Pick-up was just as chaotic, but it seems everything at that school is.  I waited almost an hour in the car line, with one of the smarter parents running out of gas behind me.  They lost one of Aidan’s friends, so I guess I should be thankful Aidan was actually waiting for me when I did get up to the front.  This school represents what the state of Florida deems an “A” rated institution, so I’m scared to know what other schools are like!

In response to how the first day of school went, Aidan advised that “it’s all worksheets and rules.”  So, I’m guessing fun time is officially over and we’ll need to crack down with the studies.  Our first homework packet included stuff Aidan has known for a few years, so I do hope things get a little more challenging.  And, I’m hoping he doesn’t fall under the influence of his little clown friend that ended up in our class again this year.  I guess all we can do is guide him to make good decisions and hope he does it. He’s a good kid, and that’s what counts at the end of the day.

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Aidan’s 1st Day of School Aidan’s Antics Aidan gets two thumbs up!

• Stone Mountain, GA – Per Aidan’s request, we usually stay at the Marriott Evergreen in the park… but , we were less than delighted by our stay this time around.  Construction on the building woke us up the first morning… on the one day that Skye didn’t get up at the crack of dawn! The second time around, they put us in a room that had wet paint on the balcony, which also resulted in a terrible stench that I didn’t want the kids huffing. They did switch our room and all, but I think we’re just ready for something new next time.  There are only so many times you can enjoy seeing a big pile of granite I suppose. Of course, we had to stick with tradition and stop by The Village Corner for the mouth watering German fare… they never fail to score big on satisfaction, especially after a seven hour drive with two kids in tow.  The “are we there yet” jokes have turned out to be an aggravating reality… nothing that an iPad and DS doesn’t solve anyway.
• Atlanta, GA – We have never actually taken the time to explore Atlanta and figured it would be kind of cool to see the GA Aquarium, which I’ve since learned is the largest in the world.  It was a little costly and overly crowded, but it was definitely worth it.  The manta ray was much larger than I would have thought and the whales swimming around were just majestic.  World of Coke seemed cool, but I didn’t want to pay for entry into something that’s essentially them promoting their brand.  And, Olympic Park was scorching hot so the fountains were missed in lieu of an icy cold mini-van. Next time, I think I’d like to stay downtown somewhere and check out some of the other stuff.
• Timber Tops Cabin Rental - This is the third cabin we’ve rented, all from different companies.  And, I’ll have to say that this one was the least impressive and just as costly.  Don’t get me wrong… it was clean, the rental staff and office were fine, etc… but, it just wasn’t the quality we’ve gotten from the others. Aidan was Mr. King in that place though… we essentially gave him the loft during the day where he would retreat for uninterrupted LEGO building and Disney Channel watching.  By night, Luke and I took over… coolers, Luke’s media hookup, shiny toys… yes, those few hours of quiet, kid-free time was rather enjoyable! Oh, I’d be amiss to forget the driveway.  I about had a panic attack the first time up.  It was so frightening that I made a video. I don’t think my van will ever be the same after this trip!
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park- PBS and Ken Burns were right on… the national parks are in fact America’s best idea. Everything about that place makes me smile.  And, no matter how many times we’ve been there, there’s never a shortage of new things to do and see.  Of course, we always make time for picnics (Chimney Tops is the best spot because you’ve got the stream right there that you can wade around and it’s nestled in a perfectly shaded spot).  And, we always do the Cades Cove Auto Tour.  This time, we saw several bears, wild turkey and about a dozen deer.  Something we hadn’t done before was Clingman’s Dome.  The 7 mile road up was fun and watching Luke push a stroller up a mountain was priceless! The Sugarlands Nature Walk was much less physically demanding but also much less climactic.
• The Apple Barn – After going through all of those little rectangular tourist info sheets, I really wanted to go to the Apple Barn Cider Mill & General Store.  And, I must say that it was really cool… the food at the restaurant was amazing and the wine is so much better than you would think.  I’ll just say that the apple butter was really something special and I’m sure I’ll be ordering more online soon! Aidan and Skye enjoyed the Candy Factory… actually, a lot of candy was consumed during this trip.  I tried to resist getting fudge and failed.  I also tried to resist getting taffy and failed. Whatever.
• Gatlinburg, TN – What can you say about Gatlinburg… it is what is is… a tourist trap to rival all tourist traps.  But, you find yourself walking the strip and enjoying yourself nonetheless. We always make time to run through it at least once.

