Year in Review: 2005

Foreward- in order for me to locate this entry with greater ease- I am changing the publication date to match the date that I have summarized. In truth- this post was written 10/19/22 as part of my ongoing efforts to switch to a digital format for story telling.   

RIGHT NOW

I'm listening to that nagging voice in my head..."You are swimming in photos-you need to get back to this project".   Yep- the project I was so motivated about earlier this year-  downsizing the epic scrapbooks that I have crafted through the years.   

Disney magic Feb 2005

Not sure why I lost steam- probably just  the reality that "life happens"...I suspect I simply got pulled away from the keyboard, and got distracted.   

But, now turning the corner into the season of more  sedentary activity (yes, I admit I am a fair weather camper/traveler-temps drop and I am quite content to stay indoors) - I am determined to get back to this project.  

Like so many of the tasks that aren't  necessarily of the "highest of  interest", I know I will feel better once I attempt to  make even the smallest of dents in this project.

I'm loving  that 2005- I was fully digital- at least in the picture taking category (oh if only I had embraced digital scrapbooking early on I wouldn't be in this paper-jam!)

 Back then- I was a faithful customer of Snapfish (and later Shutterfly) -which means instead of breaking down the albums, hoping I hadn't cropped them into some weird shape (you know I'm not alone in that regard, right?) -  I should be able to simply check out what's on my Snapfish Account.   

One of the first pictures featured on the family blog

Another thing to love is that in 2005- I started the Family blog...yeah baby- instant memory jogger!

So- what about 2005 that was so memorable?   Let's look back

There were Spring Showers- 

Colorado Style

 To include A buried mystery van..

and a family portrait 

(I kid you not- I believe we ended up using this as our family Christmas card that year!)

because of course, getting the Things to cooperate

 with a traditional photo was about as easy as 

as catching this little one....(the Morcom girls joined in the fun)

There was Disney Magic

In February- we would make our one and only  family visit to the Magic Kingdom..

(for the adults- we found it too crowded & too pricey-

and for whatever reason- the Things never asked to return)

we soon discovered that if you give Thing 1 an autograph book

and set him out in search of collecting signatures

you will capture some of the all time best pictures 

of this typically camera shy Thing....

There were grand moments with grandparents

from a sleep-over at Grandpa's trailer in FL

to video games with Grandma in California

it's never a dull moment when these Things show up to visit...

There were summer adventures too numerous to count

*but let's give it a try...

A trip  to the park with Great Aunt Phyllis

who for the record- 

did an amazing job as "stand-in" grandma for Grandma Audrey

Quite moments with Uncle Obie

Ring Master?  Nah-more like ring leader of all things chaos...

a camel ride

and an elephant ride

Berry picking with the besties

*did any berries make it home?  Probably not...

picture taking at Elitches

*gotta love Season Passes!  

getting weary from all this fun...

it was time for a lazy day or two at the pool!

A milestone birthday was celebrated

Not saying who...

and not saying which milestone..

but someone sure had a grand time

celebrating with friends who go "way back"

to those she found more recently...

anyway you slice that cake with 40 candles..

this one is ready for a new decade indeed!  

And as summer shifted to fall...

There were traditions to be upheld

from a trip to Nick's

to an epic party at the House of Chang..

And while 2005 was a year filled with lots of grand experiences...

it really is more these random moments...

in every day life that lasts with one the longest...

Until next time...remember to take it just

one day...or in my case- one photo album

at a time!  

Meet Marlin

Yep, we made it to Build A bear as planned yesterday. Even with it NOT being part of a regular mall, it was pretty crowded. Thing Two knew pretty quickly what new critter he wanted to add to his collection. Marlin the Koala Bear. Thing One, as is often the case, took a bit longer and finally decided on a boxer dog. I can't disclose his dog's name. Yep, as is often the case, new friends receive a variation of his own name. So, we have loads of "thing ones" living under our roof.

So, today is the last day of 2005. All in all, it has been a good year for us. We've stayed relatively healthy, found contentment in both our professional and personal lives and have some degree of financial security. Can one really ask for more and not be considered selfish or spoiled? Yeah, I didn't think so!

Happy New Year! And well, you know where we'll be tonight: tucked in safely at home, MIGHT make it up late enough to watch the New Yorkers usher in 2006. Certainely won't make it up for a Rocky Mtn. New Years welcome!

House of Homebodies

It is a well known fact that in order to qualify for membership in the House of Chang you must be a homebody. We go to bed early. We are morning people. We prefer to avoid places that are crowded. And about our favorite thing to do is just hang out at home. With the Things being off for Winter Break, we seem to have taken this habit to the extreme. Thing One is the most content to just stay home. With hubby and myself following close behind. It is Thing Two that seems to have a bit more of a desire to go and do stuff.

