We were living the life of luxury at midnight, and in such luxurious surroundings I couldn’t bring myself to log in and post a happy new years message (actually, I left the laptop at home on purpose…)

Pictures from the Executive Suite at the Swissotel overlooking Navy Pier: http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1183&g2_fromNavId=x52162e95 

Sigh… last day.  We went out to dinner, special dinner night at Gulliver’s.  Aaron ate two orders of chicken strips, Ethan had his usual chicken strips dinner, and Justin enjoyed a bowl of clam chowder (his new favorite).  Then we came home, lit candles, and opened the rest of the presents.  Next, we’re all going to listen to Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song 🙂

Pics here:http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1145&g2_fromNavId=x9e9f6d9e

See you next year! 

Pics here: http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1125&g2_fromNavId=xb44bc9d8

Bubbie will particularly like the third picture, or: http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1133 

Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chanukah_Song 🙂

LATKES! 

Lots of Latkes.  Marla’s Latkes.  Excellent Latkes.  Tonight was Latke night!  I still have the taste of potato pancakes, apple sauce, sour cream, and of course jelly donuts in my mouth.   Marla’s folks came over, we did a lot of singing and then of course presents were opened.  A good time was had by all.  

Find the pictures at:  http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1102&g2_fromNavId=x629251af

There might even be pictures of Latkes there!  🙂 

Ah, much better.  Less hectic, more resting.  That’s what vacations (and Hanukkah) are all about! 

You’ll notice that Justin in unwrapping a "Christmas" present here.  That’s a gift from his daycare provider, Missy.  

I think that Justin is really starting to get into this stuff, singing along with us when we light candles and trying to say the blessings.  

So of course, you want the pics.  Here they are!  :  http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1064&g2_fromNavId=xb025ca5b

Today reminds me just how crazy and hectic our lives are.  Day Four of Hanukkah was like the typical evening at the Humphries-Dolnick household:

•  Pick up Aaron from school at 3:00
• Aaron homework: 3:00 – 5:00 PM
• Skating lessons: 5:00 – 7:00 PM
• Dinner: 7:00 – 8:00 PM.  Pick up fast food, Marla lights candles as I’m serving up the food.
• During dinner: Open presents
• Eeyore to the Dog Park: 8:00 – 9:00 PM
• Put the kids to bed: 9:15 PM

So today we had the kids open my Mom’s presents to the kids.  Pictures at: http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1053&g2_fromNavId=xb8259f01

Well I finally got around to putting batteries into the floor keyboard that Aaron got on Day 2.  Aaron has a natural talent for music.  He inherits this from people other than me .  He’s not had a keyboard since he was a toddler, and he’s upstairs now playing songs that he learned in Trombone lessons.  Never mind that I could never learn the trombone myself, being able to connect that music with a completely different instrument is beyond me. 

Now if we could just get him to work on his book report.  

Marla went shopping today because we counted up the gifts we had for the kids, and calculated running on on Monday or Tuesday.  So now Justin’s playing with his new Home Depot put-together-a-wood-thing kit.  Another skill I’ll never get, stemming from my inability to visualize, draw, or cut a strait line.  

I opened Mom’s present to Marla and I, the popcorn factory tower of snacks.  Excellent, they have peanut patties this year!

So I know, you just want the pictures.  Go.  Enjoy.  See you tomorrow.  http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1030 

Here’s a quickie… more pics of Ethan’s skating lessons have been posted at:http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=903&g2_fromNavId=x827c83f4

Look at Page 2 forward… although it’s pretty hard to tell these from previous weeks. 

It’s still too early for Hanukkah.  I don’t know what I’m going to do when it falls just after Thanksgiving.  There’s never enough time.  But, I’m off work, and spending time with the family.  And finally installing computer stuff that I’ve had sitting around the house in boxes for ages.  Yeah, that too. 

Today, it was "Pizza and a Movie Night" meets Hanukkah.  Lit candles, ate pizza, then after opening presents, we watched Over the Hedge.  Also played Dreidle.  Thanks to Diane for the great kids gifts, pictures are at: http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=974&g2_fromNavId=x1a20ddd6 

It’s kind of odd, working half a day then coming home from work early then starting Hannukkah.  We’re just not really ready yet this year.  We still have shopping to do.  We still have cleaning to do.  But, Jewish tradition marches on and we lit candles like our ancestors have for thousands of years.

Mike got a great new leather office chair for his, ahem, office.  

Aaron, Ethan, and Justin all got books that they have been wanting.

Marla got a string of pearls.

Pictures can be found at: http://gallery.famille.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=959