"I just have a big ol' smile on my face"

...said a bleary eyed Oliver upon waking on his fifth birthday.

And he did. A BIG ol' smile.

The smile continued all weekend, as we enjoyed days full of visiting, partying, saunaing, game playing and more visiting. My sibilings and I see each other infrequently, and I must say, I soaked up the time together.

My only complaint? It went by much to fast.

This morning I'm getting back into the swing of life...slowly, relaxing with coffee, snuggling my baby and reading my grinning five-year-old a book. The daughter is still sleeping...she must have partied hard this weekend.

I cleaned the top of the fridge!

That makes me ready for the weekend.

Because, you know, you're only ready for a busy weekend when the top of the fridge is clean.

It's our Christmas-get-together...in February. Except we're not really celebrating Christmas. We're just getting together. All my sibs from their various points on the globe-AK, CA, MA and Switzerland-via China, are coming home.

Cheers!

The real reason, Oliver will tell you, is for his 5th birthday. It's only TWO days away.

*ahem*
Siblings? He'll expect the same next year.
Just FYI.

More winter fun...

Temperatures have been absolute spring-like here the last week. The snow is shrinking before our eyes, and finally, and it was finally sticky enough to make a snowman. Rolling large balls of snow makes for a good workout. I had to call in the reinforcements from the sawmill to lift the balls for us... Eric and Frank lifting together seriously grunted. Ha. Oliver and Elsa's faces were shining with amazement at the "huge!" snowman..Good fun.

Other stuffs:

• Is there a limit to the number of questions a three year old can ask in a minute?
• If there is, I think Elsa is trying set a new record.
• Along with know-it-all-statements.
• I've started a new thing. I've been making a point to wash all the dishes right after every meal. It's usually so quick to do, so much easier than when there's a huge pile. I've been at it two or so weeks, and it has been great. With very limited counter space, it makes a huge difference; I don't not make something just because I'd have to wash dishes first.
• Plus, the rest of the house can be flying, but I feel good because I can tell myself, "at least the dishes are done."
• We made valentines for all Grandmas and Grandpas on Monday, then delivered them. I've been cutting construction paper hearts left and right since then.
• A very, very highly recommended book: Unbroken: A WWII story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. A biography of Louie Zampereini (if you're a MPR junky, you might have heard of it.) a WWII bombardier who ended up stranded on a raft in the Pacific for 47 days. He was picked up by the Japanese, and survived the POW camps. Amazing story, very well written book.
• Seriously. Read that book. It's good.
• Off now, to work. I get to renew my CPR certification before my shift. I wonder how much they've changed it this time...

Sledding!

Oliver, Elsa and I went sledding on Saturday. At Poop hill.

Oliver: "Poop hill?? It's not a poop hill!"
Me: "No, but that's what they call it."
O: "But it can't be very big, if it's just a pile of poop!"
Good point. Good thing it's not just a pile of poop...
Anyhow. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we all had a blast. My MIL came along for a little while and snapped a few hundred pictures. (For real. She has a happy shutter finger.) Turned out a few great action shots...


Oliver only had a fit the first time he got a whitewash...he was able to laugh it off after that.

They even let me hitch a ride a few times. But only a few.

Howie hung out at Grammie Great's; we got back and enjoyed a toasty cup of hot-chocolate...even with marshmallows!


***

I never did post on here, Eric's grandfather died peacefully early last Monday after a long, long process/battle. We had a family graveside burial on Tuesday. His aunt and uncle are leaving for Montana tomorrow, and Grammie Great will began to adjust to life alone...she spent the last 23 years taking care of Grandpa. Here's to (as the kids call them) Grammie and Grandpie Great.

Keeping the zen.

Last night the kids and I cleaned and rearranged the living room. I do this every now and then; come up with what I call "the newest best"arrangement. It keeps things fresh and makes living in 700 or so square feet at least a little more manageable.

So going to bed, the living room was clean and relaxing. Zen-like, you could say.

As I sit here, sipping my coffee, I'm trying to keep the Zen.

There's now a "house" behind the rocker.

The puzzles have been emptied from their drawer to make a baby bed. Of course, the puzzles no longer contain their pieces.

The pile of throws is unfolded to make a roof for the house...

Zen. Working on keeping the zen.

At least there's yummy pot roast in the oven for lunch.

That clears it up.

Heh.

I've just been informed by my world-traveling brother that my blog is blocked in China.

That's good to know.

Now I can stop wondering where the massive Chinese audience I've been waiting for hasn't found me.

After all, reading about the rocking good times here amongst the sawdust just might start a civilian revolt.

Or something like that.

And so.

And so a new year is upon us. With style. (This kid's got style. JD style. For the past week.)

Snow started falling sometime Thursday and didn't really stop until today...or something along those lines.

You'll have to excuse me and my memory, I've been cooped up for days on end. With three kids and an ornery gallbladder and g.b. flush regimen. All I know is this: Outside=big snow.

(Please excuse the non-edited red-eye photos. I have to find a new editing program. Any suggestions?)

And this:
1) Eating no fat for a week is boring.
2) 1/2 cup plain lemon juice down the hatch will pucker you up.
3)Not looking forward to the 1/2 cup of Olive oil tonight.

We'll see what the outcome is. Hopefully success.

Because I want to eat something good and juicy and fatty.Elsa's checking out how she measures up to the BIG present. It turned out to be hers.
Oliver was only a little disappointed.

Looking back to Christmas, I did succeed in getting in the spirit at the last minute and enjoyed the crazy busyness of those few days. The kids were well spoiled. Really, Santa could've skipped our house, they made out like bandits elsewhere. But, he came, they opened and all was enjoyed. I even managed to get a few Christmas cards done in time... the rest are *ahem* sitting on my counter. Getting in the way every time you want to use the microwave. Waiting for stamps.

We don't want to be to prompt or anything.

It's 8:08 on 1/1/11. The kids are sleeping. The dog is snoring. The hubby is at work. And I don't feel any large doses of ambition coming on. Think I'll curl up with a book.