I was playing around with my new camera today, and got these nice pictures of the boys. I'm still learning alot about shutter speeds and white balance and such--I've never had a camera where I could adjust these things before. I'm really excited about learning photography. I even ordered some books (which came today--yay!) and I'm considering taking some classes. If I can find some locally, that is. Or maybe an online class, sometime this spring/summer.

Tomorrow is the last day of the workweek before another 3 day weekend. That makes me really happy. Work just isn't a really happy place to be these days. But there is a ray of hope, because my most difficult co-worker just had a job interview in another state. I have my fingers crossed...

This New Years will be different for our family. Andy will be out of town with Nick (visiting my folks since he couldn't be there for Christmas) but since I have to work tomorrow I will be staying here. Drew is staying with me to be my date for a party on Saturday night. I'm used to Andy being gone--I think he's been away for every drop of the ball since Drew was born. He prefers the excitement of partying, and I prefer to be home safe. But I'm not used to one or both of my boys being away. I'm a little apprehensive. I couldn't tell you why--he'll be in perfectly capable hands. But still...

Well, Andy just called. He's decided to work extra tonight. So, he's been at work since 6 AM. He was supposed to be off at 6 PM, but is now staying until 10. Then working the 10-2 security detail at Wal-Mart. I know we need the money, and I know he enjoys his job, but this is getting a little crazy. This will be 3 nights out of 4 this week that he hasn't seen his kids. Not to mention the supper I made that now won't get eaten. Ugh.

Anyway, off to a rousing game of Candy Land with Drew. I wonder if I'll win this time.

Labels: Photography

Here are the boys, on their way home from a very busy Christmas. They wore themselves out. Can't you tell? They both slept nearly the entire 2 hour ride home, then went to bed an hour early last night and slept straight through until I woke them at 6 this morning.

They had a wonderful time. They got tons of gifts, and mostly even remembered to say thank-you for them. And they really were very good. I was a little surprised by how well they behaved. Isn't that awful? That I expect them to misbehave?

So anyway, while we were visiting, my mom gave the boys some apples. No biggie, really, they eat apples all the time. But these apples are special. They come pre-sliced in a fancy bag. I think it's silly, really--I am perfectly capable of slicing apples, right? I think I even told mom that last year when I visited. And they're pretty pricey, to my way of thinking.

OK, so we go to the grocery tonight, because it's been 2 weeks and the pantry is bare. The boys have exactly 2 requests--apples and bananas. Easy enough. We get 2 bunches of bananas, and next I grab a sack of apples. At this point, someone must have grabbed my children and started severing limbs in a slow and painful manner, because they both screamed "NOOOOO! NOOOOO!". I am not exaggerating--people were turning to see what the problem was. Unfortunately, I didn't know what the problem was. And it took a minute for me to get it. I was purchasing the wrong apples. These apples, a big bag of shiny red yummy looking apples that was priced at only $2 or so, were not the apples like Grandma had. I tried to explain, but by this time there was no getting through. And some battles just aren't worth fighting, especially when it's 5:30, and none of you have been home yet, and you've been in the store an hour, and one or more of you really need to use the bathroom.

So, here we are at home, with a 14 oz. bag of sliced apples ( I think it's about 2 whole apples, maybe) that cost me $2.59. And everyone is happy... for now.

Due to crazy work and travel schedules, I made special arrangements with Santa Claus to come to our house one day early. I'm sure he didn't mind. After all, that's just one less stop that he will have to make tonight.

So, last night, on Christmas Eve Eve, we opened our family gifts, like we'd normally do on Christmas Eve. The boys had a blast. This is the first year that they've both really gotten into the spirit of things, and I had a wonderful time just watching them.

Before bedtime, the boys put out a plate of 5 cookies and a glass of milk. And then had a really hard time not eating the cookies. And then had a really really difficult time going to sleep. But they did, finally. And Santa came to the house.

This morning, Drew came out and said "Ohhh, look what Santa did!" when he saw that there was a half eaten cookie and no milk left in the glass. So the boys cleared the dishes to the sink (what good kids!) and tore into their gifts. They had the BEST time.

















But there's more. Grandmama and Grandaddy Sanderson live far away and couldn't be here for Christmas, but they arranged a very special gift for the boys. They got them movies, which they opened last night. They also got them the very thing they'd been asking for--a red jeep! We took them outside still in their jammies to give it to them, and they LOVE it. They both drove it and had a blast. It started to rain, though, and so they had to come back in the house sooner than expected. But I'm sure it will rack up alot of miles in the next few years.

So, tonight we travel to Lebanon Junction, where we'll spend Christmas day with my family. And then we'll return on Monday, and Tuesday it's back to life as we know it.

