The Boys and Me

Just having some fun before mommy returns to the working world - but only part-time!

• I love my boys!  Even though I'm looking forward to some adult conversation, I certainly will miss them while I am driving back and forth.











• I haven't been to the mall with my little guys in SO long.  And now I remember why. I really think all of the neon lights, vibrant colors, hordes of people and overabundance of things to look at makes little people go CRAZY.  I hope I haven't ruined my sister from wanting children.  She said she had fun...but this is what I brought home.  (Thank goodness for the 1+ drive home to top off the day!)

That certainly sums up our day!

• I have started the process to begin painting!  Ryan helped me tape our entry hall this morning.  Now there is tape just about everywhere.  That should make things interesting.  Just when I thought I had found all the pieces he helped me with, I found some more during nap time.

• Andrew has a great BIG imagination.  And he talks to just about anyone he meets as if he has known them forever.  Well, 5 whole years to be exact.  He told Mike the other day, "Dad, I think I COULD make that wall talk back to me."

• Lessons are hard to learn the first time around, and perplexing the second time you have to learn them.  Like why I stopped cutting Andrew's hair by myself around the age of two.  I was reminded last night.  And poor Ryan was just traumatized.  The image of him standing on our bathroom counter, arms over his head as if he is ducking for cover, and screaming at the top of his lungs "No mommy!  No hair! I don't like it! Stop!" will not be forgotten any time soon.

• I hope this week sends us back to a normal groove for life.  We certainly will see when Friday gets here!

Our Very Own American Idol

My parents are American Idol fanatics, to say the least! 

My dad records every episode and if someone really knocks-his-socks-off he will rewind and watch them over and over again.

I watch occasionally (maybe 3-4 times in a season), but after last night's dinner crooner we just might have a real reason to watch.

You see, I am the theatrical one between Mike and I.  BIG shock, I know.

Well, until last night Mike was claiming Ryan as having a personality more like his... and Andrew was ALL mine.

He is re-thinking this now that Ryan has become a little more vocal.

The voting is in and I think we just might have the next American Idol on our hands. Just see for yourself!

(Disclaimer: Remember, we just moved so things aren't on the walls and those curtains are NOT staying!)

Mommy is very proud! 

I can just hear it from the front row now...

And America has chosen.  Your next American Idol is - Ralph Ryan aka The Ralph-inator Stevie Wonder!

You Know You're in a Small Country Town When...

After living in the "big city," as folks around here call the community we just recently moved from, it has been just a tab bit of a culture shock. 

I did grow up in this community, however after living away for 11+ years it is still a bit of a novelty. 

Don't get me wrong.  The people who make up these towns and neighborhoods are the friendliest and most caring you will find anywhere.

But, there are things you just have to reacquaint yourself with.  For instance...

You know your'e in a small community when:

• There is only one Wal-Mart in a 50+ mile radius.  And NO Target for miles and miles beyond that.  I might die.

• The majority of the "pets" are cows, horses or dogs named "Red" or "Ol' Blue."

• You are introduced to a grown man named "Bubba".  And people insist that this is his REAL name.  (I'm NOT kidding.)

• You catch yourself saying, "Ya'll, I'm fixin' to go home and cook me some dinner." Cringe.

• Washing machine is pronounced "warshin' chine" and wrestling is "wraslin."  (say it fast - "wraslin", you got it!)

• You pull into the parking lot to watch the county basketball tournament only to see a truck double parked with a trailer hitched to it - and inside the trailer are real, live horses.  Mr. Ed does like to cheer on his favorite local high school team.

• As you drive down the road, everyone kindly greets you with the hand-on-top-of-the-steering-wheel wave.

Friendly faces.  Kind gestures.  Long lines when you just need to run in to grab diapers or toilet paper.  Lots of stars in the night sky - that you can actually see.  And everybody knows everybody. 

Awww...good ol', small town life.

Learning Life All Over Again

Now that things are settling down a little bit in our new home - the majority of the boxes unpacked, pictures are finding their places on shelves and paint colors have been decided on - it is time to start thinking about the delicate balance I have to find again between home and work life.

Next week I will begin working part-time and will drive two days a week back to the city we moved from which is approximately 1 1/2 hours away. 

I feel like all the pieces of the puzzle that will make this scenario work have finally fallen into place as of today. 

The sad part is that on two days a week Andrew and Ryan will not see each other during the day. 

