New Year's Eve

No pictures here today- Bug and I had a slacker day. Bug stayed in his pajamas until 4:30 pm and I was in mine until just after noon. We hung out on the couch and watched TV and played trains. A nice restful day.

Bug actually slept from 5 pm last night until 7 am this morning. Little Man was exhausted. I think his H1N1 vaccine 2 days ago wore him out. In any case, he seems fine, just needed some sleep.

Tomorrow we are heading over to Hermano's for dinner and play time. This should be fun, fun, fun. Saturday we are having some single moms over for play time and celebration as one of the moms is getting married in January.


I have been thinking alot about how much my life has changed since the start the start of the decade.

Then:
Living in the frozen tundra of Michigan- with no thought or inkling that I would be moving home
Working for a big pharmaceutical company in an office building
Had 2 cats
Renting an apartment
No kid- but kids were always the plan

Now:
Living back in my home town- close to my parents
Working for a company that does work for pharmaceutical companies, but working from home
no more cats- both died of old age and I am allergic to cats
Own my second house
1 son

What is the same-
I still wish I would find the man of my dreams- I'd like to be married. Maybe this decade.


10 years ago, i never imagined that I would be where I am today. while my life is not how I imagined it would be years and years ago- I do feel that it is better then I imagined. Dreams are a starting point for the reality of life.

So this year and this decade, I am going to dream big dreams.

I also want to be more grateful- thanks Chris for this idea. So each day, I am going to point out one thing that I am grateful for in my life.


Bug and I wish each of you a blessed new Year- may you have big dreams and may your reality be better than your dreams.


Love and hugs,
Deb and Bug

Sleeping Bug

Bug was worn out by the time we got home yesterday. We started the day with Mam and Pap and a trip to Costco. Then we headed to Ikea where Bug and Pap played with the toy trains while Mam and I shopped. Then we headed to Mam and Pap's house for some play time before getting some dinner. When Bug and I headed home, he fell sleep in the car. He slept from 5:15 until 6:30 and then went to bed at 9 pm.

Today we are heading out to the Y for some swimming. Afterwards we are going to Mam and Pap's so Bug can play with Pap while Mam and I go to the Laundromat to wash some large items.

Have a happy day.

Love and hugs,
Deb

painting the last bedroom in the house

Home improvement continues around here. I have been thinking about painting my room since I painted the bathroom. So this is it. The starting point- cream walls- first painted when I moved into the house in 2004. The walls we originally a pale steel blue (ugly, ugly, ugly), so in the space of week before I moved in, I painted every room in the house except 2, just to get rid of ugly pale steel blue walls.

Bug helped this morning. He was in charge of sponging on the yellow. He did this a little while and then decided that he was happier playing with his toys and watching cartoons. I was very impressed that he played alone for 3 hours. he would come talk to me, but mostly he was content to play and then have me come check on him.

The walls got a base coat of yellow, first rolled on, then sponged off. This was a easy process and I have used it multiple times through the years. This took 3 hours including the time I took to tape the baseboards and frames.Then, once that coat dried, I started the hard work. the second coat is an orange color sponged on. That coat took 3 hours. This is the contrast- on the right side is the yellow, on the left is the orange.close up of the 2 colors.
Bug's picture of me, painting.

The finished walls. I love it. The yellow brightened up the room, but the orange brings it in and makes it cozy. I love it!!!

Now I have to make a quilt that fits the room now.

In other news, tonight started the process to get Bug back to sleeping in his room. He has been sleeping in my bed for a year now and I am ready to have to my bed back and I think Bug needs the separation.

Tonight it took 60 minutes for him to fall asleep. I sat on the floor next to his bed, not talking to him, but reading a magazine. After he fell asleep, I went to my room, to start putting it back together- moving the furniture, putting electrical outlet covers back on, etc. Bug woke up 5 minutes later. I went back to his room and sat on the floor for another 30 minutes. He finally went back to sleep and has been asleep since 9;30 pm. I am hoping he sleeps through the night.

The same plan will be used every night, although each night, I will move further away from his bed. And the second time I go back into his room, I site close to the door.

He is so used to me be next to him. When I get up in the morning, he wakes up 5 minutes later, so being in his own bed, where I close the door, might allow him to sleep longer.

That is all for tonight. Tomorrow we are taking the trees down.

Love and hugs,

Deb

Some more pictures

Bug got some fun gifts- in his opinion. He got safety scissors. Apparently, per the local kindergarten teacher, he will need to know how to cut and how to write his name when he enteres kindergarten in teh fall. Bug has the cutting down pat thanks to Auntie Lulu. Writing his name is coming along.

Playing with his lighting and mater that go on his Geo trax system. I can see I am going to have to build 2 more train tables for him- I am thinking I can set them up in a "U" shape downstairs so he have the max area to put his system together and play. he got a new train form Uncle Dave, and some more tracks from me and Uncle Dave gave him the firehouse for the system too.

