Sunday, November 30, 2008

So this weekend I got out my Christmas boxes. Well, I stood at the bottom of the ladder while Ben pulled them down from the attic in the garage. Ben was gone last night, out with the boys, so I started to go through them. I love going through the boxes and remembering how I got each and every object. One of my favorites is one Alicia made two years ago. It is a wall hanging with her small little hands making a wreath, and I believe it will be my favorite Christmas decoration for years to come. I also pulled out Christmas books, CDs, old cards and letters. I found pretty tissue paper and bags I had forgotten I bought the day after Christmas last year. I also have many many Christmas tins I have bought planning on making cookies and treats to give to friends and family. I have added to this pile of tins over the years and not been too good at actually using them. THIS year I plan on actually getting rid of these tins. I do not want to store them away for another year.

On to another subject
Tomorrow night I am making a Thanksgiving dinner! I like having left overs. When the holiday is not at your house there are NO left overs. SO I decided today to redo the dinner so I can actually eat more turkey and potatoes with gravy. My family is actually looking forward to it as much as I am! Plus there is no pressure of having the perfect turkey. It is just the four of us. No one to impress.

PS
Our countdown chain for our WDW trip is getting shorter and shorter. :) getting excited now!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Black Friday

So what did you guys get today? While I slept Ben got up early and headed out to one store before work. KMart had lego sets buy 2 get 1 free. So he went and got Alicia and Ethan some legos. Yeah right! He got himself some legos and gets to write the kids names on the tags! While he was at work I went online to see what I could get. There was definitely not as good of deals as last year. I did find Toys R Us had buy $50 get $25 off! So I bought some gifts for nephews. That is about it! I was looking for good deals on wii games but I saw better deals last week then I did today! I did also buy Ben a gift. But he occasionally reads this blog so I cannot post what it is. So sad because it was really the best deal of the day!

WHAT DID YOU find?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Christmas Reading

It is so nice to have a mom that loves to read as much as I do. When I was over there Sunday she let me borrow a bunch of Christmas books. I already had a Christmas book she had loaned me earlier this year but had saved it for the true holidays. I pulled that book out yesterday. It is Agatha Christie's, Hercule Poirot's Christmas. I am really enjoying it so far. I had forgotten how much I like reading Agatha Christie. Anyway this book is fun. A family, dysfunctional with the capital D, gets together during the holidays and the old man is murdered. Which family member did it, or was it the butler. I love who-dun-it murder books.

Last year I read a ton of good Christmas books, and some boring ones as well. I am looking forward to reading a bunch more this year! Do you have any good holiday books I should read?

Monday, November 24, 2008

Weekends

This summer our church did a service on the Childrens Church. I clearly remember them talking about how many weeknds you have left when they are 6, 9, 13, etc. That number got smaller and smaller and the time your have with your children dwindles. They were trying to impress on us to use our weekends wisely. This last weekend was one of the weekends I will remember.

Ethan had basketball Saturday so Ben took him to practice and I took Alicia on a date. I took her to a small bed and breakfast. They have a cute cafe there and we got yummy treats and hot chocolates. I am really trying to work on spending one-on-one time with her. It was really really nice. Then we came home and waited for the boys while watching a Christmas movie. About 10, Ben went to work and the kids went to take a nap. While they napped I got to spend about an hour with a really special friend. When Kim left I thought how nice it was to see her. It made my day.

Ben came home about 2:30 and we took the kids to see BOLT. This is a great movie. It even had Ben and Alicia crying at the end. I sat in that theater thinking what good day it was.

THEN on Sunday we drove south and saw my parents. My dad turns XX this week and I wanted to see him and give him his gift. Sadly the gift did not come in time, but we did get to take him out to lunch. The kids love going down to see my parents. It is so nice to see their faces when we tell them who they are going to see. They get so excited.

It was a really nice weekend. I thank the Lord for the days I have with my family. He has blessed me with a family who it is easy to love.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Free Dr Pepper


So for the next 13.5 hours Dr Pepper is giving away a free coupon for a free Dr Pepper to be used by February 28, 2009. Just go to Drpepper.com and on the bottom left hand side click on get your free Dr Pepper, the Dr is on call. Then you will either sign in or sign up. They have warned that it may take awhile due to the traffic, I actually haven't been able to get through yet. I was going to remember to do this right at midnight but forgot. OOPS

GOT MINE, with 13 hours and 16 minutes left

Saturday, November 22, 2008

I like to start packing for trips in advance, far in advance. It helps when I think of something to be able to throw it in the bag. Last trip to WDW we used Martha and Gordons bags, as well as the ones we own, but they are going with us this time. So I thought maybe I would buy a good set of luggage. Now I think I may look at borrowing. I just can't get myself to spend the money at Christmas time. I want to try and fit as much stuff as I can into our carryons as now they charge you for checked luggage. Anyway I am in the market for borrowing a really good carryon or a nice size bag for checking, so we can fit as much as we can. So if you have a bag we can borrow, hey let me know.

