December Roundup

When I envision my New Years blogging resolution, I think it will be in the form of updates, that is if I have inspiration and energy at the same time!  So maybe something like this:

December is a month of transition to the dry season, some Decembers here are really rainy, others are not.  This year has been a dry one, so it have been a good start to the yard sale season.  I like yard sales and usually I don't buy a lot of things, but I like seeing other neighborhoods, discovering unusual things (that I don't usually buy), and haggling for better prices when I do buy something.  By contrast I don't like shopping in stores.

We have been talking about camping next time we go to the Smoky Mountains and we knew we would need a bigger tent.  I bought this one for $5 at a community sale.  Dubious at its low price (retail was about $140), I set it up in the back yard and cannot find any flaws.  It sleeps 8.  Naturally the kids begged to sleep in it that night and we let them, but at 11pm they all opted to come back inside.  Obviously I now need to be looking for air mattresses!

Another yard sale find was a classic Guess Who game.  We had some heated contests the week after I brought it home.  Guess Who is a game I remember playing with the kids at the day camp where I worked and I loved it. 

One of our neighbors gave us a bottle of Creme de Vie - that is Cuban Eggnog (made with aged Cuban rum and coconut milk)  It was very good.  I gave another Cuban neighbor a gingerbread house and she was so amazed at it - not because it was amazing, but because she had never seen one!  Living in a community where traditions are so important to identity, I sometimes feel a little bland, so this was very gratifying for me!

Annalise broke the 3rd bone in her middle left finger the same day we moved the girls to the new room.  She slipped and fell and caught herself in a funny way.  She has to wear the splint for about 4 weeks.

And we have two new "pets" - we named them Bitsy and Big Boy,  Bitsy is a cherry tomato plant and Big Boy is a heirloom tomato plant.  Bitsy is actually bigger, but her tomatoes won't be!  We move them to the front yard for the morning sun and to the backyard for the afternoon - otherwise, our deep southern sunshine does not hit any one spot more than 6 hours - yes in the Sunshine State!

Christmas is coming and I've made a few goodies and am planning to cook a ham and make scalloped potatoes.  We started a tradition 2 years ago that on Christmas Eve after the candlelight service we get Pizza Hut pizza and that is in the plans too.  My birthday is next Wednesday, somone asked it I still plan to count them and I said yes!  I am totally playing the birthday card and told the kids their gift to me will be to do all the cooking that day!  So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Presenting: THE NEW ROOM

It is finished! 

Which isn't the same thing as everything being finished...Rob is putting up the ceiling beneath the room as I type.

So believe it or not, we have another inspection next week after Christmas.  After that there is a another and hopefully final inspection for I'm not sure what and I'm not sure when. 

What a great Christmas gift to us all - space!  We are so thankful and after having to squeeze in while we waited, it is so much nicer to spread out a little.

So Miami: Where are the Flip Flops?

I really should learn from my experience and stock up on flip flops in the summer.  Because even though we wear shorts and flip flops year round, it never fails that the retailers stock up on things like these:

There are racks and racks of sweaters and winter pjs and boots, but why?  We've had a significant cold front this week and never once have I thought I needed gloves.  But I do need flip flops for two of the kids and the only ones left are too big or have some other unwearable flaw (some of us need fashionable flip flops!)

It's Christmastime in the City...

Thanksgiving rushed at me without emotion.  I realize now that it was almost as early as Thanksgiving can be and maybe I just needed an extra week to feel festive.  However, since it was early, I've had more time to prepare for Christmas and it has not felt so busy or rushed.

Plus it helps that Caleb took care of all the decorating:

We are from the penguin and everything to the right.  We have lovely neighbors on both sides who want to continue the decorating so that it all looks "big", which of course delights Caleb!

With my cookies prepped and frozen I moved on to my next goal which was a gingerbread house.  I decided to make some small houses to give as gifts to a few neighbors and friends.  I decorated those and let the kids decorate the one for our house.  For some reason I have no problem finding time to make 5 gingerbread houses, but can't seem to choose a picture for a Christmas card.

A fragrant little village...

Here are the side views from our house - it was supposed to have a door, but it got broken and Irene ate it.

Irene's  - I did her icing work, she added the candy.

Natalie's - I did most of the icing, but I let her make more choices about how it would look.

100% Caleb

100% Annalise

 I am resolving to post more in the new year.  I hope I can keep up with it.  The room is FINISHED!  I'll post pictures soon.  The girls are moved in.  Actually the closet isn't finished, so that isn't moved into, but we are already feeling the ease in extra space!  I am hoping to move the desk to a more inspiring location soon.

New Room Update

A new room update is kind of overdue!  We have made some big progress in the last few weeks.  Moving day is very near.  As it gets closer the list of little things that need to be finished seems to grow.  It is hard to wait! 

Painting the ceiling.

Painting the walls!

Installing the floor - Annalise really helped a lot with this part.

We have a door!  (And a knob, but after this picture.)

Baseboards and a closet door.

The door and baseboards are only primed and have to be painted.  The outlets need to be installed - I think Rob is saving them for last because that is something that will be easy.

Here are some girls who are ready to move in :)