So, with this being the last day of their break, I've agreed to take them to Build A bear workshop to spend their gift cards that they got for Christmas. I know,it is mostly a place associated with girls, but my guys love this place. And they've spent all week trying to decide whether they will buy stuff for their bears OR build new ones. I've not told them there is probably enough in the gift card to do BOTH!

And I of course, will take way too many pictures of the process...because you know, I got this fancy new camera and NOTHING on the immediate horizon that will require such a high tech camera. So, until then, I will practive my skills by photographing the events of every day life.

That is until I get the urge to plan another outing..

Having a Very Merry Time...

Well, the BIG day has come and gone...and all in all, The Things had a very Merry Christmas and so did the parents. Santa must not have "SEEN IT ALL" as the boys really scored with the guy in the big red suit. As is always the case, they got the most excited about the unexpected... For Thing One: the stuffed moose that sings almost as bad as I do, a Simpsons DVD for Thing Two and a TuTu for Moosey who had been warned "if you don't behave, we'll dress you like a girl!" (Thing One had reported that Moosey was the reason for all the mischief and messes we'd discovered! Hmmmm) I've now found a new and effective threat: keep it up, and I'll dress you like a girl is sure to result in improved behavior.

So, without further chatter...here are some photos of all of us enjoying the day.
In case you are wondering, hey, how can Thing Two have the camera AND a picture is being taken? Well, hubby really scored by giving me a new camera! Oh my, I guess I have been a good wife, mother, friend this year!

And as for the man in a kilt, well, if you are local, you'll know that is Dom's bestest buddy. And if you aren't local, well, seriously, they are just good friends!

Merry Belated Christmas to all!

Equal time for each thing...

I posted a photo of Thing One contemplating his Gingerbread Creation. But, with the templates that you use on Blogger, I can't seem to figure out how to add multiple photos to the same entry. So, here is a photo of Thing Two creating his house.

Each year they have so much fun making their houses. And, I work SO hard to keep my hands out of their creations. With a name like Martha, well, you can imagine how hard it is to not interfere with their creativity. But, I managed. And now, presenting the House that Thing Two built...

London Britches Falling Down...

That's what the Things were singing as we left the grocery store this morning. And the funniest part is: that YES both of their pants were falling down. They've inherited their father's waist line, making it a never ending challenge to find pants that fit. For awhile, slims worked but then they thickened a bit through the middle so we stocked up on regulars...now they've both had a bit of a stretch in growth but not in girth and I'm wishing we had a few more slims in the drawer. Both are constantly hitchin' up their pants. They look like teens...only difference is, they don't want their boxers (or briefs in this case) showing. Here's hoping Santa brings them boys some belts! Or else, I"ll be hitting the after Christmas sales in search of pants that fit!

ONE...

Ok, I'm a copycat when it comes to blog entries, but this one looked like fun.

1 Minute ago: Surfing the web, realized I should probably update the blog
1 Hour ago: Relaxing on the massage table next to my good friend Carol (which
by the way was awesome. If she invites you, GO!)
1 Day ago: Hosting a college buddy of Dom's and his two kids (good people)
1 Week ago: Winding down after my weekly volunteer gig at the Things school
1 Month ago: Wondering how I could get out of cooking Turkey Day dinner (thanks
to the H's I once again managed to get out of cooking the big meal)
1 Year ago: Ok, these first 5 were challenging enough, you expect me to remember
LAST year? Sorry...Couldn't tell you.
1 Decade ago: Hosting our wedding reception for our friends in VA...Having gotten
married out in CA the month before with just immediate family
attending.
1 Score ago: Ok, first I confirmed a score is 20 years ago, so lets see I would
be on Christmas break from my Jr. Year in college. Wasn't that
the semester the folks graciously agreed to have me and 6 of
classmates spend the night between our two clinical rotations at
the house? Yes, my parents were gracious entertainers (a trait
I'm hoping I inherited)
1 Quarter Century ago: Just finished my sophomore year on the HS swim team and
playing clarinet in the marching band. Enjoyed both greatly
although I did not excel at either.

Hey, my memory isn't so rusty after all!

It's beginning to feel a lot like FIESTA time?

With Thing One doing Second Grade-Take Two this year, a lot of the things become repetitive. I recall last year being so annoyed that his class wasn't going to have even a Holiday party, but instead a Fiesta?! Ok, I ranted, that is taking this PC crap a bit too far.

Well, guess what, it wasn't his teacher being party phobic like I thought(although I still stand by my assessment she was parent-phobic!)...it is the "plan" or curriculum or whatever you want to call it for second grade at our area school. Their big country social studies unit is Mexico and the party marks the end of the unit of study. The teachers apparently time it to occur around Christmas: gotta have a party yes, but lets tie it into what we are already studying.

