My husband continues to sweep me off my feet with his thoughtfulness...I can only thank God over and over for what a great man he is, and a very good daddy. Thank you for this special Christmas gift, honey.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
It's Good
Today, I almost became slightly disillusioned. I think the correct word is just "tired", but after an entire month of traveling every weekend, and having something to go to almost every night this month, I think I was just hitting a limit.
We were driving home from Indianapolis today where we were celebrating my friend April's birthday. A GREAT reason to drive to Indy (in case April is reading this...I love you!). But on the way home, we were listening to Christmas music on the radio on the Christian music radio station. Paul and I both like to make fun of the DJ's on this station, because they are just over the top cheesy sometimes. Today they were talking about kids running down the stairs on Christmas morning and my head got cynical.....but just for a minute. I was thinking about how idealized we make Christmas morning, how we plan it to be just so in our minds. But then if it doesn't work out that perfect way we imagined, we get disappointed.
Please understand, I LOVE Christmas and the entire month of December. I love the parties, the preparation, the decorations, the food, the friends and family. Love it all. It just seems that in our minds, Christmas has that soft haze around the edges of it, like the scene from a 1940s movie.
Tonight, though, I sit at home, making food to celebrate Christmas with my family tomorrow. The Wizard of Oz is on tv. Abigail has her friend Liane over, and they are currently taking a bath together. I hear them talking and laughing and calling each other "princess." I am looking at the tree in front of me, and even the cheesy car sales commercial on tv with Santa and Mrs. Claus in it. And it's good. It's a good night, even if it were just any old Saturday night. But it is the Saturday before Christmas, and it may almost get hazy around the edges.
We were driving home from Indianapolis today where we were celebrating my friend April's birthday. A GREAT reason to drive to Indy (in case April is reading this...I love you!). But on the way home, we were listening to Christmas music on the radio on the Christian music radio station. Paul and I both like to make fun of the DJ's on this station, because they are just over the top cheesy sometimes. Today they were talking about kids running down the stairs on Christmas morning and my head got cynical.....but just for a minute. I was thinking about how idealized we make Christmas morning, how we plan it to be just so in our minds. But then if it doesn't work out that perfect way we imagined, we get disappointed.
Please understand, I LOVE Christmas and the entire month of December. I love the parties, the preparation, the decorations, the food, the friends and family. Love it all. It just seems that in our minds, Christmas has that soft haze around the edges of it, like the scene from a 1940s movie.
Tonight, though, I sit at home, making food to celebrate Christmas with my family tomorrow. The Wizard of Oz is on tv. Abigail has her friend Liane over, and they are currently taking a bath together. I hear them talking and laughing and calling each other "princess." I am looking at the tree in front of me, and even the cheesy car sales commercial on tv with Santa and Mrs. Claus in it. And it's good. It's a good night, even if it were just any old Saturday night. But it is the Saturday before Christmas, and it may almost get hazy around the edges.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Hey, Big Spender
Yesterday, Abigail got a birthday/Christmas card from my Grandpa B., her great-grandpa. Before she passed away a few years ago, my Grandma B. was the queen of the birthday card. She never forgot a birthday. Not only did she not forget, but if she had ever met you in life....EVER...you were more than likely going to get a birthday or Christmas card from her. She was organized, and thoughtful. So, the fact that my grandpa, who is now in his mid-nineties still thinks to send a birthday card to his great-granddaughter is nothing short of amazing to me.
As she opened the card, a crisp ten-dollar bill fell to the floor. Now, until this year, he has usually sent the money to my mom or to me to buy something for Abigail. But I guess he figured for someone turning four, it was time for her to receive her own money. She picked up the ten off the floor and announced, "It's mine now!" She knows just enough about money to know that it's good to have some.
I asked her what she wanted to do with her money from Great-Grandpa. My mom always stressed to me that when someone sends you money as a gift, it is because they want you to buy something special with it for yourself. (I wish I could go back and tell broke, newlywed Amy and Paul that as we spent it to pay our gas bill.) She thought for a second and said, "I guess I'll put it in my piggy bank."
Normally not a bad idea, but I thought her first ten-dollar bill for herself was too special to be responsible with.
I said, "Well, you can buy something with it if you want to."
A big smile broke across her face and she said, "I could buy food. Like macaroni and cheese!"
Hmmmm, I didn't expect this to be so hard to explain. She knows when you go to the store that you have to give the cashier money for what you want. She knows the basics of spending. And she chose mac 'n cheese?
"OR, you could buy maybe a toy."
"Okay," she replied. "When we go to the store next time, I can pick out a present to give to Liane." (Her best little buddy from church)
"OR, you could pick out a present for YOU. It's really thoughtful that you want to buy something for Liane, but Great-Grandpa sent that money for YOUR birthday and Christmas, to buy something that you would like to have."
She studied the paper bill. "What number is this again?"
"It's a ten. That means you have ten dollars."
"I've GOT IT!" she exclaimed. "The next time we go to the mall, I can use it to ride the ride that goes around and around."
