close to perfect

I have not had a good last few weeks. Work has been frustrating, the boys have been frustrating, and there just hasn't been time to do most of the things I really want to do. So it is with pure, sweet joy that I report that I had the best birthday of my adult life. It wasn't all about me, and we didn't do anything terribly special (although Mike did take me out for dinner), but I got to spend my day happily doing things with the people I love the most.

The morning started out as most mornings do, with Liam waking me up. Only this time, he woke me up with cries of "Mama, it's your birthday! Happy birthday!" We got up and set about making a big, Sunday-morning-style breakfast, with eggs, sausage, hash browns, and cinnamon rolls. We decorated some sugar cookies.



Thus fortified with a hot and hearty breakfast, we all went outside and explored the yard, which was still encased from the ice storm. I took a bunch of pictures, and we played until all our cheeks turned red and our fingers got a little numb. Back inside, we put the sugar cookies in the oven and the kettle on the stove, and the boys enjoyed hot chocolate and fresh, warm cookies.






After lunch, while Max napped, Mike and Liam went on a series of secret errands while I got to watch some recorded TV shows (definitely a rare pleasure). Once Max woke up, we got all bundled up again and took the boys outside to go sledding. We have a tiny hill (not even a bunny slope) in our backyard, but the ice helped the sleds really go fast. I took some videos (below) and mostly just soaked up the boys' excited cries and laughter.





After that, it was time for cake (DQ ice cream cake!) and gifts (a tripod!). My very patient boys posed for me while I messed around with camera and tripod. Just look how handsome:


I had a couple of calls from faraway friends, and my family called to sing to me (they do it every year; Max begged them for an encore, but they refused on the grounds that once is bad enough per year). Loni came to watch the boys, and Mike took me out for seafood, just like he did on my birthday the year we started dating. The only dim spot on the day was that Liam pulled a heavy (unlit) candle down on his head and immediately got a huge goose egg (just as we were about to leave for dinner), but today the swelling is gone and he's barely got a bruise, so all's well that ends well.


I may have ended up right back at work this morning (yes, on a Sunday!), but yesterday was a damned fine day, just about as good as it gets.

sledding videos

We took the boys sledding today. After the ice storm, even the small hill in our backyard was a superfast sledder's dream. Unfortunately for us, the hill leads down to a line of pine trees and our neighbor's house on one side, and our fenced-in area on the other, so Mike had to stand guard at the bottom to guide the sleds around the obstacles. But still, as you can see, the boys really whooped it up.

birthday horoscope roundup

From horoscope.com:
For those of us born on December 20
Happy Birthday! The year ahead could start with some unrealistic dreams about far away places and notions of travel. However, these dreams could become a reality if you’re prepared to be pragmatic. Watch for potential cash flow problems, especially around May, when unexpected expenses could crop up. Avoid taking out any credit in this month and don’t rely on extra work or overtime to boost your income. The planets will take a positive turn in the summer, which will see you being flirty and adventurous. October could see you being hesitant in key areas of your life, but this will be short lived, because towards the end of the year you will start having lots of fun again!

Jeraldine Saunders (Silicon Valley Mercury News):
IF DECEMBER 20 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Your long-term goals and ambitions can become a reality if you wait until late January or February to put your ideas and plans into motion. That's a prime time to be astute when dealing with business matters or to be filled with inspiration that will help you succeed. New friends might help you climb the ladder of success in April, but consider joining an organization or group that suits your interests. You will find that the friends you make will stand by you all summer long. In October be responsible about paying bills and avoid starting anything new such as buying a house or starting a new job. Rest assured that you will have great help from the universe on many levels near the end of the year.

Sally Brompton (NY Post):
December 20, 2008
You will have some good ideas - no, wait, make that great ideas - over the next six months or so, and during the six-month period following on from that you will get the opportunity to do something with them. And this time you must not chicken out.

dailyhoroscopes.com:
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Modern thinking comes naturally to you. Use that inventive and innovative thinking of yours to create answers and therefore, you find many followers; perhaps you write or lead in some community organization. You can dispense with all that is unsound or superficial at this time and consider a new personal project. Your earning power is in an upward motion and you will find an opportunity to fund a special project soon--perhaps community oriented. Check this out and make a decision before the end of this month. This could be a positive move on your part and will increase your standing in the community. Spending quality time with loved ones takes priority all day. Converse about goals and dreams together--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Linda Black (Tribune):
This year, watch out for friends who throw their money around. Take care, or you’ll end up deeper in debt than you were before. Learn to resist temptation.

tree trimming

It seems like we haven't had time for much of anything this year, and the Christmas decorating was no different. Instead of heading out to the tree farm to cut one down, we dragged our old artificial tree up from the basement and put it together. The rest of the house is decidedly undecorated (and at this point will probably remain that way), but the boys had a really good time helping us with the tree. It was a very pleasant change from last year, when they started having meltdowns before the lights were even on the tree, so we had to put them down for naps and do most of it ourselves.

And in case you were wondering, yes, Liam wears fleece footed pajamas all day long whenever he can. He loves them!

santa ... we're not so sure

The boys accompanied my parents, J, Loni, and Klaudia to the fire department's Christmas party, where Santa put in an appearance and handed out gifts to each kid. They had a lot of fun during the dinner, but when it came time to approach the big man with their secret requests, it went about like last year: Liam wanted nothing to do with Santa, and Max sat on his lap for only a minute, kind of bewildered but cooperative. But boy, did Santa ever know what to get for these kids! Liam got a United States puzzle (every state was a piece) and has put it together about a hundred times since then. Max got a pattern-making kit, which he refers to as a puzzle -- both boys love playing with that. Excellent choices, Santa!

we make snowflakes

Hello, blog readers. Remember us? We've been keeping busy with lots of fun winter activities. This morning, we woke up to find the world covered in ice, and after lots of begging from the boys, we decided to make it a snow day (even the thought of missing their Christmas party couldn't persuade them that they wanted to go to school). This shouldn't be a long day at all, right? Luckily, Mike has tonight off, so we don't have to venture out on the icy, slushy roads anytime soon.