Beditme is my favorite time of day, after naptime. I love it when both boys are sleeping and the house is quiet. I love my kids and their seemingly limitless energy, but I really love them when they're sleeping.

Actually, right now they're not sleeping. They're watching a movie. Drew watches a movie every night before bedtime. Yes, I know, it's a bad habit. But at least the TV isn't in their room. It's in mine. Then after the movie is over it's time to go to bed, and he will with no fuss. Nick normally doesn't watch a movie--he goes right on to bed. But he's not feeling well tonight so he's getting a treat.

Today was a big day. After I picked them up from the sitter, we visited our neighbors and took them some Christmas cookies. Then we visited some other friends and delivered some cookies, and the boys got gifts. Hot wheels, coloring books, and picture books. They were thrilled. Then in the truck on the way home (it's a 10 minute drive) Nick threw up. Not a little spit up, but full scale vomiting. Nice. All over himself, the booster seat, the truck seat and floorboards, and worst of all, all over his blankie.

So, in we came, covered in vomit. Andy undressed him and cleaned him up (read: Andy put him in the tub fully clothed and sprayed him off, making an even bigger mess). I got the blankie into the washer. Then he threw up again, on the couch. Ugh. But he seems to be empty now--hopefully that was all. And the blankie is finally clean. The blankie is very important, you know.

So, now that everyone is relaxing, I get to clean out the truck and clean off the sofa cushions. Because Andy won't. He's informed me that "he doesn't do vomit". *eye roll*

Yep. They're spoiled. But just a little. That's OK, right?

Andy had to work this evening, and so the boys and I braved Wal-Mart (an adventure in itself a week before Christmas!) to do the weekly shopping. We bought an assortment of things: batteries, shampoo, diapers, milk, bread, power rangers, a book, and quite a bit of other stuff. Power Rangers? My kids got toys a week before Christmas? Yes, they did. Why? I really couldn't say. They asked for them and I was feeling charitable, so they got them. They didn't get everything that they asked for, of course (I'd have bought the entire toy department), but they came away with a new toy each. I know I shouldn't do that. They have more than enough toys as it is. And we certainly have other things to spend the $$ on. It's just that it makes me happy to see them happy. And they're happy with these new toys, see...


On another note...
It was pointed out to me by my mom last week that we don't have any Christmas stories. Well, we have one. But that's not enough. So, on this trip to the store my list included "Christmas stories". I went through every book in the store. I wanted a copy of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, a copy of Frosty the Snowman, and The Night Before Christmas. They had alot of Christmas stories on the shelf. Titles like "Elmo's 12 days of Christmas" and "Dora the Explorer's Christmas story" and "A Wiggly Christmas, starring The Wiggles". No Frosty, no Rudolph, not even any books about the birth of Jesus. Only cartoon characters and their various Christmas adventures. I didn't buy any of those. After much searching, I found a copy of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and that I did purchase. I was quite annoyed, though.

Time to get dinner on the table. Chicken and rice-a roni. I'll leave you this evening with a few pictures I took last night. Looks cold, doesn't it? It was...

It' s been awhile since we visited the farm. For the past year we've gone nearly every day, at least 2 or 3 times a week. But nasty weather and early darkness combined with Andy's crazy work schedules have kept us away for a few weeks. Today, however, was beautiful. 45 degrees, and sunny. So I picked them up from the sitter, and off we went. We stayed nearly an hour. There were all sorts of things to explore, from the stack of round hay bales to the pond to the mud puddles in the tractor tracks. The boys had a great time, and the much-needed opportunity to run off some excess energy.


Normally we'd take an "adventure walk" through the pastures, and look for bugs and flowers and interesting rocks or sticks. But today was a bit different, because the last of the spring calves were loaded and taken to the sale barn today. And the mama cows were very unhappy.



This is cow number 70. Her calf went to the sale today. She spent almost the entire visit following us up and down the fenceline, bawling and looking for her baby. It was difficult to explain to the boys that her calf was gone, and why her calf was gone. And trust me, they noticed. The first thing Drew said when he got out of the truck was "where are all the baby cows?" I'm sure they don't understand. But I'm not going to lie to them.

There was one question I could answer with confidence, though. When they asked me if someone was going to take them away from me, I could tell them "no, absolutely not". Although I have threatened to sell them to the gypsies a time or two...

Last night, after the cartoon marathon, I served supper to the boys before their daddy got home. Pizza, cheetos, yogurt, and a banana. I didn't eat with them. So, I'm cleaning up in the kitchen and folding some laundry, and just checking in on them every few minutes (or when they call for me). "Mom, come see what Nick's doing!!" "What's he doing?" "He's playing with his yogurt!!". Man, was he ever. He had completely sunk his little fist into the yogurt container, then splattered it around a little. Then he discovered the fun of clapping with yogurt covered hands.


