Crazy Uncle Leo

What can I say about a 22 year old uncle? Our sisters all married awesome guys but it's hard to compete with the super fun and young Leo. Unfortunately the snow did not cooperate enough for the kids to learn to snowboard for real from him (okay, I think they were supposed to start with skiing this year but Leo is a snowboard instructor and someday he will teach them they think). He did get them their most prized present, the Hogwarts lego castle. He also made some much appreciated drinks that his girlfriend Ashley inspired. If only I could remember what was in it...

Here's Sienna!

Just hanging on the porch with Caroline. Looks so much like Nicholas and I'm sure those two are going to have some fun very soon as she is mobile now.

Fathers, you have one job

To keep your daughters off the pole. We like to think this means Patrick will be a firefighter, not an exotic dancer.

Group shots

All ye gather round the ol' iphone... warms my heart.

All the ladies now...

Taylors! I will find another one to post of Sienna later, the poor sick baby. Most the kids and some of the adults were sick but I think the little ones were the worst off.

Hey, 50% of the kids are happy, score! Children, it is Christmas EVE, happiest night of the year. I assure you, this was the best shot. You can see me scolding some of them in other shots and later off camera there may have been some attitude adjustment.

Anna recovering.... looks like a nice Belgium beer (cheers to the Benders who get it fresh!). For the record, she isn't drinking it, just in case someone wanted to turn me in. We give the kids the cheap beer.

Keenan Christmas

I try not to brag because it just makes people hate you (has anyone on facebook missed this lesson?), but the VA Keenans know how to do Christmas. We haven't gone in ten years due to army and children, and while we do enjoy Christmas on our own in our house, nothing compares to the celebration they put on. And really, I'm not bragging because I had nothing to do with it other than have the wisdom at 22.5 years old to marry someone from a great family. The house looked amazing, the food was worth the weight we gained, and everyone had a great time catching up. Nicholas and Patrick had so much fun together, nice for Patrick to have someone who wants to play with him. And a special shout out to Bridget for breaking into her wine collection!

VA LOVE

Many things to love about Virginia, Veritas Winery was just the first stop. Start saving those wine corks to hang from piano wire, I "love" this idea. (couldn't resist, sorry)

Bridget and I bravely tasted the wine before choosing some bottles for the picnic outside. I would like to point out that I was extra brave, note the red wine and cream sweater.

Hey, when you're not on call you can have wine with lunch.

Definitely a family friendly winery and it wasn't as warm as we hoped for but the boys still had fun splashing in the puddles on the deck, so much so that Nicholas needed a change of clothes. I didn't get a good photo of that, I must have been busy carefully drinking wine.

Was Grandpa Paul here?

Looks like someone shot the reindeer while we were in Virginia over Christmas. Lots of posts to catch up on and I just realized that I need to do them in the next 8 hours if I want them included in my 2011 blog book. That's right, I print this drivel out! And if you come over to my house you can read the 3 books I already have. Fascinating! If you are drinking! So let's get started. I mean with the blogging, I think enough drinking was done in Virginia... As Jude Law will say later tonight in The Holiday (Sean is working), I don't believe anyone has ever drank that much.

Only Boy

The girls laughed hysterically when they saw him come out in this but I was just happy that he bundled up enough to stay outside more than 2 minutes.

Sunday night out

For once I managed to remember something fun I read to do around town. Girls have been begging nonstop to go ice skating and I would love to take them, but not possible with the littles in tow and Sean is never around when it's open and we want to go. Anyway, this was my consolation event.... horse and carriage ride to look at the lights downtown. As always, everything is more fun with a friend along and these three got to ride up front with the driver. Is that what you call him? No beef-a-roni action a la Kramer on Seinfeld but they said it did stink.

Snow dusting day

This snow day may not have been necessary but I'm not too sad to miss picking up the girls from school because the roads will be worse by then no doubt. Sean took my car to work since it has AWD so the kids and I are obviously staying home today. The big girls went outside for about 20 minutes which is a record (except for the time last year when I let them use the hose to try and melt the ice on the driveway). Patrick got dressed up in a variety of snow gear, including Anna's dress boots from 2 years ago (I didn't bother to get him boots yet this year since he is so picky about what he wears-- went outside yesterday in shorts and crocs) and then spent 2 minutes outside. Emily had a fit for a good ten minutes because I wouldn't let her go outside in her pajamas and dress shoes. I have absolutely no snow gear for her because I know she won't last 30 seconds. She and I will not be partaking in winter activities in Virginia... Ah, I should use the energy from my sudafed and pot of tea to get the packing done. Going to need some magic bags to fit it all in, not to mention bring it all back with presents thrown in....

