Shake Your Groove Thang

Dan has all the moves to be seen

on Dancing With The Stars!

I just love how he follows along

with the character on the show,

shakes his hips and 

shrugs his shoulders.

Couch Potatoes

 We've been putting our soft couch to

some serious use these past weeks.

The weather has been chilly,

Daddy's knee is healing

and we have Netflix.

Enough said!

I promise,

we do have 2 couches.

But everyone wants to sit by each other.

I think it's time to invest in a wrap around couch.

I bet I would get an award for the

best mom ever if I got

them a bowl of popcorn right

about now!

Custodian

Dan likes to do things that mommy does.

Mommy cleans.

So Dan likes to clean.

He even likes to put his

pile into the dust pan.

He is adamant about participating in chores

around the house.

Thanks for the help Dan!

Mary Patricia Gurvine

My Dad call this morning to let me

know that my Grandmother

had past away.

Later, he sent me and others,

this message.

02Jan2012, Kathy called me at 820am MST today that Mother had passed on. She was peaceful. She had turned 94 last September. She was in a nursing home for dimentia patients. She had recently fallen and broken her hip. The injury and her declining mental and physical condition was too much. Kathy was present when Mom left this world. Kathy and I will settle her affairs, and we will hold a small memorial service soon. Mom wanted to be cremated as did Dad. She will be buried next to him in the Veterans cemetery at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis. She was and is a gentle and loving mother. She pased through the difficulties of two world wars, the Depression, and the loss of her family farm in Iowa. The highlight of her life was marrying Dad, then having children. Family life, both with us and her extended family was a joy to her. She is free of the pains of mortality now, and able to be with Dad, her parents, and sisters. She leaves her sister Roberta Flittner and her brother Bill Murphy.

Although it's been many years since I

have been face to face with my

Grandma Pat, I still can't forget

the kindness I always saw

in her blue eyes.

I remember staring into them

and being shocked at how beautiful they were.  

Then wondering why my

brown eyes were so boring.

I will never forget the countless hours 

we spent around their home

in California when we were kids.

Riding bikes, playing Boogle, Uno,

Wiffle Ball and watching the humming birds

gather at their bird feeders.

Many of my memories are centered around

the food we ate at their house.

Black & green olives,

almond roca, &

the small glass jars lining the

kitchen counter holding little treats.

I can remember the smell of their home,

the soft stool that sat at grandma's

bathroom vanity.

We spun on it for hours.

She probably hated that...

The bikes that folded up

and could fit into a closet,

the ducks floating along the river

outside the wall of glass windows.

And the huge oak trees with limbs so

heavy they needed supports

to hold them up.

I will miss my Grandma.

But I am also glad she 

finally gets to see those who

left her many years ago.

Santa Came & Went

 By 6:30am we had all the kids awake and

ready to walk down the stairs to see

if the Big Guy in a Red Suit

came to our house!

Although Dan didn't understand,

he could still feel the anxiousness

radiating off his siblings.

He was all for going downstairs

and having Daddy take his picture in

his new pj's.
Oh and don't be jealous of my tshirt...
it's another sweet present I won
at a white elephant party!

The new pj's that were the exact same

as his Big Brother!

Here he are in all our "morning" glory!

The first thing the kids saw were

new rolling duffle bags from Grandma and Grandpa.

Which ended up being perfect because

the kids filled them with all of their

goodies and hauled them off to their bedrooms.

High Five, Dad!

I love gifts!

This year we started a new tradition of looking

through the stocking first,

then eating breakfast

and last,

with full belly's,

opening all the presents!

Santa did a great job at bringing things the kids

loved and needed.

Like puzzles for Keira,  Calculator for Sydney,

Nighlight for Ben, Walkie Talkies for Emma

and a sippy cup for Dan.

Sydney helped Dan enjoy his stocking stash!

Keira adores pink and

was super excited for her new bag

that she could carry around herself.

The kids got the traditional box

of cereal from Santa

for our breakfast.

Plus a drink to make things

super easy!

Can't have enough chapstick

and lipgloss around this house!

I was surprised by some cute Christmas

decorations in my stocking.

When it was time to open the gifts,

we placed Dan in his port-a-crib

to keep him "contained".

He didn't mind,

as long as we gave him gifts to tear into.

The kids were so great at being patient

and taking the time to watch each

of their siblings open their gifts.

Even chanting "open it, open it" to 

get each other excited!

Dan got loads of books,

a mini car garage and more

Matchbox cars.

Each kid got the usual books,

socks and underwear from mom and dad.

Keira also got Strawberry Shortcake Lip Stick,

Zhu Zhu Pet tracks and her own pet.

A Dora Wii game.

Plus sparkly pink princess shoes!

Ben got more Zhu Zhu tracks,

Lightening McQueen and Mator cars...

A very large air craft carrier with air planes

and a Star Wars Lego Wii game.

Sydney got this game, Aqua Sand

a Harry Potter yr 1-4 Wii game. 

Emma and Sydney got American Girl mini dolls.

Emma got Scooby Do Wii game,

Moon Dough, and Chixo's Girl.

I made some quick blankets

for Ben and Emma, too.

Daddy got cologne,

white dress shirts, a back scrubber brush,

and lg pj bottoms to fit over his

knee brace.

Mommy got loads and loads

of clothes and jewelry!

We had a wonderful Christmas

and can't even count all of the blessings

that we have received over this year!

They are innumerable.

Best of all we are together,

healthy, a roof over our heads,

a job, food on our table,

 and health insurance.

We couldn't ask for more!