The Sanders Family » Holiday

Sanders Hanukkah, part 2!

Susan — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:12:59 +0000

Paul and Susan on Christmas morning

This post has pictures that represent Christmas Day to New Year’s Day. Just to recap, we had 9 celebrations in 11 days. For some reason I also thought that was a good time to do a home improvement project of painting all the door knobs. Which also means the latches, screws, etc. You probably realized that. Wish I would have…

Christmas w Steph, Roy, BizNKids, and MomMom, Dec 26

Point of interest on this photo–I THOUGHT both eyes were crossed. I did a redo for Paul just now, thinking my eyes were crossed again. No such luck. My sister was like this all the time from birth and had surgery to make her normal. Perhaps I had preemptive surgery to make sure mine did not wander…EVER!

Anna--Dec 26 Christmas; celebration #9

I just love love love this photo of Anna. You get glimpses of what she will look like as a young woman, yet she still has that baby look too.

Tripp gets a robot for Christmas!

Sleepy Becca posing for pictures

The robot Tripp got for Christmas was very cool, it even danced to a Duran Duran knock off song (sounded like the song, but like they changed it to not have to pay royalties). But then it started to somewhat stalk MomMom. Kind of scared us. Rebecca was SO sleepy, but she always wants to get a good picture. And the truth still holds–sometimes the kids like the box the toy comes in rather than the toy itself!

New Year’s Eve 2009. Basic math I should have realized when I bought the sparklers: [(Sleepy kids x bad weather so they didn't get any exercise for days) x (Paul has been w said kids for 80 hours x Susan has been sick for 80 days)] x fire sparks shooting off a stick = probably not a good idea. Not to mention I had accidentally sprayed some grass (and a little driveway) with my door knob project so Tyler of course wanted to prance there w his sparklers. He was drawn like a moth to a flame. (get it–flame??)

Skinned squirrels in the refrigerator. Seriously. Ugh.

Paul took Tyler hunting w some friends and their kids. Tyler was a little loud (lucky for the squirrels), but the others were more successful (unlucky for Susan). We had 6 dead bodies in the fridge. It was like The Soprano’s. Paul made fried squirrel, scrambled eggs, grits, biscuits and squirrel gravy for New Year’s breakfast. They say that how you spend NY Day is how you spend your year. God help me.

Sanders Family Hanukkah

Susan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:07:19 +0000

We are not converting, we are celebrating Paul, Tyler and Anna’s birthdays and Christmas! We started way back in November (about 10 years ago it seems), we had Thanksgiving and visited w my family. But that last 7 days we have had 7 celebrations. Really 7 in 6 days–tonight is a bye night. Here is the summary:

Day 1, 12/17/09: Anna’s 8th birthday. Paul and I met Robin and Jason, and of course Tyler at Rio Grande for Anna’s birthday dinner. Anna chose the restaurant–Rio G won for the 3rd year in a row. I just LOVE this picture of Anna.

Anna at her Rio Grande birthday dinner, Dec 17

Day 2, 12/18/09: Kids Family Birthday Party. Stephanie and Biz planned a party for Anna and Tyler at their house. Sandie, Brandon, Haley, Hunter and Mom Mom all celebrated with us.

Tyler had a Star Wars cake complete w light up light sabers. Anna had a doll cake complete w Barbie-like doll you lifted out of the cake before cutting.

Day 3, 12/19/09: Tyler’s 6th birthday. Before we could celebrate Tyler’s birthday, we had to play in the snow! That’s right, we had about 7 inches of snow on Friday night/Saturday morning. Then we met Robin, Jason and Lacey (their baby) at Chuck E Cheese to celebrate Tyler’s day.

Anna, Tyler and Frosty. This was after sledding off the ramp Paul built for them!

Ahhhh, my NRA reps.

Day 4, 12/20/09: Extended Sanders Family Christmas/Susan’s half birthday. OK, 1 was celebrated a little more than the other, but still…

Paul and me before starting to open presents at MomMom's.

Day 5, 12/21/09: Susan’s manager Christmas party and Cole’s Annual Christmas party.

(photos unavailable, cameras confiscated by security, paparazzi bounced from property)

Day 6, 12/22/09: Celebrated Paul’s birthday at UNC vs. Marshall basketball game!

