It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

My kids are just loving this time of year. I finally am loving it more myself. I am in Richomd now. I sent out my last Christmas card today which makes me feel less stressed. Chris will be here on friday which will be great. My bro showed up from san fran today as well. He hadn't met India yet. Poor Moriah is so painfully shy that she doesn't want to say hi to him which is so sad.
We went to visit santa with all of the old legendery things that go along with it. It is hard to explain, but it is a Richmond thing. I did it when I was a child. There are these displays that were in the old Miller and Rhodes windows back in the day before they got taken over by the larger department stores. They all did great sitting on santas lap, and alexa and moriah read their lists. Alexa wanted a robe and slippers (she added, "make them pink please.") Moriah wants a baby that swims and a pnone. SO much for raising my kids to ask for world peace...
anyways another Richmond tradition is the tacky light tour. My kids look forward to it every year. So much so, that when I told the kids we will possibly be in India next Christmas, Alexa about cried because we would miss the tacky light tour. We are going on Saturday. We pile all 8 of us into the expedition and dad has a whole list of addresses with mapquest directions. We go house to house to see the tackiest lights of richmond. Everyone tries to outdo the other guy so you can believe me that there are some outragously crazy tacky lighted houses. People get out of their cars and walk around, and some places take donations since it costs quite a bit on the electric bill. People rent limos for the night. It is a very big deal here. Funny, right!
Oh, Chris did go out and buy a gift for Moriah. It is a $50 laptop! I just hope she likes it. She is really into learning to read, and this has a lot of games for that. Since we travel a lot, he is thinking she'll love it in the car. I hope so. I wouldn't have spent that much on a toy for her, but Chris was just so excited about it that I wasn't going to tell him no. I was worried that we got so much more for Alexa than Moriah and now it is the other way around. Well, I am going to try not to be one of those moms that has to be even. I hate that.

The Many Faces of Moriah...

Moriah is an amazing child. She can be such a clown at home. Full of laughs and jokes. Full of dances and songs. And she can also really throw an angry fit. Then she can keep her lips tightly closed, determined not to say a word to someone who is trying to have a conversation with her. Her pediatrician was a little worried about her not talking this morning at her physical. I assured her she talks fine. Then it was time to get her flu shot. She was cool about it until she saw the needle. She screamed and fought so hard. It took three of us to hold her down! Wow. Then she was fine and I bought her a donut, and you would never knew she was so traumatized. Here is a little elf version of the faces of Moriah.

Enjoying the holidays?

I'm trying to enjoy the season. I really am not wanting to be a grinch, but throwing in all this illness, broken bones, people dying, etc. Well, anyways this week seems to be better, but now I only have a week to get everything done. I shouldn't feel stressed about the fact that alexa is the only one i have shopped for, right?? that's not what Christmas is about! So, I am going to do what I can, and not worry about the rest. Moriah and India don't need anything anyways. If anyone has any really creative idea to give a 5 year old that doesn't involve shopping, I would love to hear some ideas. India won't know the difference anyways. I want to give Moriah something that is more special than some material item anyways. She hardly plays with her toys. She just loves mommy and daddy time, learning to read, ice-cream... well you get the picture. She is not in to things like Alexa is.
I am going to start baking like mad tomorrow, and work on my christmas cards. I am going to Virginia in a week! It is coming so fast. Well, hopefully we can enjoy this week for what it is.

Everyone is doing better except for...

Poor old me. Actually Chris too. We both woke up yesterday sounding like frogs. I think I have bronchitis. I knew I had been fighting something for a while and now that my kids are doing better, it caught up with me. I called out sick today and have been laying low. Check out what my little elves have been doing while I have been sick.
In other news, Chris is starting to work out!! Yes, I will write it again so that you know you read correctly and it wasn't some typing mistake. CHRIS IS WORKING OUT! Last week was the first session. I am his own personal trainer. Since he has never worked out a day in his life, we are actually lifting about the same weight now (except for press and bench). I am sure he will pass me in that department soon. He is actually really liking it. Well, today we went for our second session and since we were both feeling like crap and he was sore from 3 days ago, he wasn't enjoying it quite as much. But I am sure next time will be better. I am proud of him.

What to do with the pumpkins??

Bake them!! If you have some small pumpkins sitting on your steps, no need to throw them away. In the past two years, I have grown to love baking pumpkin pies. I don't even like them that much, but my husband does, so I set myself out to find the martha within. Last year I baked one of the little pumpkins we got at a fall party. I thought it would be neat for the kids to see how to make a pumpkin pie from scratch, and since I never did it myself, I had to do some researching. I found this great website. Check it out. Also, you can make a healthier version which my kids love but my husband doesn't. If you try to decrease the amount of sugar your family eats, try this recipe:
Crust:
2 T margarine or butter
1/3 c apple juice concentrate
3/4 c whole-wheat flour
1/2 c wheat germ
1/4 c chopped pecans (i use almonds)

filling:
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 can pumpkin (or 1 small fresh pumpkin cooked)
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/2 nutmeg
1 c raisins
3/4 c +2 T apple juice conc
2/3 c +2 T evaporated skim milk
2 t vanilla
1 T unflavored gelatin


for crust, melt butter and juice and blend w/ flour, wheat germ, and pecans, press into 9 inch pie plate. pre-heat oven to 425 and make filling: mix eggs, pumpkin, and spices,. process raisins, juice, and 1/3 +2T milk, and vanilla in blender or food processor. add pumpkin mixture and mix well. stir in geletin w/ remaining milk and let stand 1 minute. stir with pumkin mix and pour in shell. bake 15 min and reduce heat to 350 for 45 minutes. it thickens more after refrigerating.

Enjoy your pumpkins:)