Doing The Mom Thing

The blog has been quiet lately.  But, that doesn't mean there aren't things happening in my life.

It hasn't been anything earth shattering.

Just......doing the "mom" thing.



Grocery shopping.

Making Christmas cookies. (That we have given all away, so now I have to make some more today so we have some to eat and some to leave for Santa)

Christmas caroling (I was sad that I had a few eye rollers/complainers this year----however, all eye rollers were happy in the end because, in their words, "Everyone was SO happy to see us!")

Volunteering here and there.

Shopping. (Spending more than we had intended because we kept having to "even" things out among the kids)

Ten hour road trips to see family for 24 hours then drive another 10 hours home.

Reminding the children (and husband) to wash their hands every time I turn around so nobody succumbs to whatever icky thing that is floating around.

Trying to build/run my new Jamberry business. (Still TOTALLY digging my nails!)

Laundry. (Especially because I said that I wasn't going to let any of the kids open their presents until their rooms were completely clean.  Yes, I sort of shot myself in the foot with that one, didn't I?)

Dishes (yes, I am still the only one that realizes that pots and pans need to actually be washed and not just shoved around on the counter)

I now have 2 partially unpacked suitcases on my bedroom floor.  The first is from my trip to Minnesota over Thanksgiving and the second is from my trip to Indiana last weekend.

We are having our Christmas Dinner at lunchtime today because Rainman is working tomorrow.  My turkey is in the oven, but my potatoes are waiting to be peeled and my green bean casserole is awaiting my magic.  (That is one of the things that my kids love "my" version of waaaaay better than anyone else's!)

I still have not wrapped one single gift.

So, as soon as I finish this post, I am banishing my children to the basement, I am turning on White Christmas (because for some reason all my people are lukewarm about one of the greatest movies ever) and I will wrap until my legs fall asleep from trying to sit on the couch/floor to get them wrapped.

We will attend both Christmas Eve services at our church tonight (kids are in the live Nativity at the early service and I am singing O Holy Night at the late service).  Rainman will attend his church's service somewhere in there too.

Then, since Rainman is working tomorrow, we will all get up early to open presents from each other and Santa.  Hopefully, we can get everyone to bed sort of early tonight....since Santa can't come until they fall asleep....and Rainman has to leave for work a little after 9:00 a.m.

So, yeah....just doing the mom thing around here....like all of you.

Tiring, but worth it.

If He Had Not Come - Review

Every now and then, we get a chance to review something seemingly simple and easy, that ends up being much, much more.

This was one of those times.

We got a chance to review the children's book called If He Had Not Come This is actually a story by Nan F. Weeks that is being reintroduced to this new generation through David Nicholson. (Fun little side note - I always love when I get stuff that is connected to Minnesota.  David Nicholson lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and Pastor Josh Mulvihill - who wrote some of the discussion questions in the back of the book, is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.)

On the surface, it is just what is says it is, a sweet, Christmas, children's book.









 The story depicts what the world would be like if Jesus had never come to earth.  You know, a little like how the movie It's A Wonderful Life, shows what the world would be like without George Bailey.

Sounds simple, right?

Sounds sweet, right?

It was.  It was a simple, quick read to the kids.  I just read this one to my three youngest as part of our quiet time (Circle Time) after lunch.

I read it the old-fashioned way....like the library lady used to do at my school.  I sat on a chair.  The kids sat in a semi-circle at my feet.  I read upside down while I showed them the pictures.  (By the way, the longer you read upside down, the freakier it is....your brain keeps trying to tell you that you are doing it wrong, the words sort of morph into hieroglyphics, but somehow, your mouth keeps on reading the words the right way....like it is taunting your brain or something!)

The book starts out colorful, with a traditional Christmas scene.

As it moves on into the....If He Had Not Come part.....and the boy, Bobby, realizes that his world has changed, it looks more stark...

(All blank pages in the Bible after the Old Testament)

  

At the end, the book returns to the colorful, idyllic Christmas scene, look....

Subtle, subliminal message...but effective.

The book has discussion questions included in the back of the book.

The simplest questions are ones like:

When you get up Christmas morning, what's the first thing that comes to your mind?

or,

Put yourself in Bobby's shoes, would you be frightened?

There are also "deeper" questions that delve into what the Bible says about why Jesus came to earth and how things would be different if Jesus had not come to earth as a baby.

All it took to get the kids rolling on the discussion was one I asked.

What would look different in our lives look different if Jesus hadn't come?

The list they came up with went on and on and on.

