1.9.12 i needed a minute…OKAY???

i’m finally gettin’ my mommy groove back. well…technically…my “in general” groove back.

this weekend was just what the doctor ordered.

friday…i was reunited with one of my favoritest friends. she busted on over and knocked on the door and peaked in the windows and called me until i let her in. (i was taking a little power snooze)

you know you’ve got a good friend when they are willing to do all that!

so, we watched the baby girls play, had dr. peppers, and talked until the bigs got home from school. chad picked up our kids and hers, as well…so we didn’t even have to get in the car ride line. and bonus…i didn’t have to get out of my sweat pant uniform.

****

friday night, we resumed family movie night with soul surfer. good flick. aiden was somewhat disturbed when the shark bit off the girl’s arm…but other than that…everyone loved the story. and it’s a true story. which always makes a story better.

chad decided that it was time to change the baby bed to a toddler bed over the holiday.

let me just tell you of the water works that started.

oh…they were fine.

i wasn’t.

i kept telling him that she wasn’t ready for that and that it wasn’t time, etc. etc. etc.

but he kept saying…yes she is.

so, as he got his tools and summoned all the kids to help with the milestone transformation, i held my hand up and said,

“i need a minute.”

i went in the nursery, closed the door, sat on the floor by the bed that had kept all four of my sleeping babies over the last 11 years, and cried.

i cried because i missed all of them as babies. i cried because of how fast they were growing up. i cried because i still thought of the puddin cup as my baby and if she was ready for a toddler bed…then she wasn’t technically a baby anymore. and most of all…i grieved because of the fact that any time we had changed the baby bed to a toddler bed in the past…i had the comfort that, in the near future, it would be a baby bed again…because there was no question in my mind that we would be bringing home another, tiny baby love that was going to sleep in it for another several years.

and this time…

i didn’t have that.

this time…

may be the last.

and i just wasn’t ready to accept that.

chad was right.

my baby was ready.

and the only thing that got me through that day was the hope that we would bring another baby home that would sleep in that baby bed. it probably wouldn’t be from the hospital…but we would be bringing her home, none-the-less. and that baby bed would keep our fifth baby love.

****

organization happened this weekend…which is always joy provoking.

i went through all of their school work from the first semester and threw away the busy work, filed away the keepers, and got their cubbies ready for the second half of the year.

i found this little gem.

aiden had written what she was thankful for.

she is thankful for food, so we don’t have to starve. she is thankful for clothes. she is thankful for school so she can learn. she is thankful for people so we can live. she is thankful for love.

wow.

****

saturday morning, we sat around the table and had blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes. and later that evening, colt had his first basketball game of the season. he played point. during half time…chase, aiden, and annslee all got to go out on the court and shoot to win a free snack from the snack bar. chase sunk his first shot and opted for a push pop. aiden made her basket (they let her shoot a few times) and landed on a push pop as well. they let me lift aj up to the basket and she made her’s on her first try…causing quite a few cheers from the crowd…and then inhaled an entire bag of m&m’s.

other fun things…

pizza and the texan’s playoff win with family.

home church on sunday morning.

a rockin’ meal plan.

great finds at aeropostal. (i totally caved and endulged in, not just 1…but 2 pairs of sweat pants.)

an impromptu buy for aiden at the children’s place.

wearing my jeans instead of sweats.

putting on make up. (i still haven’t done my hair in a while…but we are going to consider the make up a win.)

grocery shopping alone.

face timing with my nieces in iowa because sweet aubree had finally saved enough money to purchase her very own ipod touch. (i may or may not have donned a rapunzel wig.)

and…

finally…

ending a perfect weekend in the warmth and comfort of our home with 5 of my favorite people on earth.

happy monday.

and here’s to gettin’ my groove back.

1.6.12 here’s to the little things…

sometimes it’s just easier to lie.

now…don’t get me wrong. i’m all about telling the truth. but sometimes…like when your 6 year old daughter asks you if strangers can get into the house if the doors are locked…it’s just easier to lie.

is that wrong?

i don’t know.

but what i do know…is that when i am tucking her in, saying prayers, reading stories, and singing lullabies…a educational conversation on the danger of strangers and what to do if she is kidnapped just doesn’t seem appropriate.

so, tonight…when she asked me that question…

i just said, “no.”

