Feliz Navidad

So far we have survived Christmas again this year, and no one has been sick, praise the Lord. We only have one family event left, and it is a gift-free get together. I think I've finally got all of the gifts put away, and I don't even want to think about taking the tree down yet, so I'll save that. Maybe next week.


Oh!


Guess what my mom gave me for Christmas?




She said she figured this was the only way to make me stop whining about it. You can see where I get my own compassionate mothering skills, if there was any doubt in your mind.

From the picture, you might get the impression that I am actually able to ride it already. Do not be fooled. Truthfully, I did manage to get the pedals to go around about three times for this photo, but that's rare at this point. I will get it, though. It's my destiny.

Here are a few kid pictures, because we all know that's why most of you (my relatives) read this blog.


Here Zaya is meeting Woodbottle, his gift from our neighbor, Carl. (Zaya named it. I have no idea, so don't ask.)


Mim strikes a pose in her new princess dress from the Aunt-who-shall-remain-nameless. My Uncle E in the picture is wearing a T-shirt from despair.com. If you'd like to see it, head to that URL and search through their t-shirt selection for "points of view". It's great.


Here are the stockings at Grandma Lilibeth's house. We opened presents at night on the 24th after the Christmas Eve Program; hence the formal attire.

There are two Christmas events (not counting tomorrow) not represented by pictures. I'll get to those. Really.

Memed again!

I was tagged for a Meme by Lisa at Our Seven Qtpies. The idea is that you go to your picture folder, whatever that might be titled, and choose the sixth folder, and the sixth picture in that folder. Then you have to post it, whatever it is, and explain it a bit.



Here's mine. It turns out to be one I've posted before, I'm pretty sure. This is from our one little pathetic snow last year. This year we've had a tiny, tiny smidge of snow, but nothing that has really accumulated (Except Tuesday's glaze.) I'm hoping for a real snow this year, because the kids are so excited about the idea of playing in the snow. They believe all the hype from the pictures and books and believe that snow and Christmas will coincide. I've tried to prepare them for the fact that Christmas morning will not be "white" this year, but who knows? Maybe their faith will move mountains. Or clouds. Whatever.

I don't remember how many people I'm supposed to tag, so I'll just pick a few. If I tag you, please don't feel like you have to participate, or tag anyone else. It's all just for fun.
I tag:
Lilibeth
Aftergrace
Johanna
Heather
Sarah
Chandelle

Garfield

Zaya recently discovered Garfield, and he's been reading and re-reading the few books that we had out. You don't know confusing until a four-year-old tries to describe a comic strip to you while giggling.

As we were sorting through the things in the backroom (which is fast becoming my den. Yea!!) we came across Art's collection of Garfield books from his childhood. I opened that box up for the kids yesterday evening and they were so excited. In the picture above they are reveling in their new treasure trove.

I was also a huge Garfield fan as a kid (okay, and teenager) but my dear, sweet clean-freak of a husband convinced me to get rid of my Garfield paraphernalia, including a clock and vintage stuffed animals, only last year. Little did we know that we were raising new fans. They would've loved that stuff! Oh well. It's not like they don't have enough stuffed animals in their rooms...but I do wonder if I can still buy a Garfield clock somewhere.

The picture was taken at 6:30 yesterday evening and my children were wearing their pajamas. "What a dedicated and organized mother!" you might say. Ha! The truth is that they had worn those pajamas all day. We didn't step one solitary little toe out the front door all day. The rest of the week is going to be hectic, but for one day, at least, we had peace and warmth. (You'll notice that Mim is also wearing a scarf. At least it wasn't the full set of princess regalia.)

Hot Chocolate Weather

We're snowed in today. Well, I guess "glazed in" would be a better phrase, at least that's what all the morning weather coverage called it. Regardless, it was enough to keep Zaya home with Mommy and Mim this morning.

I'm in a much better mood today (I know you all care) and, even though I've had to stop my children from playing tag with baseball bats and they wanted lunch at 10:20 (which they got.) things are looking up.

