Is there a conspiracy against my tree?

Well, I just got done putting my tree back in a standing position AGAIN!  I was working in the dining room while the boys were playing.  I happened to look over just as Caleb pulled the tree down on himself for the SECOND time.  Two more ornaments bit the dust in the fall, in addition to the ornament he broke this morning.  I thought that all the breakable ornaments were out of reach, but I guess I was wrong.

Once again, I didn't have my camera for this photo op.  Needless to say, putting the tree up the first time is the most enjoyable time.  The times that the tree is pulled over...not so much.

To add insult to (my tree's) injury, Lima pooped all over the carpet and my tree skirt the other day.  She had a little tummy problem.  The tree skirt was ruined.  The carpet needs a little more work.  But my poor tree, which is now leaning a little, has no skirt.  Oh, the horror!

We've never had these tree problems before, but we were in a little house last Christmas and Caleb wasn't mobile, and when Micah was Caleb's age, the tree was barricaded between the couch and the love seat.  I guess next year should be better.  But I am determined that the tree will stay UP this year.  I just have to make it one more week without any calamities.  Here's hoping!

I'm not just a stay at home mom...

I was just reading a blog, and this excerpt really hit home:

If I identify myself as the culture does, as a "stay at home Mom", one who has no intellectual contribution, gross-national product contribution or status symbol contribution, I become just that: a woman who sees herself as one who has grunted and groaned out another human being and now stays behind her four walls, in self-imposed seclusion. Not much of a vision there---it actually sounds strangely psychotic.
If I deem myself as a woman employed by the Creator of everything ever created, as on work assignment in a sacred domain for the sculpting of souls that will exist forever and forever without end, I have a burning passion of purpose. And a paycheck that is said to be beyond what eye or ear can even comprehend!

I have been thinking a lot about this lately.  In my life before kids, I was an equal earner in my marriage, and even before my marriage, I was self-sufficient.  But this excerpt really reminded me that I have a higher calling, and that it's not all about dollars and cents...even in these economically challenging times.

I enjoy getting to raise my kids.  I also enjoy working.  I'm not sure when I will have a paying job again, but I am cherishing the times that I have with my boys.  The time passes all too quickly.

If you want to read the whole blog, here is the link: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2005/05/strange-disappearance.html

And the tree came tumbling down...

We put up our Christmas tree on Saturday.  I had been itching to start decorating it.  But we had to wait until after Thanksgiving. 

   

 

 

 

 

 

We were even able to get a tree in the boys' room.  I know these trees won't win awards, but it was fun to see the boys enjoy getting to decorate them.  And I have spent the last 3 days firmly reminding the boys that the ornaments are supposed to stay ON the tree.

So here we are today...3 days later.  We were babysitting our nieces, Taylor and Madison, and all 4 kids were in the living room looking at the tree.  John is sitting in a spot where he can see the kids and I hear him say, "Oh no."  Next thing you know, we hear Caleb crying.  He had pulled the tree down on himself.  I start freaking out (it's what I do).  We get Caleb out from under the tree, and he is still screaming.  He wasn't hurt, but he just scared himself.  I'm comforting him while John is trying to get the tree standing again.  I don't have any pictures (too bad, because in hindsight, the picture of your kid under a fallen Christmas tree would be fun to have!).  I'm hoping that all 4 kids learned their lessons from this little incident.

Thankful

It's Thanksgiving today. I'm sitting here watching the boys play, and I just was thinking about all the things I'm thankful for this year.

I'm thankful for my wonderful husband. He laughs with me and at me sometimes, but that's ok. I wouldn't have fallen in love with him or married him if he didn't. He is the head of our family and the amazing father of our kids. He has a great sense of humor, but is serious also. He makes me laugh, and he makes me want to be a better wife and mother, because he deserves it.

I'm thankful for my son Micah. He was worth the eighteen hours of labor. He was worth the c-section. He makes me laugh with his imagination and how he can stay in character for so long. He is a great cuddler and his hugs and kisses are worth waiting for. He enjoys playing with Lima and Caleb. He is a bright personality who is just growing and maturing every day.

I'm thankful for Caleb. This little boy changes every day and I treasure watching him grow and learn. He has the happiest belly laugh and the sweetest smile. I could just gobble him up. I love how he looks up to his big brother and wants to do everything just like Micah. I love his excitement at something new.

