Go Rhea

Today was filled with Christmas preparations and festivities.  We wrapped and baked and some went a little above and beyond.  Rhea was our over achiever of the day and Devin will be the brunt of her actions.  Since she has Brooke and Devin for Christmas she wrapped his gift and then zip-tied the entire package.  The Houdini gift will obviously create a laugh on Christmas morning as we watch Devin slice his way to his present.  

My Boy

Tonight was our annual Family White Elephant gift exchange.  I lucked out by receiving the most  fabulous gift of all -an autographed,  glossy 16X20 hockey shot of Lane.  What more could a mother want?   Merry Christmas.

No Win

Rhea had a hockey game this morning which we went to watch.  They played Delta and the game ended in a tie.  The game went into overtime and still ended with a tie.  As we left the rink a player’s mom said that the coaches should be happy it ended in a tie.  I smiled and thought to myself that after all these years I have learned to never say, “oh, how nice the game ended in a tie, that is good.”  A tie is not a win!!  Not a win!

Our Wrap-a-thon Day

Today was a wrap-a-thon day!  All the gifts are brought out to the table.  I wrap while Kyla prepares the tags.  Each package is wrapped in different paper and we seek for the best coordinating ribbon or bow.  To conclude the “teacher handwritten bow” is attached and the gift is placed in the living room chair.  Rhea then enters the room for her assignment.  She places the gifts under the tree and we sigh with relief that nothing has to be covered up or hidden anymore.

Cousins

It is pictures like these that will surface in about twenty years.  They will be men by then and may live in different parts of the country but they are cousins.  Cousins are usually the first friends we have as children.  No one will ever understand your crazy family like your cousins do.  Cousins are childhood playmates who grow up to be forever friends.  These three cousins enjoyed a little “Turf Time” this week.

Suki The Chicken

My cat reminds me of a chicken.  Suki perches herself on my greenery basket of lights and looks like she is warming her eggs.  Rather the white lights are warming her.  She takes her job seriously and spends the required time each day sitting there.  Blaze walks by and says, “Hi Hookee” but it is only her eggs that keep her attention.

Give A Dog A Bone

 I have been teaching my grandsons how to give Tank a bone.  It is a learned process.  Most of them have fear as anyone would with those big teeth and drooly gums peering through the metal gate.  Thank goodness the gate separates them as his tail alone would knock them unconscious.  I walk each of them through the routine and each time we make progress.  When Blaze came there was no way he was stepping foot near that beast but through patience and perseverance he can now on his own give Tank a bone.  Tank has put on a few pounds.

A Beary Merry Christmas

An epic tale can now be told.  I may have spoken before about the conversations and reminiscing about an old wall hanging I made for Christmas.  If I am correct, I believe I made it about thirty years ago.  Over time and wear and tear it started to fall apart and one year I threw it out right after Christmas.  Unbeknownst to me I had thrown out the most beloved tradition and apparently dearest activity than I could have imagined.  Devin said he and Dillon used to fight over who got to move the bear.   It is called A Beary Merry Christmas.  Devin and Micah just had a conversation about how much they missed that hanging.  About a month ago Kyla began searching again for the wall hanging and found it once again for a huge $250 price tag on Amazon.  As she searched further she amazingly found that they company had reintroduced the panel and it was now at Joanns.  That very day she drove to Idaho Falls and bought three.  I went to Wasilla and bought all eight.  Secretly I have been sewing all the buttons on, making the little bear and finishing the edges so we could give it to Devin as a gift on his big day.  We also told all the kids they would each be receiving theirs throughout the year so the old tradition can move on.  Hatcher moves the bear every day. . .

Proud Mother

Today Devin graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in Aviation.  Even with our promptings Devin did not want to walk and wanted “no” party or graduation celebration.  We took matters in our own hands,  found him some great gifts and created our own cake for him. Brooke used her computer skills and made him a hat and I ordered the cake trying to keep a straight face.  Micah picked it up and brought it over  today.  We ‘gut’ laughed but in all sincerity we are so proud of his accomplishment.

 

I’m So Smart

I consider myself an expert on retainers.  There have been many years, many retainers and many losses.  As a mother I have the keen ability to know that when a child puts his retainer somewhere other than the container it is supposed to go in.it is going to get lost.  Rhea came upstairs, took out her retainer and set it by the TV.  My skilled training told me right then and right there that the retainer was going to be lost.  Of course, the next day she asked if I saw her retainer.  We went to the TV but it had vanished.  My skilled training told me right then and right there that the retainer is going to show up in a very strange spot.  Two minutes later while unloading the dishwasher  and opening up the cutlery drawer . . . call me the expert.