It's a Wonderful Life

Merry Christmas (a few days late) everyone!  The decorations are put away and the tree has been burned!  On to New Years Eve!

Christmas really is a series of celebrations for our family.  It started on Saturday with The Christmas Party of The Year!

Here is my leg lamp costume:

 I was able to cajole my husband into participating.  He was the shipping crate to my leg lamp.

Family Photo (please excuse Kevin's hat hair and the angry snow-woman):

I really expected that getting Kevin to dress up would have been my biggest hurdle.  Boy was I wrong.  It was Kaci.  From the minute she saw her snow man costume, she hated it.  In fact her honest to God first reaction was to scream "I DON'T LIKE IT".  We finally got it on her, but she refused to keep the hat on.

Kaci's look of disgust:

Who else was at the party you may ask??  The Target lady from last year's Christmas commercials, Christmas Elvis, a hot elf, Cousin Eddy, Kevin from Home Alone, and the Grinch were among us!  Here is a partial group shot with an especially good angle of the Target lady and her little Grinch.  Sorry Cousin Eddy - looks like you didn't make the cut.

Christmas continues with Christmas Eve festivities being held at Kevin's Dad's house.  Food, wine and presents were had by all!

Christmas was at our house and consisted of prime rib dinner, more wine and more presents!

Nude present opening:

Christmas Tutu:

Kaci must view and approve all photos taken of her:

Upon giving the gift of a stylish white watch to her cousin, Kaci stole it and put it on!  Here she is showing it off to her Uncle Mike:

The day after Christmas consisted of some nasty type of stomach illness for me.  It was not morning sickness, nor a hangover for all that were kind enough to submit a guess.  Oh well, who doesn't like a good purge after the holidays?

So now I am trying to get today and tomorrow's work days to pass quickly as I have a pretty exciting weekend planned (more on that next week).  Quite a challenge when your work load has diminished to zilch.  What in the world will you do to keep yourself busy you may ask?  I have prepared a list:
Friday:

• Write this blog  Done!
• Go to Target for diapers, bottled water, etc.
• Delete the 165 pictures of nothing that Kaci took from my phone. Example:

• Complete 2 reports (work related nonsense)

Saturday:

• Paint my fingers
• Paint my toes
• Answer a few phone calls
• Check to see how many visits my blog got since Friday
• Complete some staff observations and account reviews (work related nonsense)

Bring on 2013!!!

Writers Block

I have no idea what to write about today.  It is just one of the gray days that stomps on my creativity and motivation.  So I am just going to wing it.  Bear with me folks.

CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS:

• I am so close to being done with my shopping.  Only a couple of stocking stuffers for my husband.  
• I am putting together an amazing costume for THE CHRISTMAS PARTY OF THE YEAR that is being held this Saturday.  I am attempting a leg lamp costume.  I will post pictures once complete!
• My husband will be going as himself.  My Dad got to him!  He encouraged Kevin to take a stand and just say no to Christmas costumes.  His reasoning - if they dress up for this Christmas party, then we will start making them dress up on every holiday including Easter, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day Jr., etc.
• Kaci is going to be a snowman.
• Erickson version of Elf on the Shelf - I was too cheap to spend the $29.99 for the original Elf on the Shelf.  However, while on the hunt for some items needed for my leg lamp costume, I came across a creepy little elf for $1.99.  Bargain!  Here he is in action:

• We had to buy new lights for our tree this year.  Does anyone else agree that the LED lights are a little too disco-ish for the holidays?

KACI:

• Her new favorite thing is to have her nails painted.  We paint, blow dry, paint other hand, blow dry, paint a foot, blow dry, paint the other foot.  Works pretty well!

• New party dress and boots!

• Crazy hair day!

Oh Christmas Tree

After a late start to our Sunday morning (Kaci slept in until 8:30!) we ventured out to pick up a Christmas tree.  We go with a live one because I absolutely LOVE the smell of a fresh tree.  What I don't like is having to water it and vacuum the needles up every 20 minutes.  Oh well, it's only for a few weeks.

Kaci was not excited.  She wanted to be a lazy bean today and lay around with no pants on.  Seriously, the kid has a strange aversion to pants lately.  Hope she overcomes that some day.

And now join me as I recap Christmas Tree Sunday with some photos:

This is the first tree that Kaci had her sights set on...

After a little persuasion she agreed to move on and found this little gem...

For obvious reasons, we vetoed Kaci's choice and went with this option...

Kaci's thoughts on the decision...

I didn't want to miss out on this unique photo opportunity...

And after the tree was in the house and Kaci was down for a nap...

I staged these delicious bloody mary's to show off our tree!

I am going to count this as a pretty productive Sunday.  Laundry done, house cleaned, tree up and blogging complete.  Bring it on Monday...BRING IT ON!

Dark and Stormy Weekend

You guys ever had a Dark and Stormy?  Well you should.  Live like a pirate and drink your rum.  This delicious cocktail consists of ginger beer, Sailor Jerry spiced rum and lime juice. I am hoping to include this in my weekend plans.

Today is finally Friday!  I have a crazy night of house cleaning planned.  We were in a rush to get Kaci fed, dressed and over to Grandpa's before the show last night.  And whenever I am rushing - my house turns into a disaster zone.  It literally looks like a bomb went off.  Clothes ALL OVER my room and Kaci's, dishes in the sink, as well as every coat is pulled off their hangers in our entry way closet.  I couldn't find my North Face jacket (who looses coats at 31 years old?) so proceeded to throw a temper tantrum.  

