Christmas with Ray's Dad's Family

We went up to Little Falls on Saturday the 29th to co-celebrate (is that a word?) Christmas with Ray's dad's family and also Ray's dad's 54th birthday. We had a wonderful meal and opened presents and played a few games and chatted. Liam especially liked being pushed around in a cardboard box like a little wagon/sled.

The pictures show Ray's dad (Charlie) and wife, Karon. You can also see Ray's sister (Christine) and then her husband (Chris) and their two children - Trent and Nichole. Ray's grandma Hagen is in one of them as well. Since I was sitting right next to cousin Jeff, I didn't manage to get him in any pictures. There were 12 of us -- the four of us, the four Albrights, Charlie/Karon and Grandma/Jeff.

Zoo

The four of us went to the zoo today. I was impressed with my photo of the live eagle. The one of the puma wasn't great. The other picture is of the boys looking at an otter and the snake was in the nocturnal exhibit.

My Current Book List...

Here are the first 25 novels that I have finished.

"All is Vanity" -- Christina Schwarz 4 stars
"Disobedience" -- Jane Hamilton 3 stars
"The Mermaid Chair" -- Sue Monk Kidd 5 stars
"Eden Close" -- Anita Shreve 4 stars
"Vinegar Hill" -- A. Manette Ansay 4 stars
"Open House" -- Elizabeth Berg 3 stars
"The Lovely Bones" --- Alice Sebold 4 stars
"While I Was Gone" --- Sue Miller 5 stars
"Black & Blue" --- Anna Quindlen 5 stars
"Drowning Ruth" -- Christina Schwarz 2+ stars
"Map of the World" -- Jane Hamilton 4 stars
"Where the Heart Is" -- Billie Lett 5 stars
"Midwives" -- Chris Bohjalian 4 stars
"House of Sand and Fog" -- Andre Dumus III 5 stars
"Midnight Champagne" -- A. Manette Ansay 3 stars
"One True Thing" -- Anna Quindlen 5 stars
"The Good Mother" -- Sue Miller 4 stars
“What We Keep” – Elizabeth Berg 5 stars
“Blue Water” – A. Manette Ansay 5 stars
"Rise & Shine" -- Anna Quindlen 4 stars
"The Book Of Ruth" -- Jane Hamilton 5 stars
"The Pilot's Wife" -- Anita Shreve 4 stars
"A Walk to Remember" -- Nicholas Sparks 4 stars
"Icy Sparks" -- Gwyn Hyman Rubio 5 stars
"The Joy Luck Club" -- Amy Tan 5 stars

Pretty Christmas Lights

This evening after supper we decided to take the kids driving around looking at the Christmas lights. We hadn't officially done it yet. Well, about 10 minutes into the escapade, Connell was already asking to go back home. Liam seemed pretty patient, but we aren't even sure if he was able to see anything through his window.

Same Shirt, 34 yrs Later

This is a shirt with cowboy hats all over it that Ray used to wear back in 1973 or 1974 and his great grandma made for him. I pulled it out of the closet this morning and it brought back some memories for Ray. However, I believe that he didn't actually remember wearing it as I am pretty sure that you don't truly remember things before age 2 or 3. Perhaps there are some pictures out there with Ray wearing it.

Joseph Has Been Found!!!!!

For those of you who have been in the loop with the "missing Joseph" figure from our Little People Nativity Scene -- I found Joseph today after about 2-3 weeks of being missing. He was hidden among lots of Connell's arts and crafts stuff in a tupperware container. I have made it one of my missions today to try and go through many of our toys and Connell's crafts and try to organize things better. We'll see how long Connell can keep it up! Ha, ha.

Merry Christmas to Everyone....

We are enjoying a quiet Christmas at home just the 4 of us. We hope that all of you are enjoying your holiday time with family and friends.

Kitchen Set and Extras

Here is the kitchen set and foods that Grandma and Grandpa Boyce and Aunt Neysa bought the boys.

Christmas Eve

The boys wore their Christmas/snowflake sweaters (thrift store specials) and got ready to go to Owatonna for the get-togethers. We spent several hours at my mom and dad's house with my parents and also Aunt Neysa and Great Uncle Paul before going to my mom's brother's house a few blocks down the road for the evening. The boys were thrilled with their kitchen set and extras that they got down there! The festivities there didn't really start until 6 pm and since the boys have been going to bed around 6 pm or 6:30 pm lately, they were both very whiny (mostly Liam) until we left at 8:30. It was a very difficult evening trying to socialize with anyone with Liam crying most of the 3 hours that we were there. For any Wacek family member who is reading this blog, I apologize for my sons' behavior and am sorry that I didn't get to chat more.

Our First Gathering

On Sunday the 23rd, the Albrights (Ray's sister and family) as well as the sandbox grandma (Ray's mom) and her boyfriend, Tom came for our first Christmas celebration. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and it took the Albrights several hours more than usual to arrive. The cousins had fun playing together, we had a nice meatloaf meal and overall it was a fun afternoon despite the nasty weather.

Here is a photo of the boys with their cousins Trent (13) and Nichole (8).

Santa's Helpers

Daddy went to Menard's today and brought back two Santa hats. They were Liam's size so they didn't really fit too well on anyone else. We got a few cute photos out of the deal though...

Trimming the Tree

Ray and Connell put up the Christmas tree this morning. Connell thought it was "wonderful". It's the first time that we have put up a tree since Connell was even born. We hope that it stays in tact for at least a few days so that we can enjoy it.

Marker Problems

This is what happens when you turn your back for a few moments while the boys are harmlessly coloring with markers.

