We love Christmas!

The kids slept in until 8 am on Christmas morning. This would have been perfect if I had been able to sleep past 6 am - I still get as excited as the kids to see what Santa has brought. Except for my excitement is all about the grins on their faces and their shouts of delight. This year was fantastic. We got together as a family in November and talked about how many families are struggling with having enough money right now. We drew a "Christmas Pie" to represent what our kids usually receive for Christmas, and asked them how much of their pie they would be willing to give to another family who didn't have a very large "Christmas Pie" of their own. The generosity of kids never ceases to amaze me.

Merry Christmas Daddy! The kids gave Mike the first season of "The Simpsons"

Kaitlyn asked Santa for "American Doll Girl" twins. Yes, that's how she says it, no matter how many times we ask, "are you sure they aren't called American Girl Dolls?". She saw a picture of them in August when Kass & I returned from our trip to Chicago. She carried that picture around until it literally fell apart into little pieces. Here she is opening the only gift she wanted from Santa.

Kassidy wanted Santa to bring her a chair for her bedroom. He brought her an ottoman, rug & lamp as well. It made Santa kind of sad to hear that her list now consists of furnishings and clothing instead of Barbies and toys. I had to explain to him that kids grow up. He shed a few tears over that one. :)

Caleb's facial expressions are priceless. Here he is opening up his Wii sports pack. As soon as he saw the "Mario Cart" steering wheel - he knew that he must be getting the game as well. He has played Mario Cart so much in the last 2 days, that I think his eyes may permanently glaze over.

We have spent the last few days in our pj's, eating treats, and enjoying Christmas! We hope that you've been able to do some of the same.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am . . .

I am . . . almost 38 years old. Wow that went by really fast.
I think. . . way too much, half of the time about stuff that doesn’t really matter.
I know. . . my friends are there for me. They may be laughing, but they are there!
I want. . . to be able to run forever without getting tired.
I have. . . laughed so hard I peed my pants. Seriously.
I dislike. . . really bad chocolate. If you are going to make chocolate, make it right, dang it!
I miss. . . the fall in Vermont.
I fear. . . dying in an airplane crash. Irrational, yet true.
I feel. . . content.
I hear . . . my kids playing star wars.
I smell. . . popcorn.
I crave. . . really good chocolate, diet coke, and . . . I’ll just leave it at that :)
I cry . . . too much, but at least it means I can still feel.
I search. . . Caleb’s eyes to determine if he is telling the truth.
I wonder. . . if I am being a good mom.
I regret. . . not talking about post-partum depression until after the birth of my third child.
I wish. . . I had my own soda fountain with endless diet coke and yummy ice.
I love. . . snuggles, hugs & kisses.
I care. . . about crumbs in my silverware drawer. There seems to be an endless supply of them.
I always. . . sleep with a full glass of water by the side of my bed.
I worry. . . about my kids growing up in a crazy world.
I am not. . . a fashionista. Blue jeans, t-shirts & sweatshirts. That pretty much sums it up.
I remember. . . budgeting $25 a week for groceries.
I believe. . . in Karma.
I sing. . . in the car. Big time.
I don’t . . . like sarcasm.
I argue. . . very seldomly. But when I do, watch out!
I write. . . to unclog my brain and my heart.
I win. . . sometimes I guess, but it’s not a big deal to me.
I lose. . . at rock, paper, scissors. EVERY TIME.
I listen. . . to the news, talk radio, and 80’s rock.
I don’t understand. . . a whole heckuva lot.
I can usually be found. . . drinking a diet coke.
I need. . . sleep. Tons & tons of sleep.
I forget. . . my keys, my phone, my phone number, pretty much anything and everything that can be forgotten.
I am happy. . . period.

A few of the things I'm grateful for...

I meant to write this one a few weeks ago, and I'm finally getting to it, even without the photos from my infuriating camera. So here are a few of the things that I am really grateful for as 2008 draws to a close...

1. Sleeping Children. Now don't get me wrong, I love my children when they are awake as well. But there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING like watching these sweet little stinkers sleep. They are absolutely perfect. It warms my heart, makes all life's troubles melt away, and even makes me giggle just watching them sleep. (just look at the shin guards on Caleb's legs and you'll see a great example of why I giggle.)
2. My new washer and dryer. I've wanted a front load washer and dryer for what feels like forever! I've gone from trudging through my laundry ALL WEEK LONG to starting and finishing it in a single day. What is there not to love about that? Plus they are my favorite color - RED. Even better, they play a little melody to remind me that it's time to switch out the clothes I'm washing/drying. And my favorite - they have a "steam" cycle where you put in a few items that need to be ironed, and it steams the wrinkles right out of them. I'm in laundry heaven I tell you. The only thing that I can imagine that could make it even better would be if a little elf came in every week and did it all for me. I always believed that possessions couldn't bring happiness until I was introduced to these little beauties. They're bringing me some serious happiness.
3. My running shoes. I've decided that buying new running shoes every six months is considerably cheaper than therapy. And that is exactly what they are to me. Therapy. Really good therapy! I've been running since I was 13 years old, and this year it means even more to me. Why? I spent a few years being sick, and I remember the day I told Mike, "I'm not a runner anymore." I just took too much out of me physically to justify it's "mental" benefits. It was a sad day for me. It makes me cry to think about it. I honestly didn't think I'd ever run a considerable distance again. But this year I've been able to start running again. It's like I've reconnected with a good friend that I thought I'd lost forever. This year, I'm lovin' my running shoes, and it feels good.
4. Good friends. I have friends who've been there for me since Jr. High, friends strewn across the country from the many places I've lived, and friends in my own neighborhood who make my life on so much brighter on a daily basis. Women need other women. It's just the way it is. I'm grateful to have some absolutely amazing women in my life.
5. My sweetheart. He loves me, believes in me, and makes me laugh. Who could ask for more? Our first date was 15 years ago this month, and he hasn't been able to shake me since :).
6. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. With each passing year I realize more and more how little I actually know, how imperfect I am, and how completely dependent I am upon Him.

