2010 is now 2011

Peanut, "I don't want to leave 2010 Mommy, I've been with it for years!"

I think all of my girls have inherited their mother's love of all things memorable and unchanging!  They are "hoarders" like me...they like things to stay the same, familiar...and they like to have the memories and then TALK about them..

Yep...it's not comin' from the Stallion's side of the family...

We had a GREAT Christmas and New Years...thought I"d share just a few pictures in case you didn't catch the albums on facebook.

Christmas Eve yielded untold amounts of sugar consumption and hyper activity up the "whazooooo"...but, it's all in the name of Family Fun:)

And then...at JUST the right moment...we changed them into the nicest clothes and gave them FIRE.

The grandkids all then like to come home and perform multiple versions of the Christmas story...I like it best when "mary" changes costumes into "herod" and when Joseph starts shooting people with nerf guns...it's the "best christmas pageant ever"

Nana & Popi don't mind though and we thoroughly get a kick out of watching them do their thing...

That evening after 18 glasses of sparkling grape juice and consequently 20 trips to the bathroom...after the delicious 7 course Italian meal and getting them into bed before Mommy & Daddy had a chance to explode and shove only lumps of coal into their stockings (not really, but I've always wanted to threaten that:)...they finally fell asleep and awoke to a snow covered lawn (it had been that way since the beginning of the week, but we take blessings in any manner) and got ready to head downstairs after reading the Advent Book and opening the last door...

They were met with this...

which they promptly tore through and headed to the tree...I may post the video a little later...but if not, you can catch it on facebook:)
We had a whole penguin theme goin' this year...penguin wrapping paper, penguin nightgowns for the girls, penguin pjs for Mommy...Daddy was the only one left out and I think he was hurt...

doubt it...but, we did look for penguin pj bottoms for him...when I explained that we were unable to locate a single pair for him, he replied, "Ummm, there's a reason for that!"

Yes well...back to christmas morn'...we always send the girls on some crazy scavenger hunt..this year we gave them spy clues/puzzles to figure out in different locations...apparantly earmuffs and electric toothbrushes were helpful tools for discovery.

 and...one thing on the older girls' list was Aquasand...Mankinds WORST invention...let's mix SAND and WATER in the KITCHEN for fun...perfect!

By far though...our favorite gift was the Lego Set of a Christmas Bakery...

I think Italian Stallion particularly liked the part where I took pieces and made my own toys without following any of the directions...I could tell by the lovely glares and facial expressions that I was TOTALLY making it worthwhile!  It was even better when we finished the entire thing and there were left over pieces!!  This is where right and left brain people have some FUN with each other...

The thing I like about Christmas with my family, is that it's forever...I mean, it takes a longggg time and we get to celebrate multiple times...and so, on the 26th, we headed up north to visit my side of the family...

 I LOVE seeing my brother and all his boys...They all have a great time together!  And they all go crazy over their Aunt Rachel too...

And there you have it...our Christmas...

New Years followed with my Peep's family over to visit (you'll have to read the previous post to "get" that) but, let's just say we introduced them to dancing and wine:)  YIKES! 

Well...in the form of sparkling juice for the kiddos and Just Dance Wii...but MAN, our guys can boogie with the best of them...

"Oh Mickey you're so fine...you're so fine you blow my mind...hey Mickey!"

Happy New Year!

My Peep

My husband had my cell phone charger today and thus my phone was DEAD!

Yes, we are still with the stone age and still have a land line, but mostly, because my whole family is on verizon...people use the cell phone...

Our neighbors use the land line...but that's just because we're out here in the boonies and it just seems more cozy:)

Anyhoo...back to the cell phone...

So, I didn't have it today...and I was sad.

Not really, but I wanted to put more emphasis on the fact that it was unusable and I couldn't communicate with the outside world of my cell phone "peeps"

When my Italian Stallion got home, I was able to plug in the phone and BOOM...I had a voicemail AND a text...He looked surprised at first and I laughed, "What's the problem honey, it's just my "Peeps"...they're checking to see how I am."

