Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Merry Christmas! I hope you all had an enjoyable day surrounded by loved ones and all that good holiday stuff!

Ahhhhh the kiddies are in bed!! Was a busy day here! That glum 'it's over' feeling is starting to fade. Yes, I still get that feeling as an adult. I think so much goes in to making the day 'perfect', which is impossible - we are imperfect beings. I wonder why we put such pressure on ourselves? Funny, isn't it? Spent the day with the kids and it was crazy and quick. Teri and the boys (sister and nephews) stopped by for a bit this afternoon. Doug was unable to join us due to work, but should be here in the next 2 weeks. He spent the day with friends, Birdie and Des, in Seattle (where he's been working).

Michaela has a flight to NC @ 7am. Which means I'll need to have her there at about 5:30am. YIKES!! Teri says the airport has been just super crazy. She'll return in the afternoon on the 31st.

A few Hogg Holiday stats:

1. got to sleep 'til 8am! (New Christmas morning record!)
2. Placed 18 batteries in various toys
3. Filled 3 garbage bags with bows, wrap and cardboard
4. Of said bags, number dug through looking for lost gift card: 2
5. Took kids to Mass. Alex sat relatively still! (Christmas miracle?)
6. Worst gift to assemble: Griffin's new water dish
7. Best gift kids got: "Super Fort" by Cranium

Gift to self

As a Christmas treat to myself, I attended the Soul Asylum concert at the First Ave last night! Whoa! These guys are AWESOME live! Apparently it's an annual gig since they are from Minneapolis, so I plan on attending again next year, if I am still living in the area.

What I find kinda funny is how many people I know that don't want to go to this place cuz they think they 'won't fit in'. First of all, who cares?? And secondly, there is a VERY wide range of people here. I love that it's known as a 'danceteria', yet I rarely see a bunch of dancing going on. A bit here and there, yes. Mostly, people just hang out drinking and talking. Very mellow, friendly atmosphere!

Most people seem to show up for the headlining shows here. And they really are missing out on the local music! Generally, local bands open for the the headlining bands. The opening bands last night, Catch Penny and Ouija Radio, are both from Minneaopolis and very good. Again, it's great living here if you're a music junkie because the local talent is abundant and usually, great to listen to!

Right on time!

December 21st....Winter Solstice...shortest day of the year...first day of winter. I like this day because from here on out, the days get longer! Hooray for daylight! It was raining like crazy here earlier, then it started dumping these HUGE flakes!! Mostly gone now. Though I will say the ONLY time I LOVE snow is for Christmas.

Also, I HAD to share this photo my dad sent of my

nephew standing by their tree. My Dad had been receiving flack because he wasn't going to put up a tree for Daniel. I guess he had the last laugh! Or maybe I did! I just loved this photo! Not what I grew up with, but it's cute! I, to this day, think my parents always had the most beautiful Christmas trees!! I still don't know how they fit all the different types of light strands etc on there! You could hardly see the branches through all the glitz! It was fabulous!

Thanks guys for the holiday funny!

Is my sanity coming to town too?

Can you find my bedroom amongst this mess??? Good grief!! It looks as if they are doing a photo shoot for the next "I SPY" book release! Yes, under all that, my bed is made. I haven't been able to sleep in it for a couple days, which is pathetic!

I'm down to the final, most dreaded, stage of my Christmas preparations.. the wrapping. Every year I say I'm gonna wrap as I shop, and every year, it doesn't happen! I'm beginning to think those Jehovah's Witnesses are on to something here!

I'm already thinking about a post-Christmas gift to myself.. a pedicure and a massage! Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!

St. Cloud Christmas

Sunday we drove up to St. Cloud as we were invited to a pre-Christmas gathering at Todd's aunt and uncle's place. OMG!!! We pretty much ate food for 6 hours straight! EGADS!!! Met the newest addition to the family, Mason, who is 5 weeks old and just as precious as can be! He's cousin Sarah and her husband, Phil's, first baby.

Everyone had a great time and a huge thanks to Paulette and Tom for having us all over! Great spread everybody! I am still kinda full I think as I haven't really eaten since Sunday! The kids all played well and slept hard afterward. Alex was home yesterday with the tummy flu. I am hoping everyone else has been fine, especially, Mason. It was short lived and Alex was eating everything in sight by dinnertime. Still garbaging quite a bit today.

Christmas Cookie Chaos

This past Saturday was the annual Cookie Day at our place! Even with making all the doughs the day before, it was still NUTS!! My kitchen is just too small and I'm easily frustrated in it!

The kids had a great time though! We invited others to decorate with us and they had fun too! My friend, Kim, brought some cool cake decorating stuff and was showing the kids some fancy tricks! Todd was up for a visit and got in on the sugary fun too.

As much as I love this time of year, I am ready to be done. I am so tired. I am so far behind! I haven't even mailed my cards yet! I haven't mailed the gifts I need to mail. I hope those of you reading this will be patient! I haven't even wrapped anything really. Usually I am by far done by now and just enjoying the season. I'm hoping that next year, when I am not in school, it will be better.

