Bloggin' 'n' Stuff

God, I have never been so busy that I couldn't blog! A lot has happened in the past week, and I've got pictures to share!

Seeing as it's not only Christmas Eve but my mom's birthday today, too (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!) , I figure I'd better blog about the stuff that's happened so I can blog later about Christmas Eve, Birthday and Christmas Day. It's going to be a busy few days coming up!

There's a family near where I live that always goes all-out with Christmas decorations. They've been doing this since the 1960s at least, and have made a new Christmas display every year. The booths they make each year get more and more imaginative, and the mechanical stuff involved blows my mind. I'm sure it's not greatly difficult stuff to do, but, well...it involves motors and moving things and that's just way above me. We took Anthony to see the display, and he was entranced by one that has a bubble blower blowing bubbles out of the chimney of the display. He ran around saying "Bubboo!" and trying to pop the bubbles. He wasn't the only kid doing this, and it was really cute to see SOME of the older kids backing off to let the little ones get some.





They have a "North Pole", too!


Then on Sunday, we celebrated my sister's upcoming graduation.
The three sisters (Emilie, who graduated, is in the middle):


And Anthony had fun playing outside that night with "Bubboos!"




On Monday, Emilie's graduation ceremony was held and we all had lunch afterwards to celebrate some more.

Emilie not paying attention to the speaker and instead making a pretty smile for me:




Emilie and one of our grandmothers:


The lunch group:


So that's what's been going on here. Also, I have a part-time job! Mark's cousin's boyfriend owns the franchise for the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory here, and needed some part-time help. Since I won't be in school on Monday and Friday during the upcoming semester I am glad to have something to do! I've worked a few days so far, and they have been BUSY! The shop sells caramel apples with different types of candy, cookies, nuts and other things on top of the caramel. I haven't tasted an apple yet, but Mike and Margaret bought two for a treat on Sunday (as if Santa isn't bringing enough candy!), so I'll be able to sample them then.

We're headed to my parents' house for my mom's birthday, Christmas mass and then presents today and tonight. We'll spend most of the day with Mark's family tomorrow with a short stop by my parents' house again since family we haven't seen in a while will be there.

Hope you are all having a wonderful and safe Holiday Season. I'll have pictures of Christmas soon!

Love, Laurie, Mark and Anthony

Coming up in Anthony-land:
Saturday: Birthday! Christmas! Lots of presents!
Sunday: Birthday! Christmas! Lots of presents!
Monday: chillin' with Daddy since Mama's working
Tuesday and Wednesday: back to day care, but only for two days because...
Thursday: off to Georgia to visit with Uncle Matt for four days!