New Additions

On Saturday, the girls, my Dad and I headed down to my nephew Richard's 5th birthday party.  I was super excited because I was going to see my two newest nephews, Noah and Thomas.  I had not yet met Noah so I couldn't wait to see him - he was so adorable, super handsome and at that super fun age (8 months).  Thomas reminded me so much of Hannah - super clingy to Momma.  I did get to hold him and rock him to sleep once but he usually cried for his mom whenever someone else had him - brought back MANY, MANY memories of Hannah!  We had a great time spending time together and I'm really looking forward to spending Christmas night with them all again!

The newest little one, Thomas

Grammy (my mom), Richard, Emma and Hannah

My Dad with his grandkids (plus Rachel since that was the only way Thomas wouldn't cry)

Beautiful Noah

He was so gosh darn cute

I could have eaten him up all night!

My sister, Rachel with Thomas (I don't know how this one ended on the bottom - oh well!)

Visit with HoHo Man

Since school was closed on Friday for snow, we took the kids to see Santa.  We got there during his break and Matt insisted we get in line since he was due back in 30 minutes, but I said, there's no line, lets go get my camera!  Big mistake - we came back 15 minutes later and the line was huge!  But we got to watch many kids sit on his lap, some happy, some not so happy!  Hannah was very excited until the moment she said on the strange mans lap!  She looked down with her classic frozen "I don't see you" face and Santa had to lift her face up.  We never got a smile out of her, but she didn't cry either!  Merry Christmas!

Letters to Santa

Time for those letters!  Emma wrote on at home with me and one at school so she has two! The first one is the one from school written just as she wrote it:

Dec 1, 2010

Dear Santa

For Crismus I wod like grl puppy and a grl cat.

For my sister she wants a dorwo dans toy.

For me my vare own lop top.

I want a horse.

I want a hat.

Love

Emma.

To translate she wrote:

Dear Santa

For Christmas I would like a girl puppy and a girl cat (despite my repeated urging that Santa doesn't bring real animals!)

For my sister she wants a Dora dancing toy.

For me my very own lap top.

I want a horse.

I want a hat.

Love

Emma.

The letter she wrote at home reads:

Dear Santa

For crismus I woud like a more d.s. game. I wood like a kamra. Pelow pet. unickun. I wood like a grl puppy.

Thac uw.

Love

Emma

Translated for you:

Dear Santa

For Christmas, I would like more D.S. games. I would like a camera. A unicorn pillow pet. I would like a girl puppy. Thank you.

Love

Emma

Hannah's letter is quite humorous:

Dear Santa Claus -

I earned lots of tokens this year! For Christmas I would like:

-a DS just like my sisters but purple

-my own refrigerator and my own bathtub

-a kids laptop

-a bumble bee pillow pet

-a robot dog (see she listened when I said Santa doesn't bring live animals!)

-my own princess Christmas tree upstairs in my room

Thank you very much!

Love,

Hannah Grace

The bathtub seems to be a reoccurring theme for her - when I asked her what she wanted to get her Daddy for Christmas, she said his own bathtub!  Kids are classic!  I just want gloves that allow me to use my touch screen phone in this frigid weather - other than that, I'm open to whatever Santa can bring!  What did you ask for this year?

The Christmas Spirit

I LOVE Christmas!  I love giving gifts - finding that perfect gift and waiting in anticipation for weeks to give it to that special person.  I love baking this time of the year - when else do I need batch after batch of truffles, buckeyes, or sugar cookies?  I love our Christmas traditions - hmm, that's another blog idea there!  And most important, I love the meaning behind Christmas - I mean, we received the best gift of all that day in Bethlehem so long ago!  But what I struggle with now at 28 is what Christmas is supposed to feel like.  As a kid, there was the anticipation of waiting for Christmas break, all of the school-related Christmas activities, Christmas lasting ALL day.  Now, there is almost a disappointment because I don't know what to feel.  

I love to shop!  I look forward to Black Friday for months leading up to it.  This year my Dad came with me and we shopped from 3am until 7pm.  I was excited, I couldn't wait to get a ton of stuff crossed off my list - but once I purchased my items my excitement wore off.  What was I supposed to do for the next month?  So, in an attempt to maintain some sort of Christmas Spirit throughout the season, I'm trying to spread some stuff out.  This past Saturday we invited some of Emma and Hannah's friends over to ice and decorate some cookies.  Then on Sunday, the girls and I spent some time wrapping everyone's presents.  We're hoping to get out to the Bull Run Festival of Lights, and of course drive around to look at Christmas lights.  I still have some baking and wrapping to do as well as a few more things to buy.  To remind my girls of the reason for the season, we'll be having a birthday party for Jesus as well.  

While that takes care of activities leading up to Christmas, I still don't know what Christmas is supposed to feel like that day.  Maybe I'm crazy and no one else knows what I'm talking about (I know I'm not - the BFF confirmed the feeling!), but it just doesn't seem the same as I grow older.  Each year I seem to detach myself more and more from the childhood, excited feeling of Christmas.  Maybe if everyone sent me really cool things for me to play with all day, then I'd be OK!  :)  

Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?  Is Christmas any different for you now that we approach (and for some of you - already in your) our (gulp) 30's?  What do you do to maintain the spirit of Christmas? I'd love any suggestions!

