Another magical childhood tradition

When I was a kid one of my favorite parts of December was the night we got to sleep under the Christmas tree. We did it every year I can remember, until I was "too cool" to participate anymore.
There would be eggnog and Christmas stories and then my whole family would curl up in their sleeping bags and sleep on the living room floor for the night under the twinkling Christmas tree lights.

This year I decided Nathan was old enough we could start the same sort of tradition here.

Since Grandpa Zoom wasn't coming for Christmas this year he came up the weekend before.

 Nathan and Grandpa ate snowman cookies, and drank little mugs of eggnog while watching the Grinch.

Then they settled in under the tree for the night.
Nathan L-O-V-E-D this new tradition. And I think Grandpa Zoom loved reliving some Christmas memories while making new ones with a new generation.

* I still have at least one more Childhood tradition I hope to revive before the seasons out- stay tuned*

Seems like I spent half the weekend in the kitchen

 The boys have had a very exciting weekend. Nathan's 4th Birthday is tomorrow, and Grandpa Zoom came for the weekend to celebrate. The boys get spoiled with so much attention from Grandpa you can't blame them for being totally insane whenever he around.

 I spent my day working on this....

I'd promised Nathan a Buzzlightyear cake. So I went out and got Wilton Cake pan. And spent the better part of the afternoon trying to get the icing looking like the picture.

It certainly wasn't identical. But it was good enough for a 4 year old. And considering it was my first real attempt using decorating tips. I think it came out not half bad.

We roasted one of our chickens for dinner and everyone had a very good filling meal.

Of course we had to move on to presents. The Birthday Boy got spoiled as usual!

We had quite the Toy Story theme going on too. Since he got a talking Woody doll from us, The Jessie Doll from his brother, and the Toy Story 3 movie from Grandpa. As well as lots of new clothes and army toys from his Uncle.

Now the next big adventure...tomorrow I plan on taking a run at Cakepops. If you've never seen them they are adorable. So cute I actually shelled out full price for the book a few weeks ago. I have big dreams of making the pirate pops for Nathans preschool class for Tuesday. Lets hope they at least have the resemblance like the buzz lightyear cake. Or I'll be making a mad dash into town for bakery cupcakes that day.

Super Grandpa wins again!

So my Dad has been in love with Fiero's forever, or since they first came out. He's owned 4 now, I think (the first one was my fault but that's another story) and he "upgrades" a little each time he buys one. He's latest baby is an "official Indy Pace car Fiero"

He belongs to his local chapter of the Fiero club, and this year 6 of the guys decided to but their cars in the World of Wheels show.

Dad's car is the one on the right- the pace car that was released to the public (2000 cars were sold as official Indy pace cars I believe) and the one on the left has been modified to look like the actual car the ran the Indy track- I was able to pick up the differences between the 2- like the white stripe down the side and the air intake over the roof, while I was on the phone tonight with Dad, he was impressed!
Dad- Proud of his Baby
The guys in the club built the whole "display" the fence posts with the "wire" (which is actually spray painted rope), the road, the astro turf grass and the best part is the yellow duct tape centre line on the road.~ the spent quite a few weekends finding the supplies and building the props for their display. I think it came out well!
And~ Tah Dah!!! The award!
Yay.
although he says that he had no expectations going into the show, he was awarded
"Outstanding in Class"
which is basically second place in his category
pretty good consider his class was for 2 seater sports cars, and included corvettes and prowlers. But the judges are looking for the condition of the car, not the type of car

SO....YAY GRANDPA ZOOM!!!!

Dad's travels

My Dad just sent me some pitures of his trip down to Arizona for the Barrett Jackson Auction and some golf (funny how there's no golf pics).

The Staging area


From the audience

I think he was really, really tempted- It's the only fiero convertible made by pontiac...there was a lot of one off stuff being sold from the Gm collection this year
(actually a friend of Dad's in his fierro club bought it over the phone, Dad found out when he got back)


Now this is my style

I know a few people who would be drooling for this baby


and the pics I think he was the most proud of lol

" had a geat time, they took my picture with the Speed Chanel Babes and the Shelby Girls "

his words not mine!!!!

Grandpa Zoom comes to visit, Nathan gets spoiled, and Mommy gets to hold New Baby Malcom

BRRRRRRR....It's Cold!!!
It was - 28

and with the Windchill

-40

But like a trooper, Grandpa Zoom and Grandma Barb, came through the snow anyways.

Of course Nathan was thrilled to see them, he always lights up as soon as he see's Grandpa, who's his best buddy. And of course they came through the door with arm loads of presents (we didn't get to see them for Christmas, so they came prepared with stuff from them and Uncle Brian) Nathan first had to show off Thomas the train, and his shiny new collection of hotwheels cars to Grandpa. But they were almost as excited as he was to open his presents. So pretty quickly my living room floor was again covered in wrapping paper.

Uncle Brian went wild again, with some of the coolest gifts ever.

Nathan got a little Home Depot Welder set complete with gloves, face shield, flint spark er thingy and welding torch- which is soooo cool because it lights up and vibrates. He's runs around the house pressing it up to everything- the stove, the window, the wall- I think because it make different noises on each surface. I think Uncle Brian has decided to start training his apprentice as early as possible!?!?

And then just in case that was enough, he gave Nathan the coolest Dump truck and Digger (or excavator) set that I've ever seen. There remote controlled, and about the size of the big old metal Tonka trucks everyone used to have.The truck goes forward and back with a simple joy stick maneuver, and then it will turn (or it suppose too- but may have to go back to the store). And actual raises the back of the truck and dumps it's load with the third control.

Nathans kind of getting the hang of it, although we have to tell him constantly to use the controls instead of just dragging it like it's on a leash. (I'm worried he'll break all the wiring)

but he seems to have the hang of it going in one direction- forward or back. ANd that's got to be pretty good considering it's a 3 plus toy.

We all went out for dinner at Apple Bees and then finally got ahold of my cousin Leslie, so we made plans to go over to Leslie and Jason's after dinner to Meet New Baby Malcolm. He was born December 19th- and is 2 weeks old- I sooooo miss holding a little little baby.

I don't think this is the best picture ever taken of any of us- Chris being the worst of the bunch...I keep trying to convince him to get his haircut, but his long work hours make it hard to find time- although the one pic is pretty cute obviously Nathan and Grandpa are busy hamming it up.

last week @ Grandpa Zoom's

Poor Kid, doesn't look like he had any fun!?!?!?

We had Daddy home one last weekend before he starts his regular shift...and a garage sale, and a park trip and Grandpa Zoom...Pretty full weekend!

Taking a Lunch Break in the Backyard with our best buddy Grandpa...there were tears and a tantrum when Grandpa left...but not the same reaction when Daddy was leaving...oops...way to hurt daddy's feelings!!!
This is the only pic I took of the garage sale in action...I kept meaning too...especially how crazy the guys were wheeling and dealing and talking people into everything...over 700 we made in the 2 days...not too shabby...plus now I don't have to move any of it
Me, trying to convince a scaredy cat to come down the slide, he crawls all the way across that bridge on his own and then sits at the top of the slide debating if he's coming down??? Half the time I have to do what I'm doing here, and climb onto the bottom of the slide and give him a push to get started and remember he likes the slide...then it's smooth sailing, other than the jumping up and down to lift him to each level of the park he can't climb to yet!!!

The teeter totter that's been renamed "wheeeee, bump"