Movie Night

Space Chimps, the movie, very cute and kept their attention, well, most of it anyway.
Tonight, Thinh decided to get take out from Red Lobster, he had a gift card and then have movie night. He took Andrew and Mason with him to pick up the food and Brandon and I got busy preparing at home. We set the table and then...made homemade tickets, money and signs and set up the "snack bar". Brandon was very excited to say the least. After dinner, the boys took showers and the fun began. B handed out "money" to each of us. $5.00 for the movie ticket and $1.00 bills for the snacks. Andrew went first. Brandon was set up in the hallway. He purchased his ticket, bought some snacks and then had to go around to the steps for B to take his ticket for "entrance" into the movie theater a.k.a the family room. Next was Mason, who actually followed suit as if we did this every night, then Thinh and I. Brandon had price tags on little bags of cookies, little drinks set up and even the popped popcorn in which he put it in their new plastic popcorn bags they got in their stockings from Santa. What a fun night!

Broken camera!!!

I was taking some pictures of the ice storm the other day, when Mason begged to take some pics. Nothing new, he has done it before, except this time, he dropped my camera!!! So, I called Circuit City who directed me to call Sony and now it is somewhere between here and Texas to be repaired! I told all 3 of them not to do anything too cute until I get my camera back.

Happy New Year 2009!

Thinh and the boys worked on this NY eve snack of grapes and clementines. What great chefs!
Brandon of course stayed up past midnight!

We were invited to go bowling with Brandon's classmates family, the Kelso's, and their friends at Nellie Fox bowling alley. Mason LOVES anything to do with bowling, so let's just say, he was in his glory! He had a lane with bumpers all to himself and just bowled away. He even had on cute little bowling shoes too. He beat my score, although I did not have bumpers on!

Andrew did quite well bowling too.

Brandon had a great time socializing.

Funnel Cake night!

Yummy! Thinh's parents used to have a mill in Manheim. The mill made different kinds of grains and mixes and one of them was funnel cake mix. I found the mix at a little country store when I was shopping for baking stuff for cookies. I thought it would be fun to do while the boys were home on break.
Thinh even got in on the action, apron and all. He is reading the instructions from the bag on how to do it.

The boys each got an apron for Christmas. They have used them already for art projects, but tonight, they wanted them on to mix up the cakes.

Too cute!

They will make great hubbys someday, helping out the wives in the kitchen!

Almost done!

Thinh (and I) have been working hard on the master suite downstairs. We stained the floors over Christmas, Thinh did lots of trim work and odds and ends and we are just about there. His friend, Jason, is coming soon to finish some more!

One more set of panels is on it's way, can't wait! Thinh also made the headboard too!

Icy day!

Ice on our front dogwood tree, so pretty to look at, but so scary on the roads. The schools were delayed for 2 hours, however, Brandon was sick anyway. The sun came out for a little bit this evening before it got dark and it was just gorgeous to see the glistening trees.

my poor baby

Poor Brandon came down with something nasty through the night and stayed home from school today. He actually took a morning and an afternoon nap today. Tazzy was all too happy to help keep B warm. Thankfully, Brandon broke his high fever late afternoon and ate up a storm to make up for his lost meals earlier.

My girly closet, 95% done!!!

After...

Almost after...

We are still working on the master suite remodel, but the closet is complete except for some crown moulding and a shelf or two above the dressers. It is my favorite part! Thanks honey!!!

Candy Lane December 2008

Our awesome neighbor, Kim, came up with a great idea, once again. Instead of us getting each other's kids presents, she thought it would be cool to take the kids somewhere. So, she treated us to Candy Lane and we treated the boys to the movies, although Kim volunteered to take them there too! (Thank you!!!)
Andrew loved this rock and roll tree decorated with big hershey kisses and the lights danced to the music, it was very cool. When we arrived, we went through Chocolate World, the guys loved it!

Taking a ride on the train in Hersheypark. Andrew is very into the peace sign lately, although he really creates peace with Mason!

i Kim and Oliver enjoying the train ride as well.

Oliver is so photogenic! What an adorable smile!

Lancaster Science Factory

After all the hoopla of Christmas day, my dad thought it would be fun to go to new Lancaster Science Factory in a remodeled old warehouse in downtown Lancaster. So, the boys, my parents, my sister and her husband and I went into town for some fun. I wish I would have taken a picture of the outside, it is in a very cool brick building. Anyway, we stayed for 2 1/2 hours!
The factory had lots of exhibits. I don't think we even got to all of them. Andrew was playing with a big magnet and lots of bolts to make cool figures out of the two.

Brandon enjoyed figuring out the roller coaster.

This is a whisper dish. Another one is about 50ish feet behind it and you whisper into the black ring and the person at the other dish can hear you.

The guys making paper airplanes too...

test out in the testing field.

Here, you put little parachute guys in the chute and they come flying out the top.

Andrew LOVED this one. He pulled on the rope to lift up a bowling ball and let go to create a vacuum in the tubes and it sends a tennis ball flying into the air.

My little scientists doing an air experiment.

Mom volunteered to hold Mason since he fell asleep on the ride in. He did wake up then and really enjoyed the place as well. Especially an exhibit where you had to build your own dam, anything for him to splash around in makes him happy!

Dad posing beside the exhibit he created. He works at High Steel in the engineering dept. and this shows the big steel beams holding up the inside of the factory. We had a very fun afternoon. There was a ton more in there than what I took pictures of. It is well worth the trip in.

Christmas is exhausting!

My dad whooped after hosting 25 people for brunch at 9:30, entertaining and then cleaning up. A nap was definitely needed!
My mom and grandma snoozing on the love seat, I think grandma is peeking though!

With 25 people in my parents house, Tazzy wanted to find a safe, warm and comfortable spot to celebrate Christmas. He found it with grandma and stayed there all day with her. She said she would have loved to take him with her back to her apartment at Pleasant View.

Christmas morning, officially!

Brandon opening up a snow shovel, daddy was so happy to now have helpers.
Andrew in front of his goods.

Brandon so excited that Santa, once again, left those big sacks of presents for them at mimi and papa's house. Brandon talks about it all year long!

Brandon thanking mimi for all the good stuff Santa left at her house for him!

Again, sorry about my camera, it is currently getting repaired, the boys opening their stockings by the chimney and making sure Santa ate the cookies, drank the milk and took the carrots for the reindeer. One year, Santa left his hat by the chimney before heading back out, Brandon was a little nervous he might be back for it. It was very funny.

Our Christmas morning

Andrew and his Pokemon card set.
Mason opened up a golf set and did not want to open up anything else.

Sorry, my camera has been abused, but this is Brandon coming on down to collect his goods, even though it was not that much!

Santa has always come early to our house, since we are at mimi and papa's every Christmas morning and this year was no different. Sunday morning Brandon woke up around 7 a.m. and came over to our room to see if he could go downstairs to see if Santa indeed stopped by last night. Since his brothers were still sleeping, Thinh said sure, go check but come right back up. Brandon hurriedly ran down the steps and then came right back up as told. He climbed into bed with us and proclaimed, "I will just wait here since there is not that much down there!" Brandon, Andrew and Mason get tons of presents at my parents house and I guess he was not so impressed with Santa at his own house! Can you say spoiled!!!

still here

Hey! We are still here, just catching up on lots of things since Thinh was home for a few weeks over Christmas and New Year's. We had a great vacation together and I hope to post all the fun this week, after I complete the attic organization project I keep putting off...until then!