Saaaanta

No, Megan, it's not a laptop. Nor will you be getting one...

Anna was pretty chatty, probably tattling on Patrick.

Patrick wouldn't even go into the room where Santa was (not even to get dessert!). We think that he was afraid Santa would chew him out for all his bad behavior lately. For example, we are trying to get him to stop calling everyone "you stupid idiot", which we think he learned from Shrek. I even made him a chart where he gets a sticker for every day he goes without saying that. I made this chart two months ago. He has one sticker and I'm not even sure he earned it. I am pretty confident that we won't be cashing that chart in for a trip to Disney any year soon.
Sweet Emily was enamored with Santa... from a distance. She kept waving at him and saying "Saaaanta" in her sweet quiet voice. She says that every time she sees anything Santa oriented, including the waffle bar guy wearing a Santa hat and a Santa glass I have. Wait until she gets presents from him on Christmas morning, then she will really love him. Too bad Santa hasn't thought of anything for her yet. Santa didn't know if she would understand this year. Santa might need to hit Target YET AGAIN. HO ho ho!

Favorite things Friday

Friday was favorite things day indeed. Went to the favorite things party where everyone brought 3 of their favorite item and then ended up coming home with 3 different things from other people. I got some fabulous cinnamon rolls, of which I had more than one I confess, thanks Jeanne! And then I got my new absolute favorite piece of furniture delivered... lockers! Now I can put all the kid clutter behind closed doors and I no longer break out in hives whenever I go in that room. Patrick suggested I get their picture standing in front of their lockers and of course a fight broke out and I captured the beginning of it.

Dr. K in da house

Don't you hate when people talk like that, dawg? Anyway, just wanted to let Sean know that I picked up his Dr. K since everyone (and by everyone I mean only me and only right now) calls him Dr. K. It's a 2 liter, better drink it in one sitting or else that fine store brand beverage is going to go flat. I suspect this prize will hang around our fridge a LONG time.

Now the Diet Vernors won't be so lonely... it will be waiting for my parents to return and drink it in the spring.

This kind of day

Patrick announced that he needed rocks, glue and paper for some art. Fine, whatever. But then he was mad when I took a picture of Emily after I took a picture of his art and thus gave me this face. Notice that he won't get dressed today either. While I will obviously force him at some point as we have to pick the girls up from school, forcing him to get dressed to go to the grocery store rarely ends well. Usually ends with lots of crap I didn't need from the store in the first place. So dinner tonight comes from the freezer, yay! Well, some will come from the wine fridge...

Which do I prefer?

Christmas deer don't eat my plants or leave piles of droppings for the kids to investigate...

New PJs

Sometimes I need to wash Batman, so Superman comes to the rescue. Emily is working on her poses. She also likes to point out the letters on her shirt frequently. Not sure what she thinks it says, probably something about how we need to give her more presents. This is going to be the big year for understanding the concept of presents I think. She is already obsessed with Santa and she doesn't even know what he can do for her.

2nd of 10 Christmas Programs

Our school does a real Christmas program every year and it seems to be a tradition to do some of the same songs each year so I am guessing by the tenth year we will be ready to move on to just the band concert. Anyway, when making Sean's work schedule months ago I did not notice the date of the program and of course he was working both jobs last night and this time of year it is hard to swap shifts. And then as we were sitting down to dinner Emily had just had it, so I put her in time out for a couple minutes to cool down. She fell asleep of course... at 5:45... So the girls think that Sean stayed home because of Emily and weren't upset at all that Sean was going to miss the show. I also promised to video tape it for him which I am usually kind of opposed to since then you don't enjoy it live, too busy fussing with the video camera. Patrick ended up sitting on my lap and shaking the camera the whole time so that will be a great program to watch, kind of like punishment for missing the real thing.

