We need a REAL vacation!

I was just downstairs at teh daycare, having snack with S&S, and noticed there are only 5 kids in the monkeys’ class today. Some are on vacation, some went part time, one is sick, etc. So I was telling the teachers how sad it is that S&S are always there and told Sahil "I think we need to take a vacation too" and he said "yeah, go Costco." How sad is that?! He thinks Costco is a vacation spot... I think that's a sign that we need to take a real vacation!
And go to Costco tomorrow....

Dear Wonderful Husband:

Dear C-dawg
I'm so happy for you today! Great great news! You deserve it and have earned it, and should feel so proud! Thanks for doing so much for the three of us. I don't know how I got so lucky to have you in my life. I am so blessed. I love you!

Having you as my only reader does have its small benefits... :)

Noble Pils

I asked Chetan to pick up a winter beer the other day, and he came home with Sam Adams Noble Pils....I was not happy. It didn't look like a winter beer at all, it looked all springy, which it is definitely not outside. So I tried to smile, and look grateful, but really was just sad that there'd be no SA Winter Lager for me that night. Then I read the label, and it said it's the perfect beer for when spring is just a few weeks away....and suddenly teh beer was a perfect choice!! I thanked Chetan for buying a perfect beer and happily poured myself a bottle of it, in my pilsner glass of course. Marketing poeple love people like me, huh?
How was it? It was good! It's a great pilsner. I do like pilsners, but I think it's just too snowy, cold and miserable outside for me to fully enjoy a pilsner right now. I think I'll enjoy this beer much more once some fresh spring air is blowing through my house. Good thing since I just read that the Noble Pils is replacing Sam Adams' White Ale, its usual Spring bew.

" Happy to you!"

January 14th was Sahil and Samira's 2nd birthday! I CANNOT believe it's been two years since my lil monkeys were born! And yet I'm amazed at how much I love them and how much joy they have brought us in just two years. Crazy to think we have condiments in the fridge that are older than them...yet they are our life now! The monkeys, not the condiments.

This year they did somewhat understand it was their birthday, and they were very excited about it. For days Samira sang "Happy To you" to Sahil, us and to herself. It was so sweet to watch and hear. The day before their birthday Mom and Dad wanted to take them to McDonalds since they were busy on their actual birthday. So we all went to McDonalds where S&S had Happy Meals and fun. They loved eating there. Afterwards we went to Mom and Dad's for cake and presents, and pizza for us. It was a fun evening for everyone!

On Thursday, S&S's actual birthday, they both woke up to us singing Happy Birthday to them, and they were so excited! When we got to the room at school they ran up to the teacher waiting for her to say happy birthday. Samira sang Happy To you to Sahil all day. For snack I took in cookies on popsicle sticks. The teachers had made them birthday crowns which they insisted on wearing all day. Chetan came home with balloons for them, we opened presents, and then went out to dinner at Red Robin. Samira was terrified of the giant Red Robin that walked around the restaurant, while Sahil loved him. Samira decided she loved him too, once he went in the back, and talked about him nonstop. It was a wonderful day, full off reminiscing of the past two years, and full of new memories as well.

My babies are 2 now...no more infant sized clothes, no more free flights, time to get serious about potty training, and time for the terrible/terrific twos!

Christmas Ale winner:

Great Lakes Christmas Ale!

Honorable mention to Breckenridge Christmas Ale and Thirsty Dog's 12 Dogs of Christmas

My least favorite was Bell's.

Luckily there are still plenty of Winter Ales to indulge in, till March...

Sahil & Samira's Christmas Highlights

-Dancing to ‘Hot Chocolate” from Polar Express, and watching it over and over again
-“YIGHTS” every time we passed a twinkly lit home
-“MORE YIGHTS” when we pass the lighted house
-Sahil told me “eating cracker and glue” at snack time. I was a little concerned till I realized it was graham crackers with frosting.
-Making gingerbread houses
-Making gingerbread boys and girls
-Snuggling on the sofa with Mommy, watching Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph and Polar Express.
-“Kindee-cane”
-“Presents!”
-Opening presents with so much excitement
-Insisting on playing whatever they opened right away, and for a long while.
-Scared of “Shanta” at first but loved seeing him from a distance at the mall
-“Snowy Day!” i.e. the book. When they woke up to snow.
-Paring down my bulb ornaments by at least half.
-Listening to Christmas Carols at home and in the car and trying to sing along
-Singing at STRS’s holiday lunch
-Seeing the holiday train display at the library
-Driving through Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek.
-Playing with all the friends and family that stopped by or that we visited during the holidays
-Lots of hugs, kisses, and fun during our time off at home!

Christmas Village

Ever since I saw my neighbor's Christmas village when I was a little kid, I always told myself I'd have a Christmas village of my own one day. I LOVE them!
A couple weeks ago I used all my Kohls cash and coupons and bought 3 Christmas village buildings that were so so cute. I bought a row of shops which included a hardware store and a shoe store, an Irish pub and a Pharmacy thinking I'd start a Christmas village display and add on every year. I also picked up snow cover, a plug, and a village tree at Walmart. I brought it all home and set it up on the foyer table. I thought it looked so cute and wonderful! Chetan walked by it and said "looks nice, Grandma." How rude... Then the monkeys saw it and stood there and stared at it forever, like in a trance. They wouldn't move away or even look away...and I couldn't leave them because I was scared they'd touch something and break it. So...I returned it all. But I do love Christmas villages....maybe I'll try again one day, maybe when I AM a grandma!