It's That Time...Another Christmas Letter

Ho ho hope you're having a fabulous year! 2009 was an eventful year for the Tennyson family. Despite the worst economy since the Great Depression, Jamie is still thriving in the investment field. The Dow was far better to him this year than his hunting trips as there were no new antlered additions to his man cave. Thank you God.

Chase is 7 going on 15. He figured out the Santa thing this year and is quite excited about being one of Santa's elves for his sister. He is obsessed with all things Mario and Luigi and wants to be a professional Lego builder when he grows up. Or an architect. Most days he uses his brain for good instead of evil and those are very good days indeed. Just today he announced that, "I'm the bomb at school because I'm so good at tooting! Everyone thinks it is funny." Oh yes, he's quite a charmer that one. A real ladies man.

Cassie is almost 2 1/2 and our baby is not a baby anymore! Apparently there is a motormouth gene and (surprise, surprise) she got it. She also inherited a stubborn streak (let's blame Daddy for that one) and her favorite thing to say is, "I DO IT!" And do it she does. She loves to sing and dance! She also loves anything her big brother is doing and adores her big brother's friends. Shhhh, don't tell her they're Chase's friends b/c she thinks they're HER friends.

Cassie's very best friend is Sherman. It's been quite a year w/the Sherminator. I've requested a fast pass from our area ER because both kids wound up with stitches courtesy of Shermy. In July, he bumped Cassie on the stairs. She tumbled down a few and hit the newel post, requiring 4 stitches in her forehead. Just last month, he and Chase bumped heads. Unfortunately his tooth hit Chase's eyebrow and Chase got eight stitches. Needless to say, there is no more wrestling in the house w/our gentle giant. The kids adore Shermy despite the stitches, and so do Jamie and I. He is such a sweet boy and my very favorite walking/rollerblading partner!

As for me, I'm staying busy w/the kids, the house, volunteering and managing our investment properties. I always enjoy a nice, long (childless PLEASE) walk w/the dog when I can and a quick rollerblade through the neighborhood (yes, w/the dog on his leash) is even better! I am starting to think about what I want to be when I grow up (that would be when Cassie starts kindy in 2012) and am torn between politics and a nursing career...fortunately I've got a few more years to decide! In the meantime, I'm enjoying every sticky, laundry-filled, vacuuming/dusting/mopping/toilet scrubbing moment at home with her! Despite the hair-pulling moments, my family is worth every mountain of laundry, poor aim into the toilet and sticky handprint I encounter!

Happy Holidays from our mess to yours!

We did recarpet and are having the hardwoods refinished this week. Not by choice, but b/c the screening that was done in Feb. didn't take and the urethane is peeling off. So the floors must be totally done. I'm trying not to be bitter and focusing on the positive (pretty floors)...but I'm not going to be happy until it is done.

Had another trip to the ER on Monday, Chase and Shermy bumped heads. Unfortunately it was tooth to eyebrow and Chase needed 8 stitches. He's fine now...it wasn't a bite, the ER doc concurred--it was just a really freak accident. I think we're a freak accident prone family.

Jamie spent the weekend at the farm hunting/fishing (too warm to hunt). Cass is getting her two year molars, so I had a rough night last night and am anxious for him to get home today. He's here!

Dylan came over after school today. I made Grandma Mary Ann's cake mix cookies for dessert (the kids had cheese quesadillas, I used steak and veggie leftovers from last night in my quesadilla). Despite having to use olive oil (no canola oil in the house), they turned out really well. Here's the recipe.

1 box of cake mix (I used triple chocolate fudge, but she usually uses lemon)
1 egg
1/2 c oil (I used 1/4 c oil and 1/4 c applesauce)
1/4 c water
1/4 c self-rising flour
(I added 1 bag of Ghiardelli dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375. Drop by rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes on upper oven rack. Dust w/powdered sugar if desired.

I busted out the Halloween decorations tonight--no point in having them if we don't use them! My Dad made fun of me for decorating so early, but the kids LOVE it! Chase did all the clings on the front door this year, he was super excited to do that. And Cass is fascinated by all the jack o'lanterns. I need to get a few bats for her, she loves her bats!

I think we're recarpeting the first floor. Our family room is in dreadful shape and I found a great deal on some Mohawk frieze that should wear like iron. Exactly what I need with two young kids and 80+ lbs of dog...as this carpet has been the bane of my homemaking existence for about 5 1/2 years, I'm rather stoked at the prospect of seeing it go! I can live w/the stuff upstairs for a while longer...I'm debating about hard surface (laminate or hardwood) for our bedroom anyway. So much better for my allergies than carpet!

I got Cassie's 2 year pics done on Friday, they turned out fabulous! I'm absolutely thrilled with them. She posed like a little super model and had a ball doing it! It was a complete 180 from our last (hellish) photo shoot.

I'm off to snuggle w/the furball for a bit before sleepytime.

Slacker Mom

My apologies. I've been a total slacker on the blog lately. I'd say I'll try to do better, but I'm not going to lie, cycle break is right around the corner and I'm just not sure there are enough hours in the day...

We had a great Labor Day weekend! Saturday our family trip to Six Flags was rained out. We ended up at Mills. I did enough shopping that it cost about as much as an afternoon at Six Flags (you know I'd rather shop for the kids than ride rides anyway), then came home and went through the kids' closets. All of Cassie's 18 month stuff is out, but she can still wear her 24 month stuff from last year. Chase can also wear almost everything from last winter, so we rounded out his wardrobe w/a few new necessities today (new sneaks, pjs & khakis) and I hit Children's Place online to round out Cassie's fall wardrobe during nap today--life is good! Their closets are so organized and tidy--I LOVE IT! I love me an organized house!

