We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Once again, I procrastinated in making an appointment to have the kids pictures taken for Christmas and ended up snapping a photo in front of the Christmas tree. It didn't turn out that badly this year. Last year was a nightmare and I ended up taking pictures of Loral and Mason by themselves and putting two separate pictures on the cards. Next year I will be on the ball and will have my photos done hopefully sometime in November...yeah right.
I still haven't finished all of my Christmas shopping and I am becoming a little panicked. I wrapped gifts for the first time last night and now I know exactly what I still have left to buy. Hopefully the stores will still have what I need. My husband and little guy Mason were the easiest to buy for. After being together for 16 years, choosing Matt's Christmas gifts comes very easy for me. Loral is the hardest because as a little girl who loves commercials, she asks for everything she sees. So then, I have to really think about what is practical and what it is she really and truly wants.
I just wonder if the Holiday season will ever slow down for me? I feel like in order to accomplish all that needs to be done, I have to move in twenty different directions all at once. I look forward to growing older with our children and their families. At this point in time, Matt and I can take a slow look around us and value and cherish what is most important to us-our families.
On that note I will bid all a goodbye. I wish you and your families the best of holidays! Remember to slow down and think about what Christmas is really about, not just the packages and gifts under the tree. Talk with you in the New Year.
Tiff

Griff has started hockey - watch out!!!

Well, Griffin Donald has started ice hockey at the ripe old age of 3 1/2! He was by far the youngest little guy out there - and I was SO PROUD OF HIM! We got him all geared up from head to toe in pads, helmet, hockey skates and a "Sid the Kid" Penguins jersey. He definitely looked the part. He had never been on skates before and we just threw him to the wolves - so to say. If you can believe it he did great:) He shuffled along and got in the swing of things and was even hitting the puck around at the end. I asked him if he had fun and he said "Ya Mom! The coach really helped me and said I did good. Can we get a slushie now?" How cute is that!!!


Well we may have our next Gretsky on our hands - we will just have to wait and see.

Megan

WE GOT TICKETS!!!

Aaaaawwwww yeah!!! Hannah Montana, here we come! That's right, we finally got tickets to the concert. My friend Ruthy and I have been trying to buy tickets for the Hannah Montana concert on Jan. 3 since they went on sale September 29. No such luck in the beginning. Those tickets went like wild fire, in which most were bought up by scalpers who have them listed online for ridiculous amounts of money. Eveery few days since the tickets went on sale, we have checked on ebay, stubhub and ticket master trying to find tickets. Quicken Loans Arena claimed they were going to sell 2000 more tickets to sell out the arena, but no date had been released. I was beginning to get desperate and offered to buy 4 tickets from a lady on ebay at $500.
Crazy, I know. She just listed them on Saturday and had no bids yet, so I emailed her and offered her the starting bid price of $500 for all four tickets. I then called Ruthy to ask if she would be willing to still pay $250 for her two tickets. She agreed, but while we were talking she clicked on ticketmaster (which she had bookmarked three long months ago) and her request of purchasing 4 tickets went through!!! We were so freaking excited. I was yelling, screaming and jumping up and down in my kitchen. My husband Matt was in the next room looking at me like I was crazy. But, then he was just as excited as I was that Loral was going to get to see her idol. All I could think was how pumped Loral and Macy were going to be getting to go see Hannah. My Christmas shopping for Loral is now complete. I really didn't want to pay more than double what the tickets were worth, but desperation was looming. The lady from ebay emailed me back today and said she wanted to give it a couple more days before she could give me a decision. I was so relieved to write her back telling her no worries, WE ALREADY GOT TICKETS!!! I think it's going to be a wake-up call for all those people trying to sell their over priced tickets now since 2000 more tickets were put out there. It's kind of sweet justice for those of us who were playing fair and by the rules. I will definately post a blog after the concert letting everyone know how it went. I can't wait until Christmas morning for Loral to open up her gift! So long for now.
Tiff