Since We Last Spoke

I just noticed I hadn't updated since Christmas day! Let's see, since then we've been playing with new toys, Brian was poisoned by Chili's, and the boys and I went to stay with my parents for a few days. Back to Brian. Saturday night we got takeout from Chili's, and in the wee hours of Sunday morning I woke up to Brian puking it all back up! He said he knew he had to make it to the toilet because there was no chance I was going to help him clean it up. He was so right. Chili's is officially off the takeout list!

I'm mostly over my nausea, but my sense of smell is still working overtime. I think I pretty much just hold my breath all day. And I eat all day. Is it possible to do those two things at the same time? Only if you're pregnant I guess. I'm not looking forward to getting on the scale next time I go to the doctor! I'll have to post a picture soon because I'm really starting to look pregnant.

As for the weather here, it is insane. One day it's close to 80 and muggy, the next it's in the 40s. It is driving me crazy and wreaking major havoc on my allergies. If any of you northerners are sick of the constant cold, you are welcome to visit us in Southeast Texas! Bring your shorts and your parkas! You just never know.

I mailed out Coleman's birthday invitations this week. I can't believe he's going to be 4 in less than 2 weeks! He's having a Batman birthday party, so I designed the invitations and Brian printed them out for me. When I have a chance I'll show you how they turned out.

2008 is just hours from being over. I hope you all have a safe and happy new year! Talk to you in 2009!

Merry Christmas!

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:10-14

Praise God for His perfect gift! Other gifts may be thrown in the closet and forgotten about in a week or so, or left to collect dust on a shelf. May we keep God's most precious gift of Jesus with us throughout the whole year. Talking to Him and trusting in Him each day. Never forgetting what He has done for us. Never forgetting to take Him with us wherever we go.

Yesterday afternoon we opened our family presents. Then we went to the Christmas Eve service. When we got back we ate a delicious dinner. Before bed the boys put Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the driveway for Santa's reindeer. Although we had homemade cookies, Coleman thought Santa would like Vanilla Wafers! They were gone this morning, so I guess he did! Here are some of the gifts we got this year. I'll spare you the pictures of mine and Brian's shredder and mini shop vac!

My mom made Coleman and me matching aprons since Coleman loves to help bake cookies. Coleman helped me make the cookies for the neighbors this year. I made him wash his hands really well before we started!

It's Christmas morning! Look what Santa brought us! Coleman got the Batmobile that shoots out the Batpod, and Batman and the Joker. Spence got a big truck and a monster truck.

Playing with the Batmobile. Look out Joker!

Mommy and Daddy got the boys this GeoTrax Quarry and Crane.

Nana and Poppa got Coleman this pirate ship.

Spence bouncing away on his Spider Man ball from Nana and Poppa.

Wouldn't you know it? Playing with the box!

Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle Brent and Aunt Drea, and Aunt Jeani and Uncle Lyle sent lots of cool presents.

What A Crazy Idea

Every night Coleman asks where we're going after breakfast. I knew it was supposed to rain so we wouldn't be able to go to a park, so I told him we could go play at the mall. When I said this I forgot that there were two shopping days left before Christmas and the mall would be a madhouse. A promise is a promise though. We had some other things to do first though. Here is what Spence looked like this morning:

He needed a haircut in the worst kind of way! I had been letting it grow to see how it would do, but it was just getting unruly. I wanted to keep some length, but have it look groomed, so Brian and I decided to try a bowl cut on him. It's pretty cute, I think.

After nap time, we headed to the mall. We parked 5 miles from the door, squeezed through the crowds, and found our way to the play area. I was stressed just being there. I can't imagine needing to find gifts! That's one thing I did right this year - I bought gifts early!

The camera battery died before I could get a good shot of Spence's haircut, but you can see it in some of the pictures from the mall.

This is the "stomp pad" they like to play on. There is a projector on the ceiling that projects different interactive games.


