Holidays are O.V.E.R...

but I am going to probably make another batch of Kolaches this weekend. I only left my parents with 3 of them...and they deserve more than that. For the people who wouldn't even taste them...you don't know what you are missing.

We had a pleasant NYEve. Went over to my parents' house to do our Christmas...opened presents and then ate spaghetti. My dad got an ice cream maker for Cmas, so we had some yummy Chocolate Mint ice cream for dessert. I could have sat and talked until midnight, but Ava was tired and not feeling too well, so we headed home with enough time to get them to bed and watch the movie "Outsourced."

Justin got some biking clothes for Cmas, so he is off on his first ride of the year...on Green Mountain. South Table Top was too muddy a few days ago when he went.

I am going to make a Mexican fiesta for dinner tonight-some kind of Tacos, Cilantro/Lime Rice, beans and of course Guacamole...if the avocados are ripe...that's always a bummer when you are jonesing for Guac and all of the avocados at the store are rock hard.

Other plans for the day- I am sure the girls (well at least Ava) will remain in their pjs all day. They are currently playing their stuffed kittys my sister got them. They have a bunch of games and puzzles to work on. I want to read my book, write a little and maybe escape to the bedroom to watch a movie on my laptop. Thank you Netflix On Demand!!

So get this- on Cmas Eve- Justin and I were stuffing the stockings and setting out Santa's gifts to the girls and Ava's Sleeping Beauty Magic Wand Walking Horse walked ONE TIME and then BROKE. I was so sad.. Ava seemed ok the next day, but we promised her we'd exchange it (luckily we are smart enough to tell her that Santa buys his toys at Target instead of the elves making them all like back in the olden days...LOL). So, I went to Target yesterday and there weren't any on the shelf! A popular item ORRRRRRRRR are they discontinuing the damn thing- based on the reviews I read this morning, we aren't the only ones that have a bunk horse-

This toy was a huge disappointment. I ordered it for my daughter for Christmas. In order to hide "Santa" gifts, I threw away the box and shipping information a month or so before Christmas. BIG MISTAKE. When my husband and I got it out on Christmas Eve, we discovered that the horse did not walk at all. It makes the walking noise, but does not walk. We tried to convince our daughter (she's 3) that the horse was supposed to be that way. She was not fooled. Now I'm stuck with a $40 piece of junk horse and a disappointed daughter. She thinks Santa's elves should make her another one and that Santa should re-deliver. I might consider sinking in another $40, but every review I've read sounds terrible. I'm afraid I'll have $80 invested in broken horses. Do yourself a favor and pass on this one.

My daughter LOVED this thing - for the 10 minutes it lasted. Like the other reviewer, ours has that gear clicking sound and nothing happens. She is so disappointed. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY

The horse never walked! When we turned it on, all it did was make constant loud clicking noises in its rear legs like it was skipping a gear. We're returning it to Target the day after Christmas I guess...After we explain to our 4 year old that the toy she really wanted for Christmas fell out of Santa's sleigh and broke!

Of course OUR dilemma is that we threw away the packaging. Now what? I think Justin is going to call Mattel tomorrow... Ava is ok with going to Target to pick something else out. Whew...

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

The tree is down and most of the other stuff is put away. Dusting and vacuuming and sweeping and mopping need to occur. Desperately! Presents for my 'rents need to be wrapped. Run to the store needs to be made. Kids need lunch. But Nachos need to be eaten before I have the energy for all that. Ahhh Salty Chip, Salty Chip!!!

Back in Colo

We returned home about 11 last night. Nice to be home...no Great to be home. Spent most of today unpacking and doing laundry...and then Ava said her throat hurt. I looked in her throat and it looked like she had blisters on her tonsils. Justin took her to Urgent Care so I could continue to unpack and do laundry here at home and although her strep test came back negative the dr. gave her amoxicillin since Mallory had it almost 2 weeks ago.

We plan on celebrating Cmas with my parents on New Year's Eve, but if Ava is still illin' we will bump it to Friday.

Mo has been parked in my lap -- every time I sit down she is right there.

Ava and Mallory had their dance recital last night. We videotaped it and will bring it up there for Christmas so whomever wants to can watch it. My dad took some videos on his camera which I have posted here...




Ok, I can't seem to post any more...but will try in the morning.

So I took my last antibiotic last night and after the girls' bath Mallory felt warm and was shivering. 102 fever all day...took her to the doctor and it's strep. Poor kid...although she doesn't seem as miserable as I was.

