Saturday, January 24, 2009

It's Finally Down!

We finally have our tree down and put away!! With older son working two jobs (about 72 hours a week), time is hard to come by. So today we had a block of time to get it all down, packed up, and back to the storage shed. Younger son and I already did the outside of the house during the week and had the car packed up with that. As we were taking down the tree, I found one last ornament my brother has made us. It was a gift in 2005. I promise this will be the last ornament picture until at least November of this year!



Milo is very happy to have the living room back to normal too! He has much more room and the only chair he is allowed to be on was in the bedroom this whole time.

Older son's second job is full time. He has been there 5 or 6 weeks now and they have already asked him to stay on. He was hired temporarily for the holidays, but knew a larger super store was opening and this one was closing. He asked to be considered for security in the new store and just found out he has the position. The store is putting in a high tec security system and he will be learning that and working plain clothes. He was able to watch as a shop lifter was caught yesterday. He was in the room watching as the police were called and what the procedures are that he will follow. He is happy it is in his field. Younger son is now looking for a job too, but he is have a hard time finding something. Once he turns 17 he can work at UPS with older son, but he need something until then.

I just ordered younger son Saxton's Algebra 2. The curriculum we are using only went up to Algebra 1 and then gave him a business math this year. So as soon as the book arrives we will work on that until next Fall. I want him to get at least through Algebra 2 before taking his PSAT again or the ACT next Spring.

Monday, January 19, 2009

House Call!

I feel like we have been hibernating the last few weeks with below zero temperatures and all this ice and snow we have had! We have been very lucky we still have at least one visitor a week :) Younger son's trumpet teacher makes house calls! He is in a great fine arts program with band, choir, tome chimes, orchestra, drama, & speech. Younger son is in all except orchestra. He has been taking lessons for about 8 years now. We have been in this fine arts program for 7 years. Even Milo sits at the window each week and just waits for the band teacher to arrive.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Our Last Christmas Get Together of the Season



We had a wonderful time at my mom and dad's house. My Aunt and Uncle from Wisconsin made it in and my brother from Michigan finally made it through the snow! My brother makes us lovely ornaments each year for Christmas. We all love them. Here are the two he made this year out in his pole barn freezing since his barn isn't insulated or heated. We really appreciated the ornaments even more knowing he froze just to make us these ornaments!

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

All Smiles For The New Year :)

I found a fun baking site called Bakerella. She does the cutest lollipops. I printed the instructions and was planning on keeping them for next year and doing Christmas trees and reindeer. Then I saw her smiley faces. I thought how cute. It didn't look too hard, so off to the store I went. I wanted to make some smiley face lollipops for friends of ours we are seeing tomorrow and for my friends little boy. Well Tom is not really a little boy, he is 19. I posted a couple of pictures. Now if you go look at the original pictures on Bakerella's site, mine don't look a whole lot like them. I couldn't find an edible pen, so I used gel instead and that I am finding out doesn't dry. I bought little plastic bags and twist ties to put them in and I am worried the gel will smear. Some of mine turned out cute and some look like they have warts and are a little drunk. They do all taste good though! It was fun to try.