Seeing Visions in the Early Morn'

Here at our lovely abode, we've had a few challenging nights.  The kids were not so much into sleeping.

Two nights ago, Lil Miss was up at 12am, 2am, and 6am.  Happy was up at 3:45 am and NEVER fell back asleep.

When I fed them breakfast, I was bleary eyed.  And quite hungry.

I am in the process of weaning Lil Miss.  Apparently she has yet to get the memo on that one as she needed to nurse all night long. And when you nurse a baby all night long?  You are very hungry soon after.

Anyways, after getting the kids some food, I made myself a very normal breakfast of a vegetarian corn dog, a diet coke, and dark chocolate peanut m&m's.  (We've already established my weird eating habits numerous times.)

Happy wanted some of my veggie corn dog.  Knowing he probably wouldn't eat any, I cut him a very small piece.

(The black thing in the center is the hole where the veggie dog stick was. Just wanted to clear that one up!)

He took one look at it and said, "Baby Jesus!" with great authority.

I tried to correct him, but he wouldn't hear of it.

Plus, he kind of had a point.  It did kind of look like our nativity Baby Jesus.

I have been praying that we would be able to incorporate Christ into the rote things of life.

I guess that would be considered a mission accomplished (?).

New Year, Same Nonsense

Well, it's 2012.  And I've got nothing.

Which is not much different from 2011.

Happy had a terrific meltdown in Target today.  And by terrific, I mean a horrendous, where-can-I-hide-so-people-will-stop-staring-and-judging-me and is-there-a-mute-button kind of temper tantrum.

I would like to apologize to all the customers at my local Target, as well as all patrons of any store within a 5 mile radius.

That boy?  He has some lungs.  And passion. 

I love him.  He's lucky that he's got that going for him.

Little Miss alternated between total oblivion and uncontrollable laughter. I long for that bliss.

Moving on....

Hubs recently got some deal with our local weasels internet provider where he upgraded our internet service and somehow got us free basic cable all for $3 more a month.

I was excited because our rabbit ear channels were quite limited.  We were able to get PBS, CBS, 2 or 3 Spanish channels and 4 Korean channels. 

The Spanish and Korean channels are a total score, you know?

Anyways,  I had a point....?

Yes, basic cable upgrade.

Well, those little devils that sneaky little company gave us more than basic cable for approximately 36 hours.  (Though I didn't know our precious time together was limited.)  I was ecstatic because we had Bravo and TLC, my two favorite channels.  I was all geared up to catch up on all things Real Housewives, Rachel Zoe, 19 Kids and Counting, Extreme Couponers, and the list goes on...

I was giddy.  Overjoyed, even.

We must have misunderstood what "basic" cable meant, I assumed.

(Do you pity me yet?)
(You should)

But, then today, I turned on the tv during the kids' supposed "nap" time and my beloved channels were gone!  They gave me that extra cable long enough for me to realize the gaping void in my life filled by only those channels.

(As if I wasn't already aware of that void.)

Sigh.

Isn't that a dirty little trick?

Starting Off the New Year on the Right Foot

I had well over 1400 emails in my inbox.  Approximately 1333 were junk/sales emails, 62 were emails to myself of various reminders (kinda like on the Friends episode where Ross calls his apartment and leaves himself a reminder message...but way cooler than that), and there were maybe 5 or 6 "real" emails mixed in there.  I moved them all to a new mail folder I created called, "crap i need to sort through."

It's kinda like scooping up a bunch of junk around your house and throwing it into a closet right before company comes over to visit.  You are no more organized, but you have deceived yourself and your guests into thinking you have an orderly home.

Not that I would ever do such a thing.

Happy New Year, my friends!

Chugga Chugga...Choo Choo!

Happy LOVES himself some trains.


Aunt D and Uncle T had some passes to a nearby park that has, among many attractions, a train you can ride.  That was the main attraction for us.  So we took Happy there today.

He was beside himself with excitement.  I'll just let the pics tell the rest of the story.

After the ride was over, the engineer came out and greeted us. He lifted Happy up on the locomotive. I think that was Happy's most favorite part.

It is such a treasure to see your child enjoying himself so thoroughly over something as simple as a train.  What a wonderful blessing. My heart is full.

Thanks Aunt D and Uncle T!  What a fantastic day! 

Fess Up Friday

Fessin' up on the wrong day of the week.  It's a gift.

I know it is not Friday, but consider this an early entry to next Friday's Fess Up and not a late entry to yesterday's.



I have lamented about Hub's plaid blanket in the past.  I hate it.  However, I may have to change my tune towards it.  A couple of weeks ago, during a frigid week, I had taken "my" blanket (since Hubs and I are unable to share blankets) from our bed to our couch downstairs to watch some cartoons with Happy one morning.  When I went upstairs to bed that night, I had forgotten my blanket.  It was a sad realization.  I didn't want to go back downstairs to get it.  Neither did Hubs.  So, gasp, I stole the plaid blanket from Hubs that night.  Even gaspier? He let me.  What a sweet man.

On some days when I am getting a little stir crazy (read: everyday), I take the kids driving in search of trains (after our requisite trip to Sonic, of course).  Following the roads near the train tracks lends itself to some interesting, um, scenery in the housing department.

One of my favorite sites was an abandoned trailer park with a bubba gump shrimp boat type trailer/mobile home thingy.  It was awesome.  Basically, it was like a large boat that had been converted into a home.  It was overgrown with vines and mildew.  I kept wanting to take a picture of it, but I couldn't get the nerve up to stop the car to take the picture.

As you can imagine, I was devastated two weeks ago when I looked over at the trailer park on our drive and the boat was gone!  I keep looking for it to magically reappear since it so magically disappeared. Sadly, it has not.  I am starting to think it was just a vision.

I even tried to google pics of something similar to it and apparently it was truly one of a kind because there are no pics on google (you know, in my extensive 5 minute google search) that accurately depicts its loveliness. Or even comes close.

Sad day.

All I Want for Christmas...

is for my blog feeder to work. 

Update: It works. Finally.

Update #2: What I REALLY want for Christmas is 10 minutes to take a shower without an interruption from my sweet blessings.  Can I get an Amen?

Amen.

Gettin' Crafty with the Kiddos

This week, Maranimal and I got our broods together to do a somewhat organized, intentional activity.

Neither Maranimal or I are particularly organized.  Or intentional.  (Except maybe when it comes to Sonic.) But we persevered and had ourselves a little activity for the kids. 

Here is the original idea:

http://www.aokcorral.com/projects/how2nov2007.htm

Please go look at it.  Because the picture won't load on my blog.  And it is making me nutty.  Well, nuttier than usual.

Did you look?  I'm not messing around here, people. 

Ok, good.  Glad you listened.

Moving on.  Now we are realists, if not possibly pessimists, and knew our versions would be nothing like that.  But it's nice to reach for the stars, isn't it?

Chili happily listening to the story of the birth of Jesus.

Child (Maranimal's sister) kindly helping us with our adventure.

Jensky loved the eating portion of the craft.

Lil Miss swiped Sassy's blue candycane.  You can't tell, can you?

She was thrilled about her score and the fact that I didn't take it away from her.

Sassy's proud of her project.  Sassy's quote of the day?  Mary looks delicious, but I won't eat her.

Jenksy's Stable and Manger.  He ate it all, save the walls of the stable.  See the two marshmallows and gum drop? That's Baby Jesus.  And that was Jenksy's third or fourth Baby Jesus we had to make for him.  Because he kept eating them.

What a great day with friends!