Play a Game With Me!

Tonight I cannot think of a thing to write about. I thought I would look back at pictures from 1 year ago and share one with you. Then I decided it might be fun to post pictures of both the boys at 12 to 13 months old and see if you can guess who is who! I think they look a lot alike, but this is the test. Can you tell them apart? Let's see.

Baby #1: I am obviously not happy, but who am I?


Baby #2: Still not happy! Or am I a different child?

Baby #3: Am I the first or second Pikkula boy?

Baby #4: Do you know my name?

Have fun with my little game. I'll give you the answers tomorrow.

Here is the name of Jesus I've chosen for today:

Son of the Most High

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David... Luke 1:32

These words were spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary. Can you imagine how she felt being visited by an angel and given this news? She was to have a baby and He was not going to be an ordinary baby, but One who would have a throne. If you read Luke 1:26-38, you see that Gabriel gave her a lot of information. Do you think she understood it all? Probably not. She didn't need to understand it all though, she just needed to be willing to let God use her, and she was. She said, "I am the Lord's servant." If only I would answer that in every situation. He is the Son of the Most High, so whatever He says, my answer should be, "I am the Lord's servant."

Today's Headline: Lady Passes Out in Bakery

Coleman's birthday is less than a month away, so I've started thinking about his party. Up until now, I've made all the boys' birthday cakes. This is Coleman's first year having a party with his friends, so I thought I would have a professional do the job. Today I stopped at a few bakeries to inquire about a fire truck-shaped birthday cake. I had heard wonderful things about the first bakery I went to. I knew it was going to be pricey, but nothing could have prepared me. Are you sitting down? For a fire truck-shaped cake to feed 15 to 20 people they charge $102. He's not getting married, he's turning 3!!! I politely said thank you and promptly left. I had been to the next bakery on my list before. They made little bassinet-shaped cookies with my due date written in icing in March of 2006. That was how we told our parents we were expecting. I figured if they were charging $50 for this cake, I should probably jump on that. They charge $28 for the fire truck cake. Now that I'm willing to pay for a 3 year old's birthday cake.

I hope you are enjoying the Jesus blog this month. I am trying to keep my focus on Him and remember that He is the:

Author and Perfecter of Our Faith

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

How many of our problems would be solved if we just fixed our eyes on Him? Why do we ever look away? I am so guilty of looking away. Thankfully, He has never looked away from us, even though it meant enduring the cross. May our faith be perfected during this glorious time of year.

God With Us

Two sick boys. Too wiped out to think. Mom is here to help out since Brian had to go out of town. Tonight when she was putting Coleman to bed, she made the comment that he was going to have to get a bigger bed for all his stuffed animals. He said, "Maybe my bed will grow." That's good thinking! And it would be quite cheaper than buying a new bed.

Today's name of Jesus is:

Immanuel

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:23

I don't really think of meanings of names very often. I know that my name means "worthy of love." When we were trying to decide on names for the boys we looked at all the meanings too. Coleman means "charcoal burner" and Spencer means "dispenser, keeper." We must have just really liked the names, because the meanings are less than great. The name Immanuel means "God with us." I don't think it gets any better than that. When Jesus was born, God truly came down as a man to live among men. How amazing. What could be better this Christmas season than knowing that God is with us?

Will the Doctor Really See Us Now?

It's funny how stressed we make ourselves at this time of the year. You should see the to do list that's sitting on my desk. Actually, you probably have your own list that's just as long. Then there are all the unexpected things you have to do that weren't even on your list. Like taking Spence to the doctor. We had a 10:50 appointment, but saw the doctor at 11:45. I'm so thankful that we can go to the doctor though and get needed medicine that I won't even complain about that ridiculous (oops, did I say that) wait. My cousin Rhonda has taken several trips to Nicaragua and tells us how she packs her suitcase with over-the-counter medicine, which is a rare treat for the people. They can't just hop in the SUV and go to the doctor whenever they need to. We are truly blessed. Back to Spence, he does have an ear infection. Poor thing feels miserable. He'll be walking along, fall down, and just lay over on the floor and almost fall asleep.

On a happier note, we went to see Santa at the mall this morning! Actually, it wasn't a very happy note. Spence cried and Coleman looked very concerned. Why do we try to force our kids to sit on some big, white-bearded stranger's lap? The lady finally got a good picture when Spence decided to look at Santa. In that picture, you can't tell that he's crying. Coleman asked for a grader (a construction vehicle for those of you with girls) and a crane. As we were driving away from the mall Coleman asked, "Where are Santa's reindeer?" Good question. I told him Santa probably parked them out back. Coleman said he would ask Santa when we go back and see him tomorrow. "Tomorrow? Every boy and girl only gets to sit on Santa's lap once," I said. He was fine with that.

At naptime Coleman and I were looking at a book that had a picture of a snowflake. I told him that we may see snow when we go to Montana. He said, "I'm going to hold my hand out and catch a snowflake like M&Ms." That sounds delicious. So Grandma and Grandpa, have snow and M&Ms waiting for us!

Today's name of Jesus is:

I Am

"I tell you the truth, " Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" John 8:58

I Am does not sound like a name. It sounds like an incomplete sentence. I am what? I am busy. I am tired. I am in need of a vacation. But when you really stop and think about it, it is the perfect name for Jesus. I love that dialogue between God and Moses in Exodus 3 where Moses asks who he is to say sent him. God replies, "Tell them I Am has sent me to you." It sounds like a pretty confusing conversation. I can just see Moses scratching his head. But I think he eventually got it. I get it too. If we need peace, He says, "I Am your peace." If we need healing, He says, "I Am your healer." If we need forgiveness, He says, "I Am the One who forgives." He is everything we need.