Showing off his scissors. Seriously, he was so excited to get these. they completely made his day to have his own pair of scissors.

His lighting and mater. they go on the tracks or on the floor. They do not go so well on the carpet.

Playing with lighting- which he got at the family Christmas Eve party.

one part of the family- about 15 people actually in this area

This is the rest, and there were some upstairs and some in teh left area of just outside the picture.

Bug's picture of Momma, talking to S.

Mam, Momma and S as taken by Bug.

Later this weekend, I should get Mam's photo card so I can download her pictures.

Love and hugs,

Deb

Christmas Eve and Day

Christmas Eve- we went to church for the family service. Bug and his little friend E tried to sit in the same 6 inches of space- according to the pastor who could see them during the children's portion. According to Bug, he and E were just playing. I am just impressed that Bug went to the front of the church without me and stayed there while the children's pastor told them the Christmas story.

After church, we headed over to my aunt's house.
Grandpa Joe looking at the 100 people gathered.

Bug passing the time by playing under the table.

And trying to sleep- he was hot and tired as he goes to bed at 8 pm.

"Santa is coming!!!!!"

Sitting with Santa

Christmas morning- playing with his remote controlled Lighting McQueen and Mater.

helping Jas opening his gift.

An IPOD

A tool box truck

changing the wheels

And the MOTO- this is from my dad and will be staying at Pap's house. But Bug is happy.

Bug said he had a great Christmas.

I am tired- too much excitement and emotions for me today- and the lack of sleep from last night.

I will have more pictures tomorrow- I took lots of video so I have to upload the videos and then pull pictures from the videos.

Bug wants to know if it is raining at your house?

Love and hugs to you,

Deb

Gingerbread house

Bug and I made a gingerbread house today. My first gingerbread house ever. At least now, I will be prepared for next year's.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Love to you,

Deb

FTGA Christmas party - 2009

First- this is last year. Bug refusing to look at Santa, screaming in terror from the moment Santa called his name. Yep- that was a fun experience. All I can say is WOW- my boy is growing up. Not only did he go to Santa, but he smiled, interacted with Santa, and talked to everyone around him. My precious little man has come along way in 12 months. He is more confident, more sure of himself, he is more willing to talk to other kids and people and he is willing to try things that scared him last year. This is so cool to watch.

Bug got some "Handy Manny" tools. They will go perfectly with the tool belt he got for his birthday (thanks Popi, Mireya, and girls). Now Bug can help me around the house.

Totally cool with Santa. Bug wanted to know if Santa had a flashlight. He also wanted to see the reindeer and help feed them.

Bug waited a long time for his present. His present was in the last bag. Bug spent the time wither standing like this or sitting on the floor talking to another little boy.

Santa arrived. This Santa was cool- each child sat on his lap and opened their present with Santa. Santa had the bantering thing down pat. And, he has a real beard, which at least one little girl had to test.

Bug's face when Santa arrived. This is the joy and excitement that I have wanted to see on his face- this is so precious to me. My boy, enjoying himself.

Talking to one of the other boys. They had a nice chat while they waited for their names to be called


the kids and Santa after all the presents were handed out. They were saying "Merry Christmas". Bug is in the front next to the boy in the brown sweater.

Bug also enjoyed the churros- they were filled with strawberry filling. We have never had these kind before. I think I am going to have to ask Amy where they got them, cause Bug and I loved them and we could eat them again.

bug has one more visit with Santa- on Christmas eve. Hopefully he will be excited again.

One more day of work and then it is "momma days" for nearly 2 weeks. Bug and I are going to relax and enjoy this holiday. We have church on Christmas eve, family Christmas and a bunch of fun play dates that I am busy organizing.

Love and hugs,

Deb

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

from Saturday. We got about 1 inch of very wet snow. It snowed and rained all day- so the 1 inch really never accumulated as the rain melted it and then we'd get some more snow, and so on.

Bug and I headed out to shovel the drive way and walk the neighborhood. Bug preferred the snow covered walking area - also so known as "the grass"

he threw a few snowballs at me.

prepping the snow ball.

I liked the way the snow laid on the trees. We read a book tonight that called this "snow lace". I like that description of it.

Bug decided that the drive way was not important, the grass needed to be shoveled. At least he could not undo my work there, so I let him shovel the grass.

snow angel

see- he has got it down

shoveling with Momma. I shoveled a path, he just had to push his part to the grass. As you can see, he is much better than last year, but he is still got a ways to go before I can turn him loose on the driveway and know it will be done. But he helped and that is all that matters.

off to shovel the neighbors snow.

So that was the day, other than calling Pap to let him know that we were coming over to help him shovel at his house. We were told to come no earlier than 1 hour from the time of the call. We got there 90 minutes later and Pap had finished it all. So from now on, no warning that we are coming to help, we will just show up.

Well, 2 days of work left this week and then I am on vacation until 04Jan2010.

Love and hugs,

Deb