My Christmas pictures-

I've said it before and I'll say it again- I love December. Today I am so thankful for my family. We have enjoyed many days just being together- and today being no exception. I love that Brad has 2 weeks off of work that we can "sleep in" (as much as the two monkeys let us ;), and have Jaedon crawl into bed with us in the morning and just spend time playing Sorry (Jaedon's latest favorite) or Hide and Seek (Seth's favorite). Ahhh...

These pictures are of Buzz Lightyear (aka Jaedon ;0 ) ; Jaedon, Tristen and I, and of my little Shepherd boy. It was so fun this year at my large extended family Christmas chaos ;) There were about 40-50 people in my aunts house and about 15 of them were under 8 years old. They were having blast together and had fun dressing up and acting out the Christmas story for us all too. Weird thing is- it seems like I was the one dressing up and acting it out just a few short years ago! =)

oh- and a video of the boys singing/burping Away in a Manger. This is PG rated however- note the position my dear 4 year old is in when the video ends. LOVELY!!

Christmastime was here

Some more
pictures- Seth got a basketball hoop and loved it (after we showed him what you're supposed to do with it ;)

Our adorable niece Katelyn Rose - her very first Christmas!!

There were two snowmen on our street that we went to "visit". This one with Jaedon, obviously, was HUGE- and very creative. His belt was landscaping edging and his nose was a garden stake =P After we chatted with the snowman - it was followed up by an inpromtu snowball fight. I'm not sure who won but we had fun anyway!

More Christmas cheer...

Here's the recent picture of the cousins -
Sunni, Jaedon, Seth,
Shai, Cale and Tristen.

Brad and his IPOD

and Jaedon and his Dance Pad (which as I type this- BRAD is upstairs currently using ;) haha)

HELP! I have a toddler!

Ok- you'd think that with Seth being baby number TWO I would have this toddler thing down to a science right? uh-- not so much. He is NOTHING like Jaedon. Jaedon being my compliant, easy going child. Seth- uh, well, let's just say his Christmas gift to me was that he learned how to throw COMPLETE temper tantrums!
So- for those of my blogger friends who have or have had strong willed children I need some advice.
First of all about how to deal with the "I-want-you-oh-no-I-don't-I'm-just-going-to-throw-myself-on-the-floor" tantrum. And, well, just any other tested and true tips on raising a strong willed toddler- I'd be grateful!
Secondly I need some tips on how to transition a not quite two year old to a BED. (that is what the current and happening right now tantrum is about).

Fill er up...

I've discovered the greatest invention of all time - according to my current cravings at least-
ORANGES! I can not get enough of them! As in, I had my mom stop today at a grocery store, buy a 1/2 gallon and literally have drank 1/2 of it today (oh- and with EXTRA pulp much to my husbands dismay! I like to chew my orange juice!! ;)
Not only that but last week I bought 2 very large bags of oranges - and I have about 5 left. Strange? First of all, I never have craved oranges with my other two pregancies. Secondly, I never have had such URGENT cravings!
Weird.
What were some of your cravings? (providing you are a Mama reading this ;)

Almost 2!?!

Today my "baby" is 21 months old! How is that possible?

