Finishing up the Year

2013 is almost gone. To be honest, I'm not too sad to see it go...it was a decent year, as years go, but I'm always excited to see what the future will bring.

While it's still here, though, here's what we've been doing this week:

Putting away Christmas: Sophie got a little tired during the whole process and decided to take a short nap on the Christmas totes. I'm so happy to have the house back to normal. It looks so clean! Although it may be a few months before I convince Jack to take the vinyl nativity off his window. I may just sneak one off every day or so...

Putting up a paper towel holder.

I have spent two-and-a-half years trying to decide where this thing should go...and finally, I know where I want it. So I told Doug to install it, and he kindly did so. Very happy that it has a place to live now. Having it fall into the sink at least once a week was getting a little annoying.

Now that you're caught up with our minor doings, hope you all have a safe and fun New Year's Eve!

A Lost Art: Gratitude

My mother had some pretty strict rules about being grateful for gifts. You had to:

• Thank the giver in person, or
• Write a thank you note.

Preferably both. Although we were only forced to write notes to those we hadn't thanked in person. Calling someone was great, but gratitude was not complete until one of the items above was checked off.

My mother-in-law, I found out after my marriage, was a little more strict. The thank you note was not optional, even if you had thanked the giver in person. The first Christmas I attended at her home was accompanied by an avalanche of thank you cards in the afternoon - even from his teenage brothers. And I thought, "if they can do it, so should I".

Ever since, I've been pretty good about it. There are exceptions:

• Last year. Don't know what happened, but I still have the list of people to thank. Pathetic.
• My wedding. I know what happened here: we moved four times in the first six months of marriage, and the list of givers was lost. I tried to send cards to anyone I remembered, but my memory is a sieve...much more falls through than remains. I found that list, about 10 years later. 

These days, we have email. I'm not sure if my mom would say that counts or not. For me, it certainly does, especially when I'm the giver...it lets me know, first and foremost, that my gifts were received. Since I ship a lot of gifts, this is big for me. I certainly don't want to wonder if people thought I just forgot them!

Let's put this whole thing in perspective: A loved one (or maybe not, whatever) goes to the trouble to not only think of you, but also to buy a gift that they hope you will like, wrap it (or not), and deliver it. Takes a little more than a minute or two, as you and I both know. Sometimes, it takes weeks. Months. The entire year.

As a return to them for all this time and energy they expended on your behalf, you take five minutes - maybe more, maybe less - and type them an email or write a card and stamp it. They now know that the gift has been received, and that you are grateful for the effort and thought that went into the gift. They even know, maybe, how it's being used (for money and gift card gifts, perhaps) and how much you like it (always tactfully stated).

Here's my secret: as we are travelling anywhere for Christmas merriment, be it to the church or to a family get-together, I take along my cards and my list and make out thank you cards. The kids are strapped in, and although they can bother me, they can't jump on me or tug the cards out of my grasp. I can only usually get a few done before taking a break - car sickness sucks - but I manage to get most or all of them done that way. I know, doesn't work so much if you're the driver, but maybe it will give you an idea.

Obviously, I prefer the hand-written note...but that is because I love getting mail that is neither an advertisement or a bill. So I assume others are pretty much the same on that count.

So here's my challenge to everyone in blog-land: write a note. Email or text or card...whatever works for you. Just let people know that you are grateful for that gift. Or even just grateful for a hello on an especially bad day. It will make their day, and it will also make yours. Seriously.

Christmas Eve!

On the off-chance that any of my readers don't receive a Christmas card from me already...here is my Christmas letter for the year.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas...and hopefully I'll have a new post before the new year!

2013: The Year of Travel

Doug & Beckie Hales Family

Since we spent so much time on the road this year, we decided to put together a top 10 favorite destinations. Our favorite part of travelling: the wonderful people we were able to spend time with – especially our own family! For 2014, we may not leave our house. At all.

