It's a really big -time New Year's Eve here.......the dogs are in the chair watching football. I told the children that they could stay up as long as they wanted tonight, and already the girl is talking about laying down and how tired she is. I asked her if she was not going to make it until the new year, and she said, " Mom, I just can't hack it. I'm going to bed." Such a funny little thing.
Here they were at about 8 pm. Go ahead, tell me how cute they are. I love to hear it.Maya has been having an excellent time playing with the other puppies at work. Here she is with baby Bella.
The family made it home safe and sound yesterday. They were as excited as a pack of hungry puppies when I got home after work. I had to hear all about what they did with the cousins and about how much fun they had. They were pretty tired after dinner, so both got a nice shower and put on their jammies and went to bed by 9. I sat up doing an online CE couse for a couple of hours, then headed off to bed to read some more of the Edgar Sawtell book. I don't know what time I finally turned out the light. 
I officially have nothing to write about tonight except for the fact that the family comes home tomorrow. I posted this picture of this baby I know because it is cute and he is cute and I used to have a couple of fat babies like this one.
Today has been a day of cleaning up and cleaning out. I have been tossing out the bits and pieces from the children's rooms and washing their bedding and moving things around. The little dogs have been having a fabulous day just hanging out, playing, eating and sleeping. Maya has been playing with the crew and seems to be enjoying herself.
I have done the PetSmart shopping and am now sitting here with my last cup of coffee of the day waiting until time to leave to go to the movies to see "Marley and Me". I read the book a LONG time ago, so I know the story. I just think it will be interesting to see what the filmmakers do with it. Of course, you know what happens in the end ( think Ol' Yeller), but heck, he was old and sick . I am sure they remember him VERY fondly, especially since he has made a be-jillion dollars. Makes that chewed up sofa and all the broken doors just a little easier to take, eh? 
My little hero is now a Guitar Hero. He sat (in his too short pajama pants that he refuses to give up) and played "Slow Ride" for about an hour until he got it "right". I had to admire his persistance. 
Check out the tongue action. I think that indicates extreme concentration. ( Pretty good for an ADD kid, huh?) Or it could just mean he has a fat tongue from eating so much sour candy. As you can see, Maya is not having any adjustment problems and is fitting in just fine. She is eating very well and seems to be making friends with all the other girls.
As you can see, The Lovely Maya is being loved and cared for by my able assistant. In fact, she held or played with her all evening last night. ( That is NOT a longhair chihuahua puppy that you think you see in her right arm. I photoshopped it in there)
Mine was today. Work was not so great, nobody but dogs here when I got home. Now it is so quiet that it is spooky. I guess I could take some dog pictures. Lordy knows there are plenty of those around here. Stay tuned.
Each kid wrote their letters to Santa and drew pictures and taped them to the top of the big plastic storage boxes we saved from last year. That way, Santa was sure to know what each one wanted and WHERE to put the goods. We wouldn't want any mixing of the merchandise, now. 
New sets of wheels waiting to go for a spin. The new bikes came with the condition that the old ones be given to an inner city church which supplies bikes to an after school program. 
Here's the sleepy-headed, but smiling little ballerina.
Hanna Montana was a prominent part of the contents of the girlie's box. That is not a long-hair chihuahua puppy that you think you see. It was not a Christmas gift from Santa. It is not there. I photoshopped it in. Just a figment of your imagination. Disregard it.
Overall, it was a satisfying Christmas for all. And we are CRAZY for the Wii! We have golfed, bowled and played baseball already this am. Right now I am hearing "Slow Ride" from the Guitar Hero game for the eleventy-dozenth time this morning. 
My precious Porkchop has been busy practicing his basketball tricks. He said that he learned them from som big kids at the Y. 
I am not sure he is ready for the big time, but he does surprise me with his determination to learn new things like this.
"Bolt" the Elf has been really busy watching all the activities around the house for the past week. Tonight, he will make his final report to Santa, then he will go back to the North Pole until next year. Last night, he decided to try and ride the Santamingo. Poopie cat always wants to get in the picture. 
Man, I am pooped. I just got a couple of BIG loaves of banana bread out of the oven, and I made the "refrigerator fruitcake" earlier this evening. That fruit cake was fun to make because the kids like to help measure and pour stuff in the bowl. If it turns out, I'll post the recipe.
Tomorrow night I am making rum cake, and maybe some Peppermint patty brownies if time allows. I have to sort of plan this out so the stuff will keep until the kids and dad get to the other end of the state on Friday. I will be here babysitting dogs and working. And spending some quality time with my remote. And going to see Marley and Me. And reading my new book. And not cooking. Or doing laundry ( except my own.) I'll be bored silly.
The family spent the day at home today while I was at work. In fact, all three of them stayed in their pajamas all day. Buncha bums, I say. I'd have been right here with 'em making the same fashion statement had I not had to go to work!
More fun and games tomorrow! Good night!
Our "elf on the shelf" is named "Bolt". So far he has hidden in the candle mold, on top of the shower rod, in the girl's room amongst the dolls, and between the nutcrackers in the living room. Bolt is not really into mischief like some other elves. I think he is probably a nerd elf like the fat one on the Santa Claus movies. 
The lady at Walmart called and said that they couldn't print the dance pictures because they needed the copyright release. I explained that they were taken by my mother, and no release was necessary. No go. They didn't believe me. I am sure it was the talk of the photo lab because I sort of laid it out for them, then several calls followed, including one from my mom to the photo lab. Bottom line...the pictures were good enough to fool them, Walmart is doing their job to protect the copyright laws, and I have some really good pictures. Thanks again, Kiki.
I'll keep posting them. You know, it was worth every sweaty minute sitting in there waiting for her turn to shine!
Go ahead, smile a little. You can almost smell the sugarplums can't you? I have to say that I am really not sure what a sugar plum smells like. Thanks for the pictures Kiki. 
Here we are playing Dirty Santa. The treachery and mean-spirited stealing just didn't bloom this year as it has in the past. It was really a fairly tame little exercise. Cool stuff though. We got a helicopter ( watch out for the ceiling fans) and a Sonic gift card.
Veronica and Archie came straight to the bowling alley from their ZOOM appointments. Not really - that is a popular teeth whitening procedure. Their smiles just looked especially white in this particular picture. 
Here's Cindy ( brunette) and Lucy ( blonde with dark roots). Hey, what's with the gang symbols? Oh, and I have dark roots too...just so ya know I ain't dissin' ya, Luau ( or whatever your name is)
Archie was such a good bowler, we decided that he needed a handicap. You know how they put a boot on your car sometimes? Well...a kid on your ankle does the same thing. 
I love fancy coffee drinks, but since I became diabetic, well.....they are pretty much off limits except for the OCCASIONAL "Skinny Vanilla Latte with 2 splendas" that I get from the fancy coffee place ( you know, the one that is CLOSING near my house!) I have to blame my latest craving on one of the girls at work.....Roberta. She brought this delicious peppermint mocha creamer to work and well.....I used a bit of it and it was so good I nearly fainted. Of course, I can't have it very often and because I like it so much, I shouldn't have it here in my own house. I was thinking about buying some this am when I was at the Walmarts ( at 6 am), but they were out of it. I took that as a sign to just make it. I cruised over to the baking and spice aisle, which of course was in utter disarray because they were stocking all the stuff that was gone from Friday night's frenzy. I was looking for peppermint extract...no go on that one either. I did score some Watkins Double X vanilla though. I can always use that.
