EJM, INC.

Risky New Year's

Team Gemo made another appearance in the North for New Year's Weekend. Like all good minded parents, we put the kids to bed at normal time and played a killer game of Risk. Eric got taken out in a surprise move by Mrs. Team Gemo. Then, it was Mr. Team Gemo or me. After a few (okay a lot) of lucky dice rolls, I took him out. At 3am, after 6 hours, we had to suspend the game. (Children always get up at 7am...)

When we resumed playing, there were a few turns of back and forth then Mrs. Team Gemo (white) took it all and defeated me(yellow). Ahhh what a start to the New Year!

Xmas Part 3...

I entertained 20 overnight guests including Eric, Elena and me. We played some games, went sledding, played some Super Mario among other things. Christmas was fun Here is the whole crew.

Xmas, Xmas and Xmas Part 2

It's a Christmas miracle! We had pictures scheduled for the morning after Eric's incident, and you can't even see the damage!

All smiles in the xmas pictures.

Christmas morning Santa brought Elena exactly what she wanted, "a green present." Apparently, pausing for pictures before presents is not on the top of Elena's list.

All smiles in the funniest Where's Waldo Christmas pajamas.

Christmas, Christmas and more Christmas! Part 1

For the first time since graduating high school, Eric and I did not have to travel for Christmas. Everyone came to us! First up, my family Christmas of 10. I cooked vegetable lasagna in which Eric says "...is a lot of work for no meat"

We also went out and played in the snow. Luc and Grandpa went for a ridee on the snowmobile.

Audra has the funniest sounding sledding video. Perhaps I will upload it one of these days.

We also learned this year that if Eric is low on food and water and hurts himself he really ought to sit down. After cutting himself with a knife, washing the cut and laughing at my brother for being skemish, Eric passed out on the kitchen floor and split his chin open. This wound, however, required seven stiches. As I told my sister last year or actually I think it was this Thanksgiving...If you haven't been to the ER over a Holiday then you haven't had a holiday.

CH Halloween Party '09

It was a bit on the chilly side this year, but it was still nice and sunny for outdoor games. Potato sack races anyone?

Randy and I whooping the youngins.

Eric and Kodi chilling out.

Ma and Pa went gangsta style.

In an attempt to escape reality, I decided to sew Eric's and my costume this year. Elena was Alice in Wonderland. Eric was the Mad Hatter and I was the Queen of Hearts. Not to shabby considering my lack of sewing experience, but I admit Eric bailed me out at some key areas on the dress.

Top Sail Island Vacation

We took the whole family vacation to Top Sail Island, North Carolina and rented a house. Elena enjoyed playing in the sand.

Luc enjoyed going into the ocean with his boogie board.

Elena is a mermaid and Luc is an Indy car. Elena calls these sand blankets.

Here's the whole group!

Birthdays

Elena and Lucian chillin at Luc's 3rd birthday party.

Elena got two cakes to celebrate her 2nd birthday! One at Grandma and Grandpa's and the other at the Rockford Airshow.

May Update

Apparently, it has been too long because I forgot my blogger password... Here is a little from the archives of the past 3 months...

March

We took the first nice day to go to the zoo. Elena was a big fan of the lions, tigers and monkeys.

Flat Stanley came up to Minnesota with us to watch Madelynn swim again.

April

The Easter Bunny came. Luke and Elena got to go on an Easter egg hunt too!We added a bunch of white and jack pines to diversify our tree collection. Some of these were actually quite large. May

We went to the Cubs vs. Brewers game at Milwaukee. It was early in the season this year so it was a little cold. Elena is learning to play baggo...

Here's the portion of the crowd we went to high school with (mostly). Thanks for coming! I know I had a good time. =)

Elena put together her own big bed.

Here she is pretending to sleep.

Accessorize!

We took advantage of the warm weather and finally got the shutters up. They really take the outside to pretty plain and missing something to much more.

Too bad the sunlight is a bit harsh to really see the colors.

If anyone else has some exciting before and after project pictures and you want me to post them send me an email.

En Vogue

Repurposing is so cool these days...but Eric and I were cool before it was cool. Version 1.0-As seen here in the background, this free double wide TV stand left by Eric's roommate worked well for a time, but it was too big and cluttered for selling our house.

Version 2.0 - From double wide to single wide. Custom TV fit!

Version 3.0 - occurred when the DVD player did not fit, so we had to move the middle vertical piece over just a touch...

Version 4.0 - Raze the Roof! It seems our free TV (purchased with credit card points from building the house) wouldn't fit. Oh...but that can't stop us!

Seriously, one day I really will buy new furniture, "but something keeps telling me don't do it yet, not yet, not yet..."

January update!

Oh hooray! The holidays were fun, but I'm enjoying staying home and getting stuff done! How's the house? Oh, it's here. There is always plenty to keep us busy. Thanks to a little help from Eric the 1st floor closet doors should be up in a week or so. He also got the zone system hooked up and a humidifier hooked up on the HVAC system. He's done other stuff too but I never remember once it's done anymore =) Eric also has been on the snowmobile 3 weekends in a row. Nice. It's awesome having a groomed trail right across the street.

Elena is growing up. She is all toddler now. She says lots of single words, loves her bike helmet, monkeys and getting tossed up on the number 3. Here are some pics.

Elena figured out her toybox was a bench!

She gave us a Christmas Eve concert.

She got a new snowsuit,

a new sled,

and a snowmobile helmet!

She's starting to like dolls and thinks she fits perfectly in this little chair!

Man is she starting to look old!

There's no business like snow business!

We had gotten a couple snows already this year. After yesterday's, we thought it was worth bundling Elena up to go out and play in it.

Adding the 17th and final item!

Be afraid be very afraid.

This outfit worked for a few minutes until she fell over and I took too long picking her up and she starteed crying. Perhaps partly because when she moved her head the adult spidey mask stayed in the same place... We went inside and played with the snow stuck to her boots. After a little time with the snow inside, we decided to go back outside and try it again with a little different set up.