Looking Back at Christmas 2008

My company finally left yesterday. We’re all trying to breath and waiting for the next big thing this PM when Sparky comes home. It should be a blast.

Here is my look back at Christmas 08, just for the fun of it!

Good Things
-My parents arrived safely after a 2 day drive and the first day through a blizzard!
-Christmas morning was still magic for my two little boys, even without Santa Claus. We had an hour long present fest followed by lots and lots of playing.
-Bump and I got a chance to go to breakfast together, just the two of us. It was so much fun!
-All of our kids were here for a fun-filled Christmas, and two of the big kids even stayed over a couple of nights.
-We had a lot of fun watching sports on our new TV. HD is fabulous!
-Little E and Bump played a lot of games and it almost seemed like “follow the leader” as E does EVERYTHING that Bump does.
-We took a ride down to see the Christmas lights display at a local park. It was our first time and lots of fun!
-Gil had 2 weeks off – which is usually a long time, but he found lots of projects and stayed busy.
-I slept in more days this holiday than I have in the past 5 years – great to have extra people around to watch the kiddos.
-I also got more naps – and big ones at that.
-I had zero weight gain – may have even lost a pound or two. That sore throat made eating a non-desirable activity.
-We got to go to Richmond without the boys and visit friends. We also stopped at the park where we were married. It was a nice walk down memory lane.
-I gave away 12 bags for Christmas to people who I normally wouldn’t give Christmas presents too (more on this later.)

The Challenges
-On Christmas Eve I developed a sore throat that became a viral infection. I never quite recovered from it for the holiday, but did enjoy the time I was awake.
-Both Bump and E got strep throat. So in the midst of being sick myself, I’m trying to juggle those guys and then get them to the Dr.
-Weather was up and down. It did get cold which meant all the sickies had to stay in the house.
-My Casey girl dissed me. My Dad was walking her daily in the woods, and when I went to take her for a walk around the block, she didn’t want to go!
-My sickness kept me from enjoying all the great holiday food.
-We never really got to do the things outside the house that we planned to do.
-I got almost no sewing done…although I’ve got two quilts in works.

Overall, it was a good two weeks, but still a little rough around the edges. We’re all ready for 2009!

 

The Great Toy Exodus

I parted the red sea today and led a cavalcade of toys from their many storage spots to the promised land of the garage storage area. Yes, Christmas is coming. And while I don’t suspect that my guys will garnish enough toys to fill all the holes I’m hiding, I needed to move things around. Too Much Stuff. Mostly, it was little E growing out of baby toys and rotating Bump’s old toys down to him.

It was quite an escapade – followed by a Christmas shopping trip in which I hid all of the would be gifts in my suitcases in the garage. It’s a brilliant strategy. And all this in the 2 hours and 15 minutes that I had away from my kids this AM as they were at their morning programs.

Whew, what hard work that was.

And one thing I realized…we have a lot of things with wheels. We have an entire cube shaped storage ottoman filled with NASCARS…probably half way up. Plus we have another ottoman filled with wooden train tracks and vehicles. And then there is the bin full of “big vehicles” Plus I have another bin downstairs half full and then a 3-tiered storage cart upstairs that has more. And, there are at least 7 larger sized vehicles that I can think of that are upstairs – and the dump truck and excavator on the porch – and the sandbox excavators. We got wheels, that’s for sure.

And for Christmas – so far, no wheels in the suitcases. 2 boats, a racecar helmet, a kiddie laptop, kiddie guitar – oh a matchbox track set, but only one car in that one…and that’s it pretty much.

Will it ever end? Not for a few years yet. But next consignment sale, my van will be filled with stuff heading out – and none, I repeat, none coming in.

 

Can I Just Scream? And Scream?

Today was one of those days where I just wanted to go to my room and scream for about 10 minutes. Yeah, one of those. Weekends are always rough on us because our routine is broken and today had no bit of routine in it.

