A beautifully adorned home..........

I love Christmas decorations.

The glow of a tree, a neatly placed nativity, all the beauty and excitement that surrounds this glorious time of year. I love it.

It's exciting to get through Thanksgiving and realize that it is time to bring down the decorations and prepare our home for Christmas.

Now- I'm not trying to show off here. I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad. But I did just want to take this moment to share with you all of our beautiful Christmas decorations. I was able to snap this picture for your enjoyment................

Yup- there they are! Aren't they pretty? Tonight I was thinking I might drag the kids up into the attic to enjoy cocoa while sitting around our decorations and marveling at their beauty. Ahhhh, how I love a beautifully decorated home (attic).

Holy Cow!

I'm not even going to begin to bore you to tears with all the details of the day after Thanksgiving shopping. I'll just say that I started at Midnight at Toys R Us and it was go go go until 8am when we finally wrapped it up. The Toys R Us deal though, must have involved 1000 other people (I kid not) all lined up around the shopping plaza being fed through the doors of the store like cattle. But I did it- and I got what I went for. And it was fun. I so wish I would have taken some pictures.

And now- here it is Sunday, the season is in full swing. It will come and go so quickly, I can already tell. For that I am already sorry. This year I really want to embrace the season and enjoy it- but that whole life thing is already getting in the way I'm afraid!

Next up on my list- Kids Kingdom workshop! Every year, the kids of our church join together in an evening of home made gift making frenzy. It is awesome. However- even though I swore last year I was going to start early, I have less than two weeks and zilch prepared. Time to come up with some ideas and purchase the stuff so that 150+ home made presents can walk out the door that night. Although I can't wait to spend the evening with the kids (they are always so proud and excited about what they have made) I need to get off my hind end and prepare the goods. And one of them needs to include the two cases of candy corn that are parked on my kitchen counter.

So- to spare you from any further blabbering- I'm off to prepare my family for church. Have a happy Sunday!

Take that universe!

So tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Where on earth has this year gone to? Is it really just about time to drag out the tree and lights and once again celebrate Christmas? How is that possible?

I have pecan pies in the oven, laundry in the dryer (and washer), children painting at the counter and I am just about to leap my sorry self into the shower to prepare for a busy day of family, traveling and food tomorrow.

Uhg.

What a super busy week it has been, in preparation for all this holidayness. But somehow, I have made it through. I have worked, washed, cleaned, scrubbed and ran my ever lovin' behind off- but I did it. Take that!

With a four day weekend ahead, one would hope for some relaxation. One would. One- who is not me. Because this weekend is going to be BUSY. And Dan is probably working the whole weekend- good (extra money for Christmas) and bad (me alone with kids all.weekend.long). But it's all good.

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful. There is so much wonderful to be thankful for.

Be vewwy vewwy quiet.............

I'm not a hunter, except once a year.

It is this time of year that brings it out in me. I have been googleing black friday ads for a week. I have made a list, and I have my 'game plan'.

That's right folks, I am hunting bargains. For the next four weeks, I will leap out of bed on Sunday morning to scan the sale papers and see what items are on my 'to buy' list and rush out to see if I can score one ahead of the masses.

And this Friday- oh this Friday. It is the ultimate in shop hunting! Stores opening early, door buster deals, buy one get one free offers- be still my heart!

For me, it is mostly about the hunt! Finding that thing, that is on sale.

And to add to it, each of the girls wants one of the 'hot' toy items this year. Funny enough, the stores have been sold out of them for WEEKS! And I have heard that neither of these items will be available until after the new year. Funny. So now I am hunting these items too- so far not well.

Let the season begin, I'm huntin' me some wabbit!

Dear Santa,

Well, it's almost been a year since you've visited our home. We're anxiously awaiting your return! Sam for one has been making a list for you since summer!

Good News! The main things the girls would like are, strangely enough, sold out of in all the stores. In fact, the stores said they won't get anymore of these items until- get this- after the new year! Guess we're lucky that you can have your elves make anything, to spare us parents from calling and running all over the city in search of the non-existent super hot toy items. So get crackin, and don't let those elves slack, I would hate for them to get behind in production like these huge toy companies!

And about Sam- well, he wants everything he sees. So that should be an easy one for you.

My husband? Who knows what he would like to have. If you come up with a suggestion, shoot it my way as I am completely clueless. If you can't come up with something, I suppose we'll have to just get him a nice sweater?

As for me. I want TIME. Time to get the laundry caught up, time to clean the house, time to read, time. Just time. Time, especially, to truly enjoy the holiness of this holiday- but based on the fact I am writing you this letter PRIOR to Thanksgiving, I'm afraid that the frenzy has already begun.

Oh, and I want a haircut. A real, live haircut.

