Are We Ready Yet????

The answer is almost. We have been busy little elves this year getting ready for Christmas or more importantly the long awaited visit from Nana, Papa, Cool Aunt Jen, Taty, and Uncle Dunna. Sheets have been washed, house has been cleaned top to bottom (literally), and after many hours of wrapping we have present under our tree. And yes you do see green grass in the background of the picture we may get a snow shower on Christmas Eve but that is all I think we can look forward to.

In other news, Doug and I took the boys to their school skate party on Thursday. I think Matt was on the ground more than on the skates, Nate has shown a great ability to balance if not skate, and Danny had more fun falling down with his friend Jackson than skating. Well, don't expect us to start the Holmes' Roller Derby team anytime soon. Even Doug and I were on skates. Doug did very well until his Rollerblades finally decided that they had enough and broke. I wasn't doing to shabby either, that is until the last 15 minutes of the party when I did the splits and sprained my knee. I'm just glad that I'm in better shape than I have been in the past or that could have really hurt. I'm still limping a little but am looking forward to running up and down my stairs again in a few days.

Have a very merry Christmas and I hope to post before the New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My First and Only Tag

Ok Stephanie (and Lydia since I never reply to the ones you e-mail me)....this is for you. I never do these things and in fact will never do one again but in the spirit of "fun and games" here we go.

Tag #1

1. Where did you meet your husband?

• Blind meeting/date through his sister Becky (really a great story but it's been over told)

2.What was the first thing you said to your husband?

• Something smart and witty like Hi (I had him at hello....LOL)

3. Where was your first date?

• To the best of both our memories, the restaurant is called the American Grill.....that nice restaurant on the east side of Alma School Road north of Southern

4. Where was your first kiss?

• New Year's Eve on my parents front door step

5. Did you have a long or short courtship/engagement?

• Short courtship 3 months.....long engagement (by Mormon standards) 5 months

6. Where did you get engaged?

• My parents house while I was washing dishes in my jammies (another good over told story)

7. Where were you married?

• Mesa, Arizona Temple

8. How did your reception go?

• Just peachy but considering I walked around with a goofy smile on my face all day, I think everything could have gone wrong and I would have still loved it.

9. How was your honeymoon?

• Honesty time.....honeymoon was very nice in San Diego but really, trying to figure out which side of the bed you sleep on in a different location is just weird.

Tag #2

Four Places I've lived....

1. Provo, UT
2. McClain, VA
3. Oakley, ID
4. Okinawa, Japan

Four jobs I've had....

1. Office Help (everything from customer service, to cleaning lady, to gofer)
2. Salon assistant (another gofer job)
3. Front Desk at a hotel (and there are good stories there)
4. Credit Card customer service

Five things I'd like to do before I die....

1. Travel - Ireland, India, Singapore, etc.
2. Learn to ride a motorcycle....so I can stop riding behind Doug....this is what will probably kill me
3. See my great-grandchildren
4. Serve a humanitarian mission or get involved with dental humanitarian aid with Doug
5. Make a difference

Four favorite desserts....

1. Cheesecake
2. Eclairs
3. Chocolate Truffles
4. Donuts

Four facts about me....

1. I LOVE to read....I've taken to listening to books on CD just so I can get something done
2. I hate hard boiled eggs or anything that has them in it.....luckily I am married to someone with the same opinion
3. I enjoy cooking when I don't have to....this does not include the nightly pain of dinner
4. I always thought that I would have girls when I was a mom, so I have all boys

Four favorite TV shows....

• Who has time for TV?????

Tag #3

6 facts/habits about myself...here's the good and the ugly!

