The Miracle of Beerika

Once upon a time (late fall 2007), C bought some Sam Adams Utopias. He gathered his brothers and our fathers together, each contributing what he could, so they could purchase the bottle and share in the drinking of this unusual brew. Once it was divided as planned, C poured out the remnants into a small glass for himself, thinking it was the last drop he'd taste.

The next day, on a whim, he tipped the empty bottle over a glass. To his utter shock, a measure of beer trickled out! He gladly savored this, surely the final bit he'd get.

The third day, reasoning that it had worked before, he again tipped the empty bottle over a glass. Again, there was beer to be had! It was truly a miracle. Alas, this was the final quantity, but what joy at the miracle we had witnessed!

In honor of this miracle, C decided we should ever after (in early January) celebrate the Miracle of Beerika (so named, because, like Hanukkah, this occurred over multiple nights).

Each year thereafter, beginning in early 2009, we have celebrated Beerika with friends and family. A feast is prepared and beers are paired with every course, from appetizers to cheese to dessert.

This year, the sixth that we have celebrated, C had some fun with 3D glasses and a 3D-esque beer label.

We ended the night with Cards Against Humanity (proving that we are all truly depraved) while the kids watched Pokemon. It was glorious!

Happy 2014 From Mommy's Evil Geniuses!

The kids were practicing their evil laughs and also wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

This was after we went on a 1.5 mile walk (the kids and me plus the dogs, though Dee was in the stroller). As we got home and returned to our garage (the door of which is not functioning as intended due to a busted gear in the opener, yay, but we can manually open and close it), one of the front wheels on the stroller broke off (like, the plastic snapped). So glad *that* didn't happen on our walk. Then about a minute after we got everyone inside, it started snowing. So what I'm saying is we had absolutely perfect timing.

Obligatory Year-End Roundup

Ah, 2012.

I only got 158/366 pictures done (well, put up here). I did learn a lot about how to use different settings on my camera (and my phone's camera) and I hope to continue to learn more in the new year.

I read 64 of my goal 75 books this year. Not too shabby! Maybe next year I'll get 75. Or not. We'll just have to see.

I got a Mirena IUD (with mixed feelings as to how I like it) and C did *not* get a vasectomy.

The world did not end on 12/21. Obviously.

I joined a study looking to see whether meditation techniques can help prevent depression relapse.

We got a new (to us) car because our faithful PT Cruiser met its demise (and a deer) at 75mph in Wyoming. 

J started preschool and left daycare.

Looking forward?

I will mention that I don't believe that resolutions accomplish anything other than making people feel like failures. So I don't make them. However, I do think that the start of a new year is a good time to reflect and decide what sort of goals you have in mind. My goals are as follows:

1. Read 75 books.
2. Walk a mile every day (goal of 300 miles in the year, but we'll just see if I can just make it one day at a time). I did already walk 1.3 miles today, so that's a good start.
3. Set up a better financial plan (i.e. retirement, etc).
4. Make wills. No, we don't have them. I know, we should. I know.

Such lofty plans for the coming year :-p!

Feel free to share any goals you have!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

October 31, 2102 - Happy Halloween!

L and J had a great time trick or treating and made out like bandits with 54 and 56 pieces of candy, respectively. They were both tired by the end of the evening, and both demanded to be carried home.  True to form, L was very serious about studying her candy while J was just plain happy!

Halloween!

I'm trying to get through to next week, when I'm home with the kids all week and can craft to my hearts content (I may be in denial about that one...). Here are the costumes I made for the kids last year.

This year, J is going to be Spiderman and L is going to be a dinosaur. I will post pictures this year (promise!).

Happy 4th!

Happy Mother's Day!

C made me an awesome breakfast.

April 8, 2012 - Happy Easter!

Nothing beats an egg hunt with the cousins!

April 7, 2012 - The Night Before Easter

An oldie, but I love it.

February 14, 2012 - Happy Valentine's Day!

Love!

Gems from tonight:
J drew blood on the picture he made for C for Valentine's Day (because he has blood in his body, apparently he needed to include that?)
J asked whether, if he pulled on his penis hard enough, it would fall off and he would die. It took some convincing, but I think he understands that his penis can't fall off.

February 8, 2012

Various pictures from C's 30th birthday party!

Pirate boy!

Buffet

Cheesecake bar!

January 28, 2012

L is wearing a dress that used to be mine :-). My birthday party was a 1980s theme, so this dress was perfect!

January 16, 2012

Happy Beerika!

The Miracle of Beerika
At Christmas of 2007, C and most of the men in the family joined together to buy a bottle of Sam Adam's Utopia. Each got about 1 ounce. Once everyone got his due, the bottle was empty. The next day, C, in sad hopefulness, tipped the empty bottle over a glass. A small amount of liquid dribbled out. This miracle occurred again over the next several days, and thus began Beerika. We celebrate every January with friends, a feast, and fancy beer paired with every course. This year was the 4th celebration. I have no pictures of the festivities, but here's a picture of C's wall-o-beer (back in the day when this was pretty much it...there are about 5 times as many now)!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and filled with love and laughter!

I am so thankful for my beautiful, wonderful family, even if my daughter has no sense of humor.

Almost.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! I hope it was wonderful!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This is his "picture" face.

Christmas 2010

Christmas Eve

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and if you don't celebrate Christmas, that you had an awesome Saturday!

Vintage J: His First Christmas

Look at that grin!! He was so small...I'm going to go reminisce in my corner now.

Wordless Wednesday- Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy PI Day!

Ah, 3.14. PI day. Sweet.

I plan to celebrate by making a strawberry rhubarb pie. From scratch. With rhubarb from my mom's garden from this summer (frozen, of course) and strawberries that I got for $1.50 a pound at Sunflower this week! Sweet. I love strawberry rhubarb pi. (Get it? PI!! It's Pi day!! Bwahahahaha.)