New Year's Eve

We were up bright and early for our annual trip to Pokagon State Park for some tobogganing.  This year only Cam and Meg wanted to make the trip, but we all still had fun.  It was quite cold, but they were able to get in four trips before we called it a day.  I got some great pictures as they came down the run.  I have only gone once or twice.  It is a little rough on my back, so I have been designated driver the last few years.  I drop them off at the top of the run and drive down to the bottom to wait.  It saves Doug from having to carry the toboggan all the way back up the hill.  Today they also were able to warm up on the drive.

Doug and I went to lunch once we got back.  Then he and Brett went to see the movie "Grudge Match."  I had just enough time to run Cal to Meghan's and then to the grocery before they got back.  They really liked the movie - kind of an old man's Rocky.  We had meatballs, chili con queso, cocktail wieners and guacamole for dinner.  Cal was in early by 9 p.m. or so.  We asked him not to stay out late because of the snow and drivers on the road.  The four of us played Qwirkle and then watched more of the Scy Fy channel's marathon of Twilight Zone episodes until the ball dropped at midnight.

Meg and Cameron spent the night at Grandma's.  The confetti came flying at 12 a.m. sharp.  They have a lot of fun with that activity.  I sure would hate to clean it up!!

Shopping

Brett, Meg and I spent the day shopping in South Bend.  Our first stop was to Pier One in search of throw pillows for the living room.  We found some great pillows, although a little smaller than I was thinking.  In the process I believe that we traumatized Brett.  Pier One is not Brett's kind of store, but he survived.  We agreed to let him sit in the van for the next stop, Petco.  

After that we all went to the University Park Mall.  Brett picked the lunch stop - Chik Fil A.  Meg had money to spend at Hollister thanks to Godmother Jeannette.  She found a really cute pair of jeans and shirt.  We stopped at Barnes and Noble, Yankee Candle, JC Penney, the Disney Store and Go Calendars.  Brett did a lot of window shopping, but decided to hold onto his money until our next trip. 

Even without buying anything Brett said that he had a great time.  We listened to music, talked about movies and just enjoyed spending time together.  We stopped at Grandma's on the way home to pick up Cal and Cameron.  Cam does not like shopping and Cal had practice today.  Meg showed off her new green Nike basketball shoes.  Brett and Grandpa made plans for lunch tomorrow.  A quiet evening at home topped off a wonderful day.

ND

Today Doug, Cam, Cal and I went with Cal's girlfriends family to a Notre Dame basketball game.  Didn't know what to expect as Notre Dame lost their best player over Christmas break due to academic issues.  It turned out to be a lot of fun.  We first stopped at the Notre Dame bookstore.  There were a lot of great items to pick from and I love what Cameron found.  The first was a Notre Dame hat to add to his "hat collection."  The second made the outfit perfect - a hairy green wig to wear under the hat.

We headed to the game with our new Notre Dame "muppet" in tow.  We had excellent seats and were there in plenty of time to watch them warm up.  We thought the game would be a blowout as they were playing Canisius State.  Instead it turned out to be extremely exciting.  The opposing team had two really good players, and it was close until the very last second as Notre Dame pulled out a one basket victory.

Cameron said on the way home that he enjoyed the game a lot more than he thought he would.  I believe that is how everyone else felt as well.  We stopped for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings and listened to the story of how Cal and Meghan started dating.  They seem to really enjoy doing things together.

Brett and Meg had a great day as well.  They went to see Frozen with Grandpa Cutes.  Brett said that it was even better the second time.  Only one more week of break and it is going by way too fast.  Glad that all of the Heinisch children are enjoying it to the fullest.

Game Night

Brett worked BINGO for the Knight's this evening and Cal decided to go to Meghan's to watch movies.  Thus, the four of us were left at home.  We had already spent the day putting away the Christmas and picking up the house.  No one was interested in cleaning anymore.  We went shopping and to dinner on Thursday night, so that was out.  Therefore, we decided to have a family, fun game night and invite my parents to join in the festivities.

Uno was the first game chosen.  Grandma and Meg were the big winners in that game.  We then introduced Grandma and Grandpa to Five Second Rule.  Grandpa was sure that we were going to throw food on the floor and give him five seconds to eat it.  That was a good idea, but we actually played the board game and enjoyed listening to everyone try to beat the clock with fun categories like "Name 3 Hair Bands of the 1980s" in five seconds.  This lead to discussion on one of the games Meg received several years ago called "Don't Say It."  We split in to teams of boys vs. girls.  One person tried to get the rest of the team to guess the word on the card without saying the four forbidden cards.  It was a lot of fun with the games ending in a tie.

Doug's favorite card game of all time is Hearts and my Dad is always willing to play that.  Thus, Cam, Grandpa, Doug and I started a game. Cameron needed to take a break for awhile so Grandma stepped in just in time for Doug to run it on the last hand and beat us all.  All of the games were a lot of fun, but the last game was probably the best of the evening.  Most families call this particular card game "Pass the Ace", but our family has always called it "Up Your Yinnie."  Not sure what a Yinnie is, but it is a lot of fun.  For this game we pulled out the big bucks and Meg was top winner with $4.25 and Cameron second with $1.50.

