Happy New Year!

Our New Years Eve was mostly kid oriented this year.  I did find the gingerbread house eating photos, but you can hardly see the houses. I am usually much better at taking all the important pictures, but I must have been more preoccupied this year because I feel like I missed quite a few things. 

The Poggemanns and Oma Enoo joined us for what is usually a Christmas Eve tradition of walking our neighborhood to look at luminaries and Christmas lights.  I just love this tradition. Someone organized this years ago and I have never seen anything like it in any other place we've lived. The paper bags with candles stretch and wind for several miles with 2 neighborhoods now participating.  I would love to see what it looks like from above.  Maybe some year Google Earth will be live.  We actually had rain on Christmas Eve, so that is why it was postponed to New Years Eve this year.

Just before bed, Emma, Noah & Daegan Pose for a New Year's Eve Toast in their matching Christmas pajamas. They went to bed around 8:30, but they asked us to wake them at midnight. Emma was the only one who would wake up to join us for a few minutes with Ryan Seacrest before going right back to bed. Todd and I are kind of wimps when it comes to staying up late, so we went right to bed as soon as that ball dropped.

I have never been much of a resolution maker, so my only plan for 2009 is to get more sleep. I tend to get things done late at night when the kids are in bed and I think so many years of lack of sleep is starting to age me! 

2008 Holiday Highlights

The holiday season always seems to come and go so fast.  It can be a bit hectic sometimes, but it is so worth all the memory making in the end.  We have a handful of traditions that the kids love to do and this year we added ice skating at the new outdoor ice rink here in town.  We made our first visit there with Todd's cute teenage cousins from southern California.  I really thought Noah might last 15 minutes and that Daegan would never even get on the ice.  I was so wrong.  Noah got on the ice like he was born to skate and Daegan got on the ice and didn't want to get off. Daegan's skating required hand holding, but by the 2nd trip to the rink a week later, he was at it on his own, moving 4-6 feet at a time and letting go of the wall. 

A very excited boy just before stepping on the ice.

Showing off by lifting one foot.

Some fun cousins to skate with.

The tree decorating photo shoot came out blurry, but it was the fun that counts.  This was the first year that I really did not completely rearrange the entire tree after they decorated it.  I think I was too busy and subconsciously knew that the dog would be doing some redecorating of her own.  There were a lot of ornaments that never made it on the tree and many plastic ones at the bottom that were eaten.  It felt like I had a toddler in the house again and I had to keep a lot of things up this year.  Our life sized singing santa stayed in the attic as did some of the other at risk decor.  Hopefully Suri will be out of her crazy chewing stage by next year.

Cooking decorating, toffee making and gingerbread house building are the candy eating events of the season.  For some reason I cannot find one picture of any of the 3 gingerbread houses that they ended up building this year.  Usually the kids build a gingerbread house and eat it on Christmas Eve after the Nativity performance with the Poggeman kids.  This year the Poggemans were out of town, so the eating happened on New Years Eve, but I must have not taken one photo or they are on a memory card somewhere that was never uploaded onto the computer.

Noah loves to cook and help out in the kitchen.  

He was very involved in making all 10 pounds of toffee we produced this year.  

Our annual Nativity Play was on hiatus this year becuase more than half of the cast was out of town.  We spent a quieter Christmas Eve with my mom and siblings that was just as memorable.  My sister Anne and I were able to scan about 300 family slides and put them in an album for my mom for Christmas.  It was fun to go through them all and exciting to see how much it meant to her to have new prints made of these old photos.  My dad took most of our family photos on slide film until sometime in the early 1980's.  As a kid I thought it was kind of strange that we'd watch slides instead of flipping through albums.  I am so thankful now that he did that.  It has made it so easy to preserve all of these photos for years to come.

This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom and dad in the late 1970's that we found in the slides.  I had never seen it before, but I just love their expressions and the outfits!  

A Very Merry Christmas Video

Post Turkey Trot Post - Warning it's long!

It's been a few weeks since the race and things have finally settled back into as normal as it can get for this time of year.  I am feeling in blog "catch up mode" again, and I finally realized the importance of writing as I go.  The make up writing is less motivating and the details can get lost when it is not fresh.  Those little details are the things that I like to have written down, so hopefully I remember them and  I apologize if this is a bore.  Just scroll through to see photos. So, here is what I can remember from that very blurry day/week of no sleep and a little stress. 