It started with the fact that we would have no place to go on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings.  That spiraled into the fact that we would never have met many, many, many of the people that are our friends (both from our Minnesota church and our Georgia church).

Then we started listing off the churches we drive by that wouldn't be there anymore.  Truly, down here in the South, there is just about a church on every corner.  Really.  They are all over the place.

The discussion  moved onto the decorations in our house.  "That cross wouldn't be there"  "That picture of Jesus and the children wouldn't be there."

Of course, they also focused on the fact that we wouldn't have a Christmas tree, sing Christmas carols, or have a reason to hang stockings from the mantle....and then, onto Easter, where there would be no sunrise service, or Easter baskets.

I sort of let them just have the conversation without me, just popping in every now and then with my own observations, because........

I was having an internal discussion of my own.

I was remembering that the first time I sang in public was at church, when I was around 5 years old.  That wouldn't have happened.  West Bethel United Methodist Church and Red Rock Bible camp were huge parts of my childhood.  Those would be gone.  Coming down to breakfast every morning and seeing my Dad sitting there with his bowl of Cheerios, reading his devotions/Bible....then silently pushing the Bible  across the table to me so I could read it, would no longer be one of my memories.  Singing in the church choir, going Christmas caroling, Vacation Bible School as a kid and later as a director, being Mary in the Christmas play (the most coveted role for any little girl!).  Those things wouldn't have happened.

I wouldn't have gone to Vennard Bible College, which means my parents wouldn't have given me the Bible that they wrote the personal message in.  I wouldn't have met Stuart (who broke my heart and stomped on it), but, I also wouldn't have met Alicia (one of my very best friends who I met my first night on campus).  I would have never been to Honduras on mission trips. 

I would have never sang the Hallelujah chorus.  I wouldn't have visited so many churches singing at my friends weddings.  My sisters and I wouldn't have sang The King Is Coming at my Dad's funeral.  My mom wouldn't cry every time she hears the song Amazing Grace.  I wouldn't have attended church in all the countries we have visited.  I never would have felt a connection with those people....even though I didn't speak their language.  Those countries would also be missing out on a lot of beautiful architecture!

When we moved to Georgia, I wouldn't have had a safe place to fall apart/cry and, ultimately, make friends.  

Rainman and I wouldn't have the common bond of being believers in Jesus/Christianity, even though we worship at different denominations.  What would that do to our relationship?   When we lost our babies, we wouldn't have had the comfort of knowing that we will see them all again someday in heaven.  They would have just died..and been.....gone.

Simple children's Christmas book.....but, not really.

Our lives and the world around us would be totally and completely different.

Reading this will become a family tradition in our house, right alongside The Night Before Christmas.....because really.....If He Had Not Come....there would be no Night Before Christmas.


You can get a copy of this book, just in time to usher in the Christmas season, for $18.95, or an ebook for $3.95.  I recommend the physical version though...to me, it just felt....right.

See what other TOS Reviewers thought of If He Had Not Come.

Let's Jump from Halloween to Christmas, Shall We?

We had a nice Thanksgiving and celebrated with friends, since Rainman had to work a 12 hour shift that day.

So, let's just jump to Christmas stuff.  Okay?

Have I told you lately how much I love our new house?

We have room for our Christmas tree....and we didn't have to remove half the furniture from the room first!  Plus we had room to put Rainman's train around the bottom!  We have never done that.  Granted, partly because we always had little babies that wouldn't leave it alone.....but, also partly due to the fact that we had no room!!!

Look at it over there in the corner with its crooked star! 

The three littlest participated in our church Christmas play, Chrismon program.

A-man was a kid shopping for the perfect Christmas tree.  He got a new haircut and asked me to actually put some "stuff" in it and style it for him!  Isn't he starting to look old and sortly of manly already?!?!?

S-girl was an angel and V-girl was, apparently, a freakishly happy and a little bit creepy Gift of Forgiveness.

Here, let's try this one, instead.....

Okay, that is much better....a lot less psycho!

Aren't they cute?

I finished 99% of my shopping!  Yay!  Just a few little filler things needed.

Five of the kids are singing tonight at our Womens Dinner at our church.  It is really cute.  They are singing Happy Birthday, Jesus.  D-man is running the sound, so he can't sing too....but I am hoping he will get a video tape of it....and that they aren't so nervous that they won't be able to sing in front of the ladies!

I worry about S-girl mostly.  Who so desires to perform....but gets horrible stage fright even when it is just us.  Her hands shake and everything.  She and V-girl wrote some songs and performed them for us last week.  S-girl started with her back to us...and then half way through the song was finally able to turn around and sing to us....although she never once looked up from her words.

