This week has been pretty calm with the kids & I staying in & watching movies. I haven't ventured out at all until today for fear of hurting myself yet again...so I have been just taking it easy with only 1 fully functioning hand!
I have read 'The Help' & have wanted too see the movie for some time now, so when the opportunity came we borrowed the dvd. Nicholas is a history junkie, so he was interested (some what) in watching it for that reason. Brooklynn...not so much. I have too tell you, this girl has a mind of her own & is not afraid to share her thoughts or opinions with anyone at anytime!! She has been voicing, profusely, her desire to be called by another name, stating that she doesn't like being the only Brooklynn in her school, her name has too many letters, she just doesn't "feel" like a Brooklynn, & the list of of her reasons could go on & on....& on (especially when she is tired).
I got her settled down with a blanket & pillow, then started the movie. For me, books are almost always better than movies, but sometimes seeing a character on the screen gives them new meanings. Skeeter in the movie is tall, slender, & long-legged, as is Brooklynn. Couple that with the "I have a lot to say & i'm not afraid to say it" attitude that they both have & oh my, we have a Skeeter!! After watching the movie 2 more times, Ms. B (as we sometimes call her) has now decided she is kind of fond of that name....gone is the Ms. B nickname...Skeeter it is!!!
Only a few more days till the kids head back to school & there is soo much to do & soo little time. :-)
Friday, December 30, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
After-Christmas Shopping
With the Holiday Hustle over, it's time to look back & reflect on how the holiday was spent; was it less stressful than years past, did we enjoy spending time with family... The answer to both questions, YES! We spread the family gatherings out & stuck with the vow to not fight & stress each other out. (This is Not to say there wasn't a fight at a family gathering...but it wasn't us & we sure didn't get anywhere near it!!)
With Christmas Day landing on Sunday this year, we had our annual Christmas Eve candle light service with the children's play & then had worship service on Sunday morning. Leaving church on Saturday night, the rain was pouring down so hard it was difficult for me to see the road. I was thinking out loud & asked the kids if it continued to rain so hard throughout the night could we just stay home all day on Sunday, in our pj's & watch movies. I got a very loud "No way" from the back seat & just said, "I know, i'm just tired. Everyone would be upset if we stayed home."
Well, God did continue to bless us with the downpour all night long & into Sunday; creating not only a risen lake level in our back yard, but a small pond in our front! The kids & I made our way to church, & our two family gatherings, coming back home between each to gather gifts & food. Each time we stopped by the house, Brooklynn ran into her room saying she would be right back & came out in a different outfit. Now, let me just say, I was exhausted, so I let her do this. Playing Santa alone for the first year gave me a whole new appreciation for Vernon & all that he does to help (yes we still do Santa even though the kids are 11 & 9 but they do know, it's just part of the holiday magic)!!
When we returned home for the night, the kids began talking about the worship service from the morning. The shephards in the fields had to go 'after Christmas-shopping'. They had to go tell about the visit from the angel & the birth of Jesus...to spread the good news---shopping for people! The stores are going to have after-Christmas sales for left over decorations for a few days, but Jesus didn't come to the world in that stable for 'left overs' just for a few days after Christmas...He came for all, for eternity. Nicholas said he really enjoyed the sermon & was going to try to 'shop' all year. Brooklynn then stated she loved going to church on Christmas Eve then again on Christmas morning & that Jesus should always have lots of Birthday parties!! (This made it clear to me why she kept changing clothes; she wasn't changing to go to different gatherings, but to different Birthday parties.) I went to sleep last night with a great feeling of pride for these wonderful children that God has placed into our lives & given us the opportunity to raise.
Today, we began with discussing this weeks to-do list: clean your rooms, put away new clothes & gifts you received, household chores.... God is still showering us with rain, so I offered to help Nicholas take the trash to the dumpster. The trash truck had arrived early this morning & emptied the dumpster, closing the lid, so I had to take the broom with us to throw the lid open (I am vertically challenged & the dumpster is a large size). Now, anyone who knows me knows I am very accident prone....some say an accident waiting to happen. I really did think the lid was going to go back & open--alas, it did not. It came back down with a horrible thud, right onto my hand. I tried to move, but just wasn't quick enough & my pinkie was smashed. I have broken enough bones to know, it is broke! The kids have been helping me but things are getting done at a slower than normal pace.
Thank goodness I don't need my hand for the 'after-Christmas' shopping I am going to be doing!!! Oh well, sooo much to do & sooo little time!!
With Christmas Day landing on Sunday this year, we had our annual Christmas Eve candle light service with the children's play & then had worship service on Sunday morning. Leaving church on Saturday night, the rain was pouring down so hard it was difficult for me to see the road. I was thinking out loud & asked the kids if it continued to rain so hard throughout the night could we just stay home all day on Sunday, in our pj's & watch movies. I got a very loud "No way" from the back seat & just said, "I know, i'm just tired. Everyone would be upset if we stayed home."