Oh and we also have 1 diaper...yes 1 diaper left in our house.  Yikes!  Not to mention that last night I ran out of wipes.  You would think I am new at this kid thing!  Kevin was kind enough to run to the store to grab some wipes while I continued with my temper tantrum.  Look what he came home with:

Correct me if I am wrong, but these are not baby wipes.  These are adult wipes.  Kevin said that they didn't sell baby wipes so he just grabbed these?  He must think I have never been to this store?  He also must have forgotten that we only have 2 stores in our town??  Oh well - they work.

Friday morning photo shoot.  This is just one of the three animal print fur jackets that Kaci owns.  I think the Jersey Shore is calling her name!

A little shy

Then she warmed up!

Sorry for the poor photo quality.  Don't know what was going on .

I Think I am Getting Old

I was going to title this post "What I Will Do With My Power Ball Winnings" but changed it for obvious reasons.

Wake up, go to work, come home, make dinner, eat dinner, do some laundry, watch t.v., go to bed.  When I was in middle/high school, I was positive that this routine that my Mom and Dad kept would never be part of my future.  Shopping, hiking, cocktails, dinner out...this was what my weeknights would consist of for sure!  (I obviously intended to marry rich).  How very wrong I was.  But here is the funny part...I wouldn't want it any other way.  I crave the routine.  It keeps me sane.  It allows me to wake up each morning feeling refreshed.  

Tonight my routine is being thrown out the window.  Kevin and I are going to see a show with friends.  On a Thursday...in Portland...at 8:00 p.m.  OMG...I may be up until 11:00 p.m. tonight!  

Anyone ever heard of Trailer Park Boys????

Trailer Park Boys' Ricky, Julian and Bubbles

"Dear Santa Claus, Go **** Yourself" Tour
With guests Randy and Mr. Lahey

Hi. I am Jaci and I am a terrible blogger.

So it has been since August 28th since I last posted anything.  You can't say I didn't warn you though.  I do apologize, and just recently (as in 5 minutes ago after reading an email from my Mom) found what might be some motivation.  Here goes nothing...

So what has been going on in my life you ask?  Kaci turned 2 in August.  A few people have been wanting to see her birthday party pictures (Jessica), so I will do a post with those later.  They are on my camera at home.  

Kaci's favorite things include:

asking "why?"

running away from me

hiding from me when it is bed time

pulling all of the toilet paper off the roll when she is sitting on the potty.

waking up at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday

sleeping in until 7 Monday through Friday

Well, that should bring you all up to speed.  

So here we are on No Work Wednesday - Thanksgiving Eve edition.  What do my next 4 days include you ask???  Tomorrow will be turkey dinner with my husbands side  of the family.  We will also be popping in to my sisters to enjoy a glass of wine with my side.  I also hope to get my lazy bones up and out the door early for a run before stuffing my face.  Friday I hope to decorate for Christmas and see the new Twilight movie with my friends.  Saturday and Sunday...who knows!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh and huge CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. and Mrs. Hardy who got married last night!  Eat, drink and be married Jessica and James!

I will leave you all with some pictures.

Big girl bed

Pumpkin carving

Beer Margarita from The Rock.  Have you tried this yet?  YUM!

Wood stove season

Tomfoolery and tortillas

Real World

Rumour has it that the 28th season of The Real World began filming in Portland.  Apparently people started seeing the cast out and about doing "real" things in the Pearl beginning last Thursday.  I love the show, and most certainly will watch.  I will say that this cast sure got the short end of the stick.  Congrats...you are going to be on the Real World!  Guess where you will get to spend the next 2 months of your life?  PORTLAND, OR!  How lame.  The current show that is airing now filmed in St. Thomas...now that is more like it. 

I haven't been a very good blogger lately.  The thought of doing computer work when it is 90 degrees out is nauseating.  But...I have so many good pictures I need to show off, so I have returned!

I will recap the past couple weeks with photos:
Playing house



Helping Dad

Some fun at Prineville

SILVER DOLLAR PANCAKES (for Jessica)



And an impromptu photo shoot with frosting

First Thursday Run with Bonnie and Brandy (yes, those are Bruce Springstein shirts...don't be jealous)

This week I hope to do a little kayaking, more blogging, and some tasting of delicious beers at Vancouver Brew Fest. 

9 more business days and counting until my staycation.

Kaci's view of the North Fork

Kaci had her first trip down the north fork of the Lewis River on Sunday.  My brother Jake and his girlfriend Sarabeth invited me on their kayak trip.  And my lovely husband invited himself and Kaci along.  No kayak for them...instead they brought the drift boat.  I am pretty sure that will be the last time he does that...

It wasn't terrible, but she was very unhappy that I kept paddling away from their boat.  She also hates her life jacket...but not wearing one is not an option for the little princess.  A lot of whining was done, but I think in the end she had fun.  She did end up taking a sweet little nap in the boat for the last half hour of the trip.

I enjoyed myself though!  This trip was a lot more exciting, with the water running faster than my previous trips.  I also ran  a few rapids this time.  I can't wait to go again.

My blister...

Don't make fun of my fat thumbs.

And I will leave you with a couple cute pictures of Kaci in the hay field: