Starting the New Year Off Right

Ooooh - so many things that have been going on around this joint... :)

We started a new workout program - again.  Darrell got his scouting uniform and his pinewood derby car - I know... it's a VERY exciting time...  I think that he's going to earn a patch for the Pinewood Derby - I don't know how they earn patches, but I do know that I get to sew his troop patches on his shirt tonight....

Kennedy got her Swimsuit situated and she is ready to go on Thursday nights with me - 

AND

I started my visiting teaching already!  WOO... 

SEE - so far so good!  Only 6 days into the year and I feel SO productive! YAY!

Pictures

You know,

I really thought that I had done a phenomenal job of taking pictures over the holiday season.  I thought that I had been toting my camera around with me almost the whole time.  After all, I did get pictures of the tree and stuff - but still, that was done before the break.  Now that I have looked over the disk, I have found that I have not taken near as many pictures as I thought that I had before... :(  Sad.

So, I am sorry - I don't have pictures to post here because I didn't take any.  Guess I will have to do better next year.  You know, it's only a day away!

Can you believe that Christmas is going to be here in just 3 more days?  (A little less for those of you who are getting up before me - hahahaaa!)  Anyway, I just wanted to share this little gift that I made for Kennedy .  She needs a new swimsuit, but I can't take her to try one on before Christmas otherwise she will know what she's getting!  (And I can't have that) So, I made this little certificate for her...

Pretty nifty, huh... :)

I miss the days of "Warm" already... and though it's not quite Christmas (7 more days for those of you that have lost count) I am ready for Spring to come back already.  Last night Rick and I stayed up and wrapped presents - it's an advantage when we don't have kids with us nightly.  Just about everything is done - just about.  There are a few loose knots that need to be tied up, but otherwise, we are ready to go. So, as I am sitting downstairs amidst all of the mismatched pieces of cut up paper, I realized, it's COLD.  I can't wait for spring to return!!  So, from me to all of you snow bunnies out there - I am officially on STRIKE!  I gladly take up my picket sign and chant "No more snow!  No more snow!"

LOVE YA!

The Butcher, The Baker, the Candlestick Maker...

You have all seen the pictures that I have of Darrell in the kitchen.  This boy just loves to cook.  I don't know what it is - but he has a thing with being hands on in the kitchen.  I am totally alright with that as long as it is a recipe that I am willing to do with him.  He has this cookbook and personally, none of the recipes are worthy - so, I spend time finding ones that are.  And he spends time helping me make things.  This season it has been cookies.

He helped to soften the dough, roll it out, cut out the shapes, and even place them on the cookie sheet.

We have yet to decorate the delicious cookies - And I have a LOT of cookies that need decorating... What to do! What to do!!

More on Natalie and Saturday Fun...

NATALIE COLE - was incredible.  My personal assessment, the gal can sing. HahaHaha.  No, really, she can.  Something about winning a few Grammy's - I guess she can.  The performance was not up to Sissel or The King Singers, but I liked it a lot better than Brian Stokes Mitchell.  She has a very smooth voice -

Now, there was a slight mishap with the tree.  They dancers and choir did a song, and as the tree was coming up from the floor it must have gotten snagged on something, because there was much shaking and I am certain that everyone in our section Gasp as loud as they could.  I don't think that they will pull a fully decorated tree from the floor again any time soon. Tee hee...

Now, onto the Party!

YAY FOR GINGERBREAD HOUSES MADE OUT OF GRAHAM CRACKERS!!  This weekend we had a "Cousin Party" hosted by Auntie Aislinn.  The cousins got together to make Gingerbread Houses and Play Musical Chairs and Open presents from each other, white elephant style.

Making a Gingerbread house takes precision and a steady hand!  It also takes a strong will to not eat the special gingerbread-house making ingredients... ooooh, but they look so tasty and delicious!!

THERE ARE TOO MANY PICTURES!! Just wanted to point that out.  Anywho - Aislinn has completed pictures of the gingerbread houses.  Perhaps I can get some of them from her to put up here- or maybe she will post them herself... HINT HINT...