As I’m sitting here at home on the last evening of vacation, I’m sad… Despite all of those hours in the car and the chaos that is our kids, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than hang out with my crew.  And, hanging out with them surrounded by such beauty and an absence of work related responsibilities just makes me jubilant.  Until next time…

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2009 Road Trip – Stone Mountain, GA

But, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.  As we hit the midway point of summer break, I’ve got to say things have been going very well.  We’ve stayed busy and managed to do a lot of fun activities, including being able to sleep in.  We’ve all enjoyed that!

Here’s a summary of what we’ve been up to so far…

1. Busch Gardens – With annual passes, you can’t go wrong.  Before summer ends, I want to take the kids to breakfast with Elmo there.  Skye just loves Elmo!
2. Camping – Luke took Aidan out to O’Leno and camped out in the excruciating heat.  I don’t think Luke will be letting me forget that anytime soon, although they both admit it was a great time.  Aidan played with fire and got burned… lesson learned.
3. MOSI camps – Aidan did two weeks at MOSI.  They have 3 hour camps there that took him from exploring the science of candy making (eating) and then into the world of super secret mysteries.  I was worried that he wouldn’t want to go because he didn’t know anyone there.  But, he fit right in and had a blast.  Of course, we explored Kids in Charge a few times as well.  Skye thought that was pretty cool.
4. Bright Horizons – I can’t say enough about how much Bright Horizons improved their summer program this year. And, returning after our period of absence was just like coming home.  The people there are awesome and Aidan has met so many new friends.  He wakes up every morning and asks when it’s time to go to camp.  He’s playing LEGOs, swimming, going on field trips (water parks, picnics, Lowry Park Zoo and more).  Watch out Skye… you’ll be going there soon enough!
5. Ybor – Aidan loves Gameworks, so we were happy to discover they reopened.  Luke and Aidan met up with family in from Poland one evening.  The highlight was Aidan puking on the sidewalk after dinner.  We try to keep it real!
6. Aquarium – Aidan has been to the FL Aquarium so many times, but he still enjoys it.  Skye just can’t get enough of the fish.  I’m hoping to go back sometime next week so they can play at Explore A Shore.  Wow, it seems like just yesterday that we had Aidan’s 3rd birthday party there.
7. Boating – Next weekend, Aidan and Luke will be going out on Garry’s boat with Luke’s family.  I think they’re heading out to Homosassa Springs.
8. Dinosaur World – Aidan’s 6th birthday party was awesome!
9. Hunter’s Green Discovery Club – Aidan spent a few days at a science themed camp and was able to see a few of his friends from school.
10. Bounce U – They have “open bounce” throughout the week.  We met up with the Silversteins for a play date one afternoon.  I’m thinking we’ll go back before summer is over.

Coming up in a couple of weeks will be our two week trip to the mountains.  It’s become sort of a tradition now, and I think we’re all looking forward to hitting the road in the mini van and chillin’ in a mountaintop cabin up near Pigeon Forge.  The pit stop at Stone Mountain is always fun too.

And, as for work, I’ve been able to fit everything in just fine.  My classes at HCC were cancelled for the summer so I’m just doing a few things for Pro QC.  My mom has been able to help me out with Skye one or two days each week so I have had some catch up time.  All things considered, I think summer all year around sounds like a good idea (minus the heat and humidity).