Great. A ride that costs 75 cents. So Paul and I can sit and watch her go around in circles for ten dollars worth of rides. Well, it's her money. We'll see if we can work on it a little bit.
As she opened the card, a crisp ten-dollar bill fell to the floor. Now, until this year, he has usually sent the money to my mom or to me to buy something for Abigail. But I guess he figured for someone turning four, it was time for her to receive her own money. She picked up the ten off the floor and announced, "It's mine now!" She knows just enough about money to know that it's good to have some.
I asked her what she wanted to do with her money from Great-Grandpa. My mom always stressed to me that when someone sends you money as a gift, it is because they want you to buy something special with it for yourself. (I wish I could go back and tell broke, newlywed Amy and Paul that as we spent it to pay our gas bill.) She thought for a second and said, "I guess I'll put it in my piggy bank."
Normally not a bad idea, but I thought her first ten-dollar bill for herself was too special to be responsible with.
I said, "Well, you can buy something with it if you want to."
A big smile broke across her face and she said, "I could buy food. Like macaroni and cheese!"
Hmmmm, I didn't expect this to be so hard to explain. She knows when you go to the store that you have to give the cashier money for what you want. She knows the basics of spending. And she chose mac 'n cheese?
"OR, you could buy maybe a toy."
"Okay," she replied. "When we go to the store next time, I can pick out a present to give to Liane." (Her best little buddy from church)
"OR, you could pick out a present for YOU. It's really thoughtful that you want to buy something for Liane, but Great-Grandpa sent that money for YOUR birthday and Christmas, to buy something that you would like to have."
She studied the paper bill. "What number is this again?"
"It's a ten. That means you have ten dollars."
"I've GOT IT!" she exclaimed. "The next time we go to the mall, I can use it to ride the ride that goes around and around."
Great. A ride that costs 75 cents. So Paul and I can sit and watch her go around in circles for ten dollars worth of rides. Well, it's her money. We'll see if we can work on it a little bit.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Words, Words, Words....or Lack Thereof
There are some things that I remember being much cooler when I was younger. The one I am thinking of at the moment is Disney's Fantasia. We took Abigail last weekend to see Disney on Ice as an early birthday present. It was so fun, and I'll even admit almost getting teary-eyed as every single ever-lovin' Disney character skated out in the beginning to "Be Our Guest." Sometimes I anticipate in my head how she is viewing something for the first time, and the excitement can be overwhelming to me. Have any of you been living vicariously through your kids lately? No? Just me?
A few of the characters in the show were from Disney's Fantasia. We had to explain to Abigail that when Mickey put on his wizard's outfit, it was from a special movie that Mickey was in a long-time ago. And then there were all the glow-in-the-dark dancing brooms....it really was a cool sight to see.
So, yesterday, Paul and Abigail went to the library and brought home a few things, one of them being Fantasia. We have been watching it for the last thirty minutes, and as much as I love all of the music from the Nutcracker Suite, I don't really remember....all...the...music....
Abigail has been watching patiently, and just a few minutes ago, said the words that we both were thinking. "When's it gonna get good?"
But wait! Here comes Wizard Mickey and his dancing brooms! I wish I could say I was more cultured to be introducing her to such fabulous symphonic melodies, but we really were just waiting for Mickey. Maybe the culture will come through osmosis.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Delicious
Last night, my family went to our Baptist Association's Christmas party. It was our third Christmas party this week, which makes me so tired to even type those words. Anyway, just a cute story to share about Abigail....
After we ate dinner at the church, she had gone off to play in the nursery with ALL! THE! TOYS! It was not at our church, so of course, everything seemed new and shiny to her. Then she came running back to me at the table to tell me she needed to go potty.
We went into the bathroom, and I waited on her to finish. She had a nice, round belly from her dinner, and I said, "You ate your dinner really well tonight. You have a round tummy!"
She got off the potty, rubbed my tummy, and said, "You ate a lot tonight, too! Look at your round tummy!"
I laughed and said, "What's my tummy full of? It's full of baby Sadie."
She said, "You ATE a BABY????"
Then she giggled....she knew the answer. Oh, the comic timing on this kid.
After we ate dinner at the church, she had gone off to play in the nursery with ALL! THE! TOYS! It was not at our church, so of course, everything seemed new and shiny to her. Then she came running back to me at the table to tell me she needed to go potty.
We went into the bathroom, and I waited on her to finish. She had a nice, round belly from her dinner, and I said, "You ate your dinner really well tonight. You have a round tummy!"
She got off the potty, rubbed my tummy, and said, "You ate a lot tonight, too! Look at your round tummy!"
I laughed and said, "What's my tummy full of? It's full of baby Sadie."
She said, "You ATE a BABY????"
Then she giggled....she knew the answer. Oh, the comic timing on this kid.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Pictures!!
These are a preview of the pictures taken by my friend Hilary of our family. They are so pretty. I knew she would do an amazing job! Thank you, Hilary!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)