Unwrapping the disco ball ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljq8LVsEauk
Monday, December 28, 2009
Christmas Pictures
We had a very relaxing Christmas week. We really did nothing every day. I'm amazed how much stress my body endures every day with getting up early, making breakfast, working all day, rushing through homework, running to the gym, coming home and making dinner then getting everyone ready for bed and the next day. It's been so nice to just let time spread out each day, and have no agenda. We've just been playing video games, knitting, reading, watching TV and movies. A whole lotta nuthin.
Here are some picture from Christmas day!
This are Japanese mini-erasers. They are shaped like fruit, treats, animals. They are all the rage in the 4th grade now.
Alek got a compass to clip onto his backpack. He'll need this in a couple weeks when he and Gary go cold-weather camping with the cub scouts.
The stockings were stuffed with a lot of socks ... 8) ... but also fun do-dads. Ben is opening an expandable dinosaur. He's been in a bucket of water for 3 days now ... not sure how big he's supposed to get. Guess I need to check on him.
Big smiles from Alek after opening a Miami Dolphins dart board. It's up in the playroom now.
Interesting game from Grandma - we haven't tried it yet, but I'm really interested to see what it's about. Somehow you match t-shirt slogans to t-shirt designs. Sounds creative!
Alek's new Miami Dolphins cap ... it gets worn everywhere. 
Not sure what Gary's opening here!
Star Wars Lego kit from Mema and Papa!! This one has already been put together ... see picture below.
Oooo, Bakugan from Mema and Papa!
Alek putting together the new Lego Star Wars kit. He did a great job all by himself.
Ben's favorite gift? Video games! Here he's playing Kirby, from Mema and Papa.
A couple years ago we added onto the house, and built a playroom for the boys. It had a nice new ceiling fan in it. The boys love to have dance parties in there, and they use a little toy light that Ben got several years ago. It's a 4-inch ball that spins and throws colors around the room. This summer when they would play at the Jam at Sam Ash music store, they fell in love with the professional disco light sets. So, for Christmas, we got them one!! It's huge, and music-activated, which means it changes colors and spins with the beat of the music. So the day after Christmas, Gary took down the ceiling fan in the playroom and replaced it with the new disco ball. I need to get a picture of it - he did a fabulous job installing it. So now the playroom has a disco ball that turns on with the lightswitch. How cool is that???? It's taken Rock Band and Guitar Hero to a whole new level!!
The playroom ceiling fan was much more stylish than our 15 year old ceiling fan in the family room, so Gary moved it into the family room. The lights are much brighter, and it coordinates with the light fixtures we put in the kitchen/breakfast nook during the remodel. So I am very happy!
Gary got all kinds of tools for Christmas. Something about them being battery powered and not corded. He also got a backpack leaf blower that got a great workout this morning! Our yard is finally clear of leaves!
Here are some picture from Christmas day!
This are Japanese mini-erasers. They are shaped like fruit, treats, animals. They are all the rage in the 4th grade now.
Alek got a compass to clip onto his backpack. He'll need this in a couple weeks when he and Gary go cold-weather camping with the cub scouts.
The stockings were stuffed with a lot of socks ... 8) ... but also fun do-dads. Ben is opening an expandable dinosaur. He's been in a bucket of water for 3 days now ... not sure how big he's supposed to get. Guess I need to check on him.
Big smiles from Alek after opening a Miami Dolphins dart board. It's up in the playroom now.
Interesting game from Grandma - we haven't tried it yet, but I'm really interested to see what it's about. Somehow you match t-shirt slogans to t-shirt designs. Sounds creative!
Alek's new Miami Dolphins cap ... it gets worn everywhere. 
Not sure what Gary's opening here!
Star Wars Lego kit from Mema and Papa!! This one has already been put together ... see picture below.
Oooo, Bakugan from Mema and Papa!
Alek putting together the new Lego Star Wars kit. He did a great job all by himself.
Ben's favorite gift? Video games! Here he's playing Kirby, from Mema and Papa.
