ON THE WAY
WE FOUND SNOW!!!
BORED - HOW FAR??
WE'RE HERE
BRUCE AND RICH
CHRISTMAS DAY
IT'S SNOWING - WHITE CHRISTMAS
THE HULTGRENS
THE KRAFTS
PIKES PLACE FISH MARKET
JAMIESON & RICH AT DINNER
ON THE WAY HOME
MORE SNOW
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Early December Pre Trip...
Our December, like everyone else’s, was a busy one. The boys were off school, but Bruce was working at home so I went to work. The first of the month landed on the weekend so as we all know, it’s time to put up the tree.
Tree drama…
So we decided that we should just grab the old tree and put it up and cut our losses. So we put it up and turned the lights on, the middle section of lights didn’t work. (Crap) So, next plan, you can imagine the mood right about then. We were going to try and put the top section of the old tree onto the top section of the new tree. So we dragged the other tree box back and pulled the stem bits to see if they fit, then I hear. Honey, the top of the tree is all in one bit, there is no stem. OMG!!!! We fell about laughing, it was there all along, ready to go…you know there was some DER going on. It made us laugh and gave us a story to tell for the next week. Then we had to try and find a place for it, we just kept looking at each other, it was 7.5 ft high and 6ft wide, it felt like it took up half the room, that made us giggle, and Bruce’s chest was out, $15.00 baby!!! We finally settled for in the front corner, and had to bend down some of the branches and move the TV cabinet over so it would fit. Arh, our tree drama, so about 2 hours later the tree was up and ready for the 600 lights that we had bought. Yes, 600, there first box of 300 hundred wasn’t enough. (There is nothing done by half’s here, everything in this country is just BIG!!!)
We went off to Jamieson’s game (they won, of course), then went home had some lunch and over to Paula’s to help her and Steve move into her new house that she just bought. Yeay for her!! The boys put all the big stuff onto the truck and the girls loaded to cars. Then over the new house to unload before it got dark and we had to leave to go to Conner’s game. Conner’s team won a big one against what you could say is a not so nice coach who passes his not so nice habits onto his kids. So that was big for Conner, Colton and Hunter, who were on our team last season. Lovely family, will start spending more time with them hopefully in the future.
Went home, had a quick dinner, the boys put their PJ’s on and back to Paula’s for moving continued. Let’s just say, we got home at around midnight. It was a long day and we were buggered to put it mildly. We got most of the stuff over to the new house and that was the goal, so considering there was only the 4 of us, we did a bloody great job, especially the boys.
We did nothing the next morning then around lunchtime we sat back and let the boys put all the decorations on the tree and I grabbed out the house stuff, as well as some new stuff that I had found. My prize piece is now a white ceramic Santa for the fireplace, just gorgeous and a timber word ‘wish’ to sit up there with it. I was hoping to get a ‘believe’ (Kristin has one) but this was fine. I got to put out my reindeer candle table centerpiece that I got after Christmas last year, and some other stuff too. So add another hour or so and we were done, I rearranged the tree after the kids went to bed.
We were invited to the Rivera’s for dinner, their friends from Sydney son (Andrew) was over with a friend (Andrew) on a stop over for their overseas trip. We got to the Rivera’s at about 4.30pm and were the first one’s there. Carlos’ daughter Allyssa (17) was over from Nebraska for the weekend, so it was nice to see her again. The Andrew(s), arrived with Jeff (United attendant that stays with them as well) he met Bruce on his first flight down this year and bought him home from the airport for me. Kristie arrived home from London a little later and we had bbq for dinner and just chilled out chatting about their plans, etc, they are really nice guys, going on an adventure. Luckily the boys were off track, because it was a late night, as always when we go over there.
As always early December, Bruce and I celebrate another wedding anniversary, this year would be nine (9). It was a really non-eventful day to speak of, we had been out the week before with Paula and Steve so there was no urgency in having to do anything. There’s a sign of being together for a long time huh. Although we have decided that the 10th will be a big one, I will get my trip to New York.. it’s not Jan’s (Bruce’s school friend) trip to Paris, but it’ll do for me.