Learning the Christmas Story Takes Time

This morning I decided to tell Coleman part of the Christmas story. I told him about how the angel came to visit Mary and told her she would have a baby and would name the baby Jesus. At lunch, I asked Coleman if he remembered the story I had told him this morning. He said they went into outer space. Then he told me about some bad guys who broke a glass. He asked, "Did you like my story Mommy?" I loved it! A few minutes later he did tell me that the angel said, "You're gonna have a baby. JESUS!!!" He sounded so excited when he said it! He may not have all the details in order, but he knows who it's about.

Yesterday in Sunday School we were talking about how our children are giving us a renewed love of Christmas. It is so exciting to see them enjoying this time of year. When I use simple phrases to explain how Jesus was born and how God loves us, it makes it new for me. Sometimes we forget to stop and listen to the story and enjoy all the details.

I chose today's name of Jesus because of Coleman's story of everyone at the stable that first Christmas going into outer space. If He wanted to, He could have because He's:

Mighty God

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

He is Mighty God. Better than any super hero we could conjure up. He reigns over Heaven and Earth. He created it all. What a Mighty God we serve!

Long Lost Hotwheels and Crunchy Milk

What do you get when your refrigerator quits working? Long lost Hotwheels and crunchy milk. Yesterday morning we noticed that the milk was not quite as cold as it should have been. Throughout the day, the contents of the refrigerator got warmer and warmer. Brian spent about 3 hours online and in the fridge trying to diagnose the problem. He was pretty sure he knew what was wrong, and about 5:15 called to consult a repairman. He instructed Brian to use a hairdryer to defrost the whateveritwas. That seemed to do the trick. The repairman said that the hairdryer trick could possibly fix the problem, but if not to call him back. So far so good. While the fridge was moved out from the wall, 3 long lost Hotwheels were recovered. Coleman looked at them and said, "New cars!!!"

This morning Coleman wanted cereal with milk. We told him there was no milk, but he insisted on having Daddy cereal with milk. Brian remembered that we had some powdered milk and mixed some of that up and poured it on Coleman's cereal. Coleman took a few bites and then wasn't eating the cereal. When Brian asked him why, Coleman said, "I don't like that crunchy milk." Apparently the powder hadn't dissolved completely.

This is the second Sunday of Advent. The peace candle has been lit. So this is the name of Jesus I've chosen:

Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

There are several names in there, and they are all great. But there's something about Prince of Peace. Maybe because we live in a non-peaceful world. There is crime, violence, and war all around us. To know that Jesus is our Prince of Peace is very comforting. We can have peace even in the darkest of circumstances, but only through Jesus. I pray that you are finding peace in Him today.

Oh Brother...

It has started. I thought I had more time. I didn't think they would begin at such young ages. The other day I had to run into Wal-Mart to pick up a few things, so I sat Spence in the seat of the shopping cart and put Coleman in the basket. He was sitting so nicely. Then Spence started looking back and messing with him, touching him. Coleman said in that all too familiar whiny-complaining-about-my-brother-bothering-me voice, "HE'S TOUCHING ME! STOP!" I could not believe I was already having to deal with this. He's not even three yet! There are a lot of things Coleman does that I think, "Wow, I thought this wouldn't happen until later." Either I've been misguided or Coleman is just way advanced. In the last few weeks he's learned how to work the safety doorknob covers and the refrigerator latch. Now he can get out of his room, raid the pantry, and leave the refrigerator door half-opened. At least he's old enough to know right from wrong now, so he'll have consequences for getting into stuff he shouldn't.

Coleman is growing up so fast. Last night he had his first sleepover. Some friends that used to go to our church who have moved away came to our Sunday School class Christmas party. Then they stayed over at our house. Their little boy Keller is just 2 months older than Coleman. You might remember that we went to their house for Keller's birthday last month and Coleman puked in the bounce house. Yeah, they still socialize with us, even after that. I forgot to ask if they got their deposit back. Anyway, we made a pallet on the floor by Coleman's bed for Keller. We read stories and said prayers. They were so cute together. I really didn't think it would work out, but they made it all night! This morning about 7:00 we could hear them talking. They stayed in bed and talked for about 45 minutes! Keller told Coleman all about his broken tooth, and Coleman explained how he could get a tool and fix it. Seven o'clock came too quickly for the four adults who stayed up until 1:30. Brian said it was like we were in college. Pretty close, except in college we didn't have three little boys rarin' to go at 7:45!

I wish I had a name of Jesus to go with today's stories, but I don't. So here's my choice for today:

Our Great God and Savior

...while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13

Jesus, our great God and Savior. Why does He love me so much? Why does He give me a blessed hope? Why did He give up His life to save mine? He must love me more than I can fathom, because it sure isn't that I deserved any of that. That's the miracle of it though, no one deserves it. He just loves us.

The Adventures of Super Angel

Today, on The Adventures of Super Angel, Super Angel knocks down everyone at the stable in Bethlehem. Then she proclaims, "Time to wake up!" The shepherd, animals, Wise Men, Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus all get up. Then the angel sings "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," pointing to each person saying, "and him, and him, and him..." Exhausted from this angelic concert, everyone lays face down and goes to sleep. Tune in next week for more adventures of Super Angel.

