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CHICAGO! December 31, 2011 We took off after Christmas and headed to Chicago. Christopher's big present for the holidays was an intensive course of Stand Up and Improv with the infamous Second City. The Second City has many famous alumni, including Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert, and in a few years they can add Chris Hattery to the list. A lot of now famous actors and comedians were also instructors at The Second City, so Christopher will love when his teachers have their big break. Oh, and they had an honor for a former teacher who passed and had his students put their hands and autographs on this wall. So while we certainly wouldn't wish this upon Christopher's teacher's it certainly shows him in good company. Of course the fun wasn't all for him. We all had a marvelous time. The boys spent their Christmas cash at the Lego Store, which was AMAZING! And Nat put every last dime in to American Girl accessories - that store was also incredible. wowsers. If you've never gone to the American Girl store it's truly an experience that can't possibly be described adequately. For myself I thoroughly enjoyed taking the kids to a nice restaurant, to the top of the John Hancock building (a couple of times) to eat, BLOOMINGDALES *giggle* love that place, and their first taxi rides they tought were awesome. Oh and I have to mention the hotel. We stayed at the Omni. It was a bit older and beaten up, and the hot tub was down (ugh, so wanted that while we were fighting colds) but the service more than made up for any of that. We had room service for breakfast each morning - fresh fruit, eggs to order, toast, etc. All the employees called me Mrs Hattery the entire trip - though my 20 something female companion, who's a close family friend after been babysitting for us 10 years - we were quite sure had them rather confused ;) I want my kids raised to know how to be treated well, and how to treat others. We have the boys nearly perfectly trained to open doors for us gals, and at anything higher then fast food (and sometimes there too) they will pull the chair out for Nat and I. It was good for the kids to put all the practice to use and see them do so well. Some highlights of the hotel - Cookies and Milk at Turn Down!!! So cute. Just for the kids, but I'll live. And after we checked in we went out to eat. When we returned to find a letter for Nataley with ALL PINK candies. We had signed up as the American Girl package. The hotel came with a doll bed, clothes, and accessories for an American Girl. It was so fun. Happy Holidays December 25, 2011 Our holidays were spent at family gatherings, and then back home for a little family time. The kids were spoiled, the house a mess, and momma is exhausted. A wonderful holiday! Slumber Party December 23, 2011 The kids each had friends over, but it was only the girls who changed in to dozens of dress up clothes and costumes and had a photo shoot. While I'm not comfortable posting other kids pics here when they didn't even know I was taking their pics, here's one pic of Nat and her BFF I don't mind sharring.  I think their little princess holding hands stance shows the entire story right there. They felt lovely and had a marvelous time dressing up. Oh, and makeup. LOTS of makeup.   HAPPY CHANUKAH! December 22, 2011 Well I feel like we need a disclaimer for this post. I'm not Jewish, though was attending a lovely congregation many moons ago in college. I will always have a special place in my heart for many of the traditions and holidays, and I very much adore the story of Chanukah. I came by my menorah in an odd way - I grew up in the middle of no where, with Amish neighbors. Finding a menorah of my own was prooving near impossible. In fact, while searching and asking for help at customer service, someone sent me to another store because they thought I was wanting to purchase menure. Yet another person heard me asking at the customer service desk, spoke up that they had one in a basement, and voila, here it is. I may not do things perfectly, but its not my intentions to offend or upset, but just to teach my children that there are other fabulous stories of God's miracles other then the mainstream. So without further ado, here is a slideshow of our first three nights of Chanukah. Each kid has been able to use the candle from the shamash and light the other candles. They are very much enjoying it, and LOVE playing with the dreidel. Vote For Me! December 19, 2011 There's a little photo contest on facebook. If you follow this link and LIKE my photo (not the gallery, my actual photo) I may just win.  Facebook Photo Contest click that link and vote for Tobin's photo! Click the LIKE button for the photo - THANKS! What's Up December 18, 2011 For three weeks in a row I've had a sick kid. Its just a 24 hour bug, with another day of recovery, but with the busy time the holidays are, it definately had me a bit more frazzled then normal. There are some not so pleasant details I won't go in to, but lets just say I've also had a TON of laundry to do with these sickies.  Awwww, she's pretty even when she's miserable. But in happier news, we had a big party to celebrate... nothing. Joshua's birthday is a summer one, and not so great for having a bit bash. Therefore I let him throw a big party for his friends this weekend. It was lots of fun, for sure, though a little snow on the ground would have been nice for this penguin themed gala.  One of the big hits of the party was our goodie bag craft. We took (new) large black men's socks and filled them with candy. Then you tie and cut off the extra (I suggest at the heel). From there the kids make their own penguin by adding a belly, feet and beak (both from felt) and google eyes. My boys later got creative by using the cut off sock section, cutting it in to two strips, and gluing it to the sides for the wings. While the kids play games the penguins dried.  