Reminising

I love to reminise and find it especially fun to do at Christmas. I've come to realize that Christmas is more the month leading UP to and including the 25th of December. Maybe that's why there are so many memories that can be recalled.
I remember my best friend, Angela, and I would decorate my parents house every year. We hung tacky tinsel on the balcony and would act out the Christmas story for my parents! I remember one year we got a tree so large that my dad standing on the ladder could just barely reach the top for the star.
In high school my friends and I would go caroling to shut ins in our church. Whatever happened to caroling?
My mom and I would make a Christmas Tree shaped Cinnamon roll plate for Christmas mornings. yumm... I'll have to remind her of that one and maybe we and the boys could do that again this year.
Of course we always drove around and looked at Christmas lights. I don't know why that's such a kick for me but it still is! The town where my parents live now does an AWESOME job with lights!! As in- almost every house is done up- and done really well! There is one street that we walk to from their house called Candy Lane- every house is completely decked out. They have Bing playing over some speakers and a living nativity at the end of the street. Santa is there a few days too and hands out candy canes to all the cars. It's a highlight of our time there!
Brad first met my family in December that we were dating (all of 4 months!) We actually dared to take him to the "extended family" get together/anarchy that is my family and he first met Myron, my bigger-than-life-teddy-bear-sorry, Myron-but-rather-a-redneck brother. He had on his long leather trench coat, cowboy hat and had some pistol strapped to his side and said "nice to meet you." ;) I don't know if Brad laughed or peed his pants - but he married me anyway!!
That Christmas was also the first time Brad told me he loved me. Actually we kindof told each other - separately. I gave Brad 12 gifts for 12 days before Christmas - (things like 12 cookies, 7 buttons on a shirt, 3 "like you" letters) They all said "On the .... day of Christmas my true like gave to me..." (corny eh?) but on Christmas day I gave him a single red rose that said "On the First day of Christmas my true love..." *sigh* He wrote me a very long letter that mentioned...about a dozen times...that he loved me too. And he made me a CD of love songs!
Hmm... I'm smiling as I write these thoughts because 1.I don't know of anyone else who really cares about my Christmas memories and 2. Brad gave me a garbage disposal last Christmas - oh how things change!! (ps I really did LIKE the disposal just FYI ;)

As fun as reminising is and can be I'm also reminded at how important it is to live here and now- to start new traditions and live in the moments God gives us each and every day. So go ahead and have fun reminising all the yesterdays - but don't stay there. Live today!!
Merry Christmas!

The most wonderful time...

Ok I know this is so cliche but I'm going to say it- I LOVE this time of year. There's just something about listening to the Beach Boys sing Merry Christmas, Baby that gets me everytime. Ok, not really but I have been known to get a bit sappy and listen to the Delilah show on Star 105.7 every now and then.

And not only the Beach Boys ;) - or Christmas music in general but I love all the fun events! This past Saturday for example, we went on a Candy Cane Hunt (organized by the city of Wyoming). The kids had to find 5 different colors of plastic canes "hidden" in the snow then trade them in for the real thing. Then they had a pizza lunch with Santa and while we were waiting we enjoyed hot cocoa, ornament making, storytime and playing Memory. It was a lot of fun!

We also made our way to a Living Nativity that a church near us does every year. It's a bit hokey but super neat for the kids. They "act" out the Christmas story, have some songs and live animals. I guess if we're eating lunch with Santa and ending the day with Jesus it's all justified huh? ;)

Anyway, just thought I'd share some family fun. I hope you are enjoying this December as well.

I QUIT

No really- there is a job that I've taken upon myself that I am deeming useless, null and void. For one thing, I'm not qualified for this job. I have no reason to think that this was even a job I could fulfill in the first place! For another, well, I'm tired of the responsibilities that I've "aquired" with this job and I'm just ready to be DONE.

So - I'm quitting.

No, I'm not giving away my children. (not today at least ;)

I'm talking about the job of me working as my husband's Holy Spirit. Anyone else every attempt this? Wow. I don't know how your stories go but attempts have failed miserably and I'm exceedingly thankful to be relinquishing this "responsibility". How prideful and foolish I am to think that I could do anything other than pray for my husbands heart?! I'm here to tell you, I experienced an amazing thing yesterday! I let the Holy Spirit work and ya know what? HE DID!! I saw it with my very own eyes-

and it brought me to tears.

I have experienced joy and restoration that is only because of the Holy Spirits work in my life - and can resound that this joy is "not of my own works-" because given the chance, I would boast about what a great JOB I did.
No, it's not about me at all. But I am thanking God that I can experience his peace, his love, his JOY -

all because I decided to QUIT.

Wadiju say?

Of all the things I hear my children say during a day, I NEVER thought I would hear these words from my precious 4 year old.
And I quote

"Mama, may I please have some more BROCCOLI?"

hmm... lettme think for a minute!