It's not recorded in scripture, but maybe the angels did sing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." It would have been appropriate. We do know that they praised God and said,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."

The name of Jesus I've chosen for today is:

Hope of Glory

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

It's no mystery anymore! Christ is our hope. And this hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:5). What a glorious thought during this season. Hope. Not wishes or maybes. I may have a hard time feeling the Christmas spirit today because it is supposed to be 80 degrees. But I will focus on the Hope of Glory, and know that He is what Christmas is about.

Back to the 80 degree temperatures, I'd like to share some things with those of you who are unfamiliar with winter in South Texas.

• Yesterday in Wal-Mart I saw a gift set of matching fuzzy slippers and flip flops.
• My kids think the only reason you close the door is to keep mosquitoes out. Yes, there are still a few mosquitoes flying around.
• You see Christmas sweaters in all the stores, and you buy them, but you can't wear them! Next year I'm seriously looking into Christmas tank tops for the boys.
  

Which Way to the Big Green Monkey?

We have two different routes that we can take to get from our house to church. We go on the freeway on Sundays, but on Wednesday mornings we take a less congested road. Yesterday morning we turned out of our neighborhood and onto the highway and Coleman starting talking about how we wouldn't see the big green monkey. After a moment of confusion, I realized he was saying that we were not going to see the big green monkey because we were going the other way. You're probably wondering what the big green monkey is, right? You know how car dealerships like to put large, outrageous inflatables on the tops of their buildings? A Kia dealership that we see on the freeway on the way to church has a humongous green gorilla sitting atop it. He loves to point it out. Even more so than the Santa on the Jeep dealership across the road. I wonder what made him think of that monkey?

I have a few pictures to share from this week.

Monday afternoon we went to the park. Spence had a great time playing in the sand.

I found a wooden nativity set for the boys to play with. I thought we might have fun acting out the Christmas story. So far, Coleman has had Baby Jesus crash into the star and has driven the angel around in the back of a Hummer. We'll work on it.

And now today's name of Jesus:

Way

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me..." John 14:6

There may be more than one way to get to church, but there's only one Way to God. I rejoice this season, as we celebrate God sending the Way to us as a baby born in Bethlehem.

The Answer Is At the Door

So, it's almost 3:00 and I haven't decided what to do for The Jesus Blog today. I'm sitting here looking at my list of names of Jesus that I printed out when I began this. Which one seems to jump out at me today? Oh, someone's at the door. Just a moment...

UPS just delivered a package. I think I know which name of Jesus I'll use today.

Deliverer

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob..." Romans 11:26

I love when a package or card is delivered to my house. It makes me feel special, like someone thought about me or a family member and sent something to let us know we're loved. Of course, sometimes it's just the latest thing Brian's won off of Ebay. That's exciting too though! One of my favorite things about Christmas is all the cards that come in the mail. I really enjoy the ones that send a picture or a letter about all that's been going on in their lives' for the past year.

Jesus Christ is our Deliverer. I love the song "Mary Did You Know?" and there's a line that's really appropriate to mention here:

Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

That about says it all. It makes me feel special that God cared enough to send Jesus, my Deliverer. I know I'm loved. I have to tell you, I really was sitting here at the computer typing that first paragraph, not knowing which name I was going to write about, when the UPS truck left a package on my doorstep.

I have good news to report! Weeks back I asked for everyone to pray for 3 year old Libby, who was having heart surgery. She was finally released from the hospital and able to go home to Dallas. I know her family is just overjoyed. I'm sure they will have an extra-Merry Christmas this year. Thanks for your prayers.

Tidbits and Bits of Vegetables

Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29



I recently finished a Bible study about the Old Testament Tabernacle. I am so glad I did not live back then! I just can't imagine all of the animal sacrifice that had to be done. As we studied, I would think of the poor, innocent animals dying for people's sins. I don't think I could have watched. Jesus is an innocent Lamb that died for my sins. Unlike animal sacrifice that had to be done over and over, Jesus died once and for all humanity. I don't claim to understand God's ways, but I thank Him for His love, His mercy, His sacrifice. And I must add, He's the Risen Lamb of God!

This week, our gym is closed for renovations. The facility can't be older than 7 or 8 years. But I'm sure the new granite staircase, plasma TVs, and wallcoverings will speed up my weight loss. I'll let you know! (If you couldn't hear it, there was a hint of sarcasm in that statement.) I enjoy going to work out and having a fun, safe place to leave the boys (the gym has a wonderful childcare center). But one of the highlights of going to the gym is that I get to take a shower in peace! I can take my time, get dressed, put on makeup, and fix my hair without any interruptions. That's what I'll miss the most. So I'll warn you: Don't stop by our house this week. I may stink!

If you did stop by our house today, you would have seen Spence walking around with a green bean. I was sitting on the couch snapping green beans when he came by and took one. I watched him to make sure he wouldn't try to eat it, and he didn't. He just carried it with him all over the house! Eventually Maestro realized Spence was carrying around food and decided he would try to get it. It was Baby vs. Dog in the fight for the green bean. Spence held on tight, but Maestro was able to bite off a small piece. I guess Spence lost interest and dropped it somewhere. I haven't seen it in a while.

And, not that it's really a contest, but we have a winner! We received our first Christmas card today. It is an adorable picture of my friend Candice's little boy. How sweet! Thanks Candice!

