Nikki's New Year Challenge

I have spent the week contemplating a challenge that Nikki threw out to everybody. The thought of choosing a personal theme instead of a bunch of New Years resolutions seemed both refreshing and exciting. What would my focus be? What did I need to improve on more than anything else? What do I want out of life? What am I willing to give up in order to achieve it? What would I be required to do?

All of these questions ran through my mind as I thought of the WORD that would become a part of my life this year. Many words came to mind. Real... Improve... Chill. All things that I need to do (and be) a little bit better, yet none of those words carried enough excitement or motivation to really cause me to want to focus on it for twelve whole months.

So here it is Nikki, and anyone else who choses to do this. My word for 2008 is SAVOR. Synonyms of this word include: appreciate, delight in, experience, feel, gloat, know, like, luxuriate in, partake, relish, revel in, sample.

As soon as I thought of this word it seemed to speak volumes for how I want to be. I want to be happier, play with my kids more, laugh, relish life and all the good things about my life. I want to like myself a little more. I want to be grateful. I want to slow down, and at times even stop...breathe...relax. Worry a little (or a lot) less about what others think about me. I want to sample new things, make new friends and take time to enjoy. But not just enjoy, that didn't seem like enough. I want to savor it all. My faith, my marriage, my kids, every memory I have, I plan to appreciate it all this year. Revel in it...SAVOR!

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, than a good marriage

Today John and I celebrated our six year anniversary. John's Dad, two of his brothers, their wives and two kids came over to babysit for us this evening. Now that may seem like overkill as far as babysitting goes, but they obviously know Sam. The more hands...the better eh;) We loved our semi-annual trip out without the kids. Thanks everyone who watched our little ones.

John and I have often reflected on this past year and we honestly don't know if we will ever have another year where we have experienced so much change. It has at times, been a wee bit stressful. A new baby, a move, a new career, (a VERY busy new career), as well as the purchase of our first home and all the work that entails. On top of that, we each experienced the death of one of our parents and the pain that comes along with that. This year has flown by, and at times we have felt like we were barely hanging on.
However I cannot think of another person on this earth that I would have wanted to go through this year (or eternity for that matter) with more than John.

I ordered a peice of art awhile back and it has not yet arrived, though I was hoping it would come in time for me to give it to John today. It is a simple print titled Bridge over Troubled Water (by Steven Mitchel) and I just love it. Isn't it just so soothing to look at. Perhaps that is why I felt so inclined to get it for John this year. That is what John has been to me. Strong, dependable, and he always manages to ensure that we are headed in the right direction in life. Thanks for being the "bridge" in our family; the one that keeps us warm and safe from whatever is going on around us ...oh yeah, and thank you for sometimes letting me walk all over you. I love you.

Happy Anniversary John. I can't WAIT for 6 more (X 8 or so)!!!!!!!!

For Christmas

santa brought us a new camera! How nice of him eh:) We've been snapping pics of everything since, trying to figure it out. Here is one of my favorite pics of sam so far.


Christmas was nice. We enjoyed seeing family, John's brother got married, and the best part of all...John has two weeks off. He is so fun to have around when he isn't worried about tests, and lessons to prepare, and marking. I sometimes find myself thinking about how much I love "Holiday John".

We sure are looking forward to a new year!!!

Abby's funnies for the day

It is a well known fact that Abby can say some pretty funny things. John and I are always crackin up at things she says. The best part is that she has no idea she has even said something funny, they are just normal thoughts and questions from her cute little brain. Two of these Abby moments from today:



Example 1: John was goofing around and was pretending that their was a guest at our front door. As soon as he closed the door, Abby asked:

ABBY: "who was it Dad?"
JOHN (pretending it was Santa): "Oh, just a little weird guy in a red coat."
Abby (after thinking for a bit): "well...why is Sam wearing a red coat?"

Example 2: After Abby's bath tonight she came out of her room (having gotten her jammies on) and I noticed her sock was bulging with things stuffed inside of it.
"Look mom! I filled my sock with these very special things...for good luck!" She took a couple of steps and then said, "But when I walk, it kinda hurts, ...so maybe I'll carry them in my hand for EXTRA good luck."

I love her head.

Not our finest hour...

as far as Christmas Crafts go!




No worries though. Despite the awful mess this turned out to be, the kids enjoyed every sloppy second of it.

Here is a pic of some of the other baking we've done.
We decided to call these cupcakes "Holiday Lights" cupcakes!

Speaking of holiday lights we better start driving around to enjoy some of them in this town. Christmas is coming up FAST!!

Visit from the North Pole...

So Santa stopped in for a visit yesturday. Abigail was thrilled to go and see him, but the whole experience left me a little bewildered.