My first time in the Dean Dome! I mean... me doing whatever Paul wanted to do for his birthday!

Paul and I are vegging out tonight. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, not sure what the plans are. Then we get the kids on Christmas Day about noon. Then Christmas w Steph and Biz, et. al on Sat afternoon! 9 events in 11 days! Whoooooo hooooooo! Keep in mind this was including 10 loads of laundry, 0 minutes of napping, 3 days of work (which included creating a plan to restructure our cardiac rehab program to make up for $96,000 worth of revenue that we cannot bill for in 2010 and 4 days of 11 state inspectors surveying our hospital), baking 120 cookies and only 30 minutes of physical activity and NO tears shed! Happy Sanders Hanukkah!

Updates before the wild rumpus

Susan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:59:06 +0000

Not too much to report really. I am at Camp Crop a Lot right now waiting for breakfast to open at 8am. A couple weeks ago I had moved all of my scrapbook pages to the server at home so Paul could back it up regularly. Alas, I neglected to move them back to my computer before I left Friday to come to camp. So I have none of my projects that were in progress. I did a few traditional pages (about 10), but I cannot put them into an album b/c the order will be wonky b/c I mixing and matching digital. My plan for camp was to have an extended period of time to carefully map out the album mixing digital and traditional. Riiiiggghhhtt.

I guess you could say this is the calm before the storm that is the holiday season for us. We are in the meaty part of our training for the half marathon. The time change and the COLD has really made it a challenge for us. But the race is only 4 weeks away (read: TAPER IN 2 WEEKS!).

Halloween was fun. We took the kids to the Fall Festival at their school on Friday b/c they were Trick or Treating w their mom. It was neat to see them so into their friends (boy, I will regret those words in a few years, huh?).

Halloween morning we walked in my work’s charity 5k for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Anna and Tyler were so cute they got on the “jumbotron.” Anna was REALLY angry that we only did 2 of the 3 miles (we took a shortcut b/c to get back to do all the other fun stuff that day). That was funny b/c 1 week before that she said she “really wasn’t in the mood to walk.” That seems to be a new phrase for her and Tyler. Love it.

Cuties on the "jumbotron"

The whole family at JDRF

The Best Mother’s Day EVER

Susan — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:45:19 +0000

Awhile ago I typed out what my ideal day was for a thing on Facebook. Today pretty much fulfilled that. I got to sleep in, Paul made my favorite breakfast (from a recipe of my mom’s) while I cleaned out and organized our garage post-project (more on that in a minute). We rode bikes and did some yard work. We ate Mexican food on the patio on a gorgeous Carolina day w no clouds. I talked to my mom and hung out w Paul’s family, then friends of Paul’s stopped by. Shortly after we got home from dinner in Asheboro, Anna and Tyler were dropped off. They both made me cards that were so cute. Anna made me a bracelet of various color beads and had a poem about what the colors mean. Tyler had a picture he drew framed for me. Wow. It is my first Mother’s Day and I just don’t think it can be topped.

About our home improvement project…Usually I hear about couples arguing constantly over home improvement projects. Ours made me love Paul even more! I have seen Lance Armstrong side (cocky athlete), Martha Stewart side (cook EXTRAORDINAIRE!), work side (too smart for most ppl’s good), but to see the Bob Vila side, WOW! You can see the photos of him working (I really did just stand around most of the time like I predicted in my previous post) by clicking here. I was drawing 3D pictures and trying to get exact measurements and things. He had the whole thing in his brain for months and executed the plan perfectly! We only made 1 trip to Home Depot–the initial trip! THAT has to be a record!

Also at that link are some photos of chillin and grillin at Paul’s mom’s house for Mother’s Day. Healthwise…I am feeling much healthier and more ready to start the work week than I have been in a long time.

A Great Easter

Paul — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:04:29 +0000

Yesterday turned out to be a great Easter day. The kids woke up around 6 excited about the Easter bunny. After they ate way too much candy for breakfast we made a trip to the grocery store then came home and played outside with the kids.

Around 1 we went out for a 64 mile bike ride. The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky. Our plan for the day was to go exploring new roads which is one of my favorite kind of rides. We found a few new good roads to add to some of our current rides and a few dead end roads (but they were still nice to ride down). When we got home we did a easy 1 mile run which went well.