Day Two of The Jesus Blog

Light of the World

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Day two of The Jesus Blog. We live in such a dark world. There is godlessness, hatred, greed, and all kinds of evil around us. It can be downright depressing. Our only hope is Jesus. He is the light of the world! If we know Him and follow Him, we never have to walk in darkness again. He lives in us, and wants to shine His light through us. Did the song "This Little Light of Mine" just pop into your head too? I pray that we would shine for Him this Christmas season wherever we go. I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Now I have a problem I would like to share with you all. I think I have a sickness. I don't even know how to begin giving this sickness a name. It's too complicated. Here's the problem though. I have this need to capture everything the boys do on camera. That's not so bad in itself. But I want these pictures and videos to be perfect. I imagine them being dressed perfectly, hair nice and neat, doing the cute act on cue, and oh yes, all the toys in the background are picked up. I think, "Oh, look what Coleman is doing! I need to get the camera and record that. But no! He's wearing a t-shirt and diaper, there's chocolate on his face, his cars and Brian's and my shoes are all over the floor. So just forget it!" I need to get real!!! I have to remind myself that the boys are little, and they aren't going to pose nicely or always cooperate fully. And that's hard for someone with my sickness! I'm trying to change. It's pretty funny that the picture we chose to use for our Christmas card was one that Brian just happened to snap between poses. Maybe that should tell me that I need to stop trying to mold them into something they aren't and just let them be. Nah, that's too deep for today.

The Jesus Blog

A friend of mine wrote on her blog about a Christmas tradition that she came across and loved so much that she is starting this year. It is called The Jesus Tree. You choose 25 names of Jesus, write them on ornaments, and starting on December 1st, hang one on the tree every day up to Christmas. Each day when you hang the ornament, you read the corresponding scripture and talk about it. I thought I was a little behind to try to get all this together for this year, so instead I decided to do The Jesus Blog. I went to a website that gives 100 names of Jesus and chose 25. Each day up to Christmas I will be sharing with you a name of Jesus and a scripture. I hope that you will be blessed! We serve an amazing God, who gave His Only Son for sinners such as us. I hope that this will become a standing tradition with my family. I am so looking forward to daily exploring a different name of Jesus. Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing this idea. And next year, hopefully I will have a Jesus tree in my home also.

Here is today's name of Jesus.

Firstborn Over All Creation

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Col. 1:15

At Christmas we celebrate His birth, but we must remember that He has always been! That's one of those thoughts that makes my small mind spin. Jesus willingly stepped away from His Father in Heaven to come live among us on this sinful earth. Thank you Jesus for Your sacrifice.

When You Eat Off the Floor, Sometimes You Get a Hair

Last night Brian suggested a mini date. We ate dinner at home, put the boys to bed, then had one of the neighborhood girls come over to stay with them. We went to the trendy Town Square, walked around, and had Starbucks. Our main purpose, besides getting out of the house without the kids, was to scope out the perfect spot to take Christmas pictures. It was nice to be able to do this without the boys, since we didn't want to use up any of their limited attention span searching for a spot to take pictures. We needed somewhere festive to get a good picture for our Christmas card this year. Town Square just lit up this week, so the decorations, the 40 foot Christmas tree, and the twinkling white lights seemed to be the perfect backdrop. We found several great spots.

This afternoon, although it was 80 degrees, I dressed the boys in their Christmas sweaters and we headed out. Coleman was promised Ben & Jerry's ice cream if he cooperated. Brian took a lot of pictures. Here are some of the losers:

You may not be able to tell, but Coleman is about to head-butt Spence. You also can't see the two police officers standing a few feet away laughing at this. This picture obviously does not capture the spirit of Christmas.

Here, Coleman was instructed to give Spence a hug, but it looks more like a choke hold. Either way, again, not what we were looking for.

I of course won't be posting the winning picture. I don't want to spoil our Christmas card!


Ah finally, the prize. A "cookie cookie sundae" topped with hot fudge and M&Ms from Ben & Jerry's. Yummmmmm. Here's where you find out what prompted the title of this post. Coleman was trying to take a bite when he dropped about half a cookie. He started freaking out, and before we could stop him, he picked the fudge smothered cookie off the floor and stuffed it in his mouth. A few seconds later he pulled a hair out of his mouth and said, rather disgusted, "Oohhh, there's a hair." So Mommy said, "When you eat off the floor, sometimes you get a hair." That's the harsh reality.

Spence Walking

Spence is now walking. He's gotten considerably better the past week.

Go Ahead and Read It, You'll Get a Laugh

I know many of you like to send forwards. I have to admit, I rarely read these. Someone has to actually tell me, "Hey, this is a really good one. You'll get a kick out of it." If you send those that say, "Send this to seven people and you'll be blessed," or "If you love God you'll pass this on," don't send it to me! I'm pretty sure God doesn't measure our love by how many e-mails we pass on! Brian is not a forward sender, but he has sent me a few and added the message, "Read this. You'll like it." Or something like that. The other day he sent one called "For Lexophiles (Lovers of Words)." I did enjoy it, and wanted to share some of the funniest ones with you.

• Police were called to a daycare center where a 3 year old was resisting a rest.
• The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.
• A boiled egg is hard to beat.

This one is in honor of Brian, and his love of the budget!

• You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

And this one is for me. To dye, or not to dye?

