This is the winning photo for the 1989 "Best Hair" yearbook picture. It's unfortunate that she was very sad. She is really not going to like this picture. I think she got syrup in her hair, or she found a 20-year-old bottle of AquaNet!
Monday, December 8, 2008
You Have a Nice Face
Daddy gave Little Buddy a buzz Sunday night. I'm not sure why we decided to do this when it was 17 degrees outside. Actually, it's just much shorter than we meant to get it. I guess it's hard to pick a clipper "number" for such a little head. Two things I've noticed are (1) he looks so big! and (2) his hair seems very blonde. I'm getting used to it now, but at first it made me sad, like seeing Aslan after he was shaved in Chronicles of Narnia. Now he just looks handsome.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Keeping it Real at Christmas
I drove by our local Christmas tree "farm" (tent) today, and they had a big sign that said "Christmas trees, wreaths, and grave blankets." At first I felt startled, like they were being joy stealers. I don't want to think about death. I want to think about Christmas lights, Christmas carols, and peppermint mochas from Starbucks. Then in a split second I grew up and realized that there are many people who have a lot more to worry about this season than what to feed the reindeer or how to coordinate their wrapping paper designs. I felt very emotional the rest of my drive to meet my friend for lunch. I was thinking back on the years that my sister was suffering with her brain disease, her first brain surgery, and the fear we felt while we waited for the surgeons to finish and let us know something. Then a few years ago my mother-in-law was diagnosed with leukemia. Thank God both of these women are doing great now, but I also know that not everyone gets to see the happy ending in this life. There are a lot of people who are suffering at Christmas because they miss someone they love. Christmas seems to revolve around families, and many who could otherwise suppress it are being forced to face their loneliness. As we pause to remember why we're celebrating CHRISTmas in the first place, let's remember the holy night that changed the world forever because of the hope that Christ brings. Isaiah talks about why God sent His Son--"to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release prisoners from darkness."
The greatest Christmas song ever written (in my opinion) is "O Holy Night," written by a wine merchant in 1847. The words talk about this very idea, of the holy night that Christ was born to break the chains of sin. Every time I hear it, I feel compelled to stop whatever I'm doing and just worship. My YouTube options for this song were limited to Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, and Celine Dion. I picked Celine. Enjoy.
The greatest Christmas song ever written (in my opinion) is "O Holy Night," written by a wine merchant in 1847. The words talk about this very idea, of the holy night that Christ was born to break the chains of sin. Every time I hear it, I feel compelled to stop whatever I'm doing and just worship. My YouTube options for this song were limited to Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, and Celine Dion. I picked Celine. Enjoy.
Reindeer Nutrition Part II
I just had a LONG lunch with my childhood bff--long enough that we actually talked about reindeer food. She gave me a great idea for a reindeer snack: a bowl of "magic" oatmeal. You sprinkle some glitter in it to help them fly, but the oatmeal is a good nutritious snack that won't make them sick. Great idea!!!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Reindeer Nutrition
I'll be honest. I'm having a Santa dilemma this year. We watched Polar Express with the girls while we were in Branson as part of a fun Christmas family night. It was really the first time that Big Sissy had thought much about Santa, the idea of him checking a "naughty" and "nice" list, etc. It's not really a religious dilemma. I grew up in a household where we did the whole Santa thing, and I emerged from childhood knowing the difference between reality and fantasy. I enjoy the fantastic aspect of Christmas, although I want to stress the nativity above all. The dilemma is that I am committed to never lying to my children. I won't tell them everything, of course, because they just don't need to know everything. But I won't lie to them. So as Big Sissy wants to hear more about the story of Santa, I keep starting it with, "The story goes that Santa lives at the North Pole..." This is a smart girl, though. At one point she asked, "How can Santa be both real and pretend?" This could get tricky.
I told her we could leave some treats out on Christmas Eve for Santa and his reindeer, and she got very concerned, "Mommy," she said, "we have to be careful about what treats we leave out for the reindeer. Animals can't eat too many sweets or it really makes them sick." The lines are very fuzzy between pretend and real for us. So now I guess we're going to have to compromise and leave carrots for the reindeer and something a little more fun for Santa. (Unless she decides he should probably have a salad. She has seen his picture, after all.)