****

last night i went to bed at 7:00. i don’t know the last time that i went to bed that early…but i didn’t wake up until 7:30 this morning and i felt the difference today.

we made it grocery shopping before 9:30. and that never happens.

also…when she insisted on bringing her doll stroller with elmo…i said, “ok.”

and that little distraction worked until the cereal isle.

that’s when a box of fruit loops became way more important than elmo making it to the next isle.

so…the stroller and elmo balanced on top of the rest of my groceries while we dealt with a mini-tantrum.

i call it “mini” because it only lasted until the produce section where i let her pick out some apples.

these sweatpants are really getting some mileage. i contemplated going and buying another pair…but then wondered if that would just be enabling my “not getting ready” trend that i have going.

my jeans feel tight and uncomfortable…which causes me to opt for the sweatpants whenever humanly possible.

i just hate tight jeans.

the jury is still out on if i “need” another pair.

chad calls me a marketer’s dream. like today…at the dollar spot…i “spotted” these valentine’s pencils that had to be bought to replace the christmas pencils from the last couple of months.

we can’t be having christmas pencils in the pencil holder after christmas, now can we?

never-the-less…they make me happy.

as does my writing environment. you know how kids carry around a stuffed animal, doll, or blankie for comfort? well…i carry around this slatkin & co. “winter cabin” candle. i just move it around the house with me. really. i do.

another joy that i found today was the sound of trout’s hooves…i mean paws…on the lawn when we play fetch. he loves to fetch a mini football and i’m not kidding when i say that when he runs, he sounds just like a horse. and since horse hooves on a cobble stone street or dirt is my most favorite sound in the world (aside from my children’s laughter)…it very much makes me happy. there is this patch of our lawn that is just dirt because chad dug up the dead grass…and when trout hits it at a steady run…i imagine that i’m at the kentucky derby…listening to the horses run.

i just love it.

i don’t know if all big dogs sound like horses when they run…

i’m just glad that mine does.

here’s to the little things.

1.4.12 forlorn

i’ve been a little hum drum…blue…forlorn…eeore-ish, lately. and i haven’t been able to put my finger on why. it’s no secret that i don’t transition well. and i already identified my sadness with the passing of the holiday season and the old year. (if you call the new year “new”…then it only makes sense to call the past year “old.” i don’t like the word old.) but this was different. it was depressing. it was energy zapping and joy stealing.

i’ve been surfing through the days…doing what was necessary. i fed and watered the kids. i mean the dog and cat. uh…i mean the flower beds. damn.

i kid.

but in all seriousness…today was the last day of christmas break and they deserved to do it up right. instead…i drug them to target and the mall to make christmas returns and ended up saying no to throwing pennies in the wishing fountain because of one, very ripe, poopie diaper.

i felt guilty because they know that their brother is off…flitting around iowa…having the time of his life. and here they are…stuck with the forlorn mall mom.

i tried to perk it up a little tonight and add bubbles to their baths…and read books before bed. but they know.

chase asked earlier today,

“mom…are you feeling ok?”

i told him the truth. that i was just a little hum drum.

****

tonight…after i tucked them safely into bed, i picked up the living room, changed a load of laundry, walked the dog, and then sat down and fired up the computer. something made me want to go through some old pictures…and i have no idea what. but i clicked onto the FALL 2007 album and began sifting through the photos. i smiled at colton’s image and, once again marveled at how fast his youth is passing.

and then…

out of nowhere…

this image came next.

and the tears welled up and fell down my cheeks.

december 26th was the one-year anniversary of the night my grandpa died.

i have been quietly re-living last year’s holiday season for the last month and tonight it finally made it’s way to the service of my emotions. i don’t know why it took so long. i kept remembering and i kept re-living and i kept thinking about him and missing him and wishing i could talk to him again. i have gone over and over his taking his last breath in front of my eyes. i have seen my dad put his hand on his dad’s shoulder and say, “what an example he was to us all.” i have pictured the blanket and the pillow that warmed his frail body and supported his head. i have remembered my last words to him. i have remembered how wrong it felt to watch death come over someone that i love. i remember it all.