I started to get mad, but caught myself. He probably should have been punished, but he was having such a good time. So I laughed. And I took his picture. And I did tell him never to do it again. But what did I expect? He's two, and I left him alone with yogurt. I guess I got what I deserved. (Mom, check out that grin. Who does he look like?)


Tonight we're having meatloaf for supper. Drew helped me make it. He loves to squish the meatloaf. He's been doing it since he was about 2. And now, after 2 years of practice, he does a really nice job. And he's much more willing to eat a supper that he's helped prepare.

So, Drew's busily squishing meatloaf, and Nick makes an appearance in the kitchen. "I want to help" he says. OK. So I put him up on a stool, let him watch his brother for a minute, and tell him to go for it. In goes the little hand, and then, before I could stop it... straight to his mouth! YUCK! Raw hamburger, raw eggs, onions, etc... And what does he say? "I like it!". Eewwwww. But I laughed. It was funny, especially to hear Drew say "that's really gross, Nick. You should grow up."

I sure hope he doesn't get sick. I can see explaining to the doctor why my kid was eating raw hamburger...

Anyway, here's Drew, squishing like a pro. Supper should be yummy tonight.

Ever have just one of those days? A day where nothing really goes wrong, but nothing is really right, either? Today was one of those days. And my boys are benefiting from it.

Normally I make some attempt to limit the amount of TV that they watch. But not today. This afternoon when we got home they said "Mom, can we watch cartoons?". And I said "YES!". And so they're watching cartoons. They have been for an hour, and I'm not stopping them. They're happy and content and smiling, and, most importantly, they're not fighting. We'll turn off the TV after supper, and then there will be family playtime, and probably some sibling squabbles. But for now, there's peace.

just checking...

Today I was asked to leave my home. Actually, I was ordered out.

Apparently Andy and the boys were working on Christmas stuff today. I can't imagine what they needed to do that would take so long, but I was gone from 11:30 until almost 4:00, and they weren't too happy when I got back. Now they're gone. To the store, I believe, to finish their project. I thought they were wrapping gifts, but no. How do I know that? Because I've been told that after supper I will have to stay closed in the bedroom (unless I want to leave again) so that they can wrap gifts. *sigh*

Anyway, during my banishment I took some nice photographs. See?

...you know, I desperately want to be one of those cool moms. You know the ones I'm talking about--the moms that can bake cookies with their kids, and just laugh when the flour and eggs get all over the kitchen. Or a mom that can just sit back and smile when her kids put 7 Christmas tree ornaments on one branch. I wish. But I'm not.

Tonight was decorate the tree night. The ornaments are down from the attic, with only one casualty. Of course, it was one of my favorites, so that didn't help any. Anyway, Andy came home from work just long enough to help, then he has to go back in. So we try. We institute "rules". One person at a time. We take turns. Mom will help with the high ones. Sure.


It took 10 minutes for me to yell. I really didn't want to yell, but it was a really long day t0 begin with, and the fighting over the Buzz Lightyear ornament did me in. So, Andy and the boys had a bath and I finished the tree. Some Christmas spirit, huh? But they didn't seem to mind, until they emerged from the bath, all clean and fresh, and noticed that I had moved their ornaments. I never thought they would notice. So, we put several back on the very bottom branch, and everyone was happy. And I'll move them again after they're asleep...






So anyway, there's our tree. It turned out pretty, I think. And now the boys are on their way to dreamland, and Andy is on his way back to work. And I'm on my way to my chair with a book and a mug of hot chocolate.

That's right. Monday night is pizza night in the Sanderson household. But do we order a pizza? No. No delivery outside the city limits, and we're not driving all the way into town every Monday night for pizza. Instead, we cook up a frozen pizza. The cheapest kind around--Totino's. Not just any Totino's, either--it has to be "combination".

This all started last fall when Andy was away at the academy. I declared Monday night as pizza night as a way to make my life easier. But this is the only pizza that the boys would eat. I never intended for this "tradition" to last as long as it has, but here we are. Over a year later and still going strong.

Today I realized that over the weekend I had forgotten to buy a pizza. We had to make the 16 mile round-trip to the grocery to buy a $.97 pizza. It's that important. The girls at work even tease me about it. But that's OK. It still makes my life a little easier.

As the boys have grown we've had to adapt a little bit. It used to be that 3 of us could share an entire pizza and all be satisfied. Now we've had to add cheetos to the mix just to fill everyone up, and most nights a fruit, too.

