2 under 2

Hey friends!
I just had to send out a word of encouragement to any Mommy of young babes or babes-to-be! My children are 18 months apart in age. When I was toting my 14 month-old around AND wearing maternity clothes people looked at me and even asked, "Did you do that on purpose?!" Well, God did. But, I'll be honest, I was overwhelmed at the sight of the pregnancy stick, later when I was vomiting due to morning sickness with a toddler following me into the bathroom, and certainly in the days when I'd care for one while breast-feeding the other and loading the dryer. :)

BUT! Let me tell you. Mine are 6 & 7, currently, and have been playing Legos together, happily for the past hour!!! I didn't say, "Hey, why don't you go play Legos?" They just spontaneously did this... and they're singing a made up song together... oh wait, they just transitioned to the Jackson 5's "Rockin Robin." hilarious
Remarkably, this is NOT uncommon.

So, be encouraged!!! It is a sweet sweet BLESSING to have children so close together. Was it hard 6 years ago? You betcha. Would I trade this for ANYTHING? Not on your life.

2 and 3

And two more resolutions

So clearly putting these in writing is key, since I thought, "crud, what were the other two???" as I began to type.

#2 Put photos in albums

Aha! Already off to an excellent start here.

One present for Christmas was a camera. Great gift. Needed it. Problem is I'm not a fan of pics all over my computer that never get printed and leisurely laughed over. Solution is to print them as they are taken and put into albums. Christmas pics are printed and in album. CHECK!

#3 Use the "envelope system" EVERY month with my budget.

This works for me. I spend too much on little things at Target or Wal-Mart or even the grocery store, when I have my debit card handy. So, I'm challenging myself to leave the debit card at home or in the car and take in only the cash I'm okay with spending. Gotta do the same with the eating out cash (aka drive thrus).

...Biting my lower lip - I can do this!

3 New Year Resolutions (part uno)
…three because that’s how many gifts baby Jesus received… Wait, no, that’s not it (giggling!); three because it’s just practical (right Jess? – wink).

#1 Cook Dinner 3 nights a week
Once again, the number three is just doable. I got really used to the soccer/football schedule creating zero time to cook a decent meal. I managed to throw frozen chicken in the crockpot like twice a month and whip up the occasional something else – let’s be honest – about four other times during the months of September through November. My other excuses include the fact that I have no adult other than myself to cook for, so… you know, you just lose an ounce of inspiration while preparing for K-2 tastebuds, and B) that I went through a cooking phase a couple of years ago and managed to grow bored with those top 5 recipes. Oh wait, there is also excuse C or D (or are we at E??…): I simply dislike finding the hour I tend to take to pull together the grocery list.

But alas, I want to be the Mommy who brings the family to the table to enjoy something with a tad more nutritional value than grilled cheese or its Mexicano friend, the quesadilla. Here’s my twenty-ten plan: prepare shopping lists for 3 meals/week that include meat, veggie, and perhaps a starch or additional vegetable of some sort. On the other days, we can eat leftovers, grilled cheese, or whatever floats our boat.

Help a mother out! I want the link to one of your favorite recipes. Of course, kid-friendly is great, but I’m all for teaching them to try new things.

p.s. I recommend the flick, Julie and Julia, for cooking inspiration. I found this movie delightful, and talked like Meryl Streep as Julia Childs for a good 30 mins. afterwards.

p.p.s. I live in a town where interesting ingredients do not exist. A fresh bay leaf is exotic here. For real.

and a time for...

I had a moment to share. I was going to pop in and just share a snippet of what I've done differently this year with my wrapping, and I'm still going to share. But before I began to type, I checked in on two other blogs. This one and this one. Sobering. And fitting.

For there is a time for everything.

A time for bawling over loneliness and a time for laughing at the days to come. A time for weeping and praying for those in tragedy and a time for making a mess in the den with your kids.

"Silver Bells" was playing on the radio today. Christian was singing along, "silver bells, silver bells... soon it will be 'Jesus' birthday'." Oh, sweet grace. It has sunk into my children's hearts that this is one giant birthday celebration. This is a time for the most precious party for the most precious miracle.

So now, the time for the light-hearted bit. I choose my wrapping paper fairly carefully each year, to at least have some sort of color theme. But, as for the bows... oh the bows, they've been lacking. So when I saw these in a magazine, I new just what I was going to do! And so I now have finished adding these crazy fun poms to the gifts and I love them.

Some are nice and tight like the ones in the picture, and some look like Fraggle Rock hair, and I love those too.

And that is Christmas.

No, really.

It is the silly silly light-hearted decorate a cookie with your kid meets hearts breaking over a Mommy or Daddy gone forever, and in the midst....

peace. Jesus.

IT FELL.

Yes. My vacuum cleaner is in the shop (cord came out).
And yes, today my real live (in the "ultimate Christmas tree stand" tree fell, while I was sitting beside it wrapping presents.
And yes, I did spend oh, 3-5 hours putting the sucker up 2 weeks ago.
Yes, I have lots and lots of ornaments. 200+
Yes, at least half of them fell off.
Yes, I acted more like Clark Griswold than Jesus... oh yes!
Yes, one present got soaken wet from the water spilling out of the tree stand.
And yes, I will be the proud owner of a pre-lit ARTIFICIAL tree next year.

Please giggle. I am now smiling and mess is now cleaned up. Thank you mama for letting me borrow your vacuum cleaner! Happy Monday friends!

New Header

Well, Belle is home sick today, and so I actually have the chance to insert my fabulous blog header. Jessi did this for me and I LOVE IT. :) So, see her for all your design needs.
Perhaps I'll be back for an actual post before January. ;)

pictures!

I have to show you the WONDERFUL pictures my sweet sweet friend Brooke took of us last weekend. Here's the link to her blog. What a wonderful photographer and precious spirit she is!

THANK YOU BROOKE!