hairbrained schemes

A Car Named Fonzie.

I renamed my Jeep yesterday.

Lately the heater has been cutting in and out, which is fabulous in the winter.  Kind of like when my air conditioning went last May. 

Jason and I figured out that if you kick it just right (I call it the sweet spot) under the dashboard on the passenger side, it will usually come back on.

Naturally, this lead to me giving the thumbs up and a big "ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" after every successful kick, which again, naturally progressed to a discussion about Happy Days and Fonzie. 

So my Jeep has a new name.

It suits her.

I've done a few layouts lately, which is surprising because it cut into my lazing around time, but I guess scrapbooking could sort of fit under the umbrella of lazing around. 

Especially when I'm in my pj's until 4pm.

This is a lift from the Jan/Feb Simple Scrapbooks, a page by Candice Palmer. 

I took the journaling almost directly from a previous blog post, which is kind of cool.  I like it when stuff is already done for me.

All Reports Are In.

And foremost on our minds?

Robosapien.

(this photo is abolutely candid.  I know it totally looks posed, but it's not.)

He does indeed pick up a cup.

He dances, he wolf whistles, he burps and he farts (what could be better?  Actually, Gorgeous George does all that stuff and he was free).

That alone is worth the price tag. 

Christmas was lovely.  The month up to Christmas was so crazy for us that is was nice to just sit around in our pjs play video games, watch tv and eat (and eat...and eat...)

The boys' dirtbikes were a big hit, although we got more snow so they haven't been able to get out on them yet.  I think their helmets might have been even more exciting to them than the actual dirtbikes.

I just finished an assignment for Simple Scrapbooks for a new special issue coming in the spring.  It's going to be great!  Man, I am still pinching myself (in inconspicious places of course) that I have the good fortune to work with these ladies!

The countdown is on to the New Year. 

I have a goal.

To single handedly eat my way through all the fattening food that we have left in the house before New Years Day.

Think I can't do it? 

You're on.

What Language Does God Speak?

Jake: "Mom, this is a picture of Albert Einstein, he is like the smartest guy EVER".

Me: "Isn't he dead?"

Jake: "Yah, well, he's the smartest dude in heaven"

Me: "Smarter than God?"

Jake: "No way....hey, what language does God speak?"

Enter Lucas.

Me: "Um...well, I guess God speaks whatever language the person that he's talking to speaks (I am not particularly quick on my feet)

Lucas:  "I think he probably speaks Pig Latin".

-------------------------

Absolutely Random.

Okay.

I've been putting off posting because so much has happened since my last blog post that I feel overwhelmed (eerily similar to how I deal with housework).

So here is some pure randomness from our lives over the last couple of weeks.

Goodbye house.

We said goodbye to our house this morning.  The new people moved in and we are somewhat settled in our new-home-for-the-next-6-months. 

Bella and Lucas seem to be the most affected by the move, which surprised us (well, Lucas surprised us, Bella is afraid of dirt so no surprise there).  So we're trying to do lots with the boys to make the transition easier.

Lying is a slippery slope.  We've been dealing with Jacob telling silly lies about silly things lately.  I've heard it can be an age thing - particularly with dramatic children (wonder where he got that from?)

Another slippery slope?  Cutting your own hair. 

Let's just say it's a good thing that I have long hair.  If I started with shorter hair I would probably be bald right now. 

Enough said.

Simple Scrapbooks got the Simple Studio up!  Also they are doing a blog with a different host each month,

Marnie Flores is hosting this month!  She is doing some fun challenges so if you scrapbook, join in! 

I did this layout for one of her challenges:

And speaking of Christmas Concerts, the boys' is this Wednesday evening.  Lucas has the honour of playing Joseph in his class's rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear".  I'm a little nervous because after fashioning a shepard costume out of some leftover muslin, he karate chopped his little self around the house bellowing, "I'm a Ninja". 

Egad.

Bella got a brand new bone.

Haaa!  Now THAT'SA bone (that's what she said).

The guilt of her not being allowed to have free reign of the rental house spurred me into going for the big kahuna.  The boys also tried to get me to buy her a Santa suit from Petcetera, but I refrained.  She's already afraid of everything, I don't want to humiliate the poor thing on top of that.