I guess they really didn't see each other when they went to the same daycare except for the occasional instance that they would be playing outside at the same time, but separated by a fence.  And the thought of them not being together makes me want to cry.

I hope our new routine finds us fast.  I don't mind change, but I do want it to be structured.  And I need to have a purpose and a definite plan.

I think having the time in the car will be nice.  At least my list of books that I want to read will shrink considerably as long as they are available in audio.  I am looking forward to this quite time to use for thinking, talking to God and perhaps just to sit in peace - or belt out my favorite Broadway show tune. 

Yes, I am that girl you pull up next to in your car who is completely absorbed in the radio/song she is pretending to perform in front of the masses on Broadway.  I was going to be the next Lucille Ball...ahm, AM going to be the next Lucille Ball.  Hey, Broadway could still call!

I am glad to have had the time off during these two weeks to find my role as the mommy and wife I will now become.

I have to admit that I have been VERY nervous about being the sole caretaker for my children. I know, I know that mommy is always best for your children. 

But I still have been anxious about having the responsibility of making sure that they both receive the extra educational and extra-curricular activities that they need during the day.  That I promote independence and imagination and creativity and growth and boundaries.

I have been hearing from Andrew a LOT lately, "Mom, you are so MEAN!"  I know that this is just his age, but it is still hard to hear that criticism, however valid, and know that I am the absolute law almost 24/7 now...and I'll be hearing that I lot more now in place of "I love you!  You are the best mom ever!"  Which were his common phrases not too long ago.

With all my apprehension aside, I am excited about the time I get to spend with these little people God has blessed Mike and I with.

Today was a great example of what I am looking forward to life being on the days that I just get to be MOMMY.  We played on the trampoline, sang, Andrew told stories of his school day, we made a marshmallow-snowman-graham-cracker snack with icing, raisins and pretzels, we shook our groove thing playing the Wii Smurf Dance Party, recited nursery rhymes and Bible verses, and ate a yummy, relaxed dinner all together.

However things fall into place with our routine, I am going to cherish the time I have been graciously given with my two awesome handfuls of love and their boyish enthusiasm for life.

Hansen Sunday Comics

Some of our funny moments from the last couple of weeks:

• Over the Christmas holiday I made some cute gifts for our neighbors out of mason jars.  I spray painted the lid red, added a glittery letter for each neighbor's last name, and then bought some festive ribbon to place around the top once the goodies were inside.  Well, it took until we moved last weekend to deliver our nice little Christmas gifts to the neighbors.  So much for being on top of spreading holiday cheer.  But in my defense, we just recently celebrated Epiphany and the wisemen going to see baby Jesus and sharing their gifts with him, right?

• During the loading of the moving vehicles, I sent Andrew on the mission of delivering the holiday goodies to each of our neighbors.  He felt very big doing this task.  He would take the jars one at a time, ring the neighbor's doorbell and tell them it was fun being their neighbor.  (I made homemade turtle candies to place in each of the jars.  Homemade Turtles: Ingredients - small pretzels, pecan halves and Rolos; Directions - Preheat oven to 250F, place pretzels on baking sheet, place an unwrapped Rolo on top of each pretzel, bake for approximately 5 minutes until the Rolos are softened (not completely melted).  Remove from oven and lightly press pecan half on top of each Rolo.  Enjoy!)

• Terrible two's have certainly taken over the body of my cuddly little guy.  He will start to throw the biggest fit and then I will ask him if he needs a time out.  He immediately snaps out of the tantrum, puts on a huge smile, lunges into my arms and yells "Mommy!"  Then I melt.  How can you stay strong with cheeks and a smile like that?  I will be tough, I will be tough...

• I took Andrew to his basketball game last night in the city we used to live in. (Mike and I are both adamant about finishing what you start, so now we drive.)  After the game we went to eat at a restaurant with my sister.  After chomping on several bites of yummy BBQ Andrew announces, "Alright! My tooth is loosed! My tooth is loosed!"  On the way home he called Mike to tell him the news.  "Daddy, you aren't going to believe this! I was eating some turkey and I accidentally bit the fork - and MY.TOOTH.IS.LOOSED!"  (yes, "ed" loosed!)  Tooth Fairy start saving your gold coins now!

