happy days are here again

After much talking, my co-worker, Kevin, and I were able to convince Mike to stay at Norman Design. As I wrote in my last entry, Mike quit to take a web programming job elsewhere. Kevin and I let Mike know how valuable his web expertise is to Norman Design and how we could - and wanted - to let him concentrate in that area. John (owner) gave it his all as well. So yeah!


Paige has to cook 10 dishes at home for her FACE (Family and Consumer Ed) class. She missed a key ingredient in this very burnt batch of Easy Mac! Almost started a fire in our microwave!!! And yes, Paige wants to be a chef.


Last Tuesday we received an unexpected visitor into our home, Flat Logan. Now we all like Flat Logan, but we'd really rather have Real Logan come visit. Flat Logan is Logan's classroom project where we have to take pictures of Flat Logan doing stuff with us. She's been out in the snow, to our new McDonald's, in Abby's messy room and playing frisbee with Theo. We have to get her back soon though.

I went Christmas shopping Tuesday night as all the kids had something to do. I wanted to pick out Christmas cards at Hallmark (Abby was working), but Abby said we can't have regular Christmas cards and she had an idea for our family photo. I didn't have to Photoshop a new head on myself this year, but it did take 7 pictures for me to have my eyes open. I thought that was fairly painless for everyone. Jeff put them in the mail today! (Of course, I'm not going to post this picture!)

Paige and I have had a lot of time alone with her sisters both in Band Revue at the High School this year. Rehearsals are now daily.


Paige and I baked our first Christmas cookies on Sunday while watching the Packer Game. We made peanut butter kisses. Jeff left our house at 6:30am for the game. He went with his same college friends that he goes hunting with. Lucky St. Nick brought Jeff a new warm scarf, earmuffs and gloves! It was cold!

I left Paige alone while I attended Bryn's UWAY winter concert down at UWM. (Jeff was on his way back from the Packer game and Abby had her work Christmas party.) Their concerts are so pretty to listen to. All the kids play at such a high level and the concert hall has great acoustics. I put a new link at the right about the ensemble.

Today (Monday) Bryn and Paige both had orthodontist appointments at 8am. Bryn's teeth looked perfect, so the removal date of Dec 27th is on! And Jeff and I were both invited to sit down and discuss Paige's future orthodonture ($$$$$) and asked to sign on the bottom line. Paige is equally excited about getting her braces ON. Paige got 7 spacers inserted to make room for bands around her molars and she'll be back in the chair this Thursday to get her braces!!! She says she's getting red and green for Christmas.

Bryn was honored at the Village's School Board meeting tonight for her performance in Cross Country this past fall. The athletic director introduced all the outstanding fall athletes.