I told you I would use it......

I am speaking of the pasta maker that I HAD TO register for our wedding, because of course I was going to provide a homemade cooked meal for my husband every night. Chris thought it was ridiculous when we registered for it, he also thought it was ridiculous when we shipped it from Illinois out to Colorado, and then back to Michigan without it leaving the box.  Each spring when we would do the cleaning/purge thing it would always come up for discussion and my reply was the same each time "No, I love homemade pasta, I will use it, I swear."  So until last week and 14.5 years after I scanned it's little bar code this machine has sat in the box on the tippy top shelve collecting dust waiting for me to make due on my promise, that I would in fact use it. 2012 was the year!

 

See nicely stored away outta reach for 14 years.

 

I laughed as I drew artwork into its thick dust. So why you ask? Why was I so adamant about saving this machine? I guess I just had fond memories of growing up and making it with my mom. I loved the process of it. Rolling the dough, cutting it, hanging it to dry. And really as a pasta lover the taste is far beyond a store bought box. I was hoping my kids would enjoy it just as much. 

 

They did.....They kneaded.....

They rolled......

 

They cut......

 

We made skinny and fat noodles....They both liked the fat ones better.

 

Hung to dry for the day......

 

I never got a picture of the final product after all the work.....but we did like the Italians do and

Mangiamo!!

I hope I don't wait another 14 years to do it again!!

 

NYE.

Happy New Year.....

Resolutions were made, party hats were on, horns blew, and all four of us made it til Midnight.

Unfortunately, our guests for the night fell victim to the flu and cancelled on us. Lucky enough another neighbor was gracious enough to invite us over to celebrate and skate with their kids.

 

 

Brooke's getting better at snapping photos with practice from her new gadget.

 

The reason I typed that we all stayed up until midnight was because we had some doubt after the first bought of skating, a movie was put on for the kids and this was Brady by the end of the movie....not sleeping yet, but so darn close.

 

So in good fashion we shoved the kids back outside to skate until 11:30. These kids are lucky lucky....nothing like some 30 degree weather to wake you up...sounds cruel I know but they LOVE it.

 

Then we had a half hour to keep them awake   keep them calm and entertain them....the skating really woke them up

Here's Brady doing the big countdown with Ryan Seacrest..and celebrating with some bubble wrap.

 

Glad we made it..... Happy new year to you!

Christmas Day 2012

 

Another year.....Another visit from Santa!  There was no dog, mini van, or mansion, but plenty of good stuff to be grateful and happy about!

 

Brady laying out food for Santa and the reindeer. 

 Excited faces not wanting to go to bed (well at least one of them egging the other one not to want to go to bed) 

They have never combated me on the matching jammies so I am still going for it.... 

 

 Letters for Santa......

 

 The Loot.....

Christmas morning.....Brooke finally got up at 7:30....so we only had Brady crawling over our faces for an hour and a half....not bad....

 

 Brooke reading through the letter Santa left....Brady no doubt is already done tearing through all his gifts before Brooke even starts....She really milks it.....

 

Angry Bird hat, happy kid. 

 

 busy unwrapping.....

 Brady getting something he really wanted.

 

Brooke opening what she wanted since she was 4. However, it was a bit anti climatic in the order that she opened it...

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojcg-IcIUD8&feature=youtu.be

 

 

months of work ...disarmed in a matter of minutes..... 

 

 And with the technology bug that hit our house this year....This is how you could have viewed our kids for the next two weeks.....

 

 in the zone.....

 

 We skyped with G'ma & G'Pa....displaying Brady's new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle masks...

Then we finally got rolling for Grandma Munson's house....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ending the day in Jammies and cuddles....What a long great day it was......

 

Advent Calendar.

Well the twelve twenty four days of Christmas were jammed packed this year all due to this little bugger that got created.

Our Advent calendar hosts a "Christmas Activity" each night until Santa comes. Let's just say our Advent calendar is a bit more secular than probably intended but it still is a fun way to countdown and extend the season to it's fullest!

 

On the first day of Christmas we went to the bridge lighting ceremony.

On the second day of Christmas we went to the Santa Parade.

 

On the third day of Christmas we wrote Santa Letters....

 

On the fourth day of Christmas we colored Christmas pictures.....couldn't get a picture for everything.

 

On the fifth day of Christmas we had a Christmas show Talent night....

This is Brady's magic show.....Criss Angel, he ain't.

Brooke and my duet....excuse the post work glasses and ponytail......must have been a rough one...

 

On the Sixth day of Christmas we decorated with spray snow.....

 

On the seventh day of Christmas we got reminded to believe by watching The Polar Express

 

On the Eighth day of Christmas we made Christmas cookies.....

On the ninth day of Christmas we went to see the lights at fifth third ball park.

On the Tenth day of Christmas we traveled to Chicago and made a pit stop at our favorite exit, we literally get Jimmy Johns, White Castle, Taco Bell, and Burger King......the kids look forward to it every trip! Every activity can't be that meaningful!

On the Eleventh day of Christmas we visited with the Wades

On the Twelfth day of Christmas we celebrated with our Illinois family.

On the thirteenth day of Christmas we made snowflakes!

 

On the fourteenth day of Christmas we went to Brooke's Christmas musical at school

 

on the fifteenth day of Christmas we donated toys.....

On the sixteenth day of Christmas we made gingerbread houses....

On the seventeenth day of Christmas we celebrated at class parties.

On the eighteenth day of Christmas we sat on Santa's lap. Brady apparently got in a fight with the drinking fountain while we waited in line.

I missed Brady asking for a mansion and a mini van .....they both asked for a dog and this Santa explained to them he doesn't do live animals in his sleigh!

 

On the nineteenth day of Christmas we watched Christmas movies.....

 

On the twentieth day of Christmas we read Christmas books.

On the twenty first day of Christmas we did body art.....

On the twenty second day of Christmas we wrapped Christmas presents

 

On the twenty third day of Christmas we tried to recover from fevers.....

 

The twenty fourth day of Christmas we celebrated Christmas eve with Poppa and Penny and Greg

 

We said goodbye to Nikki our elf and laid out cookies and wrote letters to Santa (again)

 

And that night the Partridges in a pear tree fell from exhaustion and were excited that the Advent Calendar was complete and Christmas day was only hours away!