Tanner is 12!

Well, he was on Thursday - sigh... my baby

Let's see, what can I tell you about Tanner? He is very funny, has a great sense of the silly and ridiculous, and in the last couple of years has developed a killer wit. He is very verbal, good with words, artistic, has a definite flair for the dramatic. Tanner can be very focused (read: obsessed - hmm - where d'you suppose he gets that from?) when it comes to interests and hobbies (he collects Star Wars miniatures which number in the thousands, I think, and can rattle off each figure's statistics without blinking), and yet, can be so-o-o-o difficult to attract attention-wise when it's something else (like me speaking to him!).

Although as part of the twelve-year old mandate, he no longer offers a hug or kiss outside school (which is totally understandable), Tanner has a very sweet nature, as is evidenced by his great love of animals and family.

Nice kid, overall - next time I want to strangle him, I will read this and regain some perspective...

so Happy Birthday - hope this year is full of wonderful, happy surprises!

Hockey season starts this weekend around here, and both boys are playing this year. Tanner will have one game each weekend, no practice. Ben, on the other hand, will have one practice, and one game each week. It's the practice that'll kill us, I think - 5:50 AM MONDAY. Yes, that's right, that's A.M.. On a Monday. And that's when he's on the ice - we'll need getting up time, making coffee time, trying to find our way down stairs IN THE DARK time. I know kids around here do this all the time, but I just can't imagine how a 10 year old gets up at 5, skates for an hour, and does a full school day with homework without falling on his face at some point. I guess we'll find out...
Attached is a totally unrelated, gratuitous shot of Ben with Charlie, for the sake of equal time. If you have kids, or work with kids, or know any kids, you know what I mean...


In knitting news, I started the Not Your Mother's jacket last week - on the 25th - using two Knitpicks yarns - Suri Dream and Wool of the Andes Bulky held together - and I just love it! First, because it's super bulky, and I am using 9mm needles, it's knitting up ridiculously quickly - I have the back and fronts done, sleeves halfway there - I think I may actually wear this baby within the week! Second, I love the colour and texture of these wools together - I am already thinking about - gasp - making another one in browns and oranges!

Sock Wars: I am still alive, although every time the mail comes, if the kids are home, they grab it at the door without letting me see and make very sad sounds about my impending demise - just to watch my reaction! Cruel and unusual...

Thanksgiving this weekend, and my family is coming here - so this week will be some cleaning, menu planning, and as much prep as I can do - we tend to be non-traditional in our holiday menu selections, so who knows what we'll be feasting on come next Sunday!

Well, I will have to get done as much as I can today and get to bed early tonight - I am on practice detail tomorrow morning - and it's funny, I am usually up at 4 or 5, because sleep is not something I am doing well lately, but it's the thought of having to be somewhere not in my jammies at that hour - just thinking about it makes me want to go back to bed!