the day after christmas, my mom, dad, brother and i went out to the cemetery. it was cold and windy and sad. i cried when i saw his name. i cried when i prayed for God to find him in Heaven and give him a hug from me. i cried when i told God to tell him how much we miss him and how much his great grandchildren still talk about him and how chase loves johnny cash because of him and how aiden softly sings “country roads” and “you are my sunshine” and that it has everything to do with him.

but for some reason…i couldn’t get the sadness out.

until i surprisingly and randomly came across that picture of him…still full of life…celebrating one of my son’s birthdays with us. did i pay enough attention to him that day? did i tell him how glad i was that he was there? did i tell him that i loved him?

i wasn’t expecting it. and i wasn’t prepared.

but it was just what i needed.

i cried…

and then i moved on.

i can’t believe the difference that a few years make. there has been growth with age…for all of us.

and i guess, that’s a good thing.

there are times that i miss the past…

but i can’t allow missing the past to rob me of the present.

memories can be beautiful…and sometime tricky things.

grandpa…

i think i’ll bring you and grandma some flowers.

i know you like them.

1.2.12 The End of the Year

First of all…Chad got me a new laptop for Christmas. Blogging has become a little bit easier, folks. Plus…he bought…

drum roll…

www.mindyclarkson.com!!

I have my own website, people!

That’s something I thought I’d never say.

What a guy.

****

Happy New Year, by the way.

Writing has been sparse over the last week, due to Chad’s family being in town. His brother, sister-in-law, and our niece and nephew were here from Iowa. We did it up right with Big Texas, the Boardwalk and the Beach…with a tea party sprinkled in here and there.

I needed a little reinforcement while trying to get the house un-christmatized and ready for company…and Colt was just the guy to help. Let’s face it. The boy can throw a mean tea party when he has to.

Once they arrived, it was time to bring out the big guns. There is nothing like a camp fire hot dog and marshmallow roast to say “Welcome to Texas.”

It was high time these two got properly acquainted. When we were in Iowa this past Summer, they were too young to fully appreciate each other.

Something got Chase’s tinsel in a tangle this particular night and he decided to pull the, ever popular for 9 year old boys “I’m gonna run away” card. So…he packed his bag with the necessities.

After I convinced him to wait until the next day to leave, I went through his bag. You know…just to make sure he had packed his toothbrush.

There was no toothbrush…but you never no when you might need a pair of magician’s handcuffs and a Kermit the frog puppet.

Luckily…he forgot about his plan over night.

****

We hit the boardwalk and enjoyed watching the kids play while we sat by the water and ate lunch.

Now…I can’t be certain, but it is possible that she may or may not have been pushing him at this point.

They are both pretty scrappy.

The fist bump is really hangin on.

They dressed in the finest of attire for a tea party. My mother made both of those dresses for me when I was little. They thought they were pretty fancy.

Pinkies up.

The Beach was foggy…but beautiful. I love a clear day…but there is something eerie and beautiful about a fog covered ocean. It’s as if the waves and the sky are whispering to each other about something bigger going on.

My niece and nephew were seeing the ocean for the first time…and I was just the gal to introduce them.

The beach is in my bones.

My beach babies were re-united with the surf and sand like old friends.

The new year seems to sneak up on me faster and faster as they roll by. Something about that evokes a fear and sadness that I have been pushing down, down, down, although I feel it creeping to the service slowly but surely.

Like how can Colt be old enough to take off across the country with Chad for a quick Iowa visit? Doesn’t he need me to take care of him? I barely even had to help him pack. And, the start of a new year means he is another year older, come January 14th.

Yep. 11 is just around the corner.

And Jr. High, for that matter.

Don’t get me started.

Baby steps.

I’ll get there. (To acceptance, that is.)

Hopefully before he gets to 6th grade.

It has always taken me a while to transition…whether it be to a new town or into a new year. But don’t worry. I’ll rally.

I’ve learned that I have to appropriately mourn the loss of the previous year, the Christmas that’s past, my youth that is appearing further and further away in my rear-view mirror. It doesn’t work if I don’t. I can’t celebrate the new without remembering the old.