"Merry Christmas from the mall!"

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you've gotten all your shopping done and can keep your distance from the malls tomorrow!

Feelin' Fine and Smellin' Pine

I feel better today than I have in 7 weeks. Praise the Lord! Praise Him! Praise Him! Hopefully this "morning" sickness is on its way out. I woke up feeling great, and strangely enough in a mood to clean that only strikes every few years. It's only 2 o'clock and I've already mopped my kitchen, dining room, entry, and master bath. I've dusted our bedroom, including the ceiling fan blades, washed our sheets and blankets, and vacuumed. I've cleaned sticky prints off the windows by the front door and the back door. I've got plans to vacuum the rest of the floors downstairs and upstairs when Spence wakes up from his nap.

Speaking of Spence, he dressed himself today. We were in Coleman's closet and he saw an old pair of boots and a cowboy hat and decided he wanted to wear them today. Then he found Coleman's Superman pajama top and wanted that on too. I chose the shorts because it's freakishly warm today. Here's what it looks like when a two year old dresses himself:

Absolutely adorable!

Hope you are enjoying your Christmas season! Only 5 more days! Coleman has been marking off the days until Christmas on a calendar Brian printed out for him. Every night before bath he scratches off a day and counts how many days left until the 25th. He's really enjoying that. Spence has already unwrapped a few gifts, but he didn't try to play with them or anything. He just likes tearing the paper off. I'm pretty sure one of them is a jelly bean pooping reindeer. Good one, Uncle Brent.

Sorry about today's title. I try to think of clever ones, but sometimes they just turn out dorky. The smell of pine refers to the Pine-Sol I used to mop the floors this morning!

How Do You Put Up With Me?

Dear Brian,
Can you believe we've been married for 10 years now? It's so funny how it's hard to remember how things used to be. Like when we got Lucy, just a few months after we got married, it was hard to remember life before her. And by the way, thanks for getting up with her in the night to let her out and for kennel training her. I told you I'd get up with our future kids if you'd get up with the dog. I should have thought about that one a little harder! Then when we had Coleman it was hard to remember what life was like before him. Now it's the same with Spence, and soon with the new baby. Although I'm having a hard time imagining being outnumbered by our kids!

What I'm trying to say is it's hard to remember life before you. And I don't want to! Every day is an adventure. Remember when you were finishing up graduate school and we had no clue where we were going to live? That was exciting! I also remember when I quit teaching and didn't have another job lined up. Then God gave me the perfect job that lasted the perfect length of time.

God has been so good to us. He brought us together just 3 short months before you graduated and moved across the ocean. He kept us together through that year apart. He has been there with us through depression, joblessness, babies, and everything in between! We would be nothing without Him. He gave you to me to be the leader of our family - our provider and protector. He gave us the most wonderful children!

Some days I wonder if you knew what you were getting into when you married me. Crazy songs get stuck in my head and I sing them for days. I forget to check if you have any clean underwear left and you end up having to wear boxers. I complain about things, but I don't like to take action to change whatever is bothering me. I don't like cleaning the shower. I could list some others, but I don't want everyone knowing all my faults!

It has been an amazing 10 years. Thank you for sticking with me and loving me through it all. You are a wonderful husband and exceptional daddy. I'm looking forward to the next 10 years.

I love you,
Amanda

P.S. - By the way, we're not going out tonight. The babysitter never returned my call!

Singing??????

Last night was Coleman's first Christmas program. There are really no words to describe his performance, so luckily Brian has put together some video clips. Coleman is on the back row, third from the left. You can't see in the video, but on either side of the stage there are two big screens and he's looking back and forth at them. He said he was looking to see how mad he looked. I asked why he was mad, and he said he wanted green jingle bells but his teacher gave him red!














And his teacher said he's never quiet! He showed her!

Opinions Please!

