12 Random Things About Christmas

I am so sorry! I haven't had the time or the energy to post anything since THANKSGIVING!!! Things have been a bit wild! We've endured the countless hours of shopping and then the 24-hour-kneeling-before-the-porcelain-god flu (all 4 of us got it...Baby girl got it twice!)Needless to say... my posts wouldn't have been much fun to read. So, although it's the day after Christmas... I'm finally feeling like writing. I was tagged by my friend Sherry, to do a 12 random things about Christmas post... so here I go!

1. I love to decorate for Christmas! The sooner the better... I mean seriously, we bought all that stuff and it takes forever to get up, so I want it there so that we can enjoy it for at least a solid month! We used to wait until the day after Thanksgiving, but for the past two years, Thanksgiving has been at our house! So, to get everyone all geared up for the holiday season (and to show off the awesomeness of our decorations!) we had everything up and ready a week and a half before Turkey day! I love it!

2. We are all about themes! From our first year married, we've had a themed tree. This year, we bought new lights, ornaments, and stockings! Our theme is black, grey, creme and silver! Very classy! Being married to an artist has it's advantages! He has an eye for decorating! Our stockings are matched: daddy and the boy have grey stockings and mama and the girl have creme ones! The running theme through the ribbon, stockings, and ornaments is that victorian line work stuff!! I LOVE IT!!!

3. I can't wait to rock Christmas music! I love it all! From Sinatra to Transiberian Orchestra!

4. For the past 4 years we've had a tradition of going to see Transiberian Orchestra live!!! AMAZING!!! I'll try and post my video from my phone! It doesn't give them the full justice that they deserve, but you'll get a little taste!! If you ever have a chance... Don't miss them!!

5. Growing up, we always had a live tree, well, we had one when we could afford one. I really wanted to keep that tradition alive, but after buying a fake one...I'm not sure that I'll go back to the live tradition. We spent a hefty amount on ours, but it's absolutley paid for itself! And I really do love it! It looks real enough... and no watering necessary! Not to mention the peace of knowing that no matter the financial situation of that Christmas... we will always have a tree. ;)

6. For as long as I can remember... we decorated the tree as a family! It's a big deal! We listen to Christmas music! We have cheese and crackers and chili and shrimp cocktail and sasuage and sparkling grape juice (or my families version of non-alcoholic Hooch!) Then after the trees up and decorated... we sit with all the lights off and enjoy the beauty of the tree! I look forward to this every year!!! And we CAN'T decorate the tree without the food! It's our own early Christmas party!

7. One of my best Christmas memories was when I was little. We were really quite poor... Always on the church's list of families in need. (And bless them for it! I'm sure that unbeknownest to my brother and I there may have not been any Christmas if it weren't for our chruch family...)Anyhow, one Christmas, my parents explained to us that because things were so tight, we wouldn't be able to have a Christmas tree. That included the previously mentioned tradition of the yummy food while we decorated. We were pretty upset. Mom and dad really tried hard to make it special even without the tree. And amazingly, us kids, seemed to understand. (I think this was my first realization of how poor we were.) On Christmas Eve... it was snowing, I think... Daddy left to run to errands. When he came back... it was like a Christmas miracle!! He had a tree with him!!!!! It was the most beautiful tree in the World!!(You know... it may have looked like a Charlie Brown tree... but in my memory... it rivaled the one in Time Square!!) And he had all the food to accompany the decorating tradition! My brother and I both cherish that Christmas. Our presents were second hand and most of the things we "wanted" weren't there the next morning... but it didn't matter! That was the year my dad sober... and that was the best Christmas present of all! We were whole! And I think mom and dad really taught us the meaning of Christmas! I love you mama! I miss you, daddy!

8. We've always opened our presents on Christmas day! None of this Christmas Eve stuff... Although, we would get to open one small present on Christmas Eve... We sort of forgot about that this year. The babies were so tired by the time we got home, that we just headed them straight to bed! (We still had some Santa stuff to take care of!)

9. We've always gotten to open our stockings first! And they are usually full of chocolate and candy. And socks and underwear! (There's nothing like putting on a fresh pair of socks and brand new underwear on Christmas Day!!!) We also usually got a toothbrush and other small toys! We carried on most of these traditions in our home now. I got a sweet new pro health toothbrush! (for that just from the dentist clean!)

