Friday Funnies

While watching the news about the student riots in London over tuition hikes, we were explaining to the kids why people were protesting. Going to university used to be free for everyone in the UK, but now they are raising fees and tuition. Stuart: Well, I'm just going to have to be rich. I'll have lots of dollars!

Our advent calendar activity(from a great book The ADVENTure of Christmas!) was what "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" mean and the phrases origins. We practiced saying Merry Christmas in other languages as well. We asked the kids if they could go anywhere where another language was spoken, where would you go?
Stuart: Mexico. Feliz Navidad.
Chase: Italy. Buon Natale.
Sabrina: Texas!

At the grocery story this week, Stuart picked up a gift card for Cracker Barrel, and with great breathy, longing pleaded, "Mom, can I have this for Christmas?"

In the car:
SJ: Mom, when I grow up I'm going to be a teacher at Central Christian School.
Me: You are?
SJ: Yea. I'm going to teach in Mrs. Kouba's room.
Me: That's what Mommy used to do. I was the music teacher. If you want to teach in Mrs. Kouba's room, then you must practice your piano.
SJ: Yes, I will. And then I'll be the microphone person. And they'll be two teachers. I'm going to teach them lots of songs like [singing] "Thy Word" and [again singing] "Good Morning, God."
Me: That's great, Sabrina.
SJ: Yep! It is great! I better get to practicing!

I know it's sideways...but it was too great not to share!

Friday Funnies

Sabrina, completely out of the blue: Mom, when I grow up, I won't like dog slobber. It's ok now, but when I grow up, I won't like it like you. I DO NOT like cat slobber. (Really? Glad you shared, baby.)

Chase, after trying some new fizzy water (Perrier lemon): I like it, but I don't love. I mean, I wouldn't call it "drink of the year" but I would call it "best water." (Good to know your critiquing skills are growing.)

More and more words!

This girl is a chatty baby! First seven, then twelve, and now we're up to 20 at fifteen months! She talks all the time now, but here are a few of her understandable words.

baby

car (cahr -think Boston)

Jesus

sock

hi (hiee)

coat (coot)

cheese (chees)
thank you (tan too)

Love this adorable monkey!
(Those are my words)

Not Me! Monday

Mmmm, this past has been busy! Or not....


I HAVE NOT spent the week trying to understand how to help my 15 month old sleep. She is NOT suddenly crying in the middle of the night for no reason that we can comprehend. She DID NOT sleep through the night at 3 weeks (don't be a hater) so this is NOT a shock to our system.

I DID NOT hand roll 384 cookies for Christmas presents this weekend. I DID NOT spend the day watching White Christmas and old MacGuyver episodes while I endlessly rolled and iced 384 cookies.

I DID NOT venture out to Old Navy at 6 AM Friday morning to purchase clothing for a photo session for all four kids. I was NOT surprised to see how many people were there since I was NOT a Black Friday virgin!

We DID NOT attempt to get a photo of all 4 kids smiling and dress appropriately on Sunday afternoon at Portrait Innovations. We would NEVER be that foolish to brave those crowds! We DID NOT get a decent shot for which I was happy to pay $10.23 with tax for 45 prints.

I DID NOT make steel cut oats in the crock pot overnight. It DID NOT make so much oatmeal that I we had almost 6 full cups of leftover cooked oatmeal after everyone in the family had seconds! I DID NOT decide to try to make oatmeal cookies from the leftover oatmeal. They DID NOT turn out more like chocolate chip oatmeal muffies!

I also DID NOT open too many cans of pumpkin for pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I DO NOT still have the pumpkin waiting to be made into pumpkin bread.

I DID NOT lose 2 pounds this week even with all the feasting and baking! I am NOT super proud of that!

Have a spectacular week!

Friday Funnies

Sabrina is mostly the star of Friday Funnies this week. In case you are unaware, she is cartoon character.

