milk and cookies.

Like this picture below. Lilly would have this doll set up like this and expect that she'd be selling lemonade. Or perhaps she's a teacher- showing her bitty babies how to read.




Abby has other things in mind. More grown up things. More things that she thinks are *cool* and that she is wishing that she could do.

Like DJ Hero:



Yeah. The 5 year difference is starting to show. And the bickering continues. Constantly.




Can you guess what Lilly will be getting under the tree this year? I know what I'll be getting... A break from the fighting and possibly a fraction of my sanity back. (I can only hope...)

Star wars orchestra

I don't know if you have seen this video or not. Caleb and I were looking for Star wars legos videos on you tube the other day and found it.



And as we were watching I was brought back to a week or two ago where I caught the kids "playing orchestra" in Caleb's bedroom before school.

Maestro Caleb was blaring his star wars soundtrack and conducting the orchestra (or to be more specific- Lilly on the harmonica). Thankfully I had my camera nearby and was able to capture a few shots before I had to run off to work.







I just love their imaginations. :)

Flightless Birds

A video of Abby's birthday cup cakes. The Music makes this video so make sure you have your speakers on. I must say the first time Jim and I watched this video we both had tears rolling down our cheeks we were laughing so hard. :)

For all you facebookers and email people- please visit the blog to see this video http://www.jlshunk.blogspot.com/

Abby's Summer Band Concer

If you are a friend on my facebook account, then you may have already seen this. Sorry.

Abby participated in Berks Summer Band Institute for her second year, and since I was sitting in a really crummy spot for flipping the concert I decided to use Jim's pictures and put them overtop of the video. (which is something really cool I just accidentally learned how to do in Movie maker this summer by dropping my video to the wrong spot- and it leaves my brain churning with all these ideas of videos I'd like to do and just don't have the time to put together- which makes me a little sad. But I digress) Now you can actually see Abby up on stage and not the person in front of me who kept moving their head in front of where I was flipping.

Boys Night Out- Eagles Flight Night

The boys decided they needed a night out. And Us girls were glad to let them (Especially since we didn't have to go with)

I think the video says it all

I just wish we had the flip when the other two were at this stage.

Too darn cute.

Visit the blog to see the video http://www.jlshunk.blogspot.com/

Forcing Family Fun

Believe it or not our kids are not always perfect angels like the ones you see here on my blog.

They can get cranky, ornary, and just plain stubborn when the mood strikes them. Even on Vacation- much to our dismay.

Hence these pictures:













Although very frustrating while we were dealing with it at the time, it's kind of funny to see them all lumped together. Like a Gag reel of our vacation. :)

Who said online shopping is evil???

I was looking for a CD of the weepies first Album Hapiness (see my biking video- the title track is from that album) I went to my usual first stop, Amazon. I could not believe the prices they wanted, so I tried half.com & ebay. Same thing. Ebay was the worst the starting bid was $70 for this CD!

So I googled the album name to find out why it was so expensive and I found this website called CD baby and they're price was $11.98. Sold. I bought it and was keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't just get swindled in some internet scam and my credit card would be maxed out by the end of the day.

I got an order confirmation and was a little worried when 7 days later I still had not receieved word that they had shipped my cd. ( and I will confess I checked my account balance on the credit card several times to make sure all was well in our account!)

However on Day 8, CD baby redeemed themselves in my eyes. Just read this email they sent to me:

Jennifer-

Thanks for your order with CD Baby!
USPS TRACKING NUMBER:



Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.
A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.
Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.
We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved "Bon Voyage!" to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, July 16, 2009.
We hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. In commemoration, we have placed your picture on our wall as "Customer of the Year." We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sigh...
We miss you already. We'll be right http://cdbaby.com/, patiently awaiting your return.
--
CD Baby
The little store with the best new independent music.
http://cdbaby.com cdbaby@cdbaby.com (503)595-3000

I have to wonder how many people just glance at this email, see the tracking number and move right on missing the greatest shipping confirmation email they ever got.

Rock on CD baby! Rock on!

Our vaction Video (finally)

After wrestling with these videos for over a month now, I finally got it done this afternoon.

Email people must visit the blog to see it. :)

Hapiness is riding on the Creeper Trail

I took most of these pictures while riding on the trail and so I apologize for the bump or two that you'll see. :)

We loved this so much that we decided to do it again. Jim and I are going away for our anniversary in September and although we won't be going to VA, we found a place in the Poconos that has a similar trail along the Lehigh Gorge and we'll be riding that. :)

Getaway Swim

Unlike the previous few weeks, we had perfect weather. There was a slight mountain storm blowing through on Saturday, but every other day was bright enough to heat up the pool and provide perfect swimming weather. But even the rain did not stop our kids from partaking in the pool festivities. You can see in the picture below that the rain drops hitting the pool.