Bruce went out on the road later in the week, so I came home in the afternoon’s and spent time with the boys, catch up homework and just chilling out. The usual getting ready for Christmas and our Seattle trip stuff. Getting Jamieson to get some homework done was a job in itself, but we got there eventually. You can imagine!!!!
Thursday night I went over to the Rivera’s for a cuppa with Kristie. The Andrew’s were there, so it was nice to see them again. The kids decorated the tree, I helped them with the high bits, then a cuppa with Kristie amongst the chaos of the kids going off the bed and home again around 10.30pm.
The next night (Friday) the Lewis’s came over for dinner. Julian is Jamieson’s friend from basketball, they have played together the whole time we’ve been here and Bruce and Greg coach the team. We have connected with them a little more in the last 6 months or so, they are a great family and Ruth and I get on really well. So I worked and got home after work and started cooking. Ruth works, so by the time she gets home and changes etc, they arrived around 6.30. We had a really nice night, the kids all played running around etc, as boys do and we sat around chatting, a great night with some really good people.
Saturday morning Bruce and I were out of the house and at Darcy’s (co worker) place with some others to help her move out. It was a really easy move considering what we had down last weekend. She had nephews there and Andrea and Robert as well as her mum and auntie, so between us all we got all her stuff in the Pod (container storage) and were out of there by 11.00am. Of course the weekend was overtaken by basketball, Jamieson’s games are around lunchtime then we are back for Conner’s at around 5.30, so the day is split which is a pain but I can get some stuff done around the house and Christmas shopping too. The bummer about Conner’s games is that you really can’t have plans with anyone else because we don’t get out of there until around 7.00, the night is done for seeing people after that. Jamieson’s team won and Conner’s team had a loss, but boy did they play really well. The reffing is becoming increasingly frustrating for the adults at the moment. Conner’s games are full rules, but some of the refs (there is no reffing courses that you have to do here) have a clear comprehension of the rules. Put it this way, Bruce even gets to the point where he is saying something to them…..
They are a great little team who play their hearts out and have a chance to beat everyone, which they nearly did this game, but just fell short against a team we think will win all their games this season.
The next week was a little quieter, I was trying to wrap a few things up at work before the end of the year, (as was going to be off so I had until the week before Christmas to get it all done.) Our office sponsored a family for Christmas so there was presents and grocery shopping, delivery to the church for them, as well as my own stuff. The boys had their usual basketball training and Conner and Bruce also have school training twice a week on top of that, so that takes up a lot of the afternoons over the week. Winter is definitely here, we got our first frosts, and the bird bath is freezing over again.
Nothing overly out of the ordinary happening just trying to keep warm, get the kids to get their homework done, Bruce getting on the road when he can and having meetings. Between the two of us, the boys can be home for an hour or so then I come home from work. They are good and know the rules, they call me if they need anything and I check in on them too. I think Conner enjoys the responsibility.
Bruce started seeing the Chiropractor about his shoulder, so we now know it’s frozen shoulder, his treatment seems to be working and hoping he will be nearly 100% over the next couple of months. Which will be a relief for him, he’s not sleeping like he should as he can’t sleep on it.
Kristie came and picked us up one afternoon after her kids had finished school and we went over to a local ceramics place and made Christmas decorations. The kids had a ball as I did. There was a clan of us so we got the back room. We had 7 kids and 3 adults, the kids picked out 2 decorations each and had a fantastic time, then the owner came in and gave us another decoration for half price so they all got three each. Kristy and I ended up just doing one ball each, but everyone just had a really nice time together, the kids hanging out and the mum’s chatting and catching up. 3 hours later the kids were ready to go home, maybe because they had finished their things. Conner especially wanted to come back the next day, he just loved it. The creative side of him is definitely coming out at the moment, which as you can imagine Bruce just loves. Bruce came and picked us up and took us home around 7.00pm. It was definitely a memorable day.
