That's a wrap!

So, I realized as I finished my last post that I didn't really say much about us or our year.  It was less "wrap up" and more "three month meander."  Let's do one more take and keep it super simple:

The Boyz:

9 months old

They love: 

wet food, outside, watching out the front windows, climbing, playing, pouncing, catching bugs and bringing them in the house (ew!), drinks right from the faucet, racing around like crazies.

Yes, Jinx.  I mean you.  

You too, Ollie.

That is an excellent demonstration of what you boys have been up to, Ollie!

Well done!

Oh, are we boring you, Jinx?  

Little Sis:

8 years old, 3rd Grade

Loves:  

Harry Potter, reading, crafts & sewing, friends, girl scouts, school, snuggling with her Ollie Boy, mischief of any kind, teasing her dad, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, legos, animals, turtles & penguins, sparkles, singing and dancing

Big Sis:

10 years old, 5th Grade (!!!)

Loves: 

Harry Potter, TV (especially classic 80's cartoons), Hero Factory, Voltron, Super Heroes, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, Science, Girl Scouts, lions, animals, knights, tools and helping dad in the shop, legos, snuggling with the kitties, staying in pajamas all day, snuggling with Mom & Dad, swimming

The Mister:

Manufacturing Engineering Manager 

2nd Counselor, Bishopric

Loves:

Working in his wood shop, wood of all varieties - favorite is Maple,  tools, vacations, planning vacations, books on CD, working on his traditional German candle pyramid project, German chocolate, planning wood projects, fishing, teasing his children & his wife (or anyone else in the vicinity)

Me:

Weitzel Family Zookeeper 

NAEP Testing Coordinator (Dec.-Mar. only)

School Volunteer (Art Program & Room helper)

Girl Scout troop leader

2nd Counselor, Primary (recently called - Gulp!)

Loves:

Reading, napping, crafting, snuggling kids & pets & husband, chocolate, not having to decide on or make dinner, a clean house (but I don't like making it clean, hah!), music, laughing, cool fall and spring weather (boo to heat!), vacations, quiet, electric blanket, my David Austin roses, my yard when it's tidy, strawberries, being able to find something when I need it, people who are kind to each other, "grumpy cat" Tardar Sauce, people who don't take themselves too seriously, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Castle, a good story, cookies and milk 

That pretty much sums us up for now, in all our wild and woolly glory.  It's been a good year, but certainly not without struggles.  We're all still very much works in progress, but we can see there has been lots of growth for all of us this year.  

And, growing pains are just another part of life in Dramaville.

Weitzel Winter Wrap Up

Well, the Christmas cards have gone out and as I have put our blog site on them, I suppose I ought to throw something up here as a welcome for any visitors!

Welcome!

I've hit that point in the holiday season when the to-do list has grown longer than the number of brain cells I have available to process and complete the items on it, so if this post wanders around a bit, I apologize.

It's been a very full Fall and Winter around here!  There was this:

Then, in November, just before Thanksgiving, I hostessed the last of the little movie premier parties where I usually make some fun little goodies like these:

Can you guess which movie?

Then in rapid succession: Thanksgiving, training and prep for the December art project at school, new calling in church, birthday parties, work parties, gone to training for work for four days, work, school events to plan and do, holiday preparations - Santa's little elves have been hard at work in the workshop this year, and now finally, a minute to update the blog when I should be folding laundry, doing my stuff for my job, wrapping presents, and about 50 other things.  

Despite the full calendar and to-do list we are full of the holiday spirit here.  We love getting Christmas cards in the mail and putting them up on our wall to enjoy.  It's so fun to catch up with where our friends and family are and see how much everyone has grown.  I love putting up the tree with all of our ornaments from our different milestones and vacations, they bring back such great memories.  This year we've added some extra special touches to our traditional decorations - mostly involving tin foil strategically placed to discourage things like this:

The boys think Christmas is just for them and that we are the bestest ever for bringing in all these wonderful new playthings for them, and it's so fun to get chased all over too!  So many fun new games and toys for the boys.  Did you know that cats apparently like the taste of olive wood?  You didn't?  Yeah.  Neither did I.  Let's just say that my extra special precious nativity set made out of olive wood has a new shiny tin foil-ie look.  

So, that's all the news that's fit to print.  There's a fair amount that isn't, so thank your lucky sanitized stars I'm not in the "sharing" mood!

And now, I think I'll take a leaf out of the boys book and go get cozy....

 

Nigh' nigh'!

By the numbers

My day in numbers:

Number of times I woke up: 2 (once for the Mr. and once for me)
Number of times I said "knees down" to Lil Sis at breakfast: 30 + (Breakfast only lasts about 20 min.)
Number of copies I made for the art project this morning: 85
Number of 5th graders I taught the art project to: 75 (all at once!)
Number of other parent volunteers helping at the art project otherwise I would have run screaming from the room: 4
Number of times I've had to say "One Two Three, All Eyes On Me!" today:  25
Number of Girl Scouts at our meeting this afternoon: 17
Number of times I've had to wash my hands to get all the glitter off: 4 and counting
Number of hours it took to get homework done: 1.5
Number of times I had to tell the girls to get back to work: 50
Number of boxes of Mac N' Cheese I will serve for dinner: 2
Number of minutes I sat staring at this screen because I had mentally gone awandering: 5
Number of minutes until bedtime: 258
Number of times I will check the clock until bedtime: probably around 100

Now it's only 257 minutes....

