Christmas Rant

Where to begin on this rambling? I went to Wal-mart to return something. No issues there. Then as I was leaving I said "Thank-you and Merry Christmas" to the lady that helped me. She just looked at me and stuttered and said "We are not allowed to say that but Happy Holidays- you know what I mean?" NO- I did NOT know what she meant. First of all, Wal-mart is making a ton of money on a holiday that they can't verbally recognize and I am suppose to just smile and nod? Give me a break! I understand their are other religions and other holidays that are at this time of year. But do any of those make it the busiest shopping season? The reason people get off of work?
It is CHRISTMAS!! Christ is the reason for this "holiday season" and it upsets me that people are forbidden to recognize it as such. But I will continue to say Merry Christmas to every person that checks me out at a grocery store or any other store because that is what I believe in!

Christmas Program

For anyone who doesn't know, Gavin LOVES to sing! He even makes up songs! So last night was so exciting for him, and for us. It was his first school Christmas program and to be honest we really didn't know what to expect from him. He is always singing but he has those "bashful" moments when he is as quiet as can be. Last night though he was in his element. He even sang all the songs he wasn't a part of (hand motions and all!) And I being the sentimental emotional one of the group cried while I watched. He has grown up so fast and just amazes me more each day. We were so proud of him.
Afterward, we got to pick up and ornament that the teachers had made for them that had their picture on it. That will definately be one of my favorite ornaments of all time!

Advent Activities

Ok- so I haven't blogged in what seems like eternity. It has been busy around here and honestly I have just not been feeling well. So I've got lots to catch you all up on.

First, as I mentioned in an earlier post, we have our Advent Calendar activites. The first day Gavin wrote a letter to Santa (I know: a very secular activity!) He told momma what to write (tiny tractor and camera- and that he had been good at school and church) and then he got to decorate it with stickers. We are lucky you can even read the letter- He gets sticker HAPPY!!


Day 2 was getting to paint mommy's toenails! SO MUCH FUN!! Actually, it was more like painting mommy's toes! He loved it and then wanted to do his when he was done! Great pics from this one!

Day 3 was singing Chritmas songs- which he does all the time anyway.
Day 4 Was helping mommy make dinner. He did so good! He loves mixing and stirring. The only problem is his facination with eggs!! We somehow always manage to have a casualty or two in that department!

Day 5 was to buy a Christmas present for church to send to Mexico on the 19th.
Day 6 was making Christmas cards. Again, something he loved because it involved stamping and stickers. He was so funny! We had stickers of snowman with their litte stick arms and he decided that they need to have mittens on!




Day 7 was reading Christmas stories. The drawback to this activity is that once you start reading with Gavin you have to be willing to spend hours doing it! Reading for the 30 minutes before bedtime just didn't do it for him, so we picked it up again the next morning.
Day 8 was to dance around in our pyjamas. I have to admit that we did not get to this one. Gavin did not feel well and had a terrible cough so we just decided to skip a night.
Day 9 was to have an indoor picnic. We actually ended up doing that the following day at lunch (today) because he had a Christmas program at school last night. I will blog about that later. We indulged in the usual picnic food- SPAGHETTI!!

And finally day 10- breakfast for dinner. I had to be at church at 5:00 and didn't get home until after 9:30 once we finished rehearsal so that was a daddy and Gavin moment.

So- as you can see we have been trying to do lots. I am glad that we did the calendar this year with the activities. It gives us all something to look forward too and Gavin NEVER forgets that he needs to open the box with the number!

Our Advent Calendar

I decided to make an Advent Calendar for us this year instead of trying to buy something. I wanted it to be something we could keep and use year after year but also something that had meaning to it more than just getting out a piece of candy each day. It took a lot more work than I thought and 5 coats of paint but I love the finished look.

Each day contains a piece of paper that says what we or Gavin will get to do that day. It is to encourage more family time, especially during the holidays and also to remember what the season is truly about. Last nights activity was to write a letter to Santa. Gavin loved it- and wanted to open every drawer to see what we get to do next. Some of our activities for the month are to take a bubble bath, read the Christmas story from the bible, dress up for dinner, and make Christmas cookies for someone. I am excited and I know we will all enjoy the time together.

Granny Ruby Trip

Gavin and I went to Clarksville yesterday to see "Granny Ruby". Don't ask me why that is what Gavin calls mamaw Ruby. And sometimes he just calls her Ruby! (great manners) We had a great time visiting with her and Aunt Nancy and Andrea over lunch. Gavin was a bit wired up being in a new place but over all he did good. I did manage to get a picure of Gavin with mamaw but he pretended to be bashful. It still turned out cute!