The Friday we had our Christmas breakup lunch at a really nice place in Sacramento. We had a great lunch and all got a nice present from Paula as always. Money that has to be spent on us, then we headed off to the Mall, it was a really nice afternoon. We drove back home, got changed into something more comfortable and went out again to get a big chunk of her Christmas shopping done. Bruce took the boys out for some guy time for dinner at the Outback steakhouse, which I don’t like, so they could go. Paula and I stopped at Logan’s and some soup before heading out, and had a good chat, it hasn’t been just the two of us for a chat in a while so it was nice. We talked some Christmas, personal and some business, so we covered all the bases. We got home around 10.30, then off to bed for yet another big basketball Saturday.
Sunday was a quiet morning then Julian got dropped off for a play for the afternoon and I went out to finish off my Christmas shopping (I hoped). The boys went off to the park and Bruce worked and naturally watched football. We were off to the Lewis’ for an early dinner at 4.00pm. Ruth and Greg had pretty much done a Thanksgiving dinner, so we all sat down to Turkey and all the usuals; soooo yummy!!!! The boys played really well together and the adults sat around and chatted, it was a perfect relaxing evening, I’m sure the turkey had something to do with that. We jumped in the car and off home around 10.30, good thing the boys are still off track.
The next couple of weeks were wind up weeks, trying to get loose ends all tied up and see everyone we wanted to see before we head off for our Christmas trip. On Monday Paula and I went over to the house to finish moving her, finally. It was just a lot of junky bits but it needed to be done. On Tuesday night we went over to Paula’s for dinner and Christmas presents. It was a quick dinner and we were home by 8.30, Justin and Jeremy had school in the morning.
The next night I went over to the Rivera’s for a cuppa with Kristie, which was nice, Kristie bought me back some custard powder from London. So now I can make (show her) vanilla slice. The kids were in bed and she was finishing some Christmas cookies. She is definitely the crafty friend that everyone has. We sat down in the quiet and had a cup of Tetley tea (they bring it back from Australia) and we looked at the clock and it was nearly midnight, time to get going.
Kristie and Carlos were having a cross over issue so we were on standby to help with the kids on Friday night if Caroline (Kristie’s mum) needed us. Friday, I worked half a day and Justin and Jeremy came over for the afternoon to play. Paula and Steve went to San Fran for a function with his mother. So Andrea came and picked up the boys and took them for dinner and then stayed with them at Paula’s so they could sleeping their own beds. Caroline didn’t need us in the end either, so it turned into a quiet night for us. Outside the house anyway, I spent the night packing and tidying, basically getting ready for our big SEATTLE CHRISTMAS TRIP!! Do we sound excited!!!!
It’s time for me to go and I’ll be back with the next installment after our trip….
December pre Christmas Pics...
The boys & our beautiful TREE, yeay!
LOOK AT OUT TREE, ISN'T IT GORGEOUS
Other coach's son, Conner, Colten & Hunter
Ceramics Ornament Making (lots of Fun!!)
Cleaning up some of the leaves....and having some fun
Thursday, December 06, 2007
November...
Well as you can imagine, this month’s blog (monthly is all I can get to at the moment, sorry) is not going to be a big one as November 08 will always be a crappy one.
Technically the month started off with the School Movie nights which I have to admit was a high, we raised several hundred dollars for the school PTA. The weekend was a tense one and Bruce got the phone call to come home on Sunday. I didn’t work on the Monday and put Angels orders together all day for Bruce to organize before we dropped him off at the airport in San Fran on Monday night. It was my first time driving home from the airport, let alone in the dark. So it wasn’t a fun trip, but we made it home late, around 12.30.
I worked the next day; the kids of course went to school. I worked the day then was home for the kids when they got home from school. Bruce called from Sydney, then periodically from the hospital etc.
The boys and I went through the usual weekly routine, Bruce calling when he could, he was out at the hospital etc and the calls were fragmented. He was doing well considering. On Wednesday I decided that wither way we would get on a plane on the weekend and join him. We couldn’t get a flight out until Saturday night, so when the phone call came on Thursday morning, I just had to wait. The boys wouldn’t be told until after the school week had ended.
Thursday for me was one of the longest days of my life. Paula turned up in her robe, (she’d been in Ohio with her boys seeing her step dad who has come out of remission, it’s definitely the year, I can tell you) she stayed for a little while the persuaded me to just get out and do some shopping, somewhere where people had no idea. I went out for the morning and finished the Christmas shopping to take home with me on Saturday.