The only bonus of the day was that I actually got to stay in bed until 8:15. Not that I was sleeping, mind you because my 4-year-old was downstairs playing NASCAR – running and making engine noises at high decibels. I’m not sure why my husband allowed this to continue, since I am pretty good and keeping them calm during his sleep times. But none-the-less, I got to lounge in bed.

When I got up, however, things proceeded at maximum velocity. The dishwasher was still full of clean dishes, and dirty ones were not spread all over the kitchen, along with other remnants of a daddy breakfast. Once I was putting the finishing touches on that, I had to feed Little E, who had only arisen a few minutes before me. Then the boys were ready to do some coloring, and I have to be right on top of it, especially with markers.

My coffee cup, full to the brim, sat on the counter just beyond my reach. Finally, I managed to herd the little ones out of the kitchen so I could just get a few minutes to drink my coffee. After that, I decided to dress them and put them in front of the TV, so I could get in a 30 minute biking session. But, meds for their colds needed to be doled out and this included 10 minutes on the nebulizer for Little E. Where was my husband? Went back to bed….

So, I rode. Little E came and stole my water bottle, and then returned it. I showered and grabbed a granola bar. By then, the fireplace project (that’s all you need to know) was under way and I tried to get the boys settled to watch NASCAR pre race stuff. Little E kept having a tantrum about every 5 minutes when he didn’t get his way or got yelled at for going in the fridge. Then Bump and I had a little battle in the ongoing saga of “Son does not listen to Mother or heed her direction.” I sent them both to their rooms. Although I stuffed E in his crib, he can now scale the thing in 2.3 seconds flat and let himself out. The very act of doing that, however, requires him to stop crying, and then proceed directly to the mama, where he hangs like a baby koala until he has soothed himself completely.

Before long, they were both vying for mama time. So, we took a little ride – about 45 minutes and returned with fast food for lunch. I think that was the only time today that there was no discord. After that, it was just one thing after another and after another. Clinging, crying, demanding and not listening. And my head was about to explode. We ate early and bathed early and tried to go to bed early. But neither of those little boys would have it.

I ended up lying with E for 10 minutes after over an hour of fighting his crib and gate climbing self and then discovering that he had taken his cup and bunny out of his room and that’s all he wanted. Well that, and me.

Whew!!! What a day. It was the first time in a long, long time that I had to bite my tongue!

Back to the routine tomorrow, thank goodness!

 

In Bed

I just cracked open Little E’s door to see him peacefully sleeping in his bed. That’s right, his bed. I vowed that I’d leave him in the crib until he was 4, but my resolve is waivering. In our teeny-tiny house with teeny-tiny bedrooms, the extra space taken up by the crib is HUGE. Our goal has been to get the two boys into a room together, but that can’t happen until we say good-bye to the crib.

We hope to say goodbye soon.

It’s funny because our Bump was in a bed at 2 years and 1 day, because he wanted to be. We had a mattress on the floor of his room for sometime – he napped there. And finally we just went for it. There was no pressure from soon-to-be-born Little E. We had a bassinet for him. But it’s just how it happened.

This weekend, we set up the bed rail on the day bed – making it really nothing more than a glorified crib. Well, a crib he can climb out of. E went for the crib every time. I couldn’t keep him in the bed. And now last night, he decides he wants the bed – as he battles what we would discover what was bronchiatis and is hyped up on albuterol – he wants to sleep in his bed. And all day today, it was bed, bed, bed. And now there he is in his codeine induced sleep (thanks doc for the cough medicine) and I can hardly believe it. A month ago, he still had his bottle and now there he is in a big boy bed.

Next thing you know, he’ll be using the toilet. And since I pulled the potty chair down yesterday, he has sat on it a number of times. I even found toilet paper in the bottom of it!

A part of me can’t believe that my little baby is becoming a boy. As he formulates his vocabulary, I marvel at the things that come out of his mouth. Pumpkin Patch. Cool it. Rain. Rain. Down Down. Casey bone. Tub toys. It’s just the little things that we see and know the light it on in his world. He swings on the big boy swing now sometimes. He can eat his food with minimal assistance from me. He pulls the milk jug out of the fridge when he desires a drink. And he follows his brother with love and affection, trying to do everything he can do. And many times, he does it.