This weekend we saw Santa at Wal-Mart. It was an unexpected visit--he was there while we were doing our weekly shopping. Drew was thrilled--I had to hold him back to keep him from cutting in line to get to Santa's lap. Then I had to physically remove him from the lap so that the next kid could have his turn. And the picture they took--cute, but Drew isn't smiling. He was annoyed that he had to stop chatting with the big guy long enough to look at the camera. Now, this is a photo I took of the photo, so it's not so great. But you get the idea...Nick, now he's a different story. He DID NOT want to sit on Santa's lap. As a matter of fact, he didn't want to be anywhere near Santa. I was carrying him, and the closer I got to Santa the closer he got to me, until he was actually plastered to the front of me, both arms and legs wrapped around and his face buried in my neck. He never cried, but he wasn't real happy, either. I wouldn't dream of forcing him to sit on Santa's lap, though--unlike the folks behind us in line. While we were waiting for our picture, they made this poor little boy (he was maybe 2-ish) sit there, screaming and crying and begging to get up. It was awful. Why do that to a child?

Fast forward to this evening, suppertime. I've made a meatloaf and potatoes. Both boys LOVE meatloaf. I call everyone in to supper, Drew looks at his plate and says "What's this? I don't LIKE IT AT ALL". He hasn't tasted it. I inform him it's meatloaf, and he nearly collapses from disgust. Until he tastes it, and proclaims it yummy. Whatever. Nick, meanwhile, cleans his plate and demands a banana.

Andy left an inkpen in the pocket of his uniform shirt yesterday when he put it in the laundry. I didn't discover it until I got the laundry out of the dryer. Most of an entire load of laundry is ruined, including Drew's favorite shirt, and my new corduroy (is that spelled right?) pants, and 2 of my 4 Christmas themed shirts. And it took me a half an hour to get the ink stains of the dryer. And what does Andy say? "Sorry. Guess you should have checked the pockets, huh? At least you can't see any spots on my uniforms." Arrgh!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, and photograph from a little over a year ago. I thought it was interesting, because the outfit that Drew is wearing? Nick wore the EXACT same outfit today, down to the hat. Cute.

Ever wonder just what you were thinking? Today I thought it might be fun to do a little craft project with the boys. Pinecones, glue, glitter--how bad could it be? Actually, they had fun. And the glittery pinecones came out quite pretty. Drew has already decided who will be receiving them for Christmas.

I will, however, be cleaning up glitter in my kitchen FOREVER. It's everywhere!

And check out Nick--we should be seeing some pretty diapers in the next day or two...

I have the camera out because I'm going through some sunset photos I took earlier this evening, and seeing what I have on the disc so far. Both boys, but especially Nick, love to look at the pictures on the camera.

So, Nick is sitting on my lap, saying "that's ME!" about all the pictures of him. Then he proclaims the sunset pictures "pretty. very pretty". Then he hops up and makes what I would consider an odd request. "Take a picture of my milk. Please."

So I did. I took several actually, because he wouldn't hold it still and the first few were blurry. I don't know what we're going to do with them, because he's totally lost interest in them now, only 1/2 hour later.

Kids are weird. Or is it just MY kids? Sometimes nothing makes them happy. And sometimes they're thrilled by the smallest things, like me taking a picture of this cup of milk.

And see that bit of pink in his hand? That's Nick's new Pink Power Ranger. He picked it out himself at the store. The Christmas ornament he chose to buy new for the tree this year is pink, too. As a matter of fact, it's pink with glittery daisies on it. His father is having a hard time with this pink obsesession he's developed. He thinks it girly. Oh well. I'll support him. Heck, I bought him a Cabbage Patch doll! His dad didn't really like that, either...

Tonight we're going to get the Christmas decorations down out of the attic, and while Andy is at work tomorrow the boys are going to help me with the outside lights. That should be fun. Then next weekend we'll get a tree (a real one this year) and get it decorated. Both of them, but especially Drew, can hardly wait for the Christmas tree to be up. They're asking every day if it's time. Hopefully the outside lights will appease them a bit.

Here's are some pictures I took of the sunset this evening. It was spectacular. My camera didn't do it justice. I'm needing (OK, wanting) a new one pretty badly.

Fire Truck. Anyone familiar with this book? Everyone in this household certainly is. Fire Truck was a gift to the boys about a year ago. It's a short little story about a "little boy named Matt, who LOVES fire trucks". My boys know it by heart. The read along with whoever is reading them the story. If they can't convince someone to read it, they'll read it to each other. I've even "read" it to them from another room while they follow along with the book. Our copy has been taped and taped again, colored on, and covered with stickers. It's missing part of it's cover. And they love it. There are lots of books in our house, and a good number of them are read on at least a weekly basis. But Fire Truck is the most loved.

Today their daddy is the story man. Mom is on break. And what's the first book they pick? Fire Truck. Then a few more stories. And then the last story? Yes, Fire Truck.