The kids and I are leaving on the train this Thursday for Missouri again, this time for Christmas. Josh is headed out the same day for Boston. We decided not to spend the $600 for Olivia and my ticket to fly to Boston with Josh. We chose the $22 train ticket to Missouri instead.

We could have stayed here by ourselves this weekend and awaited Josh’s return. Then we could have lived out Crazy Week with him, where he stayed at school until about bedtime trying to finish papers and projects and grading and take-home exams.

Buuuuuuuut… We decided not to.

I feel horrible, leaving him during this most stressful time. But the tickets are bought and Josh assures me that he’ll be able to join us in Missouri sooner this way; he’ll be able to get more work done faster without us there.

Well, that’s what he said last week anyway. This week it’s more like, “I don’t want you guys to leave me.”

*Heart wrenching*

But the tickets have already been bought.

So we leave this Thursday.

So we had our little family Christmas yesterday. (Did NOT want to haul all the presents on the train to be opened in Missouri, and then drug back home. Along WITH all the presents we’ll be getting there.)

And, after that long-winded explanation, here are shots of our little family Christmas:


Benjamin’s a *bit* confused and Olivia’s a *bit* excited.


Very pleased with her new Mrs. Potato Head parts. PINK. I’ll say no more.


Not very pleased with his new Mr. Potato head parts. He wanted her PINK hat. I don’t know why. But from the moment he saw it, he declared himself in love with it. He never gives her a moment’s peace because he’s constantly trying to STEAL it.


It *is* a nice pink hat, I suppose…


The Big Ticket Item this year: My First Computer. Something for Olivia to play on (and, technically share with her brother), while I post Meet-and-Greet’s.

Yeah, that plan backfired. She has more fun watching me play the games than she does playing them herself. Because she refuses learn how to use the mouse. It confuses her. I’m sure she’ll get it eventually. In the meantime, I’m really sick of these games already…

Oh, and I finally cooked the two pie pumpkins that had been sitting on my counter since before Halloween. I made:


Pumpkin Bread,


Pumpkin Pie (It is normal for it to look all sweaty like that?),


(Here’s a yummy picture that doesn’t show the awkward crack along the edge)


And Pumpkin Cookies.

If you want the recipes, gimme a holla and I’ll post them. They all turned out SCRUMPTIOUSLY.

Did you take any pictures last week? Introduce us to your family. Or your recent baking endeavors, since, plainly, the two are on the same level of importance on this blog. Post a link to your Meet-and-Greet page below: