Aaron's Got An Airplane

After several months of minimal airplane-related purchases, we decided to get Aaron an airplane for Christmas. His very first plane, the NexStar, had a very spectacular and unfortunate demise over the summer, and our Christmas airplane is a NexStar replacement. Sort of. Aaron just bought the pieces he needed (since the wings survived the crash); the new parts are blue and the wings are a contrasing red.

Because we don't have our own hangar yet, Aaron engineered a hanger to keep planes out of our living space but leave them accessible for frequent flying. A little plexiglass, a little PVC pipe, some rope, and lots of help from Aaron's dad and we have a platform that can be hoisted into the ceiling of the garage. Now the airplanes are in the air all the time!

We took them down yesterday to go flying, and the system worked like a charm. One really fun part of the design is the clear plexiglass platform, which allows us to see the planes when we're right underneath the platform.

Minty Fresh

I received Junior Mints in bulk from my mom for my birthday, and we have been enjoying them very much over the past month or so.

Zeke seems to have inherited a love of mint - especially mint with chocolate - from both parents, and he has enjoyed the Junior Mints right along with us. Right after this picture was taken he ran off with the whole box and I had to chase him down.

In addition to being a tasty treat, the box of mints also doubles as a fun toy. It rattles when you shake it! Bonus if the box is open because Junior Mints explode everywhere and Zeke gets to watch Mom pick them all up.

'Tis the Season to Be ... Stressed?

Does the holiday season stress you out?

Stop stress before it gets out of control!

**Share your work with your friends and family -- get those 'must do' tasks done faster, and spend more time with the people you care most about
-Make cleaning and decorating the house a family affair
-Go Christmas shopping with friends
-Throw a joint party with friends instead of each of you planning your own

**Stick to your routine -- this applies to all ages!
-Eat regular meals (not just snacks)
-Get enough sleep (and make sure the kids get their naps)
-Exercise - even just a few minutes makes a difference
-Make time for yourself

**Make a plan -- and schedule in some flexibility
-Make shopping lists
-Plan times to shop, cook, clean, and wrap and deliver gifts
-Decide what your top priorities are and schedule them first; fit in others as time permits
-Expect delays when you (or others) travel

**Don't overschedule yourself or your family

**Take a break when you're feeling overwhelemed, irritable, tense, stressed out, or unhappy

Who knows, you just might enjoy the holidays more this year!

You can find these and other great tips just by searching the web. My sources include Mayo Clinic, Navy safety center, and fun.familyeducation.com.

Go Take a Good Walk

I took Zeke for a walk today. Pretty amazing that it's December and still warm enough to go out walking with a little one. We put on our sweatshirts and Zeke wore his hood and we were really quite comfortable, although our cheeks became a little rosier than normal. The afternoon sun felt wonderful. There's just something about getting outside and breathing fresh air and doing something good for my body that makes me feel better about life and relieves some of my stresses. Today I let myself get lost in my own thoughts, resolving and letting go of the problems at work, although sometimes I choose to think of nothing but my breathing and the rhythm of my feet. My own natural therapy, I suppose - somehow as my heart rate returns to normal, I'm calmer than when I started.