My husband finally saw the opportunity to talk me into an artificial tree and he leapt at it. 

One of my favourite traditions (we really don't have many) is our annual trip the Honey Hut tree farm. 

First Mrs. A takes the kids down to feed the sheep and choose an egg out of the chicken coop. 

Next we tromp around and find the perfect tree.

Then Mr. A brings his tractor down, loads the kids up and takes them to cut the tree down. 

Then we sit around a big bonfire, drink hot apple cider and eat cookies.

All this bliss AND a tree for only $25. 

This year, we decided to buy a tree because of the move and all the other hoopla going on.  We were at the store and Jason spied a $99 fake tree and talked me into it.

So this year I am learning to let go.

I let the kids decorate it and didn't even move any of their carefully placed (all in the very front of the tree in a 2x2 area) ornaments.

I don't have any pictures yet, but here is a family one we took with the timer after we finished decorating.  You can see a little bit of the artificial beauty that is our tree in behind us. 

Also note the lovely curtains in the back. 

Our rental house comes fully furnished and has a distinct Bavarian Flaire. 

I bought the new Sarah McLachlan Christmas cd. 

It is beautiful.  I don't buy cds normally, but this one was worth it.

And now I must run, I have a hot Charlie Brown movie date with three good looking guys.

Truthiness.

I love this guy.

Okay, I know I'm supposed to be packing.

It's MOVE DAY this fine Saturday.

But I really needed just one cup of coffee.

The fact that I waited until Jason was gone with the first load of stuff is a total coincidence. 

If you are moving or have other things to do that you want to do kid free, check out this site:

Club Penguin

It's a local company and a great time waster for the kiddos.

I finished all my Christmas stuff before this move (mostly) and am quite proud of this fact.

Generally, I am one of those cranky looking people in the mall (which I hate) on the 22nd. 

Well, I suppose I must get back to packing.

The fact that I just heard Gorgeous George's truck pull in the driveway? 

Pure coincidental timing.

And that, my friends, is the truthiness.

IT PICKS UP A CUP!

Say this in an awestruck voice and a lisp and you have the chant we have been audience to for the last 3 Christmas seasons running.

Of course I'm talking about this guy

The Robosapien. 

And of course, it's Lucas that is awestruck.

Not only can the Robosapien PICK UP A CUP (the all caps indicate the reverence and awe required here, not unlike when my husband talks about THE THEATRE ROOM), he (it?) can also (and, I quote, from the box) "groove" and "deliver karate chops". 

What more could a lad ask for?

For three long years we've hear about this amazing CUP PICKING UP ability. 

And finally, it has come down from the ridiculous $150 price tag to $50. 

So I bought it for him.

And I am waiting with bated breath for Christmas morning to see if Robosapien can indeed PICK UP A CUP. 

And if the whole CUP PICKING UP thing doesn't work out for him there is always the grooving.

Lucas fancies himself a bit of a break dancer and I for one can totally picture him bustin' out a few moves in his bedroom, tunes on the ol' Batman boomboxth, Robosapien grooving by his side.

That picture alone is worth the $50 price tag.

Nag, nag, nag...

Gorgeous George has been hassling and nagging me to get another blog entry up.

He is such a girl.

We decided to get up to the opening of the ski hill on Sunday. 

Basically a 70 cm base means a little snow with lots of rocks and sticks poking out.  The t-bar wasn't too bad though so we stayed a couple of hours. 

That's me and Jake.  I am no Nancy Greene but it looks like Jake also might need to work on his technique a bit. 

The boys did really well considering they are on new skis that are way longer than what they used last year.

So after we put a nice array of dings and scratches in our gear we packed up, headed home, called some friends, packed up and headed back out to go Christmas tree hunting. 

Poor Bella was not digging the deep snow all that much.  She was covered in snowballs and ended up sitting in the truck for most of the time waiting for us (she's a lot like me).

Gorgeous George in all his glory. 

Yup. 

That's right, George, your days of anonymity are over (double oh seven you are not).

We were having a discussion about God the other day. 

Lucas pipes up about how there are two Gods.

Oh really?

"Yah, you know, our God up in Heaven and....(I am going to hell) Oh God!  M y leg, my leg!". 

With that, I really must get ready for work.