Well, God did continue to bless us with the downpour all night long & into Sunday; creating not only a risen lake level in our back yard, but a small pond in our front! The kids & I made our way to church, & our two family gatherings, coming back home between each to gather gifts & food. Each time we stopped by the house, Brooklynn ran into her room saying she would be right back & came out in a different outfit. Now, let me just say, I was exhausted, so I let her do this. Playing Santa alone for the first year gave me a whole new appreciation for Vernon & all that he does to help (yes we still do Santa even though the kids are 11 & 9 but they do know, it's just part of the holiday magic)!!
When we returned home for the night, the kids began talking about the worship service from the morning. The shephards in the fields had to go 'after Christmas-shopping'. They had to go tell about the visit from the angel & the birth of Jesus...to spread the good news---shopping for people! The stores are going to have after-Christmas sales for left over decorations for a few days, but Jesus didn't come to the world in that stable for 'left overs' just for a few days after Christmas...He came for all, for eternity. Nicholas said he really enjoyed the sermon & was going to try to 'shop' all year. Brooklynn then stated she loved going to church on Christmas Eve then again on Christmas morning & that Jesus should always have lots of Birthday parties!! (This made it clear to me why she kept changing clothes; she wasn't changing to go to different gatherings, but to different Birthday parties.) I went to sleep last night with a great feeling of pride for these wonderful children that God has placed into our lives & given us the opportunity to raise.
Today, we began with discussing this weeks to-do list: clean your rooms, put away new clothes & gifts you received, household chores.... God is still showering us with rain, so I offered to help Nicholas take the trash to the dumpster. The trash truck had arrived early this morning & emptied the dumpster, closing the lid, so I had to take the broom with us to throw the lid open (I am vertically challenged & the dumpster is a large size). Now, anyone who knows me knows I am very accident prone....some say an accident waiting to happen. I really did think the lid was going to go back & open--alas, it did not. It came back down with a horrible thud, right onto my hand. I tried to move, but just wasn't quick enough & my pinkie was smashed. I have broken enough bones to know, it is broke! The kids have been helping me but things are getting done at a slower than normal pace.
Thank goodness I don't need my hand for the 'after-Christmas' shopping I am going to be doing!!! Oh well, sooo much to do & sooo little time!!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Holiday Hustle...
With only becoming a house-wife at the end of November, I made a vow to my family & myself that this holiday season would be our first 'stress-free' yet. I did the gift shopping early & avoided the black-Friday crowds for the first time in four years. Instead, the kids & I had a nice quiet day at home slowly putting up Christmas decorations at our own pace & enjoying our kittens amazement at all the sparkly decorations that they just knew were all for them! The kids waited in anticipation for Dad to come back home from work so he could help finish the outside lights & be here for the last week of school, which was scheduled with band concerts, parties, & dances. This year our church participated in the Christmas parade after taking a year break, & that was scheduled for that last week of school as well. So, my loving, sweet, but very tired husband flew home after a hard 12 hour shift & without us even realizing it, was thrown into the Holiday Hustle!
We had been going at our own slow pace & just kept going with all the scheduled events, dragging this tired man right along with us! Don't get me wrong, he did complain...but he just kept right on going with us through that whole first week. I have always said, & firmly believed that God works in mysterious ways & that everything happens for a reason. Even though we thought we were moving at a slow pace, we were stopped completely at the end of that week. I had gotten a cold that just wouldn't go away & settled in my chest. After several doctor's visits, shots, meds, chest x-rays, & being kept at home for fear of spreading my germs.....our two weeks together were over & that tired man that we had dragged all over the place, had to get on a plane & fly back out for more hard work. As we left the airport five days before Christmas, it dawned on me...we hadn't had a stress-free holiday season, just a more stretched out version that somehow took over our time together that we hold as precious. So, for the past three days the kids & I have been spending 'real' time together...reading Christmas books, watching movies, doing crafts.
Now as I sit here early in the morning on Christmas Eve, that 'Holiday Hustle' is creeping back as I realize...I haven't wrapped any gifts, done all my cooking, finished cleaning the house, finalized the preparations for the children's skit at church...& the list goes on---sooo much to do!!!
God Bless
We had been going at our own slow pace & just kept going with all the scheduled events, dragging this tired man right along with us! Don't get me wrong, he did complain...but he just kept right on going with us through that whole first week. I have always said, & firmly believed that God works in mysterious ways & that everything happens for a reason. Even though we thought we were moving at a slow pace, we were stopped completely at the end of that week. I had gotten a cold that just wouldn't go away & settled in my chest. After several doctor's visits, shots, meds, chest x-rays, & being kept at home for fear of spreading my germs.....our two weeks together were over & that tired man that we had dragged all over the place, had to get on a plane & fly back out for more hard work. As we left the airport five days before Christmas, it dawned on me...we hadn't had a stress-free holiday season, just a more stretched out version that somehow took over our time together that we hold as precious. So, for the past three days the kids & I have been spending 'real' time together...reading Christmas books, watching movies, doing crafts.
Now as I sit here early in the morning on Christmas Eve, that 'Holiday Hustle' is creeping back as I realize...I haven't wrapped any gifts, done all my cooking, finished cleaning the house, finalized the preparations for the children's skit at church...& the list goes on---sooo much to do!!!
God Bless
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