 The Turkey Trot has now proven itself to be a Folsom Thanksgiving Day tradition as we added an additional 1,300 participants to the rosters this year, bringing our total turnout to close to 3,200 participants and over 100 volunteers.  What was I thinking when I dreamed this up and then told Todd he should do it?  It is a lot of people to manage!  Fortunately Todd and his right hand man, aka Felix Poggemann, were prepared for the crowd.  Having 4 times the volunteers and a very skilled expensive chip timing company proved to be the formula for success.  I was in charge of mail in registration and was given the title and responsibility of "Hospitality Specialist".  So my job functions included some serious data entry for a few days and then the buying and distribution of refreshments for over 3,000 people.   Food planning is not an area of strength for me.  Just ask Todd or any of my former roommates.  I would eat like a squirrel if I wasn't feeding others everyday, but I was happy to help and glad Todd trusted me to drive his truck with all the food again.  (Last year I had a tiny accident when the car was full of the food.)

So we never know how it all will go, but the day before the race we had an all day registration and packet pick-up which kept Todd completely busy.    Thankfully Sam's Club had a click and pull service where you order online and then they pull the order for you.  Easy as pie, right? Well, when I went to pick it up on the eve of the race and they couldn't find my order I was a bit nervous.  Not having food or drink after a six mile run might make people grumpy and that would really stress Todd out.  Luckily, the order was finally located in the receiving area on 2 huge pallets that would have been 4 truckloads if it were not for Todd's dad who showed up and helped save the day.  It was a serious workout to unload it all, but Noah even pulled through and was a huge help with the loading and unloading of it in some drizzly cold conditions.

This is just the water and some of the juice.

After the big order was in place we covered it and then I headed to Costco for the rest of the miscellaneous items that were needed.  Emma really helped out with some babysitting after the real sitter went home.  She actually took charge of Daegan and put him to bed for me while I was out with Noah getting this all done.  One of the bonuses of having an almost 10 year old. She was great!  Eventually I did get home and finished preparing the food and cutting muffins somewhere around 2am just in time to snap this photo of Todd and his very loyal friend Greg, who arrived home to fill the water containers for the aid stations.  

The concrete in the front yard that drives me crazy is actually 

proving itself useful with all the events going on around here.  

I finally got to sleep around 3am with Todd still not back from setting up the course and dropping off water.  At about 5am, Daegan crawled into bed with me and he was fevering.  Not such a happy boy either.  I looked over and noticed Todd had never unmade his side of the bed and the shower was running.  He never slept!  Not good, but I guess his non regular use of caffeine paid off and he was ready to go with the aid of some Red Bull.  Daegan was temporarily cured with some Tylenol and we were up for the day.

Todd went right back out to get ready for race day registration and I got the kids ready.  They were excited for the day to finally come when they could run this thing again.  I am glad they are able to have fun in all of this.  I feel so bad about their holiday week from school being so busy, that there is not much time for the regular holiday festivities.  I feel like the older two are starting to get it. They see that there is a much bigger picture going on here than just Dad and Mom working.  By seeing first hand how doing this for our community helps a lot of people they are learning some valuable lessons.

The race itself went very smooth.  One of our sponsors made a video that kind of sums it up. The weather cleared up a bit and people seemed to have a great time.  Daegan hung out with(on) me while Emma & Noah ran off with their friends. We were very grateful to have many of our friends and family help out and it made a huge difference.   Every last bit of food ordered was eaten and every juice gone.  We did have a bit of leftover water, but I over ordered on Todd's advice.  

The race area cleanup was the only thing we need to plan extra help for to speed it up next year. (Our disaster zone in our yard is almost crazier, but can wait. It takes nearly a week to clear.)   I made it home around noon and Todd made it back sometime after 2:00pm. (The race was just a few blocks away, so no drive time involved.)  Our plan was to have dinner at Todd's aunt's house who lives about 20 minutes away, but by 3:30 we deliriously tired and felt unsafe to drive.  I somehow made it to the store and bought some really bad food and picked up a new Wii game for the kids as a payoff for tolerating the busy holiday.  They had such great attitudes, I was really proud of them. Missing out on a real dinner didn't bother anyone.  It was really was nice to just be home and go to bed really early.  I am not sure if I have ever seen Todd so tired or sleep so soundly.

Checks to the Food Bank and the City of Folsom Youth Scholarship Fund will be be cut soon.  Todd has to finalize all the expenses before this happens.  It appears that the payout will be over $20,000.  It is a ton of work, but it is so worthwhile. Todd has a talent for making this work, and although he takes a lot of time away from his practice and gets very behind on his paperwork,  I hope he realizes that what he has created for our community is a great family centered holiday tradition that serves everyone.

