How to take a nap, unless you're in the circus

This is Max, napping on the living room floor in the middle of the day.

I come from a family of nappers. Mom and Dad did, and Tonita and the boys all appreciate a nice afternoon snooze. I've always been a big fan of the same.

Well, maybe not when I was six and Mom would make all five of us lie down at the same time.

Tonita and I were bored one day, didn't want to sleep, so we thought we'd play "circus". (Okay, it was my idea.) We (I) took one of the boards out from under the springs on our bed and set it over the footboard like a fulcrum. I had Tonita sit on the end of the board, on the bed, then I jumped from my bed onto the high end of the board. The intention was to toss her up in the air, hopefully touching the ceiling. Right.

No, we hadn't studied physics yet in Kindergarten and First grade. We got a good lesson, that day, though, when the board snapped in half with a deafening explosion and I fell to the ground. Oh. No.

Tonita and I scrambled to hide the board under the bed and get under our covers as quickly as possible. Then we lay there in fear, waiting for Mom to come thundering into the room, demanding to know what just happened?!

We waited. And waited. No one came. Whew. But we didn't sleep.

When Mom finally came in to tell us we could get up (seemed like hours we were in there!) we knew we needed to confess. I took the board pieces out to the kitchen and told her what happened. I could see she was trying not to laugh, and that made me feel so much better!

We didn't get in trouble, but we did learn a lesson. The next time we didn't want to sleep, we chose paper dolls for entertainment and decided to leave the stunt work to the boys!

How good are you?

At geography? Try this:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-drop_oneState15s_500.html

I only scored a 32%, but in my defense, I was within less than a hundred miles many times. . .

The twins are 2!

Friday was Grace's and Garett's birthday, and I waited until today to do a Happy Birthday blog post so I could have a cake and candles photo. No such photo op presented itself while we were at their party, so you get the cake, instead. We ate cake and ice cream while the birthday kids had their nap. Wyatt was excited about the festivities and kept insisting HE was 2 and everything there was for HIM.

Ready to travel!

It's official - Jan is retired!
We attended the open house at the hospital today in her honor. Lots of people who will miss her. I got a little teary as they came in and hugged her goodbye. :o)

She worked hard and for a long time.
Now they can travel.

Where to first?

Changes

I came across this quote that pretty much describes last week:


"As a mother, my job is to take care of the possible and trust God with the impossible."


Jessi is living back at home now. She's taking a semester off from school, broke up with her boyfriend, and is thrilled to have her life begin a new chapter.


I understand her need to begin anew. To replace the stress with calm. To be with people she trusts. To know that respect and kindness are unconditionally given.

I pray that she finds her path and that it leads to good things.

baby's profile

Angela sent this the other day after her second ultrasound.

Apparently there is some discussion as to the size of baby's nose.

I think baby is gorgeous!

Beginning of the 2007 birthdays

Fran -
Our best wishes for a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and many, many more!

long Christmas recap

We had our final Christmas celebration tonight with Greg's family. Since I was sick on Christmas Eve, and Jessica had to work, they graciously postponed our gathering until we could all be there. We enjoyed yummy pizza, even if Nick did pick off all the veggies. :o) Many thanks, not only for the gifts, but for gathering on a school night. This was yet another component of...

THE LEAST TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVER..

It begins with...

The Hanging of the Trim:
12/23/06

The festivities began on Saturday when Greg and I hung the interior trim that I made him take down, um, last July. Jessi and I painted it on Wednesday before, then Jessi finished painting (in a manner of speaking), and Greg began re-trimming the doors. Lots of the trim was marked as to where it came from, but lots of it was not. (Greg is SO GOOD at puzzles!)

I also began prepping food for the next couple of days, chopping veggies, mixing dips, and making breakfast casseroles to store in the frig in Ziplock bags. Good thing I did, too.

The "Festivities" begin:

4:22 a.m., Sunday, December 24 - I awoke with a start . Something wasn't right.

Oh.

I have the flu. I'll spare the details, but suffice to say I cried like a baby when Greg told me Jan had called the hospital about treatment, and they said just to rest. I didn't want to be sick anymore.

