I think the family has a mild case of after Christmas funk.  It happens to me every year. It is the same feeling I get when I watch a movie that ends with no real resolution.  This was a very Merry Christmas for the Bergen family, but when all is said and done, well, it is said and done... The decorations are packed neatly away in Rubbermaid containers waiting to be escorted out to the garage.  There is a slight echo in our empty living room, but the space feels good.
Matt has perfected his sushi roll making ability, and I am loving it.  I think we will ring in the New Year with a few sushi rolls, hot crab dip, and some stuffed mini sweet peppers.  I've never made the stuffed peppers before, but the recipe sounds so easy and so delicious. 
15-20 mini sweet peppers
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup goat cheese (my favorite)
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped basil
1 1/2 tbsp. diced sun dried tomatoes
salt and pepper
Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out any seeds.  Mix the other ingredients and spoon into the peppers.  Yummy!

Happy New Year's! 

 

Is it even possible that Christmas is 13 days away? I am so not prepared.  We have bags of presents stuffed here and there.  At this point I don't even know what we've bought.  Nothing is wrapped.  Not a Christmas cookie made. Greeting Cards-no way.  I feel like such a slacker, but a surprisingly merry slacker.  This will be the first time in two years that we will be home the entire two week Christmas break.  Don't get me wrong.  I loooovvveee our vacations, but I do miss my home time.  Mindlessly staring at the lights on the Christmas tree is by far my favorite (home time) activity, which gets me to thinking- what are my other holiday favorites?
 Favorite Christmas Foods
1.) Snowballs (shortbread cookie, pecans, powdered sugar)
2.) Hot Crab Dip (Paula Deen recipe)
3.) Meatballs (chili sauce and jelly)
4.) Pigs in a blanket (crescent rolls and little sausages)
5.) Mom's homemade sugar cookies
Favorite Christmas Movies
1.) The Santa Claus (all of them)
2.) Home Alone
3.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas
4.) Love Actually
5.) The Holiday
6.)  BTW-The Hallmark Channel is the bomb this time of year
Favorite Christmas Music
1.) The Carpenter's Christmas
2.)  All I Want for Christmas Is You (who doesn't like that song?)
3.)  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
4.)  It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
5.)  White Christmas
Favorite Christmas Activities
1.)  Taking rides at night to look at the lights
2.)  Watching movies with the kids
3.)  Shopping
4.)  Baking yummy treats
5.)  Spending time with the ones I love
6.)  Staring at the lights on the tree!

I love Christmas, and even though I'm not prepared for it, I am ready for it.  I will let the Christmas spirit wrap her arms around me and carry me into the new year.  Joy is in the air!  Inhale.

All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.  All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.  All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.

All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.

All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.

All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.

All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.


All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.








All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.



All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl. All work no play makes Katy a dull girl.

Happy 11th Anniversary Matt! 
Last year I wrote a post about the story of our love http://ispeakwhine-fluently.blogspot.com/2010/07/love-story.html.  How Katy and Matt came to be.  I liked it a lot and I don't think I can top it, so for this post I thought I would just recap some of the highlights of our marriage from the past year. 
1.    We have not changed a single diaper in one full year.  That is worth celebrating!
2.    Savannah
3..   Family trip to North Georgia.  Lots and Lots of snow!
4.    Family trip to Sea World.
5.    Family trip to Alabama. Gotta love that lake!
6.    After dinner car rides.
7.    Brewing Beer.  Lots and Lots of beer!
8.    Converty Friends
9.    Front porch steps
10.  Saturday mornings spent listening to itunes and sipping coffee
11.  Scary movie nights
12.  Cabin camping at Gold Head
13.  Goodwill shopping.  Lots and Lots of Goodwill!

To Matt




When I see myself

I'm seeing you too
as long as I remember

and I'm feeling like I knew

that my jokes aren't funny

the truth isn't true

if there was no you



If you were my boat in the deep blue sea

I probably sink you down

I know I should have thanked you for carrying me

but for you I will happily drown



All along your way

the darkest night the longest day

I know what to say to make you laugh

and nothing you could do

could make me turn my back on you

when you're looking for a fight

I'm your man

when you need a friend

you got my hand



And what I really mean

what I'm trying hard to say

is that I'm counting on you

and you got me too

my secrets aren't safe

I'm singing out of tune

if there was no you

if there was no you



All along your way

the darkest night the longest day

I know what to say to make you laugh

and nothing you could do

could make me turn my back on you

when you're looking for a fight

I'm your man

when you need a friend

you got my hand

when you need a friend

you got my hand

you got my hand

Matt and I took the kids on a little family vacation to Alabama.  We rented a lake house on Lewis Smith Lake and boy was it beautiful.  I had never been to Alabama, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  Come to find out it looks a lot like Georgia but without all the billboards. 

