the metabolism I wish I still had...

isn't his hair pretty when he spins around...
(someone needs a haircut in a bad way)
apparently a photo to commemorate the first shaving experience was just not in the cards for this mom...
he's so not fun. well. he's a little fun. and a lot funny.
he's also attempting to eat me out of house and home.
no.
seriously.
I was warned of this time.
but, I had no brothers, nothing to gage this insanity.
really you can't understand the extent of the eating.
it's like he can't get enough food.
constant eating.

I made chili for dinner the other night.
thinking I was clever,
I decided to double it, so I could freeze half for an easy quick meal.
great plan in theory.
great plan until Jared got home from soccer the other night.
and ate all the leftovers.
gone.
he was "hungry".
he is always hungry.
it's literally one thing after another.
"can I have a hot pretzel?"
"a fruit roll?"
"some chips?"
"some of this juice?"
"an apple?"
"some chex mix?"
"a granola bar?" ....
it's a bottomless pit.

he's always been a big eater.
it's just in overdrive.
hyperactive hyperdrive...
I'm in big trouble.
oh.
and don't worry.
the other two manage to hold their own just fine.

happy little disaster...

I've been a tiny bit busy.
organizing my many many recipe binders.
minor for most.
but for me it's an undertaking.
colin says it's because I'm "so anal about these types of things"...
err. thanks?
and yes.
that's a chicken in my recipe binder.
no Colin. not because I want to eat him.
because I love that chicken.
I want him for a pet.
so he's in my recipe binder.
maybe he should be in my home design binder?
yeah. see. he doesn't really fit there either.

that's all today...
aren't you glad you stopped by for a whole lot of nothing...

quote from friday:
Colten "the principle came up to me and said I can't wear my hair up because then other kids might want their hair like mine, and we wouldn't want that."
ha.

I love you more than Beckham...

this is what the boys woke up to this morning...
usually I do things I love about them...
this year I decided to be funny and did "I love you more than"... which they seemed to like.
Colten crawled into my bed this morning and said
"mom happy valentines day. I love you. thanks for making that for us. I really love the beach too...but I love you more"
ha.

I love you more than ...
Martha Stewart
art
the beach
cupcakes
candy
chocolate covered strawberries
starbucks
scrapbooking
dessert
facebook
fridays
music
grey’s anatomy
ice cream
The Office
snow monsters
the ocean
the rain
more than you love OldBaby
the sun
sushi
tea
blogging
cinnamon dolce lattes
rainbow sprinkles
Jimmy Johns veggie subs
summer
birthdays
autumn
more than you love soccer
halloween
The 4th of july
all the stars at night
DisneyWorld
photography
CPK (roasted pepper and goat cheese pizzas)
Jewel
playing Scrabble
black t-shirts
David Beckham
the color red
monkeys
Target
fireworks
guacamole
the color pink
Hello Kitty
hazelnut creamer
green juice
smoothies
slippers
magazines
air(really. more than anything.)

Happy Valentine's Day

foolish games

impromptu jam session after bath time...seems my dream that someday someone would be able to play the guitar out on the back patio on warm summer nights is becoming a reality.
(the part of the dream where that someone is playing old Jewel songs, I've been told will in fact never become a reality)

oh,
and don't panic.
the big one still managed to continue texting...

xoxo.

last night.
"mom! you just went through a yellow light!" Jack
"I was already in the intersection...it's ok."
"well...it costs more money if you get a ticket for going on yellow."
"what? no, you don't get a ticket for going through on yellow."
"yes. you do. and it's more than if you run a red light."
"where in the world are you getting this information?"

this morning.
"mom...you are crazy!" Jack
"I am not! maybe YOU are the crazy one...maybe your crazy just makes my un-crazy appear crazy?!"
"yeah. you are crazy. and now I'm confused."
"hey now...I'm not the one that thinks you can get a ticket for running a yellow light."
"ok crazy"

Jacky Boucher

thank you rob dyrdek.
my boys would now like to live in a warehouse...
with a giant foam pit...
some ramps...
and basketball hoops everywhere.
they've asked nicely...
several times today actually...
oh, and they'd also like a T-Rex car. the Jack and I are now off to basketball practice.
interesting note
Jack's coach told the kids
"if you keep score the devil will get in your head."
oh yes.
he did.
only made slightly amusing and not just absolutely horrifying because Jack
a. gets it. (that the coach is not very bright, and kind of a nut)
and
b. will now speak in an adam sandler waterboyesque voice....
telling me "the devil will git in yer head"...