Give me a few weeks and I’ll be ready to make resolutions and goals and focus on the promise of a new beginning.

But in the meantime…

Happy New Year to you and yours.

12.27.11 visions of sugarplums

christmas has come and gone, once again. as a kid…i would fight post advent depression every year. you could find me, on the curb…caressing the dried up branches of our tree…whispering words of encouragement, like, “you’ve been a great tree and i’ll miss you so much.” i would feel all blue inside because it was over. i still get the “let down”…but have also learned to appreciate the promise of a new year. a fresh start. the hope of possibility.

****

if we would have shelled out the money to do christmas cards…this would have been the picture used.

we have a december family picture taken every year. it’s important to chronicle growth.

christmas eve morning started off with the kids opening their secret sibling santa presents.

this went better than i even dreamed it would. since they were the first gifts opened, they were beyond excited. which gave way to excitement for the person giving the gift. it’s always more fun to give a gift that someone is truly excited about. this will be a tradition that we continue.

and i loved having them open them on christmas eve morning, instead of that night because they got to play with them all day, while i frantically tied up loose ends.

colton drew aiden’s name.

annslee had chase.

chase had colton.

chad had to leave by 11:30 to get to the first service.

miraculously, i got the food prepared, the house picked up, the rest of the loose ends tied up, myself and the kids ready for the 4:00 church service.

we pulled up to the christmas eve service just in time for her to finally give in to the exhaustion from the toll that the week’s events had taken.

if only she would have stayed asleep in my arms…maybe she would not have gotten herself in so much trouble. she instantly insisted on her own seat in the service and began throwing a bloody tantrum when she was forced to sit in my laugh to make room for daddy. she was a hot mess by the time the first carol began and bought herself a golden ticket to the nursery.

it was nothin a little twirling in the lobby couldn’t fix afterwards.

by the time we made it back to the house for the celebration…i wasn’t too proud to partake in the sauce. holiday sangria cures whatever ales you.

we took time out to get a picture of the whole lot of us.

and bonus…

we officially named the cat…since he is officially one of us now.

introducing the first full-family picture, complete with trout the dog and george bailey the cat.

yeah…so we watched it’s a wonderful life and george bailey just seemed appropriate.

trout could not be convinced that because it was christmas eve…he should be a gentleman and not insist on his evening walk.

so…we all went together and surveyed the lights.

it ended up being a great walk.

****

once the kids were all nestled in their beds…i longed to be in my kerchief, and chad in his cap…but we had work left to do.

santa came for colton…

and chase…

and aiden…

and annslee…

and even trout and george bailey.

i have been waiting for this christmas ever since i found out that i was having my first daughter. when i was 5…my paw paw made me this doll house for christmas. he made it from scratch, to match the house that we lived in, cutting out each tiny shingle…one by one. honey crocheted the rugs and sewed the curtains. it sat in my room my entire childhood.

and it was time to pass it down.

honey gave it to the girls this year.

this is the stuff that dreams are made of.

colton was surprised by granna and grandaddy with an itouch.

chase’s wish came true when he opened the johnny cash poster from uk.

and the girls showed delight with every turn.

santa enjoyed the milk and cookies…and fed the reindeer the snack that we left for them.

the proof is in the pudding.

****

last night…the elves snuck away and made their way back to the north pole.

they new that aiden was going to be devastated and left a sweet note.

my girl was heart-broken…just as her elf knew she would be. there were tears this morning.

but the promise of a new year awaits…and all good things must eventually become a memory. and that’s ok. the elves will return someday…just as december will. and the magic will resume.

until then…

the magic of our every day will sufficiently suffice.