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Phillips Reunion – 2010

Lessons learned from this experience:

1. (Most important) Aidan actually showed some level of appreciation.  After the party, he sincerely thanked us and said it was “the best party he ever had.”  That’s atypical behavior coming from “The Prince.”  He was a very happy boy… after totally freaking out when he realized that it was a surprise.
2. No matter what I say to myself to think it’s going to be tolerable outside in July, I’m wrong.  I recall very clearly now saying to myself that I would never have another party outside in summer after coming close to death on Aidan’s 1st birthday.  I admit I may be on the ultra-sensitive side, but I really dislike feeling icky.  An inside option is always going to be best.
3. It’s great to see friends you haven’t seen in a while.
4. Your kid’s happiness is actually priceless.
5. You have to be very careful with too much socializing and remember that you still have to supervise the kids.  We lost Aidan twice today (or at least thought we did ,which counts).
6. The people who came up with the idea of a park with huge dinosaur replicas was pretty frickin’ smart.  They are really banking at that place, even though your first thought would be that nobody goes there.  However cheesy it seems, you can’t help but think it’s pretty cool once you’re there.  However, with reference to the weather conditions in FL again, I would suggest a fall or winter trip.

All in all, great day…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDTG-mFYv08

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Aidan's Pump It Up 5th Birthday Party

1. Why is the sky blue?  Because plants need to see.
2. Why do dogs chase cats? Because they want to eat their tails for breakfast.
3. Why is there no school on Saturdays? Because kids need a rest.
4. Why do snails move so slowly? Because they need to make sure there’s no danger.
5. Why does food that is good for us not taste nearly as good as food that is bad for us? Because it has sugar and better ingredients.

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Aidan’s 1st Day of School Aidan gets two thumbs up! Aidan Starts 1st Grade

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On Sunday, Skye and I went over to my mom’s and caught up with Margie and Margaret, two family friends that are always great to do lunch with.  Poor Aidan stayed home and rested… he seemed rather delighted with himself for his ability to skip meals, play video games and watch shows.

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Happy Mother’s Day

1) They always put family first… no matter what.

2) Putting up with my mom and I isn’t always an easy task.  They do it without breaking a sweat (most of the time).

3) They’re totally fun to hang out with.

4) They make me laugh… all the time.

5) They’re smart(asses).  I can’t help but love that about both of them.

To summarize it nicely and to quote from the ever so awesome Trailer Park Boys, ”That’s just what good dads do.”  And, Ricky really hit on something important there.  Being a dad isn’t so hard, but being a good dad is certainly a different story.  My dad and Luke no doubt fall into the category of super awesome.

Aidan’s contribution to Father’s Day this year was a poem.  Here it is:

——————————–

Dads are cool.

Dads are great.

Dads rule!

My dad is great because he is lovable.

Dads love to wrestle and play.

I love mine every day!

——————————–

So, Happy Father’s Day… not only to my two favorite dads but to all of those courageous souls out there that tackle the challenges of parenthood with style and gusto.

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Welcome 2010… Happy New Year!

So, onward we go into summer… I admit to feeling strong aprehension towards the whole ordeal.  As a person who sleeps and eats schedules, I just couldn’t see how Aidan not being in school for six hours each day was going to play out on my sanity. But, it turns out that having the kid around is actually pretty fun.  And, I’ve got him enrolled in a couple of MOSI “science” camps, as well as a few weeks in Bright Horizons (which, by the way, has revamped the whole summer program this year… I like to believe that was partly my doing after the seedy blog expose last year.  They get major kudos for the curriculum this time around). Oh, and I’ve got Aidan and Luke going on a camping trip, in addition to a two week getaway in the mountains in August.  This summer should actually be pretty sweet.  I know we’re all enjoying sleeping late, especially Skye who hasn’t been stirring until around 8:30am!

Before we know it, first grade will be here and then second and then third.  Sometimes I think time moves too quickly, and I want to just freeze them the way they are.  Eventually, Aidan won’t laugh at bathroom words anymore (publicly) and will likely change his mind about living with us forever.  But, I’m told there are great things about being a parent throughout all the phases of life (excluding teen years).  So, we’ll just see what happens…

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Aidan Graduates VPK Aidan gets two thumbs up! Aidan’s Creative Writing Assignment – Zombies

——————————————–

Title: Zombes

Zombes are cool.

