Thursday night our friend Rick came over
for dinner. Erin
tried a delicious new Salmon recipe for marination. It was delicious. Rick brought some delicious Panera bread and nice bottle
of Merlot. Dinner was great and the conversation good as we had not seen Rick in a bit. Rick and Erin used to work together
and Rick just hangs the moon to Liam.
We decided to make the Christmas lights
rounds after dinner and went to Anne Marie
Gardens first. The display seems to get bigger every year. Liam was very
animated and we all laughed at Rick’s great pirate impersonation. Jaxson was fading and Liam a little tired but we decided
to go back across the bridge and on to Bubby Knott’s Flat Iron Farm. This is always fun. The barns had closed but we did the
circuit around the farm. Just like last year they had the house timed to music and we listened to the Trans Siberian Orchestra
and the Peanuts on the radio as we drove by. Liam almost faded before we got there but perked up with the lights and music.
Once home we got the kids to bed. Mister
Rick even helped out with story time with Liam. We all had an afterglow and great conversation. I even think I wrangled Rick
into partaking the Monster Trucks with Liam and I in February.
On Friday Erin and I both went to work
to catch up on time from being out with the sick boys. Erin herself had come down with a pesky cold too. We did go out to
lunch together and ran a Post Office Erin and ran into our wedding photographer at Arbys. Small world he lives in Town Creek
too.
After work we got pizza and ate. After
the boys went to bed we tried to exercise. We were making up for taking Thursday night off. I didn’t let my food digest and
had a very uncomfortable ride that was slow on pace. Erin went to bed early as we had a big
day the next day/ I finished watching It’s a Wonderful Life. I have seen it a gazillion times and it still brings a tear to
my eye at the end. I checked the ever improving local forecast and was off to bed.
On Saturday we were all happy to see the
nasty weather was going to not only hold off but mainly miss us. We loaded up the Jeep as we decided to take it just in case
the roads got slippery that night. We were meeting Kate and Rich in Washington
D.C. for the day. We met them at the Air and Space Museum a little after 10. We got there
right at opening and they were only a few minutes out themselves so we all timed it very well considering they were coming
from right outside Philadelphia.
The Air & Space was a lot of fun and
the cell phones worked great to allow us to wander in groups back and forth thru the museum. Rich and Liam loved the space,
I the airlines, Liam and I the WW I(the buddies he calls them), and Kate and Erin enjoyed the temporary American History wing.
This was here due to the American History being under current renovation.
At 11:30 Liam got to partake in a fun story
time about a plane trip. He was a good boy and even got a chuckle from the storyteller. After the story all the kids got to
decorate their own suitcase complete with name tag. I think Liam had a great time and it gave us adult’s time to chat and
catch up some. Before we left I did some last minute shopping for Santa and found a great Clearance book on PSA airlines and
a Pan Am logo T-Shirt.
Erin’s co-worker Sandie gave Erin some great ideas to do in D. C. which we did. One was to have lunch at the Old Post Office. So
we took a brisk walk over there and had lunch. The food court was in a basement they dug out when they decided to not tear
down the building but renovate it for shops and offices. It was a little hectic getting the kids settled and fed but we persevered.
We then went up on the elevator 11 stories for the Bell Tower tour.
What a view of D. C we got. It was cold
and brisk up there so we didn’t stay a long time but you could see everything up there including Reagan National across the
river. When we went back down we stopped and got a desert. Rich and the boys had cookies, Erin and Kate baklava, and I cheesecake.
We then took a walk down towards the Washington monument.
The national tree and all the state Christmas
trees were on display. Each states tree was themed and some were done by children. I took photos of all the meaningful states
to us. There were bleachers set up for choirs to come out on a portable stage and sing. We did not see this. We also enjoyed
the big Yule log fire pit to get warm although we got smoked out after a bit. We could hardly tear Jaxson away from all the
O Gauge trains running along the bottom of the National Tree all adorned in red bows.
