The Next Ansel Adams?

LM received this Fisher Price Kid Tough camera from two "Aunties". It actually takes some pretty decent photos. One day, he was clicking away and I mentioned that he would use up all the space - here's what he said - "No I won't, Mommy, I have a memory card". Stuff like that just blows me away.

Post-Christmas Update

I haven't posted in a while because our house was hit with the dreaded 5 DAY flu-bug that is going around. Unfortunately, the unwitting victim was LM - how sucky is that to be sick during Christmas? Here he is with his faithful nanny-dog, Holly. Last Saturday I took him to the Pediatrician's and he had a 103.6 temp - and the "well-educated" (but not too parental savvy) Dr. mentioned (in front of the sick but still observant child) that he "didn't have to take any Children's Motrin if he didn't want to". That was all the ammunition he needed and he used it a few times during the next 4 days or so.

Do you know how frustrating it is to try to give a stubborn child medicine to feel better? Medicine that he takes (Grape Flavored Tylenol or Motrin) when he's not even sick but now won't take it??? We have the liquid stuff, the fast-disolving tablets, the thin strips that melt on your tongue but not fast enough because the savvy, stubborn 4 year old still manages to spit it out...we have our own pharmacy here. I wish they would invent an Ibuprophen/Acetominophen patch - take that, you little darling!

Oh yeah, he was up at 3:30 AM on Christmas morning and just opened up some presents but was so miserable that I was able to get him back for a few more hours of sleep. He perked up later and actually thanked Santa for all of the wonderful presents!

Christmas Memories Part II - Favorite Ornaments

My Mom started a tradition of giving us a new ornament each Christmas since we were born until she passed away when I was 20. Most of the ornaments are Italian Glass Blown Ornaments and are some of my most prized possessions. I have not put them on our tree for the past 3 years - I was afraid that the LM would accidentally break one, but now that we have a bigger tree this year, I have decided to bring them out once again. Here are a few of my favorites.

The first one is Mae West - I believe she was the first or second ornament that my Mom bought for me - so she is up there in age (as am I). *Smile*

I think my favorite one is the little blue Eskimo - isn't she precious?

Christmas Memories Part 1- Hudson's Department Store

I grew up in Michigan, mainly in Dearborn (or "Dearbern" as it is pronounced in the area) and West Bloomfield - near Walnut Lake. Hudson's department store in downtown Detroit was THE store to go Christmas shopping in the early - mid 60's. The J.L. Hudson's Thanksgiving Day Parade would kick off the Christmas season and we went to many a parade. My Dad and Uncles would get us up really early, load us and ladders and wood planks in the cars. They would set up the ladders and planks in a primo spot to view the parade - us kids sitting up on the plank to see the parade - pretty cool, actually. Mom would stay home preparing the feast for 30 or so relatives.

One particular year, my Dad and Uncles sent us kids home from the parade in a cab as they were going to the annual Lion's Thanksgiving Day football game (when they played downtown at Tiger Stadium). I don't think our Mom's were too cool with that - can you imaging sending 3 or 4 kids home in a cab from downtown Detroit in this day and age???

O Tannenbaum

This morning the whole fam (Holly too) took a drive in the country to Ben's Christmas Tree Farm in Harvard,Illinois. DH mapped out a route taking country roads to avoid highways and busy roads. At one point LM said "We in the middle of no where"...where do they come up with stuff like that?

We got to Ben's in about an hour. What an adorable farm! They had two teams of horses pulling wagons; a little shed of goats and sheep and a warming shed with yummy hot chocolate. Santa was there too!

We cut down a beautiful White Pine, about 6.5 feet tall. LM helped Daddy cut the tree and drag it out of the woods. I think that I took a few good photos and hope to use one for our Christmas card this year.

I have uploaded them to flickr but I have to figure out how to put flickr on here. If anyone has any helpful hints, do tell!

Enjoy!

All aboard! All aboard!

The Polar Express!

I can't wait for Christmas morning. Nothing like seeing and feeling the spirit of Christmas again through the eyes of a little child. I can't tell you how excited and happy I am this Christmas season. LM (little man) is 4 and 3/4 and for the past year he had wanted a Polar Express train set. Well, they are made by Lionel Trains and they ain't cheap. There was no way that we would have been able to get him one...until I got the Sunday paper and started going through the ads. I NEVER go through the ads first, I always read the paper, section by section. DH got up and I gave him a selection of ads that I didn't want to read; Circuit City, Best Buy, Staples. Well, what to my wondering eyes should appear when I turned the first page of the Target Ad but...are you ready...THE POLAR EXPRESS LIONEL TRAIN G-GAUGE SET! Holy mother of G_ _! All for the UNBELIEVABLE price of $119.00! I almost croaked and passed the ad to DH who got up, showered and was in line by 8:00. He called about 1/2 later with the good news - he got one of only 3 on the shelf. WHEW! Stay tuned for posts come Christmas morn.