I like zombes.

The zombes are in the car.

La la la la sed the zombes.

The zombes crashed into anuther car.

They got out of the car.

The zombes are noct out.

They are eating eyes.

They are burping.

The hed got cut off.

I like blud.

——————————————–

And, there is is… Our little man has certainly come a long way this year.  He’s reading books now all by himself, can add/subtract, do simple fractions, count money and as you can see can put pen to paper in a rather creative way.  That’s our boy!

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I couldn’t help but recall my own field days way back when… I always looked forward to the BMX race on the clay track and the pole climb.  I remember shaving the skin of my shins more than once trying to get up the rusty pole as quickly as possible.  In fact, Aidan now wears my Snail’s Stegosaurus shirt from back then!

He did a great job today!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoVg_QPMMUU

Photos: Field Day Gallery

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Two flights and a two hour drive through a gorgeous VA countryside landed me at The Tides Inn.  It’s an absolutely beautiful resort that’s nestled perfectly on the Chesapeake Bay.  The first evening, we took the hotel’s recommendation and tried out Oogywawas (the translation now escapes me) for dinner.  I swear they had the best crab cakes and fried pickles with blue cheese that I’ve ever had… and, the outdoor seating on the deck made the experience even better.

The lectures that followed Saturday through Monday exceeded any expectations I had.  There were about 35 teachers in attendance, with subject matter covering basic economic concepts through creative and interactive class simulations.  There are several that I’m already looking forward to using next fall! Don, FTE and the Virginia Council on Economic Education really did a great job with the planning of it all. The people I had the opportunity to meet within these organizations were all very dedicated and interesting individuals.  I really enjoyed spending time with everyone!

The field trip we took on Monday included a tour of Omega Protein.  Their sustainability efforts are comprehensive and noble.  And, the tour regarding how they capture and process the little Menhaden fish was truly interesting.  Shortly afterwards, we left for the Reedville Fishing Museum where we were fortunate enough to receive personalized tours and lunch with a few of the locals.  The remainder of the seminar continued in the old schoolhouse, which the two gentlemen I had spoken with once attended. Special props go out to Don and Brad for keeping the content interesting and dynamic.

As we headed back to Norfolk on Monday afternoon, we stopped through Colonial Williamsburg and walked around for a few.  It was actually pretty cool to stand on the same streets that our founding fathers once did… it really is an amazing little town that’s so different than anything we have here in FL.

While I had an amazing few days hanging out with great people and learning new things, I also missed the crew and was incredibly happy to return to their smiling faces. Skye and Aidan were kept thoroughly entertained by Luke.  They even managed to make it to Busch Gardens and Sarasota Beach and didn’t miss a beat when it came to cleaning up the house and taking care of grocery shopping. 

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2009 Road Trip – Asheville, NC 2009 Road Trip – Helen, GA 2009 Road Trip – Savannah, GA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms9ls3DWHRg

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Skye’s 1st Birthday Skye says “hi” Skye’s tummy troubles

Oh, she still won’t allow anyone else near her… even Luke at times!  My mom and I are really the only people she seems to let hold her.  And, it’s my mom as the first choice with me a close second… Fortunately, my mom is coming over every Monday now to hang out with Skye so I can get some work done.  I think they are both happy with the situation.

As for talking, she is my kid after all… she seems to pride herself on her vocabulary skills.  I think she’ll be a lot like Aidan and start rambling sentences off before we know it.  That’s the Phillips in her for sure!  Her favorite words include “dog”, “door”, “clock”, “baby”, “Aidan” and “mom”.

Now, if we could only get her to eat so we can keep her on the growth chart… she’s currently in the 10th percentile and not gaining, largely because she doesn’t want to eat anything or drink enough milk.  Again, the doctor assures me she won’t starve herself so I just continue to offer different kinds of food hoping she’ll catch on sooner or later.

