2009 top ten

Another year is coming to a close.  It’s hard to believe that my kids are a year older.  I’m trying to avoid the fact that I am as well.

Here a list of the top ten things that have happened to our family this year, sort of a la David Letterman, I’m just not as funny.

1.The princess started preschool.

2.The TRMintator started his last year of elementary school.

3.Hubby put his car in a car show for the first time.

4.Hubby also got to race his car around the track at Miller Motorsports Park, and he didn’t do too shabby!

5.Hubby and I celebrated 12 mostly blissful years together by going shopping in Park City!  (my idea, not his)

6.We got to travel (yay!) and celebrate 2 nephew’s baptisms, one in Kemmerer, WY, the other in Las Vegas.

7.The princess and I went home to Iowa to see my family.

8.G-man finally mastered the art of tying his shoes.

9.TRMinator graduated from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and earned his Arrow of Light award.

10.Both G-man and the princess got stitches for the first time, in the chin and forehead, respectively. 

11. (I can throw in an extra one if I want!  It’s my list!)  We have all made it through another year healthy and happy and grateful for all that we have.  We have been very blessed this year when others have not been as lucky.  We have wonderful family and friends and are grateful for all that the Lord has seen fit to bless us with.  On to another great year!

So this is Christmas

Christmas is a magical, fun time for kids and parents.  Once the calendar hits December 26, though, I am ready for it to be over.  I am ready for the mess to be put away, for all the new toys to have homes, and for life to be back to normal.  Does that make me a Scrooge?  If so, so be it.  I can only take my house being in a chaotic state for so long!

For some reason, I never get very many pictures on Christmas day, and I’m not really sure why.  I think I just forget to grab the camera.  I always remember to take pictures of the kids in their new jammies on Christmas Eve, though!

   One of our traditions is the kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve.  Which is usually the pajamas that I made them.  This year they got new robes and slippers also.  I’m not even going to go into how many stores I went to looking for kids slippers!  You wouldn’t think it would be hard to find kids slippers, especially this time of year.  You would be wrong!

Of course, I didn’t get pictures of the kids opening their presents, so I told them to get 2 or 3 of their favorites so I could take their picture… 2 days later.

This was TRMintaor’s

This is the G-man’s

 

And the Princess

 

Then there was me!!

Dude!!  I got a Dell!  Isn’t it pretty?!  The design is called Princesses Rule!  I think that is hilarious.

Hubby asked me a month or so ago if I wanted a laptop for Christmas.  I think I laughed at him.  I thought, “why on earth would I want a laptop?  I would never use it!”  Well, lo and behold, when Hubby got his new Macbook for work, I found myself using his old one just about everyday, and I decided that I did want one.

Well, Christmas morning rolled around, and I saved what I thought was my laptop as my last present.  When I opened it and found that it was a new electric griddle instead, I tried not to be too visibly disappointed.  I really didn’t think that he would pass on an opportunity to go computer shopping for me, but maybe he decided to be super responsible - you never know, it could happen!   Then he pulled out one more present.  When I opened it, it was a laptop sleeve with a piece of paper sending me on a scavenger hunt through the house.  After deciphering TRMinator’s clues (he helped with this scheme)  I found my beautiful new computer.  Hubby spoiled me yet again!

Christmas aftermath

Christmas afternoon.  I think at this point, I turned around and went upstairs to my bedroom to avoid the mess and bedlam.  That, and I wanted to go play on my pretty new pink laptop in peace!  I’ll post some pictures of that later!

Tales of Christmases past

Join me blog buddies as I tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a little boy, we’ll call him Bubba.  Bubba was a happy, cheerful boy with an active imagination who liked to play  with his 2 big brothers.  Christmas was one of his favorite times of the year.  He loved the magical season when Santa always seemed to know the deepest wish in his heart.   

One Christmas, when little Bubba was eight years old he anxiously waited for Christmas morning to dawn.  After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, he rushed from his bedroom to join his brothers and sisters to see the Christmas tree and to find what Santa had left for him this year.

Imagine his surprise and excitement when his two older brothers saw BB guns lying there under the tree with their names on them.  Little Bubba looked at their guns with marvel and awe, then looked for his.  Santa would know that he would want one too, wouldn’t he?  After all, Santa was magical!  He always knew the things that you wanted!   After hunting around for his gun for a few minutes, he found something else with his name on it.  This couldn’t be his, he thought!  Why, it was a pop gun!  It had a cork that was on a string!  That was for little boys!  He was a big boy like his brothers!  Where was his BB gun?  Santa wouldn’t have let him down?  Would he?

After searching through everyone else’s presents he realized, that yes, indeed, Santa had let him down.  How could this be?  Santa had always known what he had wanted.  He just couldn’t understand how this had happened.

Little Bubba grew up.  Eventually the sting of not getting the BB gun faded, but he never quite forgot that day, and his disappointment.   Then, one day, during his now grown up family Christmas party, after all the games and laughter had died down, and the bits a wrapping paper had been thrown away, his mother found a letter stuck in the Christmas tree.  It was addressed to Bubba, and it was from Santa Claus!  As his trembling fingers opened the envelope, he pulled out the letter and began to read.  He found that Santa had not forgotten about him!  Santa had realized his mistake so many years ago, and wanted to make it right.  Then right before his eyes, out came his mother with one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen!  A Daisy Red Rider BB gun!  He couldn’t believe it!  Santa finally made one of his biggest wishes into a reality!  After all those years, he never forgot, but neither did Santa.