12.24.11 Let Earth Receive Her King

i am sitting down for the first time today. and technically…it’s not even today anymore. it’s 12:25 am and i can honestly say that we are ready. the last present has been bought; the food has been prepared; the crafts are complete; the house is clean; and the gifts are wrapped and under the tree.

i feel satisfied.

christmas eve is my favorite day of the year. i love the anticipation and the laughter and the excitement…and most of all…the celebration. on the evening of christmas eve…we celebrate Jesus’ birth. and it is absolutely wondrous.

when i was a little girl…i remember i would have such a hard time falling asleep on christmas eve…and as a mother, the excitement is still there. i re-live it through all four kids. i re-live it when i see the sparkle in their eyes and the wide smiles on their faces. tonight…i let chad tuck in the boys while i grabbed the christmas dresses, tights, and christmas gowns from the girl’s rooms. i wanted everything ready for tomorrow. i got about half way down the stairs when i remembered that i had not said goodnight to the boys. i thought for a second about just continuing down the stairs to get to the presents that were waiting to be wrapped and the last load of laundry that needed folding…but i just couldn’t let them go to sleep without kissing their heads…so i put the laundry basket down and headed back up to their rooms. and i’m so glad i did. i peeked into chase’s room and saw him, laying in his bed, looking up at the ceiling, and smiling the biggest smile i have seen on him in a while. both dimples were out and showing off. when he heard me, he looked over and giggled. i smiled and said, “what?” and he just giggled more and said, “mom…what do you think my secret santa is giving me?” i’m not sure if i’ve mentioned before that the kids drew names this year. we are calling it “secret sibling santa.” it has been really fun to watch them get excited about what they wanted to get their brother or sister and try to guess who had whom. and there he was…sugar plums all a-dancin, while thinking about it. so, so wondrous.

tomorrow, we will listen to true carols of our King’s birth all day. i have been thinking a lot lately about christmas carols and how…as fun as songs, like baby, it’s cold outside and rockin around the christmas tree are…there is just nothing more beautiful and worshipful than a traditional christmas carol. the words are woven together to praise and adore Him in a way that leaves me breathless. this season…i have been really paying attention to the words that sometimes get lost in the noise of it all.

Joy to the world…the Lord has come, let Earth receive her King.*

Whom angels greet
with anthems sweet
while shepherds watch are keeping.
This, this is Christ the King…
whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste…to bring him praise…
the babe, the son of Mary.
The King of Kings, salvation brings
let loving hearts enthrone him.**

Rejoice…rejoice…
Emmanuel shall come to thee, Oh Israel.***

To save us all from Satan’s power when we have gone astray.
Tidings of comfort and joy.
That in Bethlehem was born the son of God by name
Oh tidings of comfort and joy.****

Joy to the world, for Christ the lord has finally come
let every heart receive the new born king…
oh come all of heaven and nature SING.*****

Long lay the world
in sin and error pining
till He appeared and the soul felt it’s worth.
a thrill of hope
the weary world rejoices
Fall on your knees
oh hear the angel voices
oh night divine
oh night when Christ was born.******

i heard the bells on christmas day
their old familiar carols play
and wild and sweet the words repeat
of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
and in despair
i bowed my head…
there is no peace on earth, i said
for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men
then feel the bells, more loud and deep
God is not dead…nor does he sleep
the wrong shall fail
the right prevail
of peace on earth goodwill to men
i can hear you
i can hear you.*******

****

i heard the bells on christmas day has never been one of my favorite christmas carols until this year. it’s been on my i pod for several years now and for whatever reason…it has become my song of praise this season. you can find me…eyes closed…hands raised…singing my little heart out in the kitchen while we make cookies when it rolls around on the playlist. i recommend the MercyMe version. you won’t be disappointed. i promise.

i look forward to talking to you again after christmas. have yourselves a merry little christmas. let your hearts be light. joy to the world. the Lord has come. let earth receive her King!!

* Joy To the World
** What Child is This
*** Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel
**** God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
***** Addendum to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (MercyMe)
****** Oh Holy Night
******* I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

12.23.11 it’s almost here…

snip…fold…tape…snip…fold…tape.

i’d be lying if i said i longed for the wrapping of the presents. i really should do it as they come in…instead of waiting and doing them all in one night. the hallmark channel helps. but still. you know it’s bad when you start tossing things for the kids into the “santa” pile…just so you don’t have to wrap it.

so i took a little break.