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We start out good… great teacher, classroom and overall bright and cheery environment.  But, a few weeks later, we get moved to a new class due to the class size amendment.  OK, I had emailed the principal, Ms. Tonelli, and pleaded that we not be moved… but, there you have it.

Granted, we are very happy with our new teacher, Ms. Cosentino, but it seems we have had an unfortunate string of events occur that have been handled poorly by the administration.  During the winter, the heater at the school had issues and kids were wearing jackets and mittens just to stay warm… it has been an unusually cold winter here! In this situation, the administration sent home a series of notes that explained the issue was being worked on and that it would get warmer soon.  I was close to getting an interview with Channel 8 but got dissed when they were unable to make it on time from the Pasco schools that were having the same problems.

Shortly after the heating issue, the classroom floods… and, I mean floods! Ms. Tonelli is in there with rain boots on surveying the damage when I discover the news that Ms. Cosentino will be “co-teaching” in the classroom next door.  Walking into that class the next afternoon with over thirty students trying to complete a Valentine’s art project was quite a sight!

Some time passes and they move us back into the room saying that everything was OK’d and ready to go… but, it turns out that mold still existed so we were moved out again a few days later.  Now, we’re in a dank and depressing portable on the outskirts of the property.  The first day I dropped Aidan off, water was flowing from the ceiling onto the floor and the doors were opened to flush out the mildew-like smell.  It’s still cold, so the kids were all bundled up talking about “table surfing.”  The last thing Aidan needs to be exposed to with asthma and eczema is mold or mildew!

I end up having a little run-in with the principal in the cafeteria where she calls me out on “cornering her” and “talking with my emotions.”  She kind of talks to you like you’re the five year old, so it’s hard not to get really pissed watching her patronize you.  I was told the issue would be a priority after the morning show, which resulted in the leaky hole getting fixed.  Wow!  Other parents had expressed their concerns as well… so, it’s not just me at this point.

I’ve emailed Ms. Tonelli one more time hoping that an additional plea will get us in a new class where we can stay for the remainder of the year… I’m told there are classrooms available but they are being used for some special kind of FCAT thing.  Since the funding for the school depends on the FCAT, it’s not hard to see where loyalties lie.

At the end of the day, Aidan doesn’t seem to mind so much.  He even told Luke he liked the portable because it was “so small and everything is right there”. .. Nice!

Tomorrow, we’ll be heading over there for the Spring Carnival where we’ll be expected to dish out lots of money… they are very organized in their “fundraising” efforts! I’ll dish it out with a smile, but I admit I’d be a lot happier if I could get Aidan hooked up with an acceptable and stable environment to learn in.

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The Phillips clan, as I refer to them, is essentially my father, his four sisters and their respective children and families.  With Luke and I both only children, it sometimes seems as if our families are very small, but the Phillips’ reunions quickly remind me that there’s a lot of love to go around and that extended family isn’t very far away!

My Aunt Janice is responsible for gathering everyone together this year, and we all met up in the sunny panhandle of Florida… right where I was born.  Now, being the admitted hotel snob that I am, I did insist that we stay somewhere off site from the actual reunion activities.  And, following suit, my parents did the same… I think that’s mostly so they could hang out with the grandkids though.   Hats off to the Sandestin Hilton for offering such a great rate, coupled with exceptional accommodations.  Aidan even had his own little bunk bed cubby and Skye had a cute little crib tucked away in a quiet spot.    We had arrived a couple of days early to make  it feel like more of a vacation… totally worth it! The sound of the waves crashing outside is something I really do miss!  But, I must say that the progress & development that Destin has experienced since I left 20 years ago is kind of a sad sight to see… the “luckiest fishing village” really has lost most of its charm.

While I’m going to put myself out there and admit that the reunion event was a little disorganized, I am going to add that hanging with the aunts and cousins certainly did make up for it.  My “little” cousin Randy has gotten so big over the past decade, and I’m ashamed to say that I hadn’t ever met his wife or daughter.  They were exactly how I imagined them and certainly something to be proud of.  Aidan was particularly excited to meet Randy because of their shared interests in video games and Star Wars… a conversation that I think they both enjoyed!  I wish Randy lived a little closer so we didn’t have to rely on Facebook as our primary source of communication.  His parents, Aunt VJ and Uncle Randy, are also pretty spectacular.