• When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.

Hope you got a laugh. Now, if you love me you'll send a link to our blog to seven people in the next 30 seconds! You'll be blessed if you do! Ha!

Dancing Withdrawals

Last night was the finale of Dancing With the Stars. I thought Mel B was the better dancer, but Helio was one of my favorites also, so I'm happy with the outcome. Come next Monday, I might have DWTS withdrawal symptoms. I'm not sure what they might be... Maybe I'll be walking down the aisles at Wal-Mart and break into the Viennese Waltz. Or I'll start buying only clothing covered in sequins. Possibly I'll get some paddles numbered 1 through 10 and score Coleman and Spence on everyday activities. Whatever happens, I'm sure I'll survive. Anyway, they'll be back next year!

An Introspective Look at the Holidays

OK, I've almost let an entire week pass since I've last posted. I know the suspense of not knowing what's going on in our lives has you on the edge of your seat! I'm afraid I have no exciting things to share at the moment. Maybe that's good. My sinus infection is clearing up nicely. Finally, after two months! Brian and Spence seem to be feeling good. Coleman woke up cranky from his nap yesterday, but he didn't want to admit to feeling bad because I had promised a trip to the library. While at the library he informed me that his ear hurt. Brian took him to an after hours pediatric clinic last night and he was diagnosed with an ear infection. So half of us are on antibiotics now. We're just trying to break in our new insurance!

Last night Coleman was feeling better and was actually running around being silly. I told him he was a goofball. He said, "No, I'm not a goofball. Spence is a goofball. I'm a hoot." I think Nana told him he was a hoot once way back when, and he has never forgotten it! He usually says he's two hoots!

I just realized I didn't write anything on Thanksgiving. I'm going to be honest here. Sometimes I get kind of irritated with holidays that try to make you focus one day out of the year on something we should focus on daily. Take Thanksgiving. It is wonderful to give thanks. But shouldn't we be thankful every day? I know, it's a good opportunity to spend time with family and eat a huge meal and not feel guilty about watching parades or football all day. Maybe it helps people who usually aren't thankful realize all the things they have to be thankful for. Ok, ok. Keep celebrating Thanksgiving. And now we're entering the Christmas season. The thing that irks me about this time of year is the commercialism and how Jesus is taken out of it. What is everybody celebrating??? Santa? Presents? Surviving the mall? I am not completely innocent here. I've been talking about Santa, buying presents, and taking on the mall myself. So why am I so bothered? Am I a scrooge? No. I love this time of year! I love the decorations, the pretty gift wrap, the music, and the shopping. I just want to keep my focus where it should be - on Jesus. He is what it's all about. Our pastor pointed out that this is a wonderful time of year for sharing Jesus. There are so many ways, from starting a discussion about the true meaning of Christmas, to inviting someone to a church musical. So no more bah-humbug for me! I'm excited about this time of year! Sure, others may be in it for the parties and presents (and hey, those are fun), but I know it's about a baby born in a manger who came to save the world! Will I have the guts to tell others that though? I hope so! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wow, and I thought I didn't have anything to say today!

God's Favorite Magazine?

Yesterday my stubborn streak finally came to an end. I had enough of being sick so I went to see my doctor. Last month I went to a clinic and saw a nurse practitioner. My cough did go away, but the congestion, sinus pressure, and sheer miserability (I know that's not really a word) had gotten to be more than I wanted to deal with. She gave me a stronger antibiotic. I'm praying that it will knock this out!

I made my appointment with the doctor, then called to see if the teenage girl across the street could babysit Coleman. She already had plans, so he had to come with me and Spence. I brought books, cars, snacks, and promised if he was good we'd go to McDonald's afterwards. When we were called back to the exam room, I was pretty nervous about Coleman being in there. At his doctor's office, he loves to open the cabinet doors and drawers, play with the sink faucet, and switch the lights off and on. We walked in, and I looked in the magazine rack. There right in front was an Automobile magazine. I told Brian it was as if the Lord had put it there! Coleman sat and looked at it the whole time we waited. (By the way, why do they call you from the waiting room to the exam room if they are going to have you wait some more? Oh well, it worked out great this time.) I think I may subscribe to this magazine and keep it on hand for such occasions as this! So I witnessed God's provision through a car magazine. Strange, but it got my attention!

And not to leave out my youngest, he has been taking 7 or 8 steps at a time. He's pretty wobbly, but he's getting around!

Jump Some More, Coleman!

Yesterday we drove out to the country for a birthday party. It was for our friends' three year old son, Keller. They've been gone from our church for almost two years now, but we stay in touch and either go to their house for a Saturday or they come to ours. Coleman and Keller play together so well. Keller has a 6 year old sister, and she played really well with the boys also. The highlight of the party was the dinosaur bounce house similar to this one.

Even Spence enjoyed sitting inside and bouncing around. Brian and I enjoyed catching up with our friends. So fun was had by all! Coleman ate cake, chips, fruit snacks, and drank at least two juice boxes. Then he bounced some more. Do you see where this is going? Let's just say that nothing says, "Party over!" like puke in the bounce house. It was about 7 p.m. and the kids were still bouncing strong. Keller's sister stuck her head out and said very daintily, "Coleman threw up." Then Coleman ran over to the net, grabbed on, and yelled, "I PUKED!!!" We figured that wasn't the first time the bounce house had been puked in. I mean, little kids, lots of cake, snacks, juice, and jumping. What do you think? But of course, a little vomit doesn't faze Coleman, so he was sad that we had to leave. Hopefully Keller and his family will make it to Coleman's birthday party.