Our side yard as a staging area for thousands of 

shirts and whatever else was being delivered.

Noah and Sadie passing out shirts at packet pick up.

Oma & Opa were a huge help all over the race.  

Couldn't have done it without them!

The End!

We had some great weather for November today and took the dog on a walk down by the lake so the kids could look for bamboo and licorice plants.   The sun was just perfect and the water so peaceful under the bridge.  I love to be with my kids out in nature.  It really is the only place where they can all be entertained at once and we usually have no fighting or arguing.  A great way to spend an afternoon before the crazy week begins.  Thursday we host 3,000+ people for the 2nd annual Folsom Turkey Trot.  We're praying it doesn't rain.

It has been a very busy fall and even thought there has been a lot to post about, it is not getting done.  So I am not going to try to pick up where I left off and go on and on, but I wanted to add some pictures so I feel complete about it.  

Emma made this cute little sign that hangs from the chandelier in the dining room.  She is our spontaneous decorator, usually bringing in all sorts of things from nature to create nice centerpieces for the table all year long.

A family outing to the Folsom Renaissance Fair was a lot of fun.  It was unbelievable how they turned the city park into an old village.  The wild chickens, peacocks and other animals that live there next to the zoo made for an authentic experience. Noah and Daegan had a blast firing a cannon in a reenactment.

Halloween was felt over by the time it arrived this year.  Lots of parties and dress up days beforehand and Noah decided he didn't want to trick or treat, but stay inside and pass out candy.  He only missed some raindrops and Daegan getting burned out after about 20 minutes.

Emma and her BFF's

Noah was obsessed with the fog machine, spending countless hours turning his room, the bathroom and the playroom into a haunted house.  I could totally see him as a special effects guy when he grows up.

Todd and I got a much needed weekend away in Tahoe with our good friends the Petersen's.  We climbed this amazing rock above Glenbrook, the town where we stayed. You can barely see the houses below.  There were amazing panoramic views from there and we had perfect weather that was so unusual for this time of year.

Funny Dog Pictures

Not a clear picture because Suri is chasing her tail.  

She's doing this all the time and we just laugh at her.

I'm not sure how she manged getting her head stuck in this ball thing.  It was really funny finding her laying on her bed as if it wasn't there.  I wish I knew what she was thinking.

Puppy Days

I've been putting off this post for 3 months thinking I shouldn't write about it just in case it doesn't work out. But then the other day Emma asked me why I hadn't put our new addition on the blog yet and I felt bad. So it's official.  We have a pet and I wasn't foreshadowing anything in that post last summer. I had no plans for this, but Todd got puppy fever and the next thing I knew we had a dog.

If you have kids or a small desire for a dog, I must warn that you may not want to look at the picture of our little but growing quickly yellow lab.  I would recommend that you don't show it to your children either or you may find yourself with one of these under your Christmas tree.  

So here I thought I would list ten things to consider before bringing one home in no particular order and they are not all cons.

1.  They bring in a lot of dirt. I am not a big fan of this and thankful for my nearly carpet free house.

2.  They need to be bathed almost as often as kids or you can get a doggy smell in your house.

3.  They have vet visits not covered by your health insurance.

4.  They have to be trained to stay in a crate, go potty outside (an extra clean up chore for kids) and not chew up everything.

5.  They chew up everything!  Borrowed library books don't mean anything to them. 

6.  You must provide them a form of exercise.  This is a good thing if you need forced exercise.  Labs in particular have lots of energy it and we are a pretty active family, so it has not been a problem so far.  A large yard and a swimming pool are a bonus to a dog like ours who tries to sneak in the pool area every time the pool guy shows up.  She'll swim laps forever and fetch things out of the water.

7.  Any windows at dog level do not stay clean.  I used to stress over the sliding door having hand prints all over it.  Now all the windows in our living areas have doggy nose or paw prints on them .  I've given up on the windows. They get washed by the kids now and then and I just know it is out of my control now.

8.  They can be a replacement for a sibling.  Emma asked for a dog or a sister for 3 years until the dog showed up.  She has not asked for either one since.

9.  They are free entertainment.  I never knew how fun it would be to watch the dog play or learn new things.  It is almost a zen like thing to let the dog off the leash at the lake and just be in the moment with her. Seeing the world through her eyes can be a big stress reliever.

10.  They are really cute. No explanation needed.

Suri

I have never had a dog so everything is new to me.  I wasn't sure how this whole thing would go, but I do know that she's a keeper.

