starting the Christmas vacation

The kids are off school now- they ended on Wednesday.  I am finishing out my work week- just another hour or so to go (in a conference call where I just have to listen).

 

no adventures over the last few weeks that I can post, but Tuesday night, we went to the last Taco Tuesday for the year. 

 

Only Lisa was able to join us, but that just made it more fun.

 

I also picked up TAMALES for Christmas day- some chicken tamales and some sweet tamales.  Those are resting in the freezer until Sunday when I pull them out to thaw.  We have to steam them on Christmas Day.  I am so looking forward to these treats.

 

The boy was hurting because he had 2 fillings done right before dinner, he was struggling with smiling.

 

Me- looking good having lost nearly 30 pounds of weight since July.  My goal is to keep loosing weight over this next year.  

 

 

There should be some additional/more frequent posts over the holidays.

 

Love and hugs to you all,

Deb

Taco Tuesday, lights, zoo and Thanksgiving- ending November on a high note

We have moved into the holiday season here in the US.   Our holiday season started last week- the kids had one day of school and then were off for the rest of the week.  I had to work 2 days and then I was off.  My holiday started Tuesday night, I got to go out with my friends and the kids to our favorite taco place.  Tortilleria Garcia is AWESOME!!  These are 2 of my tacos, plus we had refried beans and rice.   It was a nice start to the holiday week.

Rocket had a friend spend the night on Tuesday and stay through the day/evening on Wednesday.  

 

Wednesday is pie making day here.   I made 2 types of pies, but a total of 3 pies.  This is the apple pie.   It had no issues.   The pumpkin pie was the issue- first pie I left out the evaporated milk so it was more like a pudding pie.   I had to remake it on Thursday- I don't normally cook pies on Thanksgiving, but it all worked out.

After baking- YUMMMMMMMM

Wednesday afternoon, we went to the zoo for the lights.   We did pick up sis' brother, so me and the 4 kids.   Sis was happy to be with her brother, but she was determined to turn the night into a negative- I am not sure why she does that, but she is always looking for the negative side of things, trying to have a reason to loose her temper or cause a disruption.

Rocket and his buddy.

Sis and her brother

We got to see Fiona- our zoo's baby hippo.  She is sooooo cute

 

Me and the boy- he is silly with this smile

The teenager faces- I don't think they smile at all

teenagers smiling.  It looks like they are in pain

Rocket and his friend had to set up for the boy scout tree sale on Thanksgiving and then get all the trees unloaded on the day after Thanksgiving.  He loves hanging out with these friends.

Thanksgiving Turkey- on the smaller side this year, but still yummy.  I brined the turkey this year- that is I soaked it in seasoned salt water for 24 hours before cooking. it was juicy and a little more salty then I like.  But I will do this cooking technique again

All of us for dinner.  My sister and brother-in-law were at his family for this year, but they stopped by earlier in the day.

the Christmas tree is up- just not decorated.  

Working the boy scout tree sale on Saturday night.  These are the brothers of Rocket's friend who went to the zoo with us.   We worked the mid shift on Friday (2-6 pm) and then on Saturday night (5-9 pm).  We sold 20 trees in our shifts so things are going well for the scouts.  We have one more night to work- the night of 05Dec.  We will work with another scout family that night.  

The boys are eating pie after eating the hot dogs I brought for dinner.   Pie is awesome.

 

The kids have 3 weeks left of school this year- then we hit the Christmas break and school resumes in January.  I am not sure I am ready for that- that means there are only 5 more months of school for Rocket before his graduation.  I am not ready to have a high school boy.  He is growing up way too fast.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Weekend away with the kids- Hocking Hills

This past weekend, I took the kids to Hocking Hills.  It is not too far of a drive from us, but it is worlds away in terms of speed of life.   There is no wifi (at least that is what I told the kids), there was no TV to watch- reception was spotty.  Just time to be together and to relax and go on a long hike.  I had been sick all week leading up to this, so I knew we were not going to do too much.  

 

We arrived about 6:30 on Friday evening- total darkness outside because we are out in the country with no street lights!!  We took one wrong turn getting to the cabin, but it was on the property, we took the wrong driveway.  

 

this is the view of the main area.  You can see the loft where sis slept- up the ladder.  the tiny kitchen and dinning room.  The cabin was 762 square feet.  Tiny house living, definitely.   We could never live in a place this small- not enough room for storage.

this is the main living area from my bedroom door- the stairs across from me lead down to the basement area (TV lounge) where Rocket slept.

 

Sis' area.

