Happy New Year's Christmas

We spent the day with my parents today, celebrating New Year's and a belated Case family Christmas. We love playing games, so there was a lot of fun had today.

Benji got a Lab Set, and is loving it

Oops

I managed not to take any photos for the blog today, even though I had an enjoyable 2-hr last sushi lunch of 2014 with my friend Jon, and spent the New Year's evening with the Carlsons. Great way to end 2014. Onto 2015....!

Scare

Mike called to say that his pharmacy was robbed at knife-point today. Luckily no one was hurt, but he was obviously shaken up. He deals with a lot of narcotics users, but this guy was clearly on something harder. It's scary to think of him in that situation. So thankful everyone's okay.

Chuck E. Cheese for Holden's birthday

The kids had a great time today with Jaxson, Holden, Miah & Amisha at Chuck E. Cheese!

On the way home, we stopped at the library for snowman crafts, books & movies to help pass this cold afternoon.

Play date Central

It occurred to me today that my way of getting through long school breaks may be different than other parents....  

I start out, probably as all parents do, with a rosy vision of staying in our jammies all day, showed in, making cookies, playing games, and enjoying the lack of schedule. That dream always pops within a few hours, when they fight. And fight. And fight. 

All parents say their kids fight, but I am convinced mine fight more than others. I also assume all parents believe this, too. 

So rather than take them out to various locales, filled with other out-of-school kids, in crowds, with germs, and more noise... my m.o. is to host serial play dates. It's a win-win for all of us because my kids get to play with old friends who attend different schools that they don't see often anymore, or neighbors who don't get home until dark because their parents work late, etc. And while they entertain each other (*so I don't have to*), I can get stuff done around the house in relative peace. Not quiet, but relative peace. 

Saturday neighbor Shay came over for a good 4 hour play date

Sunday, neighbors Miles and Maggie came over for another 4 hour play date

Today I dropped Jack off at a friend's house for a play date, and offered to take two boys off the hands of a friend of mine who just had her third baby. Brody added into the ninja team well....

And Ryder was an all-around good sport the whole day.

Tomorrow, it's a Chuck-E-Cheese play date, New Year's Eve will be at the home of family friends, the Carlsons, New Year's with my parents for a belated Christmas celebration and Friday we'll host another play date with Benji's friend, Luke. After that, I'm proud to say, will be a slow weekend with Mike home and then SCHOOL starts again next Monday. {Sigh of Relief.}

Anticipating

Indulging myself this morning in a little anticipatory photo tour of the hotel and area we'll be going to at the end of January, withOUT kids. Ahhhhhh.....

( I appreciate the various travelers that provided these awesome images for me to survey and drool over)

Feeling better today

After copious amounts of these supplements

Lows often follow highs

And after a great day yesterday, Mike and I both woke up today with the cold Benji's been carrying around for a week. Poor Mike has to go to work, and I had to take the kids grocery shopping. Boo! Putting my hope in homemade chicken soup.

Happiness

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy...ummm

Their favorite gift from Santa

Pokemon cards!

His favorite gift from Mom & Dad. This 5-yr-old worked on Legos all day, and never got frustrated or asked for help. Clearly Mike's child. 

The Christmas Ninja.

Ending the day with a piece of homemade french silk pie is never bad.

And I finished a puzzle!

It was a great day.

Christmas 2014 is well underway

The gifts were all open by 7am, coffee, bacon, & biscuits and gravy are in the works, and happy pajama-clad kids are reading and playing. It's going to be a good day! And I'm going to Florida!!