Glad that we decided to stay in tonight.  Everyone had a great time.  Nothing is more fun than ganging up on my dad or Doug in a friendly game of cards or flipping over a King and saying, "Up Your Yinnie."

Saving Mr. Banks

Meg, Brett and I decided to try the movie "Saving Mr. Banks" this afternoon, and we all walked out in awe of the story.  Having loved Mary Poppins and a fan of Walt Disney, I am not surprised that we all felt this way.  We just couldn't stop talking about what a great story the movie told.

Not to be a spoiler, I will only give out the premise as is told in the trailer.  The movie retells Walt's twenty year struggle to buy the rights to Mary Poppins, and the difficulties the Disney creators had in working with author P.L. Traverse while writing the screenplay.  There is a backstory that tells of Mrs. Traverse's sad childhood that brought a tear to both Meg and I, but made the story of Mary Poppins even more magical.  Tom Hanks is a great Walt Disney and Emma Thompson portrays the uppity author of the beloved book perfectly.  Even the small roles in this movie, (the limo driver and the songwriters) become memorable characters for all of those watching.  Kudos to Walt for the fortitude to bringing this story to life and a big thank you to Helen Goff for sharing the Banks family with the rest of the world.

It's OK, we're Heinisch's

We arrived at church fifteen minutes early on Christmas Eve to ensure that we had a seat for the children's mass.  Brett decided to use the restroom before the service began, so he quietly tried to slip out of the pew.  Somehow his feet got caught up and the next thing we knew he landed in the middle of the aisle face first with a big thud.  I looked down at Cal and he just shrugged his shoulders.  Brett let us know that he was alright and headed on out.  Meg whispered to me, "I think everyone is looking at us, but don't worry, it's OK, we're Heinisch's."  

I had to laugh at that. It is not the first time one of my children have said those words to me.  In fact Brett was the first.  That is the way it works in our family.  The Heinisch's are for the most part a confident bunch, loud everywhere we go, trying to get all we can out of life, and at times creating a scene.  That is just who this family is and that is what makes it so fun.  

I know some people do not understand this, and think that we are obnoxious or snobs.  I don't believe that is true of us at all. There are those, though, that seem to share in our enthusiasm for life.  This was definitely the case with the security guard at the Pacer's game Sunday night.  As we started to walk through the metal detector, the first guard said, "Empty your pockets."  The rest of us understood that he meant to hold out our phones, cameras, etc.  Cameron, however, pulled out of his pockets every kleenex he had used that day  along with a dozen or so Hershey Kisses wrappers, all while wearing his springy Santa hat.  Of course the metal in the hat set off the alarm, so they sent him to the second security guard, the official one with the wand.  The guy must have been a Heinisch at heart.  He looked right at Cameron, laughed, and said, "You're good!"  

So, if you get stuck behind us in line at a Pacer's game or in the pew in front of us at church, know that we can be a lot of fun.  If you are the type, though, who would rather move to the back for a more peaceful, quiet spot, we understand.  You won't be the first.

Merry Christmas

For the first time in 18 Christmas' in the Heinisch home we actually slept until 8 a.m. on Christmas morning. Cameron's siblings told him that they were not getting up until 8:30, so there was no reason to rise early.  As is the tradition on Christmas morning, the stockings filled with candy and iTunes gift cards were opened first.  They each used to have a CD in their stockings, but the invention of iPods changed that several years ago.

Once the stockings were emptied, Santa gifts were opened next.  Three for each child to match the number of gifts given to baby Jesus many years ago. The Heinisch children then had a gift to open from each of their siblings and parents.  This year's highlights were the book The Great Deformation for Brett, an Oladipo jersey for Cal, Just Dance 2014 for Meg and a bouncy chair for Cameron.  I was thrilled with my multitude of purple and yellow kitchenware, and Doug scored big time with a new wine refrigerator.  Morning clean up started around 10 a.m., Grandparents were called to wish a Merry Christmas to, and several rounds of Just Dance were played before 1 p.m. rolled around.

At this time Grandma Jane and Grandpa Cutes arrived with a van full of presents and several food dishes to enjoy with our Christmas dinner.  The Heinisch children thoroughly enjoyed their IU gifts - an IU blanket for Brett, an IU basketball encyclopedia for Cal, candy striped pants for Meg and IUopoly for Cameron.  Doug now has an electric griddle of his own, and I loved my frame preschool picture of Zip the monkey and I from years ago.  Doug made a wonderful ham with his famous jalapeno corn dish.  Mom supplied the relishes and desserts.  Games of pool, Just Dance, Jenga and IUopoly were enjoyed before the evening came to an end.

As we watched Despicable Me 2 late into the evening, Meg said, "This has been the best Christmas ever."  I couldn't agree more.