So I watch the little man lying propped up in his new big boy bed and know that it won’t be long before he’ll be passing another milestone, making my heart soar and breaking it all in one felled swoop.

 

Why I Love NASCAR

I’ve grown into a little bit of a NASCAR fan over the past season, mostly because of my 4-year-old’s enthusiasm for the sport and drivers. But overall, I find following it to be an enjoyable experience. I’ve always been a little bit of a sports nut, and I think NASCAR has replaced football as my favorite. Here are the things I love about it, in no particular order:

1. They pray before every race.
2. They honor our country by singing the National Anthem, recognizing the military and having a fly over.
3. NASCAR tries to be family friendly. Drivers can invite their families to the pits for pre-race ceremonies. Most tracks have family zones and activities at them.
4. You can enjoy the sport with very little information. All you really need is to know a few of the main drivers, and you can gleefully watch and cheer. But, if you want to get into the layers, you can do that,too.
5. Drivers of all ages compete and win.
6. There are racing rules, but you don’t really need to know them.
7. Speed TV – I love this channel. It really gives you the “intimate” NASCAR experience with their coverage.
8. A race is 4 hours, but you can come and go if you want or do other things. I often, sew, read, write, play with my kids and do other things during the course of a race and then sit down for the finish.
9. Allegiances can vary in your region. In Wisconsin, practically everyone I knew was a Packer fan. Here in Virginia, it’s the Redskins. But you’ll find NASCAR fans all over the board.
10. I love the commercials. This is one of my favorites.

    I have seen it several hundred times, and I still laugh at Harvick every time.

11. NASCAR and the drivers have a heart for causes. Most of the big name drivers have their own foundations, and help out a variety of causes.
12. My little boys are both so in love with it. And my big boy likes it to. All of us can “get into it”, no matter our age difference.
13. “Boogity-Boogity-Boogity. Let’s go racing boys!” Need I say more?

So that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I find it a nice sports distraction here and there. Playing things like NASCAR tag and race track are fun. The car numbers help us learn to count. Although, it is a little embarrassing when Bump points out a “Budweiser” (Kasey Kahne’s Sponsor) with joy and glee. I’ll take it compared to the rest of the sporting world!

 

To the Pumpkin Patch

Today was the day we hit the road for our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch. It’s actually a really neat place. They have hay rides, a maze, a haunted ship, game area, pick your own pumpkin and lots and lots of rows of great stuff pre-picked. My boys were excited. Little E kept saying “Pumpkin Patch” on the whole trip over – not that he knew what a Pumpkin Patch was, but he kept saying it.

This year, the best pickers were in the back of the field, so I loaded E in the wagon and Bump raced ahead pointing at every pumpkin he could. Finally, we got to the pickin place. We scoured the patch looking for the perfect pumpkins. We chose a few, but instead opted to head back for some pre-picked. By the time we finished, there were 5 pumpkins aboard our wagon.

And the boys had to hold their small pumpkins all the way back to the house.

Carving is Gil’s department. And that’s coming soon!!!!!

 

Language Lessons from the NASCAR Kid

I had to write this one down before I forgot it….

This morning, I was telling Bump how my friend Debbie wanted us to come out and visit.

Me: “Miss Debbie sent us a note, she wants us to come out and see her.”

Bump: “Really?” (He’s playing with one of his NASCARS while we talk.)

Me: “Yes, it would be fun to see Miss Debbie, wouldn’t it?”

Bump: “Yeah!!!! (Pausing) Hey, Miss Debbie rhymes with Chevy.”

Me: (Holding back all out laughter.) “Yes Bump, Miss Debbie does rhyme with Chevy.”

