Tuesday, December 29, 2009

2009 Christmas Memories

Some Christmas Memories

#8 only wanted his drivers license for Christmas. I dunno, he don't look happy do he?



#8 also got a stocking thanks Grandma!



Christmas morning tradition, meet in Mom and Dad's bed for prayer before going in to see what Santa left.

Old fashioned Christmas!


New family member!




I think he is loved!



The Big Fellow's been here.



What Christmas does to Dads.



The reason.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Random Christmas Stuff

Christmas hugs to all, just thought I'd jot down some random Christmas thoughts.

My neighbor has these really great icicle lights, they are neon bluish, garish, well suited to lighting a North Pole burlesque show, and I freakin' love them! I have a bad case of icicle lights envy.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT over eat pop-corn, even if it is coated with caramel or white chocolate. Pop-corn is fiber, and salad for lunch to balance the guilt of too much sugar coated fiber is more fiber. Fiber overdose is NOT pretty.

I have the most incredible boys. #1 and #2 used their money to be Santa for their little brothers. #3 got in on the act by giving his Game Boy DS to #5 and #4 was on a mission to get the lowest cost Christmas presents of all the brothers or none at all.

We have a new baby at Boy House. He's adorable, a boy (of course), 6-8 months old and deeply loved by 8 big brothers. His name is Titan he is a Rottweiler mix or Muttweiler as I have dubbed him. #4 has cleaned up every potty trip and everyone is more then willing to feed him and take him for walks. I wonder how that will last.

I got a set of mooses meece a male and female moose made by my sister for Christmas. Her Husband didn't get it. My husband didn't get it. Our Daddy loved moose, it was his high school nickname he passed it on to my Mom and well...OK I don't get it either but, I love my moose'.

My sweet friend Suzie came over just before Christmas to take some pictures of the two of us for a present she was working on. I think it was the first time in my life I was able to focus on the good beautiful me instead of the rolls and wrinkles. Thanks Suzie for being my best friend ever and seeing me better then I see myself. She took some pictures of me with my boys. I'm going to try to post them.

This truly has been a joyful Christmas we have soaked in the abundance and beauty of life. Thanks to all of you for your love and for sharing our lives this past year.


Thanks to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for his loving example of how to live in joy.

Adorable Hubby and Boy Mom followed by Boy Mom and #1- #8






Saturday, December 19, 2009

2009 Memories, #7

What the crap....it's Saturday AM and I really want to sleep it off, Adorable Hubbies office party at our home last night that is, but it seems that getting up early all week to clean and decorate etc. has become an annoying habit.

And that brings me to my topic, #7. This blog is a journal of sorts so I want to be sure that I capture life events and the personalities of my boys. The next few posts I want to record some of these types of things in my boys lives.

#7 has been adorable in ways only a Boy Mommy could love. Every night he comes in at bed time for a cuddle, he laughs and roughhouses until we finally end up threatening him with his own bed. Just as he begins to relax and get really sleepy he jumps up strips off all his clothes cuddles under the blankets and drifts off to sleep. Yep, #7 just can't sleep with clothing on, can't do it. If I trick him in to falling asleep in pajamas before morning he will have undressed himself.

#7's naked sleeping habit adds tons of cute to this next little habit of #7's. #7 has the most beautiful hair. It's a blend of so many colors, has just the right amount of wave, and since he was our baby we let it grow and grow and grow. When he was a baby #7 would reach up with his right hand to one certain spot on his head and twirl his hair around his finger. More than once, when his hair was longer I had to free his finger which he had managed to twist into a tight not of hair. #7's hair is shorter now but each night when I get him up to use the bathroom my sleepy boy stands naked, eyes closed, twirling his hair in front of the toilet.

Last night we were cuddled up with our youngest three discussing the last two days of school before Christmas break. Tuesday is, Pajama Day, a fun tradition at our elementary school where the kids wear their pajamas to school eat breakfast and visit with Santa. As we cuddled I asked #7, "So what are you wearing for Pajama Day?"

He thought about it a minute, his eyes began to sparkle he laughed, "I guess I'm going to school naked on Tuesday" he said. "My class will really like it!" He assured me.