So, today was the "fiesta". And you know what? It was such a sweet event...the kids had done an assortment of crafts this past month and the teacher had the room very festively decorated. They had made serapes out of brown grocery bags. They had made woven placemates and Gods Eyes (I think that is what they are called: we made them as kids, yarn wrapped around two pieces of sticks). They feasted on tacos, beans (well, not Thing one! I was thrilled he at least tried the ground beef and had two chips). They made pinatas out of lunch bags and the teacher quietly filled them with treats for the kids to take home. And they finished off the day with a Mexican Hat Dance. Even our "stage frightened" Thing One got up and performed!

So I guess this grumpy old mom should admit...it was a very festive holiday party...as we celebrated the culture of Mexico. This kids had a blast and really did put on a show for us parents. I'm so happy to have a teacher this year that isn't parent phobic...it helps me see that my Thing is fitting just fine with his new set of classmates.

Finding My Inner Martha...

Well, I'll be...Maybe I can bake after all! For those that know my extended family, you know I come from a long line of excellent bakers. There was Grandma G. and her famous sugar cookies. And Grandma B: well, she did indeed work magic in that kitchen of hers. Yes, she made doughnuts from scratch that would make the folks at Krispy Kreme green with envy! Good thing she passed away before we all became aware of the dangers of carbs: as breads were indeed her house speciality! Both my parents enjoyed cooking and baking. But it seems lately, I've not done so well with the baking. Maybe it is the altitude: I"m living a lot further above sea level than my ancestors that excelled at baking. Maybe it is attitude: Thing Two and I are the only ones that eat the treats so I don't always put the effort into baking like I would if more of the family enjoyed the final product. Who knows...

But, with the holidays fast approaching, and Thing One being assigned "Christmas cookies" to bring to the fiesta today (ah, another topic for another mood), I figured I should give it a try.

I bought this box of mix



And guess what...all three types turned out PERFECT. They had that "holiday" flavor to them but without the hassle of measuring the flour, adjusting for altitude and so on an so forth.

Martha...giddy with success and wondering what shall she try next?

Retro Week

We'll be hosting Retro week in the Chang Kitchen this week. Yep, the microwave technician showed up Friday (actually, pretty promptly: we'd had a arrival time window from 0800-1200 and he had come and gone before I'd gotten back from dropping off the Things at school at 0800, Dom let him in). And, yes the microwave isn't working. But, he doesn't keep the part for the smaller sized microwaves on hand so he'll have to order it. Should be in next week.

So, until then it is retro week in the kitchen!
.............I'll be popping popcorn on the stove just like Grandma did
.............I"ll have to plan out my menu in advance just like my mom did to make sure things have time to thaw
.............I'll be hollering to my family "COME AND GET IT WHILE IT IS HOT" just like housefraus have been doing for generatins. Heck, I might even reinstate the use of the dinner bell!


And if we still find ourselves cranky and spoiled...well come on folks it is only a week... I think we can manage (now, if this were my TiVO there would be NO chance in H*%! I'd last more than a day without sending the hubby out to buy a new unit ASAP!)

Cold and Cranky...

No matter where you live, you've probably noticed that we've had a bit of a taste of winter. Out here in the Land of Sunshine, yes, we expect winter weather. We don't expect the weather to linger for more than a couple days. We've had a run of rather severly cold days...so much so that the snow we got last weekend is still on the ground! That is practically unheard of! Usually when it snows, I have to agree to take the Things sledding IMMEDIATELY or else you run the risk of the snow being gone by the next day.

But, it isn't the weather that is making me cranky. It is my darn microwave. I tell you: I'm cursed when it comes to small appliances. I'm on my 3rd microwave in 8 years. And right now, we've got light, we've got sound, but we've got no heat. What good is a microwave with no heat?

And a microwave is one of those appliances that you use alot more often then you realize. Want to defrost the chicken for dinner? Usually not a problem. Lately, it has been. Hubby running late with work (or gets an important work related phone call right as he's sitting down for dinner) and his dinner gets cold. Again, usually not a problem. Just warm it up in the microwave. Lately: not a workable solution. The things favorite breakfast is "cooked pretzels" (those giant pretzels that I put salt on and nuke). Yep, a problem and challenge to fix without a microwave.

Oh sure, there are ways to work through these problems but it all just makes me CRANKY!

Hopefully the technician will fix the problem tomorrow and we'll be on our merry way to defrosting chicken, warming dinner, cooking pretzels and most importantly this time of year: making Grandma Audrey's famous family fudge!

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well...the card went postal yesterday. The online ordering is complete. The tree is going up this weekend. Yep, I'd have to say, we're well on our way to enjoying Christmas!