Run away! Run away!

So, you remember your Mama's gathering you in their arms and gently reminding you, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."  Welllll, let's just say I'm going to listen to my Mama and keep it nice.  As in, short.  

As in, between all the extra volunteering I got myself into and the regular (and somehow increasing) drama in Dramaville, I am currently seeking my own personal Fortress of Solitude.  

My own Bat Cave with secret entrance.  

My own Cloak of Invisibility.

My own Member Only Club, population Me.

My own Universe Pause Button.

You get the idea.  So, pardon me while I get my shovel and pick and start digging my way through the next few months, because no matter how I've tried to go over, under, around, or avoid it all, the only way is through.  

I know, right?!

One month ago...

So, here we are tottering on the brink of August and I'm sitting here wondering where on earth did July go?  My summer is almost gone, people!  How did this happen?  All too soon it's going to be homework, packing lunches, volunteer duties, Halloween costumes, midnight movie goodies in November, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and - (GASP!) getting ready to go back to work again.

Arghhhh!

Pardon me whilst I hyperventilate....

And to think, just one month ago I was here:

It was quiet.

It was calm.

It was heaven.

It's my happy place.

I think I'll just close my eyes and go to my happy place....

(Shhhh, August!  I'm in my happy place....)

Da' Boyz

Some of you may know that shortly after my birthday at the beginning of March our cat Buster disappeared and we later found out that he lost his final battle in the wild kingdom.  We gave him a proper burial in our backyard, complete with stone mound to mark our mighty fallen warrior.  

The house was empty now, incomplete.

Fast forward many weeks and a fair amount of drama to the middle of April when we brought home not one, but two kittens to fill the giant hole Mr. Bustipher Jones left.

Please meet Jinx and Oliver (or Jinxaroo and Ollie, or Jinxie and Ollie Boy, or - you get the idea)

WARNING: Extreme Cuteness ahead!

Hi Boys!  It's okay, you can come out!

Jinx is a rascal, but super fun!

Here's my sweet Ollie boy!  Just look at that face!

Jinx, preparing to launch...

They do this All.  The. Time.

Ollie has mastered the art of being right where it is most inconvenient.

Jinx likes to climb the chair and watch me in the kitchen.

Nom nom nom.  

Both boys like to chew on my laces and untie my shoes all the time!

Nigh' nigh' babies...sleep tight!

Being a kitten is hard work!  

Easter!

DA da da da dah, duh da da da dah, DA da da da dah, hop, Hop, HOP!

Oh, yes, that little magical bunny stopped by our house!  

(I need my peanut butter egg fix, don't ya' know!?)

Here's proof of Mr. Whiskers visit:

The new PJs, sunglasses, and flipflops had to go on all at once.  

Don't they look runway ready?

Then we got all pretty and headed off to church!

Hoppy Easter!

Milestone

Sunday March 25, 2012
To wrap up our Epic Weekend of Celebration, my little girl was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  It was pouring down rain, but we were surrounded by family and friends, and the Spirit we felt made it a beautiful day.

My baby is getting all grown up!  

So proud of her!

(Now I think I'll go cry into my pillow...waaaaaaahhhh!!!)

Back in the saddle again...

Time to catch up!  

There's lots of ground to cover.  

Technical difficulties put a crimp in posting the rest of Lil' Sis' Eighth Birthday Legendary Celebration Weekend as well as Easter, the end of school, and a whole barrel of other happenings.  So, let's get started shall we?  

Don't look so excited.

Please Stand By....

Please to enjoy this photo until I am functioning again...

It's my David Austin "Alnwick" rose, and it bloomed on Mother's Day!

Bird Watching

We have birds in our back yard. Many, MANY birds. Their chirping is the soundtrack to my day, starting in the unholy hours of the morning when the sun begins to lighten the sky. They have recently been feasting on the grass seed we laid down in the back yard in our pathetic attempts to resurrect the lawn.

My girls are love the birdies and like to watch them at their antics and like to "help" me chase them off the grass. One recent afternoon, while their dad and I toiled away on the yard, the girls set up shop and it was pretty darn cute.

This last one was my favorite!

Penguin Palooza!

Turning eight is a big deal at our house, so I pull out all the stops and go for it.

Since Little Sis loves penguins, we went penguin crazy and it was a blast!

Invitations

Let the celebration commence!

We played musical "icebergs", but instead of being out, our little penguins had to hop on another iceberg with their buddies. By the end there was a lot of hugging and giggling in our frozen ocean!

We went "ice fishing" for swedish fish! Yummy!

We even had a "snowball fight" (with rolled up socks), and waddle races too!

Penguin cookie craft!

It's amazing what you can do with Thin Mints, Oreos, M & Ms and some frosting "glue."

Penguin cutie!

I made these out of fondant!

Cake time!

Chocolate "iceberg" cake and 8 little penguins for our birthday girl!

Don't waddle off without your goodie bag!

It was so much fun!

Happy Birthday Little Sis!