Merry Christmas...really, really late.

This was supposed to be posted on Christmas night, but I had some issues uploading the pictures because of their size, so I had to send them over to my computer saavy sister and have her resize them. So anyways, here's the post that was meant for the Christmas season:

Tis the season to see all kinds of cute family photos enclosed in Christmas cards - smiling, cute children and their proud, happy parents. Well, unfortunately, our family seems to be completely incapable of producing such a picture. There is always at least ONE of us who looks weird in some way...
The Sunday before Christmas we tried, in vain of course, to get a nice family photo. The pictures that we ended up with were, well, at least entertaining, but not exactly Christmas card material. :) So, without further ado, I invite you to look at our blooper photos and have a good laugh!

Hey there.

We lovingly call this Maria's "Chandler face". Those of you who ever watched the show Friends will get the reference.

Seriously, why does her on-camera smile look like a grimace?


I thought this one was decent, until I saw the strategic placement of Josephine's fingers...

Again, Josephine, so charming.

Here is me trying to "make" Maria smile. It didn't work, by the way. And is Josephine conducting a choir or something?

Here is the Chandler smile again, and now Josephine is conducting with her eyes closed - impressive.

Aahhhh, there are no words...

It's official - now we ALL look like freaks. And by the way, did Lou become Amish when I wasn't looking?

Josephine is getting away!

So next time you think it's hard to get your kids to be cute for a picture, just think of the DeGaetanos, and you'll realize it could always be worse...

Let it Snow!

All of you who are living in warmer climates and bragging about your 60's and 70's degree weather...you can have it! I am 28 years old, and I still get excited everytime it starts snowing! It just all looks so magical and peaceful and beautiful. I wouldn't trade it for a sunny day down south if you paid me!

And hey, without snow, Lou and I wouldn't have been able to go sledding this past weekend with some friends - talk about fun!

Seriously, when is the last time you went sledding - it is AWESOME! We went down the hills over and over and over...


Oh yeah! You can't get these kinds of good times on the beach!! (although I will say, that, as you can see in this picture, going down face first is a good way to get a face full of snow, which can get quite cold...)

Isn't this a beautiful view? I love this place!

You just never get too old for this stuff! I happen to think that Lou looks pretty cute all decked out in his snow gear.

Lou and the other guys (Dave Hart, Ryan Gleed and Scott Johnson) reminded me of a bunch of overgrown kids, all trying to outdo each other with their crazy ways of going down the hill (standing on sleds, using two sleds at once, etc.)

What a great date night! I am thoroughly convinced that going sledding is a great way to stay young! The ride down is so much fun, and the walks back up the hill are GREAT exercise. Thanks again Johnsons, for inviting us out!

HOORAY SNOW!

Flashback!

I am going my 10-year high school reunion tomorrow night, and in honor of the occasion, I thought I would give you all a glimpse of what I looked like 10 years ago, at my senior prom. Yes, that is Lou there with me!

Okay, I promise that my hair started out the night looking really good. You see, the thing is, it was raining that night - pouring, in fact, and the rain, humidity, and all of that lovely hairspray in my hair did NOT mix well. What you see in this picture was the result...

Hey, at least my dress looked good!

I'm Domestic!

Years ago I was sitting on the beach with some fellow Moms during playgroup. They were all discussing all of their recent homemaking accomplishments, from making bags to finding a new wheat bread recipe to making their own hummus. I remember thinking - "are these women for real?", almost mockingly. I was still in school, and was too busy to even make dinner half the time (the only reason I was even at playgroup was because it was summertime, inbetween semesters). I felt like I couldn't relate to these women at all - these silly susy homemakers. Well, I think what I was really feeling was jealousy. I felt like I could never be the Mom who could sew and knead bread and can jellies, etc.


Well, I am eating my words today (no pun intended - hee hee), and am proud of it! Here are my latest feats:


I made curtains for the girl's room. Okay, okay, so my Mom had to walk me through the whole thing, but I did all the sewing, cutting, etc., myself!


Here they are closed (you have to get the full effect, of course!)

And here is a close-up shot so that you can see what the fabric looks like, and also the cute tie-backs I made. I even got this fabric on clearance since it is technically an Easter print. I am so proud of these!

Here is my latest culinary effort - Pumpkin Cheesecake with a gingernsap crust. I had this at a restaurant years ago and fell in love with it, and finally had the chance to make one myself!

I made jelly for the first time! This is grape jelly (my favorite kind), made with concord grapes from the local farmer's market. My Mom's best friend Annie was gracious enough to come over and teach me how, and it turned out delicious!! I was so proud that I had to take a picture, as you can see...

Oh Mr. Jelly Jar, you are a cute one!

Tagged...like forever ago...

Yeah, I got tagged, like a month ago and completely forgot about it, so, lest I be rude, I will comply..

5 Things I was doing ten years ago...
1. I was at BYU...for one semester
2. I was working with a catering company
3. I was engaged...at 18 years old
4. I was a lost soul...no, seriously.
5. I got a tatto and died my hair Strawberry Shortcake red - it was hot.