And as you may have noticed I did not blog yesterday! I totally forgot until this morning! O, well. Now I can just blog when I feel like it. Phew!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

My weeks project

I am cleaning my bedroom. It is a slow and tedious job. :) It didn't look messy but I knew what was hiding. So yesterday I pulled everything out from under the bed, vacuumed, then went through everything before putting it all back, or finding a new home for it. They day before that I went through the file cabinet. Boy lots of papers came out. Today I went through some of my scrap book drawers. Phew what a mess. But as I went through those drawers I realized that I haven't done anything in Ethan's book in years. Now, that is bad considering he is only 4! So I then went through all my pictures and started to organize what pictures I want to scrapbook and which ones I want to just hide away in boxes. Tomorrow I may head to Craft Warehouse and see if anything inspires me to get going on some of these pictures.

Cleaning this room is a process! So Tomorrow I plan to just go through my bedside table and probably Ben's as well. I need to get some wood polish and make these puppies shine. Next week I will start on my closet!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Random thought

DISCLAIMER: I am sitting here watching basketball, Ben is watching I am on the computer trying to act like I am listening to him when he gets excited, so that is the reason behind my random thought coming your way.

My favorite Basketball player is . . . Allen Iverson. Yep there it is. I like that for a short player, I mean 6 feet is short in basketball, he is speedy. He gives everything. He plays with heart. I enjoy watching him, I truthfully can stand watching basketball when he plays. Really. For truth.

So now you know something about me you NEVER knew.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Holiday help

If you are planning on buying DVDs for stocking stuffers this year I have a great spot for you to go to and save MOOLA! DeepDiscount.com! Right now if you use the code SUPERSALE they take off an additional 25% of already low prices. I always use them as they have the best prices and ship for free. Today I bought Wall-E for Ethan's stocking. I got it shipped for $13.40! (I already have Tinkerbell for Alicia!)

Go check it out. I am saving you MONEY!

Monday, November 17, 2008

My son, the basketball player




So Saturday ended up being so much fun. I was not sure how you have Pre K-Kindergarten play basketball but was excited to find out. We got there and Ethan was the first player there on his team. So his jersey is #1! There were four teams there and so we waited for all the kids to come in. Then they started to practice with the kids. This is comical. You have 4-6 year olds playing together. Believe me the height thing is an advantage to the 6 year olds, and Ethan is a young 4 years. Ethan will probably not make one basket this year. BUT he has some very accomplished teammates that may pull them through their short season. Anyway, they practiced for half an hour and then played a game against one of the other four teams. It was so FUN! They give kids arm bands in 5 colors so they know who they are guarding. Ethan was a bit distracted by this. He kept wanting to to tell the kids that "matched" that they were supposed to be together. So in the video that is what Ethan is doing. Also, the kids forget to dribble so they run with the ball. This one video I have is funny because at the end that is what happened.
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Ethan may not be a very gifted player this year but he is having so much fun. He was so excited and tried his best, never getting discouraged. It will be nice for him to have this start. I know as he does this every year he will just get better and better. I only hope he keeps the same attitude he had this year, carefree and excited!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Question for you

When do you put up a Christmas tree? Do you wait until after Thanksgiving, or the week of Christmas, or do you even put a tree up. Please share your tree traditions.

I am hoping to get our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We have friends from church that have a tree farm and will probably head out there again. We have gone many times with Ben's parents and will probably call them again to go with us. Last year it was an incredibly beautiful fall day. I hope for the same this year. I think we even got Starbucks on the way out. I like that tradition!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

I was on my way to bed and realized I had not written anythng yet! I don't have pictures from todays basketball uploaded yet so that I will save for another day. Sorry I will get to it tomorrow! Promise.

But I will tell you I wrapped Christmas presents tonight! Feels good to have some things done!

Friday, November 14, 2008

I cannot wait until tomorrow when I get to share pictures with you. Tomorrow is Ethan's first day of basketball. It is through the Stayton YMCA and will run on Saturdays for about 6 weeks. He is so excited. I am not sure what a 4 year old can do. I mean they have practice and then a game. A GAME! Do they actually think they will make baskets? It is the middle school gym so those hoops are fairly high for preschoolers. I am looking forward to seeing tomorrow what really happens. I plan to take a ton of pistures to share with you my faithful readers.