Life's Milestones

Been a hectic week! Finals were done on Tuesday. They went fine. Though I think I received the worst set of final grades ever with straight Bs. I'm not upset though, as I hardly studied at all this semester, so I shan't complain! A 'B' in Pharmacology without hardly studying is not so bad, I figure! And I'm now 4/5 of the way done with school! A milestone!

Today was another life marker with the finalization of my divorce. Good to have it off the 'to do' slate. I've had a lot of people ask me if I am 'happy' about this. Happy is sort of a funny way to describe a divorce; relieved, yes, happy? I dunno. I mean - nobody sets out getting married with the intention of getting a divorce down the road. But it happens, I accept that. I have learned that it can sometimes be very hard to get the simplest things in life. That it takes both people to make a marriage work. And that life is far too short to spend it unhappy. With that I have a set of lyrics to post. It's a simple list of things, that I bolded, that I think we all desire, need and deserve.

Honesty (Write Me A List) by Rodney Atkins-

He said, "Just think it over, and write me a list"
"So we can figure out what we both deserve"
She hardly could believe it, their love had come to this
Dividing and deciding his and hers
But she grabbed a paper napkin and ask the waitress for a pen
And one by one she wrote down what she wanted most from him

Honesty, sincerity, tenderness and trust
A little less time for the rest of the world
and more for the two of us
Kisses each morning, I love yous at night
Just like it use to be
The way life was when you were in love with me

She reached across the table and placed it in his hand
And said, "You know this isn't easy for me"
As he thought about the new car, the house and the land
And wondered what the bottom line would be
And a thousand other things that she'd want him to leave behind
But he never dreamed he'd open up that napkin and find

Honesty, sincerity, tenderness and love
A little less time for the rest of the world
And more for the two of us
Kisses each morning, I love yous at night
Just like it use to be
The way life was when you were in love with me

Well, he fought back the tears as he looked in her eyes
And said, " I don't even know where to start"
And she said, "Everything on that list in you hand
Is written somewhere in your heart"

Honesty, sincerity, just like it use to be
The way life was when you were in love with me

Holidazzle Parade (Holidisaster?)

Last nite it was about 40 degrees (Let's hear it for global warming! I think MN will be the new FL!) so I packed up the kids and drove 'em down to Minneapolis for the annual Holidazzle Parade on Nicollett Mall. Unfortunately, Jeremy had an incident involving his knee and a coffee table, so he, Kristi and the Shawlettes weren't able to join us. Well, sort of....

So we enjoyed the parade and then I took the kids around the corner to Applebee's for dinner to wait for the traffic to thin a bit before we headed out of downtown. After dinner, upon arriving back at the van, I realize that my ignition key is gone!!! After a few laps around the block we'd frequented, I gave up and called AAA. Only to find that Doug and I's membership was expired. It's 8:30 at this time. After setting up my new AAA account, waiting for an hour for the local AAA locksmith to tell me he was out of the transponder key for my van, and finding ANOTHER locksmith to come out, well.. it's like 10pm. Then there was a buncha other hiccups in the mess, so I called Jeremy and he came and picked up the kids, dropped Chan at her place and got mine delivered home. Saw them off from downtown around 10:30. After some trial and error with the locksmith, $220 for the key, I arrived home around 12:30am. YIKES!!! A little bit of bah humbug, I tell ya!!

A HUGE THANKS to Jeremy for helping me out. I know that was a major pain in the ass! I appreciate it and I owe you big!! And thanks to you too, Todd, for staying on the phone with me and keeping my stress levels well below where they coulda been!!

Feed your WILD side

Last night I attended my first live Minnesota Wild hockey game with my friend, Pat (No, he's not 4'11", I'm standing on the rungs of a stool!). And whatta game it was!!! Went all the way to a shoot out in the end which we won! Well worth the $$ and three months' wait for the game.

They played the Calgary Flames, my other favorite team. Jarome Iginla is just amazing to watch. They played a great game. Our goalie, Manny Fernandez, did an awesome job.

There's just something about going to live sporting events that is exhilarating. There is so much more to it that is missed by watching it on TV. That has been a definite perk to moving back to a major city. Hoping to catch a Timberwolves game over break as well!

Happy 105th Bday Mr. Disney!!!

Yeah, Alex was born on Walt's 100th bday!! No, I didn't get a lifetime pass to Disney Parks of any sort!!

Seriously though, Happy 5th Birthday, Little Man!!! Hard to believe you're 5 already! And to think there were many a time during your first year that I was SURE one of us wasn't gonna survive :) Had just a quiet little get together after dinner with cupcakes and pressies.

Woke up this morning to NO hot water in the joint. And then found a very wet floor in the laundry room (thankfully with a floor drain nearby!) Yup.. so for Alex's bday *I* got a new hot water heater! Renting does have its perks.

I know you're all wondering about that horrid arachnid photo. Well... that's what I found in my kitchen this evening when I got home!!! Sorry the image is cruddy, but that guy was moving fast! And I was just trying to get some evidence before I terminated his contract. This thing was one of the ugliest spiders I have ever seen!!! When Griffin won't touch it, and he eats EVERYTHING, you KNOW it's bad!! And I know you can't tell, but he was about the size of a quarter! Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww!!!! Wonder where the rest of them are...

I'm gonna go oil my #1/! point key.

Oh Christmas Tree

Well, here's the way the tree turned out this year! I say this because I have so many ornaments/decorations that it never looks the same from year to year. Truthfully, I have enough for two+ trees, just not the space for two trees in the townhouse! So I just put up my small one here. Though I will say that I think I'll be investing in a prelit tree in the near future. I look forward to the day where I can afford a house for us and put up all my stuff again! I miss it! But the place looks pretty festive!

It was a busy weekend! The gang got home from NZ on Friday night, which led to heaps of laundry all weekend! And very excited, jet lagged children (and Dad)!

Early Saturday morning the girls had their Kung Fu belt tests and are both now Yellow belts. They also received invitations to join the sparring group! This is a BIG deal. Few students receive invites to this accessory group each semester. And here, both my girls, both only very new to the school, got them! I am VERY proud...and scared because their equipment for this will cost about $400 for the two of them! Egads! Did the holiday decorating on Saturday while Doug and the kids went and picked up Becca's new specs and Michaela had her hair done.

Sunday was the birthday party ala Alex, a tidy up on the decorating, and dinner with the Shawley neighbors after the day was done. Didn't get to study for my Nutrition test until this morning, and that was a waste of time since the test was comprised of none of the info we were told to study! Got my final proficiency in that class done! YEAH! Finished another patient in clinic today and finished off my clinical proficiencies for the semester too. Just 3 more days this week: all with patient finals in clinic, 2 more proficiencies in Hygiene Lab and a Pharmocology test. Next week is finals week! Then it's 3.5 weeks of school free time YIPPEEEEE!!!

Michaela's new mane

Here's a view of Michaela's latest hair experiment. Our hair wizardress, Melissa, just loves it when Michaela makes an appointment because she knows that Michaela has some latest 'idea' and she loves the play time that her other clients don't allow her. She had wanted the bang portions blue, but apparently had to settle on a burgundy tone as they didn't have blue and the "c'mon mom, just let me do the TIPS black" turned into more than JUST the tips!! But hey, if the changing hair is the only grief I get outta this teenager, I'll take it!

Dinosaur Walk Museum

Alex's 5th birthday party was celebrated this weekend at the Dinosaur Walk Museum in Mall of America. Just a small affair with Doug, the kids, and the Shawley neighbor gang. Sigh!! My baby is now a little man!

They had a good time. I think. They sure liked the movie room. Jer and I weren't overly impressed with the tour guide lady. So we did some funny posing with dinos around the place. Once I get those photos from him, I'll post a few. Doug also captured a photo of our dino finger puppet wrestling bout, which I won!! The cake turned out pretty cool, though Doug and I weren't too sure on its flavor...hmmmm..

Happy Birthday, Bubba Joe!!!

Aotearoa 2006

Aotearoa is Maori for "Land of the Long White Cloud". And it's truly one of the loveliest places I've ever been and I'm quite proud that my youngest children are citizens of this country. Actually, they're "dualies" as they have both US and NZ citizenship.

Doug and the smalls spent the last two weeks of November in NZ. Grandma Fay was celebrating her 75th birthday and it was the perfect time for an overdue visit!

They had a fantastic time with their cousins and other relatives! And from the sounds of things, were spoiled well! They had snail parties, and new foods, swimming with the neighbors, trout fishing (That fish is sure to make Grandpa Joe proud!), and a tripping around town. I hear the weather prevented them from doing all they had planned, but they loved it all the same and can't wait to get back!

They came home with many neat things, but I want to thank everyone there for the lovely new batch of Christmas ornaments! Fantastic! Every one of them! Our tree looks grand!!

The Annual Hunt

Here's an equation for ya..

13 guys + 7 dogs X 26 pheasants = one awesome bbq!!!

The day after Tday is the annual pheasant hunt for the gang down south! The guys headed out early... I stayed nestled in a nice warm bed. And I guess a lot of the girls were out shopping...

At day's end, we gathered at Cousin Jim's for a bbq and some cards. A lot of the family members, who are Belgian, they played this card game called Bean. As much as I tried, I couldn't get this one down. Some drunken Belgian tradition for sure!! So Jim's wife, their daughter and I played Cribbage. That was more my speed!

And that pheasant was FANTASTIC!!! Mmmmmmm Mmmmmm!

Thanksgiving: Take 2!

Guess I'd better get caught up here!! Been a crazy couple weeks!

While the kids were off at their various holiday locations, I spent the weekend down in Marshall with Todd and his relations (which there appears to be no shortage of!!). It was good fun! Spent Thanksgiving out as his folks' place and ate copious amounts of food! After dinner Todd, Tom (Todd's BIL) and Todd's nephews (Brad and John) suited up and went out shot a few rounds. Thanks to everyone for a great time and the warm hospitality!!