1. I sleep in as much as I can but have programed my brain to get moving as soon as my feet hit the floor (quite an accomplishment for me)
2. I enjoy making things look nice. Doesn't matter what....birthday party, holiday decorations, night stand arrangements, furniture placement (which I change frequently)
3. Bugs are fine as long as they are in the great outdoors....once they come into my house they are dead!!!!!
4. I paint my toenails but not my fingernails....fingernail polish chips too quickly
5. I really dislike having long hair.....I'm so glad it's gone
6. I don't have a creative bone in my body.....everything that might come off as cute I got from somewhere else

Now I know I'm suppose to pass this joy along to others but I just can't bring myself to do it. Hope you all enjoyed it.

The Get To Do's

After the week of have to do's, of which most were accomplished, we entered the period of get to do's. Here are pictures from some of our activities.

First was the Ward Christmas Party. This year they went with the Feliz Navidad theme (see Santa with a Sombrero....LOL). Kinda funny for a bunch of people from Ohio, but there were enough students from the southwest to make it kinda authentic.....maybe????

On the 13th we celebrated Doug's birthday. I won't say how old he is, but he is getting closer to being as old as dirt every day. I'm on my way there too so I only tease him once in a while about it (or every opportunity I can). We went out to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, did a little window shopping (Doug really enjoyed this), he got to take a nap, have enchilada's for dinner, and got to watch whatever he wanted on T.V. Overall a pretty good day. For his birthday present this year he got a new wedding band. I know, I know.....how sweet. Really, after 8 and 1/2 years he finally found one he likes. Carbon Fiber and Tungsten what man could refuse.

The boys have been making crafts this year. We are making wire star ornaments for their primary and school teachers. They have also been decorating the gift bags along with making picture frames. The best part about this is they don't fight while doing it. A Christmas miracle indeed.

Lastly, sometimes you just need to relax during this busy season. For my boys there is nothing like a Pokemon comic book to de-stress.

The "Have To Do Week"

I've named this week the "Have To Do" week. You know, the list of chores that you "have to do" before you get to the "want to do" list. Now usually I don't dedicate entire weeks to this idea, at most maybe a day. But with the holidays upon us a week was needed. The plan for this week was and is:

• get Christmas cards out (how do I know so many people????)
• wrap Christmas presents (three hours later)
• mail Christmas presents to North Carolina (they are coming)
• do Activity Days (my calling)
• attend Enrichment Night (sanity saver)
• cook, decorate, and get music for Ward Christmas Party (Doug's calling)
• laundry (did I mention that no one has clean socks?)
• volunteer in each of the boys classrooms (oh what fun!!!!)

So far I'm doing pretty good. Just because I feel like I'm losing my mind, doesn't mean I actually am. On the plus side, I finally braved the scale at the gym and am 8 pounds lighter than I thought I was (of course this was a fat loss and not water, it's only water weight if you gain it) and I cut all my hair off. YEA!!!!!! No more ponytails for me. I actually look like an adult again. Who knew? As much as I like having my picture taken, it may take me a while before I get a picture up.

Last but not least: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRLS!!!! You know who you are. Have a great day.

Family Pictures 2007

Our yearly tradition of family pictures.....we will sure miss Sabrina when we move. Thanks to her our pictures are always great.

Two Big Things and One Small Thing

We have been pretty busy this last week and not just with Thanksgiving. As most of you know Doug was invited and has accepted a place in a one year residency program with the Air Force on Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. He will attend officer training in Tennessee in July and we will all meet up in Las Vegas in August. How this is all going to happen and in what order is anyone's guess. I just ask that I get through the holidays before I need to start thinking about that. But YEA!!!!! We know where we are going after dental school!!!!!!

Next big thing is Nate has lost is other central incisor tooth (number 9 for those of you who are interested). So he can really sing "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" this year. How much fun.



Lastly, our little thing. Now I'm sure your children never get cranky or are in desperate need of a nap but this last week Danny was found to be in serious need of some shut eye. But at 5 years old he has figured out that he is too old for these little things. Being sent to the couch with his favorite blanket didn't do anything to calm him down. With feet flailing, fist banging, and the type of noise that a dieing animal makes, Dan was letting his disapproval be known. At this point a rather ingenious mother comes up with an idea. Out comes "Momo Bear". I sat next to Danny and asked him if he remembered when he got Momo Bear. I told him that Nana got him Momo Bear so when he needed a big hug, he could hug Momo Bear and it was like Nana was hugging him. Well, you can see the results.