I didn't want to miss the weekend.

I missed singing in the choir for Sunday morning church.

I missed candlelight service in the evening and hearing Angela play her violin.

I missed supper with the Lott family.

What I did get to witness was my family stepping up and getting things ready for the big day. Nick peeled 5 pounds of potatoes, and Greg roasted garlic, and they made some of the tastiest garlic mashed potatoes ever.

My in-laws invited my siblings and family for supper so I could rest. They enjoyed ham and turkey and all the trimmings. They told me how good it was. I believed them.

Alan and Angela made cookies. Alan didn't hear my instructions, but the cookies were awesome nonetheless (Ziplock bag and rolling pin to crush the Oreos!). :o) They made Lemon snowflakes, Oreo truffles, and dipped pretzels and orange slices.

It took me 8 hours to sip about 6 ounces of Sprite. At 11 p.m. I enjoyed a piece of dry toast and a cup of hot tea (you know I was really sick if I drank hot tea!).

The Big Day:

I awoke feeling much better. Tired, but at least the smell of food wasn't revolting.

Jessi called to say she was out of the shower and ready to head home. Did I want her in her pajamas, or should she get dressed? I asked her why on earth would I want her in her pajamas? Her answer: "It's tradition!" My reply: "Honey, this is the least traditional Christmas we've ever had!" She came home fully clothed. :o)

Alan and Angela had made a baked French toast casserole the night before. They got that in the oven, along with the mushroom/spinach casserole, and the sausage/egg casserole.

Greg got the rib roast going in the roaster.

I started on the salmon. I'd made the salmon in phyllo recipe a few times, but this time it was the best ever. Alan made the creamy dill sauce (I think he's a closet gourmet cook!).

We warmed up the leftover garlic mashed potatoes, got out the muffins and breads I'd made a few days earlier, and Angela made up a fruit plate.

We had a feast.

Post-Feast:

Gifts for the kids. A teary moment for me when the boys gave Ben a shotgun that belonged to Dad. He'll be the "keeper" of that gun for the moment. It will stay in the family and be passed around to his younger cousins.

Fun with the little ones who enjoyed ripping the paper off the packages.

Grab-bag gift exchange for the grown-ups. Not much stealing, but that happens some years. Alan and Angela will choose the theme for next year.

Individual family photos are taken.

Twins go home with Mom for a nap; Tonita lays down for a nap; Ben and his uncles Greg, Randy, and Alan, Aunt Angela, and cousin Jessica go shooting bluerock. Gotta try out that shotgun! Nick and Caleb must get their technology fix.

Tammy does dishes. Tammy wishes she had a dollar for every load of dishes she runs over the next few days.

Abbie makes cornbread using corn she helped pick, shuck, process, and freeze last summer.

We feast again on finger foods and later there is turkey noodle soup. No one is hungry, but we eat anyway. (Okay, so that part is traditional!)

The Tournament:

We learned how to conduct a Blackjack tournament while we cruised last summer, so that was our evening's entertainment. Took turns being the dealer so everyone who wanted to could compete. Miss Abbie did quite well, and once Tonita learned to play, she was a formidable opponent. We did splits and double downs. FUN!

Winners of the white elephant prizes were the top four chip-holders: Caleb, Abbie, Alan, and Jessica. Alan took home the evil dancing Santa doll. I know we won't see that again at our house - ever.

Then we played for money! Alan gave away his winnings. Tonita did not give away hers. :o)

Lots of fun and laughing. But I sure was tired. And a little crabby. Time for bed.

More Regier Fun:

Tuesday morning we were able to gather with all of our Regier cousins at Bobbi and Kurt's house in Grand Island. More laughing and visiting and holding the newest cousin, 3 month-old Mason. (Mason got to play Baby Jesus at the Singing Christmas Tree in G.I. - his big brother Cullen wasn't sure that was a good idea and didn't want "those manger people" messing with his little brother.)

Wednesday was pretty quiet around here with all the visitors gone. I started reclaiming the house and planning my next interior decorating project (what? The trim is hung up again, I can start another project!). That's another blog post, though.