Why the Silence?

Wow, it's been since 11/25/08 since I put a post on my blog. Thanksgiving has past. Christmas prep is well underway. Problem is, life threw the Goldman family a curve ball on 11/26/08. Rick got home from work early. Dad was on his way up to spend Thanksgiving day with us and eat turkey. The kids and I had been shopping and were in a good mood. Rick decided to clean the gutters on our house in prep for putting up holiday lights. I was super excited about Black Friday shopping.

Rick finished the front gutters, and I thought he was stopping. We don't put lights on the back of the house! Next thing I knew, he was around back...and he fell. I was in my office on the back of the house, and he was cleaning the gutter on the non window wall of the office. I heard a thud and the ladder crashing and another thud. He fell and hit the deck rail and then the ground. He was awake and told me to call the ambulance. Really? That serious?!? I called. They came. Unbelievable...it was the same spot he fell from on May, 14 2004 when I was 7 months pregnant with Johnny no less.

Hours later at the hospital after all the tests, they confirmed that he had 4-5 broken ribs and a broken scapula on the left side and a broken sternum. Bruised lungs too. He would be OK, but he was being admitted.

6 days later, he came home moving slower than usual but moving and home. Pictured is Johnny doctoring him. Rick has a smile from Johnny's good attention and from good pain meds:-)

Work is treating me well as I try to do for the kids what Rick usually does while still trying to work. With the help from some friends, it is going reasonably well. Consider me having tied a knot in my rope until my year end vacation starts on 12/17! Was the Christmas season not hectic enough without this happening?!?

Rick is already walking a lot and restless, so hopefully he'll continue a positive recovery and not be down for the count too long.

Just Me and Johnny

Today was one of those rare days when Joey was in school, and Johnny and I were both off. Rick was working, so Johnny and I just had the day to ourselves.

After we got Joey on the bus, we headed to Cary via a short stop at Lake Wheeler.. Simpkins pond was shaded and cold, so we didn't stay too long. The ducks weren't super hungry either.

Our main mission was to pick up the Santa Paws pictures at Cameron Village. We checked out The Bargain Box thrift store while we were there too. (Guardian Angel wins hands down in my opinion.)

I also thought a trip to the mall would be nice. Let me tell you, it was great just having one child to keep up with, no refereeing, no loud play acting, no fidgets, etc. Johnny and I had a GREAT time. I could have had an equally nice time with just Joey too I'm sure.

I let Johnny get his pic with Santa. We had our usual soft pretzels and Icee lunch (oops, did I admit that?!?). I let him go on the new kiddie rides. Can you believe they are 75 cents each now?!? I even found a gift I was having trouble finding anywhere else. Great time!

The rest of the pics are here.

Another Sneak Peek

I'm just not good with secrets... I'm trying to choose between great smiles but not the greatest pose in the vertical shot and a better pose but J&J not smiling as nice in the horizontal shot. Decisions... Decisions... For our Christmas card.

The rest of the album is here.

Photography Show at Coffee & Crepes

I hung some of my photographs at Coffee & Crepes tonight. C&C, as I love to call it with friends, allows various artists to hang their work for one month intervals. So, my stuff will be up until 12/23/08.

I'm really thrilled to have some of my pics at C&C again. The purple wall has abstract glass shots, and half of the orange wall has nature shots including butterflies and daisies. I had plenty more to hang! Maybe in the spring...

If you get a chance to stop in while you're out holiday shopping, let me know what you think.

Johnny Did It!

Johnny's preschool had it's Thanksgiving program tonight.

It was really touch and go all week whether or not Johnny was going to going to participate or not. During pick-up today, Miss Lori told me to hand him off and leave QUICK tonight. To his protest, that's just what I did. Miss Amy did a great job of taking him from me and letting me make a fast retreat. Whew...

Let me just say that the kids, staff, and the music teacher, Miss Helga, did a great job with the Thanksgiving program. It worked out really well in the new gym/auditorium multipurpose room. There were about 5 songs, and the kids were lively and well practiced and having fun. All the parents really enjoyed it too!

Johnny came in looking for us. I worried he would jump out of line. He did not. Miss Lori was right behind him and got him situated on stage. He was singing to the songs, moving his hands as best as he could with the other kids, and generally doing well. I think the kids forget to smile sometimes when they are concentrating on not forgetting the words, etc. The highlight for Johnny had to be putting the pumpkin in the cornucopia. Big smile there.

Lucky for me, I was right up front (with Joey sitting in my lap), so I got some decent pics:-)

A special thanks to Miss Lori and Miss Amy for all their efforts in helping Johnny to succeed tonight:-)

Enjoy!

The album pics are here.

Madi Play Day

I called Christine Friday night to see if Madi could come over Saturday morning to play. She could:-)

I snapped the adorable couch pictures after we read about 5 Christmas books. Yes, I broke out the Christmas books yesterday morning!

I wanted to cook something with the kids and decided that the soft pretezel/dinner rolls would be fun. YUM!

We did a foam sticky/glue craft that the kids seemed to enjoy. Madi wanted to do a second one:-) There's my craft girl! Johnny was really enthused to come to the table which of course made me really happy too.

Blaze was really motivated to get doggie biscuits;-) She was well compensated.

Christine came over and joined us. Joey showed off his video game skills and we had fun with Lego bricks. Then it was time to feast on the dinner rolls. DOUBLE YUM!!

No one was really ready to stop playing, but after 3 1/2 hours of play, it was time. More Christmas books and crafts soon!

The rest of the pics are here.

Santa Paws Sneak Peak

Since before Joey was born, our family has had our holiday Christmas card picture taken at the SPCA of Wake County's Santa Paws fundraiser. Each year, just before Thanksgiving, we dress up in color coordinated holiday cheer and hop in the car with at least one of our dogs to go get our picture taken. For the last several years, the picture location has been an empty store at Cameron Village. Tonight was our night this year. Black jeans and red and black shirts were the theme. Blaze got to come with us. They took several poses. Now that they use digitial cameras, I could see on the LCD screen that they got at least one good picture. Next Tuesday, I can pick up a CD with the digital images on it and then go to Wal-Mart and get our holiday cards made. Fun!

I took a few sneak peak pictures waiting to get our picture made with Santa and then a few of the boys with Santa after the family picture was made. The album is here.

It cost $40 for our family, and I know it goes to a good cause. If you think you might like to get your family's picture made this year, there are still appointments available.

Last year's Santa Paws picture album is here.