A couple years ago we added onto the house, and built a playroom for the boys. It had a nice new ceiling fan in it. The boys love to have dance parties in there, and they use a little toy light that Ben got several years ago. It's a 4-inch ball that spins and throws colors around the room. This summer when they would play at the Jam at Sam Ash music store, they fell in love with the professional disco light sets. So, for Christmas, we got them one!! It's huge, and music-activated, which means it changes colors and spins with the beat of the music. So the day after Christmas, Gary took down the ceiling fan in the playroom and replaced it with the new disco ball. I need to get a picture of it - he did a fabulous job installing it. So now the playroom has a disco ball that turns on with the lightswitch. How cool is that???? It's taken Rock Band and Guitar Hero to a whole new level!!
The playroom ceiling fan was much more stylish than our 15 year old ceiling fan in the family room, so Gary moved it into the family room. The lights are much brighter, and it coordinates with the light fixtures we put in the kitchen/breakfast nook during the remodel. So I am very happy!
Gary got all kinds of tools for Christmas. Something about them being battery powered and not corded. He also got a backpack leaf blower that got a great workout this morning! Our yard is finally clear of leaves!The boys big gift this year was the iTouch. I got one too. These little things are amazing. I've got a grocery list application on mine that I'm in love with. You put in your grocery items and designate the category (like produce, soup, paper products, produce, etc) and it organizes the list! This will make my trips to the grocery much more efficient! I love it.
Hope you had a great Christmas. Today we're thinking about going to see Alvin and the Chipmunks with some friends, and Chloe has a vet appointment. That's all that's on the list for today!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
This morning I made breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. Here are the cinnamon rolls after they had risen ...
Here they are after they were baked ...
And finally, after they were iced! We ate a few today, they are really good!
This afternoon I made a baked brie for snack ... inside is a round of brie, apricot preserves, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds. It's baked in a puff pastry crust. It was very good!
For dinner tonight, we had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner - roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and dressing and cranberry sauce. Tomorrow's dinner is prime rib.
Here they are after they were baked ...
And finally, after they were iced! We ate a few today, they are really good!
This afternoon I made a baked brie for snack ... inside is a round of brie, apricot preserves, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds. It's baked in a puff pastry crust. It was very good!
For dinner tonight, we had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner - roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and dressing and cranberry sauce. Tomorrow's dinner is prime rib. We had another calm, relaxing day around here, althought I did a LOT of cooking!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Knitting and Puzzles
I've spent a lot of the last week knitting. I knit Ben two hats, Alek one hat, and a new felted bag for me. Now I'm working on a scarf. Here are pictures of the bag, before it was felted. The blue and yellow yarns came from Purl in NYC, from a couple years ago when my sister and I took our parents there for a long weekend vacation. The pink and yellow fizz came from Shuttles, Needles and Hooks, the yarn store in Cary. The picture below shows the whole bag, with handles after it was stitched and ready to felt.
The picture below is a close up of the side seam, which was to be lined in the hot pink yarn. The blues felted so well, the pink dissappeared after felting. Ah, well.
This is a close up of the fizz topping and the handles.
Alek build a marble run on the kitchen table yesterday ... lots of fun!
Here's the whole run ...
We tore it down this morning and we'll build another one later today. Below is our first Christmas puzzle, only 500 pieces, that we built a couple weeks ago:
The picture below is a close up of the side seam, which was to be lined in the hot pink yarn. The blues felted so well, the pink dissappeared after felting. Ah, well.
This is a close up of the fizz topping and the handles.
Alek build a marble run on the kitchen table yesterday ... lots of fun!
Here's the whole run ...
We tore it down this morning and we'll build another one later today. Below is our first Christmas puzzle, only 500 pieces, that we built a couple weeks ago:
Monday, December 21, 2009
Holiday Week
Last week was full of Recorder club concerts for Ben. He played at the Retirement Home next to the school, the Capitol Building, Tir Na Nog in Raleigh (for the Tone Zone Jam, not recorder club), and a parent's concert at school Tuesday night. We loved listening to him play. His video at Tir Na Nog is on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWbTsO0c0co. I've had a lot of trouble uploading to blogspot.