And if you can swing it- I would love to have my van clean. Perhaps your elves could do that while you do you thing under the tree? But tell them to wear plastic gloves, it's pretty stick in there.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for The Santa Card. Even though we just wrapped up Halloween, I am actively playing this card- sometimes more than once a day. "Don't hit your sister, Santa is watching", "Put your toys away, you wouldn't want Santa to see you not appreciating what you have", "You better obey- Santa's checking his list". You know- just the usual chaos around here, but at least now I can threaten them with you. So thanks for that.

Don't expect home made cookies this year, by the way. I can already tell that I am probably not going to have time to bake them. Sorry. But help yourself to whatever you find in the fridge- but look out, I doubt I will have had the time to clean it out prior to your arrival. So anything furry, probably not good. Got it? Good.

I probably should mention this to you, as you may not know, and I would hate for everyone to be thinking it and not say anything to you about it. So here goes. You are not the main focus for this season. There, I said it. See- many years ago, there was this baby born in a stable- and surprisingly enough- his birth changed the entire world. Christmas is, wait for it, HIS birthday! I know you generally visit us on that same day, but I want you to know that my focus this year is going to be on HIM, rather than YOU. No hard feelings, it just is what it is. But we are still looking forward to your visit, since you always bring such super cool things and the wonderful magic that surrounds you. But just know, when you come, that the birthday cake on the kitchen counter is for HIM, not YOU, so keep your furry white gloves out of it. Okay? Okay.

And while you are here, feel free to throw a load in the washer.

Brains

Last night, while bathing Sam, he came to a discovery.

It has to do with his 'private parts'.

He was feeling around down there and then announced "This is where I keep my brains. I have two of them- one here and one here." (showing me his testicles)

Yes honey, you are in fact a boy, and I agree- that is where you keep your brains.

I couldn't keep a straight face- I just burst out laughing. Geesh.

This just in...........

Beware of pirates toting microwaves.

Somewhere........

In a hotel, downtown, with valet parking, there is a luncheon.

A fabulous luncheon with cloth napkins and centerpieces. Probably some kind of chicken, salad that looks like grass and dressing in a fancy bowl.

There will be photo presentations, speakers, special music and lots of people dressed in their nice clothes.

Italian leather shoes, dress shirts with matching ties, pencil skirts and fancy earrings.

Lots of adult people- no screaming children- all gathering together for a nice, fancy luncheon.

The only thing missing? Me. I will not be attending said luncheon today. I will not eat some kind of chicken, have my mini-van valet parked, or spill said dressing on the crisp table cloth.

I will be home- with the screaming children.

Once a year I pretend that I am a business professional with a hairdo- and today is the day- and I'm going to miss it.

There's always next November.

Robbed

I remember when Allyson lost her first tooth. It was her first week of kindergarten. And I was devastated. Two milestones + one week=heartbroken mommy.

Emily has been waiting for wiggly teeth for a year. She's been watching Allyson loose teeth and have visits from the tooth fairy, and waiting waiting waiting patiently- all the while constantly scanning her mouth for wiggliness.

Last night, while brushing her teeth, I noticed something. She has a permanent (I refuse to call it ADULT) tooth coming in, BEHIND her baby teeth.

Poor little niblet. She's apparently got my teeth genes. And there comes her big girl tooth, which should have pushed that little baby guy out of there, neatly wedging itself in it's own row- behind the others.

The baby tooth is just a wee bit wiggly, but no where near falling out wiggly.

Poor kid- the opportunity for a visit from that fairy stolen right out from under her.

Poor parents- looks like orthodontia is in the cards for this kid too. Dang.

Child slave labor........

I am not above it...........

In fact I kind of like it................

Despite all the tears that is. These girls are crying like someone has lopped their hand off. It's ridiculous. Just wait until they find out there is still the front yard to do.

Veterans Day

I remember when Allyson was in the first grade. Emily, Sam and I went to the school to join her in watching the annual Veterans Day Parade at her school.

It was amazing. The fourth graders were allowed to invite veterans to march with them and decorate wagons to pull in the parade.

I made a note on my mental calendar, that I could not wait until Allyson's fourth grade veterans day parade.

It was yesterday. How on earth could time have passed so quickly?

Both of Allyson's grandpas are veterans. But Dan's dad, having the whole 'living' advantage, was Allyson's special guest. And he was sure a proud grandpa. (insert picture of papaw looking proud in the parade)

And Allyson spent days decorating our family wagon and transforming it into a beautiful parade float. (insert picture of beautiful parade float)

And my big bad fourth grader looked so grown pulling that float during the parade. (insert picture of grown allyson pulling wagon float)

Mamaw, Sam and I joined Emily's class to watch the parade. That little group of kindergartners have got to be the sweetest little group of people. (insert picture of emily and her classmates neatly lining the school hallways- joined by Sam of course, who amazingly enough had his hands folded in his lap- ha! Looks like preschool is paying off!)

