The Quietest Little Troublemaker

I never thought I would see the day where my daughter would give me trouble all day long. I mean she has always been so peaceful, snuggly, sweet and quiet. About a month ago I feel like a different child woke up and took over my kid!

Today I went to the kitchen to fix dinner and left Cola sitting with a book in the living room. I seriously never heard a peep! I figured she was looking quietly at her book, like always. Uh, no. She was taking every ornament off the tree....AGAIN...and had taken the entire strand of lights off. She was standing the arm of the couch leaning over and I caught her and the tree just as they both begin to sway and lose their balance. Did I mention I never heard a peep?

Dalen and I have read 10 Christmas books so far. Tonight was his favorite selection The Polar Express. We all piled in the bed as a family and I thought we were all listening intently as I read about the little boy who traveled by train to the North Pole. Umm, no. The next thing I know I see my petite, powdered-covered "princess" re-enter our bedroom with a shameful look on her face. She had stripped herself down to her pull up. I looked at my husband in disbelief and finally asked, "What? How? She was just laying next to me!" None of us ever heard her walk out of our room or get into the pantry, open the box of bisquick, pour it all over the kitchen floor and ROLL IN IT! Seriously! How quiet can a kid be? Well, I guess when I prayed my 2nd would be quieter than my 1st I surely found favor!

Not only has she been into things she has had a mind of her own. She casually tells us no with a roll of the eyes as if she is granting our every wish. It's crazy!

For some reason I think we are going to be seeing a lot of messes between the two Hoodlums. Let the good times roll!

The Gifts That Keep Giving.

I'm 27. I've been privileged to celebrate the birth of Christ in the company of family twenty-seven times. Every year we had a tree and the base was always hugged by gifts, surrounded by family and most years a warm fireplace. Christmas morning was the same most years; we got up early, read the Christmas story, prayed, opened gifts, ate breakfast, went back to sleep and then ate lunch. I never had a bad Christmas. They have all been full and wonderful.

This year we are getting the kids three gifts each. If it was good enough for Christ, it's plenty enough for them.

I just had a revelation though. I have an impecable memory. Like, seriously, there aren't too many details I forget but I just sat and racked my brain trying to think of gifts I got as a child. I literally cannot recall one. Not a single one! I remember the Christmas before I got married my parents got us laptops but I seriously cannot remember one single gift I got as a kid. I hate to admit it because I know my parents worked so very hard to provide gifts for us but the truth is, I only remember the memories.

I know, it sounds like I am just trying to prove a point that I made in a previous blog (family matters most at the holidays, not gifts) but I promise you I only remember memories made around the kitchen table playing games like Bolderdash, Trivial Pursuit, and Taboo. I remember every year hearing a small whisper talking over whoever read the Christmas story and looking over only to see my grandmother quoting the entire story along with my dad or grandfather, totally by memory. I remember when I was really little, running like crazy through my Granny's house with my cousins, laughing our heads off and my one cousin who always peed in her pants when we got to laughing really hard.

Then there was the year when it was strange to feel the child like excitement all over again because I had a son to share the morning with. He wore red pajamas and had the cutest little tummy ever. I remember the first Christmas my grandfather was gone and the year my uncle was in Iraq. I remember last year, like it was yesterday. Our first Christmas just us four Hoods. We did only what we wanted to do. It was peaceful and full and fun.

Memories are the gifts that keep giving-giving me laughter, smiles and assurance that when I take the difficult stand to emphasize Christ (which is totally minimized by society these days) and do away with the stress of excess I am ABSOLUTELY doing the RIGHT thing. I know ten years from now I won't remember what's under the tree, but I will treasure who sat around it.

How many child gifts can you remember? Do you remember more memories than gifts?

Thanksgiving 2011

This Thanksgiving was my favorite Thanksgiving EVER. We made it a priority to do family, family and more family. My parents came in on Wednesday, I made dinner (which turned out great, sigh of relief), and then Thursday we headed to Belleview to my dad's side of the family to eat and spend the day.