V-girl was only a little embarrassed to perform her original song....(she dictated the words to A-girl, who wrote them down for her)....then she sang it reading the words, even flipping the page over half way through.....and all without being able to actually read!

Here is a close up of some of the words!

This was our view of S-girl (after she turned around for us)

I just love these kids so much....and these little moments that are just ours (well....and yours, I guess, since I share a bit of them here)....but you know what I mean.

Christmas in January

I forgot to show you two awesome gifts I got for Christmas this year.  In early December, I flew up to Minnesota, so I could drive with my mom down to Arizona for the winter.  We were supposed to have a girls Christmas get together before she and I took off.  However, the weather decided not to cooperate, so not only were my mom and I stuck in Minnesota because of so much snow, but my sister, Kandi, was stuck at her house and couldn't come over and see us to exchange gifts.  My sister, Karen, was able to make it, so we had a mini-sad-Christmas without all of us being together.  We decided to do homemade gifts for each other this year.

My mom gave me this....

An apron she made.....with fabric from my Grandma.  I love the bright colors, but have to wonder why she picked this fabric with Geisha girls on it....I wonder if it was on sale.....or, she got it because she loved the bright colors too.....or, did she like Asian culture....or, did someone give it to her....

Karen made this framed Christmas tree for me....

It is made out of my Grandma's old buttons.  I love it!  Some of these buttons I remember.  Some, like the little yellow ones on top that have smily faces on them, I don't.  I love it so much, I am leaving it out all year.  I love that it is cute, but I love the sentiment of having something of Grandma's nearby.

I am definitely getting more sentimental about things like this the older I get.  The quilt on my bed is one that this same Grandma made out of my Grandpa's old shirts and suits.  I love that one so much, that I even keep it on my bed through the heat of summer here in good, old, Georgia.  A-man, who is named after that Grandpa loves to look through all the patches and imagine where Grandpa would have worn that shirt or whether it was his Sunday suit and what color tie he would have worn with it.

Almost makes me want to learn how to quilt, so I can pass down some practical memory keepers for the kids.  Will that really make me an old lady?  I think I may still  be safe with just the crocheting/knitting and the quilting, as long as I don't start canning/preserving things....right?  

I just started thinking of all the "little old lady" things that exist...that I already do, like wearing my hair in a bun....wearing sensible shoes (with everything)....saving my tea bags to reuse....I think it really might be time to officially state the obvious. 

I am precariously close to being a little old lady.

Post Merry Christmas

We had a quiet and subdued Christmas this year.  We didn't travel to any out of state family celebrations this year.  Sad, in  one way.  But, really less stressful in another.

Rainman was actually off work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Almost unheard of in our 17 years together.  The kids and I sort of didn't know what to do with him around all the time.  We have kind of developed our own traditions and flow to our holidays....without him around.  That sounds bad, I know.  We just had to figure out what we could all do together and still be happy.

We went to Christmas Eve services, where 5 of my 6 children were in the live Nativity.  I would show you a picture, but apparently a less stressful Christmas makes me lose my mind a little and forget things like bringing my camera to church with me!  It was cute.  There was even a live Baby Jesus who cried almost the whole time the congregation sang "Silent Night".  The baby could see her mother in the front row....and stared her down with every cry. 

You could almost read her little baby thoughts....

"Why aren't you coming to get me, mom?" 

"Why are you letting these strangely costumed teenagers hold me?"

"Why are all these little kids dressed up like animals just sitting around me....staring?"

"Get up here, woman!"


Here they are before the service in their Christmas finery.

 

And, I even put on my contacts and extra make-up for the occasion and took a picture with Rainman.

 

 

(Honestly, I felt so good about how I looked that I forgot I was still fat.   I sort of felt like the old me again.  Although....see my gangster pinky ring?  That is actually my wedding ring....that I haven't been able to fit into for 3 years now....since the move.  I did have it briefly on my ring finger, but it really hurt....so, I moved it to my pinky for the night.  Also my shirt was so tight and low cut, I was really happy that my hair has gotten so long that I was able to mask my cleavage for most of the night.)

We came home and had frozen pizza for dinner and watched some Christmas movies.  One of the most interesting ones was The Nativity.  Yes, all the Bible characters had British accents.  Yes, Joseph was portrayed as a blue-eyed blond.  Yes, Mary was a giggly teenage girl who didn't really believe the Angel Gabriel.  Yes, some of the dialogue was given to different people than the Bible said.

