Christmas 2013....4 years, 2 years and 9 months

We I decorated, we I planned, we I shopped, we taught, we did activities, we Mike built, we took Christmas by storm this year. 

 

It was fun to have a mantle to decorate.  There are a few homemade items that I decorated with this year that were special to me.   1.  The needlework thing Mike's mom made at least 20 years ago, 2.  The Christmas Tree the boys drew by outlining their hands, 3.  The window from my grandpas barn and 4.  The "oh, come let us adore him" sign I made with Kels (and yes I realize now it should be "O" not "Oh" - It has character.

 

The dOOds made cookies.  It looks like Track may have been totally nakey for this event...not sure I even noticed.  It also appears that they made Christmas cookies in the shape of rocket ships, butterflies and bunnies.  I was obviously not at the helm during this commotion.  I must have been caring for my youngest dood...

 

Mike built and built and built for what seemed like a few days...we bought this "beaut" on Black Friday, and now one month after Christmas it only goes in reverse...ppfffttt.  We have to take it back this week and likely Mike is going to have to spend hours building another one....1st world problems central over here...

 

We learned.  This year Graham basically memorized the entire Christmas story advent.  I was super impressed with his memory - I'm not sure why I am still surprised with this guy.  I'm thankful to have had this advent for the last four years...

 

Christmas morning rolls around and we were ready...some thrift store cars leading the way to stockings, presents and joy...

 

I bought these cars for $4.99 at a second hand store an my boys play with them everyday.  Favorite Christmas toy...figures.

 

We were in a bit of a time crunch, so we woke the boys up at 8:30a... 

 

 

Following the car trail... 

 

Stopping to play with the cars... 

 

This one liked the cars so much that he wouldn't even check out his other gifts/ stocking... 

 

Sweet baby face... 

 

I am goading him to finish his stocking... 

 

Headlamps purchased by dad at Home Depot were a giant hit... 

 

We got the boys each a lego set, a board game, a craft set and some play dough.  Its so easy at this age...

 

 

 

 

Cooper Seth joined us at 9am... 

 

 

On to a special breakfast of bacon, eggs and cinnamon rolls... 

 

The big boys didn't know they had one more surprise.  Mike and I hid a card in the Christmas tree that took them to ten different clues (way too many), which led them to the ultimate prize...

 

 

 

I really dressed up my nursing camisole with that infinity scarf... 

 

Everyone in...including muntey, muntey and graham dog... 

 

 

They loved this thing... 

 

In all, Christmas was the usual hurry, busy and not enough.  It seems like I tried to find joy in the wrong things and wondered why I felt stressed.  I was after the perfect gifts for the kids, the right lessons, the great activities, the "I need to DO more" cycle...when in reality the void can only be filled by Jesus - His birthday, His way.

 

His mercies are new every year morning.

 

Lets Hear it for Next Year

Skip the Sickness Sunday...

Our family has been in the dumps with a mild sickness since Christmas.  We decided to lay out of church one more Sunday to make sure we don't start the germ fest all over again.  We are all tired of feeling crummy and would like to re-enter society. 

 

Side Note:  I would be the worst person in life to have a chronically ill person over here.

 

We also like to make Sunday's our "Sabbath Adventure Day".  Today we decided to take the crew to bowl at 9:30am.  As you might assume we had the whole place to ourselves. 

 

Here we are...freshly rolled out of bed and no one wanting to take a family self portrait (can't bring myself to you the word "selfie" here).

 

The big boyz were PUMPED!

 

 

 

The enjoyed approximately 3 or 4 frames and then found other entertainment.

 

At the end of one hour we were barely hanging on to their attention span. 

 

We decided to try a few games.  I took this picture because if you look closely you can see Mike and Grahams hair being blown back by a fan on the game.  It's supposed to be a realistic version of riding your motorcycle and having the wind blow through your hair...gross recirculated bowling alley air....we somehow narrowly missed death this time.  :)

 

Track seems to be a natural on this motor bike thing, which I hope it no indication of our future.  I am pretty sure the devil himself invented motorcycles.  That's in the bible...I've seen it.

 

Ok - so all and all I think we would give our adventure a "B-".  It was a new experience for the boys and that was fun, but it was also one will WILL NOT repeat any time soon.

 

We went to the Main Event in Plano and if you care about what your toddlers eyes are exposed to - then this is not your place.  Music videos blaring and showing on all jumbo screens where the pins are (at 10am - ridiculous).  Other screens showing  movies with fight scenes, guns and monsters.  On the first riding game it finished with two half dressed women cartoons doing a sexy dance holding up what place you got.  REALLY?  After writing this... I thought for a brief moment, "maybe it's just me being a prude - that place isn't geared for toddlers", but then they generously offer toddler shoes, bumper lanes, and ramps....so...

 

At least we know that for our family we would rather doing something else and something way less over stimulating.  I'm thinking if we try bowling again it will need to be at an old school place that just does dumpy old bowling.  The kids might suffer from second hand smoke, from what I can remember, but at least they won't see junk they shouldn't.

 

This is only the beginning of protecting their hearts and minds.

 

Lets Hear it for Innocence

The Boyz...

Graham - "Beaver Face" - Age. 4

 

Track - "Trackers" - Age. 2

 

Cooper - "Cooper Sethies" - Age. 9 mos 

 

Let's Hear it for the Boyz

Reading Goal...

In January of 2013 I made a resolution to read at least 12 books throughout the year.  This year I actually wrote them down and finished the year at 15.  I would say that is a goal well attained with two little boys and adding a new baby boy in March. 

 

Here is the run down...

1.  Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas (Biography - 1st I have read since high school - good (lowercase good))

 

2.  The Clean Sweep, Kay Wyma (How to get your kids equipped for life - written for older kids, but still pertinent to my 4 year old - good)

 

3.  Parenting with Love and Logic, Foster Cline and Jim Fay (Uh - I will likely catch flack for this, but I DID NOT like this book...Legalism ALERT and I know it is popular and may work, but I found it oppressive - at best)

 

4.  Unglued, Lysa TerKeurst (MUST READ for moms)

 

5.  The Seduction of our Children, Neil Anderson (MUST READ for every parent!)

 

6.  Give Them Grace,  Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Jessica Thompson and Tullian Tchividjian (That's what I'm talking about - GRACE. - GREAT parenting book)

 

7.  The Christian Homeschool, Gregg Harris (If you have never thought about homeschooling, this book will put you over the edge...it's old, but everything with education that's good is old)

 

8.  When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, Beth Moore (Title says enough)

 

9.  Inferno, Dan Brown (Fiction, great read - but kind of dark)

 

10.  Out of the Spin Cycle, Jen Hatmaker (MUST READ for moms)

 

11.  Loving Our Kids on Purpose, Danny Silk (Recommendation for some parents I want to be more like...it was GOOD (capital GOOD))

 

12.  Pilgrims Progress, John Bunyan (as my husband would say, Time Piece - enough said)

 

13.  Generous Justice, Timothy Keller (ugh - I should like this more...I would have more crowns in heaven if I liked this more - Justice for the poor plus Calvinism - form your own opinion here)

 

14.  Food Ninja, Matt Stone - Teach your kids to eat like ninjas (GOOD)

 

15.  Boundaries with Kids,  Henry Cloud and John Townsend (Blerg - see above Love and Logic)

 

So if I had to pick one it would be #5. 

Read it!  It will open your eyes to a whole new scary world you didn't even know was after your kids.

 

 

Let's Hear it for Trying to be Smarter