For three hours leading up to the program the girls were looking for their shoes. I have no idea where they went but I know we had them recently. I probably put them someplace clever again but for now I am blaming the children. Anna ended up wearing an old pair from Megan that were about 2 sizes too big and Megan ended up with a pair of dressy boots from last year that we remembered we had just as we were headed out to Target to get new ones. Few things I hate more than spending money on items we use a couple times... like dresses and fancy shoes. Target comes in so handy and the girls are too young to object still!

ps Emily slept until 8:30 this morning, apparently I need to put her to bed at 5:45 every night!

Get tired!

Let the assembly begin! Thanks Aunt Andrea (although Charlie got all the credit around here).

Anna, as an 8 year old, cannot be in a photo without doing bunny ears. The real reason I had the kids hold dorky looking candles in our Christmas photo.

Getting some air. Sean said that is the first time he has heard Patrick breathe hard. Apparently a good workout. I just want to tire him out and so far it's working!

Welcome to Kansas, Mr. President

So many perks to being a Secret Service superstar, a trip to Kansas City as part of the President's detail team is just one of the best ones. Apparently there was some confusion as to why it is so effing cold already. Just trying to balance out the extreme heat of July... Come back then Dennis, and bring the fam! Would love to see you guys!

Engagement tips

So glad I got engaged over 15 years ago because while wasting time on pinterest I came across tips for things you have to do right after you get engaged. Go get a manicure to aid in showing off your ring and pick a diet plan and stick with it. What's the real meaning of getting engaged?? I realize some people did all that 15 years ago but without reality TV wedding shows to fully educate everyone, I missed out on that. I have had exactly one manicure in my life, on my wedding day (was a gift from friends) and I was probably at my heaviest (with the exception of pregnancy of course) when I got married. Why have a big skirt on your dress if not to hide the junk in the trunk? Anyway, good luck to the brides of 2012! Remember to be the opposite of that Kardashian girl, however you spell that (because I don't care). Spend less, be married longer.

Long season

Day 3 of advent calendars... so far no one has peeked ahead. Impressive because they are playmobil ones, so a tiny toy each day to make a scene at the end. Presents are starting to trickle in and we let them open some early, to keep them from going crazy. Also, as bribes. Tonight it still took Patrick two hours to eat his green beans, even with the promise of a gift from cousin Charlie. I eventually told him what it was, to further inspire him and it still took another hour. Now he has to wait while Sean assembles it.... may be a little late for jumping by the time it's ready. A tiny trampoline. I sure hope it wears him out! Anna is lingering around, thinking she can use it too. Hmm, with her history of ER visits? Now I can't find the gifts for the girls. I put them in a clever place. Too clever. Must have been high on caffeine when I hid them because I have ransacked the house and no luck. It's not a big place but a surprising number of closets and cupboards and apparently one super secret awesome hiding place! Maybe it will show up sometime in March, what a great surprise that will be. Ho ho ho!

House Cleaning Tip O' the Day to You!

Our bedrooms are upstairs and we have a separate furnace for up there. So I keep the bedrooms clean by setting the temperature really low so the children won't go play up there. Added perk: they won't get out of bed at night and wake me up either.

Sweet Baby Jesus

It's my favorite time of the year, when I can strap the kids in the car, mostly out of hitting reach of each other, and drive them around to look at Christmas lights. Sean gets to enjoy some quiet time at home and I get to look like I'm casing the same houses night after night. Here is my comment for tonight... I realize a lot of people like to be offended that Christmas is becoming less religious and more commercial and they like to circulate a lot of emails and facebook posts that are often exaggerated or outright lies. If that makes them think they are good Christians, whatever, post that and then go post some stuff about how illegal immigrants are ruining our country (hmm, WWJD for poor people trying to support their families?), but when it comes to decorating your yard with just a cross as a way to shame your neighbors and their snowmen, you're getting confused.

Jesus died on Good Friday. This is Christmas, this is all sweet baby Jesus, laying in a manger, God's gift to us. We all know what's going to happen but can we just focus on the true meaning of this particular holy season. Don't. Be. Debbie. Downer. And why the obsession with the cross... Jesus isn't the only one who died on a cross, but He is the only one who was resurrected. How about doing a whole scene in your yard showing Jesus coming back to the disciples after he was raised from the dead? Oh, that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? YES, because this is about the nativity story. Put your cross away and get out Mary, Joseph, sweet baby Jesus, the manger, the donkey, the inn off to the side with no room in it, whatever you want, just pull out your Bible and read the story that is associated with Christmas and go from there. Good Friday is April 6th, we'll all be somber then, deal?