A Quick Look at October

Lack of posting makes for a quick catch-up!!!!

Matt's Birthday

Matt turned 9 this last month. It is all about the Pokemon this year. Balloons, table cloth, napkins, and plates all were Pokemon (thanks Nana)!!! Mom and Dad were feeling quite inventive with the Erector Set that he got.














Danny's Field Trip

October was also the month of field trips. Danny was able to go to Holden Arboretum to finish of his study of trees. They were able to name parts of the tree and the creators that lived in them.









Nate's Field Trip

Nate went to the South Euclid Historical Society and got to learn what is was like to live in our community over a hundred years ago.



Pumpkin Hunting

We made a trip out to Patterson Farm to pick out our pumpkin this year. We were also able to see how they sorted apples while we were there. The boys enjoyed scooping out the inside of the pumpkins and making a mess.

Halloween

At last the boys were able to be Power Rangers (fake muscles and all). They went Trick or Treating with the Williams and came back with more candy than we handed out. Don't worry Mom and Dad helped them eat it all.

More Pictures

First Day of School

Don't they look happy? Trust me, I'm not getting those happy, smiling faces now!!!

Here is Danny in his kindergarden class. Doesn't he look big?

Cleveland Air Show
Cool Pictures

Thunderbirds

Playing at Squires Castle

Ok, I'm a bad, bad blogger. I have not posted in what seems like forever. My story is that we have been soooooo busy I haven't had time to blog. So to pay the price here are some pictures of our summer.

Dirt Track Races

Here is the only picture that Doug took of all my boys at the dirt track races. They are getting their shirts signed by one of the racers. (Should know his name but don't)

4th of July Pictures

Here are the boys getting ready to decorate their bikes for the parade at the church building.

The boys showing off their face painting after the pancake breakfast at the church. Matt was able to help with the flag ceremony.

The boys with Spencer and Matthew Williams as they watch their respective dads try to blow up the neighborhood. Or as they call it setting off fireworks.

Trip to Arizona

Boys enjoying lunch a Sweet Cakes

Boys at the Diamond Backs game

WE WON!!!!

Case Western Dental School Picnic

My boys playing with the BIG BOYS

EGG TOSS

Matt and Doug vs. Nate and Danny

They held out but in the end the egg got them. Doug and Matt were in the top 5 teams!!!

No egg on us

Ok, can't figure out how to get the picture the right way but it was proof that Matt got egged. So tilt your head and enjoy :)

More to come soon

Back to school pictures and rantings

Cleveland Air Show this weekend - so you can count on pictures of that as well

Until then

A Couple of Reasons We Love Cleveland

Ok, so some times it is hard to love Cleveland. Say when it is 12 degrees out side and that is the high of the day, but then there are other times that you just can't help but love it.

One of our family's favorite is Memorial Day. The city of South Euclid has a great parade that you can always get a front row seat at.

And were else would you see the rocket car!!!!

Another favorite is the parks that are all around Cleveland. This is at a boat dock onto Lake Erie. Matt looks like he is pondering big things.

Now the boys just look bored, but cute all the same.

Nate's 7th Birthday

Nate turned seven this last Tuesday in true Spidy style. Yes, he is still a little Spider-Man crazy and it seems that we don't help him at all with getting over it. These are some of the high lights.

Nate receives a Spider-Man bath towel

That looks like it could do some damage if it wanted to.

Goofy, Happy Grin

The one we saw all night long!!!

Yes another silly face for posing in front of the camera.

Doug teaches Danny how to extract a tooth on Monkey Mouth after Danny asks, "Daddy, what dentist do?"