Merry Christmas! 2009

Christmas Eve we spent with my cousin and her family in Sultan-which is only 30 minutes away. She is my 2nd cousin, but she is close to our age. It's so nice to live close to family! Her parents live near Las Vegas, NV and her siblings are scattered. She is the only one who lives in Washington and I am the closest family she has. We spent Christmas Eve with her and had a really yummy dinner there. Lobster Spagetti-YUMMMMM!! The little cousins (my kids and her kids) exhanged gifts and opened them. We read the Christmas Story out of the Bible (in Luke) and then we went home to settle OUR boys into bed. Mason went willingly, Mac...not so much-because he's a teenager you know (14 going on 21 or something like that).


CHRISTMAS EVE: Mason putting out Milk and Cookies in Santa Cup and plate we have for Santa. He also wrote a letter to Santa (that he wrote himself with some help from me). He set out the letter and Santa wrote him back! Mason went to bed oh so willingly....because you know, Santa won't come until all the children are asleep-and that includes teenagers. Mason was freaking out and was affraid that MAC wasn't going to go to sleep.

We have a glass ornament that looks like a pickle. It's a German tradition that the first person who finds the pickle ornament that is hidden in the tree gets a special gift. "Our" tradition....the first person to find the pickle hidden in the tree gets to open the first present. Last year, I hid it high in the tree, not thinking Mason couldn't find it (stupid me). This year, I hid it low so Mason had a fair chance. The pickle ornament is the EXACT same color as our lovely fake tree. So it's a little hard to find. Mason started looking high like last year, hence the reason why he climbed the window to find it.

Then I told them it was "low", then I was saying "hot and cold". After about 5 minutes of searching, Lee lost his patience and told the boys to move out of the way and he would find it. He found it after 1-2 minutes. So The Dad got to open the first present and Mason got to help hand out presents (because he got really mad when Dad found the pickle).

The boys smiling nice for me....I told them if they didn't smile nice for me that we would finish opening the presents after lunch. So they smiled nice.

All of Mason's "hopes and dreams" were inside of this box.

The toy train that he asked Santa for in his letter.....and it helped that he carried the Bed, Bath and Beyond catalog since the day after Thanksgiving telling everyone that he wanted THIS train.

Hmmmm....I wonder what's in this box?

Yep, his first rifle. He was totally shocked and suprised. He didn't ask for it, but Lee felt he was ready for his own. Mac was over the moon, and he still is.

And this last pic, just because I thought he looked cute. We hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Our Halls are Decked

The reason why I haven't been blogging so much....I've been busy "Decking our Halls". I do this with little to no assistance from my boys. They decorate the tree, but that's about it. Lee declared to Mac one year when he was about 4 years old "Son, don't touch the Christmas lights, your Mom's a little freaky about how the lights are done".

Our Main Christmas tree in the upstairs living room. It's artifical because Lee is affraid of the house catching on fire with a live one. I have tree smelling candles burning through the house to get the "tree" scent going on. The garland over the tree is a new addition. It was Lee's idea of all people. I got a screaming deal on garland at Target last year after Christmas. Like the boombox on the right? It's Lee's work one and he's letting me borrow it so I can play our Christmas CD's.

This is our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree that is downstairs in the Family Room. It's small, it has multi colored LED lights and the boys are in charge of it. They have full and complete control of this tree. I added extra blue LED lights this year and it looks really cool.

I have 3 different Nativities on the entertainment center. I used to have some garland strung across the entertainment center...but we have a plasma TV now, so NOTHING is to be strung across it. I was having plug in issues for some Christmas lights on top of the "Center" and found some battery operated lights. It excited me.

This is our front door. I started to put garland with white Christmas lights around the door and on the banister of our porch last year. Lee installed a new front door a couple of months ago and it's a full window door. So no wreath can go on the new door. But do you think that stopped me? NO!

