10 years ago

I don't really remember many New Years. We don't really do anything on New Years to be memorable (like tonight. . . wonder if we will actually be awake at midnight?!?) I do remember New Years 10 years ago though. Tug and I were living in Albuquerque. We were newly married. I was pregnant. We tried to go out to dinner with Max, Michelle and Brooke. . . the restaurant was super busy (Great American Land and Cattle Co.) so we ended up at Furr's Cafeteria instead (yum). We then went back to their house and (likely) played games. 6 month old Brooke was asleep until her mom woke her up at midnight to take a picture in front of the ball dropping on the TV. I wish I had that picture but that was before the age of digital (to think we had to use film back then, gasp).

Now we are 1455 miles away and I have no idea what the Wades are doing tonight (they never even called us back to wish us a Merry Christmas, assholes.) Anyhow, I am not sure why I remember this night, it sounds pretty boring. I just can't believe it was 10 years ago. WOW, a whole decade has come and gone. My how time flies! Good thing the whole Y2K thing didn't pan out!

OH yeah, another thing I remember from that time was the incessant playing of

two-thousand zero zero, party over

oops out of time.

so tonight we're gonna party like its nineteen-ninety-nine.

Happy New Year!

We are at home, but I hear there is a huge party going on just up the road.

Firsts

Last night the girls had what I believe to be their first sleepover (with friends, they have had cousins sleep over before). Their bff's live over the bridge and I often drop them off on Saturdays to play while I am at work since I work over the bridge (how awesome is their mom, Tug LOVES her!). Yesterday I picked up the kids and brought the girls back home to spend the night. I think a fun time was had by all (though I warned them that my house was NOT a fun place to be).

Another first. . . a FIRST BABY (different family). I don't know if they are telling non-family/close friends (though none of their non-family/close friends read this blog) so I won't spill the beans (unless she spills the beans in the comments) as to who is expecting BUT yay, yay, yay we are soooooo excited for them (it is about time).

Feliz Navidad

Wishing you and yours a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS

From us and ours.

Back up plan

For the past several months Tug and I have joked that our backup plan should he lose his job (or take a severe pay cut, or we decide this area is just way too expensive) is to move "home" with my mom. Home for her is El Paso, TX. Tug calls it north Mexico.

Of course this isn't really what we would want to do. I grew up in El Paso and NO WAY IN HELL do I ever want to go back there. Joke's on me though because guess which city was just ranked by Forbes as the #1 city where Americans are getting richer. According to the article, good old north Juarez is the city where incomes for educated workers are growing fastest. Of course if you actually read the article you see that the median pay rose by 19.4%. NINETEEN POINT FOUR PERCENT. . . huge jump—all the way up to a whopping $49, 100. Guess we will be staying put after all!

So sad to be missing out on the amazing scenery!

Oh, speaking of my mom. . . mom, we got more boxes, though we are still missing 2.

Disinheritance

Someone clearly wishes to be left out of the will!

Selfless

{j} running into the office with a package:

{j}: Mom, is this for me?

me: No, that is for someone else. I have to mail it off today.

{j} running into the office with another package:

{j}: How about this one Mom, is it for me?

me: No. Those are all for other people and I have to mail them.

{j}::sigh:: But I want another package. When will I get another package?

me ::ignores him::

{j} I know, how about you send the package and we follow to where it goes and the person opens it and then we share what is inside.

i need an answer

during school today {l} and {r} (9 and 6) asked:

But why did Woody have to get neutered. He can't have babies because he is a boy.

I just laughed. What would you have said?

ragamuffins

I received an email today:

There are some new photos of the tree on the camera. Why don't you download them and do a new blog post for goodness sake.

Love

Tug F*****, CSI, CDT

Certified ******® Specialist

******* Products

Cell ***-914-****

How nice of him to sign it so personally huh! (For those who don't know, the email is from my husband.) I should have replied "If your children didn't look like such vagabonds perhaps I might."

I was at work during these photos. I think I was at work. Maybe I was asleep on the

couch.

We have 2 couches, clearly I wasn't sleeping on that one. The kids decorated the tree entirely by themselves and I think it looks good enough for me to not try to change any of it.

And, for a family update:

*{l} hurt her foot yesterday during judo and says it hurts to walk. Funny thing is she hurt it doing roundoffs. We have been icing it and might give it another day before we deem it doctor-needs-to-see-her hurt.

*{r} now won't be going to rec gymnastics. Her coach has decided to place her in the next lower level class that is still pre-team. I have been trying to get her into that class but was told by another coach that, while she is young enough for the class, she was too tall for it. Her coach decided that the things she needs to fix are things they don't focus on in rec (hello, I have been saying this all along) and that if she went to rec she wouldn't be able to grow the talent she does have so they are just lowering her pre-team level. {r} is totally fine with it since it is still pre-team. Gymnastics really feels like an episode of As the World Turns!

*{l} has a consultation on Friday for braces. Apparently her bite is off and they need to fix that with braces at the ripe old age of 9. Why are kids so expensive??

*Off to get ready to go to Mass. . .

Tortilla

I haven't been too inspired to do blog posts lately. I really think I am going to stop doing actual posts and just start putting pictures up of the kids for family and knitting whenever I actually complete something. Don't hold your breath.

'round here:

*we always stay up late. I really need to get to bed before 1 AM. Last night it was an intriguing episode of Hoarders keeping me up. Any time you feel like you are a bad housekeeper, just watch that show. Dumb thing is we have DVR and I could just record it and watch it another time.

*I am still sick, though getting over it—I think. I usually feel relatively ok (not good, but ok) during the day, but come evening/first thing in the morning I feel completely terrible. My eyes are better (might have just been drainage, and not actual pink eye) but this cough is really kicking my butt.

*Her coaches are again talking about moving {r} back to rec gymnastics so today she starts some private lessons with her coach. If they do move her it will be at the end of the month. For those who know her, she doesn't yet know so zip it.

*Late birthday presents are fun. {j} received a package in the mail yesterday from his Grandma Juju (Tug's mom) and he thought it was completely awesome!

*What kind of morally repugnant family would help someone on the run who killed 4 police officers for no apparent reason? Disgusting!! I am glad to know they 'caught' him.

*I am glad Notre Dame fired Charlie. Maybe now I can like them again. Tug is hoping they hire Skip Holtz.

*Ohio State will play the winner of the Oregon vs Oregon State game this Thursday. We are hoping for Oregon State (since I think Oregon would beat us).

*Today is the long day at the Y. . . 1-2 girls homeschool PE; 1:15-2 {j} gymnastics; 4:15-5 girls ballet; 5-5:30 girls private gymnastics ({l} will be taking 15 minutes until ballet session ends so {r} can have a snack between ballet and gym); 5:30-7:30 {r} gymnastics. {j} also usually has a swim lesson from 5-5:30 but the Y is fixing up the pool so it is closed until January (hallelujah).

Off to grab some lunch, do a math lesson then head to the Y. Yippy!!