The girls are writing their holiday cards to their teachers. I bought seasonal foam stickers they are decorating them with as well. I've got our pictures already, so need to start our cards this weekend.

I am definitely making Chex Mix again this year... Nichole- you better eat it with me when we are there (if you are reading!), but I still need to figure out what else to make- sweet-wise. I only want to make a couple...3 at the most...different kinds. Don't want to go OVERboard. Oh I know one of them has to be chocolate and sprinkle dipped pretzel rods. Ok, that leaves me with 2 more...ideas?

Tomorrow is Justin's work's party for kids... Hopefully they are both ok to go by then. ***crossing fingers***

Happy Day After Thanksgiving

Sorry it's been so long since I've written. After being sick for so long with the cough virus in September and October, it has taken me awhile to play catch up around here and THEN this Monday I got Strep Throat...so far I am the only one to have gotten it. Justin had to come home from work early Monday because I was dizzy and nauseous and oh yah, I felt like I was swallowing sandpaper. Tuesday he stayed home as well (got to be the girls' chauffer for a couple days...) I went to the dr and started antibiotics. I STILL have one spot on the right side of my throat that is painful. We did have Thanksgiving yesterday and had a great time at my parents house. A few highlights of the day:
At the dinner table Mallory was hitting her head/face area and someone pointed it out by asking her if she liked hurting herself and she responded, "I like Pain." We all laughed super hard at that.
Then after the girls were done eating they got out my mom's homemade playdough and made playdough cookies for us. After awhile the adults were making things with the playdough...it was pretty fun!

The girls are really enjoying their dance classes and their recital is on December 15th. Mallory's Winter program is on the 16th and I haven't heard anything about Ava's.

On Election Day, Ava's class took a field trip to Miller Farm way up in Platteville, CO. They had a blast and her teacher said that all the kids fell asleep...not fell asleep...PASSED OUT on the bus ride home. The kids brought home a ton of HUGE onions, potatoes and beets. Ava got her own little pumpkin...which was so exciting for her.

In October, Ava started having homework. They are currently reading the Jack and Annie series and learning about Egypt. Last Friday her class wrapped themselves up in toilet paper like mummies. They are also working on sounding out words and then writing them. I think she is excelling in math.

Mallory's school conference revealed that she is on target and "popular." I think though that that means she plays with everyone- girls AND boys. There is a little boy from Turkey in her class that she likes to drive around on the tricycle.

I decided to take the girls' bunkbed down. The 3 ladies of the house were all for it, but Justin...not so much...maybe because he was the one who had to deconstruct it. LOL Anyway, I bought new beautiful butterfly bedspreads for them and they have their dresser between their beds with their own individual teapot lamps that a dear friend gave us. They love to sit in their beds and read books before going to sleep. Next up: get rid of the dark green paint and lighten and brighten their room. It's going to be quite the chore. I put the bedspreads on while they were watching a movie one day after school and when they discovered them they were ecstatic. I love watching them get so excited like that.

One day in November after school, Mallory buried her brand-new cute pink and gray plaid ballet flat shoes in the sand on the playground. I went back with a shovel and tried to find them, but it's definitely a lost cause. She cannot remember WHERE she buried them. We know the general area, but she must have gotten them deeeeep down there. *SIGH*

Monday, Ava's school had "Pajama and Crazy Hair Day":


I am not sure when we are going to get a tree...hopefully sometime this weekend, but Justin has a lump in his throat that hurts when he swallows...the beginning of a chest cold perhaps. He took some Mucinex so hopefully that will help. I swear this year has been bad for us as far as illnesses...with the girls in school picking up all of these new and nasty germs! I know it will get better as they get older and immune to all the bugs. We won't have to put up any outside lights because they are still up there from last year! D'oh!

One of my new favorite sites on the web: Puppy Cam!

I made this cute wood Snowmen family:

Finally proud to be an American again...

"Rosa sat so Martin could walk;
Martin walked so Obama could run;
Obama ran so our children could FLY"

I can't tell you how RELIEVED that there will not be 4 more years of the same 8 we just endured. Clearly, America spoke and THANKFULLY our democratic election WORKED!

In other news:
A certain airline canceled our flight to AZ and put us on an earlier one. While not life-threatening, it did kind of put a kink in our schedule. We are attending Q's wedding this weekend and while it will be fun to socialize and help them celebrate, Justin and I are looking to relax and kind of celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary, which is next Monday. Our marriage survived the Bush administration- only because Justin and I are on the same team... LOL

The girls had a wonderful Halloween weekend with Grandma Judy. The weather was beautiful. Now they are looking forward to a weekend with my parents.