Then a girl in our church is trying to raise money to go to China on a missions trip and is hosting a babysitting day at her house. I think Ben and I will take advatage of this and maybe go out to lunch tomorrow with NO kids. I know there are supposed to be a lot of great deals tomorrow but I have bought a lot of my Christmas presents already. But maybe I can find a great deal.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

God cares for me

I have all kinds of thoughts and ideas rattling around in my head. But when I pick one out to write a post about I think of reasons not to. I am emotional today. Things are effecting me. So many people I know and care for are hurting or in rough patches and I feel guilty that we are not in those spots. But that is not a way to live. God does not bless us and then want us to feel guilty about those blessings. I also start to find myself wondering when the shoe will fall. Shouldn't it be our turn for bad things. God also DOES NOT work this way. Those are Satan's lies.

I have written many sentences just to erase them. Too many thoughts with no way to say what I am thinking and no reason to I guess. But nothing really to post about today, the 13th day of blogging every day for a month.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

wasting a Wednesday

What to write, what to write. . .

Today I am not doing much. I ran a lot of errands this morning and then when I got home I got a call from a friend asking if Ethan could come over and play. So now it is just me and I have nothing to do, remember I already ran my errands, and am a bit bored. I am not bored enough to go clean that bathroom that needs cleaning though. I am bored enough to watch SNL top 100 funniest moments. They are funny. Some moments make me feel young as I have no idea what they are making fun of, some I remember and some I have never seen but are still very funny. If you are going to waste time watching SNL is probably a good way to waste it.

Laughter is good medicine. I am just trying to stay healthy for the family. It is all for them.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

No School

So today the kids were home for Veterans day. I love school. I love sending my kids off for a few hours. So today I had to re-adjust my day. No me time. :) I decided to do some things we have never done. I got out moonsand that was a gift last Christmas and we had not opened yet. The kids loved that. I bought a pomegranate last night for today. That was also a winner. They had a good time eating the seeds and drinking the juice. It also took up a good amount of time. Right now we are eating caramel apples. I have never made them from scratch. I used to buy the caramel in sheets and mold them around the apple. Today we melted caramel down and dipped them. It was not a beautiful project but we had a good time eating them. In fact, Ethan is still eating his, about an hour later. He is so slow at everything! But today that is okay. It means he is not running around fighting with his sister.

It is now 3 o'clock and I still have a few hours before daddy comes home. Not sure what we will do next.

I also booked the last leg of our WDW trip this morning. Prices went down $16.00 each person today and that was enough for me. I want to make sure to get the flight time that I want. So now we are all set!

Monday, November 10, 2008

So we spent the last weekend at the coast, Inn at Otter Crest. We were afraid the weather was going to be just horrible but the place we stayed at was given to us free so we were going to make the best of it. I packed tons of board games and things to do indooors. I rented new movies and brought lots of books for us. I was going to be prepared to be stuck inside all weekend.

The weather ended up being very nice for November. We went to the beach, used the heated outdoor pool, went to the aquarium, went to the beach some more and even saw some otters. (On a side note the kids even saw their first snail on the path to our unit. They liked that.) We did have a flat tire on Saturday! Ben spent quite awhile trying to figure out how to get the tire fixed while I tired to entertain the kids inside our unit.

Overall we had a great weekend away and were very thankful that we were able to stay there for free. We may even get to go back some time later this winter. The owner rents it out but in the winter they have more vacancies. That is what we filled, gladly!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Random Post about Alicia

So I did a special post on Ethan while we were gone to the beach for the weekend. I thought I would also do one on one very special girl. The problem is this special little girl hates cameras. She will either jump out of pictures or ruin them with her faces. :) So here are some that show you what I mean.

This is Alicia warming up at Great Wolf Lodge. She wasn't covering her face until the camera came out though.


This is Alicia trying to ignore me and my camera when we had our special girl weekend this summer. We went to the Northern Lights in Salem and watched Kit. What a fun movie. That was a real special time for the two of us. I need to do more days like that with just the two of us.

The last picture is of a Wilson's girl trip we took to the beach this summer. It was very windy and rainy. Gotta love my sweetie.
Someday she will look back and wonder why her mom took so few pictures of her. I will show her this post and maybe she can forgive me.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Random Post about Ethan

I have been going through my pictures and came across some pictures that are special to me.

This is on the first day of school EVER, Ethan's first day of preschool. I love the look of the new crayons and pencil!


This next picture is of Ethan at his favorite part of the Great Wolf Lodge swim park. He spent LOTS of time sitting on those squirters.

Ethan loves his blocks. The first week of school he showed me he could make an "i" with his blocks. So cute.

I have loved having him in school for a few hours every single day! But I also love the time I get with him before Alicia comes home. He is very special and says things that are beyond precious. He is a good little boy!

