Highlights of Last Week

Okay, I said there was nothing else for the rest of the year, but I had a few moments. Yes, I should be down on the eliptical. But, I can't make myself do it. This past week we had Keldon for 2 afternoons, went to the Craft Bazaar, did a Christmas craft and caught up on house cleaning from the last 3 weeks while I covered the nursery at church. We had a group of hunters come in for Pheasant Season and spent an evening with them. We even got to go to dinner with Aunt Cat, Kyky & Garrard (haven't done that in a long time). We are trying to decide what to do for Christmas, if anything.

Which brings a subject I have been pondering on. As I am trying to decide what I want my children to learn and what if not important, I have really had some feeling about holidays come up.

I so often get weird looks when I don't feel that it is a big deal if our family(ies) get together on the legal day of a holiday. Do we really need a specific day to get with family?

Santa...oh a hard one. I have been asking friends who gets the glory at Christmas. Santa, parents or Jesus. When it comes to gifts...Santa. Why does he get to give the most exciting, most wanted, most expensive gifts? So backwards. I feel this distorts children's thinking on so many subjects (money, respect, behavior) So we have decided that only one gift will be from Santa, and it will not be the expensive one. I want to begin to grow a Christmas Legacy about the real reason we celebrate this holiday. And a fictisous(sp) character is not getting a spot in it. The only reason we have decided to do any gifts from Santa is so that when other children ask if Santa came and what they got, they can truthfully say that they got something with a "From Santa" on the package.

Well, that should be enough for today. I am thanking the Lord for the double stroller I used this morning at the Bazaar. Kids did not want to be there, so the stroller was great for purchases. I have also never got thru that thing as fast as I did. Will try again next year.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way! This is Kaylor's new favorite song. Learned it from Boz the Green Bear.

Catching Up!

Well the kids got to go see there favorite show LIVE! Seasame Street, Elmo Grows Up at the Civic Center in Amarillo. We even got daddy to go. The kids sat in awe through most of it. Hudson finally crashed and slept through the last 30 minutes. We had to spend the extra $$ and get the Elmo toy that the seat vendor was selling. A huge hit, still playing with it. I, myself, really enjoyed the show. Definitely something that will be repeated.

I took this picture today, December 5th, to show how much my baby has grown. In the last year we have STRUGGLED to get the potty training part of life complete. And I do say STRUGGLED. She didn't care if she was wet, just leave me in a diaper to enjoy life. Well, the light clicked 2 days ago. I had finally given up and didn't care if she was 12 when we got it accomplished. (OK, 9 would have been my top age) Kaylor has been doing great and only wears a diaper during nap and bedtime. She prefers commando, but I have explained that we have to wear panties. Hopefully a few family and friends doesn't chime in on this subject. :) So in the picture Kaylor does not have the diaper hiney. The white poking out of her pants are her BIG GIRL PANTIES!!!! Yeah!

This is however a great lesson in God's timing. I wanted her done when I wanted her done. She had to do this for herself. When I decided to back off and chill out, she decided that it was time. Oh control! I have had to give up so much of it lately. And I look at it now and realize that I have survived.

I have been reading Ecclesiastes to verify that control is not mine to have and joy in what God has given is in order. I love the NLT for 3:22 "No one will bring us back from death to enjoy life after we die." Man that hurt me. Poke. Poke. Jab. Jab.

Finally, our family picture from Thanksgiving Day at Papa and Grandma's. Finally got the kids to smile and Ashley sour. This is it for the year. No Christmas cards. Will do a picture in the Spring.

Be blessed and remember the true reason for the season.