Christmas... a review

This Christmas wasn't anything spectacular.

But it wasn't a disappointment either.

How could it be? I have a healthy happy family.

It started with Christmas eve at my grandmas house.

Since the beginning of time, ok the beginning of my time, I have had Christmas eve at my grandmas house. It is a tiny little house. But it is filled with love and family.

My sister drove several hours to be here and celebrate with us and it's a good thing that she did.

My dad gave my nephew a present he could only dream of.

My nephew is one of those rare kids that can hear a tune and recreate it within minutes.

Not exactly a musical savant, he clearly has a talent.

Once the guitar landed in his hands it didn't leave for the rest of the evening.

My dad shares his enjoyment of music and played a few songs for us all on his own guitar.

The following day we spent at my brother and sister in laws.

They had already received their present in the form of an extremely over weight and loving yellow Lab named Abby.

It's a long story but they saved one boy and one dogs heart by taking her in.

What happened next was excruciatingly sweet.....

My husbands brother fell in love with one big fat Labrador and she in love with him.

It was a Christmas miracle.

Wishing for sunshine

I know Christmas is barley over, but I can't help it.

We had snow and then rain. I just want to go for a walk!

I love those crisp cold winter days that are filled with sunshine.

We haven't gotten around to any of those yet.

So here are a few pictures from some summer days...

Enjoying some time off

This past week has brought us a bit of snow.

Last Friday we had enough that Bug spent the whole day sledding down our hill from the shop to the house and back. It's amazing how much kids change from one year to the next. Last year he didn't get the idea of momentum at all. He tried to jump on the sled but never did get the technique right and it made for some very slow slides down the hill. Because of this he wasn't too excited to march back up the hill and try again.

This year was a completely different experience. He caught on quick that if be jumped on the sled and pushed off hard it made a fast and fun ride down the short hill. I'm sure he took that ride no less than 100 times Friday. On Saturday he was able to share his experience with a friend and it was so cute to watch Bug explain the technique to his friend who had never gone sledding before.

He wasn't too thrilled with mom bundling him up tight.

One dumb parenting moment

Let me begin by saying there is a reason they don't name cows on large cattle ranches.

A very good reason.

A reason that hit me square in the face last night.

Bug was excitedly discussing how when he was big and owned a gun he would be a hunter.

He was going into great detail about how he would blow away anything in his sites.

You see, despite my child seeming ever so sensitive most of the time, he has this strange obsession with guns and hunting. This despite the fact that neither his dad or I hunt, nor has he ever been around a lot of hunting aside from knowing that my dad does hunt on occasion. I'm not against it, we just don't do it and we certainly don't talk about it.

I was getting annoyed that he seemed to have no understanding the impact of shooting an animal has. You know, that it actually dies.

I asked him in a curious but non accusing tone "So you could actually kill an Elk or a deer?"

Bug replied with hands holding an invisible gun "Yep, they'd get into my sites and I'd shoot 'em!" I was taken back by his brazen attitude and went on to say "So it doesn't really bother you that Papa had Fernando butchered last week."

Bug froze in his tracks, he stared at me with his mouth open. Then he squeaked out "You mean Fernando is dead?" Tears welled up into his eyes. Shit. Stupidest parenting moment ever.

I grabbed him up and hugged him. " Oh honey" I said " I didn't realized you would be so upset" He buried his head in my neck, I could feel the tears on my skin.

I tried to talk to him about it but he covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes.

To be honest, he didn't act this upset when his grandma died in the spring. He was sad but not never did sob like he was now. All I can think of is that after losing her he has such a deeper understanding of what death means.

I told him I wouldn't talk about it until he was ready and that it was OK for him to be upset.

Later as I was making dinner he angrily said " I'm never eating meat again, not even chicken nuggets! I'm going to be a vegetarian."

I said that was just fine if that's what he wanted.

But then he said " I'm never talking to grandpa again!"

This shocked me, he loves his grandpa. The sun rises with grandpa when he is around.

I said " That would sure make grandpa sad"

Bug responded with " I don't care!"

I decided to just let it be and not get him any more upset. I figure in a few days he will forget that he was mad at grandpa for having the cow butchered.

I just feel like such an ass for underestimating my sons feelings.

We had discussed all along that the cow was for meat and would be butchered eventually. Never once before last night did Bug even bat an eye about it.

If I didn't know it before I'm now positive we won't be raising any cattle for meat at this house!

RIP Fernando

Home Sweet Home

I arrived back home about one in the morning Saturday.

It was snowing as I started driving up our road and I had to put the Jeep in four wheel drive after I started slipping and sliding around a corner. Normally snow doesn't bother me but when it could possibly disrupt me getting back home after a week I was more than a tad annoyed.

My mom had planned to spend the day with me hanging out on Saturday but with an even colder storm heading our way and her long drive home over the mountains she opted to leave late Saturday morning instead.

Husband made a purchase while I was gone. Can you guess what it is?

We had been discussing getting him a better comuter car than the Jeep. He drives about sixty miles round trip to work. He ended up getting a really good deal on a deisel VW Beetle.

So now we have two Bugs in the family! I drove it around yesterday and loved it. Yesterday morning Bug looked outside and said " Look the Bug has a snow hat!"

It's Freakin cold here!!

When I arrived in Ohio on Sunday night it had just snowed. It snowed Monday, Tuesday it warmed up and rained and now it's spitting ice balls at us. I hope the weather holds Friday for my trip home. I'm going to be so ready to get back.
Bug and Grandma are doing wonderful back home. Today Bug told my mom that he missed me but by the time I talked to him tonight he was laughing and happy.
Apparently when he went with grandma to feed the goats he climbed up onto the hay pile in the barn. He recounted the story like this: "Momma, I slid down the hay and you know what? I got hay down my underwear! Down my underwear momma!"
Me laughing " Was it itchy?"
Bug " Yes it was, so I had to take off my pants and underwear in front of grandma. IN FRONT OF Grandma!!!" Then he fell into a fit of laughing.
I think he's doing just fine.
Thank heaven for generous grandmas.

Leaving on a Jet plane...

I'm off on another business trip today. This one will last the whole week and take me to Columbus Ohio. Bug crawled into my bed this morning and said " I wish you didn't have to go mommy". Way to break a mommy's heart.
My mom traveled 8 hours yesterday to stay and take care of Bug and husband while I'm gone. Bug will be getting a ton of one on one attention from Grandma and he's very excited about that.
Unfortunately I will be missing his Kindergarten winter concert. I just keep reminding myself how lucky I am to actually have a good job in this economy and then I'm OK with having to taking this trip.