While I didn't get any photos during the party, here's a slightly cleaned up pic after the fact. We have 1796 cotton balls for a 'Guess The # of Snowballs' and then had a ''snowball'' fight at the end. I'll be finding cotton balls around my house for weeks! But oh so worth it! Joshua's New Role December 14, 2011 We are very pleased to announce that our boys were both asked to audition for the part of Chip when Beauty and the Beast comes to the NPAC in April. Just being asked to audition was such an honor for them, and so excited. Unfortunately Joshua caught the stomache bug that's been going around and from 9pm-3am was throwing up. He missed school, of course (wasn't sure if he was really done or not yet) but was determined to audition for the role that afternoon anyway. And our Joshua will be Chip! And probably the cutest, bubbliest, most adorable Chip the world has ever seen!!! And I'm not at all biased. Christopher took the news so amazingly well. I knew he's been growing up, but I didn't know how mature he really was until I saw him, when he didn't know I was looking, put his arm around his brother and tell him how happy he is for him. AND since I told Christopher that the director blamed it on his grown up stature he didn't seem to mind too much. OH! And the director did also invite Christopher to still be in the play too, for some of the group numbers, like at the start of the show (I think its like a city scene or something). Christopher is quite certain he's going in to showbusiness (aren't we all at ten?!) so a dissapointment now and then and learning how to deal with it well is so needed. OF course I can offer a bazzillion photos come closer to the performance... but for now I can show my new hair cut that, funny story, Joshua did for me last night.  You see I'd been contimplating doing a pixie type cut for about a month now. So naturally when we were wrapping presents and Joshua mentioned how fun it would be to just cut my hair off at the pony tail, then I handed him the scissors and said go ahead. While I will need some professional help for tapering the back, he did a pretty darn good job! I like the look of the pony tail cut and probably won't go to the pixie after all. Of course, my husbands response was, ''So... you got your hair cut.'' hahahahaha... but since I'd recieved these the day before...  I will let his lack of enthusiasm slide.  He got his little girl flowers too :) They are now proudly displayed on Nataley's vanity. She's a very happy girl. Photo Of the Year December 12, 2011 This is nothing but a brag post... but if I don't brag on myself, who else will? :) Last Thursday was the camera club I belong to's annual holiday meal and we also vote for photo of the year. The pictures are from winning entries from the monthly competitions. So it's like the best of the best. My three kids came with me, and while they voted, they did NOT vote (yes I snooped) for this picture, making it much sweeter that I won for my Feathers and Flakes shot from last winter.  Horray! I've also entered it in one last photo competition, so perhaps this pics running streak can continue a bit longer. Crossing fingers! 5 Day Old Tobin December 7, 2011 I got to visit little Tobin yesterday for his newborn pictures at his home. He was born, I believe, when we had our first big snowfall on the ground. Naturally I had to do a winter themed pic with him. Seriously, how cute is this guy?!    Oh and one last photo for big sister Janea. She and I spent feeding times playing ''Toss the Pony'' together. I just hope she doesn't try tossing the pony with Tobin after I left!  The BEST Christmas Pageant Ever!!! December 2, 2011 The kids and I are in Off Stage Production's Best Christmas Pageant Ever this year. The kids were in it last year too, but this was my first big production in a very, very long time.  I'm glad the kids convinced me to join them this year. It's been lots of fun, and it really feels like the play has come together well. We have two more performances this weekend, and hopefully they go just as good as tonights. The flu has been hitting the cast badly, and I'm still hoping I don't get it. I play Grace Bradley, who gets stuck putting together a Christmas play full of the town misfits - such as Claude and Ollie Herdman (Chris and Joshua). Nataley is a little baby Angel.  Everyone loves the hair!!! We use a Garnier Fruitese putty, fyi. It only takes a few seconds to do. Makeup takes longer. 
 For those of you who don't know the boys and only see the play, I promise they are darling, polite and well behaved children. They aren't the cruel, rude, and terrifying children they portray on stage - really, I promise! Let It Snow! December 1, 2011 Well the gorgeous weather couldn't last forever - at least in Ohio - and if its going to be cold, we may as well get a beautiful first snow storm! And not just a snow storm - Snunder Snorm.... err... that's not it. Thunder Snow - yeah, that's it! We were out catching snowflakes and saw lightning and heard thunder. I thought I was going crazy but my facebook wall just lit up with other locals saying the same thing.  Our little silly tree outside looks much cute with snow. :) I don't know of we're suppose to be inside for a Thunder Snowstorm, but we enjoyed playing.  There's something special about the first snowballs of the year.  I also have three small snowmen (snowgirls?) decorating my yard thanks to my darling Nataley.  It didn't take long for the boys to gang up on me... and not much long after that I declared myself cold and went inside the house :) |
 Jodi Hattery Photography
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