I love you more than monkeys

colin left yesterday for California...
he will be back next weekend.
no sooner did he leave,
coley was through the door with a bloody knee.
its inevitable.
colin is here and all is fine.
he leaves and people start bleeding.
I swear...
(colin is one that deals well with blood and puke. I. am. not.)
so of course,
cole is completely calm.
and
I am a total lulubird. running around the house trying to locate the neosporin.
I made it back to the bathroom, and exclaimed.
"well, I can't find the neosporin...but I've got the camera!"
lucky for me, my kids love me and my crazy.

(col...we miss you!)
it was really not bad AT ALL....just made me want to yak. because I'm weird like that...

the "good" thing about colin being gone...
is I get a car during the day.
which meant target this morning...
and coffee in my monkey holder gabby got me for christmas.
the way I see it = this is ridiculously fabulous. oooooh dear. seriously is that not A-door-able?!?!?
monkeys AND starbucks. I can hardly stand it.
major improvement to the MON(key)day.
then to hobby lobby to get the supplies for the boys Valentine "curtains"*...
because after halloween, and the 4th...
valentines day is my favorite.
*(I make them valentines that hang from ribbons...
while they're sleeping I hang them in their doorways)
photos to follow.

I also picked up a package of artist trading cards.
not for me ...for jack.
he's doing a ATC kids swap. adorable.
I personally have never done ATCs. but when I saw the swap, I knew jack would flip.
(which he did)
and who knew Strathmore actually has little packs of bristol and watercolor paper, canvas, and illustration board all precut...cutecutecute....

over dinner last night,
jack was explaining what he is planning to create,
and colten said...

"wow. whoever gets your cards is really lucky because when you're a famous artist they'll be worth a LOT of money."

I know. sugar. so sweet it makes my teeth hurt.
jack just swelled with pride.

if they got to know me...

my neighbor...
bless her heart...
she is CRAZY.
(do you like that? in the south if you use a preemptive "bless their/his/her heart", you can say mean things...please note I'm kidding. not about that saying though.....)

Pam: I hate the idea that someone out there hates me. I even hate that Al-Qaeda hates me. I think if they got to know me they wouldn't hate me. But Karen knows me and she still hates me, so.
my neighbor.
she is not a fan of Jared.
which is fine. not everyone has to be a fan of my kid.
but...
a. she's an adult.
and
b. he's a great kid.
and yes I'm completely biased,
but....
you may not know everything your child says and does when they are away from you...
but you know their heart.
and Jared is a nice kid.

So. without going into too much detail suffice it to say of the group of boys here,
(2 other families, with 2 boys each)
one is being left out. or feeling left out.
this is mostly due to the fact he doesn't like playing outside.
and the other 6 do. (please note. the other 6 do. 6 ...not just Jared)
I have talked to my boys about including him.
compromising and letting him choose the game or sport.
they all claim to be trying...
and
I am one to let kids work things out...
I mean honestly...7 or more kids together...there are always a few that don't get along.
sometimes it's my kids that come in crying.
and guess what?
I tell them they can either play together or not.
I don't care who hit who, or who tackled who too hard, or who didn't follow the rules....
play together and get along. or come inside.

she has said she "hates" Jared.
and now, she has said he is a bully.
lovely.
Jared is competitive. but. he. is. not. a. bully.
I'm not sure if I should just continue to ignore her.
or if I confront her?

my sister pointed out.
me in a confrontation would equal
me listening to her tell me what a rotten kid I have..
and then uttering something along the lines of ...
"you are mean, and your kid is weird"...
which would not be helpful.
I'm voting for option c. which is move.
Colin says that is not an option yet.
my husband's advice is "ignore it, the kid is just weird."
which is good advice, and true...
but honestly. I feel bad.
I feel bad that her son is upset.

I like things to be conflict free.
and I like kids to be happy...

I've also decided in the past few days that I need to be more mindful.
because while I'm not overly sensitive in terms of little things bothering me.
I think that lots of woman are.
and I am too laid back sometimes.
I'm trying to take this into account in this situation.
I am also still feeling horribly bad about a completely different situation yesterday,
when I inadvertently sent a friend a tag on facebook.
which was a not a bad or mean thing to do,
until it dawned on my the content of the tag.
and her history.
and realized my huge. ginormous. mistake.
but that's just so me.
not thinking.
not intentionally doing something hurtful,
and yet.
looking back going.
what is wrong with you...
horrible.
I felt and feel horrible.

so maybe I'm over thinking this situation.
in order to not later have to say
why am I such an idiot?!