I found these Gel Sticky things at a store on S. Whidbey Island a few months back. We have a white roman shade for the door (for privacy at night or whenever) so the sticky things looked pretty cool on the door.

This is the Christmas wreath that used to be on the front door that is now on the front closet door. I made it 5 or more years ago. I love it.

Our Stockings that are hung around the gas stove. We have little mantels on each side and Train stocking holders. You can't see them. But, more garland and there are little red holly LED battery operated lights in the garland. They are cute at night.

The Santa table. This was the first year I've been able to do this because Mason won't get into stuff so much. Mason is in charge of counting down the day til Christmas.

Our China cabinet...more garland and little red lights are up there too. With some little ornaments tied in there.

My new big addition to the Christmas decorations...the garland with white lights and little ornaments tied into it. It goes around the new sliding glass door-in our dining room- that Lee installed as well a few months ago. I had enough garland and lights and I couldn't help myself. It looks way cooler in real life, but I love it.

So as you can see, we are ready for Christmas...well, we have been completely decorated since December 5th. Now, time to get those cards out!

Mason's 8 !

Mason's Birthday was on December 7th...but we celebrated 1 day early. We had alot of family come over on Sunday the 6th because of Mac's Ordination (he's 14 and a Teacher now). It was a busy weekend, but a fun one. It was nice to visit with our families. Uncle Sam (Hope's brother) and Aunt Andrea with the kids came over on Saturday night (didn't get any pics). Grammy and Pa Bryant came over on Sunday with Calvin, and Janean.

Mason with his present from Grammy. IT was a really cool Pirate Book. She also made....

A yummy Pirate Cake. Patty is really talented! Mason loved it.

Mason with Grammy.

The candles were on the sides with the cannons. Unfourtunately, he didn't blow all of the candles out at once, because they were on 2 sides. I can't believe Mason is 8 already. Time goes by super fast!

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a great Thanksgiving Weekend! It was busy, very busy. My cousin, who lives in Sultan with her family came over. She is my second cousin-but I've known her most of my life. She and her husband are around our age, so it was really nice to catch up, talk about the families, her Dad and my Grandma Bocz (who passed away last August). We had a great dinner and dessert (hello PIES!).
I spent Friday shopping (Old Navy at 6:00am), cleaning up, and setting up our Christmas tree with lots of help from Mason. He gets excited for Christmas and LOVES the decorating part of it. Mason and I drug the totes out from underneath the house and went through stuff. I couldn't find the Christmas lights from all of the shifting around Lee did over the summer. He could "feel" my displeasure of not having my lights right away. He told me I was way ahead of my Christmas decorating schedule and I needed to relax a bit. He knew if he wanted to live to see Monday...it was in his best interest to find them ASAP.
Mason and I drove to Yakima on Saturday. One of his classmates from his Sunday School class was getting baptised in Yakima with his cousins and so we went. Mason got car sick in Kirkland. I couldn't believe it! He was more upset about me thinking we needed to go home and forget about it. I found a Rite Aid and bought some cleaning supplies. The cashier had pity upon me and gave me extra plastic bags. I got things cleaned up and off we went to Yakima. If Mason got sick again between Kirkland and Yakima I was going home. We made it there-we visited, we went to the baptism(s)-there were 3 kids getting baptised. We stayed with my brother Sam and his wife Andrea. We visited them too. It was a quick trip, but that was alright.
We stopped in Ellensburg to visit Grandma Dawson...but she was so sound asleep. I didn't want to wake her. So we took off for home. Mason slept all the way home from Ellensburg. He was worn out! So was I. But to my pleasant suprise, Lee found my lights! He said they were right in front of me (probably blocked by some insulation and other stuff of his). I didn't see them and Mason and I really searched. I put the lights on the tree so it didn't look so sad.
I have been finishing "Decking our Halls" around here with some new decorations thanks to some awesome sales I hit after Christmas last year. I'll take photos and post them later.

