Christmas Past...

It's amazing how fast the time went leading up to Christmas and then how fast the Christmas weekend blew past us.
Friday the 23rd we surprised the kids by doing a "mini" scavenger hunt.  Since we are usually gone to Tim's parents for Christmas and not at home on Christmas morning we end up doing our presents when we get home late in the day on Christmas day or on the morning of the 26th.  But this year we decided to let them have some fun early.  So, I chose a few things that my parents had sent--including their new set of PJ's!!  And they enjoyed the "hunt" and then an afternoon of fun before heading down to Tim's folks!
Tim's mom's birthday is also 23rd and we were able to be there for the evening of her birthday and enjoy a dinner out at Wong's--her favorite Chinese restaurant in Rochester.
It really was a beautiful weekend in the weather department and we were able to be outside and get a lot of fresh air and the exercise felt good after all the food consumed.  Margaret and & I had a nice refreshing walk with the little girl cousins. Malia just loves when Uncle David comes out and wants to take his BIG dog Brutus (a pure-bred blood hound) for a walk!--Malia will be a great caretaker to a dog when we get one!!).
Christmas Eve found us at Tim's parents with his brother Chris & family and then sister Lisa & brother David.  We thoroughly enjoyed a buffet of appetizers and then all of us--this kids, too--enjoyed the hillarious old movie of "Dennis the Menace" with Walter Mathau!  That was a good choice for the night!  I remember watching the "Home Alone" movies during Christmas break and I know the kids would love seeing all of those in "marathon-style", but Dennis the Menace was just as hillarious & silly.  Lots of laughter and silliness ensued from our crazy clan!
All of the little girls slept down in the playroom basement on "their" air mattresses and it was hard for them to go sleep as they were so excited for Christmas Day.

Christmas Day was a little different this year since it was a Sunday and a church service in the am.  Instead of the usual morning hub-bub of opening gifts, we had a nice quiet morning leading up to the church service followed by a delicious dinner and then in the early afternoon Tim's dad read about Jesus' birth and the reason we celebrate this special event.  It's fun to listen to the kids answer his questions about why Jesus was born and then why He had to die and then rose again.  I love it!
The presents came next and the thing I remember is all the "thank-you's" I heard from all the kids and the sincere excitement and gratitude from them.  Makes my heart feel good!

We arrived home about 7pm on Christmas Day for Part 2 of opening gifts!  It's always amazing to me how my house can go from "clean & how I like it" to "chaos & craziness"!!  I don't know how we even managed to get them to bed before 9...but we did and I'm pretty sure I followed suit shortly after!


My side of the family isn't able to usually be together on Christmas and that always--yes always--makes me sad.  You can ask Tim...somewhere between Thanksgiving and December 1st I can get kind of grumpy in regards to that.  The facts are this...if it's a normal winter with tons of snow and wind then no-one wants to be travelling across North Dakota on I94 to my parents.  But of course this year...there was NO snow and we could have went out there. It's definitely hard to be away from my own family.  As much I love Tim's family, I will always wish for more time with my own. My sister and her husband were able to drive from Utah to Washington where my brother is and be with him and his kids for Christmas and so that was very good and I am very happy that all worked out.  Sounds like they had a great time and I'm thankful for that!
Mom & dad shared their Christmas with my Grampa Arnie and a visit to Grama at the nursing home and then out at my Uncle Larry's farm.

We do enjoy our skype dates with "Grama & Papa" though.  They've had front-row seats to some of our crazy antics and even though they aren't here in person...they definitely get a kick out of what they see & hear!

Books from Grama & Papa!!

Malia was given more books to some of her favorite series!!

MIGHTY MACHINES! DOING MIGHTY THINGS!

Horses for their AG dolls!!

Train set from Auntie Mel and it hooks up with his other set!!

Takin a walk with the girls cousins and finding Uncle David & Brutus along the way!

Brutus...the Bloodhound!

M3 found some snow to dig & haul!

He's letting me work the bulldozer!

Dylan gave Marshall some Vikings trading cards!!  

"Dennis the Menace"

Christmas Morning 

Chris & Becky, Maddie, Eryn & Dylan

Our 3 at Tim's parents church!

Maddie & Malia

Morgan & Eryn

With Great Grama Hassler

Dylan & Chris

Marshall giving Great Grama Hassler a Christmas smooch!

The boys & Great Grampa Friese

Great Grampa Friese & Morgan

Great Grama Friese...we love the sun, but it sort of ruined this picture.

My 2 lovely ladies!

Maddie & Malia...Auntie Becky made their hats!

Auntie Lisa & Morgan

Uncle David, Marshall & Taffy

Weekend Warrior's!

So, our weekends (well, our Saturdays) are presently giving us a tiny taste of what life will be like in a few years as we enter into the great world of extra-curricular activities with the kids!
This past Saturday we enjoyed watching Malia's basketball team win and then, after Tim left to go ref a game up in Duluth, Malia had a piano recital!
I had big plans of making some Christmas cookies while watching Christmas movies once we got back home...but after being gone from 10:30 to almost 4, I decided -- who needs cookies??  So, we watched a Spy Kids movie!  It was super cute and just nice to relax with the kids!
I've attached a couple videos from the game and then Malia's recital!  And yes, you will notice how Malia's 2nd song is cut short as Marshall (who was on my lap and who had been behaving nicely--up until that point)..well, something/someone must've pinched his cheek and he yelps "ow" and then I had to shut the camera off.  I can't imagine who pinched him...hmmmm....

A thankful heart....

Wow, it feels like school just started and here I sit on the eve of Dec 7th....the Christmas tree is twinkling, the snow is lightly falling, and if I had sat down about 4 hours ago I would be sipping a nice cup of coffee with my favorite "Peppermint Mocha" creamer mixed in!!  But, drinking that at 7:26pm might just mess this girl up for the night!!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving down in Pine Island with Tim's family.  We do enjoy our time down there on the farm where the kids can bundle up and go run and chase the dogs, or head out to  the shop/shed to shoot hoops on the mammoth bball hoop, or head down to "their basement" to read or play!  Me, I enjoy hanging out in the kitchen or watching some football (when it's worth watching!! wink wink).  We did make it out to one of our friends' tree farms and enjoyed seeing all their trees and visiting.  Their kids showed us around the "farm" and pointed out the best ones!

I'm thankful for the little coffee shop in Tim's hometown (it has wifi!!).  Malia had been wanting some alone time with me & Tim and so we took her there and enjoyed some coffee & hot chocolate and a rousing game of Scrabble!  It's so fun!  I love that Malia loves Scrabble!  Morgan wants to love it and be her "own" team, but she is ok when we double up together!

The girls and I enjoyed a day at the Mall of America a few Friday's ago!  Marshall went to our wonderful babysitter's house and we really had a fun day!  Rode some rides that made us want to cry...or rides where we thought we might lose the money out of our pockets because we didn't realize we would be hanging upside down!!  (oopsie...but no tears...so that's good!  I would hate to have messed up my makeup!!  ha ha)  Of course we had to make a stop at the American Girl doll store!  Oh that place is fun and I enjoy seeing the wonder in Malia & Morgan's eyes as they look around!

Tim's basketball reffing sesason is getting into full swing!  He isn't as busy as he has been in past years...but it still seems busy and we miss him on the nights/weekends when he is away.

The kids & I just video-chatted with my parents!  I would say "skype" but honestly I can't stand skype...the connection is never good and the video/audio is delayed...so, we use a different program through logitech and it works great!  Marshall LOVES to watch himself talk to them.  It's hillarious.  In fact, he usually misses funny faces that Papa does because he is sooo busy looking at himself.  (Even at the dinner table Marshall watches himself in his reflection in the window...oh boy...he takes after his Uncle TJ!!).

Now I must kick it into "high-gear" to get ready for Christmas!!  Ok, not really...but it is a little crazy that we are only 3 weeks away from Christmas.  Then Marshall will be 3 a few weeks after that and wow...it's amazing to me that he is almost 3 already.  Oh, the little boy that never seems to slow down...the little boy who keeps us on our toes and who loves to be the "declarer" of ALL things.  Yes, he let's us know when someone does something naughty...and when they do something nice and it's always in the loudest way possible....but I wouldn't expect anything else, I guess!!  (Too, funny...just now he came into the living room and said, "Mommy, I will be quiet"...the story is that I just had sent him to his room to play because he was being sooo loud out here!!!  and now here he is and he is a little quieter...a little!!)

A few pics to make you smile!

Our toothless 1st grader!

Yes...he is something isn't he?!!

They are truly "buddies"!  It's pretty cute!

Craziness at the Wittlief Tree Farm!

Malia & Morgan with the Wittlief kids!

Ready to ride!

Hmmm..."dippin dots"...they really are a messy way to eat ice cream!

I asked Malia to smile...ya..nice

Morgan's "not so real" glasses!!  

