Group Activities

Knowing full well that although we technically live together, we will not actually see each other until June...anticipating the Monday after vacation slipping back into the vortex of activities and work, school stuff and band, fundraisers and high school graduation, college admissions letters and how to pay for it, I grabbed the bull by the horns and told them to carve out some time for all of us to hang out.
I considered taking the tree down a family activity as well.

This was the Flinch card game. It's really fun once you get the hang of it. There was a certain 9 year old who had his feelings hurt over not winning and could not be convinced it's basically a game of chance. The hurt feelings became an over-reaction which cracked us all up. We are a hard-hearted bunch and it did not make Ronan feel any better. But we did laugh over his over-reaction until we cried. I know, we are all mean. Then we all had to say we were sorry.

The next day brought pizza and bowling. Again, much more fun then even I expected. The Flatbread Pizza in Davis Square, Somerville is attached to a cute vintage bowling alley. All funky and modern and clean inside with a great organic menu. There was nothing not to like. My Bloody Mary was perfection.

All smiling and I don't think anyone's faking. I don't think. It was nice seeing you guys again. We'll catch up again in June ; )

Now We Exhale

Now it's time to enjoy the fire. A storm's a comin'. Hunker down, eat leftovers. Drink tea, knit, play games, get bored, watch a movie, sleep late, sleep later. They tell us to expect a foot at least.

The shovel stands at the ready. Off to get under the new faux fur leopard throw my mother gave us for Christmas. It's a delight!

Christmas Morning Brought...

Brand new slippers for mom! I love them~

Lots of grilling "themed" things for dad~

A much loved Pillow Pet for Ronan~he's already named him "Shep"

And brand new coats for Mom, Carter and Brady. Santa was very good to us.

Greenery Past and Present

at my mother's house on Christmas Day. A pretty vintage square planter waiting for something seasonal alongside backyard footsteps leading to the neighbor's house.

Considering we live in the Northeast, it is a wonder you can identify these as ferns on December 25th. You could call them freeze-dried.

Fresh looking greens with festive ribbon in her favorite planter. She paid $200 for it and will tell you any time you tell her you like it. It was worth every penny. Everything you put in it shines.

And here's Ms. Kitty just sitting on a stump waiting for a good birdy to fly by.

The kettle's on ; )

This is my own little way of feeling organized. I am keeping the cute-as-a-button, used-once-a-year Santa mugs on the counter with a packet of hot cocoa in them. When one is used, I replace with a new packet. I like it. It's silly, right? But makes me feel like I am always ready for a little company.

assembled with frosting and big brother...

We love the gingerbread houses that our local grocery store makes up. They glue the thing together with frosting and provide the pretty candies and plastic figures to then decorate as you like. We HAD one this year but the dog ate it. Ronan was so disappointed, but happy that we could replace it with a train kit.

This kit, however, proved a bit more complicated. The frosting was much more difficult to pipe from the bag and more than a few times the train threatened to collapse.

But we threw some more frosting on it and candy and such and voila...

She's a little crooked, but a beauty nonetheless. In a couple of weeks, she'll choo-choo her way outside to feed the critters. What? Squirrels don't like candy?

Learning from the Grinch

So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow...