Merry Christmas!

Finally! Christmas is here!!! On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me...the Bones Season 3 DVD!!!

What a wonderful couple of days it has been at home. We have managed to put all of Sofia's gifts together and played them at least four times each. We have learned that Santa needs to put the toys together BEFORE they are wrapped because it just takes FOREVER! Here is a picture of Sofia with all her toys... yeah... she got a digital camera... since we no longer have one because... well she broke it sort of.

The only gift that is missing from the picture is the sled that Tio brought her. Pretty sweet!

Its Freezing outside

Current temp is NEGATIVE 2. We lost power Friday from 9:55am until 3pm. Sandra and Sofia were at home cause Dunlap canceled school. The house only got down to 61 degrees. Not too bad for the heat not running for 5 hours. I was at work until noon friday, After work I went to the store to buy kitty litter for our old neighbors (Georgia & Lyle) that needed some traction on the ice. Georgia preferred kitty litter to sidewalk salt. I helped her spread it on the sidewalks and driveway. They now have the nicest smelling driveway in Peoria.
Today after i get off work we are going to Maryville (by St.Louis) to see Sandra's family. It should be a few degrees warmer there than Peoria. Have a good Sunday. Stay Warm...

This could be Peoria tomorrow

Yesterday, Wednesday 12/17, Sofia was on the front of the local section of the Journal Star. She was asked what she wants for Christmas. We happened to be at the mall waiting for Sears to fix a tire on sandra's car. Of course Sofia wanted to tell santa what she wants for Christmas. She's talked to him about 5 times so far this year. No kids were in line so we said hi and as we exited a journal star writer took Sofia's picture and wrote down what she told her she wanted for Christmas. If you don''t have yesterdays paper you can look at our copy sometime.
-- I am pretty psyched for the ice storm we are suppose to get later today. I hope dunlap cancels classes tomorrow cause sandra would have to take Sofia to Julie's house in the morning on her way to work. Julie lives in a pretty remote location off of Route 40. Stay safe out there if you must go out.
-- Also, The Cubs have announced the caravan is coming to peoria thursday January 15th. It is down at the Riverplex again. $15 per person. I plan on going, Let me know if anyone wants to carpool. Have a good weekend. If you have any ice skates lying around tomorrow might be a good day to use them to skate down the driveway to get the mail.
-Vince

Vince @ Work

Hey its me( Not Uncle Eddie, its Vince), you're sleeping right now in your warm beds and I'm at work at a cold TV station watching crappy programming. I am grateful I have a job though, well atleast until April. Massive layoffs are expected at WHOI on april 1st. Let's hope its just an april fool's joke.

---Last night we went down to the Cathedral for the Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day celebration. Sandra had students coming to get extra credit on their final. About 70 kids along with parents came to see some hispanic culture. The Journal star took some photos of some of the kids so look at todays paper if you can (Sat 12-13).

--- After we got home we finished our Christmas cards, look out for them in the mail within the next week.

Today Sandra and Sofia are having breakfast with Santa at Dunlap High School. I'm Jealous. Tonight Grandma and Grandpa are watching Sofia as we are going to a Christmas party at Grant and Kristen's farm. Should be fun.

I hope everyone's Christmas shopping is going well.

I have one thought to leave you with. I don't understand why some people that don't believe that Jesus existed celebrate Christmas. What are they celebrating? The sales at Kohl's? I guess they just like to get gifts like everyone else does. I don't celebrate something if i don't believe it happened. Do atheists celebrate Christmas? Sorry if i offend anyone, but it just seems wrong. I don't know.

- Vince

An evening full of angels

Where do I start? First, I would like to thank one of my many angels on earth.... Laura.

Sofia had been coughing weirdly (if that's even a word) for a day and I didn't like the sound of it. She had no temperature, but it sounded like she could be in trouble. I called the MedPointe and they said that it would be a 45 to 1 hour wait. I thought... hum... she doesn't have a fever and if I took her she could be exposed to some pretty bad stuff. Let me call Nurse Laura. Thankfully she was home (of course she was... aren't angels always there when you need them?) She listened to Sofia's symptoms and assured me that she felt she was fine, but if I wanted her to she would come over and listen to her lungs with her stethoscope. She said she would be right over. Sofia was fast asleep on the couch. After a while, Sofia woke up to see Laura and was able to listen to her lungs. Laura said they were clear.... thank goodness. She recommended the usual.. medicine, liquids, and perhaps a steam so Sofia's nose would clear out some. My favorite part was when Laura said, "I just saved you $100". Thank you for being an awesome friend!

Speaking of angels.... the Victoria Secret Fashion Show was AMAZING. My favorite look for the evening was the butterfly outfit....

It's too bad they don't sell those wings.... I would totally wear them everyday of spring... wish it was spring!!! BURRRR!!!

Who's your favorite angel?

I received a funny email today from a co-worker that I would like to share....

Right up there with the Superbowl and the MLB playoffs, march madness or January 1st. Tonight is the big Victoria Secret Fashion show. Get your popcorn, spray the room with hairspray and cheap perfume, prepare yourself for an evening of acute frustration but a night that should not be missed by males of all ages.

Sandra tell Vince.

I couldn't help but laugh! Not only because of what my co-worker wrote(and by the way I was the only female on the list), but because I'm a huge fan of the fashion show and watch it every year. I love the wings that they put on some of those girls.. I remember one year Heidi Klum came out as the last angel and she pulled a rope that made her look like a gigantic snowflake. IT WAS SO PRETTY!!

Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?

Well, the Christmas season has official started yesterday with the first week of advent. How exciting! We decorated the new house and had a fun time trying to place things differently, yet the same as Margaret. I bought rope lights for the porch, but since it's too cold well we are using them inside for the holidays. My nativity scene is still AMAZING on the shelves and the top of the armoire. I would show you pictures, except our camera broke yesterday after taking our family Christmas picture outside in the first snow of winter. We will be sending it in to get fixed in a few days. Long story. Anyway, we are all well after Vince got really sick over Thanksgiving... let's just say that he was a giant fountain and had a fever. Maybe that was not the nicest way to explain it. He was though. Anyhow, Sofia and I are crossing our fingers that we don't get sick. I should be ok since I got the flu shot, but Sofia didn't. I will let you all know what happens. In other news, we are still Christmas shopping.... who knows when we'll finish.

Louie is well too. I never mention him in the blog for the most part.

ps. Answer the phone like Buddy the Elf day is December 18th (Thursday).