10. I believed in Santa! With all my heart! We always opened our Santa presents last. And they were in special paper! They usually sat close to our stockings... so we knew they weren't from mom and dad! They were also usually our "big" presents! I loved it! With our kids... we started the tradition of not wrapping their Santa presents. Mostly because they've been HUGE!!! Daddy gets them all put together on Christmas Eve! (He's the best Santa!) This year we got the babies a wagon for both of them to ride in! And we sat their stockings inside the wagon!! The boy was soooo pumped! He jumped right in and stayed there through opening his while stocking! And then on and off throughout the rest of Christmas morning! (I think it's a hit!)

11. I remember that we used to have to wait for my dad to take a shower before we could open presents!! This was KILLER!!! I have taken a solemn vow to never make my kids wait to me to be ready (showered, hair and make-up done) before we open presents! Besides that Rob would go CRAZY!! And we used to have to wait until daylight before we could get out of bed!!! This year... me and the babies were sleeping soundly, when all of the sudden at precisely 7am, daddy rushed into our rooms and promplty woke all of us up! The boy even protested..."I'm just sweepin, daddy...I'm just sweepin." But to no avail! So, off we went! With the babies still rubbing their eyes!!! I guess there are just some things that boys never outgrow! :)

12. We open presents one at a time, from youngest to oldest! And we all watch each other open them! It makes the suspense last! And I love it! This year in our house, we kinda broke that tradition cause of the babies! But next year... we're going back! It just went too fast! :)


Today is my brother's 26th Birthday!!! Bummer, I know... the day after Christmas! They're all going to Biaggi's for dinner tonight... I have to work! Oh, well! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRO!!! I love you!

I'll try and post some pictures later this week! Hope you all had a very, merry Christmas!

'Cause a Thankful Heart is a Happy Heart!

Have you heard that song? My two year old introduced me to it! The lyrics are...

"I thank God for this day, for some time to play outside, for the birds in the trees, for His love that's deep and wide, for the air that I breathe, for my friends and family! That's why I say Thanks everyday! 'Cause a thankful heart is a happy heart! I'm glad for what I have--that's an easy way to start! For the love that we share as He listens to our prayers! That's why I say thanks everyday!! I thank God for this night for the stars in the sky! For a hug from my mom, for her special lullabye! For the chance to have rest, for the ways that I am blessed! That's why I say 'Thanks!' everyday!"

~Sung by Junior Asparagus (Veggie Tales)

I love the simplicity of this song! That we can just thank God for the little things... it doesn't have to be this big drawn out 4 point sermon prayer. The cd that we have of this song actually put my son's name in the chorus. That's one of my prayers for my kids. That they would have thankful, happy hearts. I saw Beth Moore speak this summer. WOW!! If you ever get a chance to hear her... She'll touch ya!

She spoke about the other meaning of the word blessed. (Poor english language... we really suck!) One of the hebrew words for blessed is Asher...which means HAPPY!! How awesome that through our being thankful... God gives us Asher! HAPPINESS! I pray that my babies and my babies, babies, would be ashered! That not only would they accept their barak (their heritage blessing) but that they would be happy! That it's ok to accept those times when God gives us happiness! (Don't get me wrong... I want the Joy of the Lord to be their strength...) But I also want my kids to be able to say about me..."my mamma... she was ashered!" I want to be so full of life and happiness that my kids want what I have! How awesome would that be?

Today I am thankful for...

• When God speaks through His people
• My Husband...my best friend!
• My energetic, life giving son!
• My beautiful baby girl and her smile!
• My family
• My job...where I know that I'm used for the good everyday!
• Music
• Good shampoo and conditioner
• A clean house
• The excitement of cooking my first turkeys
• That it's finally about time to go home and see the things I'm thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Picture Me

My friend at Delicious Ambiguity tagged me to do a "Picure Me" meme...
Being extremely new to blogging, I am still not completely sure what a meme is... but I think I've got the general idea of what a "Picture Me" is to involve.
So, here goes...

I really had a hard time finding a piture of me, with a story to tell, but as I was looking through some of the picture files that I have on my computer, I came across these...



