Top 10 Favorite Destinations for 2013

10.       Tokyo, Japan

This was only Doug, but he was impressed with the cleanliness of the city and the kindness of the people. But mostly, it was different. The family enjoyed helping Doug prep for the trip, placing flash cards in Japanese throughout the house and beyond. The one in the chicken coop was for “cake”. Not sure why.

9.   CornFest, Enterprise, Utah

The last trip of the summer, CornFest was a blast. It’s basically a local farmer’s market, but it is always fun to hang with family and spend money.

8.   New Orleans, Louisiana

Our favorite part of New Orleans was driving over Lake Pontchartrain. The bridge is 13 miles long, and in the middle of the bridge you cannot see the sides of the lake. It’s a little freaky, and it makes you understand how sailors can lose their minds at sea. Luckily, we were on dry land not long after, looking at turtles with moss growing on their backs. Love Louisiana humidity!

7.   Albany, Illinois

Driving through Albany to find the Moundbuilders site, we got caught in a tornado watch. We took shelter at the local firehouse, along with a small family from the town. Most everyone was a little (or a lot) frightened, but the tornado was a no-show and it turned out to be just a wild experience.

6.   Niagara Falls, Niagara, New York

Busy, busy, busy, but really beautiful. This was the one place on our super-long trip that we would for sure like to see again. Luckily, none of the kids jumped. Although Malena offered.

5.   Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (and Montana)

Here we enjoyed (kind of) long days in the car while we looked for animals. We saw the typical elk, deer, and even got to see a black bear up close. Roasted marshmallows back at the cabin, lots of family time, lots of fun.

4.   Zion National Park, Utah

This is always one of our favorite destinations. We hiked for two days, one of those days with cousins (hooray!). Collin took off on the buses and it was four hours before he rejoined us. Talk about a heart attack for his family.

3.   Beach House, Long Beach Island, New Jersey

The front-runner for all the kids, this was the location of our Andersen family reunion this year. They loved the fishing, the swimming, and basically the chill-out atmosphere of living on the Atlantic Ocean for a week.

2.   Jenkins Cabin, Freedom, Wyoming

Site of the Hales Family Reunion, the kids went tubing in the canal, rafting in a river, and we even watched a movie of the back of a barn. Even better: an airplane dive-bombed the kids with candy. Like they need more of that. And boy-oh-boy, was it cold sleeping in a tent, even in July!

1.    Hales Cabin, Ventura County, California

This is where we spent Thanksgiving. The kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even without the internet. Board games, puzzles, visits to the Indian fort and even some authentic Indian caves. Not to mention an amazing Thanksgiving dinner, courtesy of Doug’s mom (aka Omi).

Hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a wonderful 2014! We are so grateful for friends and family, and count you as one of our greatest blessings.

Love, the Hales! 

A Little Early, Don't You Think?

Typically, I wait until Christmas Eve to trim the tree. No joke: if I trim it any earlier, the kids tear it apart.

This year, though, I really wanted a decorated tree. Call me crazy (everyone does), but I was just in a Christmas mood. So we decorated the tree...

The kids loved that I let them help...and more than a week before Christmas! Truly a milestone. Here's the finished result:

And we even got a little more Christmas scattered around the house. Poinsettias, with a NOEL nativity:

And my sister made this beautiful quilt for Christmas a few years ago. I hung it over our least favorite window. I wish it were just a little bigger...but I love it anyway.

Wow, I haven't had this much fun decorating in years. Here's hoping the kids enjoy it, too - enough to leave it alone until after Christmas!

Gingerbread Houses

Ummm, really I mean Graham Cracker Houses. Gingerbread is so overrated - it takes forever to make (mix, chill, roll, cut, bake, cool...argh!) - so I love making houses our of readily-available graham crackers.

The kids love it too. This year I went the extra mile and made royal frosting so that everything would stick together better. It worked, too. Those suckers are glued and may never come apart without the intervention of a hammer.

So here are the kids' results for your holiday perusal:

Bonnie went for the McMansion, but refused a picture. So sad, I'm sorry!