• It really is great to wake up and have Mike right there in the mornings.  I have really missed that...until this morning.  When you have short hair, things tend to be a little crazy in the morning.  Well, me being the oblivious person I am in the mornings (right, just the mornings), I finally realized he was snapping pictures of me on his PHONE!  Nice, now we all know what the talk at the golf course is going to be about today.  Lovely.

Moving Tip #3, and Family Life with Daddy

It has been a whirlwind since my last post. 

We have loaded up the biggest Uhaul I have ever seen, the infamous trailer (if you missed Moving Tip #2, you can read it here), and three SUV's full of our valuables, memorables, and junk.

This happened all in one day, and we showed up at the new casa at 10:30pm...after telling my parents at NOON to stay at home because we were only one to two hours away from having everything loaded up and cleaned.  We didn't leave until almost 7pm.

Within 5 minutes of walking out the door and starting the trip to our new home, my hardworking husband opened up the sliding door to the patio from the living room to walk around the back yard one last time.  A huge gust of wind blew about 100+ leaves into the living room.

Moving Tip #3: BEWARE of the wind.  It can be a beast.

But that doesn't conclude the example of Moving Tip #3, oh no.

We closed on our home on Tuesday.  We began the trip back to the town we moved from by picking up Andrew from his first day at his new school.  (He loved it, but missed his best friend, Sarah.)

We wait at the title company for our turn to sign the documents.  We drink some coffee, eat some yummy cookies, and then watch the buyer walk-run out of the building. Hmmm.

They call us back to sign.  We sign and sign and sign.  And then they tell us we are basically closed, but not officially because the buyer has misplaced her cashier's check.  She is retracing her steps to find the check.  She has already been to the bank and they won't reissue her another check for 90 days unless they have the original check to void...so the house is not technically sold without that check.  Yikes!

Mike, our realtor and myself walk out to the parking lot just to see if it is somewhere out there.  Our realtor mumbled something like, "What are the chances?"  He walked down to a pond at the bottom of the hill, and came back with a soaked piece of paper.  No kidding!  He fished the check out of the pond with a stick.

I warn you again - BEWARE of the wind!  It likes to capture leaves and money!

With all that behind us, I can't tell you how nice it is to be sitting here in our new living room with my husband right next to me for the sixth night in a row.  So GOOD! 

It makes me realize just how much we have missed as a family these last six months.

But it also makes me think about who we all are today because of the experience of living apart.  We both show how much we cherish each other a lot more openly than we did before. 

The only one who seems to be having a harder adjustment is Ryan.  Poor little guy.  He has been so used to it just being mommy taking care of him that he has freaked out a couple of times when daddy has taken over.

He has been my shadow and quite the little helper since we moved last Sunday.

I love having us all together.  I am excited about making memories together as a family again. 

And can't wait to document them.

Moving Tip #2

Today marks the first day of our move. 

Last night our family came into town to watch Andrew's basketball game.  There is nothing better than two sets of grandparents, three aunts, two uncles, a cousin, mom and brother cheering you on.  (Mike was bringing up the  infamous trailer and didn't make it in time for the game.)

Andrew was beaming ear to ear the entire game. 

Since it is a four year-old league, they don't keep score... but you better believe the family was keeping track. 

This morning Mike's parents are heading over to help us finish off some odds and ends.  You know, like cleaning out the garage, beginning the cleaning process... and taking the Christmas lights off the house.

We thought about leaving them on the house as a nice housewarming present for the new home owners.

Which brings me to Moving Tip #2:  Leaving a Housewarming Gift for the New Home Owners.  

After waiting and waiting for someone to have that magic spark of love for your home (after developing a complex about yourself because no one likes your home as much as you do), I feel like I need to leave something nice behind to say "welcome" and a huge "thank you!" for buying our home and allowing us to be a family under one roof again.

I thought about leaving the wreath I made on our front door.  But selfishly, I love it and I was not willing to give it up.  Yes, even though I could make another one.  (I have a picture that shows it closer, but this is the best one I could find at the moment.  The verse on the door below the wreath is "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.")

Then I thought, well, I guess I could make a wreath for the new owner.  Honestly, when would I have the time to do that among the packing and cleaning and stressing.

I had a thought about leaving a candle, but how would I know that they would like their house to smell like the scent I chose.

Just so overwhelming.

Do you have any suggestions?

Ryan's 2nd Birthday - January 11, 2012

Today, my baby boy, you turned TWO! 

The past two years have gone by much too fast!  It just doesn't seem possible that you are already a "big kid."  Although, you still seem more like a baby than your older brother did at this age.

