Day 310: Hockey Saturdays

 It was freakishly cold this morning. 

With the wind chill, it was a balmy 18 degrees. 

I found Camden outside, hanging out on the back deck. Upon asking "what in the world are you doing out there in the cold?!" to which Camden said:

"It feels AMAZING out here. It's too hot in the house and I was ROASTING."

If he isn't a true hockey player, I don't know what is. 

Day 309: A Lovely Cheese Pizza Just For Me

 We declared tonight Home Alone night!

Luckily the boys still fit in their Home Alone shirts from last year, and, paired with new pajama pants, made for "newish" Christmas pajamas for the occassion. 

Calen had a moment and launched himself off the couch as soon as the scene from his shirt came up. 

Day 308: Sliding Into Thursday

 It was cold today. 

Finally, because usually by now we have snow on the ground or something, and it's been unseasonably warm as of late. 

For biology today we were talking about photosynthesis and today's "lab" was to go outside and find a leaf on a tree in the sunshine. 

This of course caused an impromptu "ice skating session" on the sidewalk. 

That was the excitement of the day, but at least it got us out of the house for a moment. 

Day 307: Dinner at 3:45pm

 Mondays and Wednesdays are suddenly absolutely ridiculous. 

Swim team for Calen is from 5:15 until 6:30.

Hockey for Camden is from 6:30 to 8. 

I mean, it's outrageous. 

My mom sent the boys a Subway gift card in their Halloween card, and we cashed in today!

So, we declared dinner at 3:45pm for both boys today, before we ran an errand or two before dropping the kids off at all their practices. 

Footlongs are the best for such nights. Half a sub now, half a sub after. 

Day 306: You Can't Take Him Anywhere

 Before hockey practice tonight, Cam and I stepped into Walmart to grab a few more boxes of red lights, because you can never have enough Christmas lights, you know. Cam didn't really want to go in, but reluctantly agreed. 

And good thing he did, because he spent the next twenty minutes showing me literally every single Christmas decoration and how we need this, no we really really need this. And pretty soon it was me dragging him along, telling him it was time to go. 

When you take a young Griswold into Walmart, can you expect anything less?

Day 305: A Boy Called Christmas

 I'm on borrowed time and I know this. 

The boys are still delighted (or at least pretend to be) that I read a chapter of a story of some sort most nights. Obviously earlier in the fall we finished the extensive 7-book Harry Potter series, and I kind of thought that was that, to be honest. 

But, as the Christmas season has come around and the amount of chapter books available for the young adults is neverending, I thought maybe I could convince them to read another. 

And they were, surprisingly, very enthusiastic about it. 

So this evening we put on Christmas pajamas, sat around the tree and started a new book: A Boy Called Christmas. 

This is one of my favorite newer Christmas movies on Netflix, and the book, so far, is just as good, and the boys are loving it. 

Borrowed time, I'm telling you. I'm appreciating every moment. 

Day 304: A New Generation of Griswolds

 Today was all about the outside of the house. Brad employed the boys, thus officially training a new generation of Griswolds. It was freezing cold, the wind was blowing, and it rained here and there, but that's all part of the experience. 

Builds character, and all that. 

After that, it was time for Sunday family night, which, since the kids were too exhausted to play a board game, we made Grinch pancakes and rice krispie treat trees instead, and watched The Grinch (Jim Carrey version). 

Totally counts as family night. And to all a goodnight!

Day 303: Decking The Halls and Short People Jobs

 Cam had the early morning game today, which is good, because it left the entire day to do other things. Important things. Like, decorating Christmas trees. 

Yes, it's that most cherished day when the Christmas tree is chopped down from it's hanging place in the garage rafters, put in it's designated corner, and ceremoniously plugged in (because it's prelit, of course). 

For the last couple of years I've relented my OCD tendencies with the tree (well, relented by about 80%) and (after putting up my five or six favorite ornaments in very specific places), have let the kids have at it, decorating the tree on their own while I may or may not come from behind them and rearrange and "fix" various holes, while Brad sat on his chair and supervised. 

This year, since Calen is officially 5'7" (last we measured), I had him do a lot of the higher parts of the tree, announcing that it was a "tall person job" and for once, not needing to bring out the step stool. 

Camden, clearly offended at his being NOT tall, asked if there were any "short person jobs" for him to do. 