Malena, Jack and Sophia were traditional:

And Collin went for a modern version of the holiday house. I am always really impressed by his versions - they show real imagination.

My house never really got started...after all, who else was going to keep the builders supplied with frosting?

How to Peel a Pomegranate

So many of my friends and acquaintances know this, I am super surprised that my family - and Doug's mom - do not. I have always peeled pomegranates sloooowly, over a bowl, and taken the red fingers and enjoyed it along with the sweet/tart fruit.

For Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law provided me with a large bowl and a towel over my clothes (so it wouldn't splatter everywhere), as well as a small bowl for the seeds.Oh, and I can't forget the rubber gloves that she forced over my fingers so they wouldn't stain.

My hand-modeling career was in desperate jeopardy, due to those pomegranates. Thanks to Omi (our nickname for Doug's mom), my hands were spot-free.

Then I came home and blissfully offered to peel a pomegranate for a friend, while chatting away with her at her home. She filled a medium bowl full of water. I was seriously confused.

Taking pity on me, she showed me that if you cut it apart, then plunge it into the water to ruthlessly break it apart, there is no mess. Better yet - the seeds float to the bottom, and the white stuff floats to the top.

I know, "white stuff"? Very technical.

But then you can skim the stuff you don't want off the top, drain the bowl, and enjoy. Of course, you could also cut the top (the flower) off, cut off the bottom, score along all the ridges, and then break it open...but the water way is so fast! And easy, I'm totally into easy.

And no stained fingers, even without gloves. Again, how did I not know this? I don't know. But now I do - and so do you. So enjoy a pomegranate!

It's That Time of the Year Again...

Actually, it's a little later than "that time"...time to plant garlic!

Yes, I know it's December. According to the calendar, though, I still have two weeks or so of autumn before winter gets here. According to the sky, probably not that long. But whatever, still early enough to get garlic in the ground.

The garlic I grew two years ago has really spoiled me for anything but homegrown garlic. I purchased a few bulbs from Burpee (thinking they were very expensive). Those bulbs, though, have proliferated. Truly, garlic is the easiest thing to grow - pull it apart, plant it and wait until spring. Very little watering is even involved (perfect for me, the non-water-er).

Here's my current stash, less the few braids already used since July:

I actually braided a few...then got tired of it.

And put the rest of them in a basket.

And here's my newly planted garlic garden:

The sage and chives are looking a little wilted from the frost

I decided not to plant quite so many this year, since I really have more than I can handle. I'll probably give away several as Christmas presents. What says Merry Christmas more than a braid of garlic, after all?

Maybe I should throw in a wooden stake, a Bible and a cross for extra measure? Hehehe...

The Fish Bowl

After installing new french sliding doors, and throwing away the (broken) plantation blinds that went with the old french doors, we were left with a wide expanse of open window.

From which we could see a lot of open road. Meaning, whoever drove on that road could see directly into our home, especially at night. Yikes!

Collin explained it to Jack this way: "If we're running around naked, everyone can see us!" Personally, I'm wondering how often that happens, since I haven't seen it, at least not in the dining room...but then, they always save the exciting stuff for the neighbors, right?

Anyhoo, fish bowl windows = need for curtains. I hightailed it to JoAnn's to buy material when we got close to purchasing a new slider - this was before I broke my leg. Then it sat, and sat. Then we ordered the slider. Hmmm, maybe I should start on those curtains? So I cut them out, including lining. Except, oops, I only had enough lining for three panels - and I needed to make four.

Pretty material makes me happy

Back to JoAnn's. The next week (or so), I cut out that final liner. And then it sat again.

While Doug was installing the slider, I again thought about making those curtains. Hmmm, I should make curtains. I was, however, at the end of a John Grisham book, so that came first (duh!). Once that was finished, I reluctantly started on them curtains. Sigh.

Doug actually had to leave at this point to put in his second water heater of the week - the cabin we stayed in for Thanksgiving had a dead water heater when we moved in, and then his brother's water heater also gave out once we returned home. Must be some sort of water heater virus knocking them out state to state, huh? With Doug gone, I finished two of those curtain panels.