Photo taken by Art and Soul Photography by Angel Porch

You are running around everywhere...and eating everything!  In fact the moment that we pull up to the house after picking you and your bubba up from "little" school, you immediately start demanding, "Eat, Eat!  Eat, Eat!"  It is so cute until you are clinging desperately to my legs as I hurriedly find the first thing that is semi-healthy to tide you over until dinner is created.  Most days these snacks are bananas, crackers, cheese sticks, grapes, strawberries or cereal. 

Golly! Those cheeks!

You still detest apples.  I have tried to trick you by mixing them with pears, but you simply pick out the pears leaving the apples behind.  Too smart.

You ADORE your older brother.  And he has adored you since we found out about you...

You ask about him constantly when he is not with us.  Yesterday we dropped Andrew off at "big" school first before taking you to "little" school.  You kept asking, "Where Bubba?"  I would answer by saying, "He went to big school."  "NOoooo!" was your response every time (and you asked at least 20 times). 

You love to play with trains.  In fact, if I'm looking for you I always know to look in Andrew's room first.  You are always there on the floor playing with the choo-choos.  You make the cutest choo-choo noises for your trains.

You LOVE to dance!  We went to Aunt La La's best friend's wedding and you stole the dance floor at the reception.  I had to literally scoop you up on the way out the door to go home because you were boogieing so hard.  I received messages for weeks afterwards about your moves on the dance floor.

You are doing very well using your first manner words, please and thank you.  But boy can you throw a temper tantrum when something doesn't go your way!  Then all of a sudden, you look up and say, "done."  And that's the end of it.

Your nicknames at daycare are "Fluffy Cheeks", "Andrew Mini-Me", and "Sugar Cheeks".  Those cheeks are irresistible for kissing!

Yes, that is blue sucker ALL over your face!

You are in the 50 percentile for height and weight.  You have a wonderful, charming and funny personality developing.  You are very silly and love to have a good time. 

You are a momma's boy, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Look how much your have changed and grown during these two short years! 

Happy Birthday, my lovable joy!

Moving Tip #1

If you haven't been keeping up with the Hansen's, let me enlighten you on our current journey.  We are moving from CNN's recently named #1 city to live in the U.S. to my home town where the population of cattle out number people.  This has already been quite the adventure with my husband living in the community for 6 months (might I add with my loving parents). 

And after asking for cowboy boots, which the boys and I got him for Christmas, my big city boy has been drinking the water and is turning into quite the gentlemen-like folk.

For example - and by the way, this is Moving Tip # 1 - barbed wire, duct tape and a good sturdy rope don't always keep things together.

I have been packing like crazy and have 90% of our house in boxes ready for the big move this weekend.  Mike made the trip home Sunday night and then worked all day Monday cleaning out our shed and loading up boxes that were ready to head to our new home.

Might I add that he was loading the boxes onto a flatbed trailer.  Now, there is nothing wrong with this, but going 100+ miles on a trailer I would only let him take things in the garage and then semi non-breakable boxes from the boys' rooms (that were made up of mainly toys). 

And it's a good thing that I held to my guns, because about an hour after he left to begin the journey to our new town he called to say he had to stop and re-tie some of the rope... after one of the boxes FLEW OFF!  And he didn't go back to get it! 

Now, I know it's just stuff and can be replaced if needed, but all day I have been thinking about the contents of that box, and more importantly wandering, hoping and praying that the box didn't land in the middle of the road and cause a horrible accident.  (I watched the news tonight just to make sure there were no reports of injuries.)

I polled people at work to see what they would have done - stop for the box or drive, baby, drive.  All of the women in the office said they would go back for the box, the majority of the males said they would have just kept on going, and those women who have husbands said that their husbands would have kept on driving - and wouldn't have even told them it happened!

I'm curious...what would you have done?  Box or drive?

Dreams

I rarely dream, but when I do my dreams are long and very vivid. 

I have had only two reoccurring dreams that began in middle school and continued throughout high school.  I have only had one of these reoccurring dreams since college.  That made it sound like I have never dreamed of anything else, but I have.

I like to hear about other people's dreams and ponder on the meaning and what parts of the dream are significant to the person's life at the time.

Last night I had a dream.  It was a wonderful dream and I feel strongly about writing it down so that I remember it.  As you know with dreams, I'm already a little frustrated because I can't remember all of the details.  I'll try my best to capture as much as I can. 