He didn't want to go home of course but he was so tired. He fell asleep before we made it back home. What a great day!

Child Labor Anyone??

I am working on a Christmas project and needed some help!
I can always count on Dani and Gavin to be ready and willing to "craft" and they didn't let me down! All I had to do was mention the word paint and they were ready to go. (It could have been "paint the house" for all they cared) I captured their creativeness before they decided playing on the playhouse would be better. Here are some photos of the day- including a down time moment that I think is too cute!

Silly Boy

Gavin came to see me in the kitchen and had something to show me! Thankfully I keep the camera ready and here is what I got:

He looked like he had chicken feet with my gloves on. He did say they were comfy though!
Notice the cute boxer shorts he is sporting. We still have no clothes on but I have resigned myself to the fact that I have to let it go!

Turkey Talk

What a fantastic Thanksgiving we had!! We went to mom and dad's and saw Julie, Daniel, and Dani, and Jason and Missy and the kids! Gavin had the most fun of all! He got to play with a puppy and ride to the farm on the "4-wheeler"- which is really a Polaris 6 seater!! He had so much fun he didn't drink or eat a thing all day! (I am beginning to question if he is actually part of our family)
With full bellies and thankful hearts I think everyone had a great time. The day just seemed to be too short to talk to everyone and eat and do all you want to do. I guess that is why they put Thanksgiving and Christmas so close together.

The kids also get a new Christmas ornament from mamaw and papaw every year. They love this tradition (and so do the parents)!

What a GREAT day!

Just For Laughs

I got this in an email and laughed out loud! I guess I needed the comedic relief at the time. Hope you enjoy!

Thankful For...

It is "Thanksgiving Eve" and I am exhausted from the day! Lot's of cooking and cleaning and child entertaining! But I have so many things to be thankful for: First and foremost for a God who loves me and considers my being here important in the first place. I am thankful for a husband that would go to the ends of the earth for me if I asked him too and goes above and beyond to allow me the opportunity to stay at home with Gavin. Gavin is the light of my life and I can hardly remember a day before him! He is so smart and loving and we are truly blessed with him in our lives. I am thankful for wonderful parents who not only hepled make me who I am today but whom I look at as inspiration. They are the best parents and grandparents anyone could ever hope for! I am thankful that they are both doing better in regards to their health and that we have them to spend this holiday with. I am thankful for my siblings who love me and want to be part of my life and part of Gavin's life. I want him to grow up close to his cousins and to always have support from them.
I am thankful that we have our health, a roof over our head, and love in our hearts and for another day to give "thanks"!

Tag! 'm It?!?

Ok- so now Shelley tagged me to show the 4th picture in the 4th folder of my pics. We have 2 computers so all of our older pics are on the other laptop but here is what we find.......

This is a picture of Gavin eating Pop Rocks for the very first time on Father's Day this year. We made daddy a basket with all things "pop" (pop rocks, pop tarts. popcorn, popsicles, etc.) to let him know that of all the "Pop's" he's the best!
Gavin loved the pop rocks and kept opening his mouth to make sure we could SEE what was going on in there.

OK- Whose next?

Chef Gavin

As some of you know my kid is outlawed from our kitchen via a couple of baby gates we have between the kitchen and living room. He just can't be trusted and that is all there is to it! Every now and then he gets to help mommy make "food" and that is such a proud moment for him. This time we decided to make some M&M cookies. He wanted to wear his apron mamaw made him and of course he wanted to make sure I DID NOTHING!!
He really did a great job. The best part for me was seeing him smile! He was so proud of himself!

Look at Me!

Gavin thinks he would make the best present! The problem is he didn't fit in the box he chose. But it did make for a great picture! He is so excited about Christmas that we can't put the real presents out yet- so he has to suffer with the empty boxes! What a trooper!

Gavin's 1st School Thanksgiving

Gavin loves "school" and I am so happy about that. He would go everyday if he could. Last Thursday was his Thanksgiving Party at school. When I got there he was making a necklace for mommy. He made my day when he ran to me and said "Mommy, I love you!" right in front of the class and other parents.
For the Thanksgiving feast, the kids has pizza and a turkey shaped sugar cookie. Not your average Thanksgiving meal but perfect for kids who would rather do anything but sit still.