Anyway, a few days ago, we were inspired by an episode of Calliou to make some paper snowflakes. This has been a huge hit with Liam (I suspect because he rarely gets to use scissors at home).

such concentration

Ah, Play-Doh. You give us 20 minutes of peace, during which time the boys are surprisingly calm and cooperative...until the inevitable fight breaks out over who gets to use the red lobster mold and who is stuck with the green elephant mold. And then it's 15 minutes to calm the boys down when they realize that their fighting has gotten you taken away, and 20 more minutes to clean you out of every single crack and crevice in the room (although some will mysteriously be left for subsequent days, just so we don't forget how much we love/hate you).

that's a big cookie

While Max napped Sunday afternoon, Liam and I headed over to Greenhouse to visit with Gram, Aunt Marlene, and some cousins. Before we left, Liam saw me with my wallet, and asked if he could have a dollar. Sure. I gave it to him and he snapped it into his coat pocket. Then he asked if he could have a twenty. I'm not kidding.

Having nixed that idea, we spent a couple of very pleasant hours relaxing (me) and running around with the other kids (him) before it was time to head home. On the way home, we stopped at a gas station. Before we went inside, Liam begged to be allowed to use his dollar to buy a cookie. Little did I know that they sold face-size cookies at the counter! But a deal's a deal, right? He ate about a quarter of it, then decided to save the rest for later -- and now he's forgotten about it, and it's still hanging out in the fridge. (For some reason, Mike feels the need to refrigerate all leftovers, whether they need it or not, but that's a story for another day.)

christmas program

I love this -- they sort of look like mini Memphis Mafia members
(sorry about the Elvis reference; I just can't help it sometimes)

Last night was the boys' Christmas program at school, and they did a wonderful job! Unlike programs past, in which one or the other refused to sing, or even stood there scowling the whole time, this year both boys gave it their all with the singing and the gestures. Liam was really excited to see Mike and me in the audience, along with my parents, J, and Klaudia. He waved and called to us between every song. Not to be outdone, Max started waving and calling too.

Doing the wave

Max somehow managed to sneak a toy on stage, past the eagle eyes of all of his teachers, so he had a little trouble doing all of the motions. He tucked the toy (a plastic hippo of some sort) into his armpit for safekeeping, but then he couldn't raise his arm. For the last song, all of the kids were supposed to hold hands and sing, but Max only held one girl's hand, because his other hand was busy holding his hippo. The whole thing was really cute, and Max turned out to be the only kid in his age group who stayed on stage the whole time. His peers all succumbed to stage fright at some point in the proceedings.

Max with hippo

After the show

max has a lot on his mind

He drinks* to forget.

He pours out his sorrows to the bartender.

He kisses age-inappropriate women.

*Not an alcoholic beverage

first snow

The saddest little snowman ever

We got our first biggish snow the other night, and yesterday we enjoyed the wonder and excitement of the first snowfall, which will now be followed (on my part, at least, and Mike's) by months of resentment at the bitterly cold temperatures and having to shovel our way out of the house every morning. But for now, we'll just focus on the positive. We woke up to a few inches of snow, and the boys got to help me shovel the walkway before school, which thrilled them to no end. On the way home from school, Liam fretted the whole way about whether all the snow had melted. He really wanted to play in it. Lucky for him, there was still plenty of snow left, so I gave them their shovels and set them free on the deck.

Snow? I'm not so sure...

So...delicious!

I must always remember to stand and walk in the
deepest snow possible, thus ensuring not only that
I'll have soaking wet feet all day, but that Mom
will be as irritated with me as possible.

If I knew this was work, I probably
wouldn't be so happy about doing it.


Post-snowball fight

pirates for obama

vote!

Today was our second attempt to vote, and I'm happy to report that we were successful. On Friday, we headed down to the courthouse for early voting, but the line was two hours long, and Mike only had an hour and a half before he had to work, so we ended up leaving the line and going out to lunch instead. But this morning, the line was only 15 minutes long (though very steady) when we got there, so we were able to cast our votes with no problem. When we left, the line was longer than when we arrived, and stretched outside of the building, which is a big deal in a small town like this.

We're both excited and nervous about the election. There's so much riding on it, and for the first time in our lives, we aren't voting in a state that's essentially already been decided. In Illinois, we could cast all of the votes we wanted (either way), but the state would always go blue. Here, we might make a real difference. Our state could go blue for the first time since 1964, and could help decide the presidential race in favor of Barack Obama. It's a thrilling day, and it's a good feeling that we did our part to speak for the change this country so desperately needs.

Please, get out and vote.

halloween sneak peek

Last night my mom came over for a fitting of the boys' pirate costumes (she made them herself). The boys were so excited at the chance to hold their swords that they got a little carried away and were happy to ham it up for the camera (which, believe it or not, rarely happens).

Don't worry, ye'll be feelin' the point
of me blade before too long!

Shiver me timbers!

Arr, who goes thar?

Ahoy, mateys! Who is this handsome
devil? It's the Dread Pirate Max!

Swashbucklin'

That scurvy dog Liam got me!

In fighting form again

Yo-ho-ho! We'll make Loni walk the plank!