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)


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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