After the workout we ate grilled salmon, asparagus, and couscous (all at Susan’s request). On a side note, when Susan’s parents bought their new house they no longer needed the grill they had at the Crown Point house so they gave it to us. This is the first time we have had a chance to use it and it was much easier to cook on than our old one which was really nice. We sat outside to eat, relax and enjoyed the weather. That is about as good as a day can get!

Change of Plans for New Year’s Eve

Paul — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:42:10 +0000

Susan was talking to Elli about our New Year’s Eve plans while we were in Florida and Elli didn’t think she was telling the truth. Our plans were to bury a time capsule with the kids and be in bed by 9. When Elli asked me I thought 9 was a little late and that we would probably be in bed by 8:30.

I vary rarely make it until midnight but this year I am going to try my best. Why? Because Susan and I are sitting here watching the Georgetown/UConn game and we saw that Carolina is playing at 10 pm that night. If the game starts at 10 it won’t be over until around 12 so I will try to stay up for that. I could still care less about staying up for the new year though . We are riding with Tamara on the 1st at noon so Susan is going to have a hard time getting in her 11 hours of sleep that she needs (although I doubt she is going to stay up to watch the game with me).

Merry Christmas–FL style!

Susan — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:37:15 +0000

Susan and her mom shelling at Lover's Key Beach (Elli's shadow)

Paul and I returned from Christmas with my family in Ft Myers, FL (they have a condo down there). Elli and Michael (and of course Zoe the Zygote) were there too. We arrived on the 25th in the evening and just got back tonight (Sunday) about an hour ago. Here was the basic schedule:

Wake @ 7:30am; exercise til about 10-ish; big breakfast; pool time (80 degrees and no clouds); dinner (we rotated which couple cooked); games; bed about 9pm. That’s right folks–I almost got my 12 hours/night of sleep!

Other activities that were interspersed were shopping (Paul bought Life is Good pj pants and a ball for Maggie), reading (yep–Paul too!!), shelling (girls only–the picture shown) and napping (ok, mostly me there). It was very relaxing.

We are both off tomorrow, and we have the kids so we are planning some activites: pool, movie and getting the kids their library cards!! I promise we will blog about their birthdays and celebrating Christmas–there is so much to tell and so many pix, its hard to narrow it down to a blog.

Does Santa Wrap Your Presents? [Poll]

Paul — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:50:12 +0000

When Susan and I were talking about Christmas presents she was surprised to hear that presents from Santa were wrapped. Santa always brought my presents wrapped so I was curious what he did for everyone else.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Extreme Makeover–Gingerbread Edition, v5

Susan — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:41:33 +0000

Lauren and Elliot Blue host THE most awesome fundraiser EVER each year at Christmas: a gingerbread party! For $25 you get a blank house, all the “fixings” and food and drink (including beer and wine for those so inclined). Last year I went as a single 33 year old crazy cat lady, this year I am a 34 year old married mother of 2. What? What a difference a year makes. What a difference kids make at the G-bread party! Here is the picture that Buck (the official from our wedding) took. We did not have any other pix–I dropped our camera and it is busted. I can’t even talk about it. We are back to the old camera for the kids’ birthdays and Christmas and who knows what else.

Another poll!!!

Susan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:10:39 +0000

I just really liked the poll that we did, regardless that it drew attention to my nerdiness. So I want to do another. The most pressing question is whether Paul should do his 7 mile run now and miss a tasty dinner he cooked and time w us or if he should wait til 8pm when the kids are in bed and its colder, windier and our bed time. But alas, by the time most of you read this, it will be a mute point.

SO! We will vote on the last side dish for Thanksgiving instead. That way you can also leave a comment about what YOU are doing, too! You know, make it interactive and all. Paul and I will be hibernating on Thanksgiving after we run our 5K that morning (www.greensborogobbler.com). We have not stayed home by ourselves in MONTHS! Here is our menu so far:

turkey breast
garlic mashed potatoes
homemade bread (Paul insisted! I did not force this one)
collard greens
pumpkin crisp
Cliff Bar Cabernet (from the makers on Cliff Bars, like nutrition bars)

Here is the poll question: Should we have homemade mac and cheese too?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Tis the Season!

Susan — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:26:17 +0000

Check us out:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/4cxuE0krkm0gWLHrtqgS