They made the cutest placemats with their handprints and said what they were thankful for. Gavin's said "mommy", "daddy", "mamaw", "papaw", and his dinosaur. (Don't ask me where the dinosaur came from!)
The party was pretty uneventful except for the fact that it made me realize even more how too fast Gavin is growing up. He is what I am truly thankful for!

Trip with Papaw!

Gavin loves his papaw. As a matter of fact, I think he would move in with mamaw and papaw if I would allow it! Anyways, on Friday Dad asked Gavin and me to go with him to Springdale. He began by eating the sausage and biscuit papaw had got him and then proceeded to eat Dad's too!
The thought was that we would go to the "Disney Store" in the mall for all things Mickey Mouse. Unfortunately it was closed but Gavin didn't care. He was with papaw and life was goooooood!! He rode the little carousel ride in the mall 4 times until we finally had to drag him away so we could eat.

He even got a toy car with track and a horse that he and Dani like to play with.

I think Gavin's favorite part was the tunnel which he refers to as the "train tunnel". (too much Thomas the Tank Engine I guess)Each time we went through he wanted to do it again.
I (foolishly) thought that he would go to sleep on the way home but no such luck. He was too happy and was afraid that he would miss out on something. When he did finally go to sleep when we got home he slept almost 3 hours! Some trip, huh?

Cousin Trouble!

If you didn't know they were cousins, you would think that Gavin and Dani were brother and sister. She is so good with him and they play so good together. Then at the drop of a hat they are arguing just like brother and sister. They love each other so much and I am so glad they are close. I hope it stays that way forever.
Yesterday, we picked Dani up from school so she and Gavin could have some play time together. They did it all! Piggy back rides, puzzles, dumptruck riding, and even some games I think they made up. But I think the most fun they had by far was making the "club house" in my scrapbook room under a table. They had every pillow in the house there. They were so funny! I managed to get some pictures but it was hard since they kept trying to cover up all the holes! Such kids!!

My Kid, The Crafter

I LOVE to do crafts with Gavin. The problem with this is that once you do 1 thing he wants to do "something else" and more and more and more. He is relentless. I am thankful that he does enjoy it. And it really brings out his impatient side. 'It's my turn to try' is a phrase we hear all the time!

Here is a picture of him doing a Thanksgiving turkey. Glue seems to be his new best friend! (Notice the tongue hanging out of his mouth!)

Early Visit with Santa

Today my sister Julie and I took Gavin and Dani to see Santa at the mall. I know it seems early but you have to understand that my child has been begging to see him since, um, well July I guess! He begs to see him and we will probably have to make a couple more trips to see him between now and Christmas.
He was not to excited when he sat on Santa's lap the first time and all we could see was the top of his head. But after a walk around the mall he said "I will be nice to Santa." So we went back and amazingly he did well. Julie even got a picture or 2 out of it that I will post when I get copies. I was so proud of him. He even told Santa he wanted a tiny tractor for Christmas likes papaw's.
Afterwards we went and ate at Applebee's then onto Sam's. He and Dani seemed to eat the WHOLE time! Where they were putting it I have no idea. But they were so tired and the poor babies passed out in their car seats on the way home. Ah-- success!

The Shack

I am a reader! Love it!! And I am reading a book right now that if I get a chance to read before bed took a me a little less that 4 hours actual read time. It is called "The Shack" by William P. Young. I heard about it from the ladies in my "Preparing Your Heart for Advent" bible study. It is fiction but really touches on religion and God. I have been deeply moved by it and am reccomending it to anyone who will listen. I don't reccomend a lot of books simply because I know sometimes books are reccomended to me and I HATE them. Who needs that kind of pressure! But this is a great book and I am truly grateful to have been introduced to it.

Lament of a Sporadic Blogger

oK- Let's face it: I am a TERRIBLE blogger!! Well, I am good at it when I actually DO it but doing it is another story all together. I have not posted in well over a month. Like nothing has happened all that time (Halloween, school parties, crafts with the boy, time with family....) I have plenty to blog about.

Today was pretty uneventful with the exception of the total meltdown my child had at my doctors office. I was so embarrassed he had me in tears by the time we got to the car. (to make matters worse, he was mad because we went to my doctor and NOT to his! weird I know!) We were much better after a nap so cousin Dani came over to play after school and they had so much fun pushing each other in the Tonka truck around the house and making a couple of crafts.