****

we finally made good on our “make cookies for the neighbors” advent.

these are my favorite.

this one liked them too. would you believe that colton hates peanut butter? so…he was totally not thrilled about them. chase likes peanut butter…but not chocolate. so he wasn’t thrilled either. aiden tolerates peanut butter…but, for some reason only ate the kiss off the top. so…thankfully…i can count on my baby girl to take after her momma when it comes to sweets.

isn’t this just like chase? i mean…you can’t get more like chase than this.

i don’t even know what he was doing…but houdini ended up stuck in the basketball goal. we were headed out to see santa…and we were sorta in a hurry…and they were supposed to be getting buckled in the car…and this is what i walk out to.

chase says, “uh-oh”…a lot.

chad went to the mall straight from work in order to get in line for us. he waited an hour and 45 minutes. i got the kids ready at home and then we waltzed on in right as he was getting to the front. this is the way to do it, folks.

our visit with santa went ok. annslee cried as soon as i sat her down. so chad and i had to be in the picture again. there have only been 2 years that chad and i didn’t have to be in the picture. there is just usually someone who is under 2 and completely unwilling to do this thing. we have seen the same santa, every year, since colton’s very first christmas. we have so many memories of standing in line…dressing the kids in their christmas outfits, chronicling the stages and ages. it’s the same every year…and i’ve come to absolutely love it. santa is as real as you can get, and his gentleness with the kids is tangible. he is quick to listen and slow to speak…and he has watched our kids grow over the years. i would think that there is no way…with all the kids he sees every day…that he couldn’t possibly remember us. but, i swear…he does.

i will never forget the year that i was pregnant with aiden. it was the day before christmas eve, and chad had taken me to an ultrasound place who specialized in finding out the baby’s sex. hours before we went to see santa…i heard the words, “it’s a girl” while watching her dance on the ultrasound screen. we were not telling our family until christmas eve…so i wore a pink shirt in our picture with santa. i wanted to always remember that. it was the magic that only chad and i knew. well…and santa, of course.

tonight, we gathered and had dinner and then watched the nativity story together. i absolutely love this movie. it is a beautiful depiction of Jesus’ birth story…my favorite by far.

i also love national lampoon’s christmas vacation, elf, and it’s a wonderful life.

but…if you are looking for a worshipful experience during the holiday…don’t miss out on the nativity story.

little miss is now refusing to sit in her high chair. that’s super great. today she dumped her entire bowl of soup on my good table cloth.

we made sugar cookies for the first time ever. i was sort of pre-occupied with keeping aiden’s cast clean and out of the dough…

but other than that…it was a win.

tune in next time. and remind me to tell you about mine and trout’s bike accident. it’s a winner of a story.

i better get back to it. these presents aren’t gonna wrap themselves!!

12.20.11 the park and the gingerbread house

i really wish that i enjoyed going to the park. i just don’t. it’s not that i absolutely hate it…i just don’t find myself wanting to go exactly. i can’t really put my finger on why. it may have to do with the fact that i used to be too wrapped up in worrying about the germs on the equipment to enjoy myself…or it may be that i don’t like to run around, playing and i feel guilty if i’m just sitting on a bench watching. i’m usually not a lazy person…but the park makes me feel lazy. maybe that’s why i don’t like it.

the point is…chad suggested that we go to the park the other day and i just couldn’t stand the thought of being left out.

so i went.

the kids and i walked…and chad rode the bike and let trout run behind him on the leash.

it was trout’s first trip to the park.

chad suggested that we let him off his leash to run a little.

mistake.

he immediately found a candy bar and all of us ended up looking like idiots…chasing him all over the place…trying to catch him before he swallowed it.

at some point, chad yelled…”we are not paying to remove whatever that is from his stomach if he swallows it!!”

we finally caught him and fished the full chocolate bar out of his mouth. gross.

after that…he went back on his leash for the duration.

i sat on the bench and kept trout out of trouble. that was a win-win. i got to just sit on the bench, but actually have a good reason to do so. it had nothing to do with laziness.

i was also all-time base for the hide and seek game.

that means…i got to count with the seeker.

again…look at me not being lazy.

i love this picture. somehow…the sun caught her dark blue eyes and turned them this vampire shade of amber.

chase took his job as counter very seriously.

meanwhile…annslee found someone to stalk.

she followed her around everywhere.

i can totally hear what she is thinking here.

