Fun Photo

Our friends Don and Kae also have a Giant Schnauzer (their dog Hannah is Cody's older sister and is where I learned what a cool breed they are). She got the picture I sent to the breeder of Ethan and Cody and doctored it up a bit. It gave me such a chuckle I had to post it. Enjoy!

I've Been Bumped

Well, we all love Cody, our new dog. He is huge and loveable and sweet-tempered and utterly devoted to Ethan, who almost always has his arm around him or sits idly playing with Cody's fur. He is very calm in the house but turns into a giant puppy when Bill or Ethan take him to play in the snow.

I did have a twang of self-pity yesterday, though, when Ethan said to me in the most diplomatic way: "Mom, you're still one of my best friends, but Cody's my very best friend."

May I Have A 'K' Please?

I thought this was funny:

In front of the preschool at Midway: NOW ENROLLING
FIRST WEE FREE

The Bright Side

Last night I grew reflective as Alaina worked her way through a stomach virus; gee, I have a great excuse not to be up there cleaning up the bed, walls, clothes and child. Perhaps there is a tiny bright side to having a bum leg.

It Can't Be!

Ethan and I were snuggling last night when he told me he doesn't believe quite all the stuff about Santa. He said "I still believe in Santa, but some of that stuff I don't believe anymore". Like what? Well, the flying reindeer can't be true. What about magic? Magic isn't real either. Oh, No!!! I guess this comes of school with older kids. I wanted to cry a bit. At least he still believes in a nice dude in a red suit who walks around hearing kids' wish lists, I guess.

Christmas Angels

Saturday afternoon a group of our closest friends descended on our home to decorate for Christmas. Lisa, Alice, Tina, and Jill are part of the accounting crew that I worked with at Shelter. We took a girls' weekend to St Pete Beach when Lisa turned 40 and nowadays have monthly lunch gab-fests. Tina and I with our spouses traveled Europe in 2000, skiied, and have tailgated for years. We have the unique tie that we all slept together in a tiny sleeper compartment on a night train to Prague and were shaken up in the night by a visit from German border patrol with their AK47's and German Shepards.
Carrie is my dear wonderful friend from Investments. We had our children together (much to the consternation of the three guys that made the rest of the department), and can talk forever on any topic.
Susan and Kathy, more close friends from accounting days and lunch group, Susan's husband Bruce who is an incredibly handy guy, Jill's husband Brian, also a Shelter friend, Tina's husband Mark, also part of the Europe memories, and Don & Kae Duello. They own the property I wrote about Oct 29 or so where Bree and I had our last all-out, wind in our face gallop for a while. They are Shelter friends (Don ran Investments, then the company, and now is Chairman), as well as horse friends, and as nice of people as you will meet.
Anyway, here they came with ladders, cookies, popcorn covered in white chocolate (yum), and beverages, and transformed our house.
Friday after my therapy Bill and I got a new fake tree. I really wanted a nice one with lights attached, that goes up in sections and looks really full and pretty if we were going to do fake trees. Last year we did a real one, which began with Bill and Andy covered in scratches and ended in my carpet full of pine needles and with a water stain. Oh, and Bill and Andy with more scratches!
The girls whipped out that tree and helped the kids put on ornaments, hang stockings, you name it. They made up wreaths for the door and around the house, and Kae hung wreaths on the entry to our driveway and greenery on the mailbox.
The guys helped Bill hang lights on the house, which takes a bit but is so beautiful. Afterward we all had snacks and caught up. It was a wonderful afternoon and the Christmas Spirit is all around. I finally have Christmas carols in my head!

Some Great Things About Being Home

1) Reading and coloring with Ethan after school every day. Current library book: Indiana Jones presents The Incas.
2) Alaina randomly running up, saying "My Mommy", and laying her cheek on my leg.
3) Bill is here when I go to sleep and when I wake up.
4) Long chats with Jordan about her friends, school, etc.
5) My computer!!
6) Sasha snuggles
7) Andrew brews good coffee and brings me a cup after school. Hospital watered-down Sanka just didn't do it for me.
8) Mom playing games with the kids. They're gonna be formidable gamesters!
9) Alaina's spontaneous song and dance routines.
10) Big talks with Ethan about school, science, my leg, whatever is brewing in that big noggin.