It's official...

I'm gonna be SICK.

love you & miss you...

Scotty boy...

We're all remembering & missing you today.

beautiful...

I'm off...

Going here...

(San Diego)

So I can be at the Wedding of these two goofs...

(who I love dearly)


...and offer a little stress relief for her.

While I'm gone my BEST HUSBAND EVER is taking care of the kids, the meals & the neighbor gifts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

knock, knock...

You know how usually this time of year when there's a knock, knock at the door and a little Christmas goody has been left on your doorstep?????

Well, today this was left on my doorstep after a soft little knock knock...

Need a closer look?

Deer poop
Guess who left it???

He's on the naughty list for sure.

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, and cuddled my four children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two rolls of wrapping paper to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my son's scout uniform with staples and a glue gun.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you are hauling big ticket items this year, I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a tv that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide and talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking 5 year old doll that says, "Yes, Mom" to boost my parental confidence, along with a potty-trained toddler, four kids who don't fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother", because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the neighbor dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a plastic container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat the secret stash of fruit snacks in the storage room.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer us ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold. Help your self to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours always....Mom

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

date with dad...

Lizzie got to go on a date with dad today. It was really just a trip to Target...but it was just the two of them and we made a big deal out of it. She even got to ride in dad's car, which (to her) is a huge deal!

She had her cell phone & a toy in her purse...

Awwwww!!

*the sweater and Hello Kitty footless tights are courtesy of Auntie Di from this trip.

friday fashion foto...

This kid and I have had a bad week.

I'm reeeaaallllyy glad I have a pic like this to make me laugh.

(He was at the $1 store with John & had to be bribed to get this pic. TOTALLY worth a $1 trinket!! Totally.)

tradition...

"Tradition simply means that we need to end what began well and continue what is worth continuing."

I am a big traditionalist. I like to pick from the fond memories that my mom provided when I was a kid (there are many) and carry them on (adding a few) with my kids.

*Ornaments*

Every year we got a new ornament (labeled with our name and the year) so we would have something to decorate our Christmas tree with once we were married. Genius! I have carried on that tradition with my kids.

Here are a few of my own that I got when I was a kid...

Here are some that my kids have received...

Makes for a very eclectic tree!!

Every once in a while I think it is time for my "grown up tree". You know, fragile stuff, bows, etc. Then I take out our cute (and some very old...ahem) ornaments and quickly give up that thought. My sister has to relinquish the ornaments of her first born this Christmas. That's a good thing, but also a little sad for sappy moms like us.

I think I'll just enjoy the tradition and the memories as long as I can!! (Cuz it will be, like, tomorrow that they're all grown up & outa here.)

good read...

Need a good laugh?? Go visit my friend, Christie...I just about lost it reading this!!

And, yes...her posts are always this entertaining!!

your input please...

I've been trying to come up with a way to enjoy the Christmas cards that are sent to us a little more. I've just always put them in a basket on a table...not really getting to look at them much. So, here is my solution. Ribbon & glue dots.

I stapled the ribbon to the top of the door (shhhhhh...) and just secured the ribbon to the door with removeable glue dots. Then, as cards come in I can just stick them on with another glue dot.

Lame or cute?

I'm not easily offended. Even if you vote lame, it's staying. It's up, and I sliced my finger in the process (makes me enjoy the pointed ends on the end of the ribbon that much more!!!

a wonderful day...

The table

The decontamination of the kitchen sink after rinsing a large bird

(and the sprayer before I accidentally turned on the disposal while the sprayer was in the disposal...oops)

The hungry crew

Crunchy caramel apple pie...YUM!!!

Gingerbread houses with the family!!

It was perfect!

I'm thankful for...

Babysitters that don't just come over and sit, but actually do fun stuff with your kids while you're away...

Crate & Barrel for (after 11 years) still carrying the dishes I bought when I got married and can be purchased "open stock" so everyone can have matching place settings for upcoming Holiday meals...(I'm a little uptight about stuff like that, stop laughing)

UPS for delivering said dishes in a timely manner so I don't have to worry about things not matching, resorting to paper plates, etc. (again, uptight)...

Airborne. For when everyone around you is, or has been sick and you are afraid of being sick for upcoming Holiday meals that you are cooking...I swear by this stuff.

Double ovens. I'm happy that I don't have to worry about what to cook first (again, uptight. Stop rolling your eyes)

The BEST cookbook for Thanksgiving. It was purchased on clearance several years ago from Williams Sonoma (when I could have cared less about how to cook a Thanksgiving meal) I love it.

Bath & Body Works FOAMING hand soap. Everything else just ends up in clumps in the sink. Why can't they come up with a foaming toothpaste for kids???

This plaque that reminds me on a daily basis of what is truly important...and also (upon picture taking) finding the missing orange nerf gun dart in the foliage. Just keeping it real.



Of course there are many, many things I am thankful for that would bring a tear to your eye, and mine... but I also think it is perfectly fine to be grateful for the trivial, daily things that make my life easier!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!