Today's funny:

We were eating chips and salsa with dinner tonight. Coleman had been dipping his chips and eating the salsa. Then he said, "I don't want this hot sauce. I want some warm sauce." I'll have to teach him that the Tex-Mex term is "mild."

Thank You for Singing Dogs and Big Rigs

This is the birthday present that Uncle Brent and Aunt Andrea sent to Spence. It is very cute and sings many adorable songs. I know them all and they are stuck in my head for hours at a time! Watch out Brent, I'm about to start calling and having the puppy leave messages for you while you're at work! Head and Shoulders anyone?

Coleman is having the best time with it. He dances around and every song concludes with a 360 degree spin that ends by landing on his knees. And me, well, I'm counting to ten to the tune of "La Cucaracha" these days. I'm thinking about choreographing an authentic Mexican dance and teaching it to the boys.

The boys are in to lots of games now. This morning Spence and I sat on the floor and started rolling the soccer ball back and forth. Then Coleman decided to join in. When Spence rolled the ball to him, he squealed with excitement, "He rolled the ball to me!" Coleman decided to name the game soccer ball sit down.

I'll leave you with something funny Coleman said the other night. Spence and I go in Coleman's room after bath every night and I read Coleman a story and Brian reads Spence a story. Then we switch and each finish our respective kid's bedtime routine. This night, Coleman chose a book about big rigs and construction trucks. When I finished the last page, he closed the book and said, "A-men!"

One Is Silver and the Other Gold

Remember that rhyme that goes, "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold"? I was thinking about that this afternoon because I got to spend today with an old friend. New friends are great, but there's just something about an old friend. We've been friends since first grade, so that means (hold on while I do my math) we've been friends for 25 years! Isn't that amazing? One thing that I think is so special about our friendship is that it isn't just based on the "hey remember back in high school when..." stuff. Sometimes we reminisce, but we talk about our lives now mostly. We both have families and stay at home. Our kids love playing together. We don't have to do anything special when we get together (except eat!) and we have a great time. So thank you for staying my friend throughout the years Candice! It means so much that we can still get together and pick up like no time has passed. And you are my Harleton connection. I just realized I didn't get any stories from back home today! Maybe next time. And remember, I have pictures of all your hairstyles throughout the years, so be nice to me!

Conversing With a Toddler

Sometimes Coleman and I have odd little exchanges that I think I'll want to remember and share with the grandparents and others who might like a little two-year-old humor every now and then. So here's one from awhile back (Actually September. Sometimes I start writing, then I decide not to post it for some reason.) I had pulled Spence up off the floor and he started "dancing." So I held his arms and we danced for a while. The only song I could think of with the word dance was Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody. So of course I started singing it.

Coleman: What's that song?
Me: That's a song that was popular when I was in Jr. High.
Coleman: What's Jr. High?
Me: That's when you're at a bad age and you have really poofy hair.
Coleman: I don't want poopy hair. I have poopy hair in January.

Tonight will mark a milestone at the Piks'. This will be the first time in Spence's entire life (1 year and 5 days) that I will not put him to bed. This will most likely be a problem because both me and my, how can I say this politely, boobies will be gone. He's never gone to bed without nursing. Our Sunday School class is having a girls' night, so Brian's in charge tonight. Please pray for him, and that Spence will take his sippy cup!

Is the Birthday Finally Over?

The birthday celebrations have ceased! I think Spence's birthday lasted for 8 days. It started November 3rd with ice cream and ended November 10th with his party. I'm so exhausted from it all that I'll just let the pictures tell the story.

Since he wouldn't get any cake until Saturday, I made chocolate chip muffins on Wednesday. They were quite messy.

Friday night we went to Build-a-Bear Workshop. Spence made a dog and we named him Fuzzby. Coleman wanted to make something scary, so he chose a dinosaur. I told him to choose a name, and in English please! The dinosaur's name is Puso the Computer Player.

And yes, the Elmo cake turned out great! It even tasted good.

Coleman was super excited about the party. He even got a few presents.

Red Food Coloring + Icing + 1 Year Old = 1 Big Mess

He'll Always Be My Baby

I had expectations to have an amazing post yesterday for Spence's birthday, but it just didn't happen. I feel like I've been busier lately for some reason. I don't think more is going on, but it seems like it. Seems like more laundry, more junk piling up, more dirty dishes in the kitchen, more toys everywhere. And as I type I'm adding another thing! Spence's Elmo cake is in the oven. The boxes of frosting mix and red food coloring are sitting on the counter. Oh, this could be a mess. We'll see how it turns out. I promise to post a picture, however it looks!

On Tuesday night I was thinking about one year ago when my labor started. We started timing contractions about 8 pm and checked into the hospital about 10:20 pm. Spence was born the next morning at 4:20 am. I cannot believe it's been a whole year!

I felt bad because I left Spence at daycare all day on his birthday. Wednesday is the day I teach music at our church's preschool, so he and Coleman go to daycare and I have a few hours of free time then pick them up a little after 5:00. He didn't know the difference though! When we got home I made chocolate chip muffins and put a candle on his. All was forgiven!