Friday, November 7, 2008


I am showing you some beautiful pictures I got off the DISboards. That is where I learn everything one would ever need to know about Disney. I am very much looking forward to seeing the castle after the holidays when the lights are still up!

Last time we were in Disney my camera was stolen so I am looking forward to having some great pictures of my own to share with you when we get back from there! I let the teachers know today at the parent/teacher conferences that we would be taking them out of school for a week. They seemed cool with it.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

So this blogging every day thing is weird. There are reasons I can go without weeks without writing a single word. One reason is my life isn't all that exciting, in fact MUNDANE. Like today I have been listing some things on craigslist, cutting out paper dolls and clothes for Alicia, doing laundry, etc. (The kids don't have school today or tomorrow, Parent/teacher meetings and grades) I also have been checking for Geo Trax on craigslist. See I have posted the hunting for GEO TRAX in like 3-4 posts but that is why I don't always post. It would be reruns. So today I found a great set at a great price but it is in the Vancouver area! Seriously. When it says Portland I guess I hope Tigard. haha.

Next I am off to put clean sheets on beds and clean MY room. Fun huh?

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Stranger in my garage

If you read my Geo Trax post a few posts back you would know that I was going to list a few things on craigslist. Well last night I posted one item, a recumbant bike. I already have someone interested. He will be coming by some time today. I am so hoping to sell that thing. It was great and we have used it off and on for a few years but I like my gym much better. The money we get will go to a Christmas present. Probably new Geo Trax for Ethan. :)

Anyway he is supposed to be here at 3 today. If I do not post back letting you know how the sale went please come by to make sure I am still breathing! I am a little nervous about having a stranger to my house, even if it is just the garage. In the future, I think for smaller items I post on craiglist I will ask to meet at McDonalds. That is very easy place to find in town.

UPDATE: Just so you are not worried about me. :) It is 3:30 and he just called to say he is running late. So in half an hour he should be here. The mans voice sounds a bit like Christian Slater. :)

UPDATE UPDATE Okay the man came, I am alive, my children are alive. AND he bought the thing. $70.00! WOOHOO. Now to see what other things I can list on craigslist!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Election Day 2008


Today I am making fried chicken, baken beans, and a salad then have apple pie for dessert. A good American meal. We will be eating off of red, white, and blue plates, napkins and cups. Today is an important day in america and I want my children to learn early that it is important to our family to vote. Especially for the women who worked so hard to get this priveldge for the women in America!

Alicia mentioned a few days ago that she thinks President Bush is going to be sad to lose his job. I told her I am sure he will be just fine. :) Pretty sure he is not at all sad.


((((Okay it is hours later and I went to make dinner and I do not have what I need for my baked beans. It is raining cats and doggies so I am just going to take that off the menu and add something else. Sadly I do not even have potatoes.))))

Monday, November 3, 2008

59 Days


We have a really cute countdown chain made for our Disney trip in January. We are now at day 59! Every day has a cute picture of something Disney. very fun.

I have bought the plane tickets down for the 6 of us but I have not found a price I am real happy with for the way back. I have also ordered the pillowcases that I am going to make for the trip as well. I am going to iron on something special and am thinking of using them instead of autograph books. Just not sure on that yet. When they are done I will show you pictures! I will show you pictures of all the fun things I have planned to make!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Thanks

THANK YOU Amy for shamelessly helping me out in my quest for used Geo Trax. :) What a friend! (I know I can count on you to help in the quest for great second hand treasures!)

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Looking for Geo Trax

So I have spent some time online lately looking for used Geo Trax. My son loves trains. I know most boys are fascinated by them but Ethan LOVES trains. We bought him the Thomas Train take-a-long sets when he was 2. Those were great but he really likes the Geo Trax.
They have remote controlled trains and. . . well he just likes them better. I have looked on ebay and craigslist but I am finding they are overpriced! You can buy what they sell used for cheaper new!! Amazing.
I am looking because I have decided I will get rid of his Thomas Trains and get some Geo Trax. Even if he only gets 2 more years out of them it will be worth it to see his face Christmas morning.
I decided to blog about this because YOU may know someone who is wanting to get rid of some. Maybe your friends boys are out growing them. Maybe you saw some cheap somewhere. Maybe you can post on your blogs that you are looking for used cheap Geo Trax, Just kidding on the blogging. But I would love to buy them, at a good price of course! I am not above giving my children used toys as presents! Ethan is going to love whatever he gets.

I am also going to try my hand at the craiglist thing. I am going to post Ethans Thomas stuff and see if it works! I also am going to list a stationary bike. I love my gym membership so the bike can go now!

So wish me luck on my 2 endeavors, finding some Geo Trax and selling my Thomas Trains!