And again...does the word "normal" & "smile" mean anything to these kids....really....

These 3--so thankful for them!

Basketball....not just a driveway sport!

Since we have basketball on our brain at this house Tim decided to bring Marshall 6foot Fisher Price hoop into the living room. (notice the absence of an exclamation point) Yep, in the living room.  The plastic/rubber ball that came with it is our first casualty as it landed in the lamp shade that is behind the hoop and well...it is now in the trash with a nice hole burnt into it!
BUT, it has been fun (I just have to remind myself to chill out...there really is nothing they can break!!) and it's been fun for all of us!  Malia is getting pointers from Tim, Morgan is trying to steal the ball while on defense and so Malia has to defend herself!  Then, there's Marshall...He is somewhat of a natural already!  Dribbling like a pro and shooting with good form!
I can only imagine what the neighbors think as they walk/drive by!!  I am sure it is hillarious to see us having a full-fledged game goin on in here!!

The HOOPS boy!

The first hoop--not as exciting anymore!

Oh, ya....usually you will hear Marshall say, "I need my shoes on, I gotta play basketball!!"
But here, he is barefoot!  His white short-sleeved shirt is also a MUST when playing hoops!

Jump stop--shoot!!  Way to go buddy!

'Tis the Season!

I do not mean the Christmas season or even Thanksgiving, but rather this "season" of life we are in!  Malia started basketball 2 weeks ago and we had her first game last Saturday!  Not only is this exciting for her (or so I assume(d)), but majorly exciting for Tim & me!   Malia has played basketball here and there and taken a few basketball classes through our small community center and understands that the round ball needs to go through the hoop.  How we get that ball in the hoop and all the rules of dribbling and not traveling, stealing the ball and not fouling--well, she will learn as will the rest of the girls on her team!

Last Saturday (11/12)--1st game
3rd/4th grade league for all Mounds View schools--games all at Chippewa which is nice!  We arrived early upon her coachs' request and the girls dribbled and did some passing/defense drills outside while we waited for our court to open up and it was fun to see all the girls (11 of them) and the encouragement they gave freely to each other.  We finally get on our court about 10 minutes after our game should have started, but no biggie as we are the last game of the day!
And it was a great game!  12 minute quarters, a fun drill at halftime and our team lost 22-18.  Not bad for the 1st game and Tim and I are excited to see the girls grow in their understanding and love of the game!  Malia was sad that they lost, of course, and sad that she didn't "touch" the ball as much as some girls.  But with some good encouragement and a sweet pep talk with my growing-up little girl, she was smiles again.
It's so incredibly crazy being the parent in a sports situation.  On our way home both Tim & I looked at each other with knowing smiles and sighed....trying to make our blood pressure go down...trying to relax from the stress of watching our precious Malia out there on the court...wanting her to just do her best and be proud of her efforts and attitude on the court.  It was then that we said we were thankful for a week between games!  If we only had a day between games we might go CRAZY!!! It is a fun excitement and craziness watching Malia out there on the courts--for sure!  We sure are thankful for her sweet spirit, her eagerness to learn and her desire to please us & God while on the court or in school for that matter!!  **makes me a little teary-eyed**

On that note--enjoy these pics from her 1st real game!

"Go Knights"
In the hallway before heading to the court! (Malia is #3)

Sizing up the competition!!
Well, really just matching up for who you're gonna guard!

Takin a break and rehydrating!
Malia's classmate Dora takin a breather with her!

I asked Tim to take this pic (Marshall was alseep on my lap!)...I  used to
sit that exact way when I was on the bench!
♥♥ my Malia

Painting Project!

So, this week I tackled a project that I have wanted to do for over a year!  Last year I can blame the craziness of Marshall and him getting into things!!  This year I didn't have a good excuse like that--well other than him potty training while I was doing this...so about every 30 minutes I would hear "Mommy...I gotta go, gotta go!!"
Our living/dining is a desert of browns...brown in the wood floor, brown walls (that I love) and brown nasty trim that I despised!!  Well, that brown trim is no longer there--but instead a fresh white that provides a contrast that I longed for!!
I am so excited, too, for the transformation of our a so-called "hutch" into my favorite thing: "Organizing with fabric bins & baskets!"

Before

Dining area with said "hutch"

Living Room

And now for the AFTER!!!!  (I still have to paint the inside of our front door red...tomorrow!!)

Aaaah.....I'm excited this project is finished (well mostly) and now deciding which other rooms will have white trim!   Once a project gets started....I see 100 more that I'd like to do!!