At dinner, Sabrina, "Mom, can you pass me some more agamola? (guacamole)

Sabrina: Mom, my favorite author is Margaret Wise Brown.
Me: I like her books too. My favorite is Good Night Moon.
Sabrina: I like her books. But she died a long time ago. Many long years ago. (Now singing) Many long years ago, many long years ago, The old grey mare, she ain't what she used to be many long years ago.

After a mini-tap recital, Sabrina had a candy cane. Eating it the back seat of the car, she leans over to her brother: Chase! Wanna FEEL my fresh breath? HAAAAAAAH.

A few more from some others.
At the Dellario family Thanksgiving, there was an epic football game. Kristin (10) didn't really want to play while her brother (15) and sister Jackie (14) were. Her dad offered this encouragement:
Kristin, come on! Get out there and play.
Kristin: Dad, football's just not my thing.
John: Yes, but beating on Jackie is, so get out there!

Chase and I were playing some basketball, and it was cold outside. Chase wasn't wearing a coat, so I asked him if he wanted to go in and get a jacket.
"Mom, I'm not cold. I keep telling you I stay warm because I've got hair on my chest."

Thanksgiving

I had an "ooo-my-heart-is-ugly" experience today.

I was frustrated. I only needed to go to Schnucks for 3 items. Just 3. I know it's the day before Thanksgiving, but I needed them today. Oh, and it's torrential rain. Seriously. Getting out the door should have taken 10 minutes because we were all dressed, just needed to use the bathroom and buckle in the van. Instead it took 35 minutes. Boy 1 & Girl 1 were bickering getting in the van, so they had to get out and back in again without arguing, which took 3 times. Baby wouldn't hold still to get her shoes on and then I realized I put them on the wrong foot. Boy 2 couldn't find his shoe that he was wearing 1 hour before. I was getting more and more agitated. I knew the entire trip, even with the crazy traffic should take 30 minutes and now it's taken us 35 to even pull out of our garage.

By the time we drove the 9/10 of a mile to get to the store, we had trouble finding a parking space. I wasn't really mad anymore, but just looking for any place, not just a close one. I was stuck at a parking lot "intersection" where someone was loading their SUV full of groceries by the front door. They were in a fine spot. The problem was the crazy guy behind them. He was yelling and honking. Completely obnoxious. I thought, "That pour woman is trying to go as fast as she can. She doesn't like getting wet either. Calm down." My heart melted for the woman loading groceries in the rain, doing the best she could.

And then God showed me my heart. I had been like the obnoxious man with my kids. I was getting frustrated and angry, which didn't help the situation; it really only slowed us down. My kids were doing the best they could (mostly!). I had prepared myself for the grocery to be crowded and full of people. I had prepared myself to be patient there with people and my kids. But at home, I just wanted it done. My expectations weren't met and I offered no room for compassion on my poor child who honestly couldn't remember where he put his shoes.  I forgot "...as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

I'm thankful God gave me this experience today. I'm sure the next few days will be full of opportunities to be impatient and frustrated. God fill my with You Spirit that I may have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Have a Thankful Heart this Thanksgiving!

Not Me! Monday

Monday, Monday! But this week is exciting: it's Thanksgiving week!

Here are a few activities in which I DID NOT engage this past week. Nope, Not Me!

I DID NOT serve my son questionable turkey meat for lunch because I hadn't gone to the store yet. I also DID NOT make a cupcakes from a mix that would expire in 10 days and ice it with icing that expired the day before. I have NOT been on a mission to clean out my pantry.

While tying up my daughter's hair bow, I DID NOT notice some old, dried vomit. I DID NOT continue to tie the bow and then just cut off the inch with crusty vomit. NOPE, that would be truly gross.

I DID NOT discover after my workout, that included lunges and squats, that there was a a three inch split in the rear of my pants. These pants are NOT 6 years old. I've NOT worn them through 2 pregnancies. They are not so stretched out they fall off if I don't cinch them up.  The split in these pants DID NOT fully show my fabulous white & flowered underpants when performing all the squats, lunges, and bench presses. NOPE, Not me!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!