Best and worst holiday moments!

It has been a great Holiday so far! Rhett's surprise for the kids was amazing. Everyone was very surprised, and thrilled to have him home. We all needed the time together!

Most suspenseful moment:

Making everyone wait at the top of the stairs while Rhett spends 10 minutes in the bathroom, Melecia turns on the tree lights, puts on music, lets the dog out, and finally announces "oh my gosh, Santa came! MOMMMMM!

Best Christmas food traditions: Christmas brunch with flanksteak, eggs, and sweetrolls. Best all around: Christmas Eve Nativity and reading Christmas books.

New for this year: Madison attends Christmas midnight mass with Patrick's family. She enjoyed learning about it, and said "I am so thankful for our church that is so alive." We had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner with friends.

Best Invention and funniest moment: Rhett invents the foam "doggie collar" that adds two inches in each direction to Ralphie's neck, and keeps him from getting out of the fence. It should be patented!

Worst moment with dad being home: "I hate this dog. He is the bane of my existance."

Best moment with dad: Every other moment. Breakfast at Cracker Barrel, shopping, seeing "National Treasure 2", snuggling, singing loud for all to hear.

Favorite gifts:

Madison - a soft robe that says "angel" in Rhinestones on the back. Also a plaid coat from pac sun.

Garrett: Ipod nano

Livi: Webkins or art kit

Becca: Tea set, tent, and jewelry set

Cecily: Candy canes off the tree and any candy laying around from the stockings.

Rhett: being home

Melecia: having Rhett home ---gold earrings and the brass Saudi shot glasses from Riyadh. (I'm not sure if the second one is shot glasses or little tiny coffee cups.) I also loved the gifts from mom and dad. Dad's personal history is wonderful, and I had the best time at Kohl's spending my gift card.

We love all of you! Have a wonderful holiday

Potluck

I We have a "potluck" of informtion to blog today - kind of like or ward Christmas party see above. Madion was Santa's helper this year - she just dressed up and did it on her own - nobody asked her! Livi had a piano recital on Sunday - she's on her fifth year and did a great job! Her teacher is standing in the back. We named the puppie "Ralphie" from the Christmas story - it was a long democratic process with lots of shouting, votes, and revotes, even lobbying, until we agreed on the name. Ralphie is doing better today than yesterday. I can see all those wise dog owners nodding wisely or smugly smiling. When i put Ralphie in his crate at night, he whimpered and howled all night long. I put on my slippers and bathrobe on and shuffled him out to his "spot" in the yard where we are training him to go wee. I felt like a tired old redneck with a flashlight - hunting for doggie doo. This would be a perfect spot for a cigarette hanging out the side of my mouth or nursing a hot cup of coffee if I smoked and drank coffee. I thought "I'm such an idiot... than Who out of my friends will take this puppy off my hands, then what the _ell am I doing?" Morning came and Livi and I dressed for Livi's trip to the Kennedy Center. I took Ralphie out one last time and put him in his crate - I didn't know it at the time, but he shredded my pantyhose in the balk of my calf where I didn't see the holes until I was going to the bathroom during the concert intermission! It was wonderful going with Livi's 5th grade to hear the National Symphony Orchestra do a special afternoon program for fifth graders. The music teacher had an extra ticket and asked if I would like to go too. A tender mercy for sure! I sat in a boxed seat holding Livi's hand while segments from Gershwin, Beethoven, Wagner, Joplin, Copeland, and finally John Williams playing "Harry Potter" send chills up and down my spine as they did a program on American music. We were mesmerized, and the concert hall full of fifth graders were a rapt and courteous audience. The Kennedy Center is so close, and so vast and beautiful. I took a program for the year, vowing to come back soon for a concert with the kids. They have a free Messiah sing in , and the "Nutcracker" ballet , also "My Fair Lady" and "Sleeping Beauty" coming soon! I talked to two mothers there who where dog experts, and I felt a lot better after talking with them. Last night thanks to their advice, I filled a hot water bottle and a blanket with our smell and put it in his crate. He curled up next to the water bottle and whining was a minimum! Today I am staying home to get him used to our schedule, and setting the timer ever thirty minutes to take him out. We are confining him to the family room, where he has weed a few times every day, so we are scrubbing a lot! It's worth it though when the kids come in the door calling "Ralphie!" and play with him until bedtime with big smiles on their faces.

Help name the puppy!

Today we are the proud owners of a Shish-chon - have Shish-tzu, half Bichon. This pup is very

playful, sturday, and overwhelmed right now with love from all the children. He is our "big" Christmas present to the kids, and the breeders did a really great job of raising him so far! Rhett gave his blessing, and we are enjoying the new little guy very much!

I might need to have my head examined - potty training a puppy and a two year old, but

I think the fun of having a cute little lovable dog with outweigh the problems. The names we have thought of so far are Rascal, Jack (Sparrow), Nacho (Libre), Oreo, and the original name of

the dog, which is Tyler. Since we have two relatives named Tyler, it seems better to leave that name to the humans. We are having trouble agreeing on a name. We'd love some more ideas!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLEN!

I found these photos from a few years ago - every one of Glen found him with a child on his lap. I think that's a sign that he is a kid magnet. Happy birthday to a great brother!