I want to bake some Christmas cookies for my neighbors, but I don't like to make cut-out iced cookies. They always end up looking like a 5 year old made them. Which would be cute if a 5 year old did make them, but not when a grown woman made them. Anyway, I found a few recipes on this site I want to run by you. Do these say "Merry Christmas" to you?

Snowballs (or Mexican Wedding Cakes with crushed peppermint)

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

Or maybe you have a favorite (and easy) cookie recipe to share. Let me know!

His Sneaky Thought

When asked about the baby, Coleman says he wants another boy. Until today. Today he said, "I changed my mind. I want a girl. Then she can go to Nana and Poppa's or Grandma and Grandpa's." I thought I knew what he was getting at, but I asked anyway. "And live there?" To which he replied, "Yeah."

Meet Our Tree

We finally got our Christmas tree this weekend! No, it is not decorated, but it's in our house. The good thing about waiting so late to get your Christmas tree is that they go on sale! We were able to get one about 2 feet taller than usual because they were 25% off. We've gotten a "real" tree every year since we got married. This was a new tradition for me. I always thought Christmas trees came from the attic! It's kind of new for Brian too. He was used to a real tree, not a "real" tree. Real trees are ones you go into the mountains and cut yourself. A step down from the real tree is the one you go to a tree farm and cut down. Then the "real" tree, like ours, is the one you go to Lowe's or Home Depot and point to and the guy in the red vest or orange apron (depending on which home improvement store you're at) wraps in netting and helps you tie to the roof of your SUV. My Montana man has to make sacrifices to live here in suburbia. When the boys are a little older we'll probably start going to a tree farm. At least that will be a little more adventurous!

So many trees to choose from!

Helping Daddy pick just the right one

Look how tall it is!

Also, the siding and roof are finished! It looks like we have a new house. I'll have to post some pictures soon!

No Roofers Today

I guess they don't work in the SNOW!!! Yesterday I was laughing as "Let It Snow" played on the radio in the car while I was wearing short sleeves and had the air conditioning on! Today I bundled up the boys and let them go outside and see the snow. It's starting to come down a little harder now, but still no accumulation. Our weather is so crazy! I'll keep you posted unless life as we know it down here in the south comes to a screeching halt.

Fun fact: Last snow here was Christmas Eve '04. I remember the year because I was less than 1 month away from having Coleman!

Remembering the True Meaning

Sometimes it's hard to get in the Christmas spirit. The world throws all its "worldy stuff" at you. Santa and reindeer and lights and trees are all nice, but if that's all you have at Christmas, it leaves you feeling empty. I was asking Brian the other day when Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings came to be the thing to say. People are so afraid to offend anyone. It's frustrating. I have to admit I haven't been feeling too festive. Then Sunday in church we were singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing when a line jumped out at me: God and sinners reconciled. What an amazing thought! That is what Christmas is about. That moment my spirit was lifted and I felt joy for this Christmas season. So Merry Christmas to all of you!

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"

Up On the Rooftop

I began this week with a good excuse for not blogging. The roofers were coming Monday morning to start our new roof. It was going to take them three days. I was planning how we would be out of the house for 3 days during all the daylight hours. Monday they didn't show up until after 11:00. They were finishing up a house down the street. We vacated the premises and headed for lunch, then to a friend's house so Spence could take a nap. The nap of course did not happen, but thanks so much Leanne for letting us crash there for the afternoon! When we got home it didn't look like they had gotten much done, but I'm no roofer. Maybe there's some invisible prep work that comes first. Today it rained some, so they didn't show up. And tomorrow there's a chance of rain also. Who knows when our roof will be finished! I'm trying not to worry about it though, especially since we're getting a new roof without paying for it. I don't think I've mentioned yet on the blog, but because of damage from Hurricane Ike, we got new siding, the house painted, and a new roof. I feel a little guilty since there were so many people who lost everything, and we seem to be making out great from this storm. I think I'll choose to feel blessed. We desperately needed a new roof, and desperately didn't want to spend money on it. And the new siding is awesome! I'll post a picture when it's all done.

