Just Me!!

We have been having a blast enjoying time off together! On the 24th we thought we would start another tradition, going to see a family movie and then driving through Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park. The only problem was, everyone else had the same idea. The movie was great, minus a couple of bad words and oh of course, missing the last five minutes because a certain three year old needed to use the bathroom. We love going to see movies out at Lakewood Town Center because of their awesome movies theater seats. Wish I had those at the house..heaven. We are a member of their Stubs club so we get $10.00 for every $100.00 we spend. Mark and I love seeing movies together...that is how our romance started. We saw Sniper with Tom Berenger as our first movie/date together in1992. After that, Monday night movies at Western became OUR thing (Monday movies were only $1.00)! In fact we held hands for the first time while watching The Temp, and Mark first told me he loved me during the movie Fallin...

December is full of parties! We always kick off the month with my sister's annual karaoke Christmas bash! Mike and Shannon know had to show everyone a good time.mThankfully I was the designated driver, so my party spirit was much more low key than last years horrid experience! Mark, Jeremy, and Shannon entertained everyone the whole night! My husband loves to dance and sing, but only when he has "thrown caution to the wind." Freakin hilarious and very sexy! Jeremy came with Kat and even sang (mainly shouted) a song with her! First time I've heard my brother sing, or have been around him when he's tipsy! Second party was the kids end of the semester party at Mrs. Katherine's preschool. She decorated her first gingerbread man as a homework assignment, and then took it in on the last day to show all the kids! Funny thing is.....we turned it in late so it only hung up on the board for two hours and then came right back home to us. Ours was made out of candy, and...

December 11-12,2011. It is the third annual Christmas Gingerbread Village tour! Since we moved home we look forward to this activity every year! The last two years we have gone further than just visiting Seattle, we have stayed the night at the Sheraton where they host this event! A tip to enjoying this event is staying the night at the S. and that way you can go see the houses without waiting in line, and at your own pace. We are a family who loathes crowds! Every year I have my own fantasies of creating a masterpiece better than the ones we see...but time gets in the way of creating! He he! We had a great time in the BIG city, we enjoyed dinner at Westlake, picked up snacks at a corner grocery, and swam in the pool on the top floor of the S. overlooking the city. The whole family enjoyed playing "Marco Polo" in the pool. We dropped Mark off at the Westin the next day, and made one more stop at the International district for dinner. Valerie bought and ate a half a duck..yuc...

Our yearly gingerbread excursion...more to follow. Sorry leaving you hanging because I have to go grocery shop!

My mom, I, Valerie and Ethan went to the mall for some therapeutic shopping on Sunday. We had a great time shopping at Wet Seal for Valerie. I think Charlie was more amused by pretending to be mannequin than anything else. I guess she plans to be one when she grows up, or that is what she told us! A cute, coffee drinking, adult dummy were her exact words...the things THEY say⛄!

Last Sunday I took the kids out for the day! Mark had loads of work to do, so I chose to take the kids to Tacoma's newest skating rink. It is an open air, covered rink sponsored by the Museum of Art! We all skated together, and Charlie even found herself a little friend. The little girl was helping my daughter learn to skate, even though she had just learned how herself, the night before. I love talking to small children, they are so honest. She told us that she has two mommies and two daddies, and that her real mom can't stop taking drugs. Charlie piped up and said proudly, "well I only have one mommy and dadda." Precious;) For lunch we walked to The Old Spaghetti Factory, and ate in the train. After eating we wondered to down to UWT library and took a peek at the Dale Chihuly glass chandelier. My goal this next year is to get the kids down to the Museum of Glass!

Didn't expect my dream to come in the version of an actual dream, but it did! I'm not sharing though. I'm holding this one close...hoping it will bring me new found passion, excitement and zest for life! Will share when the timing is right. In my dream, I was revealing all my passion, excitement, and joy to a select group of people, Until then.....