#7 has been a big help with Christmas Decorating this year. He sings "Feliz Navidad" over and over and over and over complete with a chorus of, "I wanta MISS you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!" (we can't convince him that it's WISH you a Merry Christmas,I should just be glad that he hasn't picked up the bottom, fart rendition) As he sings he delves into boxes of decorations dragging out anything that catches his interest placing it where it was last year or, if memory fails, wherever he thinks it should go.

So far he has launched a couple of antique glass ball ornaments across the room where they have shattered. Did #7 feel chagrin over breaking these antique glass ornaments given me by Adorable Hubbies Grandma? Nope, he ran to get #6, " You gotta throw one of these, #6, it's so cool how it explodes when it hit's something!" Lovely, I knew I'd kept them all these years for their cool explosive properties.

#7 has made many, many, many cute holiday creations at school everyone of which he insists must be hanging on the fridge. Some of these I'll keep for his scrapbook but I've been selecting a few to decorate the inside of the trash can. Usually I'm sneaky and manage to get away with it but he caught me the other day and now routinely checks the trash can for his treasures. You don't have to say it, I'm a BAD Mommy!

The best thing about #7 is that he loves everything and everyone. I must hear about a hundred times a day, "I LOVE you Mom!" accompanied by a huge hug and kiss, on the lips, baby. #7 loves school and can't wait to go everyday I'm shedding a big fat tear right now, finally a child that likes kindergarten. The only thing #7 doesn't love right now is meat. #7 has become a vegetarian, will not eat meat, won't eat his food if meat is on his plate, weird in a family of carnivorousness, but cool!

I sure love ya, #7 you've convinced me that yellow is the best color ever, that every moment of life should be experienced fully, naked, and joyfully, except for meat, 'cause that's just gross.

Stay tuned for more 2009 memories, or feel free to tune out for a few days.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Why I Sometimes Don't Eat Dinner

Working makes dinner time difficult, I just don't want to face another hour on my feet cooking. Alright I'm totally lying, work has nothing to do with it, most days I really don't feel like coming up with a nutritious, appealing meal that everyone will delight in. (ha, like a nutritious, appealing meal that EVERYONE will delight in is even a reality) Most nights I manage to feed them all with only half of us being completely disgusted by what's available and defaulting to peanut butter sandwiches.

Tonight I thought I had it right. I brought home three rotisserie chickens, which they all love, my only task was to think of a suitable side dish. I arranged the chickens on the cupboard, #'s 5-8 stood around me gazing in awe at the chicken bounty. "What shall we have to go with our chickens?" I asked

"Pizza!" Shouted #7 emphatically. Turns out he has developed a meat issue.

"Whatever we have I know it will be gross, and disgusting. And, I don't want any of that brown chicken it's disgusting and slimy I only want white chicken!" #5 is in his disgusted period.

"I just want to see the chicken get it's head cut off for once, I've never seen that before." I have seen that, #6, it's overrated, not to mention an appetite killer.

And #8, he just drooled a lot and tried not to look too anxious, he realllllllllllllllly likes chicken. Really, really!

What is it with kids and food? I ended up defaulting to peanut butter.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A Christmas Post

Hmmm, I find myself humming annoying Christmas tunes (Feliz Navidad in an accent) and I have been sorting through the pictures of Christmas past, I guess that means I'm not a complete Scrooge. In my defense I have an eyebrow raising, jaw clenching Christmas list to fill this year. My boys are well aware that Christmas will be a simple affair this year and will have to cost uhh, nothing so they have thought long and hard about one or two little gifts they would like now Santa and I just have to figure long and hard about how to make their Christmas dreams come true.

The boys decided that the main gift this year will be a DOG. Three years ago our adorable little Muffin went to doggy heaven. The boys have decided it's time to move on. We're going to adopt a dog from an animal shelter, because we watched way to many Sarah McLaughlin commercials this year, and it's cost effective. Now I just have to convince the boys and myself that ONE dog is the limit and that breeding doesn't matter.

My boys have each chosen one or two little additional gifts that they would like from Santa.

#1 Wants to be considered an adult and be Santa's elf this year. Cool, that's a gift we can easily give.

#2 Wants a didgeridoo, so he can play naked in the basement and feel native. Ummm, shudder!

#3 Wants 2 black shirts, a long sleeve shirt and a beanie, "You know one of those one with ear flaps like little girls wear, only not pink." He always knows exactly what he wants, bless him.

