The Elf Is Back...

For the 5th straight year! Aka how much longer do I have to do this??

Perfect Weather To Decorate The Christmas Tree!

Sunny and 70, this the season!

Projects

We enlisted Mike's dad to hang a few things before they head back to NH tomorrow -- the dart board Charlie got for Christmas last year, and the medal rack Mike got me for the marathon:

Thanksgiving 2015

Christmas Lights Made Easy

Laser lights courtesy of Grammy and Grampy :-)

Supper with Grammy and Grampy!

Beef cutlets with mashed potatoes, gravy and broccoli tonight, and I hear pork chops are on the menu for tomorrow night! Of course Amelia had 2 helpings of Grammy and Grampy's "meat and potatoes." The girl always eats for Grammy and Grampy! 

Book Character Day!

Amelia is the witch from Room On The Broom :-)

Bedtime Stories With Grammy!!

Amelia's Christmas List

We emailed it to Santa this year. Have to keep up with the times. 

Menagerie

My co-worker who was supposed to take Mandy's cats while her floors were being refinished got cold feet at the last minute so we have a few extra house guests this week in addition to Grammy and Grampy, who come in on Monday. 2 cats, 2 ferrets, 2 in-laws, 2 kids, a dog and a turkey -- isn't that what was on the Arc? Or possibly the May Flower? 

Season End

The kids had their last soccer and flag football games of the season today. Amelia scored 3 goals, although at most the kids her age play 3 on 3. 

Charlie's team played for the championship and lost to the Black Hornets, whose coach thinks he is coaching the NFL rather than nine year olds. (He has his kids on the field practicing for a full hour and a half before each game, hops up and down on the sidelines yelling like a maniac, and argues with the ref on every call that doesn't go his way.) 

The kids both had fun though, and both want to continue with the winter league although Amelia claims she would like to try flag football next time, which would definitely be a sight ;-)

Here are pictures with their trophies:

It's That Time Of Year Again!

When I hastily throw the children in red and take the annual Christmas card picture on my cell phone, in between homework and laundry! 

A Night On The Town

We headed out to the epicenter this evening where we had dinner at Whiskey River and I made Mike try a few rounds on the mechanical bull, and then headed over to Howl At The Moon dueling piano bar for a little after dinner entertainment 

:-)

Here are a couple pics from dinner:

Thunder Road Marathon

I survived my first marathon with a time of 4:12:49 -- 19th place out of women my age group, yay!! Thank you so much to my amazing cheering squad-- Mike, the kids, Phil and Sue, Mandy and Joel and Mom and Dad!! Couldn't have done it without you!!

Mike bought me an Apple Watch for a you-finished-your-first-marathon present and it is NIFTY!! Thanks Mike!!

A Special Occasion

Amelia insisted on my doing her hair and even convinced me to let her put on red lipstick for the momentous occasion of picking up Phil and Sue at the airport later on tonight. 

Officially Done Training

A 5 mile run yesterday and a 2 mile walk today officially wrapped up my marathon training program! Now nothing to do except try to avoid freakishly injuring myself for one more day, before race day!

Mom and Dad and Phil and Sue all fly in tomorrow -- can't WAIT to see everyone!! 

Winterized X 2

Yes, if you've been visiting the folks over at BringingUpBenBecca&Baby you'll notice Amelia and Caroline have the same pretty red winter coat! Because that's what happens when your moms are twins and live on the same street and there's a good sale at the Gap...

Growing Up

My baby boy is growing up! Yesterday the kids had off from school for Veterans Day and Charlie was invited to his friend Cooper's house in our development, along with another friend, Tully, who lives right around the corner from us. Charlie and Tully successfully rode their bikes over to Cooper's house (who lives in a different section of Beverly Crest) and back!! This marks the first time I have ever let him off our street on his bike without me lol. Cooper's house is not exactly hard to get to, but it does involve crossing one street, at which the boys got off and walked their bikes. Charlie of course was thrilled at being allowed to do this (little does he know the number of phone calls and texts it took between us parents to make sure they got there and back safely!) and can't wait to do it again. 

It's Wacky Tacky Tuesday!

Race Day Approaches

Marathon week has finally arrived! 

We started off the week with Amelia sick -- she spiked a fever Saturday afternoon and again Sunday afternoon and has been ridiculously tired for the past week, falling asleep at the drop of a hat and an hour early for bed, which I had up until this point been attributing to the time change. I stayed home with her today and she slept for several hours in the middle of the day and fell asleep again at 7pm (an hour earlier than her bedtime) but did not spike a fever and complained only minimally that her "eyes hurt" which was her predominant complaint over the weekend. So I am hoping hoping hoping that she is on the mend, and that the fact that *my* eyes are starting to feel like they hurt, along with my throat, is a figment of my imagination. 

Staying home today did allow me to go on a cleaning frenzy, cleaning and organizing Amelia and Charlie's rooms, as well as multiple closets in the house, doing laundry and starting to pack my overnight bag for the race. 

This week involves only minimal running -- two 3 mile runs and a 2 mile walk before the big day, so I am basically trying to lay off the Halloween candy and Oreos this week so I don't blow up like a tick before race day... 

Meanwhile I'm super nervous and excited and looking forward to seeing Phil & Sue and Mom & Dad for a super fun filled weekend!! 

Hooray For A Clean Room!

Now if only we can keep it this way for Uncle Phil and Aunt Sue's visit!

A Working Fireplace!!

Turns out the pilot just needed to be cleaned and there was air in the gas line. Yay for easy fixes!

Love Note

In case you can't figure out the creative spelling, it says: "I love you mom. You are my favorite cuz you are awesome!"

Smoker's Cough

Amelia: (Coughing as she walked out the door this morning.)

Charlie: "Amelia, are you getting sick?"

Amelia: "No Charlie, that's just my smoker's cough!" 

Then she proceeded to pat herself down on the way to the bus stop: "Charlie, I lost my cigarettes!" 

Football Pictures

Here are a couple of Charlie's football pictures. He scored the game winning touchdown on Saturday!!