Christmas Tag

Apparently, I am not a good blogger friend...I was tagged like almost 2 weeks ago and just realized it. (I hate tag, I'm "it" FOREVER!)

But, since there are a ton of things I should be doing instead of blogging, I take a moment to entertain you all with my wit and humor ;)

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper--
2.Real tree or artificial? Real. Though the idea of having the lights already on the tree is very appealing to me.
3.When do you put up the tree? After Libby's b-day (dec. 6) we always try to make it a separate event...though for all our effort, I don't think it makes a difference to her.
4.When do you take the tree down? Depends on how crispy it is. Usually Jan 2nd-ish. Funny thing, last year, I took the tree down while the kids were asleep and had it on the curb for recycling, when then kids woke up they followed the pine needles for clues to see where the tree had gone off to.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hard to say...oh, I remember...New Kids on the Block concert tickets wrapped in box after box after box, using EVERY extra scrap of wrapping paper.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Wade
8. Easiest person to buy for? Libby
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. Got it free with purchase at RC Willey a few years ago.
10.Mail or email Christmas cards? I always intend to mail them and just never get around to it...so, email;)
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Now that I'm an adult I can see the necessity for a box o' socks, but as a kid, it wasn't all the great. Neither was the maraca when everyone else got guitars.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? While you were Sleeping
13.When do you start shopping for Christmas? Black Friday
14.Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only white elephant ones
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas Crack...you'll see what I
16. Lights on the tree? Yes, I prefer white lights, but wade put the colored ones on this year before I could give instructions
17. Favorite Christmas song? Candlelight Carol, Not that far from Bethelehem, and Where are you Christmas?
18 .Travel at Christmas or stay home? We have been home that last couple years.
19.Can you name all Santa's reindeer? Dasher and dancer, prancer, and vixen, comet, Cupid, Donner, but do you, DO YOU know BLITZEN? He's a boogie woogie reindeer and he boogies all day!
20. Angel on the tree top or Star? Star
21.Open presents Christmas Eve or morning? MIL makes jammies every year that we open Christmas Eve.
22.Most annoying thing about this time of year? Guilt of not getting my Christmas Cards done.
23. Favorite ornament? I don't think I have one
24. Favorite Christmas dinner? Growing up it was like Thanksgiving 2.0, so we have changed ours to be ham, funeral potatoes, green beans, rolls, mmmmm, I'm hungry.
25. Favorite Christmas drink ? Apple Cider or diluted egg nog.
26.What do you want for Christmas this year? new shoes or Jane Austen Books
27.What don't you want for Christmas this year? ugh, I would really HATE to get a new car....that would be SO annoying!
28. What is something you have never done that you want to do for Christmas? Play hand bells with fam on christmas eve. Or go Christmas caroling--never gone with the kids.
29.Who is the most likely to respond to this? Don't know
30.Who is least likely to respond? someone who doesn't read my blog??

Random Thoughts

Sorry, I've been neglecting my blog lately...I'm addicted to Facebook.

Anyway, thought I'd better update my blog with a new post.

It's pretty cold right now here in Meridian...and today I saw these ducks...and I thought, "SO glad I'm not a duck--not only would I not want to sit my butt in the FREEZING COLD water, I certainly wouldn't want to stick my head in to find something to eat! I mean, I won't open the fridge without slippers/socks on..."

So there is something to be thankful for...

Lost in Austen

Okay, so for the last couple months, I've had a new obsession...Pride & Prejudice. I saw the 2005 movie (Keira Knightley) and it started me on a kick. Reading the book, watching the '95 mini-series, reading P&P sequels, etc. And now I have come across another 4 part series that aired in the UK back in September: Lost in Austen; about a girl (Amanda Price) who swaps places with Elizabeth Bennet. Here is one of the clips that made me laugh.

Always Be Prepared

So, this fabulous Parenting Class I've been taking...oh I wish you all could experience it. I leave feeling uplifted, encouraged, and full of great ideas to implement.

So here is one for you LDS mommies. With General Conference Weekend upon us, I have been preparing some Conference Notebooks for my kids to keep them busy (read quiet) and maybe help them pay attention during the sessions.

And if you go to http://www.sugardoodles.net/ they have some GREAT resources for any church thing you can think of practically. Also a good site is lds.about.com

The point we talked about for Sunday's and Sunday activities is for it to be DIFFERENT then the rest of the week. Let them color with markers on Sunday and crayons the rest of the week. On Sunday, watch home movies, but not the rest of the week.

I loved that these are ideas I can implement even though my sweet hubby & I aren't on the same page "church"wise. So, do what works for your family. I'm working on my conference notebook and will post pics when I'm done. TIP--best time to buy binders is during back to school shopping, otherwise they are ridiculously expensive and hard to find. So a family tradition was born--you get a conference notebook the fall conference after you finish 1st grade--cause they have to have a binder in first grade that they don't need for 2nd. So--there ya go--way to recycle right?

Brotherly Love

Okay, so last week I started a Positive Parenting Class at the Institute (cause who couldn't use a little parent pep talk every now and then hu?) Anyway, one of the things we talked about was the importance of siblings bonding together. That they are closer with siblings than school friends. **not that it isn't important to have friends**

Anyway, yesterday was just a wonderful, proud moment for me watching my boys.