As a matter of fact, yes there are. 

So, Cam was in charge crawling under the tree and fixing the tree skirt, and then climbing out to the corner where none of us can reach and filling the back of the tree with ornaments. He was delighted, and I'm glad I could conjure up a short person's job. 

I know I'm biased, but I really, really love my tree. 

But does your tree have a Disney monorail going around it??

Of course to celebrate we had to have hot chocolate, put on their new Christmas robes and watch Polar Express!

Day 302: Date Night

 I give Brad one official military fancy function a year. 

Only one. 

Not because I don't want to go out and do something with him, because I do, but I really despise dog and pony shows of military to dos. 

But, tonight was the one, and honestly, one a year is fun. And, prime rib dinner was $25. Come on. 

So, Brad and I dressed up to the Nines and left the kids with a frozen pizza and the Nintendo Switch and went to base for the semi-annual Chiefs Call To Initiation graduation dinner. We sat with friends, had a great meal and some laughs, and then promptly went home at 9pm (with the party still going) to put on pajamas and watch a Christmas movie together. 

I'm glad we agree on basically everything. 

Also, I really like a guy in uniform. 

Day 301: Pick Six

 During a scrimmage tonight, Cam on defense broke up a breakaway and stole the puck from the opposing player. 

Then went on his own breakaway, took a shot, and scored. 

That's a pick six, right? Wait, wrong sport. 

But it was fun to watch. 

About to make the steal 

Off he goes!

Day 300: The Best Time Of The Year

 It's November the First, and you know what that means?!

It means, by tradition, THIS very specific song is blasting, full volume, at 8am:

If it's not Mannheim Steamroller on Nov 1st, you're doing it wrong

We had a full day of school today so I didn't get as much done with decorating as I planned, but I did get all of Halloween torn down and most of my (many) villages up!

Just the inside Christmas decoration totes

Then I had to take another break for hockey practice, but tomorrow the inside will be finished! It's the best time of the year!

Day 298: Halloween 2023

 It's a big day around here! 

Halloween 2023 has arrived!

Since I consider this a National Holiday, we decided not to have a full day of school. The boys dressed up early and we went outside to our favorite little "tunnel of trees" behind the house to take full costume photos. 

I present to you the "official" Halloween costumes:

Calen - The World War II paratrooper. 

Camden: The Hitchhiking Ghost (from the Haunted Mansion). 

Cam decided he didn't like the beard. 

Beware of hitchhiking ghosts Calen!

Before the big show happened this evening, I made sure to set up an early snack board to make sure the boys actually eat some healthy-ish food before the absolute diabetic coma that is sure to come. On the menu: corn dog bites, meatballs, kenai dip, apples, and spiderweb taco dip. 

And then, the clock struck 5pm, and trick or treating began! 

Camden took his ghost costume a step further by rolling through our neighborhood on a hoverboard, making the illusion of him "floating" like a real ghost. 

Brad and my favorite thing to do on Halloween is to sit on the bench on the front porch drinking hot apple cider and hand out candy to the kids, especially the little itty bitty ones in their super cute costumes. 

As darkness fell, the boys and their buddy asked if they could trick or treat on base, so I played chauffeur and drove the trio to base and dropped them off, telling them to call me when they were ready to be picked up. 

It's really fun being able to give the boys the independence to trick or treat alone. And meanwhile? Brad went into the garage and pulled down all the Christmas totes, because he knows that when the clock strikes midnight, the pumpkin turns into a Christmas tree, as it were. 

It began to pour down rain so the boys called me after a short 45 minutes on base, and then came home and began the Annual Great Candy Trade while watching Nightmare Before Christmas. 



 

Obviously as shown in the photo above, this is an obscene amount of candy. As we did last year, I told the kids to fill a gallon sized ziplock bag with as much candy as they can hold (and the bag must be able to close), and the rest is donated to the children in the small villages in rural Alaska. 

Funny side story: After explaining how the villages in Alaska really have NO money for things like candy and that's why it's good for us to donate, Camden suddenly went on a complete, emotional crusade. 

"We aren't giving enough!! There must be MORE we can give!! What about toys?? WE HAVE TO GIVE MORE!!" And then he marched up to his room trying to find things to donate. 

