Christmas, Stressful, Lovely Christmas

I tend to freak out before Christmas, as with many businesses mine dies at Christmas time.  It always gives me the sensation that the bottom is coming out from underneath me.  I also, try to get super crafty at Christmas, (like the day before) and buy crafty things to do that I actually don't know how to do (certainly not well).  And I just generally stress myself out to the point of giving up.  The only thing that I can make people is photo books or frame photos that I've taken throughtout the year. It is my one obsession.  That's where my own personal Martha Stewart comes into play.  When I am freaking out about making everyone a handmade, from the heart perfect present, my mom comes in and gets the job done!  Decorations. Check.  Dinner for everyone.  Check.  Presents from Santa. Check.  Wrapping Paper.  Check.  Ginger Bread House.  Check.  She keeps all the holiday traditions alive...  Whew!  We were joking this year that when she's too old to put all that together she's going to be instructing me from the couch and I have to say, I will probably be a major let down. 

I used to hate the differences between me and my mother but now I totally embrace them.  Its great that I come to enjoy her beautiful house and traditions without having a lot of need to do it in my own house.  The more people she has to share her gifts with the better.  I don't like doing it and I don't have to. Yay!  Also, it so fun doing Santa with the boys at her house.  The boys get super excited to be there and we have 4 Santa's.  It is Awesome.  I eat the cookies, Mom wraps the presents, Dad makes noise like he's on the rooftop and Keith makes sure they are staying in their room...Mom, says it's really fun doing all the Christmas stuff again.  Her and Dad spent quite a lot Christmas' alone while Keith and I went to Mexico and his sister's when we didn't have kids.  But the kids make us anchor down and focus on being together.  I think these are going to be some of mine and my kid's favorite memories.

Christmas Day, Dad makes a super big breakfast, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and sausage from his friends farm, and we loaf....  Keith and I usually go to a movie and have a little date while the boys stay-in and play with all their new toys...  So we say good-bye to another Christmas and look forward to another in 361 days!

Thomas Family Traditions:

Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies
Ginger Bread House Decorating
Scavenger Hunt for the older kids
A Christmas Story plays in the background
Christmas Eve Dinner
Christmas Morning BIG breakfast


Highlights this year,  Palmer read "The night before christmas" to the boys.
And Kali helped the boys put out reindeer food on the deck..
Santa made the boys loft beds.  A big hit when we came home Christmas night!
Christmas round 2 at our house with my in-laws...

Hudson, Deacon, Kali, Eli, Keith,Me, Mom, Dad, Palmer, David and Angie on Christmas Eve...

Matha Stewart's, I mean, Mom's Christmas tree.

Okay, did Santa come?

He did!

Even the dog is still tired

Christmas with Keith's family.  Puppet theatre from Mima

Christmas round 2:  Keith, Ben, Heather,Danielle, Ernie, Hudson, Eli, Kip and Me

Hudson enjoying his new bed!!!

Shooting robots and they get to be "enemies".

Christmas Night discovery of new bed...

Chocolate for Breakfast.  Yeah!





    

Camping out for School...

So November was fast approaching and Keith and I had knots in our stomach in anticipation of the big Campout that was to take place sometime before the 16th of November.  You see, the popular neighborhood magnet school was starting sign ups on that Wednesday and if you were lucky you would be one of the first 38 people in line so that your child would definitly have a spot in kindergarten for the 2012 school year and then any siblings would have priority and all of your worries about an affordable, great school for your child would be laid to rest.  So we planned to "start" the line  a week before the 16th.  Unheard of, people usually camped about 2 -4 days.  We would definitly get into the school if we started the line a week early...

So Sunday morning on the 6th, we decided to have a leisurely breakfast and start packing up the car and getting organized for "Mission Fairview" (the name of the school is GERMAN-FAIRVIEW).   When Keith's cell phone rang I wasn't at all concerned until his face went into shock and his eyes widened and he hung up the phone saying, "It's started, the line has &%^$^&*&^^%^$ started."  "WHAT?"  I was still in my robe.  Surely their weren't that many in line yet.
"How many?"
"13 freakin people are already there and more are coming." he said as he was throwing on boots with no socks and getting in his truck in his pajamas.

So I ran around in circles with my head cut off trying to think what I needed to do prepare. (Keith is the resident organizer)  So from 9:15am to 2pm I was packing warm things, looking for flashlights, our tent and the fly,  "where is the fly".... My mind was rushing with anticipation.  I called my mother who had planned to come Tuesday to see if she would come that night.  She would and off we went. 

I can only say that we made it and we were number 14 in line and our children did get into school.  I was interviewed by NPR (only a lifelong dream) and we made a gagillion friends who we have managed to have playdates, guysnights, gourmet dinner/ game nights and attempted visits to the zoo with. It was a great time. For pictures checkout www.fairviewcampers2011.shutterfly.com

Chris and mario watching the

So we

Grateful Thanksgiving...

Keith and I have it pretty easy on Thanksgiving.  It is usually at my brother's house and there are so many cooks that come over that I bring nothing... Nothing.  I know, I can't believe it myself.  However, last year I did bring butternut squash soup because I thought the recipe was too good not to share.  Anyway, we are very lucky to have a place to go to be with are family and extended family.  It is easy and good to spend a lazy day with my nieces and nephews...

My brother's wife Angie

Sis-n-law Meiko and her daughter Lyla

Dad and Keith

Me and my brother's oldest daughter, Palmer

All the Ladies

All the guys

Got to do a little photo shoot of this girl. She has clothes that I am planning to steal now. 

Halloween 2011: Costume parties, Pumpkin Carving, Carmel Apples and on and on and on!!!

Halloween is one of the Fryer's favorite holidays and we do it up! We have the apple cider, pumpkin carving, make pumkin bread, eat pumpkin seeds, dress up a million times, trick-or-treat at the scariest house on the block, invite 40 people over for a costume party and we just can't get enough. I think I might start celebrating Dia de los Muertos on November 2nd just to annoy my friends who can't understand the fascination I have with it... Anyway, we had a great couple of weeks of ringing in another Halloween...

Skeleton pizza!  Made by one of Huddy's friends.

School costume party here's a pic of the parent's who actually dressed up!

The trampoline beyond max capacity!

The kids showing off their costumes.

Never got all of them in the picture at once!

Party aftermath!

Eli didn't even make it to the couch!

Trick-or-treat smell my feet.... (They learned this from a" big kid" at our halloween party and tried it out at a few houses,  to their great surprise people still gave them candy even though they threatened to pull down their underwear.)

Captain America!!!!

The bravest knight of the night.

The Goblin stand off!

These are a couple of teen-age boys, mind you, and they did not break character for the sake of little ones. No siree, they sent children running and screaming for their lives for a good portion of the night.

Hudson marching bravely towards the monster says,"I'm really afraid of that guy behind him." and then ran home.  Eli high tailing it home fell and dropped his candy.  He did stop and pick it up because as the motto goes its candy before safety!