There are still blinds in the side windows, so no need to actually finish the project, right?

Yup, feeling lazy this week. I mean, year. Anyway. Doug wants to hang them from the ceiling with a wooden rod so that we don't have the inevitable "bump" that comes with the adjustable rods. Fine with me, you do that, honey. Do we have a custom-made curtain rod done, you ask? Nope.

So we used an adjustable curtain rod that was hanging about downstairs, and "temporarily" hung those curtains on the untrimmed boards around the new slider.

The curtains are so heavy, the rod bends in the middle

Held open using the blind cords -
keeps them up and out of little fingers!

At least we're not in a fish bowl anymore. Maybe we'll be a little more motivated. Next week. I mean, year. Hehehe.

Note: the figures on the window are Jack's vinyl nativity set. I couldn't break his heart by taking them down, so now it looks like there's a swarm of little insects on the door. Oh, well.

Frenchie! Slidey! Lovely!

Once upon a time (a few days ago), we had french doors. With broken blinds. Attractive.

They were also metal doors, on the west side of an un-shaded house. Sadly, they warped. Even sadder, they were not installed correctly, missing some exterior trim, so they were drafty around the edges, and along all sides of each door. Awww, sad doors.

Now, you know that Doug could never allow any door that made our electricity bills go any higher (again, not that they are very high, honestly). He looked into a ton of options, brought out someone for a custom quote (nixed), and finally decided to go standard at the Home Depot.

We deep-sixed the french door idea - the custom quote guy noted that any metal door on that side of the house will eventually warp. Also, there isn't really a way to keep insects at bay when they are open, so we have had to choose: air flow with insects, no air flow and no insects. The latter usually won. But we really like opening the house. So, we decided on a slider, and to make it a little more stylish, went with the french sliders. Essentially, a wider trim around the windows.

Another big decision: the current doors were a custom size. To use a standard size, we (Doug) would have to build in the opening a bit. We went with standard: way easier to change out later if we decide on something different in 15 years. Or 10. Or 5...

The built-in area to house the new door size

We ordered it, and expected it two weeks later. Three-and-a-half weeks later (!), we picked up the door...

and Doug installed it.

Mostly. True to form, it's not completely done...there's still siding to install and a lot of trim to do. But the house is much more comfortable, being less drafty.

Exterior shot - yes, those stairs also need attention

Interior shot

The kids are also thoroughly excited to have something new to try out. Heaven help us.

Progress on Pants

Finally, Bonnie acquiesced. She modeled her new pants, the ones that she is convinced she will never wear:

Personally, if I spent so much time on them, she had better wear them. At least once. Especially since these specific pants have such a great line, making her legs look longer, her waist thinner, and generally looking like a real set of trousers. As opposed to the workout clothes she generally wears.

I'll keep hoping - if she decides to actually wear them, I'll make her another pair.

Malena also decided to get into the act, having tried on her own skirt now that Sophie has relinquished hold of it:

She actually wore this to church yesterday, so at least something is getting used! Gotta love girls and their being picky about clothes!

Birth of Chaos

Early morning phone calls freak me out. Usually bad news. On Sunday, usually bad news or someone asking you to substitute at church (which could also be bad news, or good, depending).

So I was a little worried this morning at 7 am when the phone rang. It was Doug's brother, calling to say "Today was the birth of chaos!" Chaos = Doug.

Yup, happy birthday, honey! In celebration, I decided to put together yet another collage. I love these things! This is all the kindergarten pictures of the kids juxtaposed with Doug's picture from kindergarten. Ooooh, so cute!

Don't you think Jack is the spitting image of his dad? With the red hair excepting, of course. Obviously, Sophia hasn't had a kindergarten photo yet - and I couldn't find Collin's - so those don't exactly fit the pattern. This was the youngest picture of Doug I have, though, so you'll forgive the inconsistencies, yes?

Here's to another great year with the love of my life!