I am actually contemplating creating greeting cards with that sentiment.
"I'm sorry I'm such an idiot. please forgive me."

so the past few days I've spent listening to Pastor Jason's podcasts.
like 6 of them.
and scrapping.
because cutting out shapes from paper and inking them and piecing them back together is clearly cathartic for me. (ok. and fun)
and Jason is so spot on.
seriously. I would totally drink the kool-aid.
(which was a joke. in case that's not blatantly clear)
my favorite line still...."you are not super Christian!"...
which is good to remind yourself. sometimes multiple times (a day).
and then try harder.
(even though that's not exactly the way it was used...)

ps. that picture in the last post was Coley. age 2-ish...
gorgeous grumpy Coley-O.

phew...

this pretty much sums up my day today....
be back tomorrow.

heeded of....

shocker...
I actually made a page today.
will wonders never cease.
the scanner is a craptastic hater, and cut the bottom off, but thats to be expected.
the scanner and I have a very tumultuous relationship.
thanks tara for the motivation.

coley just walked in the door and announced
"well...I think I aced my history test. I'm going to try studying more often...that really made it easier. much easier."

and this has been making me laugh since sunday...

Dwight - Yes I shouted fire. I shouted many things.
I also shouted instructions on how to get out of the building so you can imagine my frustration, as safety officer, when nobody would heed of, would heeded, heeded of--
Michael - Headed of--
Dwight - When no one would take headed of my instructions.
Michael - Heed. Take heed.
Dwight - I don't see my co-workers--
Michael - Take heed of--
Dwight - --heeding this. Right now.

take heed. that's funny stuff....

***oh, and ignore the blog header, I know not what I want to do with that...so I'm just experimenting. I'm nothing if not indecisive...

minus34

I am not exactly sure what we do,
as a collective whole of five humans, and no furry creatures....
to carpet....
but somehow.
we completely trash it.
I have actually experimented with this in several houses.
moving every year will allow for that.
and in every house.
it's the same.
we don't wear shoes in the house.
the boys can't bring food or drinks out of the kitchen.
(I know. I'm horribly mean aren't I?)
they are boys for sure.
but they aren't a particularly rowdy bunch...
and yet.
somehow.
the carpet still looks gross.
I hate carpet.
in my next house I want hardwoods.
or bamboo.
or any combination.
wall-to-wall wood.
how appropriate in my male dominated household.
carpet is just not good match for us.

at basketball practice.
"what coach are you looking for?" says the nice lady at the Baptist Church.
"coach chad" I say.
"lets see....oh. your coach is the one over there with the blue balls"

how nice of them to have different color basketballs.
how unfortunate of them to give the immature mom's team the blue ones...
me.
being the immature mom.
of course.

Cole10

on January 27th my gorgeous strong willed child turned 10. and I have yet to blog about his greatness.

so here are somethings about my beautiful non-stop middle. "Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh." -W.H.Auden

10 facts about Colten(according to his mom):

he is very kind, but not so patient.
he is a worrier. (natural disasters top the list of concerns)
he notices the little details others miss.
he has a unique way of learning...his brain fascinates me.
he has his own style.
he has a fantastic sense of humor.
he has great big brown eyes that melt me.
he is my smallest and my loudest.
he was almost named spencer jack -if colin would have won the great hospital name debate- I can't imagine colten being a spencer, or jack not being a jack! luckily after 3 days of being "babyboy", we agreed on colten.
and last but not least
he is an old soul. 10 things Coley likes (according to him):

soccer
hats
gum
playing outside/riding bikes
NASCAR and monster trucks
the Cavs and the Titans (but definitely not the Steelers)
his phone
video games
taco bell
reading
10 things O dislikes (according to us both):

writing
cheese
being told no
arkansas
mean people
hannah montana
the jonas brothers
tying his shoes
riding the bus
shopping

Coley-Oley-Mister-Boboli-Ravioli-Guacamole-Angelina-Jolie
how we love you!

ouch.

