Just Catchin' Up

Something is drastically wrong with this picture.........


And this one.

For New Year's Eve we had a snacky appetizery type dinner....

(sideways again ha-rumph)... and watched a movie. Aragorn had gotten a bunch of movies from a man who does work for him (most no good methinks) but one was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was a hoot. We were all dying laughing. I remember it from when I was a child but it must have been a wee child as all I remembered was the tune and a flying car but not at all the story.

No.... we all did not stay up til Midnight but at nearly 3am we were awakened by Eowyn who was sure she heard something under her bed and that it jumped on her bed (phew no one threw up). After reassuring me it was not just a bad dream I went with her to see what it was (I was not overjoyed with this but I was more awake than Aragorn... I guess) We discovered the door was open. Great scott! Next thing Eowyn screamed so naturally I screamed and I was sure she either said "rat" or "raccoon" but later discovered she had said "cat". All 3 of our kitties had snuck in. Of course they weren't eating a mouse, they were eating cheerios. Happy New Year!!

"Crebain from Dunland!"

Ummmm.... no.... this won't do for Sunday Mass. What is it with boys?

One of our Christmas vacation things was meeting someone at a hotel pool. And yes, how did you guess I left my camera at home ... again. But I have promises of some nice pictures forth-coming.

I don't know about you but I don't care much for the color of that water!

Poppy freaked out as soon as she got in the pool area. I'm not sure why but she did. It was so contrary to her no-fear disposition.

She finally got daring.... a nervous daring.... and stood on the floor.

AFter the 1st swim we stopped for a pizza break in the lobby. I received some nice compliments as.... I kid you not.... about 10 construction workers and staff stared at this family of 10 kids. Although no one spoke to us I knew what they were thinking: "Are they all yours?" "Is this the Duggars?" "Do you have any twins in there?" "Don't you have a TV?" ETCETERA, ETCETERA, ETCETERA!!! One of the shocking moments was that they could not believe the place was not trashed (I couldn't either) and they couldn't believe the kids picked up their plates properly (I couldn't either).

Little Rocky Balboa.

After lunch Poppy got her courage up and so we put on her swim suit. I wondered why after that as any fear she had was obviously just a fluke. Pure show.

Warming up....

Now she's just back to being one of the boys.

Galadriel takes a book break.

I have no idea where she learned to hang on to the edge of the steps, kick her feet up and start kicking away but she did. After this it was a constant game of chase.

Don't ask.

Really, it is just best not to ask.

I just couldn't resist a picture of this really great backpack that was hand decorated by Galadriel's God-Mother-in-law (is that was you call your God Father's wife?)

On Epiphany I got to play priest for the blessing, Sam did the holy water sprinkling. (no, that has not been one of my dreams, just Aragorn was sick in bed and we have yet to kidnap our own private family priest .... no other reason)

20 G + M + B 11

Poppy got one of these bouncy inch worm ride-on toys from her God Parents. I am going to admit why this got a special place on my blog was because I had one of these when I was her age..... Awwwwww....

We give our children their gift for Epiphany (this year we also gave them robes as well since it seemed that the children are getting big the bathtowels are getting small and it was absurd their walking from the shower trying to keep themselves decent and I have seen one too many streaking littles.... time for robes) Anyway, what can I say, I had nothing to give Poppy (she needed nothing) but for $3 at this really great local resale shop she had something so that she can work on being a little girl.... rather than a little boy. But you know, the thing came with sound effects.... including a flushing toilet. That got the little boys attention. Funny, if you put a flusher in a toy it's great but put one on the toilet and .......... nevermind, if you don't have kids you don't want to know.

Frodo got a set of carving tools and a real slingshot. He made a cross bow for Aragorn.

Sam got a beebee gun. First moment both boys were outside trying to hunt some rabbits they wanted to get for the priests. I wondered just how many plastic balls and beebees the priests would be eating if they got such a prize!! Maybe they are good sauteed, I just don't know these things.

Bilbo is the child who always gets everything on inside out and backwards. This takes the cake.

COMPACT CAR!

There are 2 cars that I drive a big extended suburban and a huge 15 passenger van. I am truly the woman of the road. I also am the queen of double parking spots. I also never take a parking spot I have to back out of. My very first owned car was a lovely bright red VW Fox. I miss that car. It was the greatest little thing. But it became obsolete after Galadriel was born, 2 carseats was over crowded. I digress.... My big vehicles guzzle gas.... of course they are effecient when driving with 10 children but very inefficient for most of my little trips when I go out pretending I've only got 1 child or 2.

Today we got a new-to-us-old-for-2-other-people car. I can't tell you anything about it but that it says Vue and Hybrid on the back. I don't know what that means I just know I liked driving it. So I sat like a statue as Tom tried to dicker the price down.... he won. I was tickled. You will not believe this but this car fits in a parking spot. Really, truly it does. Of course it only fits 5 people and has room in the trunk for some groceries. Of course my hope is that it will fit 2 grocery carts full as I only go to the store once a week and we always have 2 heaping carts full and yes, incidentally I have been carded twice for spending "over the amount". I told them they will get used to me.

Now if you are one of those car-a-holics (of which I am not) then you are free to complain about this nifty little car (they call it a SUV but I think it would fit right inside the 15 passenger van.) But for the record I think it's the cutest little thing I have driven in forever. The very funniest thing is that when you stop it makes not even a little peep. And best of all it is suppose to get something like 30 mpg. You know.... as opposed to 10 mpg. I got a little chuckle when I filled it up and only had to put 12 gallons in. Cute little gas tank!

I wouldnt' call it the nicest looking thing but it's just so cute, little things are cute. Like babies, even if they look like a little baboon, they really are kinda cute.

See just how little it is? Very little. I couldn't help laughing when I test drove it and Aragorn was in the passenger seat (have I ever mentioned I do not like to drive when he's in the car?) Anyway, we were actually sitting next to each other, not 2 arms lengtha away from each other, that was really kind of neat! We didn't need a megaphone to talk to each other.

The plan is to get rid of the Suburban :*(