“you two look like you have a good thing goin…do you need a third? cuz…between you and me…these folks that i am with??? well…they are all nut jobs.”

she actually followed them to their car in the parking lot.

i’m gonna try to not take that personally.

trout and boo radley are getting along quite nicely. (that’s his name right now. however i’m trying to convince the kids to name him something like mozart…or mr. tumnus…or after a famous author.) actually, i’ll just be glad if chad stops calling him “that cat.”

honey made this little dress for me when i was little. mom found the perfect, little peter paned collared onsie to go under it.

i love taking pictures of this one while she’s not looking. she reminds me of a storybook character…like alice in wonderland or sleeping beauty or something. she has that gentle/graceful thing going that all of those storybook girls possess.

one of these things does not belong here…

(i really just sang that in my head…like the clip from sesame street from the old days…)

just 30 minutes ago…the whole thing hit the floor. no joke. at least it’s not the big one.

****

the elves have been a little boring lately. i kept forgetting to move them…so i had to make up some story about how they are just so warm in their stockings that they just wanted to stay there for a while and rest.

plus…chase’s elf, houdini, split his pants doing somersaults out of the tree and needed to be sewn up.

i finally got that done.

and i finally remembered to get some super glue for the ornaments that have been in “ornament triage” for the last several years.

the gingerbread house actually got done without any tantrums or arguing.

so…that was a plus.

and mr. big man was so sweet to help his baby sister.

he might as well be the pied-piper, as far as she’s concerned.

she looks at him with stars in her eyes every time he looks her way.

i’m well aware that i am entirely too old to be wearing anything from aeropostal. let me explain. i was shopping for my 5th grade niece in there and found these sweats for 12 bucks. plus they fit really good. so…i convinced myself that, since 30 is the new 20…then i am only…like…27, which is a totally acceptable age to be still be wearing the tweeny, teeny brand. so there. don’t judge me.

look at these faces.

priceless.

annslee insists on bubbles. every night.

hey annslee…you got a little sumpin in your eye there girl.

****

and there’s nothin like a gingerbread house to get the elves hoppin.

i wonder how many days they will be there? surely this is good placement for a while.

and what is it with these people who do these elaborate elf mischief spectacles every night? like…getting smearing toothpaste everywhere…or icing…or glitter?

seriously???

it is very clear to me that any elf that lives in our house is gonna have to fall in line. and if they add more work for me…

they are out on their cans.

i don’t care if they are from the north pole.

12.19.11 my christmas groove is back

one can burn themselves out if one starts too early, i’ve decided.

i started too early.

don’t get me wrong…i still procrastinated the christmas shopping till the last minute, however i started listening to my christmas playlist in october.

i was always of the opinion that “the longer, the better”…but i’ve changed my mind.

i think that the “magic” can only last so long. and…if you have listened to “labor of love” enough that your kids roll their eyes when it rolls around on the ole’ playlist again…then it’s lost it’s luster.

i decided to take a little break over the last week and just let things be what they will…and then re-visit the whole “christmas wondermint” after school was officially let out. i happen to have a family that can’t handle too much excitement. they all get a little…

shall we say…

scrooge-ish.

this weekend…i got my christmas groove back.

first of all…(technically this was last sunday)…i looked at this darling image of my daughter singing about Jesus on the stage at church.

but then…i looked a little to the right and saw this.

but then i looked further to the right and saw this…

i think we have established that my eldest son is completely “over” all things remotely related to being a child.

****

friday night, our advent activity told us to go look at christmas lights and go to the chocolate bar.

ok…i’m going to hop right on a bit of a tangent right now. i’ve decided that there is a evolution of exterior illumination christmas decor. i have put a little list together in my head of this evolution.

first…it was the big, colored bulbs trimming the house.

second…the white lights in the bushes.

third…the draping of the white lights down the side walk path. (i distinctly remember convincing my dad to do this for our house when i was little.)

fourth…add in the wooden decorations in the yard.

fifth…the wooden decorations became all white with glitter.

sixth…the colored lights on the house needed to be replaced with all white.

seventh…the icicle lights are introduced.

eighth…the swag

ninth…the blow up lawn ornaments.

and introducing the next big “have to” trend…

the “wrap the tree trunk AND limbs with white lights” miracle.

you just wait. you’ll see.

