Xmas Vacation

I have not been blogging because I have been on vacation in the mountains and I have (a) been to busy and (b) have an internet connection that is powered by a squirrel running on a treadmill! The mountains don't yet have high speed internet!!!

Xmas was good but overwhelming! And if it is that way for me as an adult, imagine what it must be like for kids. It was truly too much food and too many gifts. I know it sounds like bah humbug but it is so much work for all of us and there are so many people in need around the world. If we all gave only half the money we spent at xmas to the needy, the world would be a better place.

OK enough soapbox.

We have been making good use of all our winter gear - we have been snow shoeing, ice skating and hiking.

We took a great ranger led snow shoe in Yosemite. We learned a lot about migration of animals in the winter, how the trees don't freeze to death (has to do with the sugar in tree sap) and animals that live in the snow. It was a great trip - we snow shoed to about 7500 feet and had an amazing view of the peaks around Yosemite. The trip was advertised for people 10 or older --- but they had never met Gracie before....at 7 years old, she was in the front of the pack and never complained!

We are suppose to get 2 to 4 feet of snow today and tonite in Yosemite so we will probably head in there again tomorrow to check it out, do some sledding and some snow shoeing.

Duck, Duck, Dinner

The other nite I was at a friends house, so I was not home for dinner. When I came home, the kids were pleased to report that they had DUCK for dinner! Drew said it was really good and Gracie agreed. And then Gracie added "but there was bb's in it!" Drew looked at her and said, "You are not suppose to tell MOM that!"

NASTY!!!

I swear these kids will eat anything!

Root Canal

I survived the "I am an old lady and need a root canal" situation. Had the root canal on Thursday morning and it was not half as bad as people said it would be. It took about an hour and a half and was a bit worse than they expected because there was an infection. So they packed it full of antibiotics and covered it up. I go back after the new year to finish it up. I am also taking oral antibiotics just to make sure the infection is gone. The worst part was the pain the next day from the trauma of the procedure. But today, 2 days later, I feel great!

Worms....

These are what worms look like when they are too crowded.... We built the new "digs" just in time -- they were going to start going over the wall!

Worm Farm After

This is the type of worm home that makes other worms jealous.....

Worm Farm Before

This is considered the bad part of town for worms.....

Taj Mahal of Worm Farms

A good friend (who shall remain nameless....Susan) once told me that no good worm should have to live in a worm farm like mine (see pic Worm Farm Before). So she had her worm farm building husband send my worm farm building husband the specs for the Taj Mahal for worms. Being the outstanding husband that he is, Jim promptly built that Taj Mahal II (Taj Mahal I is in Mountain View for anyone who wants to visit it) for my worms. (see pic Worm Farm After)

Serious case of the giggles....

Drew is taking recorder in school. And at first he was all bent out of shape about it. He didn't want to do it and was moaning and groaning about it. And honestly Jim and I were right there with him because playing a recorder gives you NO skills that are transferable to the real world. We would rather him be spending time at school learning real things!

Fast forward about one week since Drew got his recorder..... he plays it ALL the time!!! And he doesn't play it well. Jim and I are constantly giggling. Honestly I think it is a defense mechanism which prevents us from taking the recorder and bopping Drew over the head with it.

One more version of Hot Cross Buns and anything is possible!

OMG I just heard him tell his sister that he sounds good now!!! Sqqqquuueeeekkkk sqqquuuueeek!

American Idol

Word on the street is that American Idol starts on January 16!

When it rains it pours.....

Last Friday I was not feeling so hot but I thought it was one of those one day headache things. But at the same time I had a toothache that I was trying my best to ignore. By Friday nite I wasn't feeling any better and my tooth still hurt so I took some advil and that was the beginning of the end. My stomach which had been upset all day did not like the advil one bit... Over the next two days I fought a nasty bug complete with fever, chills, aches and the inability to stay awake. I was up for a total of about 8 hours all weekend. I would fall asleep in the middle of a conversation with Jim. By Monday morning I was feeling better....better enough to realize my tooth still hurt. So off to the dentist I got to find out I need a root canal! ICK!!! ICK!!! ICK!!!!

I went to a specialist this afternoon and will have a root canal on Thursday....oh joy! Just what I need before xmas...a whole weekend wasted being sick and a root canal!

But I am not complaining....I know it could be much worse. I am thankful that I have dental insurance and that all my xmas shopping is done. I am just sad I missed a weekend of cooking making and movie watching with the kids.

Which one does not belong?

This is my friend Marty at the doll store in Disney World. Freaky! A little wig and a nice dress and he'd be quite a "doll"!

4 or 5 years ago....

This is a pic of Gracie and her best friend, Maddie, from about 4 or 5 years ago when they were both about 3! How cute are they? And still best friends!

Whirlwind

The last month has been a whirlwind of crabbing, relatives visiting, holidays, working and traveling. I am pooped! Which is why I have not been posting.

On Sunday we returned from 3 days at Disneyland. It was a good trip to the happiest place on earth but it was completely overwhelming. A couple of times I just wished I was a 3 year old so I could have a sceaming tantrum. For the most part we managed the whole thing well - ie doing rides when there were no or little lines, taking a rest in the middle of the day, etc. Our down fall were not eating enough...the Cureton family needs to eat every two hours but if we have to go wait in line and pick out our food, we lose interest. Then we go 6 or 8 hours without eating at which time we are all half dead and at each others throats. We did better after the first day. The other downfall was the flea bag hotel. Well.... it was not really a flea bag but it was not up to my standards. I have really become a hotel snob. Which is weird because I have no trouble sleeping in a sleeping bag in the dirt or on a boat. But I don't want to sleep in other peoples dirt! Ick! So next time we are staying at the Grand Californian....no matter what the cost!

The kids loved it all. Drew is a ride maniac. Gracie likes a mixture of rides, shopping and seeing shows. They have a couple really cute new things including a Monsters Inc ride, a Winne the Pooh ride and a show with Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo.

Brian and Diana and little ones were all there too. It was fun that the kids got to be in Disneyland together!