I'm ready to get him off of baby food, so I've been trying new foods. He spits out creamed corn and sweet potatoes, but he loves dog food. If I forget to close the laundry room door, he gets into Maestro's food. Coleman agrees that this is nasty, so he must have forgotten about the dog poop he ate when he was about Spence's age. I made a casserole Wednesday night that Spence loves. It's ground beef, tomato soup, salsa, cut up flour tortillas, and cheese. Sounds strange, but he can't get enough. I'm not sure if I should take offense and assume he thinks it tastes like dog food or not.

Tomorrow Nana and Poppa are coming to see the birthday boy. We'll go to Build-a-Bear Workshop and make stuffed animals for Spence and Coleman. Coleman is already telling us he wants Spence's animal. Then Saturday we'll have a party with cake (probably edible but most likely deformed) and presents. Coleman has some presents to open too. We'll have pictures to share soon!

Odds and Ends

Yesterday was a strange day. I think it was a combination of things:

1. The boys are still getting used to the time change. Coleman was up and at 'em at 6:50! And Spence's eating schedule is all off. He was ready for dinner around 5:00, which is pretty early for him.
2. I'm finally on antibiotics and Claritan D for my sinus/allergy/cold/whatever. I'm coughing less, but I was in a total funk yesterday. I couldn't get motivated to do anything.

There was probably a third thing, but I can't remember what it was. Coleman was doing some strange things yesterday as well. Well, maybe they weren't strange for him, I just happened to have the camera handy and was able to capture them! See the pictures at the end of this post. Anyway, I previously alluded to a comment Coleman made the other day in Macy's as we walked by the intimate apparel, specifically the bras. Here it is:

That's where nipples go!!!

Yes, we got some looks. But one has to understand what our son sees on a daily basis. As any breastfeeding mother knows, baby eats 10 to 12 times per day in the beginning. Then there's the pumping you have to do. These can be some interesting sights for a 2 year old. I hope he's young enough that he will not have memories of this! I have some funny memories to cherish though.

And in the role of consumer advocate, I have an alert to share. Last night, in the funk that I was in, I could not decide what to make for dinner. The boys and I were roaming the aisles of Randalls (a local grocery store that I use only for convenience since it is quite pricier than other stores) looking for ideas. I was looking at the prepared meals in the refrigerated section and came across something new. Chili's and Macaroni Grill now have some of their famous menu items for sale in the grocery store. I like Chili's fajitas, and I've bought other fajita kits before and they were good. Plus, we'd spend more than $8 if I went through a drive-thru somewhere. It was just heat and serve, and then BARF! I am going to write the company and tell them they should be ashamed of selling this dog food under their label! I'm also going to ask for reimbursement or a gift card to Chili's for some real steak fajitas.

Strange Happenings at the Piks

If Coleman were in charge of snack time...
I should know better than to leave the box of crackers within his reach!


I guess this is his happy place.
(in the kitchen cabinets)

32 Is the New 25!

Maybe I have a few more gray hairs, I've recently purchased some Dove Pro-Age body wash and lotion, and I can't remember where I put... uh, whatever it was I was looking for! I'm not old though. It's strange how my perception of "old" changes as the years go by. The thrill of a birthday isn't what it used to be, but I'm grateful to have been blessed with another year. It's just not a childlike anticipation anymore. Now I anticipate my boys' birthdays and enjoy planning parties and buying and wrapping their presents. Actually, this is probably my best birthday ever. You know why? It's my first birthday with all my boys. Last year, even though I tried to coax him into arriving for my birthday, Spence was not here. I stared at the full moon and ate Mexican food, but he stubbornly just stayed curled up in his little safe haven. It's good though since he gets his own birthday. And this year Coleman is so much fun. We have the most interesting conversations and he says the funniest things (I could insert a comment he made in the intimate apparel section of Macy's, but I'll save that for another time). And there's also Brian. I am so blessed that he loves me. So I'm older than I was yesterday, but it's all good. I've stopped to count my blessings, and well, I don't think I can count that high. Know that I count all of you as blessings in my life. And just realizing all that God has blessed me with makes this a happy birthday.

My guys took me to dinner last night. Mexican food just like last year, only this year I had no excuse for eating enough for two!

After dinner we had ice cream. This is the same Baskin Robbins we took Coleman to for his first birthday, so this was an early birthday treat for Spence.

As you can see, he thoroughly enjoyed his ice cream.

And I enjoyed some whenever I could get it away from Coleman. He's a mint chocolate chip lover like his Mommy.

This is a family picture Coleman's Sunday School teacher took of us this morning.

Halloween!

Carving a pumpkin with Daddy

Our Halloween tradition is going to our church carnival. This was Coleman's third year and Spence's first! Actually, Spence attended in utero last year. It was exactly one week before he made his grand entrance! Here are some pictures of my little football player and pirate.

Spence the Pirate and Coleman the Texan

We finally talk him into putting on the helmet.

Spence wore his pirate hat for a whole 2 seconds!

Just try to rip this Crunch bar out of my hand!

Mmmm, tootsie roll in one hand, sucker in the other!

Spence's eyes are opened to a whole new world - one where candy flows free!

Wyatt, Coleman, and Spence at the bean bag toss.

Will, Wyatt, and Coleman

And just in case you were wondering what Spence and I looked like last Halloween:

My shirt says "Bottom of the Ninth."
Get it?

2 points down, 2 seconds to go, what do you do?

We Meet Again...