****

this is what annslee saw.

yep. she fell asleep (for the first time that day) right as we entered the neighborhood.

and yes…i woke her up.

aiden and chase acted like they had never seen fallen leaves before.

we were the worst parents in the entire universe and forced colt to be in this picture.

(are we noticing a trend here????)

aiden and annslee became familiar with rudolf…and even fed him a candy cane.

annslee got to wear my fur coat that i wore when i was her age. i’m aware that this is becoming a bit of a trend. but i just can’t help myself. these articles of clothing are…like…national treasures.

this is what big brothers are good for. they taught her to put her finger in her nose every time i put the camera in her face.

uk tagged along…and even met a lady. 🙂 she has already “friended” him on facebook. who knew that light perusing could be a way to get a date?

dad and i laughed. hard. i just love that my brother, my dad and i all get each other’s quirky sense of humor and inside jokes. i was dying laughing when i took this picture. i’m surprised it’s in focus.
(i’m pretty sure i was making some comment about our damage being done here after chase had fallen in a hole and twisted his ankle, colton was cussing us about the santa picture, aiden was crying because she got a leaf in her eye, and annslee was throwing a full-blown tantrum about getting in her car seat.)

it was nothin that a little visit to the chocolate bar couldn’t fix!

annslee had a “baby cake.” how cute is that?

i know that i am totally her mom and everything…

but i think that this girl is beautiful. everything about her is…

just…

simply…

beautiful.

and this guy…

well…

he was finally happy.

(for a second, anyway.)

and she was too.

i think she liked her baby cake.

and…cue the “nose” pic.

remind me to have a talk with her brothers.

****

iiiiiii’llllll take this…

and this…

aaaaaaannnnnnnnd this.

the next morning…we had our annual visit from our fireman santa.

they probably totally recognized us from our “i smell natural gas in our house that really isn’t there” debacle.

and what i have to say about that…

is…

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE FIREMEN WHO THINK I’M CRAZY!!!

12.16.11 merriment

i can’t tell you how extremely busy i have been…making december happen, just as i’m sure you all are as well. but, what i can tell you is that this girl caught the cold and spent the day on the couch and that boo radley spent the day doing his best to comfort her.

they watched a multitude of sprout cartoons together and i got things done around the house.

i can also tell you that this sweet girl has decided that she no longer needs to sleep. she is throwing full-blown tantrums at nap AND bedtime and it’s enough to make me want to pull every hair on my head out one by one.

she has also decided that she does not need to ride in a stroller while we are out christmas shopping at places like hobby lobby, barnes and noble, and the galleria. so…that means most of my time is spent chasing her and taking things out of her hands instead of actually getting anything accomplished. and…if i insist on her riding in the stroller…she screams and yells and flails to the point that it’s easier to just let her walk. she refuses to hold my hand in the parking lots and also refuses to sit in her car seat without a massive, man-handling war.

it makes me tired. i’ve said since she was born that “she makes me work.”

but you know what…

she is totally worth it.

****

i got my craft on and busted out these beauties for the kid’s teachers.

oh yeah. i went there. showin off my craftastic. in hind site…i would have started it way earlier. i mean…the day before makes things a bit stressful on the crafting front.

i hit the kid’s class parties. would you believe that all 3 of them fell back to back, each over lapping 15 minutes? i only had 1 snafu and that was that i totally forgot the veggie tray and dip that i was in charge of for aiden’s party. so, i called chad and begged. he came through and busted it on up there in plenty of time. and would you even believe that those vegetables didn’t just go flyin off the tray? why are we taking vegetables to a 1st grade christmas party, anyway. total waste of time and money.

today was polar express day. they got to wear their pj’s to school and watch the polar express. this made my job very easy this morning. aiden was thrilled to roll on out of bed and wear her pajamas to school. all we had to do was hair. she even had her friend spend the night and roll out of bed with her.

chad is picking them up as we speak and our holiday is officially beginning. on tap for tonight……..

santa claus, the chocolate bar, and christmas lights.

now…that’s merriment.

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