We started to head back towards the parking
garage but realized we had time to take in the Natural History museum which also let us warm up as it was a brisk day. Liam was
excited to see Dum Dum (Easter Island Statue he loves form the movie Night At The Museum and also in Nemo's fish bowl
at home).We stayed mainly in the gems area. Liam loved getting to touch some of the minerals and enjoyed going into the area
that looked like a mine. A elderly guard was very kind and entertained Erin with a story
on the value of gems and Liam got a sticker from him when Liam and I passed him later. The crowds were beginning to dispense
for the day so we spilled out into the cold also. The Big Bertha stroller did its job. We only pull it out in situations like
this and it made a great place for storing coats, hats, and gloves as well as kids.
Across the street from the parking
garage was a Starbucks calling our cold hands and noses. I even enjoyed a caramel coffee myself. I have never had coffee.
I am not staring another bad habit but it was good and the caffeine was a plus beside the warmth. We all enjoyed some conversation
while the kids played around the table and got their antsy’s out before the ride home. It was a wonderful day and we were
touched that Kate and Rich took the time out of their busy holiday schedule to meet up with us. We already have begun spring
plans for another rendezvous at the Baltimore Aquarium which none of us have been to.
We stopped at the Pet store when we got
home to get doggy presents and food. The kids had a little snack and were off to bed. Erin and I watched a bit of television
but were tired and retired for the evening. I read a few pages of my new book and readily drifted off myself.
On Sunday we made it a lazy day. It was
nasty in the morning and windy and cold all day. I did my bike ride in the morning and was encouraged that it was good even
though my ankles were sore from all the walking the previous day. Erin was busy getting us
ready for the next week. She also ran out for some Christmas related supplies and an exchange on a collar that didn’t fit
Ashy. I split some more wood which is kind of like a hobby in the winter. I love that splitter I got for fifteen bucks. What
a great deal.
In the evening Erin and the boys were busy
on a project so I decided the steaks I was marinating could wait until Monday night. We ordered from a new place called Mom
and Pops and they forgot part of our order and had to come back so we were not impressed at all. Liam has been faithfully
doing his nativity book with one of us each night. The charaters get punched out of the book and go on his dresser. Last night
was the shepherd. He practically has the book memorized and reads right along with us.
The evening was a dilemma as the Redskins
were playing the Giants and Survivor Finale was on. It was an easy pick. We watched a great finale show while I tuned into
the game in commercial breaks. Erin was off to bed and I watched the end of the game after
Survivor. So many of the shows we regularly watch are ending in the coming weeks such as Survivor, Kid Nation, and Little
People Big World. Guess we will be watching more movies now.
This week is all about wrapping presents!
Also we have a very important speech test with Jaxson tomorrow morning. Friday night will be Erin’s
Company Christmas party. We didn’t go to mine as it has been the same thing in the same place for almost ten years so it gets
a little boring. Erin’s company is small so we usually go to a very nice restaurant for dinner.
Janet and Bill have been kind enough to baby-sit and bring over Liam’s friend Roselia that night.
Short weekends are just never long enough!
Friday Russ and I split the day. Jaxson was sick. I worked the morning, and then went home so Russ could
go in for the afternoon. I also took Jax to the doctor. Jax has a bad cold and the usual ear infection so he's
on an antibiotic. He is also behind in his shots, so I'll need to take him back next week to get a few. Luckily,
the medicine started working right away, and he's turned into Mr. Got-to-climb-on-everything now.
After the trip to the doctors, the boys and I started in on a couple of Christmas projects they plan to give out as gifts
this year. They both had good naps in the afternoon, and I got a head start on a few chores around the house.
That evening, Russ and I wrapped and packaged gifts to go hither and yon for Christmas. Liam stayed up a little
later because he'd had such a late nap and because he wanted to watch The Polar Express on TV.
Saturday morning, I was in the mood for pancakes, so I made us all a good breakfast. We needed to head up to the
mall to pick up my ring at Kay jewelers. Normally, we avoid the mall, but a small diamond had fallen out of my ring
on Thanksgiving, and I had to get it repaired. We also decided to treat ourselves to lunch at Red Lobster while we were
up there.