Spence's head and the coffee table, that is. Back in July I vowed to keep Spence's head away from the coffee table. Today I failed, and there is a purple knot above Spence's eye to point out my failure. I don't know what went wrong! Coleman was being so sweet. I had just changed his diaper (let's not even stop to discuss his complete lack of interest in the potty) and left the room to go dispose of the diaper and wash my hands. Suddenly I heard that familiar banging. That unmistakable bang that a little head hitting a coffee table makes. Good gracious me, not again! And just in time for picturepalooza! You know, Halloween. I'm going to look at it this way: My oldest is normal, and my youngest is tough. That sounds a lot better than my oldest is mean and my youngest is a drum stick!

The Toot Is Sweet

Oh, these are the moments I love. After I wrote yesterday's post, I took Coleman and Spence to the park. They were both having a blast. Spence and I went to sit on the swing and Coleman came and joined us. I was marveling at the gorgeous day and enjoying it with my boys. Coleman and I were having a conversation about his best friends. He informed me that Wyatt, Ryan, Sarah from Bible Study, Spencey, Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Poppa, Grandma, and Grandpa are all his best friends. Then he concluded, "I have a lot of friends." I started feeling bad about calling him a toot earlier! I was also feeling bad because I left my camera at home. Oh well, that just gave us an excuse to go back today! The weather was once again perfect. We took a picnic and I remembered the camera! Here are some shots.

Two sweet brothers!

Helicopter Pilot

At the Controls

Spence enjoying the park

Can you believe my Mommy called me a toot?

I'll never be a toot...

If This Doesn't Work, It's Off to Boot Camp!

Coleman has been being extremely two lately. Yes, I know he's two, but he's been REALLY two for the past few weeks. You know what I mean. He's been saying no to us, pushing every limit, refusing to do things he used to do, basically just being a toot. I say that with love, for I love him dearly, tootiness and all! I've been reading Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel (Blair on The Facts of Life). Every time I pick up the book I break into song, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life, the facts of life." Get out of my head crazy 80's sitcom theme song! Aside from that annoying fact, the book is great! Most of it is geared toward kids a little older than Coleman, but she has some great toddler ideas too.

Yesterday we started a sticker chart in the car. Yes, IN the car. It is taped to the back of the passenger headrest, right in front of Coleman's face. Every time he gets in the car and hops up in his seat without making a beeline for MY seat and grabbing my sunglasses and opening and closing the garage door 17 times, he gets a sticker. When his chart is filled up, we go get ice cream. This is working for the time being. Our last 4 car-loadings have been stress free! I'll spring for Haagen Dazs for that! He's told me what kind of ice cream he wants: ice cream with chocolate candy and it's blue. We should have a time finding that!

I'm also starting a responsibility chart soon. It's a magnetic board that I got at Target. We're just starting with a few responsibilities: be nice, share, put away toys, and brush teeth. Those are some of the things that he gets into trouble for not doing. When he's caught doing one of those things, he'll get to add a "dot" on the chart. I haven't worked out all the details, but I'm sure good things will happen if he has lots of dots, not so good things will happen if he doesn't have dots.

The third thing I'm doing is praying. You know, that should be the first thing! I'm praying that Coleman will obey and that I won't go crazy, but I'm also praying that I will be the parent God wants me to be. That I will discipline correctly. That I will obey. That I will show love more. I know before long it will be hard for me to remember why I thought the terrible twos were so terrible. I may think it was all pretty trivial. Thank God that He doesn't view any of our situations as trivial! And thank you for listening to all my ramblings! That's all for now. I'll let you know how it all works.

Down on the Farm

Saturday our Sunday School class had an outing to Dewberry Farms. They have a corn maze, hayrides, farm animals, and play areas for the kids. There were so many people there, and so much to do, that we didn't get to do everything, but we had a great time.

"It's time to go! Do you have your football helmet and sunglasses on?" Essential gear for any farm excursion.

Behind us is the barn with turkeys, chicks, roosters, and pigs.

Between sneezes and nose-blowings, I was able to get some good shots of Coleman on the big bales of hay.

I'm sure there were some safety violations here, but boy was it fun! No seatbelts, no handlebars, just a good ole' country girl recklessly driving a tractor with 20 "corn cars" hooked up to the back. Spence was with me two cars ahead of Brian and Coleman.

Thank goodness Brian agreed to take Coleman on the Roller Slide. I don't think my bum could have handled it!

This is the corn "maize." Many go in, few come out.

Sweet Spence. He may be too little to go down the slide or vanish in the corn maze, but he sure does look cute posing with the pumpkins.

Fun at Nana and Poppa's House

Coleman, Spence, and I just got back from Nana and Poppa's. We had a great visit. Here's some of the things we did, and didn't do:

• Built a tent in the living room with chairs and a blanket.
• Didn't watch any DVDs because Mommy left them at home.
• Went to Wal-Mart and talked Nana into buying TWO toys, a motorcycle and a Hummer.
• Didn't get to play with the motorcycle after bonking Spence on the head.
• Walked around Nana and Poppa's neighborhood.
• Didn't go see the goats because "they might bite my new finger that I got at the haircut place."
• Swung on Nana and Poppa's swing.
• Didn't take naps!
• Ate LOTS of brownies.
• Didn't get half as many brownies as asked for.

We love visiting Nana and Poppa! We always have a wonderful time, and if we're really nice Poppa will fix his famous fajitas for us! Now we're anticipating the trip to Grandma and Grandpa's in about two months!