Hints of Spring

Our weather has been crazy. Just a few weeks ago we were hunting for a generator because ice storms were threatening to knock out our power for days. Then this week we had some days of 70 degrees. I don't know what to expect tomorrow, but I do know that this has all made for lots of PUDDLES!!! Luckily, we are big fans of puddles in our family--so much, in fact, that rain gear makes it on the birthday wish lists. Little Buddy got some for his birthday and has worn it pretty much every day since he got it.

I really like it when all the pieces match. The girls, on the other hand, are more of "the more colors the better" mindset. It makes for some colorful, cute pictures I must say!

Don't you just feel like spring is on its way?

This is Love

Brewing Starbucks early in the morning and texting me after I wake up to let me know it's ready.

Picking up Valentines for the children on his way home.

Helping me with dinner.

Going to the store while we're making dinner to get the thing we didn't have.

Working long days to support the family so I can be at home with the children.

Helping with dishes and getting the kids ready for bed.

Sweet kisses while he stays up late to work on our taxes.

And this was just today. Not because it's Valentine's Day, but because it's a random Monday and he loves me. Now that's love.

Tri-Fold Barbie, Anyone?

Valentine exchanges at school are a big deal. Teachers nowadays are wise enough to make sure that the children bring enough for the whole class so that no one gets left out. Because Little Sissy is girly and frilly, she was very excited about the Tinkerbell pre-made Valentines that come with stickers. Because Big Sissy is unique, she wanted to make her own. Left alone, I'm sure that would have consisted of some sparkly heart stickers on construction paper. So I can't blame her that the entire weekend was consumed with making 24 Valentines for the class. I got the idea from Family Fun magazine, and look how cute this is.

It says, "You make my heart melt." Four bottles of super glue and an entire weekend later, we finally got enough for the whole class. I'm thinking next year we go for the tri-fold Barbie. Maybe we'll tape on some candy for a creative touch.

Little Virgins

When I was a little girl, I thought virgin meant something like "girl in the Bible" because I had only heard of the Virgin Mary, and there was a certain costume that always accompanied Virgin Mary. So one day my mom gets my baby sister out of the bathtub, all wrapped in a towel, and I say, "Awww...Mommy, she looks just like a little virgin." After the gasp followed by an awkward silence followed by a barrage of questions, my mom explained to me that I was a teeny bit mistaken about the meaning of that word.

Big Sissy won some hair clips at Nana and Papa's church on Sunday (while Hubby and I were having a little child-free retreat in a nearby town). She spent the next few days creating some nice costumes using baby blankets and clips. She called them nightgowns, but since they resembled a nativity scene--especially with Brown Lamby all wrapped in swaddling clothes--I suggested they looked like Bible character costumes. Then I proceed to point out that they could be Bible sisters like Leah and Rachel. Then they could both marry Jacob (Little Buddy). He always wants to play with them, so bam. Problem solved.

Instead of the excited, "Great idea, Mommy!" response that I expected, I got an awkward stare reminiscent of the day I misused the term "virgin."

"We can't be Rachel and Leah, Mommy."
"Why not?"
"Ummmm...because we're both kind of beautiful. Who would be Rachel and who would be Leah?"
Oooooo...true. I didn't know they were actually listening to all those Bible stories.

Genesis 29:16-18: Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel."

So they are CLEARLY not Leah and Rachel. Of course. Maybe Mary and Martha?

Highlights from the Season

Gingerbread Non-Houses

Those of you who have seen me try to do crafts will not be surprised that our gingerbread houses turned into gingerbread "non-houses." After several times of trying to get the house to stick together with the icing provided in the kit and trying REALLY hard not to blurt out any expletives in front of my children or my parents, we improvised. Each child got a side of the house to do with as they pleased. The girls decorated house-like things, and I helped Little Buddy make something that slightly resembled a car. They had fun, and since it was our first year doing it, they didn't really know it was supposed to be 3-dimensional. And they really enjoyed the slightly stale pre-packaged candy. We may have to try something different next year, like maybe hire some kind of gingerbread house professional.

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Today was kind of monumental. Not only did we celebrate our Savior's birth at church, but also our timid child stood in front of an auditorium full of people and sang. With all of her heart. There was hardly a dry eye in the place. This is only the first half of it, but I thought I'd share the sweetness with you. Grab a tissue...