God's Boat Dream

I was walking through a field with my family (mom, dad, sisters and Mike).  It was a place that felt comfortable. Somewhere that we had spent lots of time together laughing, playing and enjoying each other's company.

All of a sudden, I look up and we are standing immediately in front of a gigantic boat.  It was the biggest boat I have ever seen.  At first I wondered if we had found Noah's ark, but then I realized this was not that boat.

It was made of the most magnificent, regal wood (if wood can be regal, this was) I have ever seen.  It was so beautiful that it had a bluish glow.  I reached up to feel it, so smooth and soft.  I couldn't get over its beauty.

I then noticed in awe that whoever left a boat in this field was a miracle worker because the top of the boat had only a foot of clearance from the ceiling.  (Yes, I know a ceiling in a field, just hang with me here!)

When I turned back to my family, they were gone and standing in their place were men dressed in uniform.  I'm assuming they were some sort of police because they scooped me up and carried me away.

The next thing I remember, I'm sitting next to my mother wherever the men had taken us.  I asked her about the boat.  She told me that the men were scared of it.  I asked her why.  And she told me this story...

Long, long ago the boat belonged to two women who sailed it around the world.  They were adventurous and courageous.  They spent their entire lives on the boat.

While she was telling me these things, I could see the boat in its glory with the women aboard.  But it was not just a normal boat in water.  It looked more like something out of a Dr. Suess book.  Lots of colorful sails and flags blowing in the wind.  Below the boat were gadgets and gizmos that made the boat fly.

My mom finished her story by telling me she had always thought the story was a fable someone had told her, but now after seeing the boat she was excited to know that the story was true.

"Why did we find the boat?" I asked her.  She gave me a warm hug and said, "Maybe God is using you to let people know that the impossible is still happening, to have a little faith in the unknown and unseen."

I woke up.

I had goose bumps and a strong feeling of pride and peace knowing that God was using me for showing His grace and awesomeness to the people He surrounds me with daily. 

I have to admit that the past six months have been a struggle for me.  I have felt like I was giving up so much to move back to the community I grew up in.  So much has happened in my life since we have lived in the city we are moving from and there are so many wonderful people we will be leaving behind.  It has been hard to make my head listen to my heart - the move was the right thing for our family.

Through this tough time for me emotionally, I have known deep inside that God wants this to happen.  I have had to remember to trust Him. 

I think this dream signifies a new journey that is embarking in my life, and the realization that I have finally let go and let Christ take over once again.

The Superwomen of the Galaxy

This is dedicated to all the single mommies of our world. 

Single Mommy = Superwoman.

I have always had SO much respect for the single women whom I have had the privilege to know or meet.  But all that respect changed when six months ago, I technically became a single mother in my own right.  Mike had taken a job in other town almost 2 hours away.  I stayed put with the boys and my full time job while our house was on the market.  The past six months have been an emotional roller coaster for everyone.  But I feel like Andrew really was affected the most by the separation, even though he was being told it was only temporary and Mike and I were burning rubber on the road both ways as much as possible.

S.U.P.E.R.W.O.M.E.N. I don't care what the circumstance is, but living life as a single mom is hard and rewarding all at the same time.  It is draining and exhilarating in one breath.  On one hand you are loving and caring for these little people in your life, and on the other you are attempting to meet the demands of the grown-up world (house payment, car maintenance, extracurricular activities for the kids, etc.)  I don't claim to be an expert since my situation is not even close to the super mommy that I have had the privilege of living next door to for the past three years, but my dose of single mommy-hood has increased my respect for single mothers times 1,000.

I will never forget the first night that we were at home after Mike began his new job (the day before our anniversary).  We started adding one step to our nightly routine...bath, pjs, brush teeth, two books...call daddy.  On the third night, same routine, but daddy didn't answer the phone.  Andrew left this message, "Daddy, I love you sooooo much.  Why did you leave us? I want you to come home."  Heart.Breaking.  Mike and I were both in tears.  But we would be together again soon, right?

Well, six months later, yes.  We are finally moving this weekend and I want to shout on top of a mountain that we will be a family all under one roof, together at last.  That got me thinking about all the single mothers I was going to leave behind.  It made me cry. 

These women are of the strongest kind.  They fight battles daily at work and at home, and they win some too.  They keep a household, a family and a full time job together with just their love and determination as glue.  Amazing. 