I do see my Aunt Wanda and cousins Ryan and Erin often… Luke and I both think they’re pretty cool and would undoubtedly find ourselves hanging with them even if they weren’t related.  It’s nice to see Aunt Wanda happy with her man George.  And, Ryan and Erin remind me so much of myself that I can’t help but love them. 

One regret is certainly that I didn’t get to see Beth.  My Aunt Pat said the stroke recovery is taking some time and that she was a little too weak to travel… Having lived with them during some of my undergraduate time in Pensacola, I can say they are two of the coolest people around.  It makes me sad to think about Beth having to go through something so difficult, but I can’t think of too many other people who are as strong willed as she is.  So, I know it’s only a matter of time before she starts kicking butt again.   I wish I could have hung out with Aunt Pat a little longer, but the day just went by so quickly…  it just doesn’t seem like we were there long enough!  I could have talked for a few more days, at least… good times, good times.

So, the reunion pretty much ended with dinner at Fudpuckers, which turned out to be a lively treat (props to Aunt Janice for hooking that up).  I was talking so much that I never even got to eat my dinner… although probably for the best since I ordered fried mushrooms and salad.  The three beers did hit the spot though, and by the end of the night Aidan had learned a new word… and, it wasn’t “pucker”.

Personally, I’m very proud of how our little family has turned out.  It seems we’ve all faced challenges and have come through them like true champs.   For that, I know my grandmother would be so proud of us.   None of us are perfect, and that’s what makes us all so frickin’ awesome.  I can’t wait until we do it again!

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Summer Fun 2010 Aunt VJ & Aunt Pat Visit

My parents, oma, Garry and Greta came to celebrate with us.  Luke grilled out in the freezing cold, and we made some of Skye’s favorites that included fruit and french fries.  Oh, how she loves the french fries!  When we got to the cake, Skye just didn’t want to eat it.  Of course, she smashed it all up and made a big mess (good photo ops), but I’m not sure that any actually went into her mouth.  Such a pity, because it was a pretty darn good cake.  A quick bath, change of clothes and a nap quickly ensued.

Although Christmas had just passed, there was no shortage of birthday presents.  She scored a new wardrobe and several new toys, including a little rocking horse that she’s terrified of.  She won’t even get near the thing, so we had to put it in the closet for now.  It’s actually pretty cute, so maybe she’ll come around at some point.

The first question from everyone I see seems to be… “is she walking yet?”.  Well, the answer is no.  And, to be perfectly honest, I’m not in such a rush for her to do so.  You don’t see many preschoolers crawling around, so I’m certain it will happen at some point.  So, for now, I’m enjoying being able to catch her very easily when she starts doing something she’s not supposed to.  As soon as she’s walking, I doubt there will be much rest as I’m running around chasing her everywhere.  She is walking around holding stuff, so it’s not like progress isn’t being made.

All in all, it was a great day.  Celebrating my daughter’s first year of life was both a happy and a sad occasion.  Knowing that we won’t have any other babies around makes it sad because I know she won’t be cute and cuddly forever.  But, I know from my experience with Aidan that each year brings new and exciting surprises that make it all worthwhile.

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To each of our family and friends, here’s to a happy, healthy and auspicious 2010…

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This year, we spread the love and decided not to have a big celebration at our place.  Instead, we spent Christmas Eve with Luke’s mom over at her boyfriend Garry’s house.  A few other faces we hadn’t seen in a while were there as well and the evening was quite pleasant.  Aidan has a freakish adversity to Garry’s dogs, which presents a certain amount of humor for everyone but him.  But, other than that, we enjoyed a delicious meal and time well spent catching up.  We were even able to Skype with Luke’s family over in Poland, which was quite a treat!

Later that night, we let Aidan open up the presents we got him.  Skye had passed out in the car, so she kind of missed out on that part.  But, Aidan… being the spoiled rotten kid that he is, got everything he had asked for and more.

