Christmas Magic

It is unfathomable that Christmas is only 3 weeks away! We still have much to do to prepare: gifts to make/wrap/shop for, treats to make, decorations to put up, getting the house ready for guests, and packing for our trip to Florida. Ack!

Having said that, I will admit that what we have done so far has been magical for our children. This year, more than ever, they are mesmerized by the lights. They are loving the Christmas cookies. They have loved helping make presents and can't wait to help wrap them. They are soaking in the atmosphere and music. We talk about Santa and Jesus, and what Christmas means.

We haven't found some of our Christmas decor, so the Advent calendar is absent this year unfortunately (along with our Veggie Tales nativity, boo-hoo). But we made paper chains, and each day they tear off a link and know that it is one day closer. I made videos for them from Santa (Portable North Pole - VERY cool), and we will probably have them watch them this weekend. I am so excited to see their faces when they open presents this year. And I am overjoyed at being able to spend Christmas with family members we don't get to spend enough time with (especially Chris' parents!).

We already had snow once, and they were so happy because they thought it was Christmas that day! I hope we will be blessed with some more whiteness soon.

It really is amazing, seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child again. Only this time, it is even sweeter. It is truly magical.

What Are You Thankful For?

We were sitting at breakfast yesterday, drinking our green smoothies, and I starting talking about what Thanksgiving was all about (George wanted to dress up as a vampire, Josh wants to get presents - I needed to clarify). So I started telling them what I was thankful for that day: the sunshine, that our family is together and healthy, etc. So we went around the table so that everyone could say what they were thankful for. When I said to Blake, "And what are you thankful for, Blake?" Without missing a beat, he immediately responded, "Boothie!" (Smoothie)

Pumpkin Patch 2009

We debated about going to the pumpkin patch many times this season. We needed pumpkins, after all, and the experience of actually going to a patch is so much fun for the kids (okay, and the adults too). But when our craft at MOPS was painting pumpkins, which we got to take home with us, we decided it was not necessary to get anymore pumpkins. And when we ran out of money, we also decided it was not frugal or wise. And the boys were aware that we decided not to go to the pumpkin patch, as we already had pumpkins. They seemed accepting of that, especially since we said we'd for sure go next year.

But then during bedtime prayers on Thursday night before we went, George prayed that we wouldn't be too late to go to the pumpkin patch and get a pumpkin and carve it and eat the seeds. Talk about being stabbed in the heart! How could we refuse such an earnest, sweet prayer?! We decided we'd go, and do the most frugal option - ONE pumpkin for the whole family (put to a vote), plus the hayride for us all (kids were free, and we were $2 each). Total cost? $9.00

The enjoyment and quality time we had as a family? Priceless. See for yourself....

If you are on Facebook, you've seen these already. This is something new I'm trying - linking my Facebook pictures in the blog. That way I don't have to duplicate efforts. But I will be posting different stuff in each place, so if you want it all, then read the blog and be friends with me on Facebook! Let me know if you like the link to Facebook pics or not. Please leave comments! I'm feeling like nobody cares...

Blake at 20 Months

How can it be that my baby is on the downward slope to 2 years old?  Time is going by so fast, and I have not documented his babyhood nearly well enough.  I guess I can pass a little more grace on to my parents, who only took about a handful of pictures of me as a baby/toddler (in all fairness to them, their camera broke during that time).  Maybe I should get started on the baby books, although at this point I'll probably have to make some stuff up.  Perhaps I'll just use this blog as a way to remember stuff (though I haven't been consistent with that, either).  

So I'll try to summarize what Blake is like right now, at 20 months old:

• He is a dynamo!  Full of energy, he does not like to be confined (or to be held for long).  He gets right in the thick of the action, regardless of the personal risk he assumes by doing so.
• He is a ham.  He totally has a great sense of humor already, and likes to get attention with it.  He knows he's funny, which makes it even funnier.
• He is very verbal.  He is using sentences now!  He will say things like "I don't know," or "Pacis are for night-night," or "Hugs and kisses from George and Josh."  And he repeats everything we say.  He amazes us with his verbal ability!
• He is sweet.  He will sometimes come up and just grab onto our legs and bury his face into them as a hug.  He HAS to give hugs and kisses to EVERYONE before he will lay down for bedtime.  And he will say "Night-night, I love you."  He is sometimes willing to share his stuff, and he also has empathy (when we fake cry, he starts to get upset).  
• He is all boy.  He loves dirt, rocks, vehicles (especially trains), bugs, dinosaurs...all of the things that many little boys naturally gravitate towards.
• He is growing up way too fast.  He has started to do things that make him seem even older than he is.  He has peed on the potty once already!  He puts his own clothes in the hamper (by request, of course).  He is really good at doing simple commands of all sorts, actually.  And he is losing some of his babyish look.  *sigh*  

We are so very blessed to have this little man in our lives.  He brings joy, laughter, and chaos to our home, and we love him to pieces.  He is SO cute (which is partly why he gets his way so much), bright, and fun.  We thank God for adding him to our family!