If you know a single mother, I challenge you to be her cheerleader.  Send her flowers and a note of encouragement just because, she deserves them more than anyone I know.  Offer to watch her children so she can go to a movie or grocery shopping by herself or so she can simply stay at home and paint her nails.

Tell her how much you admire her, because she is truly amazing.

To all the Superwomen I know, you are extraordinary.  I pray for blessings beyond measure for you and yours.  Love always...

The Best Christmas EVER!

How glorious it is to see Christmas through the eyes of a 5 year-old!  We have made so many wonderful memories to cherish this Christmas season.  Andrew (the 5 year-old) thinks that Christmas never ends!  (And he is right!)

We started off our Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve, Eve.  Mike and I took the boys to see Santa Claus and then out for a family dinner at a wonderful urban BBQ restaurant.  We didn't go to the big "commercial" Santa Claus this year, but chose to support the local Rotary Club by visiting their Santa.  He was wonderful!

Ryan was not so sure of Santa this year - the picture will tell a thousand words.  Unlike his very cordial older brother who thinks he is a celebrity who everyone likes (sorry Ashton... you broke Demi's heart, and I will never think of you the same!), Ryan is very much the cautious one.  He is very friendly as long as he is in mommy or daddy's arms, safe and sound. 

Andrew (did I mention he would talk the wood off a fence post?) jumped right up on Santa's knee and proceeded to share with him the two page letter he had written to him the week before giving specific details of each wish he had for Christmas.  Mostly things that could fly, like helicopters and airplanes, things that go fast, like cars and bikes with two wheels...count them TWO, and everything the fabulous color of red.  When writing this letter, he began to go right in for the kill and asked me "How do you spell 'I want a...'?" "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" was my reply.  "First of all, you always start a letter with 'Dear' and then the name of the person you are writing, and after that don't you want to butter Santa up a little bit? Ask him about his reindeer or Mrs. Claus? You know, start off with a nice conversation opener?"  Andrew looked at me with a big blank stare and then said, "Nah, I only have this much room and reindeer is a pretty big word." 

While sitting on Santa's lap, Andrew did mention leaving Santa milk and cookies.  Santa looked at him and said, "Well, I'm not feeling so good this year.  How about you leave me some broccoli and ranch dressing instead?"  "Oh no, Santa! I'm so sorry you aren't feeling so well.  We can do that, right mom?  She said yes!  Well, how's Mrs. Claus doing?"  "Oh good, well I'll leave some milk and cookies for her so she can come with you since you aren't feeling well."  Too funny.  And yes, we did leave Santa a healthy snack of celery and ranch dressing, three cookies for Mrs. Claus (she really needs to watch her figure!), a carrot for the reindeer and two glasses of milk.

Mike has been joking that Christmas Eve started our own version of Christmas at the Griswold's.  Mike's parents got to our house in the early afternoon.  We decided to attend the early Christmas Eve service at church since it was geared towards families with children.  It was a memorable service.  Ryan talked/sang/two year-old babble throughout the entire service.  Andrew stabbed Grandpa Ray in the nostril with a pencil.  Yes, there was blood. And Ryan head-butted me in the mouth.  And yes, more blood.  We did make it through "Silent Night" sung by candlelight unscorched.  Then, on home to set the Christmas tree on fire and light a match near the septic tank.

Christmas morning came with lots of excitement.  Everyone did sleep until 7am or just after.  Andrew and Ryan ran into the living room and exploded with excitement over what Santa left them.  Andrew kept saying in amazement, "He really did it!  He didn't leave me coal!  This is so awesome, baby!"  He really was astonished the entire time that there was not a single piece of coal to be found.  Mike and I thought this was pretty funny since we had not said anything about Andrew receiving coal.  Although, I did threaten a couple of times that Santa was going to have to send a shelf elf to our house to report his good and bad choices.

We had a couple of days of down time and then headed to my parent's house for round two.  We celebrated Christmas on New Year's Eve.  It was a great time filled with helicopters, basketball, side splitting laughter while watching my mom and dad get down with the Smurfs on the Smurf Dance Party game for the Wii. (If you have not played this game, you have to go find it now!  It is seriously good clean fun for all ages!) 

On the way home from my parents' house, Andrew asked from the back seat "Christmas is not over right mom? Right?  I mean, Jesus still lives today!"

Couldn't have been a better celebration of Jesus, family and togetherness!