It's beginning to look...a little bit like Christmas?

This year...I must admit...I'm a little less eager to decorate for Christmas. Maybe it's because of this...
Or, because of these...

or perhaps a bit of both :)! But, I'm sure, due to my "advanced maternal age" all I want to do is sit my fat fanny on the couch and put my swollen ankles up! Still we've managed to get some stuff done...

Our sweet little gingerbread house...Chris is quite the gingerbread house artist, I must say!

Our version of "elf on the shelf". This elf watched over me back in the day...if my parents had only had enough vision to write a book... :).

The reason for the season...

Our tree...a bit sparse...but decorated with love by the boys. We just left the ornaments where they put them for the most part...

"Joy to the world"... simple, but I like simple...

Our unconventional advent candles...

Christmas mischief...they're changing the oil :)!

It's amazing to me with my somewhat "bah humbug" Christmas mood how my kids are somewhat immune to it (thank God). Their JOY at Christmas does lift my spirits and takes me back to a time when Christmas was nothing but JOY and MAGIC! It makes me appreciate my parents more...I never saw "behind the curtain" to witness the stress of the holidays...it makes me want to be a better parent. And so I'm off to make bird food ornaments for our feathered friends...because it's fun for them...

better direction

Do you ever have those days where your head feels as if it will go spinning off your body and out into orbit? Well, today was one of those days for me. If I were a bit more not "emotionally crazy" I may have handled it better but...well, I am who I am. Fortunately I do possess the ability to pull from some small reserve of inner strength and give myself a good talking to. I am, after all, quite blessed indeed. And, although I believe everyone needs to host their own personal "pity party" every now and then for their own mental health, it is equally important to know when to holler ,"last call" and then move on. For me that means stopping right where I am and thinking immediately of five reasons for which I am thankful... today it looked like this...
1. my boys...all of them
2. the roof over my head (even though it's under construction right now and causing a lot of my emotional distress! :))
3. that I had nutella in the house
4. the day was beautiful
5. the knowledge that this too will pass
Then...move on. Still not completely not emotionally crazy but headed in a better direction! :)

here we go...

It's the most annoying time of the year...la la la...! The Toys R US catalog arrived in the newspaper on Sunday...OH SAD DAY! Now my house is filled with the sounds of children talking over each other trying to tell Chris and me what it is they need, want, desire, " have to get" for Christmas (see Colin's very organized, specific want list above). In other words, the little green, greedy monsters have arrived! And Halloween just got over 36 hours ago! I hate that Thanksgiving...my favorite holiday...just gets swept under the rug for so many people. Society has allowed it to get smothered out by candy corn and Santa Clause! My 6 yr. old has not only decided what to ask Santa to bring him, but what he wants him to put in his stocking! I'm not wanting to take away the magic of Christmas, but isn't it getting a bit ridiculous? My goal is to let my children dream and brainstorm and make their want lists for Christmas, but to also take the time to be thankful for the gifts God has given them, the blessings they enjoy and to realize that not everyone is as lucky as they are. Is that expecting too much? I don't think so...and I hope that one day my kids will be thankful that I spent the time talking to them about these things. I know that I'm thankful my parents did....it's a true blessing!

progress???

Can I just say that I realize that the "progress" you see here is ridiculous? I know that to the untrained eye this looks exactly like my last post...but it's not. I can appreciate the work that has been put in here because I did it! The hours spent sorting paper-work are burned into my tired brain! I still do not have my recycle bin or shelves (thx for the advice Sarah and Jenny),but I no longer have a dinosaur, Darth Vader or spider man inhabiting my space. Little by little this will all come together...and for my sanity I must acknowledge the baby steps that are getting me to my ultimate goal. And for my readers who scoff at my "progress"...you must understand what I'm up against...

Any questions? (God love the little guy! :))

my space?

People...I need help. Seriously. This is my desk at home. I can't believe I'm actually posting a picture of this because I am, normally, or used to be quite organized. So this picture is the equivalent of posting a naked picture of myself for the world to see. It causes me some serious embarrassment! As much as I try to organize this mess it just keeps reoccurring!

Of course, it's not all me...as much as I love spider man and dinosaurs and darth vader and paper chains and safety books from first grade, they aren't normally my top pick for desk decorations!

