A couple quick stories

I was making my rounds to the kids' bedrooms cutting everyone's nails. I was working on Aiden and saw he had some hangnails and thought it would be nice to get them trimmed off. He stopped me quickly, " Mom, no! It's my skin collection!" I laughed and laughed and after I calmed down he quickly said, "Mom, don't tell anyone!" He doesn't always like us to tell funny things he says after the fact. It's enough that he lets us laugh while it's happening instead of crying like he used to!

My kids have watched Newsies fairly recently and turned on Little Women this morning. I heard Aiden announce, "Hey, that's Jack Kelly!" I was surprised that he would remember his name because it has been many weeks since we watched it so I told him how surprised I was and his response was... "I never forget a man when I see a man!"
Like, duh, mom!

What a memory.:)

It's almost time!

Pull out the holly. Put up the tree before my spirit falls again. Hmmm.... hmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmm I may be rushing things but Deck the halls again now. For we need a little Christmas need a little laughter. Need a little hmm hmm Happy ever after yes we need a little hmm.....

I guess I don't know all the words.

The last month may have been difficult but I am very much looking forward to the family arriving on Tuesday night. My parents and Tara, Eric and Malak are coming up for Christmas and then Chelan and Aaron are coming up for New Years. We had a number of days of school canceled due to snow but I am also glad that the kids have a break now for a couple weeks. Time to finish cleaning up the house and get the beds ready. We're having a party called "the Ries party" and it starts Tuesday! Whoopie!

Sickness, always behind, more sickness

Life has been kind of crappy for a while. All through the crappy parts are many good things but the crappy things have worn me down. That, and I joined facebook... We decided to move, if you remember, very quickly about a week before October finished. We moved November 9th into our house. Since we began to pack our life has been a whirling dervish. It is not normal yet but boy am I looking forward to Christmas break. Here is a choppy run down of life: packing, cleaning, hosting Haloween party, packing, moving things, moving in, unpacking two days, Cindy's death/sudden Portland trip, unpacking, grief, my birthday (day after getting back from Portland...), unpacking, really behind on kids' homework, missed meetings from being gone, lots of homework, cleaning, Thanksgiving at my house, unpacking, more homework, behind on projects at church, christmas decorating, cleaning, unpacking... all the while needing to have laundry done and food on the table. Oh, wait, did I mention Ben had strep before Thanksgiving, Aiden had/ still has a bad cough and ear infection, and Izzy and Emma, and me, and lots of zink and fish oil and garlic and silver and "c" and on top of all that Ben has had hives for over a week due to our laundry soap so everything that has been washed has to be rewashed as well as the mountain waiting to be washed, and rewashing bedding, dish towels, bath towels, cloth napkins and a husband who is freakin' tired of itching and can't touch any one or anything... And more unpacking and cleaning for a Merry Christmas... Don't forget we have to get presents... I'm tired and my throat hurts and I have lines to memorize for a play and people to call for my brother so he can have an income next year... I'm sleeping in tomorrow.

Thanksgiving

In all the chaos of packing and moving and Andy and Yannick moving here to Bellingham and unpacking and Cindy's death and overdue homework and cleaning our old house and unpacking we were suppose to be ready to host family for Thanksgiving! As long as you didn't go in the garage we looked ready for company! We had our meal at Andy and Yannick's house and spent time at our new house as well. My parents came up as well as Ryan and Jess and Art and Lesa. It was great to have everyone here in Bellingham! Here are some pictures of our week.

This is the view from A and Y's living room, dining room , kitchen... It is spectacular.


Jason, Jones and Cody enjoying the fire
We invited Bruce, a guy from church to share T with us. Here they are being entertained by Ben.
The entertainment
Sneaking a peek at the mashed potato process
Taking a picture of ourselves in the mirror
Izzy and India
Some of the cousins on the "fatboy"
Silly Emma



We had sickness and injury but besides that it was fabulous. Now to gear up for Christmas!