My parents came over on July 4th to eat ribs and hang out.  The kids rode bikes and drew pictures with sidewalk chalk.  The boys even did a little bit of boxing with the new gloves Matt bought for them.  Now tell me, what's more American than that?  After dinner we strolled downtown to watch the fireworks.  The blind mosquitoes were out in full force.  I was afraid to speak for fear that I might inhale a few of them.  One or two dive bombed my eyeballs, but I survived another riverfront fireworks display and so the tradition continues. 

Hayden drew a picture of our new kitty, Ruby.  Later in the evening I found her sitting by it on the table-SMILING!

I've been giving Lucas daily lessons on chillin' and I think he is finally getting the hang of it.



Imagination at work.



A friend from work gave Josie this horse.  My life span shortens by a minute each time I see it.  Something about it is totally creepy.

No.  That is not Spiderman.  That is a Power Ranger.  I know.  Kinda hard to tell.  I made the same mistake.

Kitty Fights!!!!!

Hayden-the Master of Chillin'

 
 
Eventually I will label these long summer days as boring but for now they are heaven sent. 

About a month ago Matt bought a used conversion van.  It reminds me of a Velcro sneaker.  Dorky as hell but so practical and comfortable.  We've gone for an evening cruise almost every night since we got it.  Movie on.  Headphones on.  Interior lights on.  Shades down.  Straight pimpin'.  The best part is that Matt and I can actually talk to each other in the car.  The kids absolutely love it, and we do too.

Since I'm going to have a little time on my hands, I mentioned to Matt that I am thinking about learning to cook.  On Monday night I heated up a Digiorno pizza and tonight I made a box of Kraft macaroni.  So far, so bad:(

If you follow my blog, you know that I have issues with my dry, cracked heels.  I found a product, Blue Goo Cracked Heel, that has helped my feet tremendously.  I promised myself months ago that once my heels no longer resembled the Grand Canyon, I would reward myself with a pedicure.  Guess what?  Now I have a toe fungus.  Yuck!  I can't believe I'm writing this, but the truth is the truth.  My big toe looks like it belongs to an 80 year old hobo.  I guess my pedicure will have to wait.

The family is loving Finding Bigfoot on Animal Planet.  Matt and I giggle each time they use the word squatch on the show.  I think it could actually become a fun drinking game.  We're also thinking about getting a sticker made for the car that says- Squatch Life.  Yeah, we're fans. 



Hayden started taking Karate lessons on Monday.  I was all excited that he picked an indoor sport.  When I took him to class, I was shocked to find out that the studio does not have air conditioning (by choice I might add).  I sat and sweat for an hour and a half watching my son kick and chop his way to near exhaustion.  Incredibly, he loved it! 

When I am feeling stressed to the MAX, I curl up into a little ball inside my mushy brain and wait for the heart palpitations to pass.  I suppose I retreat inside myself because it is not as obvious as hiding under the pile of dirty laundry in my closet.  When I live in my head, I look present, but I'm not.  I hear you, but I'm not listening.  The light is on, but no one is home.  I don't necessarily find comfort in the looping and random thoughts that pulse through my brain like a laser light show- but it's what I know.  The absurd scenarios I play out in my mind only add to the stress I feel, but again- it's what I know.   Maybe retreating inside myself allows me the opportunity to jump into the ring with ME and beat the mess out of myself.  Then when I'm all tired out, I can crawl out of the ring- a winner no matter what because whoever wins, it will always be me.  But then again, I guess there will always be a ME that loses.  Needless to say, I've been in the ring.  The last round was fierce, but I came out swinging.  No longer am I curled up into a little ball inside my mushy brain.  I am PRESENT!  The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and it is also a terrible place hide.

Daily Glass of Whine:

This is not a picture of a tree from my hometown, but we have plenty of trees that look just like this. I understand the need to trim a tree that is situated near power lines, but this just looks stupid.  I realize this is probably not the most earth friendly suggestion, but rather than give poor trees hack jobs, why not just cut them down?  

