End Of An Era

5th grade is the furthest back I can trace my love for journalism. I volunteered to help with my elementary school newspaper. And by newspaper, I mean a few pieces of paper copied on the mimeograph machine. (Wow...I'm getting old!) And by contributing to the newspaper, I mean I drew a picture of a witch and wrote a paragraph about Halloween parties at school.

That's where it all started, I guess.

The next step up was 8th grade journalism class and yearbook. Then on to high school journalism classes, yearbook, and becoming Editor of our award-winning newspaper, thankyouverymuch. And then on to working as a Copy Editor and Columnist for the college newspaper and receiving a Journalism & Mass Communication degree.

I have always asked a lot of questions and loved news. As I graduated form college, I saw the shift slowly move from printed materials to online news. At first, I was convinced it would never really take off. I mean, didn't everyone enjoy opening their newspaper and having ink smudged all over their fingers? It's laughable now.

But there was always my beloved Newsweek. With no ink smudges. For some reason (not left or right), this was my constant. As I got got older and busier, I couldn't keep up with reading the paper every day, and I couldn't always stay awake for the local news. Newsweek was my main source of keeping up with what was going on in the world. We did a have a 3-year break up but later reunited again.

So the end of this era has made me sad. Although I do love the irony in the hashtagged headline.

My rituals and routine of weekly news reading have ended. Yes there is an online version. I have tried it. And I will try to keep from getting a grumpy-things-were-better-back-in-the-day attitude. But it's just not the same.

And it makes me wonder what the next generation of news will look like. Will my kids read anything printed at all? How will they mark the day their kids are born in history without the front page of their local newspaper? What in the world will journalism classes be like in 10 years?

It's all very strange to see something so fundamental as written communication change so drastically.  I'm sure at some point this blog will become outdated and old school.

Wait, I think it already is.  #blogsreplacedbytwitterandfacebook

Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012 will definitely be one that I will not forget. Not for the reasons I prefer, unfortunately. I spent all of Christmas Eve & Christmas Day either in my bed, on the couch, or in the bathroom. Really, really sick.

I had spent the afternoon of Christmas Eve Eve at Costco getting ready for my entire family to come over to our house to celebrate the next day. My guess is maybe one of the samples did me in, because no one else in my house got sick.

So no Christmas Eve with my family and no Christmas Day with the Strzineks for me. And a half comatose Christmas morning with Wade and the boys. The presents were barely even wrapped. Can you say Debbie Downer?

Of course the boys still had a great couple of days and practically knew no different. They still have no idea about the list of pictures, traditions, and memories I had running through my head that didn't happen. I guess the moral of the story is that those things don't always matter.

One "funny" memory from this Christmas. We told Tate that the 7:00 a.m. Rule still applied on Christmas morning. He couldn't come downstairs until then. So we found it surprising, that he didn't come in our room until closer to 7:30. Until he proudly confessed that he spent the last 30 minutes opening his stocking presents and also opening Will's for him as well. Isn't that what big brothers are supposed to do? :)

After that Wade got the boys set up and a chair positioned for me. My comatose self slowly went from the bed to the chair. So the only pictures were from my line of vision on the chair. That's all I had energy for. And yes if you followed my internal conflict posted on Facebook about spending money on matching Christmas PJs, you can clearly see what side won. Willpower has never been my strongest suit.

 And you just have to laugh and enjoy the process of brother pictures. :)

I'm thankful for a husband that swooped right in to take over taking the boys to two different Christmas family celebrations and let me try to feel better (and probably tried to stay as far away from this sickness as possible). I'm thankful for two happy, healthy boys. And I'm most thankful for a day set aside to remember Emmanuel ~ God With Us.

Christmas Cheer

Oh December, December. It's exhausting as it is going on. The time of year where you remind yourself through gritted teeth....we are making memories, we are making memories. But the anticipation and the memories after make it worth it. Most of it, at least. :)

Everyone in our family gets sent away for a few hours for me to decorate the tree in the living room. But the crazy tree in the playroom was about 90% decorated by Tate this year.

I loved the chance to be up at his school for his class Christmas party. My vote is teachers should be paid double for those days. :)

And of course one of the great parts of the season is enjoying all of the goodies. A friend gave me this super easy "thin mint cracker cookie" recipe several years ago. I've made them all December long every year since. If only I enjoyed real cooking this much!

Such a fun morning decorating gingerbread houses with our friends, the Heads. Will was there but was way more entertained by Spencer's train table than decorating.

Tate's finished product. He said there was a snow tornado.

And a tradition we started last year was a night of Christmas PJs, Christmas music, hot chocolate (but not really hot), looking at Christmas lights, while delivering goodies to some special people. My attempt at a sweet, calm brother picture was what it usually is...a measly attempt. One day.

And seriously Tate's favorite part of the tradition may really be getting hot chocolate at the "place with the green lady with the long hair." He thinks walking inside in his PJs is the most hysterical thing ever.

Tubing Fun

This was the 2nd year that we took Tate to the indoor tubing hill at the Gaylord. It was a fun afternoon being with just him doing something he thought was a blast. There were trains, Christmas lights, giant Texas-sized cookies, freaky giant dancing pandas, and lots and lots of tubing. What more could you ask for?

The tubing hill really is fun. These pictures crack me up. Lighting is horrible in there, so none are good quality pictures. But I still love them as they show how much fun this kid (and a certain Dad) can have. And how petrified I look...those things go fast.  :)

Breakfast With Santa

Our church hosted its first-ever free Breakfast With Santa event. It was adorable! I volunteered in the Reindeer Food/Letters To Santa Room, so it was fun to meet hundreds of people from around the community.

Will didn't want much to do with the activities...and barely even enjoyed seeing Santa. But Tate loved the morning. Cookie decorating, crafts, Santa letters, reindeer food, storytime with Mrs. Claus, and FINALLY getting to see the big guy himself. Tate's request this year was for a Star Wars wallet and a new Spiderman costume. Although he couldn't quite articulate it himself, we collectively determined that Will's request was for a Percy train engine.

And the next set of pictures just makes me laugh. Last year, Will was not a fan of Santa At. All. So I talked him up a few days before hoping we could get a decent picture. (Although isn't it bizarre how this is the only time we make our kids go sit in a stranger's lap and don't want them to be scared?) So from my series of pics, you see that it started good but as soon as he realized Wade was letting go, he was pointing for the other direction. :)