Tree Decorating

We generally get the tree out as soon as Thanksgiving is over so that I can work on the girls' annual Christmas picture. So, we got the tree out Friday and it got put up but we really didn't decorate because of certain kids' trantrums and stubbornness and really, I was ready to leave it as is...a bare tree just strung with lights for this year because their attitudes and behaviors have been that good this past week.

But they finally shaped up and so Saturday morning, I set out some decorations and Christian did this fun stop motion video of them decorating. It was so fun, I had to share.

It's kind of hard to see with these little thumbnail versions they let you post but you get the idea. It was Christian's first attempt with doing the stop motion videos so now our minds keeps racing to see what other fun things we can do with it!

Thanksgiving

We usually go to my family's house for Thanksgiving. We've gone down to Christian's family's house a few times but the drive is murder and I'm rather partial to my family's food. We have the traditional turkey and ham but instead of the traditional bread stuffing (which nobody in my family cares for except for my brother-in-law), we have sticky rice!

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without some sticky rice. Unfortunately, in our old age, it isn't easy to stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving like when we were young (and we certainly pay for it later if we do). It kind of takes some of the fun out of Thanksgiving.

I made pies as per my usual and a side dish. Caitlyn helped me in preparing the pumpkin for the pumpkin pie...which was great because most of the work is in cleaning out the pumpkins.

We actually had a Thanksgiving luncheon since my sister still had Thanksgiving dinner to attend to later that evening with her in-laws. So after lunch, we just hung out to let the food digest. The rest of my family plans out their black Friday strategies. I make it a rule not to go out if I can help it on black Friday. My goal is to be done with all my Christmas shopping by the time Thanksgiving roles around. I'm only 95% done, but I'm okay with that.

My brother moved into a bigger house this past year and offered to host the party at his house. After every else had left, we had a quick small dinner with some of the leftovers with my brother's family before heading home. It was nice getting together and it was nice not to have to cook another meal.

The Living Desert

It's Monday at last and after having the kids home for the last 10 days, I've been trying to catch up on all that I need to do including, my posts!

During the break, we decided to go on a little field trip with some friends to the Living Desert. Christian and I had been there a long time ago. It was definitely before we had kids. I always liked it and have wanted to take the kids for some time, but never really made it out there. Our friends, the Sorenson's invited us to go along with them on their outting, and we jumped at the chance.

We were hoping to make it there on time for the giraffe feeding, but were about half an hour too late. We did make it on time to catch a show and have lunch at the park (playground).

Then we got to walk around and see the many exhibits in their zoo. They were all desert animals and birds, of course, like big horn sheep, camels, coyote, wolves, hawks, eagles, road runners and a baby giraffe with it's mother. Caitlyn's favorite was the little burrowing owl though. I didn't get a picture of that one!

Some things has changed since we had been there but you see it in a totally different perspective when you go with kids. I was somewhat surprised about how very kid friendly the place can be. There is lots to see, of course, but there is also a lot for the kids to touch and climb on, etc.

There was a petting zoo and also a discovery center where they can learn more about some of the things that live out in the desert.

We pretty much closed down the place...otherwise the kids would never leave (despite being cold and hungry since we left our sweaters in the car and didn't bring enough food because we didn't think we would stay that long.

All and all, it was a pretty fun day and it really helped break up our week with the kids at home. So, thank you to the Sorenson's for inviting us! We had a great time.

Happy Anniversary, Christian

SONNET 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
   If this be error and upon me proved,
   I never writ, nor no man ever loved. 

-William Shakespeare

Field Trip

On Monday, Emily took a field trip to the California Citrus State Historical Park. I went along to chaperone.

They got a tour of the museum, some of the grounds and got to taste some different kinds of citrus (of course, none of the citrus that they tasted were actually grown here since they are not even in season yet).

I love the new field trips the girls have had this year. Caitlyn went a month ago to see a play at RCC. I can only assume that these new changes is due to the new principal at their school this year. The citrus industry is such an integral part of Riverside's (and California's) heritage. I'm glad they are teaching these things to our kids because I still haven't figured out what the point of a field trip to Lego Land is about yet (except to party and have fun and not have to teach our kids which they are getting paid to do, but I digress...).

Incidentally, this is also the place where Christian and I got married...14 years ago today. I took a walk with Emily and her friend around the amphitheater where it took place.

Okay, so I am a little biased about this place. It holds some wonderful memories for us.

Christian's Birthday

Christian's birthday ended up as a very small affair. He had to go to work early to make sure he got home on time since he had a lot of work to do.

I made him some braised short ribs over mashed potatoes by request. I was a bit disappointed. I thought that they were not as tender as they should have been. Plus we had a caramel cake.

After some small gifts and cake, Christian had to take off again to do some things at church. By the time he got back, it was time for the girls to go to bed!

Happy Birthday Husband!

i carry your heart with me

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

 

i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

 

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

 

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)