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

Need an EASY, QUICK and CHEAP dinner for a night you really don't want to cook?  I found this over at momswhothink.com. Everyone enjoyed it so it is definitely going on the "make again" list!  Sorry I don't have a picture - we were too ready to eat to snap a picture!

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (*I boil my chicken until done allowing it to shred or cut easier)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can refrigerated biscuits

Directions:

1.  Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat; add flour, blending well.

2.  Gradually stir in broth, then milk.

3.  Reduce heat to low; cook until thickened, about 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

4.  Remove 1/4 cup milk mixture and gradually stir into egg yolk.

5.  Return egg mixture to milk mixture.  Add chicken, salt and pepper; heat through.

6.  Serve creamed chicken over hot biscuits.  Serves 4 to 6.

YUM YUM!  Enjoy!

Homework for Parents

As if I don't have enough school work to do already, Emma came home with an assignment for me (yes, ME) a few weeks ago.  It was actually kind of neat and I had a little while to think about it (but I have a horrible memory and could only come up with a few things!).  

Here was my assignment:

Homework for Parents????? Yes, it's true! Our class is learning that things in the past are different than they are now.  We would like to hear how things have changed since you were in first grade.  We would like for a parent for grandparent from each family to write a paragraph about what life was like when you were in first grade.  Please focus on things that have changed.  When I thought about this topic, I realized that a lot of technology we have today did not exist when I was in first grade.  Your assignment is due on Tuesday, December 4th.  Yes, they may be turned in earlier.  Grades will not be give on this assignment.

And here is what I turned in:

When I was in the First Grade
By: Mrs. Elliott (Emma’s Mom!)

When I was a kid going to school was a lot like it is now - I had lunch, recess, P.E., and even time at the library.   We recited the Pledge of Allegiance every day, had science and math but… a lot of things are different now than they were when I was in school!  In the first grade, I went to Belvedere Elementary School and my teacher’s name was Mrs. Davis.  I didn’t get to ride the bus – I had to walk a VERY LONG way to school, even when it rained (and snowed)!   We only had pizza on Fridays, but I always packed my lunch those days because it wasn’t very good!  We were just beginning to learn to read in the first grade – we weren’t great readers like all of you are now!  And computers? We didn’t have computer lab until at least the 3^rd grade because I don’t think computers existed yet!  If we had to do a project about something we couldn’t just look on the internet for the information, we would have to go to the library and find all kinds of books on what we wanted.  And then we had to write EVERYTHING with BIG, FAT pencils!  

I know it kind of just ended, but I wasn't sure how to end it since it was only supposed to be a paragraph and focusing on the differences and they are only 1st graders.  I'm surprised I came up with these things because I barely remember them - I have a few more memories of elementary school altogether, but not of just the first grade.  I hope I pass!

The TSA Screening & Pat Downs

Let me start off by saying that my opinion is based solely on the fact that I have flown a total of 2 times in my entire life and that the last time was 9 years ago, November 2001. I was on a small plane headed to Freeport, Bahamas, and by small I mean there were 3 seats on each side of the plane.  But this was still right after 9/11 and I was still a little very scared to be on the plane - but more so of the fact that there was turbulence than of a security threat. 

I am understanding of the new regulations (even though I think it can lead to further violations elsewhere) and this is why:

• If someone came into a room full of people and said that someone in the room had a bomb strapped to them that was not made of metal - I'm pretty sure everyone would be willing to do whatever in order to prove that they were "free and clear".  Let's move that situation to the airlines - who wants to blow up in an airplane? If there is a possibility that someone could get on an airplane with me that has a bomb on them - THAT is a violation of my constitutional right just as much IF NOT MORE THAN proving my innocence. I would rather go through imaging if it meant that my flight was safe.
• The airlines are offering us a service and they have a responsibility to keep us safe - plain and simple.  As the terrorists get more creative - the TSA is going to have to increase its security to match them.

But I also disagree with the regulations for a few reasons but let me share in all CAPS that my first reason for agreeing with it SHOULD OUTWEIGH ANY DISAGREEMENT IN MY OPINION.

• Apparently this imaging is new and not well tested - I wonder how many smokers are complaining about this? Since when do people care that something is not well tested about its long term effects - OH, only when they don't like it. And how many times does the FDA approve something and then realize 20+ years later that its not good for you after all? (OK maybe that didn't help my argument in the way you'd think). I'm not saying that we shouldn't care about the long term effects - please don't take this the wrong way.  I think members of the tea party people are using this as a reason for their "cause".  Further testing should absolutely be required! 
• This is a violation of my constitutional right - well so is being blown up at 20,000 feet.  'Nuf said.  
•  I don't agree with the private pat-down rules.  You can request a private pat-down yet there is no one else to supervise the pat-down and no video tape to make sure nothing inappropriate is done.

I recently asked a frequent flier his opinion on the new regulation (part of his opinion: "I've seen the actual scan of a screen, and it's really not a naked picture of someone. There are shadows and shapes discernible, but you can't see the person's flesh. I compare it to getting an MRI or CT scan") and he led me to a respected blog which led me to an article on how the Israeli's conduct Airline Security and I absolutely think that the United States needs to adopt something similar identical.   You can check that article out here.  What are your opinions? What would you do? Would you refuse? Would you go through, no hesitation?