Mrs. Claus at the Gas Station

Inevitably, I forget something on Christmas Day...Italian Stallion always tries to cover all the bases...we grocery shop, we get all the last minute things on the 23rd, so that we can hunker down and just enjoy the next 2 days without a reason to "go out"...but, as I said, it always happens...whether it be milk, or diapers, or forgot something for Christmas dinner...well, it's just something...this year was no exception...

As the girls opened their games, I realized that I had purchased AA batteries...however, the games needed AAA batteries...Bless his heart, he went out IN his christmas pjs to the only gas station still open in town...it went down like this:

Italian Stallion walks into the station and heads to the counter...The little old woman behind the counter has big glasses on, her gray hair up on her head and she's reading a paper...as he approaches he can tell that she's sizing him up...He says, "Merry Christmas"...she responds, after looking him up and down, "Son, the coffee's in the back and the batteries are right here...you aren't the first and you won't be the last!"

He stood there until a smile slowly crept onto his face...she knew exactly what he and evidently many others had already trekked in to get...Merrily he got those batteries and headed back home!!!

Thanks Mrs. Claus!!! We had a great morning!!!

Nutcracker Ballet

Every year since my eldest turned 4, it's been a family tradition to go see the Nutcracker Ballet at Christmas time. AND, every year, I get all teared up thinking how amazing and grateful I am that Anthony and I can do this for our girls...I was an adult before I ever saw this performance...infact, my first time was with my daughter...

My girls LOVE this experience...for weeks leading up, they are dancing with their nutcrackers at home, out come the ballet shoes and tutus...the CDs and all the different book versions that we have of the story...

When THE night arrives, they dress in their little Christmas outfits and matching black capes & muffs and off we go. This year we splurged on some really good seats! Although, I must add, that closer seats may not be all they're cracked up to be...considering my eldest made a comment about the "tights" of the Sugar Plum "prince's"...we got more of a "SHOW" than we were expecting (that's putting it very delicately I believe!:)) ANYWAY, I spent the evening "narrating" the story into E's ear...she got scared when the rats came out and told me how beautiful the flower fairies were...

It was an incredible evening AND to top it all off...the ballerinas came out at the end, after most of the audience had left and signed autographs and talked with the girls...my daughters were on clouds the rest of the night!!! What an awesome time we had together!!!

a quiet spirit..

I wouldn't consider myself a "quiet" person...I am energized by people, by being around people, by talking with people....goodness, I get energized just TALKING in general...my girls will be listening to music in the car and ask, "Mommy, are you talking to yourself again?"...yes, I am one that will have conversations with myself if noone else is around to listen...I think I once told someone that my dream job was to be a sought after public speaker that would talk to captive audiences of thousands...

All that said though, I really do want to have that quiet, gentle spirit...I learned what that was in college...I had a roommate who had it and I thought that I needed to calm myself down in order to "get one"...after a week of walking around being somber & aloof, my roommate finally confronted me and asked me what in the world I was doing...I'm still not quite sure how she answered with a straight face once I described my dilemma and how I was going about solving it...

Having a quiet spirit comes from the inside, not your personality on the outside...BUT...I will say that I think that those that are more introverted, introspective...yes, I might venture to say that they may have an easier time in being in tune with it...

My girls are so very different than me, personality-wise...I don't always understand it...it used to frustrate me because I so wanted to have all the answers for them...but over the few years that they have grown, I have grown too...and grown to LOVE those differences and can see the potential for them as well...

My middle child had a ballet recital today...you understand that if it were me on stage, I'd be ALL over the place...trying to get as many smiles and as much applause as I could...not so much for my little E...Bless her heart, she stayed up there the entire time...but she just STOOD there...in the past I would have been frustrated, wracking my brain trying to think of what I had done wrong and how do I get her to do her part...not any more...

I hugged her to pieces and told her how proud I was of her when the music finally stopped and she walked over to my lap. She's not a performer, she doesn't seek approval from anyone but Mommy & Daddy right now...and she won't people-please just to get applause or attention...(don't get me wrong, she's definitely rambunctious...but mostly just at home or when she feels safe) She said, "But Mommy, I didn't do anything...why are you proud of me?" My heart just swelled, "Because sweetheart, I love you no matter what you do or don't do...I love you just because you are mine!"

What an opportunity to show her love...if she were always performing or wanting to be out front, I think it would be harder for her to relate (as I had trouble) to just loving because. It amazes me the insight my little girls already have about God and his adoration of them...I don't think they struggle just yet with hearing him speak...now if Mommy could quit talking to herself and settle in the quiet once in awhile...hmmmmm...lessons I can learn from my children!

BEFORE

DURING

The turkey cookies we made for a snack...they were a big hit...good thing we saved 2 at home...by the time the girls got to the snack table, they were gone!!!

Beautiful Day!!!

Today was just plain FUN! It was beautiful outside and we ALL went out to play...We raked and raked and had a load of leaves at the end of our slide...the girls took turns figuring different ways to "land" in the pile! Our neighbor girl came over to help! Just had to post the pics, cuz they're just so darn cute!!!
Entitled: Going....Going....GONE!!!

Coming into her own...

What's up Mom? Why are you looking at me like that?

OHHHH...you like the lipstick I found in Sissy's make up purse? Yeah, I liked it too...she showed me how to put it on all by myself!

Here, let me give you a BIG smile so you can have the full effect!!!

Steppin' Out

It's hard for anyone to step out of their comfort zone. We like the "area" we are in and it makes us feel safe and "in control". I've got to believe that we all have one...a comfort zone that is! Anyway, my eldest has always had a thing about being clean. Never used a bib, never had messes on the floor, she never let her nose drip...even as a 2 year old, she would run for a kleenex before I could even get to her, she loves her smocks (that keep her clean when painting), but she never did attempt finger painting (too messy of course)...all that said, every year around this "pumpkin carving" time of year, I always ask if she'd like to help carve one pumpkin. She's content to just draw the face and sit back and watch as we all get up to our elbows in goo...UNTIL THIS YEAR!!!

She actually got into it...it was great...we had stuff in our hair and she was all ready to go! I LOVE when my kids finally feel the confidence that they need in order to step out of that "comfort zone" and try something new! Being a leader is hard, being alone is hard, trying something that you need to be brave for is hard...let's face it...anytime we experience change or something different, it rocks us a little...and I'm learning to be thankful for it...it's that "building character" again!

Sooo...we had a great evening...got MESSY and had some fun...here are just a couple CRAZY pics of the girls!

It's Driving Me POTATOES!!!

I need to write down the little comments that my kids say. Actually, I do write them down...now if I could just remember where i put them...(but that's a whole 'nother topic about my disorganization)...
My eldest just came down the stairs after being in bed for about 15 minutes...you can tell she is perturbed...scratching her side like crazy...and she blurts out, most emphatically and with complete sincerity..."I have a mosquito bite and it's driving me POTATOES!"...
Daddy jumps in with the correction, "Uh, sweetie...that's bananas, not potatoes..."
My girls crack me up! Last fall my husband was trying to get our middle child dressed for church, she kept crying every time he suggested something to wear..."I don't want to wear a frog's tail Daddy!" "Daddy" didn't understand what she was trying to communicate...so he replies, "point out the frog's tail E." She points... "OHHHH...you mean a turtle neck!"
I don't know where they get these cute expressions, but boy it makes me smile when they do!