To which he laughed (a little too loudly I might add)..."You mean it's your PEEP...you have one person who you talk to everyday besides me...you have a PEEP, not PeepS"

And, really...he's right...I have a Peep...

I LOVE people and I love crowds and I even (gasp) love being the center of attention at times...but, when it comes right down to it...I get MORE energized and giddy about investing into the lives of individuals...I like to KNOW and  BE KNOWN by just a few...

That's where loyalty and relationships come in...where being real and shedding appearances comes into play...and that's where I love to live...

And therefore, I just have a Peep...sure I get a few other calls every once in awhile...but most of my talk time is either with my Italian Stallion or Anne:)  And I'm so grateful for her! 

Shout out to Anne...You're my Peep, Girl!

I have another friend coming to visit tomorrow (or rather today considering it's after midnight) and I haven't seen her since Little Munchkin was inside my uterus...pleasant visual I'm sure!

I can't wait to spend the day with her...who knows, maybe I'll even be able to add her to my Peeps list in the future:) 

Have a great day!

I'm in Heaven...

not LITERALLY...

but oh my...

Let me explain...

I believe the last time we purchased a new computer was around the 2002 mark...this was before I got heavily into digital photography, this was 3 photoshop programs, 2 external harddrives, 4-5 mice, 4 cameras, and an ipod touch AGO...

Let's just say that my computer and my box monitor had seen better days...and quite frankly, sitting at my computer waiting for about 15 minutes for ONE picture to upload was literally doing me in...all of my time and energies were being zapped as I sat bug eyed in front of my mega slow computer into the wee hours of the morning. 

And soooo, the saving began...it began last May after I purchased my camera...I knew that if I could just stick it out, we'd have enough to purchase a computer that actually stayed online without kicking you off every time you tried to upload an image...if I could just hang in there with my teeny box monitor and enlarge everything so that I could possibly get things edited correctly..

Well..it paid off...My new computer arrived today and I'm in heaven...

BAM...internet
BAM...photoshop
BAM...side by side

Oh my it's heavenly and I"m finished sooo incredibly quickly!  It's just wonderful... and for those that are wondering...NOPE...I did not go with a Mac...not because I don't think they're great...but for the same reason I'm with Nikon and not Canon...it's what I know and where I can work the most comfortably...and I'm happy...

I feel so blessed this evening...I'm in the process of trying to get organized here at home...I really do hope to get back to a regularly blogging schedule...hang in there with me...

have a great week!

I am known by another name....

I just got back from seeing the movie Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

I'm not ashamed to tell you that I literally cried like a baby at the end of the film...I know those around may have thought me silly...I mean, after all, it's JUST a movie...JUST a tale...

right?

The thing is, if you know the analogy...if you know how the author meant to portray the characters...it's MUCH more than just a tale...

There is so much that I could write, that I could pour my heart out concerning the promises, the lessons, the TRUTH of this series...but, I fear that I just wouldn't do it justice. 

For those that haven't read C.S. Lewis's series of Narnia, I encourage you to do so...read them to your children and grandchildren...and then, once the truth reveals itself in the pages, explain it to them...

There were two themes that stuck out for me in this movie...now granted, they didn't follow the books' story line completely...and yes there were some allowances made...but, for these two, I am so grateful...

One, is that of Lucy...being a mom of daughters...being one who struggled with confidence and feeling beautiful...I connected with the battle within Lucy...the battle of comparison, of not seeing yourself for the value that you possess...but that value that comes from being knit together by a Being who loves you more than life itself...the value that comes from having a purpose greater than that of outward appearances, at yet effects that appearance in ways that are only seen by the heart...

It was empowering to see her realize that without WHO she was, and without her fulfilling her purpose...it changed everything...not just her, but everyone around her...

The second thing and the one that started the flood of tears...was of course at the end...Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the 3rd book in the series as they are chronologically written...not exactly as they are chronologically told/lived.  However, it is the book in which Edmund and Lucy cease coming back to Narnia, as their siblings have already. 