These are me and my babies... at a little different ages, but still little. There is nothing better than holding your baby! Even better now, I love holding both of my babies at the same time.
It's funny, cause both of these days seems so long ago already! We still live in the same neighborhood that we brought the boy home to! Different house, but I love our neighborhood!
It's a well established neighborhood. Beautiful! We live near a gorgeous park! The picture of me and my son was taken across the street from the park and in front of our old house. It was such a pretty fall day. I love his beautiful smile! Even though he's a "big boy" now... he still has that awesome, full of wonder, smile! He makes everything so much more fun! He's truly my Joy Boy!

The picture of me and my girl, was taken at the park that I love. It was another beautiful day! I was still on maternity leave! I loved being home with both of my babies! I wouldn't trade it for anything in the World! Baby girl is already showing us that she is her own person! She's just about ready to crawl! I can't believe that she's already almost 7 months! Time is sure flying by! She "talks" non stop! I love it! We decided that she sounds like a baby velociraptor! (not sure how you spell that...) She is absolutely my baby 'Rejoyce!

I get a little teary looking at these...

Take a breath, slow down...
This ride is going way too fast!


And now I tag Kookah and Kara! :)

Bummer!

So, Aaron's band didn't win...
But we all know who the true best band in Denver is!!!

He did get some great exposure and some huge doors are opening for them!
I couldn't be more proud!!!

Random Hero!!!

I am soooo proud!!

My baby brother is in the band Random Hero and they are up for the best band in Denver!! They are in the top 3!!! They'll play again this weekend and hopefully take the win!! They're a great band! You can check them out on MySpace...

If they win... they get to open for Ozzy and Rob Zombie! What a huge opportunity!

Did I mention how proud I am????

Halloween 2007

We had so much fun last night! The boy was so excited! He ran around like a mad man, but I love his energy! He is absolutely ALL boy! Baby girl is just so laid back. She let everyone hold her. She's such a good baby. Both of them have been easy babies! I watched G jump on the Sponge Bob bouncy thing! He loved it! Here's some pictures of them... We had a quick photo shoot before heading to the festivities...

Fall, potty training, and siblings...

I love fall. I love watching the trees change color. The cool mornings and evenings and the beautiful warm Colorado days! Today is gorgeous! It's so warm that when I ran home to see my family for a bit, they had the doors and windows open, so we could get some fresh air in the house! (Fresh air is much appreciated with a two year old, a dog, and two babies in diapers!)

We are trying to potty train our opinionated little two year old! Boy, this is tough! He doesn't mind sitting on the potty. As a matter of fact, sometimes he will sit for a whole cartoon, just hanging out on his potty. Unfortunately nothing comes out. I mean nothing. It's like once you take the diaper off... he can hold it for hours. But the minute you put the diaper back on... the flood gates open wide! We are completely at a loss here.

My sweet, patient husband... he has a clinical case of the shy bladder, but in an effort to give this potty thing a go, he's subjected himself to having an audience of one to attempt to demonstrate how boys potty. This is one area that mommy is at a disadvantage...

Baby girl is just about to crawl! It's amazing how fast they learn! She's rolling all over the floor now, getting into things that she shouldn't be and making brother crazy by taking his toys, messing up his car track, trying to eat his crackers! I love it! It's going to be so much fun watching them grow up together! He already loves her to death and is beyong protective! She just looks at him like he is the best toy in the world! She laughs at him and loves it when he gets on the floor with her to roll around! My brother and I are really close. Next to my husband, my brother is hands down my best friend. Now, granted, we had those years where my mom wanted to kill us, but we really have a ton of fun when we're together! I would love to see them be as close as we are! I think they're headed in the right direction!

My very Own Blog

So, here I am... joining the ranks of those who have willingly opened up of themselves and began thier own on-line journey in creating an e-diary...

I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm a little nervous. I'm not really sure what I will post. Being a recovering perfectionist, ok, so I'm attempting to be in recovery, anyhow...I'm concerned that I will not be entertaining enough! I've read several blogs in my day... And many of these jane and john does could give Dean Koontz a run for his money! I'm a musician... Should I sing? Naw. I'm not a huge fan of narcissists...

So, I'll do my best to entertain... My family is hilarious! Be patient...

At least I'm trying...

This one's for you Sherry!