The highschool band played in the parade, that was cool. (insert picture of highschool band tuba players crouching down so their horns won't scrape the ceiling)

After the parade, we all gathered in the gym to hear selected students read their veterans day reports (insert picture of allyson not reading her report because she purposely threw the audition by reading fast because she didn't want to read in front of all those people). Then the entire school, who were gathered in the bleachers (insert picture of entire school on the bleachers) sang patriotic songs to their group of veteran guests.

Among the veterans were grandpas, uncles, moms, dads, and many other individuals who chose in their life to serve our country. It was really beautiful. (insert picture of group of veterans, with Mom and Dad in their fatigues in the front row- took the afternoon off from their Army jobs to be there).

And then it was over, and we gathered up our 'float' and loaded it back into the van. (insert picture of Sam riding in Allyson's float).

And that was that, the fourth grade veterans day parade had come and gone. And my big bad fourth grader went back to her class. I'm really having a hard time embracing the fact that this is her last year in the elementary school. How could that be possible.

Guess who forgot her camera. Again.

I never cease to amaze myself by how stupid I can be. What an idiot. But at least I got to be there. I snapped the pictures with my heart. (insert picture of me dang near passing out during the program, broken out in a cold sweat begging my mother in law to not let me fall onto the floor in the middle of the presentation "Hold me in this chair if I pass out" I told her. After last friday's surgery, this was my first true day back in the game and I may have over done it a bit.)

For some reason, I kept trying to picture my dad in that gathering of Veterans. It would have been cool for Allyson to have both her grandpa's there. But, although I miss my Dad, I was so very grateful for Dan's Dad to have made the journey over today to be with Allyson and join in the celebration.

Happy Veterans Day (insert picture of Allyson's 'Thank You Veterans' sign).

A little accompaniment

Of course, she told him to sit still. Jeesh.

Haywire.............

So, obviously, they didn't kill me.

And tomorrow it is time to climb back onto that horse and start another week.

But my plan for a restful weekend went south when constant vomiting and nausea set in. Lucky for me, my husband was able to get ahold of the surgeon and go get me some pharmaceuticals to curb the constant need to puke. Somehow I traded my dreams of peanut m&m's for jello- but at least I survived.

And- by the way- the pain is a bit more than I was bargaining for. Yeah, pretty sore.

I'm thankful my husband resisted the urge to kill me. Turns out that the pain killers they gave me make me a 'little cranky'. I've been less than joyful, let's leave it at that.

The really really sucky part???? They wouldn't give ME MY gallstones. I didn't really want them, but Ally did. And although they are mine, I wasn't allowed to have them. By the way, the surgeon said there were 4 or 5 pea sized stones. 4 or 5? What the heck, was he not there, can he not count to 4 or 5? I think he made it all up just to get me into the operating room.

Whatever. At least it's over.

Pathetic

Life is exhausting.

Life with children and a husband is super exhausting.

In an effort to get some time to myself, I've concocted this little plan. It involves my gallbladder, a surgeon, and two days of narcotic induced sleep. And I'm all over it.

Selfish. How very selfish of me. Although, in reality, I had nothing to do with it. But looking this forward to surgery is a bit selfish.

However, with the date of tomorrow now looming over my head, I am becoming a bit scared.

Perhaps it's because the people at the surgery center can't comprehend how to bill my two insurance companies. How on earth are they not going to kill me, when they can't sort through the paperwork?

Regardless, I am to be there bright an early tomorrow so they can rip out this little trouble maker and send me on my merry way.

So, in preparation, I must clean this house of ours, stock some food for all these yahoos to eat over the weekend, and hack the forest off my legs. Because- if they do manage to do me in- I don't want anyone glancing into my casket and seeing that I have neglected shaving for a couple days, more like weeks.

But should the doctor be able to perform this 'piece of cake' and keep me alive, my evil genious plan for rest will come to fruition and I will be able to lock myself in my bedroom with a giant bag of peanut m&m's, the remote and some freshly laundered sheets until Monday morning. That is the plan.

And I am pathetic.

Back in the big girl saddle!

I have news. It occurred to me last week that with Sam potty trained, I no longer need to pack around a huge bag that doubles as a diaper bag and purse. So I, being the super cool adult that I am, switched back to a purse. A regular old purse. Yeah for me.Unfortunately, I still pack around sippy cups, apparently.

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeen

That's our day, in a pumpkin shell. Hope yours was wonderful! Also hope that you remembered to set your clocks back, as we didn't so I COMPLETELY lost the extra hour of sleep that I could be getting right now!