Above, at the Capital Building, in the Rotunda - the echo sounded really nice.
Up close with his friend Evan.
Alek waiting in line to perform at Tir Na Nog during the December Tone Zone Jam!
On the stool - ready to play for the enthusiastic crowd! Alek playing can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGz31ZrkmHA
We finished our first 1000 piece puzzle this week.
Ben, relaxing at home after school is out for the year.
I made mini ham-and-spinach quiches for breakfast Sunday morning - homemade crust and everything. They were very yummy!
Above, at the Capital Building, in the Rotunda - the echo sounded really nice.
Up close with his friend Evan.
Alek waiting in line to perform at Tir Na Nog during the December Tone Zone Jam!
On the stool - ready to play for the enthusiastic crowd! Alek playing can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGz31ZrkmHA
We finished our first 1000 piece puzzle this week.
Ben, relaxing at home after school is out for the year.
I made mini ham-and-spinach quiches for breakfast Sunday morning - homemade crust and everything. They were very yummy!Getting in the Holiday Spirit
Had a fantastic afternoon with Ben, making Christmas cookies at Dinner Savvy. We now have 10 different kinds in the freezer ready for Christmas!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Joy to the World
The Advanced Recorder club played it's first concert today at the retirement center next door to the school. Ben played his flute, but was in the very back, so I had to record him from behind to see him play.
He played a solo at the end, but my video camera ran out of power and didn't record it!! Auggh!!
He played a solo at the end, but my video camera ran out of power and didn't record it!! Auggh!!
Rise Up Bouldering Competition - Lynchburg, Va
Here's video of the Triangle Rock Club's Climbing Crew at the bouldering competition last weekend. Ben is wearing a white shirt and he's got red hair. You'll see him at about 1:58, and at the end getting his 1st place ribbon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ePxmdu0k8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ePxmdu0k8
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Thanksgiving Fun
Mema and Papa came to visit for Thanksgiving and here are some fun things we did!
Ben and Mema work on a Christmas puzzle - only 500 pieces and we all finished it.
Gary snuggling with the dogs!
OK, I snuggled with the dogs too.
Gary and Papa working on the next puzzle - another 500 piece Christmas puzzle.
Alek and Mema making snowflake ornaments.
The snowflake ornaments turned out SO pretty.
So I hung them all on our kitchen light.
Mema on Thanksgiving Day, wth her turkey pin.
Me making homemade noodles for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Yummy Thanksgiving Dinner - yes, I have turkey plates!
Ben's cranberry turkey jello. The top layer is cranberry jello, and the bottom layer is lime. It was good. The turkey mold worked pretty well.
Mema and I at Thanksgiving Dinner.
Papa and Ben at Thanksgiving Dinner.
The morning after, we made Julia Child's REAL Hollandaise sauce over poached eggs and ham with english muffins - yummy egg benedict.
Ben and Mema work on a Christmas puzzle - only 500 pieces and we all finished it.
Gary snuggling with the dogs!
OK, I snuggled with the dogs too.
Gary and Papa working on the next puzzle - another 500 piece Christmas puzzle.
Alek and Mema making snowflake ornaments.
The snowflake ornaments turned out SO pretty.
So I hung them all on our kitchen light.
Mema on Thanksgiving Day, wth her turkey pin.
Me making homemade noodles for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Yummy Thanksgiving Dinner - yes, I have turkey plates!
Ben's cranberry turkey jello. The top layer is cranberry jello, and the bottom layer is lime. It was good. The turkey mold worked pretty well.
Mema and I at Thanksgiving Dinner.
Papa and Ben at Thanksgiving Dinner.
The morning after, we made Julia Child's REAL Hollandaise sauce over poached eggs and ham with english muffins - yummy egg benedict.Friday, November 27, 2009
Thanksgiving Desserts
Over the four days of Thanksgiving, we enjoyed four different desserts - one each day! Monday, we had apple & cherry squares. This dessert is one of Gary's favorites, that his mom makes for him. The pastry is almond flavored, and the dessert is like a kugle (not sure I spelled that right!). It's very yummy! I don't know why I don't have a picture of it!