Jack says everyone should be lucky enough to have hot water bottles from germany when they have double ear infections...
especially ones with a cool skull and crossbones cover.
it makes ears feel oooh so much better.
poor sick banana...

10.

a proper Coley birthday post next...
(it was fun)
(we had chocolate cake and fondue)
(and a scavenger hunt)
(I really can't believe he's 10)

this week we...

celebrated a certain 10 year old boy's birthday...
played monopoly, life, catan, scrabble, and cards...
watched mission impossible, national treasure, and narnia...
napped...
taught the momma how to play boom blox on the wii...
played do over no less than 150 times....
practiced guitars...
ate cake for breakfast....
read...
did laundry...
broke up fights...
and
wrestling matches...
listened to a ton of classic rock (the only station we could get)...
learned that Jared now "kinda" likes pink floyd (another brick in the wall)...
and
that john mellencamp's jack & diane will make Jack blush....
listened to the news on the radio...
went to bed early...
did more laundry...
reset the clocks...
multiple times...
with each little power outage...
listened to Colin scraping the car windows in the morning before work (from bed)...
watched everything we had dvr'd...
slept in...
listened to Coley stress about the idea of not having cable by Superbowl sunday....
took photos...
did more laudry...how in the world do we have so much laundry?!?
laughed...
colored...
listened to Jack cough...poor Jack...
played piano...
and
put off doing homework...
do you remember when you were so little your hands couldn't hold all the cards?

the boys didn't miss the cable quite as much as they missed being outside.
boys need to run around outside. trust me.

ice ice baby....

I have had internet for approximately 10minutes now...
it's pretty exciting.
we haven't had internet/cable since tuesday night.
the boys haven't been to school since monday.
we were extremely lucky...
most didn't and still do not have power.
and it's been cold. really really cold.
3000 poles down...in my county alone.
they say some in our state won't have power for weeks.
yes. weeks.
please say a prayer that power will be restored soon.

I made dinner.
but Colin just got home and offered to take us out...
we will not pass up that offer...
I haven't left the house since sunday.
sunday. I am not kidding.
dinner can go in the fridge...
for tomorrow.
maybe I'll even have a better blog post then as well....

Inky

Esther dear...

You mentioned on Friday that Preston (15) desperately wants a tattoo.
I was amused by this.

I would like to bring to your attention a conversation had Friday evening during dinner.

Me - (finding it oh so amusing) "so Pres wants a tattoo. Es is not so much liking this idea."
Jack - "OH... I want chains"
Me - "wait...what?"
Jack - "yeah, umm...chains around my wrists"
Me - (amusment factor gone) "you want tattoos of chains around your wrists? uh, no"
Jack - "ok, then on my head"
Me - "really no"
Colten - "I'm getting barbed wire on my bicep"
Jack - "Oh, I will get that....on my wrists"
Colten - "and a cross, on my other arm"
Colten - "and I'm getting a 23...maybe on the inside of my arm"
Jack - "me too! on my forehead"

So. please note two things.
1. my not quite ten year old already has clearly had his tattoos planned out for awhile.
and
2. my seven year should never ever get inked. ever ever ever.

does that story make you feel any better?
because it made me a wee bit nervous...

The ones that entertain, and the ones that observe...

random friday 10 (sarah style)-
#1-first off. this one. Jack Banana... since we moved here he has taken to saying "shut-up"
incessantly.
I'm not a fan. I don't expect to be told to shut up by anyone,
much less a seven year old in my own home.
Colin and I have both tried to get it to stop.
lots of time outs. lots.
finally this week the big threat came after he told me to shut up yet again.
(it may have been because I said I would see him at the awards assembly at school later...and that I'd bring my pom poms? I'm not sure...shut-up I know I'm a horrible mom.)
I explained that from now on that phrase would result in being unplugged on the weekend.
(big threat because the boys are only allowed video games on the weekend)
oh the drama.
so all week he's done a pretty good job of catching himself.
lots of "shhhhu..."s.
then came the
"what if I say shut the door and close up? does that count?"
"can I say ...."
"what about...."
"does shud up count?"
"how about..."
yes Jack. they all count.

#2- neighbor drama. I am not accustomed to it.....and am ill equipped as to how to handle it.
ignore it? I'm not sure. grown ups acting like children. interesting.

#3- I love my new cookbook. LOVE it. Katie Lee Joel's the Comfort Table. delish.