She recognizes this, but so desperately is connected to Aslan that she begs an answer from him, "Will you be in my world?"  and He replies, "I am known by another name in your world...here you know me well, there you must know me better" 

What a perfect TRUTH...if you haven't figured out the analogy...Aslan is known as Jesus in our world:) 

Yes, Narnia is a tale...yes, it was just a movie...Lucy doesn't really exist...

But, the TRUTH of it all does...and for that, I owe my life. 

And to those that think I'm completely going overboard and sound quite silly in dedicating an entire blog post to a description of a movie...well, you just have to excuse me for that...words, pictures, stories...they all have a way of getting into me...it's how I'm wired...it's sometimes how God choses to teach me...and though He may not teach YOU the same way, He gets through somehow...so, I appreciate your understanding:)

Dear Ma'am

I know that I shouldn't have been out shopping today...Today of all days...

I was trying to finish up the last minute gifts, without having to drag the "chillins" out into the cold.  I had an idea that it would be bad, but I guess I have been sheltered, for I did not expect to see what I saw.

There were absolutely NO parking spots available at the mall...NONE...zippo...nada...

And so, there we all were...all of us that needed to park...we just wandered around...driving up and down the aisles hoping and praying that someone would finish their shopping early and start up their car to leave.  After a half hour of white knuckling as I entered each lane hoping that the angry drivers wouldn't hit me in their impatience and grumpiness...low and behold a spot became available...right in front of me...

One car happened to turn into the aisle, but saw that my blinker was on and gave me a sweet wave...she had a mini-van too...she was tired, I could tell...but she was kind.  We waited for the truck to pull out of his spot and I maneuvered my car so that I could get it into the spot without having to cause the other lady much wait time while I tried to fit into the area. 

As the truck backed up, I motioned that he had enough room to get out completely and that I wasn't going to hurry him...

What happened next is what I can only explain as a scene from the movie Cars and Mater was driving! Mater, however, was disguised as a disgruntled lady in a tiny red car.

The lady was at the end of the aisle and must have looked in her rear-view mirror to see that a spot was opening up...with no thought to my blinker, the other car in the oncoming lane or to anyone else that happened to be around...she pressed the pedal to the medal IN REVERSE and came screeching in front of my car, cutting off the other mini-van, as well as myself and slipped into the spot just as the truck switched from reverse to drive. 

I sat there in shock...as did the lady in the mini-van facing me...we both sort of shrugged, laughed and were just dumbfounded actually. 

I didn't sound my horn...I didn't scream or yell...I didn't even roll down my window as the lady got out of her car and stalked off down the aisle towards the entrance to the mall with her chin in the air.  However, I did get to thinking...and I thought the whole time I was inside shopping (I did finally find a spot about 10 minutes later)

You see, I had carried a notebook with me and though everything in me really wanted to go bash out her lights and let all the air out of her tires...I tried to think of her story and what must make some people think to be that incredibly rude and insensitive.

And so, I left the following note on her windshield...I'm sure there is more that I could have said and really WANTED to say..but I kept it short and sweet...I'll never know what she thought or if she even cared...but, that's okay...

Dear Ma'am,

I observed how you obtained your parking spot earlier today.  Because of this, I thought perhaps you were in need of some encouragement.  I know with the waiting in lines, the hustle and bustle during this season, we can often forget that everyone has a story...or even remember what we are celebrating in the first place.

I hope that you were able to accomplish all that you set forth to complete today. 
Have a Merry Christmas.

Love, a fellow traveler on life's journey

I know it's hard to wait and I'll be the first to admit that I lack in the mercy department as well as the patience!  But, during this season, especially when others are hurting, the least we can do is try to offer a sincere smile and keep things in perspective.  Yes, I had been out for hours b/c of the lines and wait time...and yes that took me away from my husband and my girls...and I COULD get REALLY upset about it and just blame everyone else for making things take so much time...and I suppose that could be justified...but, it's not really worth the heartache or the stress...

and besides...it makes for a great blog post!!!

Have a great weekend!

Let's Back up just a bit...

