picnic

we had a picnic in the living room for the last two days because something was on the table


maybe i need a hobby room!

a pretty good big sister

Christmas day i was talking to my baby sister. she asked me what my favorite Christmas memory was. i was a little taken back, because though my life is amazing now it wasn't always this great.
as a child holidays were especially difficult. in fact i have blocked out a lot of my childhood memories not by choice but out of necessity.
so i asked my baby sister to share her favorite Christmas first while i collected my thoughts. she said her favorite was the year that we couldn't get up in the morning because Santa hadn't came. but then we heard something in the front yard it was Santa himself. He brought me a shelf a really pretty one, my sister got an easel, and my brothers brother got a crate full of wood blocks. I was eight the year that Santa came to my house. it was pretty cool and the pictures all show a healthy happy group of kids.
as i listened to her story i thought she was talking about the Christmas when i was 10 or 11 when Santa didn't come at all. the year i laid wide awake all night long listening to yelling and fighting and crying. i don't know how my sister and two brothers slept though that but they did. When they did wake up to open presents we were told to stay in our bed (all four of us shared a bed at the time) we talked and played, i worried and they wondered when Santa would come. we opened presents about noon when the blood and tears had dried.
good or bad this is my memory of Christmas as a child, how thrilled i was that my baby sister doesn't even remember that happening. i guess i am a pretty good big sister

christmas letter 2009

i did it!!!! i'm so proud of myself which doesn't happen often because i'm so humble. hehehe anyway i wasn't able to send it to everyone so here it is so ya'll could see what we've been up to this year!
We are starting a new family tradition this year, Christmas Cards!! Denice & the Presidents made them two days this fall when school was out. Here are a few things that have happened in our little family this past year.

*Neil & Denice both received new callings twice this year at church Neil started out teaching the adults and Denice was teaching the Youth when we moved into our new house we swapped job descriptions

*Celebrated Presidents Day with cake and ice cream

*Bought a house, talk about stress and the relief of stress all at the same time. We love having our own home! It’s beautiful with a yellow kitchen, very green carpet, a basement, a fireplace, a fun yard full of pretty trees

*Denice, Kennedy and Lincoln painted kid room and refinished their hardwood floor (Neil helped too)

*Neil received a “Top 5 performance award” in his department at Dell

*We attended Denice’s 10 year class reunion

*Kennedy and Lincoln took swimming lessons for the first time this summer, Lincoln showed us that he has no fear; Kennedy was pretty apprehensive about the diving board for the first week but was a pro by the end of lessons

* We harvested MILLIONS of cherries from our tree in the front yard

*Kennedy started Kindergarten and Lincoln started preschool. They both LOVE school and are both reading already.

* “Coolidge” the kitty joined our family

* Neil’s place of Employment made an announcement this fall that they would be closing so we’re now in the job market which is an adventure all by itself

* Hunted for a Christmas tree in the middle of a snow storm!

* We laughed a lot this year as Kennedy and Lincoln are truly developing their personalities and finding their funny bones.

Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

where's mine

the other day we were coming home from a trip to grandma & grandpas as we went though each county little brother asked where we were when we entered Lincoln County big sister asked "What about Kennedy County?"

my own demon

i don't know a better way to describe it. i don't know why or when it's going to rear it's ugly head but it's been around lately even though i'd like to push it out in the snow. sad , tired, worthlessness, lonely, confused, frustrated, easily irritated, overwhelmed, undervalued, friendless, overworked, lazy, ugly, whiny, prideful, useless, sorry, mad.... it's a ugly i know i know!!!! and who do i talk to about this. i think i freak out my friends when i start to say these things and i'm sure that the love of my life has enough to worry about right now.
and even as i'm typing this i'm talking myself out of posting it.
i'm fine i really am! just give me a day or two and i'll be back to my happy self at least for a while.

santa letters

big questions

Yesterday Big Sister said,

Dad when are you going to get a job??

though it's not fun to be without a job it was pretty funny to hear her ask this question

needs to blog

Boa Constrictor
by Shel Silverstein (one of my many heros)

Oh, I'm being eaten
By a boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
A boa constrictor,
I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor,
And I don't like it--one bit.
Well, what do you know?
It's nibblin' my toe.
Oh, gee,
It's up to my knee.
Oh my,
It's up to my thigh.
Oh, fiddle,
It's up to my middle.
Oh, heck,
It's up to my neck.
Oh, dread,
It's upmmmmmmmmmmffffffffff . . .


Anyone else ever feel like this????