Hello to any new lurkers! I hope you aren't too bored with my stuff. Oh who am I kidding, nobody reads this but me. That's ok, I write for me...so that I can remember the fun stuff that happens in my life.

So, yes, I'm well on my way to my usual orderly Christmas celebration. Yes, I get those cards out early. But you have to understand the way my brain works: I can't start the baking until I've done the decorating. I can't do the decorating until I've done the shopping. And I can't start the shopping until the cards are done. For me, they are like the starter pistol to a race.....BOOM, and she's off!

And so there ya have it: I'm not really uber organized...just have an overly orderly mind and things must follow a predictable pattern! Ha, and we wonder where Thing One gets his "issues" from. Yep, that apple fell right from the Martha tree!

Doors Open at 5 am

So, yesterday Thing One and Thing Two are BEGGING me to take them shopping. I told them "but we don't need anything" (and to myself I am thinking, there is NO way you'd get me out there on Black Friday). They both agreed (that there was nothing we needed, only things they'd like) but together they announced "but Mom, doors open at 0500 am!"

Ah yes, Black friday ads were successful in getting my boys to THINK they needed to go shopping. It also points out that perhaps the boys are watching too much tv! We'll know that indeed is the case when they start asking for the new Barbie Vanity that seems to be the IT item based on the frequency that Cartoon Network airs the commercial.

Yep, that's my boy...

Ok, it's a known fact here in the House of Chang, that although Thing 2 may LOOK like his dad, he's his MOM in more ways than any of us can keep track of.

Tonight, was just another example. We're all watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We're at the scene were Mike TV is about be shrunk. But, first they are showing the technology where they take the GIANT chocolate bar and zap it into the tv set...making it oh so very tiny.

Thing Two says to me: "now that would give me nightmares! Shrinking Chocolate, that's terrible!".

Ah, yep, he's my boy! (although I admit that I have other fears besides my giant chocolate bar being reduced to less than a bite sized morsel!) *photo in this post was taken on a trip to Florida earlier this year. Right after he inhaled his first "Mickey Bar! A proud mom moment!

Where were you ten years ago?

Well, although most days my memory is as faulty as the next middle aged woman's, I do remember where I was ten years ago today...

I was getting hitched! The sun was starting to set over the San Pablo Bay. We were both a bit nervous: wondering what we were getting ourselves into. I looked around and saw Dom's best friend and his wife along with my family and I knew that it was going to be ok! I'd found my match!

So, there you have it, we've made it to the ten year mark. That's quite an accomplishment I think. And I can honestly say, he's still the best...oh sure, there have been those days when I wouldn't have had such a glowing review...but for the most part, he's my perfect match!

And being the practical people that we are, we just finished dining on take out from Chipotles while the kids scarf down a Happy Meal and we all are watching cartoon network together! Yep, leave it to those crazy Changs: we're always on the cutting edge of a wild and crazy time!

(oh fear not, we did do the romantic dinner earlier in the week while my dad was still around to provide free child care!)

Happy Anniversary Hubby!

Oh where have I been?

I know...bad blogger! No recent pictures. No recent postings for that matter. You'd think I'd finally gotten a life or something equally exciting, eh?

Nah, it has just been a busy couple of weeks here at the House of Chang!
First there was Halloween. Or as my boys would say "the best Halloween EVER!" I'm not sure what prompted such a glowing review. It could be that things all went rather smoothly...from perfect weather for trick or treating, to a Halloween Bash with many of the boys' pals able to join us for a couple hours of rowdy fun.

And then there was a visit from Grandpa. It's always fun to have Grandpa visit and this time proved to be even better as I took off for the weekend and the guys had a GUYS ONLY weekend. I"m not sure what all went on while I was gone but somehow Thing Two now can use all sorts of slang to describe his elimination habits. Gee WIZ, I guess you have to take the good with the bad when you skip out on your family for an entire weekend.

Which brings me to the big event for me. Many of you know I"ve got a couple things I really enjoy. Scrapbooking is one of them. The other is hanging out on the computer. Oh there are other things too...but these are two of my favorite hobbies. Imagine what fun I had when I blended these two hobbies together for the Scrapshare retreat here in the Land of Sunshine. Several of us geek-wannabees visit a message board dedicated to scrapbooking and this past weekend, several of us who live in the same general area, got together to meet up with our imaginary friends. I had a blast and am pleased to report that none of the fellow scrapbookers were imaginary: they all had a great sense of humor and a generous spirit. I look forward to meeting up with this group again...and hope that our little gathering can continue to grow as more folks discover this group.

So, that about wraps things up here. I'd hoped to post some pictures of me with my new online pals...but in my haste I somehow deleted some files. So, instead, you're stuck with a picture of Moose Boy.

I vow to get back in the groove with more postings...as I really do like my time that I spend crafting my blog postings! I"ve missed this creative outlet!