 

stairs to the boy's cave (just kidding, he actually had lots of space).

 

the lounger next to the electric fireplace where I sat most of the time.  huge reading light over there. it would have been great if I had not left my book at home.

 

My room- no heat in here- closed off from the main area and no closets.  Definitely way to tiny to live in full time, but great for a weekend. 

The floor had leaves stuck into the finish- all local tree types from the property

 

Friday night, I made the kids some dinner and we explored the cabin.  The kids found the TV and DVD player and watched a movie while I read up on the area for our Saturday hike.   With really nothing to do, the kids were in bed by 9 pm and I was in bed shortly after them.

 

Saturday, Rocket cooked pancakes and bacon for us before we headed out to Old Man's Cave (in the Hocking Hills park).   I wanted to do this hike because it was supposed to link up to another area they just opened.  Unfortunately we never found the link up and turned back on the hike, though we did end up hiking 5 miles.

 

The day was cold- the morning temperature was 24 degrees F when we started the hike and it was only 28 degrees F when we finished at 1 pm. 

This is "the devil's bath tub" or as Rocket says "God's toilet".  The water swirls like the drain of a bath tub

 

Just walking along- you start at the upper falls and move down into the gorge to the Cave (we skipped the cave), and then continue down the gorge to the lower falls.  Then you can continue hiking to meet up with the trail for the Whispering Cave (where I wanted to go) or the trail to Cedar Falls.   We kept walking thinking we would get to the trail for Whispering Cave, but instead we turned around about 3/4 of mile from Cedar Falls.  Sis was on the edge of loosing her cool- she so wants to be the one who is always helping, and when she is not, she is in a terrible mood.  She was in a terrible mood because I felt safer having Rocket help me get down off some of the edges we had to work through. 

 

it was beautiful.  Going out, there were a few people, coming back there were tons of people.  we definitely picked right in going first thing in the morning.

This is back at the start we walked from 9;30-1 pm.  I was tired, so were the kids.   I thought they would nap when we got back to the cabin, but they watched a few more movies while I napped after we sat in the hot tub for almost an hour.

Sunday, we got up and organized things, and headed home.

 

Funny story: I gave the kids a packing list of what they needed to bring.  Sis learned her lesson when everything had to be washed after the hike (it was muddy) and she had to borrow a pair of sweat pants from Rocket because she did not bring another pair of pants or jammies.  I think she might listen to me next time I tell her what to pack, fingers crossed.  

friend party and Halloween

Let's start with the trees finally changing color.  We should be done with changing here, but because it was so warm until mid October, the trees have held their color.  This is the neighbor's tree about a week ago.

Sis 'suckered' me and got me to feel sorry for her about never getting to have her birthday at a party place because she was taken into care before her party or her mom refused to let her dad have the party (the story changes every time she tells it).  So I did something I said I would never do- I scheduled a party at the skating place.  Hugely expensive and more importantly, sis does not know party equiette- you make a list of the people you want to invite.  if those people can't come, you don't go around telling people that they can now come- it just is what it is.  She kept trying to change the list of invitees after the invites were out.  Half the kids did not come, but she still had a good time.  And this is the important thing.  She also learned that you don't tell your friends that your mom can pick kids up or drop them off after the party unless you talk to mom first. 

Rocket had a friend join him at the skating place and they played laser tag and video games all night.  they were happy not to be with all the girls.

Happy boys.

 

Pizza and cake with friends.

Skating - loving the time out.

buddies

 

Wednesday was Halloween.  Rocket was carrying the soda for the class party like a boombox from the 80s.  Yes, it is dark in the morning while we stand at the bus stop.  the time changes this weekend and it will be light for a little while in the morning, but WINTER is coming.  I hate it being dark so much.

Getting ready to trick or treat.  Rocket is a soccer player- you can see him in the background.  One of the friends is a T.Rex (they came and had dinner with us and their mom took the kids out trick or treating).

the neighborhood kids, minus 5 kids (2 families) who were not ready.  Sis is the one in the white wig and the white mask.  Rocket is Messi.

Pablo eating doggie treats on the porch while I handed out candy.

Our pumpkins in the rain- yep it rained all evening.

this tree (yesterday) - the little new branches look like little birds flying up from the tree.

See how much more the trees have changed since last weekend? 

 

Next weekend, I am taking the kids to Hocking Hills for the weekend.  I think the colors are going to be awesome.  I thought originally when I booked the trip that the trees would be bare by the time the trip came around, but NOOOOOOO.

 

So excited.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb