Snow Bunny

We've had SO many snow days this school year (OK, that may be a bit dramatic, we've had 6), and all the kids ever want to do is go sledding up at Hurstbourne (preferably with the Weis boys!).  All the kids like to snowboard, but Sarah is a skier at heart, as evidenced by this photo sequence:

OK...this isn't so bad

Whoa, what's happening?

Yikes, this is bad

Ugh.  I knew there was a reason I prefer to ski.

She's still my snow bunny!

Cheerin' On the Cousins

This winter John and his cousin Bruce are both playing in the St. Matthews basketball league at Ballard High School.  Bruce plays on a team made up mostly of his KCD classmates, and John plays on a team made up of mostly St. Margaret Mary kids (his neighborhood friends).  They aren't on the same team, and Shannon and I pray  they don't have to play against each other (can you imagine how the Manning parents feel when Peyton and Eli have to play each other?!).  We joke that they probably won't meet up until the last game of the tournament, the most emotionally charged game of the season!  Both the boys are doing great, and it's been fun to get to seem them both play.

Bruce goes up for a rebound - he's a rebounding machine!

John tips off, a perk of being tall

They may be on different teams, but family comes first

American Idol

Some folks may think singers are American Idols, but in our house, an American Idol can also be a swimmer.  While in Swimville today buying a new practice suit Sarah got to meet 11 time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin.  She was beautiful!  She's a backstroker like Sarah, so in our book she's a pretty big deal.  It's fun to meet a superstar.

Whole Lotta Playin' Goin' On

We have turned into one of those families I've always been judgemental about...the kind who let their kids play on more than one sports team at a time.  Against my better judgement John is playing on THREE basketball teams right now (and let me just say, I should have listened to my gut instinct because it's way too much for him AND me).  However, he truly loves to play and is most content in life when he has a practice or a game on the horizon.  He is so competitive and takes basketball very seriously.  His favorite team is the Packers (aka the St. Margaret Mary Mustangs).  His coach, Bob Bender, is very tough on him, and he loves it.  His other two teams are CAL teams, and he is one of the older kids on both teams.  These teams aren't quite as competitive so I've been telling him to use these experiences to learn how to be a leader and encourager.  Does he listen to me?  Who knows.  Regardless, there's a whole lotta playin' goin' on!

CAL Wildcats - Basketball Academy

Snow Day for Jill

This morning we received a small amount of snow, but it was enough for John's basketball game to be cancelled.  It didn't take long for John to talk Lawrence into taking him and Sarah (and Owen Weis) to Perfect North for the day.  This left me with an entire day to myself.  This can actually be sort of unnerving to me.  It is complete bliss, yet I'm so used to having something to do that any unstructured time makes me feel like one of today's kids who is involved in a million activities and doesn't know how to entertain himself.

As always at the first of the year, I feel a supreme need to "nest" and organize, so I decided today was the perfect day to tackle all the clutter in our kitchen.  I keep things fairly neat on the "outside", but one look in my cabinets and drawers and one would be appalled.  I literally spent the entire day (well, almost the entire day, I did take a nap and go to Bed, Bath & Beyond and Hobby Lobby) cleaning out all the junk we've accumulated over the last year.  Here are my Befores and Afters (just like HGTV!):

Before of my cookbook shelf...this area has become a catch all for matches, candles, nails, etc.  A mess!

Ahhh, nice and clean with JUST cookbooks (for now)

Super icky...underneath my sink...moldy, gross, and the shelf had caved in so bottles were constantly tipping over!

Ta da!  I cut a piece of chalkboard that was out in the garage and made a new shelf.  Tossed out all the empty bottles, and we're nice and tidy!

Our counter stools were a serious hazard to anyone who sat in them.   About to fall apart!

New stools...that you can actually sit in.  These took a while to assemble (I know, the fact that I had to assemble them means they aren't too high quality), but were worth the effort.

This cabinet sits near our table and has become a home for phone books, markers, paper, play-doh.  The door barely shuts at this point!

Homework zen...just the right amount of paper and school supplies, plus only current phonebooks and directories.

OK, so this cabinet has a story behind it (actually, above it).  The junk drawer above this cabinet broke LAST YEAR and everything just fell out of it.  And yep, I left it all there for a year!

Our lunch boxes now have their own home again (oh, and I fixed the drawer).

OK, this area makes me crazy.  Our "charging station" is a "clutter station."  

Oh, THERE's my phone!  Now I can see it.

So I'm going to bed tonight feeling pretty good about myself (of course I'm ignoring the fact that I let these areas get this bad to begin with).  Oh well.  I'll be retired and an empty nester one day, and my house will be neat, and I know I'll miss the mess.  Hard to believe right now, but I think it's true.  

Christmas at Meme's and Papa's

On the Sunday after New Year's Day we celebrated Christmas with my side of the family.  We usually celebrate with them the Sunday before Christmas but the Hamilton crew traveled to St. Petersburgh, Florida that weekend to watch the Cards win the Beef O'Brady's Bowl so we waited until after Christmas to celebrate this year.  We had our traditional brunch, which is one of my all time favorite meals.  Our menu is always breakfast casserole, potatoes, french toast, and fruit...plus this year we added homemade cinnamon rolls (thanks goes to Cindy for introducing Mom and Dad to The Pioneer Woman's recipe on Christmas day!).  Everything was soooo good and we love hanging out around the table catching up.  Even though we all live in Louisville we very rarely are all together in person.

Swapping stories around the table

We love to see Reese and Maverick (Joe's and Shannon's grandkids)...they are getting so big, and the kids love to play with them.

Shannon, Joe and cutie Maverick

Sarah, Claire and Bruce love on Reese

After brunch we gathered together to exchange gifts.  This year the big gifts were items from Pottery Barn Teen, clothing from Aeropostale, and Paper Jams guitars for the boys.  We always give Papa a Santa every year for his collection and this year it was of a Santa delivering a puppy to a little boy and girl.  He surprised the kids this year with handmade sleds made out of skis he had found at various Good Will stores.  So cool!  They can't wait for the first snow day!

I got Mom this coat from one of her favorite stores, Chico's

Bruce jamming on his Paper Jams

Aeropostale shirts and jammies for Claire

The Hamiltons got Sarah this great coat from Aeropostale

A new Santa for Dad

Hand made sleds from Papa

Joe Jr. looking good in his new J. Crew sweater

Inspired by Maverick, I then went home and took a nap.

Welcome 2011!

I can't believe a new year has come!  We rang in 2011 over at the Bunting's house with a fabulous night of food, friends and fun.  The Psimers also came in from Lexington and we spent the evening catching up and enjoying a wonderful fondue dinner while the kids ran around and played.  The Thieneman's also joined the party and were a great addition. The Bunting's house is the perfect place to hang out...so much space, and they are the best entertainers!  We love their family, and we love being with the Psimers...so much so that we even spent the night and stayed the entire next day.  Rummikub, football, food, great conversation...I can't think of a better way to start the new year.

Mmmm...fondue dinner with the Psimers, Thienemans and Buntings

The kids party at the chocolate fountain