I have much to be grateful for - but these are a few of my favorites. Life is good.

The Power of a Woman

This last week I've done a lot of thinking about the strength I see in the women I know. I have friends who are going through or still dealing with the effects of divorce, many facing what seem to be enormous financial struggles, another mourning the loss of her mother, and others who face the challenges of raising small children in a harsh and often unforgiving world.

It's made me think about the power that resides within every woman. You know what? They are strong. They are powerful. And there's a bunch of them who don't even know it. Now don't get me wrong, I know that men have incredible strengths as well, I just don't know that much about men other my own husband & the cute little 7 year old running around that looks just like him. I see their personal strengths on a daily basis, but other than them I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to men. But women I get. Being a woman kind of gives me an unfair advantage on this one.

The power within a woman differs from person to person, but it's there. You can feel it when you are around them. Do you know what I mean? You can honestly feel it when they are using their strength. Maybe that sounds weird, but for me it's true. It's power that can be seen or felt in their determination, kindness, and strong will. It's there in the smallest and most encompassing aspects of a women's life. It's there in the way she treats her children, her husband, her friends. So why am I writing about it, and for that matter thinking about it?

I believe so strongly in the power of women that I honestly know the power to change the world lies within them. This is the reason that the adversary (or whatever you want to call that stinkin' force that just wants to screw up the world) does everything within his power to keep women from seeing just how amazing they are. Get a woman to focus on anything other than what really matters in life, and you've got her. Get her to focus on having the perfect body, the perfect clothing, the perfect home, the perfect ANYTHING, and you get her to stop focusing on the stuff that really does matter. Her strength is lost. Get her to treat others with disdain and disrespect, and her power fades away. And in the process, you literally affect everyone around her.

So my question is, why in the world do we women seem to be so willing to turn over our God given power to anyone who wants to claim it? Why? I just don't get it. I guess it's easy for nearly everyone of us to say, "oh, it's because all the media does these days is focus on physical beauty." or "I've had a really hard life, and I just don't have control over this stuff" And all of that is true, but you want to know what I think? I think we hand it over to anyone else because we either don't have a clue how strong we are, or it's just easier to let it go.

My son came home today in tears. Since kindergarten he's been best buddies with two boys at school. They play together, have class together, and ride the bus together. Well, at the beginning of the year a new kid moved in. Nice kid by the way. BUT - only 3 kids can sit on the same seat on the bus. Guess who got kicked out of the "best buddy club"? My kid. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how hard it is to watch your own child confront something that painful. "Buck up" and "Make some new friends!" just don't seem to cut it. Crap, I've had friends do the same thing to me and I'm 37. It hurts a helluva lot let me tell you. After consoling him, I have to go somewhere else in the house to hide so I can cry. Honestly, it's breaking my heart. He's seven. He doesn't see his strength. He doesn't know how absolutely amazing he is. I'm trying my best to teach him, but this is life. And sometimes life stinks!

So why in the world am I sharing this story and talking about women? Because we do the same damn thing to each other ALL THE TIME!!! Some of us are so used to giving our own power away that we can't stand to see another woman be strong. Not only do we have to get rid of our own, we have to take everyone else down in the process. And I am sick of it! Did you hear that? SICK OF IT!

So ladies - gather together those women in your life who inspire you, and in the process you will inspire them. Get rid of the meanness, the cattyness, all of the crap that doesn't matter one little bit. Seriously, whatever your passion is in life, whether it is your job, your kids, your spouse, the environment, your faith, WHATEVER - just grab onto it and stand up for it. Make it important. Make it matter. Do not let anyone or anything take that power within you away.

Thank you to my girlfriends, my family, and the women out there who don't have a clue that I am watching, for inspiring me. Thank you for being strong. Thank you for showing me that the power of a woman is indeed immeasurable and everlasting.

There's always time for diet coke!

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A day in the life...

