Monday Musings (holiday delay)

Greetings you peeps!  I've missed being in touch!  It's been a busy past week.  In fact, I just was folding clothes and counted up 29 pairs of underwear for one of the MYP.  Yes, I do laundry often.  I just think this certain young person changes approximately four times/day.

So it's the holiday season!  We've had wonderful days that were balanced out between the Chairman's family and mine.  We hosted "the Italian's" on Christmas Eve Day.  The food was amazingly wonderful as usual.  The company lively and fun.  The heart happy.  The two "Grandma's" do the main course which is spaghetti of course.  I wish you all could taste it.  😋

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baby toes 💙

Then we were off to visit my side of the family.  This time it was prime rib and ham and all the delicious fixings and rich desserts and too many cookies and strong coffee.  Yum.

So what else?  We have a new family member!  It wasn't my idea.  It wasn't my money.  But his name is "Peanut"  or "Hammy" or as I call him - "Hamish McTavish" because when you weigh about 3 oz. you should have a formal name.  He might be more aptly called "Cat Bait".  He's actually quite cute and entertaining as he hops in his little ball to roll around the floor.

So we head to the Windy City in a couple days to just have some family time.  I'm excited to get out of the rut of life if only for 24 hours.

Speaking of ruts, I'm really really struggling with blogging anymore.  I feel like my oomph is gone.  Who knows if the 'Chairman and Co.' has a future?

Happy end of the year to you!  Soon it'll be 2017.  I remember when our daughter entered kindergarten 12 years ago and thought of 2017 being her graduation year and a very long time in the future.  Well, I blinked.  And it's almost 2017.

A Museless Muse

I'll be back in a week.  There's lots of family time coming ahead.  And I kinda-sorta need to get some 

Have a wonderful holiday!

Monday Musings

This is unusual.  I usually try to type out a blog post when the house is quiet except for the snoring dog and the cat purring on a chair nearby.  However, I decided I wanted to quick blog before I slid into my deliciously fuzzy-warm sheets and Monday turned into Tuesday.  The Chairman just left for the evening walk with Lisi.  He just yelled that it's only 12 degrees and he wished he had on long underwear.  Doesn't he realize I'm busy doing important things other than responding to his concern of a cold tush while walking?  Daughter #1 is exercising in the basement, son #1 is away at basketball, and daughter #2 is singing at the top of her lungs in the living room doing her homework.  I hope she doesn't come bother me for a bit.

To be perfectly honest, this post isn't worth your time or strain of the eyeballs.  I have little to share that's noteworthy.  The past week has been filled with pretty much ordinary days and ordinary living.

* There was a comment I heard from one of the MYP a few days ago.  Mom?  "Can I get XYZ when I get older?"  Then she quickly added brightly, "I'm going to be older tomorrow!"

* We got about 7 or 8" of snow over the past couple days.  Happy dance!  I'm so so glad we will have snow this winter.  I hope we get another 7-8" this weekend but unfortunately it seems like it'll only be in the 3-5" region.

* The dog loves the colder temps and the deeper snow.  The cat?  Not so much.  He sleeps most all day and half the night and then meows to go outside about 2:30 only to race back in at 6 am.

* I suggested to the Chairman the other night that maybe we should consider a king-sized bed.  He groaned and said it was a terrible idea.  We have a queen and that size has worked for 22 years.  But sometimes I fantasize about lying in bed without worrying about someone breathing on me.  Oh well.

* We might be adding to our family!  No, no more MYP.  My quiver is full.  The girls have been asking for a hamster and are promising to care for it and pay for it with their own money.  I just see the new arrival being cat bait.

* We cleaned a huge amount in the unfinished part of the basement.  I found utility bills from 16 years ago.  I also found a gift bag that a friend brought over to cheer me up at a very sad time.  It is slightly ripped and looks like it should go in the garbage, but I just couldn't.  Just seeing it makes me so thankful for thoughtful friends.

* Daughter #2 had four adult teeth yanked out of her mouth last Friday.  She was a trooper and got to drool and eat applesauce and oatmeal.  The body heals amazingly fast.  She will have tinsel on her teeth within 10 days.

I think that's about all I have for you!  See?  I told you life was kind of dull around here.

true that

two of the three MYP texted this to me...😁

trying to feel her chin

💗

a girl and her friend on a snowy Sunday

Son #1 took a picture of this because he thought it looked so amazing.  Cooking for teenage boys is so rewarding.

This is so good.  I'm a daughter and also a mother...  

Monday Musings on time!

I can hear the collective clapping for a job well done!  Musing on a Monday!  Thanks for your rousing support.  Or not.

We've got snow!  Based on social media sightings, you would think it never snows!  My feeder was full of pictures of potted plants and chairs and pine boughs drooping 'neath the weight of the beautiful white fluffy stuff!  I may or may not have taken a picture too.  I'm original like that.

It made for some sketchy driving.  But thankfully, the Chairman is a competent driver and we got to all our locations safely.

We purchased a new humidifier the end of October and suddenly it didn't seem to be working.  I tried this or that and then called the 1-800 customer service number.  The "lady" that answered said her name was "George".  It gave me pause, but then I started in on my problem.  "George" kept insisting my issue was with my filter.  I told "her" that I changed it and it still wasn't working.  She insisted.  I resisted.  I was utterly convinced it was the unit itself.  Finally after about six minutes of going back and forth, I did exactly what "she" told me to do with utter skepticism.  To my chagrin it worked.  I'm glad I don't have to meet "George" in person anytime soon.  I think she'd think I was an irritating person.  I may or may not have been called "bull-headed" when I was a child.  I can't figure out why.

Did you know you aren't supposed to use an apostrophe and an "s" when saying Happy Holidays from the Hansen's!  It's to be just Hansens.  You learn something every day.  And for those of you that have received holiday cards from us in the past, please don't hold my bad English against me.

I have a couple merino wool shirts that I purchased at Costco close to four years ago that I absolutely love.  They're like SmartWool only better as they are quite thin and layer underneath sweaters without giving you heatstroke.  The lady at Costco said they won't be carrying them anytime soon.  So I hit EBay and there it was!!!  And a couple dollars cheaper than I originally paid!  And free shipping!  Which I'm currently wearing as I type along this post.  I looked up the name/address where it came from.  The lady lives in nowheresville Idaho with four children.  Her husband is a wee bit chubby.  They look like a happy family.  Amazing what you can find on the internet.  Shirts and stalking.

I've been doing on-line banking and I love it!  I finally started doing the take-a-picture-of-your-check and submitting it after the MYP kept telling me it was simpler than starting up my car.  I have been and it's been quite handy!  I wonder if the teller-lady "Sheryl" misses me yet?

Someone just came this past weekend and sharpened all my knives.  I've got band-aids to prove it.  I just hope my thumb doesn't get chopped off this week.  He wanted to be sure they were sharp enough so that you could slice paper-thin grape slices.  I don't plan to serve paper-thin grapes anytime soon, but who am I to argue?

Today is Lisi's birthday.  She's doing good for her nine years.  Our first dog Lincoln died at 9 1/2, so we will appreciate the time we do have with her.  She seems quite healthy and quite photogenic, so we'll love on her while we have her.

Well this is enough Musing.  I will throw a few pictures here on the bottom.  Happy week ahead!  I'm off to tromp in some snow and get some fresh air.

homemade Texas Roadhouse rolls/cinnamon butter

super-special family time 

extra-special people

yep it snowed here too!