Nothing Much Going On

A post...with no pictures. I have felt that I should post something, but not sure what. Football is over with for Mac, so I feel like we have gotten our lives back a bit. Catching up on alot of yard work...before it started raining so badly. Needing to get my hair done badly! That is on the list. Gearing up for the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving. Taking Mac shopping the day after Thanksgiving again, to buy jeans for waaaayyy cheap. We did this last year, and he was like a Zombie. "Hey Mac try this on. What do you think about this or that?" He had no opinons, so all was well. He was just a little slow...it was 5:00am after all.
Things will pick up sooner or later, and then I'll be blogging up a storm, gearing up for the holidays.

Happy 14th Birthday Mac!

I honestly can't believe my Mackie is 14! I'm not going to carry on about when you were born, and how your Dad chose to drive only 50 mph in a 60 mph zone, on the way to the hospital. You are a special young man and we are so proud of you and the person you are becomming.

You wanted a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting...made from scratch or from my loving hands. Ha! Ha!

Uncle Calvin suprised you and came over that night. We had tacos, and some fancy mexican fries. Mason put the candles on the cake.

Happy Birthday McCager!!

Halloween 2009

It was a busy and little sad Halloween. With Mac still in Football, Mason being pretty sick with a bad cold, and then the rains comming a little early than usual (or maybe not). We weren't able to get to the Pumpkin Patch. Mason was more disstressed about us NOT having pumpkins on the front porch more than he was not knowing what he wanted to be for Halloween. Mason just wasn't into it. He could have cared less.

Mac and Mason carving the store bought pumpkins. Mason really got into this, usually he sits back and watches because the pumpkin guts really grosses him out.

Mason wanted to scoop out all of the guts himself...of course this was a painful process for me to watch, so I helped to get the ball rolling.

On Friday day...Mason decided he wanted to be something, so I mentioned a Scarecrow and he said yes. So I got the stuff together for his costume. He didn't want to go out, but because of his cough, he knew he wasn't going out. When this happens, he stays in....and I go to Target to buy him his favorite candies. This was the second or third Halloween he missed out on because of being sick.

Mac was a G.I. Joe guy. He always has his costume mapped out and knows what he wants to be by the end of September. He did go Trick or Treating, and being that he will be in High School next year, this was his last year. He actually wasn't sure if he wanted to go out or not until the last minute. Next year, hopefully, no one will be sick.

Last Game

Mac's last game was Halloween Day. It had been a long week of Mason being sick, final practices, etc. They didn't win very many games, but Mac really enjoys getting out there playing.
Mac was the oldest kid on his team this year, and he also got alot of play time. The coaches would change his positions on game day, depending on which kids showed up for the games. His Coach said Mac "adapted well to playing alot of different positions when needed".

This is Mac with one of his coaches.....Coach "Mac". He had a really long, polish last name that no one could pronounce. Coach Mac was supportive of him going to Boy Scouts on Wednesdays, taught him how to tackle and "hit", and was a great coach. Mac has decided to play for the Freshman Team next year for Cavelero/Lake Stevens High School next year.

Apple Cider Pressing!

Last weekend we went to Grammy and Pa Bryant's house to go Apple Cider Pressing. Every year, since Lee was Mac's age (so back in the old days) The Bryant family would press Apple Cider. When we used to live in Ferndale (1994-1998) Lee and Mac would press Apple Cider, I was working every Saturday. I remember doing this once, a very, very long time ago. Anyways, Mac had a BYE (no game weekend) so Patty and I made plans to press Apple Cider with the boys. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day...no rain!

Mac with a wagon full of apples.

Apples on the trees at Grammy's house. Mac, Calvin and I think Mason helped pick the trees.

They got a trailer load of them. Patty has grown apple trees on thier property since they moved out there (almost 30 years I think). And this is the first year they have had a big enough crop to press cider with. They have had apples for some pies, applesauce, etc. But you need alot of apples for cider.

