New Year!

I'm finally back - it's been a little busy around here.  But the new year means new habits WE HOPE. 

 In the new year we vow to try to give both puppies the exercise and play they need and deserve.

In the new year I will try to eat fewer of these kind of things.

 These are cake pops I made for Theron's classroom Christmas party.  After looking at about 100 posts about cake pops, starting with the famous Bakerella tutorial, I was ready to go.  First you bake a cake - I used a mix.  : /
When it cools you crumb it and then mash it up with something that will make it stick together.  I used sweetened condensed milk but you can also use frosting, or jam, or crushed berries.  Roll into balls, insert a stick, cool in the fridge or freezer.  When cool, dip in candy shell.  I used the Wilton melts available at Michaels.  Theron and Ash ate all the rejects and declared them a success. 

In the new year I will try to say Yes less often.  I'll probably continue to do the Holiday craft sale for the school but maybe I will start in the summer this time instead of November.   

 Some pocket tissue holders, my usual contribution.

In the new year and ever after I will no longer volunteer to do the soccer banner even though I really really love to do it. 
Theron's team, the Blue Ninjas, were UNDEFEATED the entire season.  Then in the playoffs, where EVERY TEAM competes, they lost the first game in penalty kicks.  Oh, it was heartbreaking.  There were tears.  There were questionable calls. Parents tried very hard not to say anything inappropriate.  Theron took it very well, though.  He said something about your destiny catching up with you sooner or later and let's get cheeseburgers. 
The end of season party was in December.  Ashley asked me, wasn't I going to do something with the banner?  Yes, I was. 

 I cut all their soccer balls off and made banners with a sleeve for a dowel.  Maybe Ash is a little bit of an enabler.  Anyway, I bought dowels to cut up but I had taken them away from Theron when he started using them as swords and couldn't find them all in the morning.  So, that's that. 

 Here's Theron working on his screenplay at Jamba Juice.  So far, a sprawling 26 page Spiderman extravaganza.

 Inherent Vice Squad gave these cotton lawn "Wash Your Paws" hankies to our 2010 customers.  We had them printed at Spoonflower.com and love them SO much.

This is a dishtowel I made out of a Blue Bird flour sack. 

Anyway, I don't know what else.  Just happy 2011! 

A Very Martha Christmas and a Hulky New Year

For several years now we've gone the direction of less gifts, more quality time, and just in time for the economic downturn we cut down our stress and spending, leaving time and money for good food and handmade goodies. Of course, buying for the kiddies goes on, but that is soooo easy. One trip to Target usually does for Theron. And what couldn't be bought could apparently be made. I searched the entire internet world for Theron's requests: Hulk pants and a Ben 10 Alien Force jacket. When I struck out, I called forth all my mommy determination and hodge podge collection of skills to make them. Here is Theron wearing both on Christmas morning. Maybe Ash has a better picture I can upload later.Believe it or not, all those hours of reality t.v. really paid off in this case. In particular, Project Runway gave me the tips I needed to proceed. I learned how to approach drawing a pattern from an existing piece of clothing and how to sew knits. Then I just made 4 trips to 3 different fabric stores. I also used my own jacket for clarification.
Theron spent the week before Christmas with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Richard getting spoiled. We drove up Christmas Eve for our reunion. We were so happy to see his happy little face and for him it was like, meh. He even told me on the phone earlier that week that he didn't miss me. And it didn't hurt at all, it was good. Christmas morning we drove to Santa Maria to see Grandpa Flip and Grandma Rita, who is doing so much better by the way, and is home from the hospital finally.
On the way we saw RAINBOWS. LOTS of them. Full rainbows.

Rainbows along Route 166

We also saw lots of tumbleweeds and I think maybe I'm finally getting over my fear of them. When I lived in Texas many years ago tumbling tumbleweeds made fear bubble up inside of me because I thought - mistakenly I know - that if you run into a tumbleweed it a) becomes lodged under the car and b) catches fire which c) causes the car to explode into a fiery ball of flame. On this trip we saw one get hit by a truck and it just shattered. But don't get me wrong, I'm still going to avoid them when it is safe. And I'll probably scream a lot anyway.

We ate a lovely holiday dinner with a Martha Stewart roast turkey and all the trimmings. Ashley had to run to the store because I forgot a few crucial items and called to report that there was not even one single russet potato in the place. But he found others and they were fine. We also made Martha Stewart sugar cookies and frosting from the recipe on the powdered sugar bag. Grandpa rolled the dough and Theron punched them out. We all frosted. Grandpa had to dispose of the leftover frosting so I wouldn't eat it, and he did, after doing a taste test of which color was most delicious. He concluded they were equally delicious.

We wish you all the happiest of holidays.

Count Down to Christmas

Wanna hear a joke? Underpants! Are you laughing? Cause that's good stuff.
How about, do you know where is the scariest place in the house? Behind the shower curtain. That's where we're going to hide all Theron's Christmas presents this year.
Grandparents, I mean, Santa, Theron is obsessed with Bakugan. It's okay to get duplicates because they trade them. He doesn't have any of the accessories, just the little balls.

Ash and I took sick days this week to actually be sick, which is no fun. The first day I was sick I didn't see even one ant all day. It was eerie. The next morning I turned on the kettle for tea and one happened to be walking right there so I burned his little ass. Good times.