#4- Coley's 10th birthday is next week, officially I will have two in double digits. crazy.
all he has been talking about is going to see Valkyrie. I have no idea if this is even appropriate for him? right up his alley though...he's a huge history/war buff. not sure why he didn't pick Bride Wars? I'm not a huge Tom fan. Katie Kate yes, Tom, not so much.
in true Colten form when asked if he'd like to have a party, he said "no those tend to get out of hand".... ahh, my little old soul.

#5- if you're trying to lose weight, do not make chocolate crock pot cake to see "if it's any good".
it's good.

#6- I had to buy "zit cream stuff" last week for the first time in my life. which makes me wonder...should one be happy they never had zits as a teenager. or should it make one question why they have a zit now in their 30s?!#7- oh, this kind of goes with 4 I guess. but it's my list. I bought coley a "10" shirt to give him on his birthday morning. and am debating if he'll be excited and wear it? or horrified and not. it's appaman... (I love appaman) but I can see how this may not be well received....

#8- Jack is playing Upwards basketball right now. great Christian concept, very feel good, everyone is a winner kind of thing... totally makes my older boys cringe. Colten was completely floored by the "no score" concept. "I'll just keep score for Jack myself then"....
AND an 8:30am game tomorrow morning. what is that about? clearly there will be no sleeping in this weekend...

#9- I loved Jon and Kate plus 8 for a long stretch, but now....I'm annoyed by it. they seem far less ....what is the word I'm looking for.....humble maybe? the kids are still darling, but I'm disenchanted...

#10- the Settlers of Catan. whoa. while I fully realize it makes me sound like a dork. (err....a bigger dork than normal) it's a fun game. the littles are getting pretty good at it. it's kind of a strategy type game. anyway. we like it. a lot.

I fell asleep during LOST on wednesday... sometimes it just confuses/frustrates me so much I give up. so I'm going to go work out to LOST now and try and get caught up.
happy weekend!

I'm not going to lie...

I really can not grasp the concept of "tech decks"...
skateboards for your fingers?!? what?
the littles love them....
I am however
enjoying the ramps they create...

hold the umbrella please....

Daddy had to be at work early this morning
so Jack and momma had to walk
(the most unfortunate part of having one car)
across the always muddy field in the cold.
we were excited though
because we had new rain boots
to keep our feet dry and mud free...
the field this morning?
dry.
completely dry
(it's never been dry)
uh-oh.
we felt kind of dorky in our rain boots...
the ditch?
dry.
our feet
also dry and oh so cute.

Ballet Arms

so like half the US. I made the cliche new years resolution involving weight loss.
you know the one...
actually I vowed it to be about getting healthy.
about being around a long long time to torment my children,
and my grandchildren.
so I started after Christmas break (2 weeks ago)
actually I started the Tuesday after break, because the boys went to school Monday and then they sent them home after a few hours for fear of rain of the freezing type and that gave me one last excuse to postpone the inevitable.
I mean, come on...15 years wasn't long enough...clearly.
so tuesday was treadmill and tracy anderson's mat routine. wednesday was treadmill and tracy anderson's mat routine.
and me pleading with my arms and butt to please stop hurting. lifting my arms was useless....
and my butt.
oh. dear. my. butt.
but I continued. 2 weeks have gone by.
I can now lift my arms without crying.
I don't however look like gwen yet, which is kind of annoying.
but.
my knees feel great.
which is a small miracle.
(if I lose no weight, this alone would make the workout worth it, for my 3-surgery, no cartilage knee to not ache)

things I now know to be fact:
1. I hate exercise. I will always hate it.
there will never come a time where I will be one of those people that enjoys it.
ever.
but.
I like how it makes me feel ...
I just need to constantly remind myself of that.
(like continually, non-stop reminding)

2. I will never be a gym girl.
not since I was young and capable of wearing a spandex unitard* will I find that an environment I will feel comfortable in.
(if there were several friends involved, then possibly...sans the spandex)

and.
3. dieting is dumb.
eat less. move more.

here. in my comfy home. I can wear whatever I want.
sweats.
check.
random mismatched t.
check.
tracy not being obnoxious by counting and yelling....
but.
telling me I'll have tiny little ballet arms.
check.

this I think I can do.
now. on to week 3....

anyone else working out? eating better? want to join me?!? it's always more fun when you have someone else pushing along with you...