First of all, I'll answer just a few questions...because, as you know, comments ARE my love language and I DO want to keep those people happy:) 

#1) What did my older girls get at the AG store?  Sweetpea chose a travel outfit and a Felicity tea dress...seeing as Felicity is "going into the chamber" at the end of 2010, she wanted to be sure that she got anything for her historical doll that she'd "never" be able to get again...and here is where I'd LIKE to give an entire dissertation about the money making hoohah that irritates the bejeezies out of me and why the heck do they have to do this to little girls...but, then I'd have to jump on the bandwagon of bashing Disney for doing it as well...and I'm just not going to pick a fight with the late Mr. Disney this season...

Peanut chose Kit's scooter and an ice skating outfit for her doll.  Each them were told by their Nana that they could choose one more item from her...but, I won't tell you what that is right now because we're trying to "forget" about it so that we'll be "surprised" at Christmas!

#2) Where did I get that header?  I just made it...that's it...the fall header wasn't showing up on my laptop any longer because it was getting blocked or something...probably because I was using another source...so I just made up my own and uploaded it...simple as that!

Okay...now that that is finished...let us back up some more to give you the scoop on the Italian household traditions leading up to Christmas. 

Last year, I believe I did post upon post about our traditions...and if you missed it...well, I'm sure it's somewhere in the archives of December...OR you can go to my facebook page and look through my albums...I made a whole book of it for the girls...

One thing that we always do though, is cut down the ole Christmas tree...

It starts a'fresh each year with the banter of who is going to find the PERFECT tree...

This year we decided to let the girls cut it down...

We think it's important to give small children very sharp objects and give them very little direction in how one is to utilize the tool...

We figure they'll eventually figure it out...

That, or Mommy has a heart attack just watching them, grabs the saw and waves it wildly at Daddy saying, "They are going to cut off their fingers for heavens sakes...YOU do it!"

In the end, we get the "perfect" tree...come home to Sweetpea reminiscing about each ornament...Peanut snagging the Santa hats and blasting the Chrismtas music...and Little Munchkin putting the star on top...

I'll leave you with the following video because it is something that Little Munchkin LOVES to reenact nearly every day since we first introduced the girls to Buddy the Elf...

I like to say that we are teaching our girls the proper ladylike etiquette daily in our home...

And in case that's not enough funny enough for you today...please hop over to BigMama blog and read her entry...it's just real and funny and the ending is the best!

Because I have this extra time

Yes, I do have a bit more wedding editing to complete...and I KNOW I have some more Christmas shopping to do...my laundry is starting to back up...the upstairs toilet is clogged again...I can't remember the last time I vacuumed the stairs...

HOWEVER...I do NOT have to be sitting in front of the computer for hours on end into the wee moments of the morning...and therefore, I am completely and utterly wasting time doing things that have no real meaning or benefit to my existence...

For example, I watch movies...even ones that I've seen a gazillion times...but, I sit in my pajamas and watch them anyway..

I have planted garlic...yep...right smack in the middle of December...I was supposed to do it in October and November...but, I never did get around to it...so I planted some cloves today...just marched out there with my winter coat and hat on and started hackin' up the dirt...we'll see if it actually works come the summer time...

I started running and doing about 10 minutes of my former P90X videos that used to take me around an hour to complete, back when I didn't have that muffin top, back fat and jigglies goin' on...but, I figure it's got to be good for my heart or at least it allows me to justify the chocolate covered pretzels, soda and pumpkin pie that I consume...

Lastly, I have gone back through and read former blog posts...and I say this because I want to thank you...thank you for overlooking my incredible lack of proof reading and poor grammar...thank you for figuring out what I was trying to say when I, apparantly, was incabable of expressing it adequately....thank you for coming back and leaving comments...(btw, I got FIVE whole comments yesterday and I've got to tell you...I was all giddy inside!!!)

So that's it for now...I've been leaving my camera behind lately...just trying to enjoy life a bit...but, I do want to tell you about our "journey to Bethlehem" last Friday and some other fun stuff...I'll see you on Monday!