Engagement Party & Super Bowl

Saturday afternoon we drove to Houston for my niece Jennifer and her fiance Marc's engagement party. My sister was hoping that we would be there early to help with the set up, but we got there just in time for the party....sorry Kathy. It was a beautiful party and my sister Kathy, along with the help of my mom and other sister Chris who lives there. One brother-in-law did the sound system. Luckily, when it was time for the party to end, everyone pitched in with the clean up. Then we drove back home early Sunday because Ruth had a birthday party and of course....SUPER BOWL. Jeff and I wanted the Cardinals, and the girls wanted the Steelers, so there was great cheering and boo ing going on in the house. So our team lost, so quickly off to bed for the girls!~

ICE-again!

The city and all surrounding cities were shut down due to ice....again. It would be so much nicer if it was snow.....a little bit of snow, right Erin? We mostly just stayed in so no one would slip and break anything. Sara ventured out, but Ruth stayed in because she was not feeling so great.

Happy New Year

We went to our favorite Chinese restaurant, Sara decked out to the nines. The dragon dance celebration was cancelled due to COLD weather....good thing because we were NOT going out in that cold.

TEXAS ice

Well, the kids are back to school-YEA!!!-and now the weather changes drastically. On Saturday it was 84, and today, well, we had an ice storm. Luckily Jeff was able to work from home, and the kids were at school before it got bad, and it ended just before they got home. I was sure that their heavy bus had better traction then my van. Besides, the ground was still so warm from a few days ago, the the ice was mostly on thing besides the ground. Our neighbor lost a large branch from one of their trees. I was outside propping up my bushes....burr!

2009

When Ruth was small and she wanted to stay up to watch the new year come in, I was very smart and we watched the new year come in on the other side of the world, then she was in bed by 9. BUT, now that they are older and gratefully smarter, mom is now obliged to actually stay up until midnight. We enjoyed our bubbly sprite upon the strike of midnight.

We played one of our favorite games, UNO attack until midnight.

Sara's actual birthday

OH, the joys of having your birthday just two days after Christmas. Since we were still at my parent's house, we did have family there. We had a wonderful ice cream cake from Kroger. Sara loved her Hannah Montana calender. She got many great things.

The next day, we went to my friend Ruth's house for a visit. Another long time friend Joe was visiting too, also a friend from HS, so it was old time reunion.I have know Ruth since 10th grade, and that was a LONG time. Ruth and I decided to go get something for dinner, while the rest of the gang went to play at some tennis. As soon as us moms got back to the house, we got a call about an accident that had occurred. Joe went to the back of the court to hit a ball, not noticing that due to ground subsidence, it was no longer level.....he broke his leg. Did I mention that Joe was in town watching his father in a nursing home while his sister was out of the country. SO, Joe did a lot of hopping around until he made it back to Chicago area to see his Dr. Way to be tough Joe.

CHRISTMAS #2

As soon as our Christmas was over, we cleaned up some and loaded the car and headed off for my parent's house...5 hours away. As usual, we had so much fun just being together, but the gifts were great too. I enjoy looking out for special things for everyone in my family through out the year.

Of course, after the presents, we had another fabulous dinner prepared by my mother. Then, the card games began! Sara also challenged so to chess, and actually lost 2 games to my BIL Rick.

My niece Jennifer's fiance Marc's parents flew in from VA to meet my sister and her DH, along with all of us, so they came to Christmas also. They are so very nice.

OH YEA++++ notice the shorts on Sara. Sorry to those up north, but, well, this is Texas.

CHRISTMAS #1

The girls were so very excited about Christmas. They are questioning about Santa, so this may be the last year for this. It took forever for them to get to sleep. The next thing we knew, there was a knock at our door at 6 am. They were giggling and jumping up and down. Sara said that she got up at 2 am and then she got her sister up at 5 am and they were being nice to let us sleep until 6!

The girls loved the feather pillows from Santa and now, I do not have to share mine when they are sick!

VERY COLD

Today was a very cold day, so we decided to start up the fireplace and enjoy it with hot chocolate. Sara said it was the first fire that she every had seen and loved it.

Notice that Ruth has my mug, and Sara has her from China.

Sara's 12th Birthday party

This evening we had Sara's birthday party sleepover. We did crafts, had cake and ice cream, watched movies, and the girls were in bed before me! The next morning it was donuts and Sara's one friend stayed until 5:30 pm. They, including Ruth, had a fun time. The next day the girls did "poppers" outside. These are usually for celebrations, such as new years....the girls love them.

Band Concert

This afternoon Sara's 6th grade bank had their first concert. I was amazed, that though it was not of symphonic level, it was good for kids who had not play until 4 months ag0. Of course I think that Sara's flute section's song was wonderful. They played a number of songs. Sara was disgusted that a number of boys told her that she was pretty " yuck!"

The movie is of Sara's flute section olaying. You can not see Sara, but she is there.