Yesterday we had a birthday party for Josie.  It was a Selena Gomez, slip n slide, trampoline, playhouse, makeup party.  I hope the girls had fun.  It was hard to tell because they were eerily quiet.

The amount of water this toilet holds is RIDICULOUS!!!!! I spend more time scrubbing this toilet than I do using it.

FYI- if you are interested in brewing beer, head on over to my hubby's blog The Frugal Brewer.
http://daddyhood-matt.blogspot.com/

Matt nearly ripped his nipple off coming down out of this tree. OUCH!

The kids enjoyed a nice little easter egg hunt

Josie and Brady hanging by the fire.

Just might be the Jiffiest of Jiffy feet I ever did see.



Hayden found Nirvana while roasting marshmallows.



Josie was so exhausted from all the fun that she burst into tears as soon as we got into the car.  Now that is some hard playing:)

Poor baby was so tired she didn't even know what to do with herself.

This is me keeping my cool.  Notice Josie's face in the background.

The Weaver's invited us to come out to the Rodman Campgrounds Friday afternoon.  They had a great set up- picnic table, grill, camper, boat, satellite TV.  The kids had a fantastic time playing together.  They rode bikes, slid down pine covered hills, climbed trees, hunted eggs, and wrestled in a dried up retention pond.  By the end of it all, my fair skinned children had turned a dusty shade of gray. In my entire life, I don't believe I've ever seen them so filthy.  Each time they snagged a new drink from the cooler, the dirt on their arms turned to mud.  The worst was when the dirt began sticking to their marshmallow covered faces.  We thought about taking them to the bath house to get rinsed off, but that just seemed like more trouble than it was worth.  Instead, we loaded their sweaty, sticky, dirt covered bodies into the car.  Josie was delirious from all the playing.  She had a blast but was not accustomed to being out in the heat for that extent of time, so she lost her mind when we got into the car.  Lucas and Hayden found her wailing to be quite comical, as did Matt and I. Thanks for the invite Weavers.  We had a great time, dirt and all.  My favorite part- watching the little ones try to take down Hayden.  Good Times!

Dylan

Liv and Jo

Priceless

Beautiful Princess

Luke loves hanging with the girls.  I can't say that they feel the same way.

Divas

My bff, Leaa, came over yesterday and brought her two precious little girls.  Alivia and Josie had a fabulous time playing dress up, and I had a fabulous time snuggling with baby Dylan.  My kids are convinced that Leaa is their Aunt and Jesse is their Uncle and Alivia and Dylan are their cousins.   I'm thinking we should just go with it.  I grew up calling my mom's bff- Aunt Jo and I still do to this day.
Aunt Leaa, we are so glad y'all were able to come enjoy taco night with the Bergs.  Let's do it again soon.




Luke fell off his tricycle.

 



Hayden reading- Eldest.

 



"Here Mommy"

 



Peeking behind the camphors.

 



Canning.  Canning.  Canning.





Wednesday night is my favorite night to watch television.  8:00- The Middle, 8:30- Better With You, 9:00- Modern Family. And guess what?  Today is Wednesday.  Ye-Haw! I'm gonna watch me some shows.  Last night we had tacoless tacos and tonight we had tortillaless fajitas.  I'm thinking tomorrow night we should have bunless hamburgers and maybe Friday night we can have noodleless spaghetti.  I joke, but really, dinner the last two nights has been quite excellent.  We had a very uneventful, yet wonderful weekend.  We started off early Saturday morning by hitting a few thrift stores.  Then we went to Lowe's and purchased an awesome shelving system.  Matt wanted it so that he could store all his brewing gizmos, and I wanted it so that I could make the kitchen look like a display at a corner market.  Home decor has always been a source of contention between Matt and I.  I tend to get a little themey with the decor and Matt is definitely more eclectic, which is probably a good thing.  Back in middle school I painted sunflowers all over my bedroom walls.  My bedroom always had a theme.  Then when Matt and I first got married, we both fell in love with Asian design.  Of course we could only afford knockoff knick knacks from Big Lots, but we thought it was wonderful.  I'm happy to say that our home is currently themeless.  No roosters in the kitchen or small, wooden birdhouses in the living room. I realize now that I must stay away from objects that could lead to themes.  It's just too tempting.  No themes, just love.  Home sweet home:)