The rest of the week is a bit of a blur. Friday night I had to tell the boys, Jamieson’s teacher told him that we were going home, so of course they wanted to know why. Promised myself that I wouldn’t lie to them. Bruce and I had talked about not saying anything until Saturday so they wouldn’t have to go to sleep. They took it as well as expected, as a shocking mother who had the guilt. I let them stay up until 11.00pm so they fell into bed and didn’t have any problems going to sleep. I packed and Conner didn’t leave the house for the day until it was time to go to the airport.
We arrived safe and sound and the spent the next couple of days at Tracey’s with her and kids. Bruce was up and down the highway organizing some stuff for the funeral. We got through Wednesday JUST!! The boys did worse than I expected, I think seeing Bruce that upset didn’t help them either. The 4 of us got through it together, literally!!! I was really proud of all of us.
We spent the next couple of days catching up with my family and some friends and stayed our last night with Maureen before getting into the car and off to the airport. I remember everything of those 10 days, but sometimes I wish I didn’t.
We got home and got back into the swing of things pretty quickly. The boys had to go to school for another half a day before going on holidays. Bruce hit the ground running and I dropped into work to catch up with the girls, but didn’t start back at work until Monday.
We had thanksgiving at the Rivera’s, which was a lot of fun. I spent the morning doing some cooking for dinner, and we arrived at the Rivera’s at around 2.00pm. We were in and out of the kitchen doing stuff for dinner and sat down to eat at around 4.30. The meal was very traditional, even with an adult’s table and a kid’s table. After dinner we rugged up and went through the back fence to sit around the backyard fire with the neighbors. We got home around 10.30 (frozen) It was a great day, a beautiful meal with great friends, we all had a wonderful thanksgiving (our 2nd we are old hat at it now)
The last week of the month was pretty full on for me, I went off to work and Bruce stayed home with the kids. They did some catch up homework everyday. We started basketball practice this week, so it was a hectic week. Bruce and I got a treat on Thursday night; Paula and Steve took us out to a function called the best of Sacramento, features all the best service businesses of Sacramento. Paula arranged for the Rivera’s to have the boys and we all got dressed up and had an adult’s night out. I think the last time Bruce and I did that was his birthday last year. So we had a fantastic time, a couple of drinks, lots of dancing and laughing, it was a fantastic night. It wasn’t a late night, work the next day, we got home at a very reasonable 11.00, which was late enough.
I was out the door to work at 8.00am the next morning. We had a busy weekend, understatement. Friday night I went out and did some Christmas shopping, then Saturday up and out to the grocery store at 7.30, back before breakfast, then Paula dropped off a voucher that was expiring so I went out and bought myself one of those LARGE clocks, which looks great here, but will look fabulous in the Highton house stairwell.
Back to the house and very quickly out the door to watch the end of Jeremy’s basketball game then Jamieson and Justin’s game was after that. They played really well and won. Jamieson played well, he has great athletic ability, but we just have to work on the lay up’s. He gets on the fast breaks but is having trouble finishing off. We left their game and dropped the kids off, had a quick something to eat then off to Paula’s to help her move in her new house. It was last minute thing, so it was just the 4 of us; she just wanted to get the big stuff moved. We helped from 3-6pm then picked up the boys and back for Conner’s game. What a game, they played so well, for a team of kids that played their 2nd game they have jelled really well. They won and were SOO happy about it, we played against, and let’s just say a very intense, not so nice coach. He teaches his kids lovely things like yelling in the other kids faces to put them off and how to foul without getting caught. Anyway we got home, had a quick dinner the kids got into the jammies and back to Paula’s to get some more done. We got home around 11.30, all exhausted!!!! So we all slept really well.
That was November for the Hultgren’s. Lots happened but not a lot to talk about. I hope everyone is well and gearing up for Christmas. We are heading up to Seattle for Christmas with Bruce’s friend Rich and his family, then back to Elk Grove for New Years party at Paula’s new house. So December is going to be a busy month for us, at least the last half of the month anyway.
ENJOY THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR, and as they say here....HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
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