I've been thinking about a really nice post that I wanted to do for my blog about all the things I'm thankful for. I even took pictures of my washer & dryer and running shoes for crying out loud! And everyone else was doing the whole "gratitude" thing on their blogs so I just wanted to join in. But, I can't figure out how to get the stupid pictures off of my camera and on to my blog. I think the entire photo importing process secretly changes everytime I attempt it. You would think after doing it a number of times that I wouldn't have to go to Mike for help - but I do. EVERY TIME.

So I'm giving up on the gratitude stuff for a day and writing about life. My life. Here goes...

Alarm goes off at 4:50 am. Seriously, 4:50 am! I STUMBLE into the bathroom to put on fifty million layers of clothes so I don't freeze my butt off while running with Chelsea. I was sick last week so I put in a total pansy run. TOTAL PANSY!!! I got my butt out of bed before the sun was up to run like a total pansy. Chelsea is awesome for giving me a little slack though.

6:00 am it's off to Winegars. Why in the world would I go to Winegars at 6am? To buy my daughter her poster board of course. I've known about the poster board since Monday, but did I buy it then? No. That would make too much sense. That would be too easy. So while I'm in Winegars I think to myself, I might as well buy a few other things that I need as long as I'm here. So I pile in the Marshmellow Matey's (better than the real thing btw), mandarin oranges, pancake mix and whatever else I can get my hands on. I pay the cashier, load the groceries in the car, and suddenly realize, I FORGOT THE POSTER BOARD!!! I seriously thought about how I could possibly send Kass to school without the poster board. Maybe the teacher really meant Thursday instead of Wednesday or maybe she'll have extras for the kids with slacker parents. Reluctantly, I head back in to buy the 65 cent poster board and put it on my credit card. I don't have any cash.

6:30 am and I'm trying to use my nice mommy voice and convince my children that they really DO want to climb out of their nice warm beds and head off to school. They don't seem to believe me. Finally, I end up telling each of them, "I swear, if you miss the bus again today you will have to pay me five dollars!". This time they listen - money seriously does talk! Then it's my version of the amazing race - make breakfast, pack lunches, make sure everyone's brushed teeth & hair, and has their homework, backpack, jacket. This race usually ends with me hollering, "I love you!" followed by "run guys! RUN! The bus is on its way!".

By this time my body is screaming, "must have more sleep!" while my mind is running a million miles a minute. How can I shower, clean the kitchen, and have the laundry folded, and read with Kaitlyn by the time I need to be at my hair appointment. I made a hair appointment for today after seeing a couple of photos of me taken last week. SCARY HAIR! Sadly, photos don't lie. I don't get it all done, but hey, I showered and read with Kaitlyn so the rest can wait.

11:00 am I arrive at a new hair salon, because they are the only ones who were able to fit me in at the last minute. And I couldn't wait another day. I haven't had my hair cut or colored for 6 months. It's time for some desperate measures. The gray hairs that I like to pretend are "highlights" are starting to make me look like a female Jay Leno. This is NOT a good thing! I describe to Heather, my 20 something "stylist" what I want in a hairstyle (ie. try to make me look like I actually HAVE a hairstyle and hide the gray hair please). She then proceeds to take 3 hours - 3 HOURS - to highlight and cut my hair. She is obviously not a mother of three children. She obviously does NOT understand that when you are a mom, every second you have without a child hanging on your leg is as precious as gold. She kept saying things like, "oh, I need to go mix up some more color" and "Let's just let that process a while", and "I'm going to need more foil". Once, I got so sick of waiting that I actually went looking for her. And I found her. Putting on her make-up! She was trying various shades of lipgloss from the display case in the salon, and had obviously added new eyeshadow and liner. I wanted to FREAK OUT! I wanted to say, "I'm wasting my child-free minutes waiting on you to find the right shade of lip gloss?". However, I was sane enough to realize that yelling at one's "stylist" is NOT a good idea BEFORE they take sharp scissors to your over processed hair.

2:00 pm I am livid, yes livid, over the fact that I cannot run to Costco as planned due to the insane hair appointment. No time. Kids are coming home. I run home to face the piles of dishes and laundry that I didn't conquer this morning. They are still there taunting me, so I sit down to commiserate and drink a diet coke. Hooray! There is always time for Diet Coke.

3 ish pm the kids come home and it's "how was your day?" and "hang up your jacket", and "how much homework do you have". The questions are followed by a snack and absolute chaos as we try to get everything done in the small amount of time allotted for these sorts of things. The dishes are still staring at me, so instead of tackling them, I sit down to write. Writing is good therapy, and the rates are cheap.

So the day isn't done, but I can tell you how it will end. A made rush to lessons, and friends, dinner, scriptures, Harry Potter, brushing teeth and prayers. Followed by a dash of "stay in bed" and "If you're so hungry, you should've eaten more at dinner". At the end of which I end up exhausted on the couch sitting next to that handsome man I married.

I may still be ticked at Heather for taking twice as long to do her job, but don't get me wrong, I realize that I do have a good life. A damn good life in fact. Thanks for listening, I feel much better :)