Now We Can Start the New Year!!!

Well, We are DONE!!! We finally made it. Saturday, our family went up to Lawrence to Jeff's sister's house for our final Christmas. We had Kimmie and Barbara with us and we had another huge meal and opened our last round of presents on Sunday. I am breathing easier, now....but the fun doesn't stop here....Jeff's birthday is Wednesday. Back to a PARTY!!!

A New Experience

This year is a new experience for my family. Every year for as long as I can remember we have had Christmas at Grandma's. With her passing this year, we are trying to establish new traditions.

I asked Jenna, "What is your favorite meal?" Of course, I already knew the answer.....spaghetti.

I would have asked Tyler, but I knew his was Mexican, and we have been eating leftover taco meat from Jenna's fifth grade Christmas party til I greet everyone with "Hola!" now.

Tyler got to pick the dessert.....which, of course, I knew to be "Chocolate Delight" (This is the "G-rated" name for the recipe: Sex-in-a-Pan).

So, yesterday, as part of our new family tradition, we went to see a movie in the theatre as a family. We saw "National Treasure: Book of Secrets". We then went out for dinner to our favorite restaurant, Cafe del Rio's. We love their awesome cheese dip with chips....I had chicken quesedillas (notice no taco meat was in the menu). Then we went to Wal-mart on Christmas Eve for a few last minute groceries for the new traditional meal for our Christmas dinner.

I was walking non-chalantly through Wal-mart without any present purchase in mind. People were pushing. There was not one smile to see. I passed the jewelry counter and made an observation. There were approximately six men over the age of 30 trying to get the salesclerk's attention. They all had wild eyes and a definite hurried, panic, "I need a gift and you are my last hope"-look to their faces. I felt evil, but I had to laugh at their desperation.

When I told Jeff about it, he did not think it was that funny. He immediately felt sympathy and said, "You know, alot of guys don't get their bonuses until Christmas Eve".

We all woke up this morning, and low and behold, Santa hadn't come. I panicked for the first five seconds, and realised....this is our Christmas...new traditions....a new experience.... So instead of Santa Claus....we had the "Magic Closet". (You have to be one sharp cookie in this family.) Jenna even got into it and said "Magic Closet" with Jazz fingers in a big fanned way. Most of the gifts were Wal-mart bag wrapped....oops. I've been sleeping way more than usual, lately.....but, hey, we are into new traditions. We saved a bundle on Christmas wrap and tape this year, and the kids were okay with it.

Well, I've got spaghetti and Chocolate Delight on tap for a noon meal. We've got 24 hours of James Bond on the television. It may not be an old fashioned Christmas, but we are all healthy and happy and have much for which to be thankful. Hope you have a very, Merry Christmas, and enjoy our pictures to the right!!!!

My Girl of Many Talents

I have to brag.....

Jenna has been a busy girl this month.

Not only has she been keeping straight "A"'s at school, she has involved herself in many other activities.

Her basketball team won the St. Pat's tourney this past weekend. She came home sporting a t-shirt shouting "CHAMPIONS" on the front.









She is writing a book in school that is to be published. I should be receiving it in the mail soon.





She has been keeping up with piano lessons and regular trumpet practice. Pictured with her is Molly Kenast (her wonderful, sweet piano teacher) and Hailey Solomon...one of her best friends that she takes lessons with.










She was in a play at church with her Great Aunt Susie and her Great Uncle Tom. The play was a dinner theatre recreating the night of Christ's birth. She played the part of "Savannah", Tom's daughter (Tom played the "Inn Keeper").
Susie and Jenna are pictured together.









She was in her school Christmas program/concert and played the part of "Grandma". (She threatened me if I put this picture on my blog.....so I had to do it.)

Today is her last day of school, along with a class Christmas party and gift exchange. I will post pictures of the party at a later time.

Shoohewwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am just the chaffeur and I have a hard time keeping up.

Only in a Small Town.....

AM I CRAZY??????????  Who adds to the stress of the Christmas holidays by taking on one more project....that's right....me.  And not only do I do this to myself, but I drag my best friend into the craziness with me.  The conversation on our cells last Wednesday went something like this....

SHERI: "Angela...this is Sheri...I NEED YOUR HELP..."