But, it was really a good movie.  It really humanized Mary and Joseph and made them out to be....sort of....just like us....with a tremendous calling from God.

To contrast that one, on Christmas morning, we watched The Nativity Story.  This one looked much more realistic in terms of the casting (no blue-eyed blonds) and portrayed Mary and Joseph as poor people, not middle class people like the blue-eyed Nativity from the night before.  This Mary hardly spoke a word.  She just sort of looked off into space with a furrowed brow through much of the film.

Honestly, as unrealistic as it was in so many ways, I enjoyed the Nativity better.

I tried a new crockpot recipe from Pinterest.  I tweaked it a bit and I forgot to put in the dry mustard. But it was really good and it was ready when we got up!  This will definitely become a new tradition.

We opened gifts.  Rainman went to mass.  I made a turkey dinner.  We watched movies and played with new toys and games.

 

 

 

 

It was a good day.  A very good day. 

I am blessed beyond measure.

Merry Pre-Christmas

Here are some of the things we did in preparation for Christmas.

Church Christmas program:  (Caution....bad pictures ahead...I don't know why, but I get the worst, grainy, dark pictures at church....even when I am sitting in the 2nd row)

S-girl as the sheep (2nd from the left) and A-man as the shepherd.  Yes, I realize the irony of their having the evil looking eyes in the celebration of Christ's birth.

L-girl was one of the speaking angels (2nd from the left).

V-girl was a non-speaking angel...

I know many of you moms will understand this next part. 

I had visions of getting really cute pictures of my kids in their costumes after the program.    Because, they looked really cute.  I mean really cute!  I comforted myself with this news after every grainy dark, possessed looking picture that I took during the program.

But, I forgot one little, teeny, tiny, detail.  There is a Christmas cookie extravaganza directly following the program.  My little shepherd, sheep and angels whipped those costumes off and hightailed it to the front of the line.  The little buggers!

I did plop V-girls halo back on her head briefly to get this one:

And I did slow L-girl down enough to get a picture of her....without her costume....

And here is one of S-girl hanging Chrismons ornaments on the tree....oh, well.....

Moving along:

Our town has a Christmas parade.  We have never, ever gone in the 3 years that we have lived here.  It was nothing compared to the Holidazzle we were used to from Minneapolis.  But, let me tell you, there is a lot to be said for a nighttime Christmas parade where it doesn't hurt to breathe and you actually have feeling in your fingers and toes by the end.  Honestly, we wore sweatshirts....not jackets.

The highlight of the parade wasn't this guy, as you would expect.

But, this guy....

Who, if you can see through my dark, grainy shot could do this....

Pop a wheelie on his mower.  There was a whole team of racing lawnmowers racing up and down the streets.

We did go see a sort of grumpy one of these.....

But, above all, we tried to remember that "Jesus is the reason for the season." 

We have spent a lot of time cuddling, baking cookies and watching feel-good Christmas movies (although that hasn't been the same since we lost the Hallmark Channel in our line-up). 

We even went Christmas caroling....which, based on the reaction we kept getting....people don't do anymore....which only leaves me bound and determined to hit more houses next year.  Because, people not Christmas caroling anymore makes me sad.  And, really, when you can carol wearing a t-shirt and jeans....there is no excuse not to do it!

Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Present (the one that made me scream)

I just realized that I never let you guys in on the Christmas gift that made me scream.

It was this.

I have wanted one for probably 20 years or so.  It was just one of those things that I just figured I probably wouldn't ever actually get.....like a red Jeep, or real diamond stud earrings, or cellulite free thighs. 

I never seemed to be able to justify the expense...even though I bake quite a bit.  I mean, even on sale....they are about $200.  There are a lot of other things that $200 can be used for in this household!  Although, everytime Pioneer Woman had a giveaway ....I was right there giving it a shot!

Apparently this dream of mine escaped my husband.....completely.

But, my girls, on the other hand.....picked up on it.....

And then, did something about it.  They got their big brother involved.  They got Rainman involved.

They searched Craigslist....because the their parents are doing the Dave Ramsey thing....it is rubbing off on them....so they needed to find a cheaper way.

Lo and behold.....they found a used one in our town.  Turns out the lady is a professional baker and had her big/professional mixer break down and had sent it to the shop (who knew there was "a shop" for mixers???) to be fixed.  In the meantime, she decided to go ahead and buy herself a regular KitchenAid mixer to get her by.

When she got her "real" mixer back, she put this one on Craigslist.  My kids spotted it....arranged a time for Rainman to go pick it up.....and the part that really gets me.....they used their own money to get it for me.