Matt and I are going through a major Craigslist phase.  Anything that doesn't have functional or sentimental value is at risk of being sold on Craigslist.  It is such an easy way to sell things.  The only downside, besides the risk you take that the person you are dealing with could be a serial killer, is responding to all the inquiries from people who don't really intend on buying the item in the first place.  So far though, Craigslist has been an easy way for us to make a little extra money, and that is always a good thing.  Speaking of good things, I received an early birthday present today.  My friend, Belinda, had a funky little mini-apron made for me.  Some teachers scoff at mini-aprons, but I find them to be quite useful.  I can stuff the pockets full of treats for the sweet boys and girls, or I can take Pokemon cards and cell phones from the naughty children and store them safely in my apron pockets.  Matt hasn't yet asked me what I want for my birthday, but I have something in mind.  The No! No! Hair Removal System.  I realize that I'm probably just one of those chumps that falls for the magic of infomercials, but this little piece of technology seems amazing.  I don't even own it yet, but I have big plans for it.  Bye, Bye underarm hair!  I'm pretty sure that the No! No! Hair Removal System is out of our price range, so I have a back up gift- The Shark Floor Steamer.  We have hardwood and tile throughout the majority of the house, and each time I see the infomercial for the Shark Floor Steamer, I sigh.  I sigh because it looks like it works so wonderfully.  No harsh chemicals.  No messy mops or buckets.  Just pure steam.  While I'm on the topic of my birthday, let me tell you about my plan.  There are a few other girls from work that have birthdays in April, so we are going to celebrate together.  Four girls, out on the town, celebrating the gift of life. I've never participated in anything so movie-like.  I'm thinking the four of us should use the names- Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte (from Sex and the City) when we go out on the town.  I'm excited to see how it all plays out.  I'm sure there will  be a lot of laughing and a lot of mojitos and a lot of "Hallelujah FCAT is OVER!!!!!"





Poor Lukey had a rough night. Darn stomach bug!



Matt's homemade thing-a-ma-jig for brewing beer.  Impressive

Matt attaching a hose he ran through the kitchen window to the beer thing-a-ma-jiggy. This better be some good beer.

The bathroom is complete- we can pee in it and everything!

Recycling Update:  As you can see, plastic and aluminum are taking over our kitchen.  I truly wish they picked up recycling more than just every other Wednesday.

Shave Secret- this is a product Matt began using two weeks ago, and he swears it is the best thing ever.  He uses it instead of shaving cream, and it prevents razor burn.   (WalMart)

My new nightly ritual- coffee so that I can stay up late enough to tuck my kids in bed and emu oil for my feet so that Lucas can stop pointing at the cracks in my heels and asking "How you have that boo boo, Mama?"

Try It- I'm not trying to push products on anyone, but when I know something works, I've got to share.  Matt loves his Shave Secret, and I love my Blue Goo.  Try it and you might like it.  If you try it, you just might like it. (nods to all you Yo Gabba Gabba fans)

Home-  Josie's been sick.  Doctor says ear infection.  After 4 doses of antibiotics, she was still running a 104 degree fever this afternoon.  In fact, I would say she was sicker today than she was when Matt took her to the doctor Thursday afternoon.  Meanwhile, Matt spent the majority of his day getting his homemade brew going.  I'm not quite sure how he did it- grains, water, hop, a hose, copper tubing.  All I know is that the house now smells like sweet potatoes.  Lucas and Hayden enjoyed a fun day at Grandma's and Big Daddy's.  And I vacuumed baseboards and chinchilla turds.  Productive.  I did catch an episode of Curb Appeal the Block and Dear Genevieve, so I can't complain.  Tomorrow I plan on drinking 8 cups of coffee for breakfast and watching a tearjerker of a movie, all while the kids take turns asking me for things.  I'm convinced that they enjoy seeing me get up, not sure why, but that has to be it.

Work-  Just as I'm convinced that my biological children enjoy seeing me get up from a sitting position, I am equally convinced that my school children enjoy seeing the veins pulse in my forehead.  And that is all I have to say about that.

Dreams-  Who needs em? 

Food- Slow cooked Chicken Curry.  Again, one more thing I must insist you try.

Music- Erykah Badu- I love her.  Always have, always will.  Here is one of my favorite songs.