Sugar Cookies

In Renner family tradition, I made Christmas sugar cookies with the kids. I was proud of myself for watching them pick bat and puppy cookie cutters and not having a minor "those aren't christmas themes" breakdown. Boys just seem to have a different mental schema.

The favorite part of the activity is painting the cookies with icing!








The boy on the left is Q. He Iives across the street and has become a good friend of both V and L!















L has saved a bowl of painted cookies for Santa. His own idea! I never told him that Melissa and I always made special cookies for Santa. He asked me if they would be stale. I answered, maybe. L's reply... Santa flies around the world - he will be hungry and will eat them no matter what. Haha! I think he is right!

Blizzard 2010

In the spirit of snow.... I found these pictures on my camera from the big blizzard last winter in DC.








I have no idea why he doesn't have a hat on. Let's just pretend that he does.









L carved a tunnel through the snow drifts.

I know that V was around somewhere. Maybe she got lost in the snow!!

Our first VA snow!

So - love the new house. Am adjusting to burbia, kinda. I will admit the garage is a good thing.

It snowed! 3 inches. 2 days of no school. (really??)








Beautiful, white and fluffy.








Our Xmas decorations looked more festive.








Fun for the kids!







There are no pix of L because he was sledding on the golf course. Rural VA is a tough terrain!

And then reality hit.....

I have to shovel the driveway!

Never seemed like that big of a driveway until I had to shovel the blasted thing! I definitely see a snow blower in my future!

Halloween flashback

Yeesh - how did I miss sharing Halloween photos!

A little farm down the street from our house had a pumpkin patch.





















That is all the pictures i have. I must get better at this!

ICE

Last year we went to an exhibit in DC called ICE. It was a giant walk thru ice sculpture extravaganza. They gave you parkas to wear over your winter coat. That's how cold it was. We could not even stay a full hour.

















The details in ice were amazing.

















A sleigh!















This was a huge ice slide in the shape of a castle. L and his friend had so much fun!!!

There was also a gigantic nativity scene that was amazing. Don't know where the pix of that disappeared to.

Outside at the end was a visit with Santa...














Sponsored by coca-cola in case you missed it.

Ahhh.... The memories.....

I'm back!!

Got slightly derailed by the details of life and let my updates slide. But I am back now and have photos to share. Past and present.... Will post daily!!!

Jose got a new camera lens in preparation for his photo assignment with the president.

This is what he can produce......





Wow!!!! Gorgeous.

What's wrong with this picture?

My camera.







Lucas's camera.






Mine.







His.


Is this a reflection of my photographic abilities????

Flooring saga continues

I can't even begin to explain....

But we went from this:






To this:






It's complete and utter chaos. And still no firm installation date.

I have definitely lost my sense of humor about this. Grrr.

Thanksgiving Preview

V's Thanksgiving day dress.

CUTE!

Is it just me or did she morph into a little girl overnight?

The Freddie Series

No doubt about it.
L can take a picture.
Great pictures.
I don't even edit his the way I do mine.
They just come out adorable.

Here the first of a series of posts showcasing the boy wonder's genius. That is being totally objective of course.

Oh - Freddie is the name of his first Webkin frog. He is well loved.

Is That HOA approved?

This is a view of my backyard. So pretty.





Golf course is through the trees.

But wait - what do I see?






Back there- on the fence......





Chicken wire!!!!!

My entire backyard fence is covered with chicken wire. From my understanding it was to keep in the dogs of the previous owner. But I live down the street from a cow pasture so I am not 100% sure what really happened back there.

Couldn't quite figure out if it felt like a farm or prison.

All I do know is that it has taken me weeks to rip the stuff down.
39 sections of it.

But now it is gone.




Ahhh....

Can I offer you a drink?

So, who would have thought putting down some wood flooring would be such an ordeal?!?

After a couple of months of indecision (mine of course, not hubby's) - we finally ordered the wood.

And then the wood got delivered!



It was very exciting. But it just kept coming .....






And coming!





We have 70 (70!) boxes throughout the house.

Apparently, the wood has to become "tempered" to the house???(so it won't warp or buckle after installation) So we are waiting.... week 1, week 2.... Still not ready. I have tried everything to make this wood feel at home. I even said pretty please.

It's been here so long, the kids now use it as furniture.





Or maybe it is just because we still have so little furniture.

Regardless, this is my last resort:





If a cocktail doesn't make it feel at home, nothing will.
;).

All I Want for Christmas....

Is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, my two front teeth. ( remember that jingle?!?)





L lost his front tooth and the other front one is very jiggly!!!

Tooth Fairy is very busy keeping an eye on our house. ;)

Ugh

Problems with posting pictures to my blog has once again stalled my operation. I am so frustrated!!!! Will keep trying to fix the technical problems - so please keep checking back!


Jill (the technologically ungifted)

Missing Pictures

Here are, i hope, the missing pictures from L's race post. Much like crafts, technology is kicking my butt.

Faster than the speed of light

Kinda like superman - except it's Super L!





L ran a 1 mile trail race last Saturday morning. If was freezing - really - 32 degrees.






But we were there to cheer him on!!!

I think he was nervous. Or maybe it was me that was nervous.





He was actually fine. And then the runners went to the start.







That's when things got serious. He meant business. No way punk #209 was going to outrun him. Bring it blondie. Does your sweatshirt say Yale? Yeah, well, my parents - ummm- didn't go to Yale. I'll just stand here quietly.






Miss 222 - you might run faster if you take your hands out of your pockets. But it was cold. Which is why L was wearing gloves. Just happened to be his super mario gloves from his Halloween costume. I think it gave him a psychological edge.

On your mark, get set - go!!!!!






He did great!! Came in 3rd. Ran a wooded trail mile in 8:28!

Go L go!!!!

Halloween

Mario, (good) Witch, Pink Princess (pink being the important part of that description)



L and his friend were Mario and Luigi




Pink Princess likes Luigi :)