There were a whopping 50 people in attendance-thank God for a massive bounce house, HUGE front porch and acres of flat, wide open, grassy fields for the kids to run absolutely wild. The day was so full! Not full of busy or stress but full of laughter, loved ones and the kind of fellowship that makes your heart fall deeper in love with your family. We all brought a dish or two and sat at long covered tabled on my aunt and uncles front porch (yes, it's that big). The kids had an absolute blast! The ran, jumped and slid a million times again in the field and on the bounce house. If your weather permits one I would strongly suggest renting one for large family gatherings and of course if your property allows space for one.

Wednesday night we put up the tree, with the help of my mom. My dad sat and let us know of every bare spot and Mario took pictures. She turned out so pretty! Cola has de-ornamented the tree several times and shattered one ornament by tossing it on the tile floor. I guess that's just all a part of it? Dalen got the honors of putting the angel on the top.

All in all it was a great few days! It is still strange to me though. To look around and see my cousins who I used to run around in the rain in my panties with, now mothers and wives and working full time. It's also probably the first time I looked around at my family of great aunts and uncles and grandparents and even parents and see their age. It's increasing by the day. It hit me this year they won't be here forever. Which one of us will open the door of our home when they are gone? Very strange feeling but I felt it heavy and deep within. For now I am just thankful we had another year with them.

Life

I've been overwhelmed of the feelings I had a few years ago when I took a job in retail so that we could have extra cash for gifts, for Christmas. I was working more than I was spending time with my family which is what holidays are all about and I said I would never do it again. Every year, this time of year, when traffic seems to pick up and Thanksgiving is overlooked and black Friday ads are more important than ANYTHING it seems a lurking heaviness comes in my life and won't leave.

You can't escape society. You just can't. But I hate how what life is all about, is not what life is all about-if that makes sense. I understand we all have different priorities because we all have different lives but seriously how important is the newest toy, the greatest gift, that second job? What are we teaching our children about our priorities? When we are willing to stand in line longer than we are willing to sit and do a craft with our kids where is our heart, really?

And to be honest, I won't stop here.

Of course the holidays are very tempting to get overwhelmed, too busy, booked with parties and feel as though you have to attend the things you have no interest in but really I think it's to the point where it happens all year!

What is life all about? REALLY! WHAT IS IT REALLY ABOUT?

I just found a Pinterest pin which included tips on how to be a successful anorexic. REALLY? These tips (if really completed by someone) would literally consume one's life! So, really, is life seriously about how skinny one can be? I don't think there is anything wrong with buying a new toy or splurging here and there on your kids around the holidays but when it consumes your life?? How far are we going to go people?

I think that's called idolatry. When something becomes more important more than anything and even God that is an idol.

My heart just gets sad this time of year. I remember waiting for the Christmas stuff to get put out and now it's like Halloween stuff and Christmas are out together and Thanksgiving....we might as well just take it off the calendar because what does it really matter anymore??

I just want to be cautious of keeping my priorities in line. I'll never get this moment back-EVER and you will never get this Thanksgiving or Christmas back either so what is most important this holiday season?

Dalen's Day

Today was my parent co-op day with Dalen's school. I love going into his classroom and seeing him in a classroom setting and how he interacts with others and works on things that we don't typically work on at home. It's really entertaining. This week was a great week to go considering they have done something called Pilgrim week. They have made everything from indian jewlery to pilgrim snacks. These days also give me plenty of funny stories.

So I finally get to meet the infamous W, who stole Dalen's first girlfriend L. One day Dalen and W are best friends and the next they are not so friendly. W REALLY clung close to me....so close I had to give him a friendly "could ya scoot back a tad kid??" Here is how our first conversation went.

W: Hey my name is Wee-Wum
Me: Oh, hey William.
W: What's her name?
Me: Cola
W: Coe-wah?
Me: yes
W: Who picked that name?
Me: me
W: oh, yoooow weiwd.
thought: possibly.