I told her we could leave some treats out on Christmas Eve for Santa and his reindeer, and she got very concerned, "Mommy," she said, "we have to be careful about what treats we leave out for the reindeer. Animals can't eat too many sweets or it really makes them sick." The lines are very fuzzy between pretend and real for us. So now I guess we're going to have to compromise and leave carrots for the reindeer and something a little more fun for Santa. (Unless she decides he should probably have a salad. She has seen his picture, after all.)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Crawler on the Loose
What a difference a few days makes! The first video is of Little buddy on Thanksgiving. I knew he could crawl, because he had gone a couple of feet before. I was trying to bribe him with grapes, which is the thing he had crawled for before. He just wasn't ready, and he got so sad. Sorry about the sideways video. Ever since the computer crash, I can't seem to edit my videos or pictures like I used to.
Suddenly on Monday, we had a crawler on the loose. After that, he didn't want to sleep or eat. All he wanted to do was crawl and climb. The second video is from last night. Again, he's trying to get Big Sissy's grapes. Time to get out the gate and step up the vacuuming frequency!!! He'll be 10 months old tomorrow. Better late than never!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Managing in a Recession
I read on MSN yesterday that we are officially in a recession, which actually began in December 2007. I think I knew that, but it's just a little creepy to hear it made official. The recession in our house actually began in August 2004. That's when I had to stop working to go on bedrest during my first pregnancy. I haven't been back since (except for a few odd jobs here and there, proofreading and working at Mother's Day Out). I didn't realize how spoiled I was, but we have learned a few tips for cutting back. I would love to hear your ideas too!
1. My husband purchased a nice set of clippers and gives himself (and Little Buddy) free haircuts. This is offset, of course, by the crazy number of dollars I spend to get my hair cut, colored, and my eyebrows done. But I've cut this from 4 or 5 times a year to only 2. You might notice my hair has gotten progressively longer and darker (as have my eyebrows).
2. We buy as much as we can in bulk from Sam's Club. I sometimes brown a whole bunch of ground beef and freeze the extra for another meal later. I shop at Aldi's when I can. (This is a bare-bones, warehouse-type of grocery store. No frills. Not many brand names. Bring your own bags.)
3. We don't go out to eat as much as we used to. I would like to say we never do, but we still do. We just try to make it a treat, and we try to go places that have a "kids eat free" night.
4. I buy a local entertainment coupon book. Their grocery store coupons alone make it worth the price of the book, but then they have tons of bogo (buy one get one) coupons and some "don't buy anything but still get one free" coupons--like McDonalds coffee. (Their coffee has gotten better over the years.)
5. I save the bulk of my grocery shopping for "no coupon Thursday" at Shop 'n Save. You get $10 off automatically when you spend $50.
6. We don't get babysitters very often, but when we do, we try to make it work where they can stay with family. Or we trade off babysitting with friends.
7. We pack lunches for picnics instead of picking up lunch on the way. Sometimes we pack lunches even for a day at the mall instead of eating at the food court.
8. We LOVE hand-me-downs. The kids aren't old enough to care yet, and it is so much better than having to buy all new wardrobes every season for growing children.
9. We have a coat and costume exchange in my MOPS program. Bring a coat/costume you're done with, take home one someone else is done with. I already have a nice coat for Big Sissy to wear next year.
10. Garage sale/ebay/Craig's List.
11. We got rid of all the extras on our home phone line. We only have one at all because of internet, but we don't even have long distance. We use our cell phones for long distance calls.
12. For fun get-togethers with friends, we meet at someone's house and bring snacks instead of meeting at a restaurant. This works better with kids anyway.
12. We drive used cars.
13. My husband changes our oil or uses a coupon that makes it cheaper than changing our oil.
14. We find all the free fun stuff around town. For example, the library has great kids' programs--story times, crafts, movie nights, etc. The Magic House is free one Friday night a month. The zoo is free. The science center is free. Grandma's house is free.
15. Redbox instead of Blockbuster, and we rarely pay full price at an actual theater.
16. Good coffee and creamer at home (with to-go cups from Sam's) instead of Starbuck's.
17. I buy our kids' clothes for the next year when they are being clearanced.
18. I try to keep lights off in the rooms we're not using. (This sounds dumb, but I really can't stand it to be dark anywhere close to where I am.)
19. We are currently trying to refinance our house and maybe pay off a vehicle. I'm really excited about that possibility!