What is it about kids that makes them change their minds on you. Abby has had two things she has said she wants. 1) A horse with a feather on it. (sounds abstract...but I found one!) 2) A princess snow globe. (Abby LOVEs snowglobes). Not only has she wanted them but she has at times prayed for them, ... written to Santa asking for them, AND she's promised she'd be good forever if she got them... (you know how it is, you were like that once to:)

So here I am, having gotten her the two things she has consistently wanted more than anything else, and thinking I'm pretty darn amazing for doing so. I had high hopes of her being able to express her wish to Santa and then seeing on Christmas Day how "Santa" made that happen for her. That would have been fun. But she climbs up on Santa's knee and what does she ask for? ...A Rainbow Light. WHAT IS A RAINBOW LIGHT? Officially pulling my hair out here!! It's not looking like I'll make her wish come true this year. I'll have to wait until her ability to make decisions is a little more concrete, and she really knows what she wants:)


What was I thinking? A horse and a snowglobe! That was SOOO last week.

snowy day

Don't you just love when this happens. When your little one has been so busy she just can't stay awake for one second longer. (or perhaps she just got so bored of waiting for her mom to come and get her...whichever)
She's probably just exhausted from all the shovelling that I HAVE HAD to do. :) We got a major dump of snow yesturday. Hopefully it will make for some good snowmen later on.





Abby made this cute craft yesturday at pre-school. Where do people get these ideas? No Really...where do you get good ideas? I'd like to know.

DONE!!!!!!!

We are officially finished our Christmas shopping! Hurray!!! Right down to the kids stocking stuffers...it's all here. Aside from the baking we want to deliver still, the holidays are looking pretty laid back and easy. Feels good.

Another thing we completed yesturday: We watched our final episode of M*A*S*H- a personal favorite of mine. We have bought all 11 seasons, and for the past 5 1/2 years John and I have spent our spare time watching each episode that ever aired. We watched the final one yesturday and I'm wondering...now what will we do?

Santa School and other events of today

Tonight Abby and I went to watch one of my neices perform with the CES junior girls choir. Ava did such a great job and those girls were so stinkin cute singing Christmas songs, all dressed up. Nice work Ava! My favorite song was "Holiday Lights!!"

Other events of today was one of many Christmas parties that I get to attend this year. Sweet! I'm averaging 2 turkey dinners a week right now. Gotta love it.

Abby is fascinated with the whole "Santa" thing and seems to be a little fixated on his elves. She is very interested in what elves do exactly. I'm not sure what to tell her. The funny thing is though she keeps calling them "students." A typical conversation between us goes like...
Abby: "Mommy? Does santa's students know how to fix the toys?"
Me: "Abby remember they are Elves..."
Abby: "Oh ..yeah...right I forgot. Do they know how?" To which I proceed to explain to her that Santa has taught his elves very well. It just makes me laugh to hear her call them students.

Clearly, she is the daughter of a school teacher:)

The search...

Christmas shopping has begun!
This time last year I had all of the Christmas shopping done already. Not only done, but wrapped...signed (by Santa of course:)...and hidden away. Not this year. I wouldn't consider myself a scrooge in any way but this whole "gift" thing this year has been a tad more stressful then I thought it would be. What is wrong with me? Could it be that I'm not as obsessive compulsive as I once was? I sure hope not. I've always taken pride in my ability to be prepared...weeks and weeks in advance. Maybe I'm just learning, (now that I'm all grown up) that there is more to Christmas then just gifts. Maybe though, I've yet to find that perfect thing for those that I love. I feel a little lost as I search for that "Gift" that will make my kids' year.

I never go Christmas shopping without thinking about my favorite Christmas 23 years ago. My siblings remember this year well. My mom was ill. Together her and my Dad had decided that they would not purchase a single thing for us but instead, they each would make us something. My mom made us all matching pajamas. My Dad set to work building something. ...something big. For weeks and weeks our basement was "off limits", while my Dad labored on our gifts. We could hardly wait to see what it was. On Christmas morning we woke up and went downstairs to find the most beautiful playset I had ever seen. I still have not found a playset that would match this one. It took up an entire room. This playset was big, it had everything, real dials, faucets, a dishwasher, food...the works! My sisters and I played in that room for years, (with the odd invation from my brother and some of his He-Man.)

I recall very little about that time in my life...but I do remember the hours spent with my sisters in that little room. Perhaps that is the gift my Dad wanted to give most of all. As he knew we would be losing our mother, perhaps what he wanted to give us, more than anything else, was the ability to just...play. To be kids. Even now this playset occupies a room at my sisters house and all our girls love it and use it as much as we did. Now that was a gift.

So as I contemplate what to give my own kids now, and when I get tempted to just buy "anything" off the shelf or think it doesn't matter, because Christmas isn't about presents anyways; I'm reminded of that year, and I'm inclined to think that maybe Christmas can be a little bit about "presents", IF we find the right one.

So my search continues. Luckily, if I fail to find something great for my precious three, I can always take comfort that they do know about the greatest gift of all. Yes, the real meaning of Christmas. Thank goodness for that.