Next week Coleman has his first Christmas program. He told Brian, "I hate those songs! I'm not going on that stage and you can't make me!" I can't wait to see how this ends up. I asked the music teacher today about how he was doing. She said he doesn't sing much, but he cooperates. Today was their first practice on the stage, and she told me he went on stage and stayed there the whole time. That's a good start. We'll just say a little prayer that he doesn't flip out the night of the program!

I realize I haven't really written much about the pregnancy since we announced it. I still have days where I feel yucky. Most days I'm really tired and my tummy feels unsettled. I have a baby bump, but it's leftover from being pregnant with Spence! Does that count? We go Friday for our second appointment. Another annoying symptom is that my sniffer works in overdrive! We walk outside and I smell cat urine in the bushes. Up until today when I did a thorough cleaning out, I had to hold my breath every time I opened the pantry door. I think I finally discovered the mysterious smell in the kitchen to be the sink. I googled "stinky sink" and came up with some solutions. Of course, the smell of vinegar wasn't much better. Sink irrigation may be a job for Brian.

And now, some pictures from the weekend:

Coleman and Spence at our church's Children's Christmas Breakfast

The picture you won't be seeing on our Christmas card (click for a better look at Coleman's face)

Another picture we won't be putting on a card (it's pretty cute though)

Coleman colored this in Sunday School this week. I told him how great I thought it was, then noticed the circle around the angel. I said, "Wow, did you draw that circle around the angel?" He said, "Yeah, and see those bars? She's in jail!" Oh dear.

What Do You Do When It's 50 Degrees in Houston?

I don't know what you do, but we go to the zoo! We put on some layers and met Candice and Paul David there this morning. We had such a great time. Poor Spence acted like he'd never been in the cold a day in his life and was a little whiny, but he eventually started having a good time too.

It's a little too cold for me, Mommy

The boys always enjoy playing by the elephant statue

These monkeys gave us a little X-rated show

Spence checking out the fish

Coleman crawling through the fish tank tunnel

Coleman and the alligator

Coleman and Paul David

It's Beginning to Look, Um, A Little Like Christmas

Brian got the Christmas decorations out of the attic this morning, so while the boys were at school I dug through them and started doing a little decorating. I did a little throwing out also. Hopefully none of my former second grade students will be dropping by and asking where the gold glitter candle holder or stackable snowman or hideous metal Rudolph (so rude I know) are displayed. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care and the nativity set is displayed. Last night we took the boys' Christmas pajama pictures. I'm a sucker for the Christmas pajamas! This weekend we'll be taking our family Christmas picture for our card. We've already started bribing and threatening Coleman to behave during the photo session. This gets harder every year! I want a picture of the four of us together, but we'll see how that goes. I can't imagine next year with three! Cherish the card this year, because there may not be one next year!

Oh, it finally can feel like Christmas because it's cold! It's so exciting! This morning Coleman started talking about snow. I told him we weren't going to Montana for Christmas this year, and he was pretty sad. He said, "But I want to play in the snow and make my hand prints and hug a tree!" I have no idea about the "hugging a tree" part. Grandma, when you come in January could you bring us some snow? Coleman would really appreciate it!

Why Not To Ignore Your Kids

This afternoon I was trying to download something on the computer for Coleman when Spence came up to me holding out his hand and saying something I couldn't understand. I was frustrated because I needed a password that I didn't know, so I was trying to change it and ignoring Spence at the same time. He kept putting his hand up so I figured he hurt it. I leaned over, took his hand, and kissed it. Not soon enough did I smell the poop that was on his hand. Apparently he was trying to tell me that he had a dirty diaper and he had stuck his hand down in it! His hand and my nose had poop on them. It was disgusting! I've either learned not to ignore my children, or at least to smell them before I kiss them!