And, the floor next to my desk...well it's not safe either! This pile being what was on my kitchen counter 30 minutes before the rehearsal dinner this past weekend. Needless to say our upstairs was off limits! So...again...I need help. Any strategies for keeping your space your space? And what about the school papers...I swear I recycle 95% of it but the remaining 5% that would be nice to keep...what the heck are you people doing with those? This has to be my next project...it just has to be! So bring on the ideas people....

it's finally finished!

Our kitchen...in all its finished glory! (and yes, we're still married). If you want to recall how hideous it once was you'll have to scroll back to my May posts...

May people...

can you believe that?

And we're still married...amazing!

P.S. We had a rehersal dinner here this past weekend. It was supposed to be outside...but it rained...so it was inside...and we're still married...I guess we're meant to be...or I have a really patient and totally "opposite-from-me" husband who puts up with a lot...or maybe a bit of both :).

keeping the faith

We are blessed to say we are once again expecting! And...if you can trust an ultrasound...it's a girl! Um... I gotta say, was totally not expecting that...really had the boy feeling... I was surprised... pleasantly :).

Most of you are aware of the devastating loss of our daughter, Clementine Grace, at 20 weeks this past January. It is a loss that will be with us all of our days. It was extraordinarily difficult to decide whether or not to try again, but we chose to take a leap of faith. Let me tell you...trying to keep the faith while coping with extreme fear is challenging to say the least!

We can't ever replace Clementine...but, this new little ray of hope feels good. I'm starting to feel less fear and more joy...and that's good...

Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy cometh in the morning.
-Psalm 30:5

two-wheeling!

Look at my little Ty! All grown up (except for the diaper he refuses to give up). Proof of how much he's grown up since the beginning of summer since we tried this a few months ago and it was not happening. And now...

Are you watching Mom? Oh yes, I am... (I especially love the way your older brother is directing your every move...God love the bossy first born). So proud...so, so proud. Time flies... sniff, sniff.

my problem

I came upon this quote this evening while reading my Simple Abundance book...

"One must also accept that one has "uncreative" moments. The more honestly one can accept that, the quicker these moments will pass. One must have the courage to call a halt, to feel empty and discouraged." -- Etty Hillesum

The entire month of August the author, Sarah Ban Breathnach, has devoted her daily essays to creative energy. And so all month I've felt like a blob reading on and on about how to conjure up my creative spirit...a spirit who has clearly given up all hope when it comes to this poor, unmotivated creature. And then here...on the last day of August...my problem so eloquently revealed to me like a breath of fresh air...it's ok...I accept! And, of course, that means it will soon pass! Hooray!

Look for my creative spirit to make an appearance...sooner rather than later, please!

proof

Are you wondering what this is? This is picture proof that a certain brother-in-law of mine is not just a clown who likes to occasionally shoot at innocent animals with paint balls. This is picture proof of what I've known all along...he is a wonderful, caring individual who rescued this baby robin from certain death after a storm knocked it's nest out of the tree. In fact there were three baby robins to begin with; one unfortunately did not make it through the first fall, the second did not make it through the second fall, and this little one here survived only due to the ingeniousness of my brother, who duct taped the nest to the tree to keep it from falling out again. I'm happy to report that this little guy flew the nest and is probably out hunting for bugs just like the grown up birdie that he is. And Andy...you never fooled me...I've known you've had it in you all along!

our summer so far...( told you I had pics!)

Our first run in with stitches... I'm sure not our last. Let's just say Colin and Ty both learned important lessons: Colin to look around him before he swings the golf club and Ty to stay the heck away from Colin when he's swinging a golf club! (Oh... and Mom to not let Colin play with metal golf clubs! One good reason I will not be winning Mother-of-the-Year this year! :))
Also a first...T-ball! We had so much fun! (A lot more games than I bargained for and more assistant coaching than I would have preferred, but fun anyway. I kinda miss the little buggers!

And still another first! I caught this fish! The first decent fish I've ever caught! I usually catch the crappy croppies... :)

And last but not least our first campfire of the summer (also our first s'mores of the summer...see below). I love campfires! It is one of my favorite things about summer and we are so lucky we can have one in our very own yard... a benefit of livin' in the sticks! :) Hope your summer is going great as well... All three of you :) (I've picked up another reader! Thx Ali!)