Wednesday, Mema rolled out the crust and I made the filling for a chocolate pie. It set up perfectly, and when we went to eat it, Gary wanted the traditional Cool Whip on it, Alek wanted a cherry, and Ben decided to make chocolate shavings! Truly a group effort, and again, it was delicious. Here's Alek and Papa with slices of the chocolate pie ...
Tuesday, the day Mema and Papa arrived, I made a pie crust that was too crumbly, so Papa worked on it and made it right. Then Mema and Ben rolled it out and made the peach filling from peaches we had frozen in July. They were so beautiful, and the pie was delicious. Here's Ben and the Peach Pie ...
Wednesday, Mema rolled out the crust and I made the filling for a chocolate pie. It set up perfectly, and when we went to eat it, Gary wanted the traditional Cool Whip on it, Alek wanted a cherry, and Ben decided to make chocolate shavings! Truly a group effort, and again, it was delicious. Here's Alek and Papa with slices of the chocolate pie ... Thursday, Thanksgiving, Mema made another crust, and Alek rolled it out and made the pumpkin filling. We ate this one a few hours after Thanksgiving dinner. 
He made pretty cut-outs of turkeys, pumpkins and leaves to decorate!
What a fun holiday of desserts!
He made pretty cut-outs of turkeys, pumpkins and leaves to decorate!What a fun holiday of desserts!
Alek's Second Tone Zone Jam
Alek rocks at Sam Ash in the November Tone Zone Jam. Next month he and Ben will play with the Jam at a restaurant.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Turkeys
Here are my happy turkeys who came out this week to help celebrate Thanksgiving.
The plaque below was made by Ben last year, and I just love it - they painted his hand brown and his fingers each a different color, to make the turkey. I love that it's so permanent, on a tile. The candle next to it came from my mom a few years ago. It smells of pumpkin and spice!
Below is my biggest turkey, from my mother-in-law a few years ago. He's about a foot tall. The 'give thanks' sign came from downtown Apex last year, from 'Out of the Kiln'
From 'Out of the Kiln' last year ... I bought a turkey pitcher for my mom and mother-in-law last year and gave them as Christmas gifts.
This my big turkey platter, and turkey candle holders. The candles came from my mom. I got the candle holders from Tuesday Morning a few years back.
This was my first turkey, from Mary Louise, my mother-in-law. He's so pretty, with pretty fall veggies around him. He's only about 8 inches high, but has lots of personality.
These salt and pepper shakers came from my mom a few years back. I'm sorry they are blurry, they have very pretty colors.
This turkey is pretty ugly, but he's metal and hollow, and now has a candle inside him. The tall candle holders came from Southern Living home show, and the candles from Kohl's.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The plaque below was made by Ben last year, and I just love it - they painted his hand brown and his fingers each a different color, to make the turkey. I love that it's so permanent, on a tile. The candle next to it came from my mom a few years ago. It smells of pumpkin and spice!
Below is my biggest turkey, from my mother-in-law a few years ago. He's about a foot tall. The 'give thanks' sign came from downtown Apex last year, from 'Out of the Kiln'
From 'Out of the Kiln' last year ... I bought a turkey pitcher for my mom and mother-in-law last year and gave them as Christmas gifts.
This my big turkey platter, and turkey candle holders. The candles came from my mom. I got the candle holders from Tuesday Morning a few years back.
This was my first turkey, from Mary Louise, my mother-in-law. He's so pretty, with pretty fall veggies around him. He's only about 8 inches high, but has lots of personality.
These salt and pepper shakers came from my mom a few years back. I'm sorry they are blurry, they have very pretty colors.
This turkey is pretty ugly, but he's metal and hollow, and now has a candle inside him. The tall candle holders came from Southern Living home show, and the candles from Kohl's.
Happy Thanksgiving!