5 Things on my "to do" list today...
1. Go to the grocery store - did it
2. Send a great conference article to my mother in law, and hope she actually reads it. - did it
3. Work out - did it
4. Send out instructions to the 2 people who now come to Park n Play - did it
5. Be awesome - yeah, didn't get to that one

5 Snacks I enjoy...
1. Tortilla chips & melt n' dip (a dip made by Lou that ROCKS!)
2. Fresh fruit (preferabley raspberries, blackberries or strawberries)
3. REALLY good chocolate - no nasty Hershey's bars for me
4. fruit snacks - the good kind, not those rubbery ones
5. Homemade cookies

5 Things I'd do if I became a millionaire...(after paying tithing)
1. Pay off student loans, for sure!
2. But an old house with a HUGE yard so that I can have an apple tree, and a cherry tree, and a pear tree, and grape vines, and, well, you get the idea
3. Invest a LOT!
4. Go to Costa Rica, Spain, Scotland, oh and so many more places...
5. Buy cool stuff for my family

5 Places I've lived...
1. Syracuse, with my parents
2. Provo, UT (BYU)
3. Solvay, NY (could be cute but isn't really)
4. Here in the valley of Syracuse!
5. Wow, I actually don't have a fifth place. Am I the only one without a fifth place?

5 Jobs I've had...
1. Salesperson at Finishline at the mall (that's how I met Lou!)
2. Bank Teller at Chase bank (I got held up by a robber and everything - really).
3. Sales/customer service for small business customers at AT&T (no, I was NOT a telemarketer)
4. Lifeguard at OCC and SU
5. Spanish teacher at SU

5 people I tag...
Jana Bailey
Linda Tolboe
Rachel Bryson
Christine Bondi
Cathy Duffy

One of those moments...

Being the parent of a toddler can be physically and mentally draining. That is why you need to really enjoy the lighter moments that come along, those times when, yes, you could get mad, but isn't it better sometimes to just laugh instead?

Take these next two pictures for example. Josephine had asked me for a snack and I told her that she would get one after I finished with my hair. Well, I was blow-drying my hair when I suddenly realized that Josephine was no longer in the room and it was waaaay too quiet in the house. I found her downstairs, in the kitchen, looking like this:

Yes, she got tired of waiting and helped herself to the mango sitting on the counter - she was eating the skin and everything! Tell me she doesn't look like a starving wild animal...

When she looked up and saw me watching her, she said "Oh hi, mommy, I got snack!" She was so proud of herself, and went right back to ravaging the helpless mango.

You would think from Josephine's antics with food that she doesn't get enough to eat or something. Today I was upstairs doing Maria's hair when Josephine shows up with a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup in her hand (she had apparently found the rest of the Halloween stash). I told her that we were NOT eating candy at 10am and took it from her. I went back to doing Maria's hair, and did not hear Josephine sneak back downstairs. She appeared in my room again with her mouth obviously full of something. I asked her what she had, and she of course replied "nothing". I told her to open her mouth and of course it was filled with yet another Peanut Butter cup. I told her that she had been disobedient and put her on the punishment step. When it was time for her to get up, I asked her why she took it when I had told her no. She said, and I kid you not "I don't know Mama, I'm speechless!" Actually it was more like "speechwess", but you get the idea. I mean, are you kidding me? Where does she get this stuff?! They know just when to pull out the cute stuff - seriously, how can you be mad at a kid after that?!

Mean parents and shattered dreams

So, we were at my mother-in-laws for dinner on Sunday. Good old Grandma Louise gave Maria this Wizard of Oz wand to play with. It was one of those toys that flashes lights and plays a tinny sounding electronic tune. Lou and I hated it instantly - it was playing this warbly, high-pitched, truly horrible sounding version of "Over the Rainbow". The pitch and sound quality were offensive-sounding at best and immediately annoying. Well, of course Maria just loved it, and spent the rest of the evening walking around and playing it over and over and over and over...well, you get the idea. Lou was getting more irritated by the minute and would tell her to turn it off, but after a few minutes of blissful silence, we would hear the sickening sound once more.

Well, I was trying to fix something on Louise's computer and Lou was looking at the paper, when all of a sudden we heard a thunk and a crash - it almost sounded like breaking glass. I turned around to see what had happened, and saw Maria splayed out on the floor with the wand in front of her, looking like this:

Well, Lou started laughing hysterically, and I have to admit, I couldn't stop the smile that immediately spread across my face. I thought "Hooray, problem solved! No more obnoxious toy to listen to!" Meanwhile, Maria was almost in tears, saying "it's not funny, it's NOT FUNNY, Daddy! Oh, my beautiful wand..." Oh contraire, Maria, it was SO funny, that I started laughing myself. I couldn't help but think that Lou and I had almost wished this event into reality, and I just couldn't stop laughing at the irony of it all. If you just could've seen it - the annoying music over and over, then suddenly the crash and Maria's and Lou's subsequent antics...maybe you had to be there...

So my question is, is it awful that we found this so amusing? I'm laughing now just thinking about it! Are we the most evil parents ever?