Nutcracker 2011

Growing up we attended The Nutcracker regularly during the Christmas season.  A few years ago (2006) I took Macie for the first time, and today I finally took both girls for the first time.  I hope it is a tradition to continue with my girls for years to come.  (Of course, Daddy & G are welcome any year they decide to come too).

2006 - Macie (4 1/2)
Laney was a toddler and I was 3 weeks away from delivering Garrett

Macie (9 1/2) & Laney (6)

Elf Powers, where are you???

It seems our elf, Zack, returned to us this year without his special manipulative powers.  What are we going to do?!?  We rely on him so much during this month.

2011 Santa Visit: Take 2

Instead of shopping on Black Friday we always visit Santa.  "CRAZY!" you say...however I had a realization this year...  Mind you, I am not complaining, but I have often wondered why we get so lucky and there isn't a mile long line when we get there.  (Seriously, every year we seem to walk right up).  So, I am letting you (all 5 of my readers) in on a secret... Parents shop WITHOUT their kids on the morning of Black Friday. 

Well, the kids got to share their wishlists and then took a terrible, expensive photo - (no, I don't mean terribly expensive.  I mean ugly and expensive and I won't post it on here).  Thankfully, I knew we had another visit with Santa - one where I could take my own photo.  Whew, better.

Oh, and if you want a good laugh, I added "The Photo".  It will go down in history as The Best Hammons Family Santa Photo EVER!  I seriously think I peed my pants laughing while this photo was being taken. 

Poor G is totally tortured, but not enough to loosen the death grip on the sucker.  Santa is only worried that said sucker might land in his beard, Laney isn't sure if she should be crying too, and Macie doesn't know if she should be a little mom and rescue her baby brother or hold him down. 

Thanksmas

Looking at my blog I see that I am guilty of neglecting the very important period between Halloween and Christmas.  Truth be told, I was just lazy on the blog, I didn't forget to celebrate the month of thanksgiving.  

The kids and I made our yearly "Tree of Thanks" and it served as our centerpiece all month.  I actually look forward to it.  I love collecting the branches.  And the vase I use only once a year.  I don't even mind cutting and treading all the paper leaves.  Then at dinner one night we go around the table and take turns filling out the leaves.  I am sure the items we write are the same every year, but I love the reflective conversations that follow.  In the 5 or so years that we have done it, I can see the kids mature and become more aware of all we have to be thankful for. 

My mom hit the nail on the head when she coined the term "Thanksmas"  (or if you prefer, "Christgiving").  We had a great week, with beautiful, warm fall weather.  Of course, my parents want to see the kids open their Christmas gifts, and I would never deny any grandparent that.  So while watching the Macy's Parade my children began ripping paper off presents. 

How I wish, November and a spirit of thanksgiving wouldn't come to a harsh end once the christmas tree went up. I feel like it kicks off a different month of gluttony and overindulgence.  I think next year I will save some of the leaves and put them on our Christmas tree - maybe they would serve as a good reminder.

November 6...Tis the Season

I have to put up our Thankful Tree this week...the kids apparently need a reminder that there is another holiday between two very gluttonous ones.  I can't blame them, the Christmas decorations were in the stores during Halloween and the wish-list catalogs have been in the Sunday papers for the last 3 weeks.  Oh well, I guess it is okay since I can use it to my benefit to manipulate solicit good behavior.

My Boy

A Clown, a Hippy and Darth Vader walk into a bar...

Halloween was a huge success...600 pieces handed out at our front door,...and probably that much brought home by our own little monsters.  The "Great Pumpkin" made a haul in exchange for measly cherished treats of headbands, chapstick and $4 action figures.

(That is a mound, not a single layer of candy). 

We are in trouble...

Someone found makeup...and, she LOVES it!

Before & After

I have been busy this week finally getting some of the projects done around the house.  First was painting the washed-out green shutters, front door and around the front windows - we went black this time. 

Then I painted the fireplace/built-in wall in the family room. When we bought the house there was a HUGE mirror in that space, but Eric was able to get it down (in one piece) and we mounted the tv.

Of course, I still need to conceal the cords and rearrange the items on the shelves. 

Well, hello again!

I didn't intend on a full month hiatus....really just didn't feel inspired and nothing much new to report.  That seems to have changed in the last week or so.  We had a great visit from Papa, the kickoff of fall with 2 trips to the local pumpkin patch, our 14th anniversary, lots of work done around the house, a trip to the ER, and another lost tooth.

We had a great time with Papa during his impromptu visit - gosh, it was good airfare, hope we can find it again!  He got to see both girls play soccer and G at tumble buddies, visited a pumpkin patch, showed him State Farm Park, the Childrens Museum, stuffed ourselves at Famous Daves, walked our cute little mall, went out for hot chocolate, wandered the ISU campus, smores in the backyard, and of course watched some football.  I think we were all in need of a Papa-fix.

While Papa was here we had a built-in sitter for our anniversary.  I got a dozen beautiful roses, new perfume, and a yummy dinner out.

        

This week we had a new experience.  Spasmodic Croup.  In case you were wondering, not fun!  In fact, pretty scary.  Garrett went to bed about 8pm and at midnight woke up crying.  When I found him in his room he was totally disoriented, holding his neck, hyperventilating, and drooling.  I thought he had a sore throat, maybe strep, until I watched him closer and realized he was having trouble breathing.  10 minutes to the ER, including the time it took me to change into clothes.  I think the night air helped and he was a little better by the time we got there.  But still barky and they could hear a wheeze, so they gave him an r-Epinephrine breathing treatment and prednisone.  It was amazing how fast the breathing treatment helped.

Hmm...

I haven't had much to say lately...will work on that.  Will change my background instead.
Stay tuned.

Friday Night House Party

Believe me, the Hammons house is the place to be on Friday nights!  Here is a little taste....

Look out preschool...here comes G (well maybe)

This is how G's first day of preschool started....

I can't begin to imagine how upset he would have been if he didn't make it to school.  Thank goodness Eric was able to run home and jump my car.  (Another benefit of Bloomington & only living 3 minutes away from everything). 

The last two weeks, since the girls started school, have been total torture (for him, not really me).  He is soooooo BORED.  Which doesn't do much for my ego given that I have wracking my brain to come up with new things and places to entertain him.

We finally got to preschool (on time).  He was really quiet.  Thankfully the car left running was my excuse for a quick drop off.  Before I ducked out, I asked him if he wanted me to help him make a friend.  He thought for a second and told me "I think I will just make friends a different day" and stepped a little closer to me.  I thought he was going to follow me out but he just gave me a sad little hug and walked away.  When I picked him up he was all smiles and told me he had "a great day".  It is 8am now and he is already to go back,...he doesn't go until 12:00.

Another School Year Begins



4th Grade and 1st Grade

We survived this morning.  Believe me, I was holding my breath.  I moved in 3rd and 6th grade, and I felt like I was right back there this morning.  I had a nervous stomach for the girls.

Laney was fine, no worries.  She woke up in a great mood, agreeable, excited, and jumped right on the bus.  Macie, on the other hand, was quiet, avoided all eye contact, and wouldn't eat breakfast.  I was feeling her pain.  Thankfully the bus stop was full of kids, Macie being one of the oldest, so there was no chance she was going to meltdown.

After school was just the opposite.  Macie came off the bus full of smiles and stories.  Laney said she didn't do anything or talk to anyone.  Oh well, they both say they will go back tomorrow...good thing.

 

I look at them and wonder where the time went.  Macie is 2 quick years away from dreaded middle school.  And when we last lived in Bloomington, Laney wasn't yet 2 years old.  Don't get me wrong, I am ready for summer to be over and a little normalcy in our schedule, I am just not ready for my babies to get so old. 

Sad

When I started this blog I envisioned a place to share funny stories, trips, milestones and photos.  It didn't occur to me that, naturally challenging things would happen in our lives too.  I like blogging, and I am a Facebook junkie, but I am not prepared to grieve online or solicit sympathy.  However, I don't want those of my 247 Facebook friends who know what is actually going on in my life, to assume I am being callous by not updating it in my status.  It is ok to still keep some things private, right? 

With all that said, it has been a really tough week.  My dad died suddenly.  I am still wading through a bunch of emotions that continue to hit me in waves.  Sad is really the only word to describe it.  All of it.  The life, the death, how I feel, all just, so, sad.  I am not quite out of the haze yet, but these things I know...since this is a journal of sorts, and very few people know about my blog (certainly not as public as Facebook), I will post so I can look back at these a-ha's.

Addiction sucks.  It affects everyone.  It robs the person of who they should/could have been, the relationships they could have, their physical health, and the ability to feel & express deeply.
My dad was not a bad person.  He just couldn't do any different or be any more for me/us.
It is never too late to change something that isn't working.  Any morning you wake up is an opportunity to do something different.  Death, on the other hand, is very final.
Don't assume you know what someone is going through or feeling, especially in grief.
And, once again, I am so thankful for Papa in our lives.

New Rooms

The kids are really proud of their new rooms...now only if they would take care of them and keep them clean.  I think they all turned out really nice.  Thanks Mom & Beth!

Usually, I am all for painting every wall, but "Yellow Lettuce" aka Neon Lime Sherbet only gets to claim one wall in a bedroom.  And the other 2 rooms can be seen from the front door, so we went with only two accent walls in each room.

Aunt Beth is the master organizer, and she had her work cut out when it came to Macie's room.  (She can be a bit of a hoarder, and likes to put random things in random places).  Macie just got a desk, complete with lots of cubbies, drawers, bins and canisters to hold more random objects.

Laney loves the way Beth prominently displayed all of her hippos. (The photo of the top of the dresser is only her gray hippos, so about a 1/4 of the collection).

Grandma bought G a great patchwork style quilt that we love.  He is having some challenges getting use to his new room.  He has been very particular about the placement of his furniture so we have moved things around a couple times.



FYI...The hippo in the shades is "Mike" and the one with the tiara is "Sarah"



American Girls in Chicago

While Grandma, Beth & Noni were here we ended the week with a trip to Chicago.  It was so amazing that it deserves its own post.  Grandma booked the American Girl package at the InterContinental Hotel right on the Magnificent Mile.  http://www.icchicagohotel.com/american-girl-chicago/index.cfm

I have to copy and paste from the website all that the package included because it was AMAZING!  And the cost of the room was less than $200!
Personalized welcome letter

Tiara for your girl
Complimentary breakfast
Trivia game during breakfast, with prize
American Girl® Doll-Sized Travel Bed to keep
Themed turn down service for doll and child's bed
Turn down amenity each night - fancy cupcakes & milk

It was a dream weekend for a little girl...shopping at the American Girl store, wandering the big city, taxi rides, huge pizzas, cupcakes, and carriage rides.  I am pretty sure they felt like spoiled princesses and they won't forget this experience.



Thanks Grandma for a great weekend!