One of my favorite parts of the holidays is getting together our family Christmas card and letter. This year I worked on it, sent it out to be printed and then smacked into a wall. I just lost steam. So when the pictures did not arrive, I did a secret cheer and dance. I was hoping they were lost!
No such luck. They arrived on Monday. But, I'm not sending them. Nope, I'm not. If I see you, you may get one (if I remember). I'm taking the $4.00 loss and handing them over to the kids for craft projects.
And it feels so good!
However, know that we love you. We do hope that your Christmas is magical and all that you hope it to be. Take time to reflect on the season (I know I'll have a little more time to do so now that I've let this whole Christmas card thing go) and all of the joy it should bring. There is really so much more that goes beyond ourselves.
In a world where I could have any material thing for Christmas (and not feel bad about it's cost), this would be my Christmas wish list. I don't think it's too extravagant of a list. My husband wants a kayak and a mountain bike, so I feel like these things are reasonable. But yet I would never buy them because I am too cheap! So instead I wish for them to just show up under the tree.
And you can't get more comfy then with Uggs! I love a sweater boot with big buttons!
I wonder if these ones are comfortable because they are awesome! They come in all kinds of patterns and colors, too.
Anything Cupcake
Did you know that my older boys both have almost 30 kids in their class (that's too many)! I need some serious cupcake storage for class parties and birthdays...
What do YUDU??? Where would I store it? Would I really use it? My friend and I have been working on a project with her yudu (a tabletop screen printing system) and now I covet hers!! So many ideas swirling in my head...
Or how about a Silhouette (a digital cutting tool)? Oh, the possibilities are endless! I think it's gone beyond want here, NEED one! Check out this bag design...
Metal Stamping Supplies
Etsy is full of the best homemade metal stamped jewelry. I'd love any of them, but I'd prefer to make them myself!
Back over the spring I heard from a friend of a friend of a friend (I think) about their friend, Natalie Norton who recently lost her baby to pertussis, aka whooping cough. (You can read her story here. Make sure you bring your box of tissues. And check out her photography, too. I wish I lived in Hawaii.) And I thought to myself at the time that I needed to get the adult vaccine to protect against pertussis.
Did you know that as an adult, your vaccine "wears off"? And that 80% of infants with pertussis contacted it from a family member.
I would do it next time I go to the doctor. I didn't go the doctor again until September. And of course, I forgot. Bummer.
So, my so called sinus infection got worse and worse. I'll spare you the details, but the coughing fits weren't very fun. On Monday, my chest and rib cage started hurting. That afternoon the boys brought home a letter from the school saying that there was a confirmed case of pertussis at the school. I called the doctor right away. I knew.
It sucks. I feel like crap. I wish I had gotten that vaccine sooner. I did get it, though, yesterday. I feel like I cracked a rib. My neck muscles feel strained. I feel awful that I've exposed so many people to it. Especially my own children. And my friends children. Blah.
For any of my local friends, several cases have been confirmed in our area.
Get your vaccine! The Health Department wants me to tell you that the vaccine is FREE. No excuses.
Manassas Office9301 Lee Avenue
Manassas, VA 20110
Phone: 703-792-6300
Immunization Clinic Hours Monday:
8 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Friday: 8 - 10:30 a.m.
Moms, Dads, day-care workers, photographers, teachers, babysitters, teens, college kids, anyone who has contact with infants, any one who comes in contact with any one who has an infant, I'm talking to you! Get vaccinated.
Super Busy? Super Awesome? Super Sick? Super Exhausted? Super Travelers?
In 2008, I blogged 192 times.
For 2009, I managed in 112 posts.
What happened to 2010?
Seriously, only 51 (now 52) posts?
Kind of makes me sad because we had such a great year and I didn't even record over half of the memories, funny stories, amazing trips, etc...all of the the things that kept me so busy from blogging/journaling/documenting.
And now I wonder, do I dare resolve to do better next year?
Or be happy if I maybe get 25 in 2011?
What have we been up to...
Rob and I went to Japan in September. I miss spending so much time with my husband.
I had EXTREME jet lag--like 5 weeks long. Yikes.
We were Super Heroes for Halloween.
Instead of sticking around for that holiday, we went to Disney.
Before we left Evan had strep throat. And then pneumonia.
Our van's radiator exploded on the way to Disney.
The cost to fix it and the rental car (so we could still go on our trip) cost almost the same as 10 day Disney tickets for a family of 6. Gulp. Bye-bye for now new counter tops.
Anna was a trooper while at Disney, happy as can be but had the worst sounding cough.
Guess who else got pneumonia? I miss when Anna is sick. She's better behaved.
I loved spending over one whole week with my family. It really was a "magical" vacation. When can we go again?!?!
I got Anna and Evan's cough. Doctor says it was a sinus infection. 3 weeks later and it's still here. She was wrong.
During those three weeks, Evan and Anna both got sick again.
Evan has missed 9 days of school already this year.
I need to disinfect our house. I need to feel good enough to do it. I have high hopes it will get done tomorrow...