The Wannarkas Come For A Visit

Emily and her children Caleb (6) and Alayna (2) came to visit this morning. It was great to see them as we hadn't seen them in over a year given the purchase and renovation of their new home and Em's recent health issues. As we were talking, it kind of made me sad realizing that things have sure changed -- we used to be able to sit and chat and get details about so many things and now with 4 kids around, we couldn't talk for 2 minutes without being interrupted. Most of the time I had to keep my boys from stealing toys away, hitting (Liam seems to have begun the hitting stage at 18 1/2 months whereas Connell was 20 months when he started) or I was trying to discipline them. Those of you who know my boys probably know what it was like. I have known Em for about 27 years now and so it's always fun to get together and chat.

Caraway Seed Fiasco

Last evening I started to make a stew for a meal that I am bringing today to a new mom at our church. I got everything combined and then reached for my new bottle of caraway seeds that I had recently purchased at Cub Foods for $4.65 -- no where to be found. I spent about 45 minutes going through cupboards and drawers and carefully taking apart the spice cupboard. Nothing. So when Ray got home, I had to run out to get more since the recipe isn't anything without the caraway seeds for flavor. Ray had asked me if I checked underneath the sink which I hadn't and for some reason I didn't bother to do before my run to Cub. Well, this afternoon I was going under the sink for some Windex (it's where we keep all the cleaners/some chemicals) and there was the unopened bottle of caraway seeds! So if anyone has more recipes using lots of them, email them to me as I have enough caraway seeds to last me for years now!

Note...it was the boys who put the bottle in the wrong place. Despite the childproof latch on the cupboards, they get their skinny arms through anyway and pull out whatever they can.

"Happy Birthday, Jesus" Party at Preschool

This morning we had Connell's holiday party which the preschool calls a "Happy Birthday, Jesus Party". Liam didn't want to sit still so I chased him around the church most of the time. Connell did really well with his singing and actions. It was really cute. Daddy even took time off from work to come videotape it.

We have been very impressed with the organization of the St. John Neumann preschool program. The director has been there for 11 years and so she really does a nice job. We have appreciated how understanding the staff has been with Connell's food allergies as they keep in touch with me often regarding them. The director called me the night before last to see what she could buy for Connell to eat at the party since he couldn't have the cake. There was a whole package of Golden Oreos on the counter behind the cake for him -- although we only let him have 4.

Note...Liam's injury is a result of running into a small hamburger stool in the McDonald's play area yesterday.

Connell's Xmas Art Projects

Here is a sample of some of Connell's latest art projects from preschool. I had to take a photo of them and put it on the blog so that I don't feel as guilty dropping them in the "circular file" later today -- if you know what I mean.

Playgroup Holiday Party

We had a fun time at the Rosemount McDonald's for the Playgroup in the Park '07 Holiday Gathering earlier today. Everyone showed up although Carmen and Elena were sleeping in the car in the parking lot with their mom for most of it. There were still 18 kids and 14 adults just from our group that made it inside. We really monopolized the play area. We also had a gift exchange with the theme of "Puzzles and Games" and so Liam got a wooden farm puzzle and Connell got a fishing game. It was a lot of fun although my boys were the first to tire out and they got their shoes on and told me when it was time to leave.

The picture is of Vicki with her children, Brooke and Riley, and Jennifer with her daughter, Amy.

Playing Reindeer Games...

On the way to the Playgroup Holiday Gathering, we stopped at Amy's house for a few reindeer games. My boys weren't too cooperative in wearing the attire nor sitting still for a photo. Brooke, Amy and Riley were all over the reindeer ears and noses though!

Twins

We didn't realize until this morning that when Ray and I each took our perspective son (we generally put the one to bed that most resembles ourself!!!) into their bedrooms last night to get them ready for bed, that we chose the same sleeper for both! That hasn't happened in a year and so the boys were thrilled to see that when they got up this morning!

Third Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, we lit the pink candle in addition to two purples and prayed for the Hispanic family from Minneapolis that we are co-adopting along with some of Ray's ADC co-workers.

Neysa's Birthday

After my mom, dad and Neysa went to the Burnsville Chili's for her birthday lunch, they came over to visit. We had made a chocolate cherry cake for Neysa and also gave her a DVD player.

I've Created a Monster

After lunch today, Connell got some black construction paper and "ordered" me to trace his hand and cut it out (we did a similar project as homework for preschool a few weeks back). Then he asked me to take a picture of him with his hand. He insisted that we go down and put it on the blog. When I asked what we were going to say about it, he reponded, "say, that this is my black hand and sometimes it gets itchy." There you go. I've created a blogging monster it appears.

Second Sunday of Advent

Today we had our wreath lighting ceremony and prayed for the children that we would be helping out through Toys for Tots. We did our little prayer ceremony right before leaving with several toys to donate to the organization through the drive being held at Connell's preschool teacher Miss Theresa's house.

The Sandbox Grandma's Birthday

The Sandbox Grandma and Tom came to our place today to celebrate her birthday which was yesterday. We ate at Ruby Tuesday and then had pie and ice cream at our house. The kids ran around like madmen and Connell even colored all over the front room wall with markers (and despite the WASHABLE label on the markers, neither the Mr. Clean Magic Sponge nor Shout stain remover nor Dawn dishwashing detergent got the marks off!)

Karaoke Machine Fun...

A few minutes ago I dug a sealed kiddy Karaoke Machine out of my closet that I remember buying for about $5. at Petter's Warehouse Direct when I was pregnant with Connell. It looks pretty sharp, but is pretty basic and clearly only worth about the $5. that I paid. Anyway, the boys are having a blast with it -- getting the CDs to go in and out and then singing through the microphone which really amplified voices through a small speaker. I actually brought it out as a new toy for the boys to play with so that I can run out to the store for an hour or two, but I am afraid that they will have it broken before I even finish posting this.