 

What We’ve Been Reading

I’ve been reading through a few Christian authors to the limits of my library. I previous mentioned Lisa Samson. We’ll I’ve read six of her books this summer:

Embrace Me
The Church Ladies
Club Sandwich
Strait Up: A Novel
Quaker Summer
Women’s Intuition

Most of them were real page turners for me, although they didn’t always surround any big mystery or controversy. Sometimes, they were just about women trying to get through the day. What I really liked was the Christian overtones, and my ability to identify with so many of the characters. It was also neat that the books overlapped to some degree. For example, the main character in Women’s Intuition is a sub character in Quaker Summer. Embrace Me, which was actually the first one I read, has several books around some of the sub characters (some of which I’ve not read) including The Church Ladies. Samson has many other books out there, so I’ll probably try to get a hold of some through inter-library loan. Yeah, I like her that much.

Another author I’ve enjoyed is Laura Jensen Walker. I’ve read two books:

Reconstructing Natalie
Dreaming in Black and White

Walker’s characters in both of these books are single Christian girls in their late 20s. They are not as well written as the Samson books, but light and interesting in ways. She ties things up neatly at the end and honestly has to dive bomb to get there sometime. But I liked them and am waiting for another book of hers to become available at the library.

What My Boys Are Reading

Bump’s latest:

Meet Our Flag, Old Glory – by Barbara Reid – A nice little book that introduces the flag and some of the interesting things about it via a rhyme. A section in the back of the book shows the first flags and provides details for parents to share with little ones about the origins of the flag.

Bats at the Beach – by Brian Lies – We picked this up right before our beach trip. It’s a great story of bats heading out under the full moon to hang out at the beach…don’t forget that moon-tan lotion!

Platypus – by Chris Riddell – We’ve also read Platypus and the Lucky Day. It’s just a cute little story about a platypus and his trip to the beach to collect things. After all, what 4 year old boy doesn’t have a “collection” of his own. Plus, it’s introduced the platypus to us for further scrutiny.

Little E’s Obsessions:

Bears in the Night by the Bernsteins – We randomly scooped this one up at the library and boy do we love it. It’s just perfect for his age and his eyes shine when we read it. At the end when the bears are all sleeping again, he pipes up with “night, night.”

The Snowy Day – by Ezra Jack Keats – Little E’s just latched onto this one in the last two days. We have the board book version, and he loves to see the snow. A true classic.

My Dog Rosie – by Isabelle Harper – Yes, we still have a Rosie thing going on. I find that book everywhere. At bedtime he calls for Rosie and I have to go off and figure out where he last had her.

What are you reading???? I’m look for some fiction recommendations, so pipe up in comments if you’ve read anything good!

 

He Tells It Like It Is

A conversation overheard tonight…

Dad: Kyle Busch is a loser.

Son: Not all the time. Sometimes he wins.

For any non NASCAR fans, the younger Busch has a love hate relationship with fans, for the most part but has won 8 races, more than any other driver this year, in the Sprint Cup Series, or as we refer to it – the Sprint Cup Serious…

 

It’s All Trivial

When Trivial Pursuite came out in the 80s, I was all over it. I had long been a Cliff Claven of sort – the gatherer of useless information. When this game came on the scene, I stormed the castle so to speak. I kicked butt. For years and years I played and dominated, for the most part. I was well-rounded enough that there wasn’t a category that I feared. I took it all head on.

A few nights ago, I had a dream that my family was playing Trivial Pursuit with NASCAR driver Patrick Carpentier at my parents’ house. The dream was so real that when I opened my eyes, I was sure that I’d be in my childhood bedroom. I conveyed this whimsical dream to my dear, Gil and told him of my TP dominance. He thought it was funny (and very believable, if you know me).

Today, he was constructing our foam USA map with Bump. As Gil locked in Maine , he said, “And Maine is the northernmost state in the lower 48.”

I called from the adjoining room, “I think it’s Minnesota.”

To which a slight argument ensued. I pulled the globe down to illustrate my point, but the “man-who-is-never-wrong” would have none of it.

Later today, I pulled up the stats on WIKI. While Maine has the point furthest east in the lower 48, it is in fact Northwest Angle, MN that is the northernmost point.

Don’t mess with the Trivial Pursuit queen!