It's official, it's gone, and since it is Non-Judgment Day (or so say Hoda and Kathi Lee) I will share this with you! I've officially lost my desire to cook, read, scrapbook, and sew. Some of these things have been gone for quite sometime, but the joy of cooking is the latest thing to go! Remember you're not judging right? I simply have lost the joy I had in all of these things...scares me a little! I know life has it's hills and valleys, but the joy found in these simple pleasures never return. Last night we watched Crazy, Stupid, Love. It is a hilarious movie, but one that will also make you stop and think about your own life. For those of us that are getting older, it makes you wonder, "have I lost myself?" Easy to do with life, and kids. At this point in my life I know that I don't care, or rather I do, but have no energy to change things. Then my wise coworker posted this on FB today: "Dreams make the difference between living a life, and ...

Woke up early for dinner party Thursday November 23. Ate. Went to work at 7pm. Thursday, November 24th, I worked off at 0730. Ran home. slept two hours, got up, dressed everyone, headed to the in laws for Thanksgiving, ate, ate some more, gossiped with the girls, played "May I?" rushed to Shannon's for the Black Friday Ad Strategy, stayed up till midnight, and then continued to shop till 10 am! =41 hours of no SLEEP (longest I have ever gone)!!!! Mark and Charlie went over to the Slaughter's for some football/play time. Valerie ended up sleeping in till 5pm after we got home. Poor girl was so tired after her first adventures with Black Friday. For the record, when I forget next year, she did great. No complaining, dirty looks, or bad attitude. She was slightly bored with the process but that will change when she decides what she wants to purchase for people. Can't wait till next year....! I enjoy this tradition, no matter how chaotic it is. I lov...

We knew it was coming! Our neighbor asked our permission weeks ago. Today, Frosty the Snowman arrived, perfectly nuzzled between our yard and his. Charlie loves him, and wishes she could sit in his lap. She also fancied his reindeer. Now we better getting moving on our holiday decorations or it will be Christmas with the Kranks all over again.

Who can ask for anything more???

I have this week off so the kids always try and hit me up for play dates, especially Charlie! Her and Ryan requested Tuesday as their play day (Ryan was just trying to get out of nap time). I took them to Goodwill and the Dollar Tree (they are so easy to please at this age). They each got a book, puzzle, and a small apple juice. A man in the store asked me if they were twins...I said nop. He said, "they act like brother and sister." I love that these two cuties love each other so much--makes my heart melt!

The last of our cabin pictures. We did have a blast...and enjoyed every minute of it! We are glad to be home, with all our kids! We missed them. Last night we had a quiet night with the kids. Dinner (homemade nachos), preparations for a week of school, laundry, baths, and grocery shopping completed the night! When H&A dropped off the kids, they informed us of some issues the kids were dealing with...ones that we have been working on since I don't know...FOREVER. In an effort to continue where they left off (instead of taking it too personally, which I started too), I woke up at 1230am and 0430 am to take both Charlie and Ethan to the bathroom. Potty Training! Maybe in a week I will have two kids who are potty trained in the middle of the night. Ethan was sooo easy to get up last night,  which is a HUGE change. They both woke up dry....score one for Arlene! Then this morning I called and made arrangements for my son to have a friend come over after school. Ethan made some c...

We love having our little L.O.V.E getaways and this time we planned a three night, four day stay in a cabin in Packwood, Washington. We left Thursday night via HWY 7 (with me driving) and almost got to Elbe before Mark forced me to the side of the road, in the dark . He was demanding to drive but I was scared to get out because I was sure Mr. Hook man was waiting for us. I quickly surrendered my driver's seat, and he drove the rest of the way. On the way, we talked about the Hook man, Chainsaw man, and possibly getting kidnapped and taken to the House of Wax , where Brain Van Holt would turn us into wax statues. So after all the scary talk, I had to make a stop in Randal for a bathroom break The bathroom at this gas station was located out back, in the dark . As I walked past the payphone (you see this coming right, in a movie anyways), it rang. In the midst of the moment, like one of those dumb blondes in a horror movie, I picked it up. F-R-E-A-K-Y. Mark yelled...