I'm thankful for my family near and far. My parents are always encouraging and I love to watch how they play with their grandkids. My sister loves being an aunt to my children. My mother and father in-law are supportive and they enjoy playing with the boys. My sister-in-law is busy, but always has time for the boys. And I'm thankful for my nieces, Taylor and Madison. They are so spirited, and I enjoy watching all four cousins play together.

I'm thankful to have such a big extended family. It is always a joy to get to gather and spend time together. They all have such personalities, and I enjoy getting to see them whenever I can.

I'm thankful for our friends. While some of them have moved away, we hold them in our hearts. We are thankful for the ones who still live close by so that we can get together and visit, and to watch their families grow.

I'm also thankful to have a roof over our heads and food to eat. I'm thankful to be safe and sound inside our warm little house, and to have transportation to get wherever we need to go. I'm thankful that John has a good job that he enjoys and is good at.

But most of all, I'm thankful for the gracious gift of God...his son Jesus Christ. Without that most precious gift, I would have no hope for my future, or the hope for the future of my sons, who I pray will one day accept Him as their Savior. I'm thankful that He thought I was worth His time. I am thankful for my relationship with Him. Without Him, I would have nothing. Sure, I would probably get by, but I wouldn't have this joy in my heart at knowing that one day I would get to live forever in Heaven with Him.

I'm thankful.

Now we're the Imagination Movers!

OK, I already told you about Micah's imagination.  Today, we are all the Imagination Movers.  If you don't know them, they are a new show on Disney.  They are 4 guys who work in a warehouse solving idea emergencies.  Their names are Smitty, Scott, Dave, and Rich. 

Micah has decided he is Smitty (which he pronounces as Mitty), John is Scott (pronounced Cot), I am Dave, and Caleb is Warehouse Mouse.  I don't know why poor Rich got left out. 

I already told you that Micah goes all out when he is pretending.  Right now, he will only answer to Smitty.  But it's been making me chuckle, because a few times, he has messed up with my new name.  He called to me a little earlier and said, "Mama...I mean...Dave."  It just makes me laugh.  Just wanted to share.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Do you guys remember when the toy catalogs used to come out when we were kids?  I do.  I loved to go through them and look at all the things I wanted for Christmas.  Remember the Best Catalog?  I don't know if that was a regional store or not.  I would go through the catalogs and circle the things I wanted.  My sister would go even farther and make a list of things she wanted and number them in order of importance.  Of course, this didn't mean we got those things, but it was still fun to look at.  I guess that was the beginning of window shopping.

Well, it has come full circle here in our house.  A couple of weeks ago, we got the Toys R Us toy book, the Target toy book, and the WalMart toy book.  Micah has been flipping through pages, and he says things like, "Me need to buy that!"  and "Me want to have that!"  Oh the fun of it.  Now he sees toy commercials on TV, and he will say the same things.  I think he's also becoming an expert in reverse psychology or something, because he also says things like, "You want to buy that for me." 

I remember a few years ago, my mom and I were driving around town during the holidays.  My mom told me that she used to dread having to go to Toys R Us during the holidays, and that she was glad that she didn't have to do that anymore.

Luckily, I think we have  a few years before our kids start demanding that we buy them stuff.  Hopefully...

Such imagination!

My boys are constantly giving me something to laugh about.  If they aren't dancing around together, they enjoy playing chase.  Caleb especially.  He loves it when big brother chases him around.  He will just squeal.  I love that squeal.

Today, out of the blue, Micah decided that he was Tony the Tiger.  He was just playing around, and came up to me and told me that he was Tony the Tiger.  I don't remember ever seeing a Tony the Tiger commercial on when he was watching TV, so I don't know where he got that from.  But he decided that's who he was, and of course, he didn't want to pretend alone.  So he told me that Caleb was baby Tony the Tiger.  And it just makes sense that I would be Mama Tony the Tiger.

He had me follow him to his room to show me where Tony the Tiger's food and water was.  So I pretended to fill up his bowls and he showed me how a tiger eats and drinks.  He even roared for me.  What a ferocious roar!

Now, Micah always goes full throttle when he is pretending.  You can't call him Micah...you have to call him by the name of whoever or whatever he is pretending to be.  So a little later I tried to get his attention by using his name (what a crazy thought!).  I was promptly corrected, and told to call him Micah Tony the Tiger.  Too funny!

What will he come up with next???