And then there were tears from my giant hearted little Gryffindor (see my previous new obsession with Harry Potter), which I attributed to staying up too late and eating far too much candy, but I'm glad that his heart is in the right place. 

It was a great Halloween! And now, on to the best time of the year!

Day 297: Nightmare Paintings

 It's All Hallow's Eve-Eve!

In other words, the day before Halloween!

We did one last Halloween craft today, a great learn to paint on Youtube of the backdrop of Nightmare Before Christmas.

Painting a tiny Jack Skellington and Sally was a little too complicated (even for me), so instead I taught the boys how to paint simple yet cute little bats to complete the painting. These turned out so great!

Calen on left, Cam on the right. 

Day 296: Pumpkin Carving Day

 It's Sunday, and that means Family Fun Day!

But instead of family game night, we decided to have family Pumpkin Carving night! It's one of my favorite nights of the year, and really pictures are worth a thousand words. 

Day 295: Impulse Shopping

 I had to run to Walmart today, and no intention of purchasing anything "ridiculous."

Well, sometimes "ridiculous" falls right into your cart. 

After reading, and watching, all the Harry Potter movies, I've become quite the little Potterhead (along with the rest of the family). As I'm pushing my cart past the toy section, I spy these little adorable buggers on the end cap, and somehow, two of them fell into my cart and refused to leave. 

Well how did they get in there?

 
And by the time I left the store, two more ended up in my cart to complete the collection. 

Welp. 

I mean, in my defense, they're quite possibly the four most adorable little squishy Hogwarts House mascots in cuteness history. And also in my defense, Santa is probably going to bring them to the family for Christmas, so there. 

I need to just go shopping with blindfolds on this time of year. 

Day 294: Dress Rehearsal

 It's the Boy Scouts big Halloween costume party tonight! Also known as the official dress rehearsal for Halloween. 

Camden's costume (to be announced later) is not quite ready, but luckily he had a backup costume for tonight. 

I present to you the World War II paratrooper (Calen) and a very well dressed zombie from Plants vs Zombies (Camden). 

Day 293: The Great Toy Book

 I am (delightfully, thankfully,) surprised that my children, at ages 14 and 12, are still overjoyed when the Big Book of Toys from Target comes in the mail every holiday season. 

They spent an entire hour pouring over it. Especially the Lego section. 

I'm so thankful they refuse to grow up. 

Day 292: Wednesdays Are For Hockey

 It's Wednesday, and that means hockey practice!

Another day, another opposing player skunked by Cam who won't let them take a shot. 

Defense wins championships, folks. 

In blue, fouling up the player in white's shot

Day 291: Watch Out For That Last Step...

 Even though we are years (probably, decades) past the actual need for a (human) baby gate, we still have one on the bottom of the stairs, to keep the dog down on the main floor. 

Why? Does he chew? 

No. 

Does he pee on things?

Also no. 

So what's the problem with Rebel going upstairs?

His hair. His freaking. Dark. Chocolate. Hair. Everywhere. 

It's like Chewbacca got into an electric razor fight with a grizzly bear and the evidence is all over my floor. 

So, if I can keep the dog hair contained to just the ground floor of my house, it makes my life just that much easier. 

He's trained so well with the gate now that he really doesn't go upstairs, even if we forget to close the gate. But on the days we do, the bottom landing of the stairs is his favorite sleeping spot. 

Why? I don't know. Maybe because it's carpeted (but not squishy like his dog bed), and it's near the front door window for him to look out? But whatever the reason, it's a bear (no pun intended) when it's dark out and you're going down the stairs and his big dark brown body is camouflaged with that last step. 

Someone's eventually going to die on this stairwell, and it's either me or the dog. 

Day 290: Exchange Student

 We had an exchange student at school today!

Our neighbor boy James, also homeschooled (a 5th grader), needed a place to do "school" today, as his dad was at work and his mom had to fly to Anchorage for the day for a medical appointment. 

Well come on over!

Instead of our usual daily routine, we made it a really fun school day, with as many things to include James in as well. They all trudged through their math and typing, we did a Halloween art project, and watched a World War II documentary. 

And then we decided to bake apple cider donuts, because cooking is absolutely educational. Especially when donuts are involved. 

And because it's October, we had to add some sprinkles and eyeballs!