The end

 

Christmas season smorgasbord

I thought I would post a few pictures of our Christmas season so far.

TRMinator had his piano recital on Saturday.  He played 2 songs and did really well.

I think I was just as relieved as he was when it was over.

Last week G-man had his 3rd grade Christmas program at school.  They sang lots of Christmas songs, and thankfully it was only a half an hour long.

 

Sunday they wore their Christmas outfits to church.  TRMinator had a tie that he had to learn to tie.  He was pretty protective of his knot!

That’s the rundown of the last week.  Stay tuned for more action-packed activities!

Oh alright fine, random Friday

I wasn’t going to post anything today since I just did yesterday.  Really, I wasn’t.  I guess I just can’t resist a random Friday, when I can just throw out all those random thoughts in my head and not tie them all together.  (Sometimes that’s harder than you think!)

My boys are out of school all next week.  I am quite happy about this because they will be home to entertain the princess instead of me.  And by entertain, I mean they will be on the computers playing games and she will be sitting next to them watching and giving “helpful” hints the whole time.  Thankfully, they either don’t mind her little hints or completely tune her out.  They are even nice enough to let her play for them when they take a bathroom break.  (They are filled with brotherly kindness.)  I will also get to run all my errands sans children because TRMinator is old enough to stay home with them.  I’m sure that I will have more than enough of other people’s children to deal with while I am at the store!

I think I am done with all my Christmas shopping, really.  I thought that two days ago, but Hubby and I ran to the store last night and got some more stuff.  (I’m not mentioning what store because TRMinator reads this and he will figure out what we got, he’s smart like that.)

Here’s yet another example of my craziness, I think I’m going to make new Christmas stockings.  Never mind the fact that I made new ones last year, thinking that I hadn’t made new ones for several years, when in fact, when I pulled out my Christmas stuff, I realized that I made new ones the year before.  In case you got lost in that long, run on sentence, this will be the third year in a row that I’ve made new stockings.  Here’s the reason why, first of all, when I bought the material for them last year, I bought way too much, so I have enough to make more.  The second reason would be that Santa has told me some of the things that he’s bring for their stockings and I don’t think they’ll fit, and bigger ones would be oh so helpful.  So, since I’m done with all my other sewing, I figured, why not?!

I’ve got a few other random things running through my head, but I need to get off the computer, and try to be productive.  Namely, get those new presents wrapped before the kids get home!

The lovely stages of childhood

When the G-man was younger, he spent a lot of time in the corner.  And by a lot, I mean that sometimes he took his naps there.

Thankfully, I’ve blocked most of his naughtiness out of my mind, so I had to ask Hubby to refresh my memory on why he was always in trouble.  He said that he would ignore us, and never listen.  Then the memories of counting came flooding back.  You know, give them to the count of three before all heck breaks loose, counting.  I would say in my, I’m the parent, and you will listen to me, voice, “ONE!”  And after enough training, (for some reason Pavlov’s dogs come to mind) he would come running.  For those of you who know G-man in his current greatness, the fact that he could be a naughty little boy might surprise you.  By the time the princess was born he was out of that particular stage.  (he’s been through a lot of stages, *withered sigh*) 

The princess hasn’t had any really naughty stages till the ripe old age of four.  It’s been about 4 or 5 years since I’ve had to put anyone in the corner or in time out, so I’ve kind of forgotten that is an option.  I don’t ever send my kids to their room when they’re in trouble  because that’s where most of their toys are, they will just go and play.

Case in point, when I was a kid, I only remember being sent to my room once, and it was by my dad!  Let me tell you, that was on odd occurrence.  He was not the disciplinarian in our family, my mom was.  My dad is a pretty mellow, easy going guy.  He doesn’t get riled up.  In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him angry.  He gets annoyed by things every once in awhile, but I can’t really even picture him actually angry at something or someone.  I have no idea what I did that day, but it must have been something!  I remember my mom was gone, (probably working) and after I was banished to my room, I roamed the upstairs to find something to do.  I don’t think I took it as seriously as I would have if my mom had done the banishing,  I actually remember being somewhat amused, it was just such an odd occurrence!  Anyway, I found some crayons and a coloring book to pass the time, and for some reason felt the need to ask him if I could use them.  I called downstairs to ask and he told me no, (Wow!  He was asserting his authority!) but I figured, I have them, I’m still going to use them.  So the time I was sent to my room actually ended up being play time.  (sorry dad, to let you know 20+ years later that your attempt at discipline didn’t go so well!)

Oh yes, the princess and time out!  (See, I get back to my point eventually!)  She is going through a mouthy stage right now.  She likes to argue and huff, and roll her eyes at us and generally try to make us feel like we are the dumbest people on the planet.  (and I was under the misperception that wouldn’t start till she was a teenager!  Ha!!)  I generally just tell her to knock it off and to not talk to me like that.  Then I remembered time out!  I make her sit in the front room by herself for 5 minutes and she doesn’t like it!  She’s not used to it, and she really doesn’t like having to sit there by herself.  Hopefully we can nip this little behavior in the bud, because I don’t want a bratty child!