Santa did make it to our house that night and brought even more goodies.  I’m told he really enjoyed the gingerbread men Aidan had made and decorated for him, as well as the carrots he left for the reindeer.  Aidan now has enough LEGOs to touch the ceiling!  He also got the science kit he wanted and a few other things as well.  I should hope he got everything he wanted after we waited in line for over an hour at the mall to tell Santa’s “helper” what he couldn’t live without!  It turns out I’ve enjoyed LEGO Rock Band more than anyone else, so I guess I scored on that one!

Greta and Garry joined us over at my parent’s house for Christmas dinner.  Amid puffs of smoke from the poor little game hens cooking and Oma laying sickly on the couch, we really had a great time.  Never a lack of gifts at the Phillips’ house, the kids were again showered with presents that would later result in packaging filling more than two large garbage cans outside our house for pick-up.  Such a shameful and gluttonous holiday, I know.   But, the look on kids’ faces when they open stuff up is pretty priceless I have to admit.  Even Skye was pleased with her loot, although Aidan’s stuff does seem to be more appealing to her.

Luke is off for the remainder of the holiday and doesn’t return back to work until after the New Year.  So, we’re making the most of our time and trying to combine relaxation with entertainment.  We’re hoping to have a date night this weekend, and Luke is planning some fun stuff for Aidan as well.  I think they’ve got laser tag and geocaching on the agenda, as well as many hours spent with LEGOs, of course.  Skye’s got Gymboree going on and maybe a trip to the park or two so she can play with her new bubbles.  I swear that girl said “bubble” the other day… but, I can’t get her to say it again!  At some point, we’ll have to get everything together for her birthday on January 9th.  I can’t even believe she’s going to be one! Before you know it, Christmas 2010 will be here!

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For us, 2009 has been a whirlwind of events… from Aidan entering kindergarten to Skye being born and growing into a little person with her own unique personality.  In the next few weeks, I expect she’ll be walking around getting into even more stuff!

As for Luke and I, we’ve spent most of the year somewhat overwhelmed by all of the changes.  Luke now works for Bright House after they bought out Time Warner and I’ve cut back to part-time with Pro QC and continue to teach at HCC and am preparing for a USF course in the spring.  That, coupled with two of the most spoiled children you’ve ever met, certainly does pose certain challenges when it comes to getting enough sleep or making time for date nights.   But, I can’t complain… and, I honestly wouldn’t change one single moment of it if I could.

Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much of our family this year.  We keep promising to visit Poland again, but there’s always some reason to postpone.  At the holidays especially, we miss them and wish they lived just a little closer!  Of course, my folks are just down the road, which has been a truly invaluable source of me keeping my sanity through the infant phase.  I wouldn’t be able to do half of the stuff I do for Aidan’s school if it weren’t for their willingness to babysit… not to mention actually making doctor’s appointments and other stuff. 

So, to conclude, it is with an open heart that we extend the warmest of greetings to all of our friends and family as the year comes to an end.  We look forward to a productive and happy 2010 and wish the same for everyone else as well!  This year, I am determined to stick with one or two of my resolutions… lol!

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And, she’s getting in two more teeth up top and has finally started eating food with a little texture to it.  I’m going to dabble with the food processor at some point to try and whiz up some culinary creations.

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So, Greta and Garry appear to be doing very well… Greta’s recent neck/back laser surgery seemed to really be helping her out.   And, Oma joined us this year with my folks and they are all doing well too.  Kelly and Lance even joined us this year, which was a very nice addition.  Aidan felt really special to have his former teacher over… he’s such a ham!

Oh, Aidan and I actually made the napkin rings and centerpiece leaves this year.  It really turned out pretty cute.  When asked what he was most thankful for so we could write it on the back of the leaves, he responded “birthdays, nature & the sun, family and the house.”   Of course, Skye supervised the process.

Time with spent with family and friends always seems to be an adventure, which makes Thanksgiving up there as a holiday favorite.

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