Here's the story (and a lot of back story)
The kid's go to a year round school. One of the kids that goes to our bus stop always brings his Dog and Brother (who is a bit of a bully--well both boys are--the older one poked Ethan daily with a tack on the kindergarten bus last year) and Mom with baby (who is very tolerant of their wild behavior "boys will be boys").
They are on a different track than we are, so when they are on track break I have no problems at the bus stop. When they aren't on break, I try to avoid the bus stop. 1. they are mean 2. it is hard to control Isaac when he is running after their dog to pet it.
But yesterday, I didn't have any errands to run after the kids went to school, so I opted for the bus. Isaac brought a little toy with him to occupy him.

We get to the bus stop and there are the boys and dog--mom off talking with other moms. So we line up and the little brother starts asking--more like demanding--Isaac to give him a turn with the toy. Isaac, being the diplomatic 3 yr old that he his, ignores him and walks away. He stands by Ethan at the back of the line. The boy comes up to Isaac again and demands his turn. To which Ethan replies, "He doesn't have to! It is HIS"

I was only a few feet away, keeping a very close eye on the little bully's reaction--he stood there quiet, opening and closing his fist very slowly, then pushes Ethan hard so he falls over. I put my hand on the boys shoulder and said "No! that is NOT okay" He runs the 30 ft to his mom.

I couldn't hear if she said anything to him, but he did walk over to Isaac and said "Sorry". To which Isaac replied "You go tell Ethan sorry" And he did.

While I will go back to my avoidance of the bus stop for awhile, I was SO proud of my boys for standing up for each other.

This picture is from last winter (hence the snow boots).

My little garden

Okay, so this spring I wanted to plant a garden. I chose a square foot garden as to not get in over my head. I researched all the materials I'd need, decided what I would plant, and bought the supplies.

I got the seeds/plants planted by June. And enjoyed watching my little seeds grow. Well, nothing could quite prepare me for what I would get out of those little pumpkin seeds I planted...

Okay so over on the right you can see the box I used to plant everything in. It is a 4' square garden. The pumpkins were only planted in 1' square.

All I can say is, I'm glad I planted them in an outside square and not an inside one.

At last count I had 11 pumpkins growing. It is my most successful garden item. Apparently I'm growing baby carrots and 1 ear of baby corn ;)

better luck next year I suppose.

Calling all Mom's of daughters

Any of you who know me & Liberty, know that I struggle keeping her hair cute and out of her face. I have often wondered why I never came across a good "hairstyles" book. Well, my good friend Amy sent me a link to a blog and from there, I found more hair blogs.

Oh the ideas! Granted I spend much more time on Libby's hair these days, but it turns out SO much cuter! At least, when she walks out the door. It is still messy when she comes home.

Anyway, this blog Girly Do's is having a drawing for free hair stuff, but it ends tomorrow. So, go enter and tell her I sent you!

First Day of Preschool

I can't believe it! Isaac is off to preschool! He is only 3 1/2 but is already brilliant (if I do say so myself). He knows his letters and letter sounds and I couldn't possibly keep him out of some type of school for another year. He can hardly stand to watch Libby and Ethan get on the bus in the morning. The bus driver thinks it's hilarious to watch Isaac stand at the door at wave and holler to Ethan & Libby.

Anyway, he was very excited for his first day and says he had so much fun!

We were so excited to find out Libby's preschool teacher was going to do preschool this year. She is a friend that is a teacher here locally and hasn't done preschool since Libby's class (3 years ago) because she was going to teach full time at the Charter School near by. Well, this year she got moved to Kindergarten and felt she had time in the afternoons to do preschool. Music to my ears! I don't think we'd have Isaac in preschool already if she wasn't doing it. But she is SO good. I would not be surprised if Isaac starts reading this year.

Oh, and I really enjoy the afternoons to myself ;)

Ethan turned 6!

Okay, Ethan was having a Spiderman party and I COULD NOT bring myself to pay the $20 for the Pinata at WalMart, it just didn't make sense to me to pay that much, pay to fill it with candy only to last 3 minutes till it rips to shreds. So I made my own! I used 2 soda fridge pack boxes, taped them together and wrapped with brown paper. I had the fridge opening of the boxes facing down, so it was like a 2-barrel pinata. The first side busted after everyone hit it twice, they cleaned up the candy, and then we had a whole other round of hitting before the 2 nd side gave way. I think it worked out great, and I didn't spend a dime on the pinata (just the candy).

Spiderman! You're laying down on the job! Apparently Buttercream is not his preferred habitat for optimal performance. Sadly, this was Spidey's only chance to prove himself as he succombed to the sharp, pointy teeth of our puggle later that evening. R.I.P Spidey.

We could barely get Ethan to put his pizza down long enough to blow out the candle!

Ready, Set, Go!

So, I'm really on a roll getting the blogging thing going. Might as well jump right in, hu? I really enjoy looking at everyone's blogs and getting updated on what is going on in your lives, so I wanted to create one of those for my little family to provide the same little window into our lives and what is going on with us. I guess that is pretty much why everyone starts a blog though right?

Though this talking to myself thing is pretty appealing.

Anyhoo...I will post some pics soon. So check back.