After lunch, we crossed the parking lot to go to Toys R Us. This is another store we normally try to avoid.
Liam almost went into overload as he was bombarded by all the toys. It was really quite funny. Our main target
was the back of the store to the bike section. I'll spare you the long story, but let's just shorten it by saying that
the second hand bike that I'd purchased at the Leprechaun Lilly's Consignment sale back in October, was now looking a little
to young for our dear Liam. He's mastered his tricycle, and Santa promised him that if he learned how to pedal and steer
that he'd think about getting him a bike for Christmas. However, Santa wasn't sure what SIZE to get him, so we had to
go try a few out. Luckily, the Hot Wheels bike that Liam saw in an instant was a perfect fit! We told Liam that he'd
have to write Santa a letter to tell him.
Well, Daddy got lost in the store for a little while. Liam and Jaxson enjoyed browsing with Mommy. Then Daddy
found us again and we picked out some toys to put in the Toys for Tots bins. We got a Spiderman truck and a harmonica
and Liam really understood that we were giving them to a boy or girl that won't get a lot of presents for Christmas.
So the mall trip ate up most of the day, but we survived. We were pretty tired, so after the boys went to bed,
Russ and I watched a movie.
I got a special treat on Sunday morning. First, we got to sleep a little later than usual just because the boys
slept late too. Then, after Liam came in, Russ got up, got Jaxson, went downstairs, and made us all breakfast!
I had breakfast in bed for the first time in probably 3 years!
After the nice breakfast, I went downstairs to start making some cookie dough. Liam and I were going over to my
friend, Janet's house to make Christmas cookies with her and her daughter, Rosalia. I planned to double the recipe.
I put four sticks of butter in a bowl and put it in the microwave to soften. While this was happening, I started mixing
up the dry ingredients... well.. at least trying to. My hand mixer decided to up and die just as the brown sugar and
white sugar were blending together. There was no way I was going to get any dough without super human strength.
So upstairs I went to take a shower so I could go to Wal-Mart to get another mixer.
I wasn't gone too long, and somehow managed to escape a myriad of temptations at the new Super Wal-Mart.
Once back, I started mixing up the eggs and sugar. Liam and Jaxson even helped. When it was all mixed together,
I got a little worried. It looked pretty dry. I was trying to figure out why, and think of a way I was going to be able
to roll it out to cut out cookies. I even started to call Mom to ask her what I might be able to add to soften it up.
Just as the phone started to ring on the other end, I started to warm up a cup of coffee and opened the microwave. Yep,
there sat the four sticks of butter. Fortunately, I was able to blend it all in.
So, I got things ready for the coming week while Liam and Jaxson took a little snooze. Then I got Liam up and he
was excited to go to Rosalia's house to make cookies! Jaxson slept a little longer, but then had a nice afternoon playing
with Daddy at home.
We made a bunch of cookies and had a really nice time. I was a little concerned about Liam because he seemed to
have a nagging cough. It was tough keeping him from contaminating the cookies! I figured he was getting what Jaxson
had, but he didn't seem to have a fever, and was happy enough, so I figured I'd just give him some Tussin and he'd be fine.
Yeah, right. That night, Liam (and I) was up most of the night with a cough that just would NOT go away.
Finally, he ended up sleeping in the chair. I went to work, but was not surprised when Russ called me about 8:00 to
tell me that he was staying home with Liam. I told him that if he was staying home, that he might as well get Liam into
the doctor to get some good meds so he wouldn't be sick for Christmas.
It was a good thing Russ took him that afternoon. Liam has bronchitis. The doctor demanded he get a nebulizer
treatment right there in the office. So, I now have quite a pharmacy on the counter.
It's Tuesday, and Russ just called me with a status report. Liam isn't coughing, but is still wheezing. The
doctor said that if he was still coughing today, to bring him in for another treatment. I think we've decided that I'll
go home in a little bit so Russ can go into work. The medicine might kick in and he'll be fine. He probably could
go to daycare since he isn't contagious, but we just think he could use one more day to be home.