We bought a new vehicle. Something a little more reliable, something will a little more room.
Rob drove to PA and picked up my parents stove and dishwasher and installed them in our kitchen. We love them!
We hosted Thanksgiving dinner. It was a great day with the the Johns and Phillips families.
Our house is a complete disaster as we decorate our home with holiday spirit.
Really, you haven't missed much.
"...we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.UAdd a Note
Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.
Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace." Of Things That Matter Most, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Several weeks ago we returned from our fast paced trip to Japan. And life hasn't been the same since!
I had all of these ideas for posting and intentions of posting. And never did it. Life.
Bento boxes/lunches is the first topic on my list.
I'd seen a few books on Bento boxed lunches and I read a few blog posts about them. These are two books on my wish list...
With my kids by my side, we googled bento lunch images and spent hours admiring all of the creations. So, I added to my list of Japanese purchases...bento boxes and supplies!
What is “bento”? Is it the style of packing? Is it the box? Is it the food?
A bento lunch is a compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box. Historically, it’s a Japanese box lunch, similar in concept to the Indian tiffin, the Korean dosirak, or the Filipino baon lunch. In Japanese, “bento” or “obento” refers to the packed meal, and “bento-bako” refers to the bento box itself. See the Wikipedia entry on bento for more details.
What are the benefits of packing a bento-style lunch? Is it healthier?
Packed in reusable containers, they reduce lunch waste such as plastic baggies and disposable containers, and allow you to pack a wider variety of food for lunch.
Portion control is also easy if you follow the general packing rule of thumb of 3 parts carbs, 1 part protein and 2 parts fruits and vegetables, without candy, junk food or oily foods. Packed this way without gaps, a 600ml box holds a 600-calorie meal — a simple method for weight loss without counting calories.
Picky eaters may be tempted by an attractive presentation of a variety of foods.
Save money you might have spent on restaurant meals by bringing food from home; the savings from less than a week of eating packed lunches makes up for the initial cost of a bento box or lunch container.
While in Japan, we purchased several different bento boxes (even a Star Wars one!!) and all kinds of different supplies...tools to shape your rice, cutters to punch out faces from cheese, lunch meat, seaweed (which my kids surprisingly enjoy), fun little toothpicks, paper liners to separate foods, etc...Most of these supplies could be purchased at the 100 Yen store or Daiso so it didn't break the bank (unless you went a little crazy...and maybe, just maybe, I did that). And too bad the closest Daiso store is near Seattle...
The kids were so excited and even attempted to make their own bento creations the day after we returned. I, however, have not even touched the supplies! Like I said...life. But I'm ready to jump back in. I think this will be my first creation (kid friendly, easy and fun!!)... Halloween Bentos
(I don't know why the cookie cutter body just cracks me up...and my kiddos thought it was the best.)
Anyone out there "bento"?
(And Kim, I didn't see one single brown bag lunch while in Japan and we did see LOTS of students. I'm sure all of their lunches weren't "cute" but this is how they really do lunches.)
Evan is now in Kindergarten (and we'll see how long that lasts)!
He may be cute, but he's trouble!
Bye-bye Boys! We'll miss you!
Anna had her first day of dance and preschool.
Which means that I took a shower without having to worry about the destruction going on in my absence.
And now Rob gets to go to Japan for the first time...
with me!
See you in a week.
(You can check my Facebook to see our photos from Japan.)
(And hope I don't fall in love with Japan because I hear it's a great place to live with children.)
I have had such a great summer.
I'm glad that we stayed home, lazed around and got to know each other better.
Swimming was fun. Bowling was fun. Camping was fun. All of the ice cream was yummy!
Sending you off to school tomorrow morning will not be easy.
I'm sure I'll follow the school bus and cry my eyes out as I watch you enter the school.
And then wander around the house wondering what I should do, feeling like my dirty house seems so empty...
Be good. Make great friends. Choose the right.
And remember that I love you.
Lots.
The boys entered through Platform 9 3/4 (dang, I didn't take a picture).
Shopping at Diagon Alley for wands (tutorial found here), cauldrons, broomsticks and glasses.
On to the classes...
Divination (fortunes found here)
Defense against the Dark Arts (boys just being silly with their wands)
Bertie Botts Tasting Contest (some of the flavors--skunk, boogers, vomit, dog food, baby wipes, etc...)
Potions (by far their favorite--we had pop rocks, vinegar, and unicorn blood)
Quidditch (they took this very seriously...riding on broomsticks the entire time, while wearing their glasses)
Time for the magical Golden Cheeseball Snitch cake filled with jelly beans and a horcrux (idea found here and she rocked the cake). The boys also had Butterbeer (cream soda floats with Butterscotch caramel and vanilla ice cream).
After some presents and more spells, the boys grabbed a few treats from our mini Honeydukes (ring pops, gummy rats and Berti Botts jelly beans). And then ran around in the torrential rainstorm.