Anyway, I've also discovered, thanks to my lovely mother-in-law, a new Christian singing group which I think I'll enjoy. (I downloaded their Christmas album this morning.) I'm sure I'm way behind the times and you've all heard of them already, but here you are anyway. They're called Go Fish, and although I haven't yet plumbed the depths of their musical careers I am certainly enjoying their Christmas music (they have two albums of that) and my MIL loves their album "Party Like a Preschooler". It is a disc of childrens classics that are performed in a very peppy, danceable style with lots of bass. (Hey, I'm a drummer, I'm allowed to like a little bass.) I suppose they're a bit of a boy band, but I like harmony, so it's okay. I don't have any scarring memories from New Kids on the Block or NSync to try to overcome like most of my peers.

I'm going to leave you with a video of Mim telling me a story about Goki yesterday.

Frozen Fingers

I woke up on the wrong side of the recliner this morning, and I just can't seem to shake my funk.

Part of the problem is that I had a lousy night, and I know I forced my very patient husband to have a lousy night too. No, no one is sick (Thanks be to God for his grace and mercy) but we still have no heater back in our bedroom, and it got down to about 14 degrees here last night. I asked, no begged, Art if we could sleep in the living room instead of in our bedroom.

It's not that sleeping out there is cold, because we have a heated mattress pad, it's getting into and out of bed for the various bladders in the house (including mine). Anyway, to make a long story slightly shorter, we tried sleeping on a bunch of blankets laid out on the floor in the living room, but it was still cold (and painful because it's a wood floor). By morning time Art was in Zaya's bed and I was on the recliner. So I'm tired. And I'm still cold.

Anyway...

I've been a real grouch this morning and Mim's been trying to make the best of a bad situation. I have to admit that the sight of her dressed in her princess costume and her zip-up sleeper pajamas did cheer me up.



Once, when I was out in our ice-cold bedroom changing over the laundry, I heard her yelling from the back door

"Mooooom!"
"What"
"MOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!"
"(snapping) WHAT!!"
"umm...I love you!"

So yes, I felt like a heel, and I'm trying to improve my mood. Mim and I have been listening to Christmas music on my ipod which is hooked up to our stereo. (Third Day, Travis Cottrell, Micheal Buble, Jars of Clay and Relient K with a little Bing Crosby, Point of Grace and Transiberian Orchestra thrown into the mix.) We've baked some Buttermilk-Honey bread and made Puppy Chow (Or Muddy Buddies, depending on your recipe book.) Yes, the chocolate helped too.

Se Bonita

My fried Maria has been making jewelry now for quite a while. At first she wanted to learn so that she could make some pieces for herself, but she quickly realized that other people were interested too, and that she could make enough to buy all her supplies. It has since mushroomed and she now has a place in W'ville that has agreed to display her jewelry. She has to decide now how big she wants this to be. We are taking pictures to put in a book so that people can order pieces they like that are not available on the shelf, but she has to decide if it's worth all the trouble. Here are a few of her items. She's trying to make something for all styles. (Her style and mine differ greatly, so I've been her guinea pit. I'm not going to complain.)

Waxing Poetic

We've decided that we need to do better about having family devotions, so tonight was our first night of all four of us sitting together (instead of just one parent with the little ones.) We read a Bible story together and then prayed. Each of us were supposed to pray about something specific that we were thankful for. Here was Zaya's prayer.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the wind that swirls, for the snow that brings water. Thank you for the leaves that fall. Amen. (It's been a very cold, windy, snowish kind of day.)

Then his Daddy said, "OK, Mim, you go read your bedtime story with Mama while Longfellow and I read ours here."

These guys of mine keep me in stitches.

Happy Christmas/Birthday to Me

December is upon us, and I'm beginning to realize why adults always look so stressed this time of year. Especially our family. My husband and I and one of my sisters-in-law all share the same birthday. (December 14th for the gift inclined.) My other sister-in-law has her birthday two days later. So my poor mother-in-law now has four children with birthdays within a three day stretch. Two weeks before Christmas.

Anyway, even though we discussed the fact that we were not going to buy each other Christmas and Birthday gifts this year, Art is buying me a laptop. WOOHAA!! Maybe it was the fact that I finally sat down and started my novel. He sees that there is a chance that I might actually be able to bring in income at some point in the future. (Okay, an admittedly remote chance, but don't dash all my hopes and dreams please.)

I'm very excited about my laptop, and I wouldn't trade that, but here's the other thing I would like to write to Santa about.



My mother and mother-in-law have refused to buy one for me. My mother has refused for years. (many years) They keep saying something about motherhood and massive head trauma and other immaterial issues. Whatever.

Maybe Santa will pull through for me.