New Years Resolutions....

It's time for some....

What are my goals and dreams for this year? The year goes by so fast.

I've been thinking about this late at night. This is going to be a great year!

Some things that I'm looking forward to:
Finishing our new house...
Growing my business...
Becoming the ME that I see in my mind!

Have a fun New Years Eve! We'll be going to see National Treasure as a family at our little cinema... and playing some fun games together.

May 2005 bring your goals and dreams within your reach!

I'm happy to report that Rich is feeling much better today. All that lingers is a bad cough.

Slow day today...
Laundry... dishes...
Started putting away Christmas stuff. The tree is down and out of the house.

Happy almost New Year!

Those wonderful seed catalogs...

Yesterday, I began receiving seed catalogs in the mail. This one and that one came. It is so fun to get these in the cold of the winter and dream about gardens to come!

I'm dreaming about...
Wild flowers and yummy tomotoes and Yukon Gold potatoes and fresh green beans...

Matthew and I spent the afternoon together yesterday. We went for ice cream, then to see the movie, A Series of Unfortunate Events.

On Monday, Aaron and I spent the afternoon together. He couldn't wait to use his Walmart gift card from Nanny & Grampy. It was so much fun for me to see him employ his math skills as he had to decide what toys he would be able to purchase with his $25 gift card. Well, he has 3 cents left on his card when he was done!

During a special singing performance at church yesterday, my little guy asked me, "Who turned on the radio?"

The performer grew up in our little town, coming from a musical family. He graduated from Julliard and is now a teacher there.

What a treat!

The Flu bug strikes...

Look out! The flu bug has struck our house.

Last night it got Aaron and today Rich is running a temp and feeling achy. I'm going to have to order some more of this to help them feel better and get better fast. My friend Peg swears by this stuff.

Can't have everyone sick during Christmas break!!!! We've got to go "after Christmas shopping" and to the Buffalo Bill Museum and to the movies and...!

Off I go to start some chicken soup.

PS... we had such a nice Christmas (no one was sick yesterday!). There was way too much food, but it was so good! And there were way too many presents, no, there can't be too many of those!
How was your Christmas?

An Italian Christmas Eve...

Homemade manicotti, meatballs, stuffed peppers with salad and fresh brocolli. It's a tradition for us to have Christmas soup (Escarole Soup) but here in the wilds of Wyoming no one has heard of Escarole! So no soup...

To you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Twas the Day before Christmas...

Twas the day before Christmas when all through the house,
presents to be wrapped,
goddies yet to be baked,

and what to my wondering eyes do I see?
a pile of dishes awaiting attention from me!


Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!!!

Merry Christmas to you!

We have snow on the ground here in northern Wyoming. It was so beautiful to watch it come down yesterday.

The boys had a wonderful time sledding out at the farm yesterday. Today the coldest day of the year, they'll be swimming with a group through school. Burrr....

I'm looking forward to Christmas. I love to watch everyone open their gifts. Will Jennifer like the xxxxxx that I made for her? Will my brother and sister-in-law like the xxxxxx?

So many friends and neighbors have come by this week to wish us a Merry Christmas and to bring by a plate of goodies. It's been heart-warming!

Have a Merry Christmas blogger friends!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I spent most of the day yesterday wrapping presents. It looks like Christmas here now. The balsam candle burned all day while Christmas carols played in the background. Neighbors kept knocking on the door... bearing little goodies.

I'm going to make some cranberry bread either today or tomorrow. That will make a nice little gift for friends and neighbors.

Wyoming life....
Yesterday it was real windy here. I went to the post office and had to fight with a tumble weed (the size of a bush) for my parking space.

It's a windy, snowy day here. We got a light dusting of snow. A white Christmas would be really nice!

Good morning friends. Today is the boys' last full day of school, followed by a half day on Tuesday... then Christmas break until the new year. So... I've got to get my presents wrapped TODAY! I've been going to do it at night, but then I start watching a Christmas special like Once upon a Christmas... then Twice upon a Christmas on Hallmark channel(which didn't get over until 1am!) and whammo... night gone.

Little town, Wyoming life...
Downtown the light poles are decorated with wrapped lights of various colors. Many of the homes are adorned with those blown up, lighted Snowmen or Snow families. There's this one little house near the lumber yard... that house with the sign, "DO NOT BLOCK DRIVEWAY", aptly has a Grinch at his front door. It's a funny site!

Well, I best be off to get my day rolling.

It's been a little while since my last post. I've been caught up in the wonder of the Christmas season.

Christmas cards are all done and sent along with an update on what our family's been doing over the past year.

There are still many unwrapped gifts. Tonight would be a good time for wrapping. I'm waiting to receive a few gifts that I ordered online.