A Little Rant

So I just realized that it has been 1 month since the kids went back to school and it has been extremely crazy with no time for blogging or reading! I am the only person I know who hasn't opened Breaking Dawn. It has spent weeks on the table next to the couch patiently waiting for my life to settle down. I even loaned it to my friend Jenn, who promptly returned it in like 3 days and she has 5 kids! HELLO! Oh yeah, and if I finished Eclipse first, that might help too. So, I guess I have still not found my rhythm or adjusted to the not so new schedule yet. It seems that I should have more time on my hands than ever having all 3 kids in school, but life just seems to get busier the older they get. Emma's homework load is a bit heavier in 4th grade and between dance class, violin, Achievement Days, American Girl Club and her never ending social calendar she has turned into a night owl. She totally comes alive at night wanting to craft, read or just talk our ears off. I am beginning to see some serious pre-teen/tween behaviors going on. She really likes to be in on the adult stuff too and I have to be careful about what kind of information she becomes privy to.

I must say that I do feel so blessed that even though we are busy, everyone is doing great. It seems like I know a lot of people dealing with a lot of stuff right now and I wouldn't trade mine for theirs. I am just a little type A sometimes and with the lack of control of the schedule it's like I am playing a real life Survivor game trying to manage it all. Fortunately, Noah is handling first grade like a pro and has won the heart of his teacher who can't stop gushing about him, and Daegan tells me everyday that he just loves preschool, and well that statement is just music to my ears! Over the summer I struggled with getting him to go to the child care at the gym or to his class at church, so I was a bit paranoid about the whole preschool thing.

For now the current solution to handling the chaos is ( I may have a better plan tomorrow) if I am playing Survivor, I need to have a game plan! I guess the first step might be coming out of denial about the fact the summer break is really over. I may be one of a very small group of parents who were not ready for the leisure of the summer season to end. Maybe one last batch of Pina Coladas (the virgin kind of course) in the blender this weekend and then I'll be ready for fall.

Tribute to My Dad

My Dad passed away last Friday, August 15th, 2008 at the age of 63. He's had many health issues the last few years and he was never able to recover from them. Last Saturday at his funeral I was able to reflect on our relationship and what I've learned from him. What I know for sure about my Dad is that he had a great love for life, he was an extreme optimist and his glass was always full. He taught me to be a dreamer, to work hard and never give up. Our family will miss him very much.

Back to School

Emma and Noah headed back indoors this week to start a new school year. It felt strange to have them back in school so early in the summer, and with temperatures over 100 degrees all week it hasn't been so fun for them to be outside during recess when they belong in a pool. It will take a few weeks to adjust, but I think we are set to have a great year. Emma is entering 4th grade and is in her4th year of the Spanish Magnet Program at Folsom Hills Elelmentary. She was very lucky to be selected for this program in 1st grade and hopefully will be conversationally fluent by the end of her 5th grade year. She won't speak much to us, but when I hear her at school or while practicing her homework her accent is amazing! She has had great teachers and been able to stay with the same group of kids all along, which makes her very happy. Noah is entering 1st grade and is high on the waiting list for the spanish program. He's a lucky kid because his teacher, Mrs. Hedgepath, is one of the nicest teachers at the school and he has tons of friends. Preschool starts this next week for Daegan and I am VERY excited. The preschool is also at Folsom Hills, which is so great because it's a block away and I'll have all 3 kids in at the same school for the next 2 years!

Official Triathletes

Emma and Noah crossed the finish line yesterday to join Dad and Mom as official triathletes. With all the things Todd has going on, he manged to pull off a very successful event and we made it a family affair. This is the 2nd year he has put together The Iron Hills Youth Triathlon for our neighboring town of El Dorado Hills. He recruits participants by offering a one hour a day training camp all summer long. Most of the kids participate and then many others from swim teams or just all over the place also race. Emma and Noah do not participate in the camp or a swim team, but they wanted to try it. I thought maybe Emma would change her mind, or maybe not finish because she really was not prepared. She spent a lot of time playing in the pool this summer, but never got on her bike! I shouldn't underestimate the girl. She finished and can't wait to do the next one. (The funny thing is that she and Sadie both talked the entire race, even during the swim which I assume helped her get through it.) I had no worries about Noah. His age group had a much shorter race and he is so physically active I knew it would not be a problem. Needless to say it was fun and we look forward to Ready. Set. Go! Which is the next race Todd will put together in October for the City of Folsom.