Happy Birthday MOM

Today was my birthday. I am....older :) The girls both made me a beautiful card and Jeff gave me red roses and CHOCOLATE! We will go out to celebrate the day when things slow down a bit.

NASA

Sara's 6th grade class took a trip to NASA just south of Houston. They spent the night in a hotel that was still under repair from hurricane IKE. The best thing was that they got to actually see the astraunauts training in their huge pool.

Happy birthday daddy

Today we celebrated Jeff's birthday #?. Don't worry, I am younger than him and I remind him often enough.

THANKSGIVING

We drove to my parent's house for Thanksgiving. It was of course wonderful food. Jennifer is finally back home from her internship in CA and we got to see her engagement ring. Of course, my dad fed turkey scrapt to the dogs, and after many dishes, we had our usual marathon of card playing.

MISC

Saturday we went to the mall and I had my camera with me, so we took some photos. You may see this on the Christmas card.

Ruth did her book report on Emily Dickinson. The students have to dress like the character and after sewing a skirt really quick, and rummaging through her sister's closet, Ruth was a dead ringer for her character. She got an A on the report.

Ruth also completed her photo for a state wide science competition. The hardest challenge was to get the dog to stand still for a moment.

The girls have selected a dress to wear to their cousin's engagement party-next January. Sara will also get to wear her dress for her band concert, and they will wear them for the daddy-daughter valentine dance in February. I was so glad that 1-they both liked the dresses and 2-they were greatly marked down.

HALLOWEEN

This year the girls were opposites...Ruth was the devil and Sara was an Angel...now I am not sure that they got the costumes mixed up, but maybe they both should have gone as half and half. NO, Ruth is not mad in the picture, she was acting her part.....

I stayed home once again while Jeff walked with the girls and their parents for a few hours. We have been going with the one family since Ruth and their daughter was in Kindergarten. We did have fun decorating the outside of the house with light, a witch that made a nose dive into the front yard, and of course the graveyard. I gave out about 35 pounds of candy and a lit of pencils, small puzzles, and goolie erasers.

Our dog Cooper also got into the swing of things, but he did NOT get any candy, just some lovin.

This is the "red couch" picture that the traveling group had the day before we left. We are actually in the lobby of the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou. Before we went there, we thought that there was THE red couch, but it is one of many scattered around the lobby. In case you don't know, Sara is the big girl.

Sara's 2 year anniversary

Two years ago we were already in China and Ruth was home alone with my parents. Ruth's third grade class was following our daily itinerary that I left for them. My parents were taking care of the carpooling, soccer, and getting ready for Halloween.

After a few days in Beijing touring, we went to Nanchang to get Fu Jia Rui. When we arrived in Nanchang, we have only time to throw our luggage into the hotel and head to the Civil Affairs office where we would become a family of 4. It was warm there, and they kept the lights off to keep it from getting too hot. This time of year, all the buildings had already turned off their A/C's. We saw only babies, and watched as they were loving and with many tears on all sides delivered to their parents. We were told that Sara was running late and would be in soon, having come on a separate bus from another city then the babies. Then in came a woman with two young girls and a baby. I looked and asked if this was Sara. In their only photo we had of her, she had short hair...but then I noticed she was wearing the backpack that I has sent with the dragonfly sewn on it. I was wearing a matching dragonfly pin. She looked so scared.

After finishing the paperwork, we sat down and I showed her the magna-doodle and she began drawing pictures for me, and she was good at it.

We all traveled back to the hotel to get acquainted with our daughters. By that evening, and after a wonderful bubble bath, Sara was all smiles, writing in Chinese for me. You see her backpack behind her.

favorite picture

I took these photos when Ruth was at Camp this month with school.

MARKET DAY

Today was Market Day for Sara at school. During the semester, the kids earn stamps on paper showing dollar amouts, depending on their behavior. They also have withdrawls from their bank for less then stellar behavior, or not having homework done. Of course, those of you knowing Sara, she has the most of all 6th grade.

So on this market day, the kids get monopoly money representing their earnings and go shopping and selling. WELL, we have been making bracelets for weeks, and the night before the market, Sara said that one of her friends saw one of her origami stars she makes and said she would buy one for $100, so we are now making them. I can fold the paper plenty easily, but it is Sara who must put the 8 pieces together. Yes, she sold 9 of them for $100 each, but she did but a few things too. I manned the sales table and it was fun. We did not sell many bracelets, maybe they were over priced. I expect a price reduction next time, or the 2 times after that.

A new and old engagement . . .

Today my niece Jennifer got engaged. Her now fiancee Marc flew to CA where Jennifer is interning and proposed. It was so romantic. They went to a fancy restaurant for dinner. The staff was all in on it. One of them filmed the proposal on Marc's cell phone. Jennifer said that Marc excused himself to go to the bathroom and came back with flowers (must be a very fancy restaurant ha ha ha) and a small box. He said sweet nothings, non of which she heard the first time, and ask, of course getting a yes. Then he repeated the proposal and she did hear it this time.

Today is also the 14th anniversary from when Jeff asked me to marry him......how quick time flies.