Both kittens have been really good around the tree. Cuddles has been unwrapping Rich's gift. He like to tear paper... it seems. Speaking of our kittens. Fluffy was lost yesterday. The boys found him in one of the big cottonwood trees--way up high. After almost an hour of "coaxing", we finally got him down.

We continue to watch the Christmas shows on TV. Last night there was a nice one, I think that it was called An Angel in the Family. Matthew and I watched it together while I folded laundry and he folded socks (it was nice to have his help!).

No snow here. Actually, it's been pretty mild. Cold in the morning, but pleasant by afternoon. I hope that we have some snow for the kids during Christmas break!!!! Could anyone send us some?

I'm singing in the church choir today for our special Christmas program. Have a nice Sunday.

Just treated myself...

I'm back from treating myself to a highlight. In my mind, I'm blonde, but after having children my hair turned more of a brown with golden highlights with a few "silvery white" hairs hiding out.

I was just out looking at my wild flower garden and cut some seed pods into an envelope. I'm going to send some to my mother for her garden. Shhhh, Dad, don't tell her... it'll be in with her Christmas gifts.

I'm almost done with my Christmas cards. I ran out of cards and I think that I'll need more stamps too. You know, I just love receiving cards from family and friends. It's such a nice tradition to remember old friends... to keep in touch.... at least once a year.

I bought a pine scented candle that I just love. It reminds of Christmas Eve service at the Protestant church where I attended with my family as a child. Every Christmas they would decorate the chapel pews with pine bows and red candles. It was just magical! There were big arched windows adorned with red velvet curtains and in between them were fresh pine wreaths. But the wonderful smell of pine.... hmmmm... it means Christmas to me!

Have a wonderful day! Remember to breathe and to enjoy these last few days before Christmas... even through the hectic scheduling... and shopping... and....

We put up our little fresh Christmas tree last night. It looks pretty with its multi colored lights and paper chains.

I'm going to get some candy canes to go on the tree today.

Unfortunately, our ornament box didn't make the move across country. It must still be in my parent's basement. :(...

Today...
Wrap Mom & Dad's gifts (they need to be mailed across country!)
Make some more xxxxxx (I can't say because the gift recipients might read this! Sorry!)

When is the DISH FAIRY coming, the one that magically does the dishes for me? That's what I want for Christmas!

The mystery of the "unwrapped" gift...

Oh Oh... somehow... one of the kids' Christmas gifts got "unwrapped!" Maybe one of the kitties did it!?!

The other night, Rich and I were watching TV when down tumbled the gifts that I had stacked up. Off running went the mischievous kitty.

We'll be putting up our fresh litte Christmas tree with the boys today. I'm feeling a little apprehensive with two kittens around.

Clam Chowder and California Rolls (Sushi)

It's that time of year! I have Christmas music playing in the background as I write this post.

It's become a tradition at our house to have home made Clam Chowder sometime during this season. Tonight we're going to a family Christmas party. I have no idea if Rich's Wyoming relatives will enjoy our New England Clam Chowder as much as we do!

We all had some for lunch. It is soooo good!

I just finished making California Rolls (our version of sushi). Some of these will go with us to this party. Rich and I may be the only ones to eat it.

When I lived in the Boston area, I had a friend from Japan named Keiko. I sure miss her!
She showed a bunch of us how to make this yummy treat.

My neice came over to while I was getting the sushi ready to make. She enjoyed making them but just couldn't get past the nori wrapper.

Next week is Christmas cookie week. I'm still thinking about what we'll make.

What delicious things do you make during this season? Anyone want to share?

Christmas gift making with the kids.

Today I got together my niece, nephew, my boys, and Matthew's friend to make some pot holders for as Christmas presents.

I cut the fabric and cotton batting, then sewed 3 sides. They sewed up the 4th side and quilted a design in the center of each pot holder.

I think that we'll made this a new tradition. Next Friday is Christmas cookie day.

Time to watch ABC Family or Halmark channel. Hope that there's a good Christmas show on tonight. I was up until (almost) 12am last night watching a show on ABC Family... only to fall asleep during the last 5 crutial minutes of the show. Darn!

A friend from town sent me this awesome Christmas card. She custom made it through Shutterfly.

It's a picture of her 4 sons on horse back, each in their cowboy hats, with the sun setting behind them. What a great card!

I've got to get my Christmas cards going. It's so much to recieve cards. I like to hang my cards along the door ways--they add to the festive feel of the house.

Just back from a trip to Walmart.
Quick... got to wrap the presents before kids come home!

Whew... this is going to be another marathon kind of day...

We were turning into shaggy monsters so...

Off we went to our local hair stylist for a well needed hair "adjustment."

