It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas...

and I am ready! We put up our Christmas tree while Nanny and Poppy were visiting. I just love getting out the boys ornaments and unwrapping the memories each year. They love to hear me tell them the special memory that goes along with each ornament. I took the boys last night to purchase their ornament for this year. Andrew picked a Walle ornament since that has been this year's obsession for him. Mason picked out a cordless drill ornament. I thought that was very fitting considering what he has been doing this year with his daddy at the "Yucky House". I just love the thought they now put into their ornament selection. It is so cute to see them trying to decide on one when there are so many fun things to choose from.

After our ornament shopping we decided to go to Chili's for a quick dinner before we had to be home for basketball practice. I was just reveling in the moment and loving our jump into the Christmas season. I was ready to bask in the joy, laughter, peace on earth...when the boys started arguing over who was hungriest. WHAT! Who would even argue about such a ridiculous thing? Brothers that have officially found their competitive spirit and now wield it in every area of our lives, that's who! Don't get me wrong, I love competition...just not over EVERYTHING! I pray that Mark and I can help the boys channel this competitive drive to constructive areas of their lives. I definitely need to pray for guidance in this area since Mark and I are both very competitive individuals. Oh the stories I could tell...like the Monopoly game that was thrown into the trash one Christmas eve night long ago. I bet Santa did not know what to think of the Monopoly money blowing out of the trash can outside our home as he flew over. Thank goodness we had no children yet. Santa may have thought they were being naughty. Neither one of us like to loose, especially not to each other. We have come a long way since those days. Let's just say we don't tempt our pride...we still don't play Monopoly.;-) Now let's see if we can teach the boys to be good sports...even with each other...even when they are hungry or playing Monopoly.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL DAY TO REMEMBER HOW BLESSED WE ALL ARE AND TO GIVE THANKS FOR THE BIG AND THE SMALL THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT MAKE THEM SO FULL. I PLAN TO:
1. CUDDLE UP WITH THE BOYS ON THE COUCH AND WATCH THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IN MY PAJAMAS
2. EAT MORE THAN I SHOULD
3. LAUGH A LOT WITH MY SWEET IN-LAWS WHILE THEY VISIT
4. WORK AT THE "YUCKY HOUSE" FOR A WHILE
5. EAT A LITTLE MORE
6. PUT UP THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND GET SAPPY AS I UNWRAP EACH OF THE BOYS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS AND REMEMBER EACH YEAR.
7. WATCH CHRISTMAS VACATION, LAUGH SOME MORE, AND MISS MY CRAZY FAMILY AND ANTICIPATE MY TRIP TO VISIT THEM IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

ALL THE WHILE I WILL BE GIVING THANKS FOR THE BOUNTIFUL LOVE GOD GIVES ME EVERY DAY. MOST OF ALL I AM THANKFUL FOR HIM AND HIS UNCONDITIONAL, ENDLESS LOVE FOR ME AND YOU.

Fun quiz...only I sure can't sing like her.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Doris!

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.
• * Share fun times with me.
• * Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.
• * Let me know that I am important and special to you.
• * Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

• * Reassure me that I am interesting to you.
• * Reassure me often that you love me.
• * Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Doris

• * being able to relate easily to people and to make friends
• * knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better
• * being generous, caring, and warm
• * being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings
• * being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Doris

• * not being able to say no
• * having low self-esteem
• * feeling drained from overdoing for others
• * not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish
• * criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should
• * being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them
• * working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often

• * are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism
• * try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding
• * are outwardly compliant
• * are popular or try to be popular with other children
• * act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention
• * are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)

Dorises as Parents

• * are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)
• * are often playful with their children
• * wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"
• * can become fiercely protective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz

Is it really November?

You will not believe what I ate yesterday...vine ripened tomatoes from my backyard! UNBELIEVABLE. I planted a patio tomato in a large pot by my patio this spring. It fizzled out when the weather was really hot but bounced back and started blooming again in October. I think we will pick the last few today but boy has it been a treat!

Tonight was just a fun Monday night at our house. The boys and I played Christmas music while we prepared dinner. We had to preview our selections for this Christmas season...OK, I love Christmas music and usually can't wait for the season to begin.

Before we sat down to dinner, Mason changed the CD to his music. He likes hip hop music but after turning off numerous songs on the radio because of "ugly talk" we had to find an alternative. We found DC Talk at the local christian bookstore and decided it was a good alternative. It has a sound he likes and a message we approve of...so we are all happy. Andrew was "break dancing" on the kitchen floor as I served the taco salad. I think this is a taste of the future in our house. I have to admit I love the energy these boys keep in our home. Even on days I think I am tired in the evening, this kind of fun gives me my second wind.

Our friends Kim and Paul are in China as we speak preparing to bring their daughter Vivi Jo home to the rest of her family. You can follow there journey by clicking HERE . Vivi is a cutie pie, of course, and we are all smitten with her. Please pray for her transition and leave the family some encouraging comments as they journey home!

Tiny Tot Tuesday

I have learned as a mother to pick my battles. Some things are just not worth the drama. Clothing is one of those battles I do not fight with Andrew. He has very strong feelings about his clothes. He is casual all the way. I only stand firm on Sunday morning for church. In Andrew's mind, any shirt with buttons is meant for church. So when I requested he wear his "dress" clothes on his field trip, here is how the conversation went...

MOM: "Can you do me a favor and wear a special shirt for me? I want to take my camera and take some special pictures of you at the pumpkin patch with your new preschool friends."

ANDREW: "Does it have to be a church shirt? I don't wanna wear a church shirt."

MOM: "How about one with only two buttons?"

ANDREW: "How about one with no stains?"

Once again, Andrew pulls me back to the world of realistic expectations in a life with a 5 year old boy. :-) He had a point...He won the negotiation. It was too funny for me to press any further. Here is the shirt he picked.

No stains & cute as a button!

Hear more tiny talk at Mary's.

Halloween Spooks