20. I love to trade services with people. For example, I used to tutor a family's children in exchange for the dad laying carpet in our house. Everyone gets something they need, and no money is exchanged.
21. We try to arrange our errands in clusters so we're not driving all over town every day. It saves on time and gas.
22. We recycle paper. Today's mapquest directions becomes tomorrow's to-do list paper.
23. We recycle random things for crafts (toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, baby food jars, etc.)
24. Preschool choir at the church down the street instead of Kindermuzik.
25. Learning at home instead of preschool this year.
I would love to hear your ideas for managing in a recession. I think most of us can still have fun. We just have to be a little more creative! I also think it's important to help each other out. If you have extra, share with someone in need. If you're in need, I hope you have a place you can go to for help (church, family, mission, etc.). This is the time to help out your brother!
1. My husband purchased a nice set of clippers and gives himself (and Little Buddy) free haircuts. This is offset, of course, by the crazy number of dollars I spend to get my hair cut, colored, and my eyebrows done. But I've cut this from 4 or 5 times a year to only 2. You might notice my hair has gotten progressively longer and darker (as have my eyebrows).
2. We buy as much as we can in bulk from Sam's Club. I sometimes brown a whole bunch of ground beef and freeze the extra for another meal later. I shop at Aldi's when I can. (This is a bare-bones, warehouse-type of grocery store. No frills. Not many brand names. Bring your own bags.)
3. We don't go out to eat as much as we used to. I would like to say we never do, but we still do. We just try to make it a treat, and we try to go places that have a "kids eat free" night.
4. I buy a local entertainment coupon book. Their grocery store coupons alone make it worth the price of the book, but then they have tons of bogo (buy one get one) coupons and some "don't buy anything but still get one free" coupons--like McDonalds coffee. (Their coffee has gotten better over the years.)
5. I save the bulk of my grocery shopping for "no coupon Thursday" at Shop 'n Save. You get $10 off automatically when you spend $50.
6. We don't get babysitters very often, but when we do, we try to make it work where they can stay with family. Or we trade off babysitting with friends.
7. We pack lunches for picnics instead of picking up lunch on the way. Sometimes we pack lunches even for a day at the mall instead of eating at the food court.
8. We LOVE hand-me-downs. The kids aren't old enough to care yet, and it is so much better than having to buy all new wardrobes every season for growing children.
9. We have a coat and costume exchange in my MOPS program. Bring a coat/costume you're done with, take home one someone else is done with. I already have a nice coat for Big Sissy to wear next year.
10. Garage sale/ebay/Craig's List.
11. We got rid of all the extras on our home phone line. We only have one at all because of internet, but we don't even have long distance. We use our cell phones for long distance calls.
12. For fun get-togethers with friends, we meet at someone's house and bring snacks instead of meeting at a restaurant. This works better with kids anyway.
12. We drive used cars.
13. My husband changes our oil or uses a coupon that makes it cheaper than changing our oil.
14. We find all the free fun stuff around town. For example, the library has great kids' programs--story times, crafts, movie nights, etc. The Magic House is free one Friday night a month. The zoo is free. The science center is free. Grandma's house is free.
15. Redbox instead of Blockbuster, and we rarely pay full price at an actual theater.
16. Good coffee and creamer at home (with to-go cups from Sam's) instead of Starbuck's.
17. I buy our kids' clothes for the next year when they are being clearanced.
18. I try to keep lights off in the rooms we're not using. (This sounds dumb, but I really can't stand it to be dark anywhere close to where I am.)
19. We are currently trying to refinance our house and maybe pay off a vehicle. I'm really excited about that possibility!
20. I love to trade services with people. For example, I used to tutor a family's children in exchange for the dad laying carpet in our house. Everyone gets something they need, and no money is exchanged.
21. We try to arrange our errands in clusters so we're not driving all over town every day. It saves on time and gas.
22. We recycle paper. Today's mapquest directions becomes tomorrow's to-do list paper.
23. We recycle random things for crafts (toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, baby food jars, etc.)
24. Preschool choir at the church down the street instead of Kindermuzik.
25. Learning at home instead of preschool this year.
I would love to hear your ideas for managing in a recession. I think most of us can still have fun. We just have to be a little more creative! I also think it's important to help each other out. If you have extra, share with someone in need. If you're in need, I hope you have a place you can go to for help (church, family, mission, etc.). This is the time to help out your brother!
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