When all of the guests left, Rob pulled out the rest of the dry ice and we had a little "After Party". Note to self: Dry Ice=cheap and easy entertainment
A little photo review...
(Decorations all came from my ever growing stash of Halloween clearance items...at some point I'm going to have to stop!)
Every year we plant a small garden.
Every year we take good care of it.
We weed. We water. We reap the benefits of our labors.
And then August comes.
And then we forget.
All about the garden.
This year baseball season took so much of our time. And the garden got pushed aside (It never happened). I kept hearing people talk about their gardens and felt a little sad that we had dropped the ball this year. So when one Sunday at church, someone had left some sad looking plants in the kitchen and we snagged a few (a squash and 2 tomato plants). And then the next day at Lowe's, I grabbed some clearance plants (2 cucumbers, 1 green pepper, 1 jalapeno and 2 tomato). It was already the end of June, but better late then never, right?
1 1/2 months later, our little "I think I can" garden is finally producing! And being that it is already mid-August and we are already neglecting the poor thing, I'm quite shocked.
Our first harvest.
I don't think this little guy is going to make it. You win some, you lose some.
(If you need a little reassurance/reminder about being a mom, you should watch this little video.)
Today is my Mom's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom!
Really, she is my "step" mom.
But I find that to sound ugly.
She's been my "mom" since I was 7.
We never called her "Deb" because Alison started calling her Deb and she was only 2.
My Dad asked us if we would call her "Mom" in the house for Ali's sake.
I guess it just stuck!
She was only 27 then. Wowsers, that is really young! Can you imagine?
27 with 7 children (between the ages of 2 and 7). Makes me wanna cry.
She worked full time,
Put herself through nursing school,
Served diligently in her church callings,
Fed and clothed us,
Taught us how to clean properly,
And how to get along with each other.
I find no distinction between my "real" and "step" siblings.
That's because of my mom.
Then we all moved out
and got married,
like within 1 1/2 years of each other.
And gave her 22 grandchildren.
I often wonder how she did it...
And on the days when I just want to give up on being a mother, I think about her. And that gives me strength to keep going.
She's taught me that I don't need all of the greatest things now. And if I wait for that really nice couch (say, when my kids decide they hate sticky foods or move out), it will be all the more enjoyable! Good things come to those who wait!
She has taught me how to be assertive. If you don't like your service, it's okay to say so. If you have a concern, then bring it up. Things don't always get accomplished if you keep quiet. Although, this has sometimes gotten me in trouble...but not as much trouble as she has gotten into!
She has taught me how to serve others and magnify callings. If she can be the Young Womens president while raising 7 young children and going to nursing school and working, then there is no reason I cannot do any calling asked of me. I think of her often when I hear people whine about their callings (me included). And then I buck up and "just do it." Because really, I can't think of any reason not to.
But I think the most important thing I have learned from my mom is forgiveness.
She hasn't had it easy.
Her journey has been hard.
Her pain has been real.
And she endured.
And she is all the more beautiful and wonderful and better for it.
Thank you for teaching me that, Mom.
Your example helped me move on.
I love you, and hope you have the best birthday.
Love,
Andrea
Elder M. Russell Ballard on mothering:
"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else." “Daughters of God,” Ensign, May 2008, 108–10
His big blue eyes, wild cowlick and small birthmark on his cheek...no way could this boy ever have been switched at birth.
Now he's got the cute lip scar and big ole' eight year old teeth to add to the craziness.
I know he is mine.
I'm sure there are a few things that Jared would like to forget about the past year (how about falling into a fire and burning his arm...or a bad case of poison ivy that turned into a serious strep infection of the skin).
But there were of course the highlights.
Learning to snowboard.
Playing baseball.
Being the catcher.
Amazing trip to Utah.
Participating in the science fair.
Reading Harry Potter.
Being snowbound most of the winter.
Standing over Chicago.
Confidence in his bike riding.
Loads of camping trips.
And to look forward to...
His baptism on Saturday.
Officially starting cub scouts on Tuesday.
A week long visit with his cousin at our house.
And his Harry Potter birthday party next week.
This child is being spoiled!
Happy 8th Birthday, Jared.
I love you.
Forever.
I would have preferred to have made my own frosting, but I didn't have time so I used a tub of buttercream and flavored and colored it with the cherry juice and some pink food coloring.
If you like cherry and chocolate, it's a winner recipe!
On our way up to Pennsylvania over 4th of July weekend, I saw a gorgeous, old and rusted aqua colored iron rod bed displayed outside at the On A Whim Boutique in Lucketts, VA (the place with the polk-a-dot silo). We pulled over to take a look. At a price tag of over $200, we had to pass it up but the idea that this was something I could do on my own didn't leave me. Later that day, I was telling a friend about it and she offered up her daughters old bed...for FREE!!! And the bed is perfect for Anna's room and for what I wanted to do with it!!
So...
3 cans of spray paint for less than $9 + 1 free iron rod bed = a new AQUA colored bed for Anna!! (and one thing checked off my list)
