Cell Phone Conveniences

Since two of my 4 children now own cell phones, I've found a surprising advantage. They are the perfect replacement for home intercoms. Not that we have ever had a home intercom to replace, but you know what I'm sayin'.

Here's a few examples:

• Here I am, upstairs, all comfortable in bed and I realize I forgot to tell Ace something. He's down the hall in his room. I'm lazy. I simply call him on his phone in the comfort of my own bed. Done!
• Ace is sick, lying in bed and needs some water. He calls our home number, I kindly oblige. Twice. As I type this he's calling me again. This is now verging on annoying--I'm thinking it's time for a pitcher.
  
• Sydie will find one of our cell phones lying around, call me--and request my presence wherever she's at.

See? No yelling and no searching around looking for a family member. I'm seriously considering getting one for the the two girls only to use in the house.

Coffee Confessions

Since the opening of Lifetime Fitness Dave and I discovered a really great smoothie called "Mocha Madness". When I first ordered, the lady said that it didn't have REAL coffee in it, just stuff that tastes like coffee. Done. I'm all about taste without the guilt. I've been drinking these probably once a week for the past year and LOVING it.
Today I asked the lady to give me the exact brand of stuff they use so that I could just start keeping it stored at home w/out having to pay 5 bucks every week for it.
I look it up online, Dr. Smoothie.com, and here's what I found:
"Ja’Mocha is an exceptional blend of rich Ghirardelli Cocoa combined with a deep, dark roast Colombian coffee. Rich, creamy and satisfying…..For that great “coffee house” taste, just say “Ja’Mocha”!! "
So there ya go. I've been drinking coffee for the past year--and there's my confession for the 3 people who actually check out my blog. It all makes sense now though. The craving every day. The excessive energy right after drinking it. The lingering in the coffee isle just a little too long.
This totally destroys my whole piousness now doesn't it? I'm RUINED I tell you!

Summing up the HOLIDAZE

Our kids said (and I agree) it was the best Christmas ever this year.
We can chalk that up to the 7 days of Christmas, created by the Downs family and implemented by us this year. I rarely turn down a good idea.
Here's how it goes; Each day leading up to Christmas the family does something we normally don't do, (i.e., no tv, video games, chess playing, everyone off doing their own thing...etc.) something memorable and big and FUN. One of the kids would open up a little note (that happened to rhyme really cute), explaining what we were about to do.
Day 7: Flashlight Tag! One of my favorite nights actually. I felt a little like Jack Bauer on 24.
Day 6: The boys went skiing, the girls rang the salvation army bell. Not quite fair as far as fun-ness, but our girls still had fun. How can you turn down a few dollars to those cute girls?
I'm telling you--salvation army should always have kids ringing the bell.
Day 5: Family Christmas party at BWD's brother's house. I discovered a new soup I love--cream of mushroom. We also did the whole white elephant thing. After we got home we made our very own donuts! Everyone donned an apron, we made 'em, cut 'em & fried 'em! They were nothing like Crispy creme, but it was pretty fun to use a deep fryer.
Day 4: Watch old family video and then make one of our own. We couldn't do part 2, because Austin was really sick, but the watching was hilarious.
Day 3: We went dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh ride through our neighborhood! Okay, more like trotting verrrrrry slowly, but still--very memorable.
Day 2: The Marshmellow Gun War. Matrix music blasting in the background--mini marshies covering our main floor. Every man (woman, girl) for himself.
Day 1: Christmas Eve--tradition continued here. We read the Christmas story, sang songs, got the cookies made for Santa, opened our new pj's from dad and headed to bed before the big man arrived.
Christmas Day: The Usual. Started the morning at 5:00 a.m., with Katrina announcing what everyone got. Santa did not disappoint, and I think Katrina's relentless letters to Santa letting him know that even if he left her coal, she still thinks he does a good job helped.
Fast forward--
New Years Eve: Ice skating at Southlands, followed by Pizza & Maggie Moos ice cream. Some of our friends came over for a little partay later that night.
New Years Day: We Fondued like nobody's business. That's always a good time.

I don't have a lot of pictures and I'm very bitter about it, but here's what we've got that turned out!