I got to get to know Dalen's new girlfriend, Sofia. She is super cute and sweet. She did agree that she was in fact Dalen's girlfriend.

One of Dalen's teachers is older. Probably in her mid 60s. Who knows how she keeps up with 20 toddlers! You can tell she is a total busy bee. She helped the kids do crafts without ever looking up. It was hilarious! She kept calling all of the kids the wrong names. I guess she didn't know their voices as well as she thought. At one point one kid told me he peed in his refrigerator at home and I didn't hold back and let him know that was disgusting. Without looking up she said umm Dalen let's not talk about things that would make an adults stomach turn and Dalen said but Mrs. K...(I'm sure he was going to let her know it wasn't him who told the story) and she totally cut him off and said let move on now. She did this like three times to different kids. I think they gave up trying to correct her.

Another kid had to let me know after I sat down on the rug for circle time that he finds snot on it all the time. WAHOO!

It really is amazing how much these little kids know and retain. It blows my mind! This co-op day was a really good day and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Grander Scheme...

I just bought some RED lipstick. It was too hot not to share. This is probably my most favorite picture of Cola yet. This chica loves her some new panties, lip gloss and nail polish. While it's super cute now, I think it will be super expensive later. All in all I love having me a girl's girl!

This is totally not the point of this blog but...I've mentioned a million times how much I LOVE blogs! Recently, I have been so inspired by what I have read. Of course, there is my close friend who is blogging about her journey to Cambodia as a missionary, then there's another high school friend who is adopting a precious girl from Ethiopia and I just read about another young woman who I never knew well but attended college with, will be moving to Australia. Wow. I have a close friend who just got engaged and will become an aunt to twins early next year, another friend who just landed a great new job, my sister who went back to school and is making straight As (wahoo!), my mom just attended a wedding which is a lifetime of new beginnings for two young people.

Newness.

It's all around me.

So many people are taking the plunge into new places, new jobs, saying I Do, changing the life of babies and the world. I am surrounded by greatness! Great people, great things.

I love that being surrounded by great people makes you ask yourself what's the greatest things I'm doing in my life right now. It makes you want to strive to do something, anything other than the status quo.

But to be honest am I doing enough? Maybe this is Seasonal Depression Disorder (ha!) talking or maybe I'm not alone. But, really what's the most daring and greatest thing I've done lately.

Hmm, well I did just score that hot new red lipstick for ninety-three cents and I shared it with my daughter. That should count for something, shouldn't it??

If you talk to any of these people it's so humbling to hear them share about their life because they talk about moving around the world or adopting that baby from so far away or scoring that A+ is just so darn simple. About as simple as trying that new lipstick. There are those anxieties and fears present but all in all they just go with what is right.

I'm not sure if I have anyone looking at my ever so simple life and becoming inspired but I'd love to spice my life up a little. Do something crazy, daring, changing for someone else's better. I'm wondering what that thing may be and I'm not sure yet but maybe I'll explore and little find the right thing for me. The thing that will keep me going, not on fumes but on excitement and purpose.

Any suggestions??

Dear Dalen & Cola

Do you ever just take a step back and look at things (society, technology, government, fashion) and see them evolving before your eyes? I'm not an embracer of change and for me the evolution of all things is scary! As things change and evolve into new trends or become extinct (couldn't think of another word lol) there are a few things I never want my kids to lose sight of. And here there...

Never forget the value of a handwritten note. It shows you are personable and go the extra mile to make something simple, special. I must say I love the random e-mail, private FB message or midnight text but NOTHING beats finding an unexpected card or note in my mailbox!

Always use manners. I used to think manners were all about making the parent looking good but now I realize (with manners being so yesterday) manners are about showing even a complete stranger respect, which everyone is worthy of.

Don't forget thank you notes. The reason thank you notes are so moving is because anyone can say thanks at the moment when they receive a gift or kind gesture but receiving a thank you note later lets someone know whatever they gave/did still has you thinking and moved you days or even weeks later.