Matthew & Aaron had each, with their cousin's help(!), cut their own hair. Grandma was babysitting. They all must have been upstairs and VERY QUIET (and sneaky like...)

The craziness continues...

Note to myself...
Are you remembering to BREATHE?

Started cleaning my....

I've got a couple Christmas projects that MUST be started (actually... and finished!) this week. So I started cleaning a spot in my office (which is actually a sewing room/computer room/business office).

Shocked by what he saw... my husband (who is the organizer of the family) looked at me with unbelief and asked WHAT I WAS DOING!

LOL! Hey, I do clean and organize sometimes!

Mom, how many more days till Christmas?

Good morning! I was away all day yesterday. When I finally entered my house it was time to cook supper. I didn't even get to my computer again until 12am...

Sorry that I missed my post yesterday. Hmmm... Maybe you're crazy busy like me.

I've been really enjoying the Christmas specials on Hallmark channel. I suggested to my husband that there should be a Christmas channel... Here's the slogan, "All Christmas movies, All the time." He just rolled his eyes!


Off to my busy day.

Note to myself:
Again...
Remember to BREATHE!

Cowboys on 4 wheelers...

I was on my way to Billings (again! It's starting to be an every Saturday time thing. Had to go back to JoAnn Fabrics and use yet another 50% off coupon... got another one for Dec. 11, too.)

Up ahead I noticed some traffic. Now, usually there isn't any traffic at this intersection. Honestly, I'd say that I've yet to experience true "traffic" here in Wyoming/Montana. Don't forget... I'm from Boston!

There at the cross road I spied a bunch of cars which looked like a traffic jam...
No, not a traffic jam... but a bunch of cars waiting for cowboys on 4 wheelers to move the herd of cows across the road.

More about Wyoming...

I remember camping with my parents as a child in Maine. It would be pitch black. My brother and I would be laying in the grass looking up at the beautiful star filled sky.

We had never seen a night sky so filled with dotted lights.

Many years later, on trips to Wyoming to visit my husband's family.... Rich and I would go for walks at night so that I could see the light filled sky.

It is breathe-taking to stand in the quiet of the black night and look toward the heavens.... filled with an infinite number of sparkling stars. The moon looks so close here. I feel like I could just reach out and touch it sometimes. It is the biggest moon I have ever seen.

I am a transplanted Boston-suburbia city girl, now, in the wilds of northern Wyoming. I marvel at the richness of the nature that surrounds me! I'm like a little girl with wide-open eyes standing in awe at a the landscape that layes before me.

Mom, what color eyes does Santa have?

Aaron got to sit on Santa's lap at the party last night. He keenly observed that santa had blue eyes.

This morning he spied the paper on the couch with a picture of Santa. He said, Mom... That Santa has brown eyes... not blue...

Then he proceeded to tell me about a gift that he had seen at Grandma's that was labeled FROM SANTA... But Mom... it was before Christmas!

Aaron's kitten, Cuddles, goes to school today for a visit.
another picture by Toni

Here we are!

Here we are at the town's Christmas party. We all enjoyed the large spread of yummy food. The town provided the turkey & ham. The North side of town was assigned to bring desserts and the South side brought the side dishes. Everything was soooo good!
another picture by Toni

I attempted...

Well, I attempted to make carmel popcorn balls. I think that my recipe was missing several crutial steps! Help Busymom!

Burr... we're in the deep freeze here.

It feels so cold here today. The humidity must be higher than normal. Burrrrr...

Got to go decide what to make for the town Holiday Party. It's got to be a desert. Got any good ideas? Maybe

Down a winding dirt road...

It's a chilly morning here in northern Wyoming. Just 17 degrees. Burrr.
Grandpa gave the boys a ride to school this morning. They didn't even fight with me to take their bikes.

Yesterday I visited with a friend who lives further out in the country but still within the boundaries of this little town. Down a winding dirt road...

The view of the Pryor Mountains from her home is breathe-taking! What pretty country it is there. Her black angus cows were grazing in the pasture with the foothills in the horizon and snow capped mountains further off.

Dec 1st... 24 days left!

Happy December 1st friends,

Suddenly, I'm feeling overwhelmed with lots of stuff. I think that I feel this way every December. When will I learn to begin things early?

My mom is so good about planning things out... and getting things done ahead of time. Why didn't any of that rub off on me? I'm more the layed-back type.... always thinking that there's plenty of time... Sighhhh... Works for me most of the year!

Matthew's back to school today. His teacher sent him homework yesterday. He said that he was going to school "no matter what" today. Guess that the way it goes... is that if he doesn't finish his work at school... it becomes homework.

Well, I'm just happy the he's feeling better.

Remember to:
BREATHE