Yesterday we headed to Jim's lake after church/council. Cass took a super short nap on the way down and we almost made it injury free until the end of the day when Chase tripped on the dock and got road rash/concrete burn on much of his body. Thanks to my judicious application of neosporin and gauze pads, plus an alternating dose of tylenol and jr motrin, he's feeling much better today! He had a blast w/his cousin Bennett (Ryan wasn't feeling well) fishing and jet skiing. Sherman is proving himself to be quite the outdoorsdoggie, he did not leave Chase's side when he was lakeside and did a fair amount of swimming w/the boys. He also got his first boat ride and LOVED IT! Cassie sat on the boat, but since I didn't have her life jacket with us, no ride for her. She can fish next time... I may have thrown Chase overboard for not listening...earning me the title of "MEANEST MOM IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!" Yeah, that's a title I wear with pride. Of course, he did admit on the ride home it was a lesson he won't soon forget! You'll have to ask Uncle Todd which was funnier--me throwing Chase overboard or Bennett doing a donut on the jet ski and throwing a fully clothed Uncle Kevin into the lake...

Today was an errand-running and relaxing day. We got some stuff done around the house (always the laundry), got some shopping done, got our exercise in (roller blading w/Sherman for me, driving range for Jamie) and had friends over for pizza for dinner. All in all, a great weekend. I wish I had pics from the lake trip, but I suck. Seriously. I need to unload the memory card on the camera. It's full.

Busy week ahead and I'm already a day short! AHHHHHHHHH...

Milestones...

So yesterday Cassie held my hand and walked instead of riding in the cart at Target. She only tried to run off once (to the toothpaste aisle) and when I reminded her that if she ran, she rode, she stayed by me and demanded, "Mama! Han!" every time I dropped her hand to steer the cart. She drops the ending sounds of words which is very cute, but I hope short lived...

She's been such a big girl lately and so funny. Yesterday, upon smelling a stinky diaper I asked her if she'd pooped. She said, "No. Butt." and pointed to her butt. Apparently SHE didn't poop, her butt did. My sister is horrified that she says butt instead of bottom, but if you know me, you're probably pleasantly surprised that is the extent of "potty language" that she has picked up in this house...

Just when I was thinking that perhaps two isn't as awful as I thought, Dad and I went to Steak & Shake for lunch today. Cassie played musical chairs and boycotted her chicken strips and fries b/c she wanted M&Ms out of the vending machine. When she looked at my Dad and threw a fry on the floor, I picked her up, requested that he box the remains of our lunch and headed out to the car. An older couple next to us were giving me that look (you know, because their children NEVER threw food or misbehaved when they were young) and it was clearly time to go. I thought I had the last laugh, because there were no M&Ms for little girls who can't sit still and eat their lunch. When we got home, she requested her food. I put it on the table and headed to the bathroom. When I got out, she was finished eating and a single fry was on the floor. Cassie 1. Mom 0.

Hopping on the ol'Soapbox...

I get why people criticize others' parenting...I've certainly done enough of it in my day. Clearly everyone thinks their way is the right way or they wouldn't be doing it. And parenting is one of those things in which no ones does it exactly the same...so it is easy to pick up on differences and go on the attack. Plus, admit it, it feels good to "know" you're doing it better than someone else. Supernanny and Nanny 911 exist solely for that purpose--so that parents all over America can feel better about themselves and their parenting skills.

Real-life parenting isn't always pretty. I love my kids but I don't always like them. When Cassie is throwing a tantrum and hitting me, when Chase is ignoring me or shrieking about something or asking for another DS game or another Wii game--those are not the rosy Kodak moments I imagined during my six years of infertility hell. My mother felt the same way about me, particularly during my teen years. Parenting is hard. And it can be ugly. Uglier than that is unsolicited parenting advice from virtual strangers. Who appreciates that? WHO NEEDS IT? Parenting is hard enough w/o having your motives second-guessed and questioned! I think it may be one of those things where if you can't say something nice, don't say it at all!

Losing our Marbles

Last night Jamie's client bailed (probably had tickets to the All Star game) and Jamie came home to watch the game. Taking advantage of that...I stole outside on the deck to read a bit w/Shermy. When I came inside, chaos reigned. And Jamie informed me that he thought Cass swallowed a marble. I asked her where the marble was and she opened her mouth, pointed down her throat and said, "AHHHHHH!" Awesome.

I took her upstairs, bathed her, and was putting her to bed when Chase came upstairs. I sent him into the tub. I heard water running, but didn't think anything of it. Then Jamie came upstairs yelling at us. For two or three years I've been complaining about a water spot on the kitchen ceiling and for two or three years he's been ignoring me. Last night, the kitchen ceiling, coincidently (or not) the spot I've been complaining about, started dripping. Guess who isn't ignoring me anymore?

Apparently it was MY fault that Chase overflowed the tub. The kid is 7 1/2 years old and perfectly capable of bathing himself. I was reading to a todder, in said toddler's bedroom. Can I point out that Jamie only knew the kitchen ceiling was dripping b/c he was fixing himself an All Star snack before parking his butt back on the couch cushion it had been attached to ever since Obama threw out the first pitch?(And don't even get me started on what kind of idiot wears a WHITE SOX jacket to Busch Stadium? Seriously? He's dumber than I thought.) So yeah--last night was good times in the Tennyson household. After the kids were in bed, Sherman got a nice long walk so I could cool off.

In case you're wondering, the marble should "pass" in 1-2 weeks. Until then, I'm on poop patrol. I could "speed things up" by giving her mineral oil, but I'm just going to let nature take its course. The last thing I need is to give her diarrhea trying to get the marble out.

Chase starts 2nd grade tomorrow...not a moment too soon! Think I could send Cass along to be the class mascot?