Emphasize traditions and never hesitate to share them. I know I am a little Pinterest crazy right now but really the crafts or holiday ideas are so cool. Can you imagine sharing one small and seemingly insignificant craft or tradition to a friend or on Pinterest and then hundreds of families making beautiful traditions and memories by trying them? What you do with your family today could change a household tomorrow.

Know how valuable time is and how invaluable TV is not. We do watch TV in our home and probably more than we should but the truth is I'm not going to remember next year that episode of Regis and Kelly but I will remember and treasure a craft I made with the kids or the sound of laughter while Mario wrestles with the kids. Sometimes the only way to really connect is to disconnect-from TV, FB, Internet and darn it turn those smart phones off ;)

Never stop using your imagination. A good book is a great way to re-spark a dying imagination! Your imagination is the womb in which dreams are conceived! Keep giving those dreams and crazy ideas life!

What do you want your children to never lose sight of?

Thanks A Lot

I've been reading so many FB posts about what people are thankful for and I am assuming because it's November everyone feels they should be extra thankful. Sometimes this gets on my nerves because I don't think it should take a holiday for us to be reminded we have much to be thankful for or an anniversary to let your spouse know you appreciate them or a birthday to let someone know you are glad they are alive.

But I do know holidays and special occaisons can often help put things in perspective and especially because a lot of people get time off from work they spend more time thinking and reflecting on things they may not have much time to spend on, on a normal day. After reading a lot of FB posts about what people are so thankful for in others it dawned on me they were pretty much all about what others do for them not for who they.

As a mom who is in constant demand and constantly doing something for the kids sometimes it's nice just to know it's not JUST about having clean underwear or a hot meal or clean bathtub to bathe in sometimes it's nice that people get to the core of the clean undies and hot meal. For instance, I wish people would appreciate the qualities in me more than the things I do. Then of course I have to self-examine myself and ask myself how often do I let others know what I appreciate about them.

This summer while at a wedding for a friend one of my friends literally spent the entire trip doing for others. She was constantly asking what she could do to help set up, make things easier for the bride, she even went out in the rain to get the car for the bride after the bridesmaid luncheon. And while all of those things were awesome and appreciated what I really appreciated about the acts of service was the unending level of compassion and selflessness in her heart. I really want to be a better person at letting others know what I appreciate about them, the true qualities that make me want to be their friend. It shouldn't be a time of thanks only when they make those qualities about us it should be brought to their attention often.

I really think appreciation is one of the best things in life. It lets you know you are noticed and not doing acts of service in vain but that someone is benefitting from them. Let someone know they are appreciated today!

Conquerer

I often express how much I love reading blogs. Only the truthful ones, though. The ones who are truthful enough to let you know how frustrating motherhood can be, how demanding marriage is and how grueling balancing life seems at times. Recently my heart has been completely broken and my mind completely stretched while reading some of the most tragic life events of others.

These stories, while so trying, seem unfathomable my mind can't stop trying to comprehend why these things happened, how the person will get through the circumstance and when healing will find them complete. A young woman from my hometown who I have only met once gave birth to two identical twin boys at 20 weeks who didn't make it. My sister had a classmate commit suicide. Kim Kardashian is getting divorced after 72 days (spare me your latest jokes because frankly divorce is just not funny to me). Another young person committed suicide because of hateful peers who just wouldn't give them a break. And lately I was introduced to a website of testimonies from couples who decided to not allow their mistakes of adultry turn to the choice of divorce.

My biggest struggle today was using tweezers to remove bits of toilet paper that Cola had shoved sooo deeply inside her nose I was confident we would be going to the pediatrician. My biggest disappointment was my son jumping off the swing AGAIN at it's highest point and landing on his chin (no worries he's fine). My only hurt was a slight sore throat I seem to be fighting off again. While I am so thankful tragedy has been far from my heart and grief forgein from my soul I can't help but to ask what have I conquered today.

The only thing I can think of is myself. My heart has grown a little more compassionate and mind a little more challenged as I try to think of this heart wrenching events. It makes me want to give more, pray more intently and most of all thank God more often.