Mac is officially taller than Grammy by a few inches. But you can't tell from this picture.

Grammy taking Mac's glasses off. He is such a teenager.

Patty and I weren't sure how involved Mason would be. As it turned out...he helped with everything. He was loading the apples in tub to get washed, then he was holding the bowl full of cut apples for feeding them into the chute, then he was turning the cranking thing that chops the apples, then he was helping Calvin do something. He was all over the place, but sticking my us helping.

Mason doing his job.

Calvin was there the whole time filling the gallon jugs. I didn't get a picture of them, because it got dark pretty quickly. Lee had to work..putting siding back on his bosses house. We had a great time, but wished Lee was there. We pressed about 30 gallons that day.

My New Love

Well...not literally. Lee will ALWAYS be my True Love (and I'm kind of stuck with him for time and all eternity)...Lee does many, many things, but he doesn't do laundry. I LOVE to do laundry, don't ask why. Since my Mom taught me to do laundry when I was in the 5th grade, I have loved to do my laundry. This machine has changed my life F O R E V E R!

My washing machine broke down a few weeks ago. It threw me into a tailspin. Our family goes into Defcon 5 when laundry isn't done for more than 4-5 days. I had been looking, asking friends, and doing my research on what my next machine would be. Right when I thought I had made my decsion, the machine wasn't big enough. So, I was back to square ONE. I looked, did my research on the internet, and had it nailed down between 2 washers and then I go to Sears of all places, and the sales guy tells me about this little beauty. He changed my mind and I went with this one. A Samsung. It's the right size, it has a timer (which has changed my life), it has it's own little water heater in it, a sanitation cycle, and it had everything I had dreamed and hoped for in a washer. Now...I need the matching dryer. It's 2-3 inches taller than our dryer, and it's driving Lee nuts.

Never Say Never

The ONE child that I thought I would NEVER have to take into Childrens Hospital for a Clinic visit was this one....Mac. Something not so great showed up in a routine Physical for Boy Scout Camp in July, so we had to have it checked out. I'm not going to get into it on the Blog (I do have boundries). If anyone is really concerned, you can e-mail me or phone me. It is something that I found out is carried on through the Dawson side. My Dad and Brother have the same thing, and they are healthy and fine.

Mac, reading a Harry Potter book in the car. It was just the two of us. Mason stayed with Papa and Nana Dawson. It's nice to have Grandparents so close! So, we were in the car, and Mac wouldn't look up....FINE! It's going in the blog.

Of course....I had to take pictures of him. Go through the same routine as Mason. This is Mac in front of the Orca Sculpture. He was getting kinda annoyed. Teenager.

And get his picture taken with Mickey Mouse. The pic of Mason is cuter...but by this time-he was more than annoyed with me and becoming uncooperative. It goes in the blog anyways.

In the examination rooms, there are dry erase boards. Mac took full advantage of it. The Doctor that saw him (not any of Mason's docs) was very impressed with his art work. The doctor talked more about his art work than him. If Mac was really sick, I would have been really upset-but I wasn't. The other Doctor spoke to me and told me Mac was fine, that whatever the problem is, it's heriditary, he's healthy, his weight is good, his blood pressure is great (she was really excited about that). They usually see sickly, pale, skinny kids-so they were happy to see a kid like Mac.

Mac even wrote words on the T-shirts of the people in his art work. I'm grateful that my son is so concerned about the enviroment. It says "Home Work Kills trees".

He signed it and left it there without erasing it. I'm grateful that Mac will be fine, and that also he as able to preoccupy himself. I did run into Mason's Pulmonary doctor while we were there. She saw me and then said "we don't have an appointment today", and then she had a really concerned look on her face. I told her we were there for Mac and then she felt better. But she had a puzzled look on her face wondering what was wrong with a big, healthy kid like Mac. I'm glad we have Childrens in our "back yard" for things like double checking on things. I'm also grateful that my big healthy kid is alright.