They also managed quite a mess in Gavin's room so before bedtime I asked him to please go pick up his toys. His response, as serious as he could be :

"I can't pick them up, It's too hard, it will make me sick!"

What a kicker! My kid was channeling his daddy and papaw at the same time! Needless to say, he is still well!

"Field Trip"

Ok- so the little one somehow knows what a field trip is and Thursday requested one from papaw and me after his day at preschool. Now, papaw was working and could not oblige but momma decided what better field trip (and I am using this term very loosely) than a trip to our local park. Thankfully that was sufficient. In addition to the swinging, sliding, and climbing, we walked on the nature trail and looked at bird feeders, spider webs, and the water rushing under the bridge. He even was brave enough to swing on the tire swing for a bit.

Luckily man created this thing called ice cream because without the promise of a vanilla ice cream cone I would have never coerced him back into our car to go home!

Needless to say, the boy had a long full day and it showed. Around 5:30 he crashed on daddy in the "daddy chair" for a little cat nap. He deserved it!! And what a photo op for mom!

Splendor in the Grass!

One thing I am certain of is that my son would LIVE outside if I would let him. Rain, sleet, or snow. (maybe a career with the US Postal Service is in his future!) Luckily, we have finally had some perfect weather; not too hot not too cold. We spent a couple hours outside yesterday and picked up leaves, bark, and pine needles, swung on the swingset and "tried" to fly a kite.

It was wonderful! I love fall and part of me wishes it could be like this year round. But I also know that we couldn't do some of the other things we like like swim or make snow angels if we didn't experience all the seasons here.

We made some "art" (all in the eye of the beholder) with the great things we found and I've added some pictures.

Prayer Requests

I often get emails asking for prayer requests from family or friends. A lot of times it is for someone I don't know and don't have a personal connection to. But I pray. I pray because I know there is not only that individual in need of prayers but a family connected to that person who is suffering in some way as well. I have sometimes wondered if that prayer mattered to the person who didn't know I was praying for them.

I am so thankful for the friends and family I have to rely on in times of need. I can always count on them to 'be praying' for me and my family whenever I ask for a specific need. That happened this week in a BIG way! Both my dad and sister were admitted to the hospital on Wednesday. My dad's admittance was expected, but my 28 year old sister's was not. Having both my dad and sister in the hospital has been stressful, probably more for my mom than anyone. It really makes you stop and realize how short life can be. No one is guaranteed tomorrow, even another hour. But we are guaranteed that there is someone listening to those prayers and someone to help comfort us in time of need. Thankfully my dad and sister have both been released from the hospital as of 8:00 p.m today and other than following up with their personal physicians the worst may be over. What a blessing! So in answer to my own question, does it matter if I am praying for someone who doesn't know it? Yes it matters! It mattered to my dad, my sister, and to my entire family! God Bless you all.

1st Day of School

Today was THE DAY!! The first day of preschool, and Gavin did GREAT!! I was so proud of him! He was so excited last night and even woke up at around 3:30 this morning asking "is it time to go to school now?". He couldn't wait to get dressed and even put his shorts on over his pyjamas this morning. I did manage to get him to eat a little breakfast before we had to go. I really was doing quite well with the whole "your baby's going to school" thing until I was brushing his hair and he looked up at me with his big blue eyes and said "Are you going with me momma?" Whoa buddy did I loose it then. I guess it was the combination of what he said and the look he had when he said it. He has just grown up so fast! I know he is only 2 and 1/2 but he will be 5 before I blink and then 12 and then....

...anyways,I took him into his classroom and all of the other kids that were there were crying. He looked up at me and I thought "uh-oh, this could be bad" but he just kept his lunch pack with him and walked to his seat and let me take his picture. I didn't think I was going to pry the lunch pack from his hands because he was so excited about eating lunch! But he did and then went to play so I said goodbye to his teacher and went back to car to have myself a good cry all the way home!

When I picked him up it took him all of 2 minutes to tell me EVERYTHING he did! He was super excited! "I went to school momma, and I played, and I colored, and I took a nap, and I ate lunch, and I....." and then he'd say "and something else.." He was so animated! I am so thankful he loved it so much. The note home from his teachers said he was Very Sweet and had a Great 1st Day. I am not certain about the nap part though since he passed out on me around 5:3o after our trip to Wal-mart when I got back from having the splints taken out of my nose. He was getting cranking so I knew he was tired but when I gave him his blanket he said he couldn't go to bed yet... Little did he know!