[(I didn't waste anytime with the niceties of "Hello!" or "How are you doing?".  I just got straight to the heart of the matter.  I had just got back from the classroom at the elemetary school and found out, basically I (or "we" as you will soon see) had ten days to put together a five-course meal for 37-5th graders.  So I called in the "Big Guns".  My best friend and Co-General in this fight....Angela.]

Let me give you a little background about my friend, Angela.  She has just this year enrolled her girls in public school.  For the last six years, Angela has homeschooled her girls to my utter amazement and respect, but that is another blog...  She is still in the "honeymoon phase" (I call it) of parenting in partnership with educators other than herself.  She is so willing to help and "go the extra mile" in every activity involving her children.  Just an example...I have learned that "Little Debbies" work just as well as "homebaked", "slaved-over" treats and the kids even recognize them more.  Angela is still trying to come up with these incredible four-hour, creative birthday masterpieces to impress the teachers and kids and to make her daughter feel special.  AAaaahhh, Angela, I have soooo much to teach you. (HAHAHAHAHA)

Back to the cell conversation....

SHERI: "The 5th grade Christmas Party is on the 20th and we need to have a planning session.  When will you be by..." 

(Notice I left her no options and nailed her on our initial stategy plan.  My dad retired a full Colonel in the Army and my blood was obviously rising to the surface.  My motto was "Show No Mercy".)

ANGELA:  "I...uh....am on my way to Joplin...."

SHERI:  "You can swing by here on your way home, can't you??" I asked with a little whine in my voice.

ANGELA:  "I have to pick up Hannah from school..."

SHERI:  "Bring her with you..."

ANGELA:  "O.K....."

Snagged, hook, line, and sinker!!!!!  I have to admit, there has been no hesitation on her part, and she has jumped into this project with determination....even though this is the absolutely worse time of the year to add one more task.So, again, tonight with another 1 1/2 hour planning session.....this time I picked up her girls from school (Notice the tactical maneuver, with the small favor completed....*laugh, laugh*).  We made up a shopping list of all necessary items and discussed serving and decorations.  We have since enlisted the help of both our husbands and I even recruited my mother-in-law to serve.....she is such a jewel!!!

I stopped by our local meat locker on the way.  The butcher just happens to be my husband's cousin somewhere in the line of the family.  Don't ask me to explain the connection.....I have been married to this man for over seventeen years and still don't have all his family straight....for they comprise half the county.  I asked him for 10 lbs. of burger and he said "Jeff just bought ten pounds on Tuesday.....Are you sure you need another ten pounds???".....only in a small town does your butcher try to talk you out of a purchase because he knows your spouse has already been there.  I explained it to him that this was for the 5th grade Christmas party, not expecting any discount.  He gave us two-5 1/4 lb. blocks of meat.  10 1/2 pounds for $20.  He said, "Since it is for the kids....."  I thanked him profusely, threw the two rocks in the back of the Expedition for better traction in the snow.....those things are heavy.  Got home and "feat of all feats" made room in my fridge to start defrosting those "bad boys" now.

Say a prayer for us, as we try to get this project completed.....I had such high hopes of sending out christmas cards with family photos this year....I think that will have to be next year....but I may just send one to the butcher.

My Little Monster

It has come to my attention that my sweet, competitive, ten-year-old daughter is a complete monster. She worked on me with all of the skill of a corps of diplomats to create a blog for her. I made the stipulation that she must write at least five (count 'em FIVE) stories before she could even consider asking me again. She worked like an obsessed crack addict looking for her next fix. She had them whipped out in two days. Next my adorable, conspiring, little sneak unassumingly asked about a site meter for her blog. Not realizing where this was headed, I put one on her blog site. Now this beautiful, faerie-faced blond has the gaul to keep asking me How many hits do you have... or Gee, look at my numbers on my site meter, Mom... It is a race!!!

In actuality, Jenna is a jewel. Her creative genius leaps off the screen when you read her stories. It is amazing insight to how a young girl processes thoughts. I am very honored she is mimicking me at this point in her life. I know those days are coming to a close. Her writing skills are fast developing and I know her teachers struggle. She is so bright; she must be a real challenge to keep busy in the classroom. So check out her blog at www.kermit-froggie-girl.blogspot.com to see the world through the eyes of a future, best-selling author.

Oh, and by the way, Jenna, we now have five stories-a-piece. You better write another one!! HAHA!