One week before Christmas

He sleeps beside the tree now!

Table is cleared.

Presents are wrapped.

Stockings are hung.

This has been moved out of reach.  Filled with fresh greens for a second time.  One boy chews greens and glings them about the room, the other quietly picks off all the holly berries and uses the candle to spray imaginary spiders!  

So far these are out of reach.  

Maybe they will sleep a few minutes so I can refuel before working tonight!

Snowy Tuesday

It is snowing again!!

.  I was brave enough to drive across town early thismorning to pick up sweetie boy.  Most roads were cleared but couldn't make it up the steep driveway.   Backed down and waited for sweetie and mama at the bottom.  

Not much accumulation this time but only in the twenties.  

Dealing with all of this.  Tree is now down and gifts are being wrapped and organized.  Package to foundry for Florida gifts,  yarn shop girls gifts delivered to shop early this morning.  

Ozzy napped all morning so now he is watching birds.

Trying to adjust to new glasses. Yikes!!  Very good for driving but around the house i get dizzy and queasy try to see through three different prescriptions.  

Planning to sit now until sweetie is up. I have two knitted gifts to finish.  I might actually make it!! 

Christmas Tree 2013

Iwas starting to think that there would not be a REAL tree for us this year.  Thanksgiving was late.  

I spent 4 days with these sweeties.  First married Christmas. 

Flew home between snowstorms.

Worked with my little buddy on some holiday gifts.

Did a little bit of decorating.  This is mot a "real" tree.

Enjoyed snowstorm number 3.  Three in 7 days and technically it is still fall.  

Worked all weekend.  

We were the first customers at Christmas Tree Hill on Sunday morning.  They were still plowing and shoveling.  They shoveled a narrow path for us to get a closer look at the few remaining trees. Like we could really see any tree under several inches of fresh snow.   I picked the one on the end closest to the entrance.  They all look great when they are decorated!!

As we unloaded the tree it started to sleet.  

Ozzy is more interested in checking the coffee carafe for a drink!

He did a little sniffing then moved into the den to snooze on a table by the window and listen to football.  

I even remembered to buy candy canes.  Someone asked me, "lala do you have candy canes?  Nana puts candy canes on her tree."  I can't let Nana have a better tree. I think he's going to ask for blue lights, too.  Sorry I like plain white lights!! 

A Crazy Week

VYWhen my Thursday ends with this:

The yarn shop bathroom.  My Friday started with the terrific guys from Roto-Rooter.  Truly NICE guys.  Yes, they know me well.  No paycheck for me again.  Must have working bathroom.

My trust sidekick waiting for something to come out of the printer.  Another check for Roto-Rooter!  They convinced the boss to give us a discount this visit when they used their camera to investigate the crazy pipes. 

After a couple of hours at tne shop we still needed to get groceries.  Giant the day before another snowstorm is CRAZY!!  I insisted sweetie sit in the cart to speed things along.  He did tell me, "Lala, you are driving too fast.  Cool!" Driving grocery cart too fast.  Funny boy!

Arrived home with lots of groceries and sleeping helper!!

John arrived home for lunch to find bags of groceries!

Their First Apartment

You know your kids are adults when they have an apartment that allows a weekend visit.  

I slept on this lovely couch last night.  Love the rustic tables!

Quick tour before we go Christmas shopping.

This is the view as you look to the left from the entrance. Living room and Peter's office.

It is raining and dark so looks darker.  This little nook with a built in desk is Prter's office.  We are on the third floor and this window overlooks the parking lot and a bank of bushes and trees. Nice view.

To the left of the office nook is the TV and  the door to the bedroom.

Bedroom.  Door in bedroom leads to huge walk in closet which leads into bathroom.  Very cool.  Abby is in the shower so no bathroom shot.  

Dining nook to left.

Kitchen to right.

Big kitchen compared to Brooklyn apartment.

Another view of kitchen.

Quick shot of bathroom.  

And the most beautiful thing anout this apartment?  My happy girlie.  Love her!!!

Blue Balloon Boy

I

We did our regular early Monday morning grocery shopping.  Riley walks so most weeks I can just get a small cart.  He knows most of our regular purchases and leads the way.  He remembers what I've told him we need and skips and sings as we move up and down aisles.  Today I said NO DONUT and he happily agreed to choose another special treat.  (Donuts too messy, unhealthy and leave gluten mess!). He carefully chose a box of animal crackers but changed his mind when he spotted the new Christmas display in  produce area.  He loved the mini live Christmas trees and poinsettas.  Decided he NEEDED a blue balloon with Santa and Disney characters.  We returned the animal crackers and he showed off his balloon to everyone we passed.  

We did our self checkout.  Mostly Riley does it and I bag.  He loves hunting for the barcode and holding it over the scanner.   

I wrapped his balloon ribbon around his arm and warned him about the danger of  letting go.  

Buckled into backseat with his ballon he chatted all the way home about his new friend the blue balloon. 

He marched across the yard and into the house clutching his "blue clip" as the balloon danced on the ribbon.  OMG so much more fun than a messy donut!

As he went in the front door he yelled,"No, Ozzard this is my balloon.  Its not for you!"

Balloon watched while he ate his GF donut.  

Balloon went upstairs to go potty. 

He spent some time fighting fires and then resting while balloon watched.

Balloon watched as he ate his pre-lunch snack (grapes).

He and balloon retreated to the couch while I vacuumed the stairs.  He says Ozzy is scared of the big noise but he is not. 

Blue balloon went home with Riley.  I am sure the adventure lives on over there!!

Mr Fireman

Early this morning (7:20) I grabbed a poncho from the coat closet and started an avalanche of STUFF from the closet shelf.  I can take a hint. Time to clean out the closet.

Quick check on little boy found him busy remove his clothing. A very normal occurrence here.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He says.

Turns around to climb down.

Pauses a moment to watch Sesame Street.

He soon grabs my closet storage baskets and makes a train.

Starts to collect stinkbugs.  No real stinkbugs were harmed.  All pretend.

Uses a piece of yarn to zap them.

Complains about all the stinkbugs he is finding.  I checked the cart. No real bugs.

Busily vacuums the dining room.

He thinks he may have sucked up a mouse.

Calls to me. "Lala, there are mice in the vacuum.  Mice eating grass.  I can hear them humming. Do you hear it? A little hum. Hmmmmmm."

He is peering down the little hole so I asked if he could see them. He huffs, shakes his head and says, "No, it's dark in there."

At this point I am returning things to the closet and he grabs my red down coat.  This kid who HATES to wear a coat of any type.

"This coat fits me perfectly and it's so comfy"

Wears it for the next 30 minutes.  "My belly was a little cold." He says.

He dances around flapping the sleeves. He says, "see it fits me just right."

Still wearing it to watch Daniel Tiger.  Now he says, I am a fireman.  Its my fire coat.  I can take it home to wear with my fire hat."

Clean closet.  Time for lunch.

He says, "do you have a firetruck for me to drive??" 

Sadly I do not.