#4 Want's it to be cloudy and snowing on Christmas day because, no matter what you get, if it's sunny outside it just doesn't feel like Christmas. Maybe I can buy snowy weather at the didgeridoo store.

#5 Wants a chocolate coin maker, (What the...) and TWO walkie-talkies. Just in case I didn't realize that ONE walkie-talkie isn't much fun.

#6 Wants a football uniform, helmet, pads, cleats and a Jersey, "And it better not be BYU!" Uncle Brian will be so proud.

#7 Wants a big Lightening McQueen, the kind you ride in. He missed the "One or Two LITTLE gifts memo.

#8 Wants an IPod Touch... He must have missed the "One or Two LITTLE gifts memo as well.


So yeah, a dog, didgeridoo, TWO walkie-talkie, snowy, 18 year old adult elf, Football uniform for a scrawny 7 year old, umm do you know how much one of those costs, list has me scrambling and humbugging a bit.

I did get the only gift I need the other night though. I got to put up Christmas lights with 8, trash talkin', snowball throwing, hanging off the snowy roof, rough housing, loud, funny, can I put my freezing hands on your belly, boys. And, I wouldn't trade this ALL BOY MADNESS for anything.

Hope your holiday season is bringing you JOY!

Monday, December 7, 2009

The Sweetest Sounds

A few years ago #4 asked for an Irish tin whistle for Christmas. He has picked it up from time to time and managed to learn how to play Mary Had a Little Lamb, the Little Drummer Boy and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. This year #4 choose to home school, 7th grade is tough and this is a sensitive fellow. We have supported him in the decision, but except for checking his work have left it up to him to set the curriculum (based on 7th grade requirements of course). As part of his self directed curriculum #4 has began learning songs on his tin whistle.

As I sit here he is playing along to I know that My Redeemer Lives one of his and my favorites. Each note isn't yet perfect but he is going through it over and over without being prompted, the sweetest sound to a mothers ears.

Another sweet sound filled my ears today. My #1 called from a three day seminar he is attending with his Grandpa, he was feeling stressed out about how to process all the information and the attitude of the presenters. His first thought was to call Mom. We talked for awhile and he calmed down took a deep breath and said, "I'm going back in now, thanks for talking to me, I love you." That's some SWEET TALK coming from this boy.

Hope your day is filled with sweet sounds.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Phoenix

Early this year one of my favorite bloggers, Octamom, and some of her bloggy friends choose a word that would define the focus of their personal growth for 2009. Since I thrive on the unique and original trying to incorporate other peoples great ideas into my life I choose a word too. My word is LIGHT. Throughout the year I have thought about word light and how the concept of light applies to me and my life.

I admit that at first it was a lame attempt at yet another diet, in my mind I was spelling it LITE, yeah I know, LAME. Light has come to mean so many things to me, the light of Christ, my light, light as a source of warmth and peace; but, mostly it has come to mean, the illumination of myths that I have falsely based my life on. Myths that have caused me to blunder along in the dark stubbing my toes and soul on obstacles that I created and placed in my path.


Monday Octamom and her fellow bloggers choose an animal that symbolized to them their word. After some thought about what the word, light, has come to mean to me I choose an animal too.

Wikipedia defines my animal of choice this way.

"A phoenix is a mythical bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends). It has a 500 to 1,000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again."

Here are some of the myths I have believed creating giant stumbling blocks which cast a dark shadow over all I do.

1- Skinny people are happier, than heavy people.
What I am learning: All body types feel awkward, sad, ugly, or beautiful, attractive and happy at any given time. Those that focus on THIN as the magical feel good pill will generally spend life heavy. There is a weight that is perfect for me but I will never get there until I let go of happiness and attractiveness as a weight destination. I will have just as many sad, awkward, ugly days at my perfect weight as I have now.

2-Attractiveness, some people are born with it some aren't.
What I am learning: Being attractive is all about loving yourself, completely utterly and fully, seeing, accepting and loving all your strengths and all your weakness equally. We attract by being open to others as they really are with all their strengths and weaknesses. Openness to others starts with our inner dialog to us about us. Love you and others will love you.