*it was the late 80s. I weighed 100lbs. let's not dwell. no there are no photos. suffice it to say it was hot. I had ballet arms back then....

The Rest are just Details

the art wall is coming along...still it's a work in progress. it's been fun going through the boy's art/school bins though.
I must say is there really anything better than preschool artwork? I say no....

I did find this gem,
which made me laugh all over again.
Colten's class was studying the presidents I believe.
and he was given a silhouette of George Washington.
they were asked to write something they had learned about the president.
my child wrote this...."I know he died"...
that's what Colten learned. in the end. he died.
just cuts right to the chase.
that's my boy.
I love it.
and thankfully, obviously the teacher did too.

still working on a word for 2009. but I'm leaning toward aspire...
love the idea of having a word to focus on for a year...that Ali Edwards has some good ideas.
now if it doesn't take me the whole year to decide on one it will be a small miracle.

that's all I've got today. I think....wait for it.....
I'm back.
whew. it feels good.
happy friday...enjoy the weekend....
monday I will tell y'all about how tracy anderson is trying to kill me. slowly.
and painfully.

Chickens they come, they go...

so...guitar lessons started.
Jared "I can play Odie Joy now"
Jack sighing..."It's Ode to Joy Jared"...

where in the world have I been?!?
I can not answer that on the grounds that it might incriminate me.
no. not really.
clearly someone, that someone being me, had a wee bit of trouble recovering after Christmas break...and returning to the "normal" routine of school and work. (and blogging)
is it Spring break yet?!?
can I have an extra week of vacation?!?
what in the world am I complaining about?!? pul-lease...I don't even work...
I know.
I'm pathetic.
pitiful really.
I have been very blah the last few weeks. I can't really put my finger on it.
other than I hate it here.
honestly,
can't work past it....
but trying to...
hate it here. I think that's it.
I can't even put into words what it is I dislike so immensely. there is nothing in particular.
add to it,
I think I'm a little lonely. A little disconnected from this place.
and I don't for a second think that this is not completely due to me. because it is me.
me.
I am to blame.
I am not out trying to solicit friends. that's just not me.
the people here are lovely.
very nice.
incredibly friendly.
but they are all from here, and perfectly content with their group of friends,
and aren't exactly looking for more...
and I'm not pushing for it.
so.
that's fine.
see. blah I tell you. blah.
not sad. just.
blah.

on to (much) more exciting news.
Coley and Col went to see the Cavs and the Grizzlies game on Tuesday.... they had a blast. good father son bonding time. and one-on-one, even better.
and more importantly the Cavs won.
I am discovering just how important it is when you're a boy that your team win.
Colten cried for hours after the Titan's loss.
Seriously. cried. tears. I asked Colin if he thought it was normal to cry over such a thing...
and he told me that "when he was Colten's age and the Dolphins lost the SuperBowl" he cried. and then Gabby told me that Mike said that "when he was Colten's age and the Bears lost the SuperBowl" he cried.
So clearly, it's a 9-10yr old boy thing.
Still I vote a little crazy...
but that sums up boys.
a little crazy, and a lot deliciously adorable.

The Roof is on Fire

Coley: "Pass that mayflower please...wait, is that what it's called?"
Jared: "That is cauliflower, the mayflower is the boat the pilgrims came over on..."

so Colten tried cauliflower for the first time, and enjoyed it.

Fun-do night, aka New Years Eve, was fabulous.
we made parmesan chicken nuggets (from my new cookbook).....
and steak, which I cut in little pieces.
all the meat was then put on a stick.
(which makes it way more fun, in case there was any question)
there were dipping sauces:
curry, mustard, and horseradish for the steak,
bbq for the chicken.
obviously, you are suppose to cook the meat in hot oil, however, I only have one fondue pot....and it had cheese fondue in it.... for dipping the bread, mayflower, broccoli, and if you were one of my boys the meat..... after dinner was chocolate fondue...strawberries, bananas, pineapple, marshmallows, and angelfood cake.....
all made just a little better dipped in chocolate....
we stuffed ourselves and talked about our resolutions for the new year...
then we moved into the living room to watch the ball drop.

following the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight....Jack waits patiently for the countdown...all the while coming dangerously close to impaling his right nostril with the grape skewer. toasting the new year with some party juice (sparkling white grape juice and raspberries)...
wishing everyone the best in 2009. I really do feel like it's going to be a great one...