Rainman had to contribute $20 to the mixer which cost $125.  Did you get that?

My wonderful, adorable, hardworking, sweet children used $105 of their own money to get me a present that I have wanted since waaaaaay before they were born!

They video taped me opening the gift....which I will NOT be sharing with you....I am wearing my  ratty old robe and there is waaaaay too much leg showing for public consumption.

But, I will give you a brief description:

D-man went out to the garage to get my surprise gift and put it on the kitchen table.  I walked over to the table in my ratty bathrobe and nighty (does anybody call them that anymore?).  I shifted the plain, unwrapped, cardboard box on the table....said, "Wow.....this is heavy." 

I opened the lid.....

Screamed in a high pitch voice (that didn't sound like me at all), "Noooooo waaaaaaay!  You guys!"  then I promptly burst into tears. 

Like sobbing tears. 

I went into the ugly cry, as Oprah would say. 

All of which is on video tape. 

All of which my children have watched over and over and over again....laughing their heads off. 

V-girl even did an impersonation of me for a few weeks afterwards.  Not funny.

Okay, it is a little funny....she is pretty cute when she does a high, squeaky voiced "Noooo waaay!"

The funniest part to me, is in the video, as I stand there sobbing, D-man casually walks by and says, in his low pitched teenage/man voice, "Yeah, I figured that would happen."

I really am not a highly excitable person.  I am pretty low key about most things.  I takes quite a bit to get me mad....and I don't get overly happy or excited either.  I am just kind of in the middle of the road.  So, this reaction took me totally by surprise.

I really, really wanted a KitchenAid mixer.  Now I have a beautiful white one.  I cannot believe how quickly I can whip up a batch of cookies or frosting now.

I also usually have running commentary, to myself, whenever I am making something.

Things like:

"See....I am now walking away while my ingredients cream together."

"Now, I am walking to the fridge to get eggs, while it is working."

"Look at how easy it is to add my dry ingredients a little at a time."

I love my new (to me) KitchenAid mixer. 

It makes me happy.

My kids knowing what would make me happy and then making it happen REALLY makes me happy!

Rainman was totally clueless and could not believe the "fuss" that I made over it.  He kept saying stuff in a totally befuddled way.  Things like:

"Hmmm....I didn't know you wanted one of these."

"Well, the kids told me you would like it.....but I didn't think you would like it this much."

"You weren't this excited when I asked you to marry me."

Stuff like that.

Oh, well.

A Random One

Not feeling very capable of pulling together a cohesive blog this morning, so thought I would share a few random moments from recently.

We love our new (to us) little pink vacuum.  There have even been incidents of fisticuffs over who would actually get to use it. Not really....but is is a very popular item in our household.

By the way, our Christmas stuff has been taken down and put away now.

Modeling their new dresses from Grandma.

Having lunch in their restaurant.  The unusual part of this is that this time, it was A-man idea, and he served everyone.

And, just so you know, I  try to keep V-girl in clothing....I really do....she just wants nothing to do with pesky things like shirts, pants, socks, etc.

My mom sent me this beautiful cup and saucer for Christmas...it was my Grandma's.

Speaking of Christmas gifts....I just realized that I never did a Christmas post and there are things that should be shared.....I got something that I have wanted/coveted for 20 or so years.  There was screaming and tears....by me....I acted like.....well, a kid, on Christmas morning!

My friend, Sherri, came over and helped me organize/declutter/rearrange my kitchen and garage.  Look!

We have a larger recycling bin since we always overflow ours....and we repurposed these shelves to hold some of the more seldom used kitchen-y things that I don't want to get rid of...but were taking up valuable cupboard space in the kitchen.  I am loving it.

Okay, I think that is enough random things for you this morning.  I will be back with a belated Christmas post, a New Year's wedding post,  and what photo evidence suggests....

some sort of scuffle in the basement....documented, apparently, by this person...

Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

I just have to share how incredibly creative my sister, Karen, is.....

Look!  She made these....just because a co-worker's daughter wanted a robot for Christmas!



An army of robots all made out of candy!  Aren't they adorable?  Although if you stare at the picture too long, they start to look a little creepy!

If you want to learn how she did it, click here. 

She has other ideas too.  Like, how to make these


I know Christmas is over....but you could use these money origami trees for other gifts too.  I just did one for D-man's birthday.

I have wanted to do this one for Christmas for a few years.



Click here if you would like to know why these kitchen utensils are all dressed up.

And go take a look at one of her awesome treasure hunt ideas.

She has a lot of really great game ideas too.