3- Weaknesses I know what they are and I must overcome them
What I am learning: I repeatedly run to God with what I perceive as horrible weaknesses and demand that he wrench them out of my life so that I'll be better. There is a scripture that says, " if men come unto me I will show unto them their weaknesses." I struggle to have the faith to come humbly before God without a laundry list of weakness that a prideful, comparing me, has compiled in the dark. As I have sought light in this area of my life I've come to realize that most of what I consider weakness in myself is just a comparison of how I believe others live, based on my perceptions not their reality. Only a loving, eternal seeing Father in heaven can shine a pure light on what my weaknesses truly are and light the path of change.

4- Want:
What I have learned: Wow! This is a big one for me. Somehow from a very early age I accepted the myth that wanting things was bad. If I wanted candy or treats, BAD. If I wanted new clothes, BAD. If I wanted to be touched and loved, BAD. If I wanted people to think I was funny or cute or sexy or wild, sweet or naughty, BAD. If I wanted to find out for myself whether a concept or lifestyle was for me or not, BAD. In short anything I wanted in life I considered bad because, duh, wanting equaled BAD. I got really good at pretending I didn't want, and the better I got at pretending that I didn't want things the more I wanted and the BADDER I thought I was. Wanting is a vital part of life, if we didn't want say, oxygen for example... Wanting is simply a state of being, we want therefore we are, or something like that. As long as we recognize that attainment of a want is not a positive and that lack of what we want is not a negative; but, that we choose our emotional response in any given situation, wanting will not govern our lives. Our wants, carefully examined, light applied, will guide us to the truest sense of who we are as a child of God and what we are becoming.

5- Perfection, I must find the perfect person and copy them perfectly.
What I'm learning: I am perfect just the way I am in each moment. Even when I'm dorky or lame, rude or stupid, mean, weak, undisciplined, sarcastic, crude, bratty, gluttonous(cause that's a cool word) silly, annoying. I've always been horrified that I'm those things. Guess what? Those qualities and the resulting embarrassment or pain bring more light into my life than most of my, so called, good qualities. No one is perfect, I get that on others behalf and love them for it, it's time for me to give myself the same space for growth I give others.

6-Sexuality, tee hee, giggle, snort.
Yes I'm going here: Light cast on sex reveals it for what it is. The beautiful, life bringing, joyful, kinky, crazy thing that got us here and keeps us going when times are tough. Light teaches that a women or man who represses or carries shame about this gift of God will shrivel and rot on the vine. Sexuality is a plump, ripe, juicy, fruit which gives life, nourishes a relationship, and sweetens everything it touches. Because it matters so much, it is also one of the toughest things we get to figure out, and it's useful to have a partner as dedicated to bringing light to this topic as you are;) I am blessed to have that in my Adorable Hubby.

7-Experience, carefull...woah, better not...stoppp, waait!
What I'm learning: I am here to experience life and love, joy and sorrow, and every little thing in between. I have spent most of my life avoiding experiences until I reached some nebulous level of personal achievement that would make the experience better or at least safe from pain or failure. Light teaches me that in my life there is no failure in experience there has been lots of failure to experience though. I once heard someone say, if you have a goal, live your life as if you have achieved it, teach someone else how to live as you do and viola, you'll be there. It all starts with an embrace of experiences, experiences free from judgments, experiences that bring to light who I am and who I am not.

8-Judgment
What I am learning: "Judge not that ye be not judged, for with that same judgment which ye judge so shall ye be judged" Was a truer principal ever taught? All judgment of others is a reflection of the things we judge in ourselves. That's why the child most like me makes me cRaZiest. That's why peoples most annoying traits turn out to be the traits I can't stand in myself. When we are at our most judgmental we are the most self-absorbed and end up bringing judgment upon ourselves. Not the judgment of a loving Savior, he is our "ADVOCATE, with the Father", the way I read it that means they are both on the side of my precious soul. It's self judgment that condemns me to Hell. The light of Christ teaches me that I am Gods child, he loves me and my experiences, my faults, my weakness, my strengths and beauty more deeply, more purely then I love my own children, he is non-judging perfect love.


I have spent this year beginning the process of building a nest of twigs where I am laying down the mythical plumage of false traditions and googly eye crazy beliefs that have worn out their usefulness. I am LIGHTING the the whole thing on fire, I'm sure I'll whine and twist a little as the flames heat up; but, from the ashes is rising the real me, shining, glorious, renewed. A Phoenix, with tears that heal, a symbol of hope, if I can do this anyone can, and love for God, self and others unbound.

Our Family

Our Family