the dollhouse from Santa...again

well, this picture is so deceiving. to look at this dollhouse, you would assume, "hey, it's almost done. it looks great!". yes, the door won't stay closed. we're going with the assumption that the family that lives here is very friendly and welcomes guests at all times. but, there are like a hundred pieces of wood still to be used and a bunch of steps left in the instruction book, so maybe the door can be closed at some point.

we've been working on this since the day after Christmas. it's now January 15. what's left to assemble? the porch roof, the ladder, the upstairs railing(can't have any dollhouse family dolls falling overboard) and the furniture.

the instruction booklet did not say you needed to have a general contractor in the family in order to assemble this thing. damn liars.

to be continued.....

Santa was on drugs when he gave this particular gift to my children

so...Santa. Santa is great, isn't he? I absolutely LOVE to see the excitement of Christmas and Santa in my children throughout the season. especially Christmas Eve and morning. but, here we are at January 6th and 1 present that Santa gave us is still in about a million pieces spread out all over my kitchen table.
Santa brought them a log cabin kit. it's sort of a rugged dollhouse. Jack and Erin are both excited to play with it when it is done. yes, Santa brought a toy that needs a frickin general contractor to put it together. it even has a video for instructions.(not that the man has watched said video....no, far be it from my manly man to succumb to (gasp) directions!
so, we have worked on this thing quite a bit, yet it does not seem to have put a dent in the pile of wood that is still there for parts. it even has furniture that you have to put together. and a gabled roof. and you have to cut stuff, too. oh, and the best part of this kit.....none of the pieces of wood are marked or labeled in any way. yeah, so you have to measure and find each piece and there are pieces that are only 1/8 inch in difference. good God, I may just have to put this thing on display by the time it is finished, because I don't know that my heart could take it to see my children do something like stand on it. (they climb/stand on everything. I thought it was a passing phase, but the 8 yr old still does it, so I guess it's genetic.)
so, upon completion of the Shenandoah Log House, there will be a party. in my kitchen, using the kitchen table once again for something other than a sawhorse.
to be continued......

we survived Christmas 2007!

it's the day after. the day otherwise known as finding homes for all of the new stuff day. I'm currently taking a break from that fun to do laundry.

I can honestly say that the kids had an awesome Christmas! everything was a big hit gift-wise. Jack got his much asked for Nintendo DS, and 3 games for it. he was so excited when he found out it was all charged up and ready to go(Santa had the forethought to charge it for him). he has also had so much fun with the 2007 Hess truck. my Dad gets this for all of the boy grandchildren every year, even the 12 yr old one loved it! next year Luke'll get one, too:)

Erin has been playing with her pink Leapster a lot, and who can complain when she's counting and spelling????? put a Princess in the game and she'll add, subtract or spell her name a million times, it seems! she also got a pink scooter and matching pink helmet! that was given a test drive first thing Christmas morning:) she also loves this little set of horses that she got. she has arranged them over and over.

Luke seemed to enjoy eating wrapping paper and bows best of all this year:) he has played with new toys, but he got the most upset when I had to hold him down and pry out a wad of wrapping paper out of his mouth. mean Momma I am, huh?

we had the family over yesterday for ham sandwiches and leftovers from my sister's Christmas Eve party. it was fun. exhausting, but fun. hubby had to go back to work today, so it's been the kids and I looking through all of the goodies again. Erin has a bad cough and slight fever, so she's been laying on the couch sleeping off and on. poor thing, it's beautiful outside and I know she doesn't feel good if she'd rather lay down rather than play out there with Jack.