Merry Christmas to All… December 26, 2006

We spent the day with family opening presents, playing games (thank you, Auntie), and enjoying good food. Once the toys were broken in (or broken as the case may be), I had the opportunity to talk with Violet and her cousins about the occasion. The cousins are 6 (E) and 4 (G) years old.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: What is Christmas?
Violet: Jesus’ Birthday.
G: Presents.

Me: How many presents?
G: lots…100…that means a lot of presents.
Me: Really?…hmmm…
E: I got 17.

Me: Why do we get presents?
V: To remind us of the 3 wisemen giving gifts to Jesus.

Me: Tell me about the wisemen.
G: They were bad guys.
Brother-in-law: Kinda like wise guys?
G: Yeah!

Me: Where was Jesus born?
E: in a barn…a chicken barn.

Me: Who was there?
V: pigs, camels.
E: God, Mary, and Joseph, animals.
They finally agree that Jesus must have been there too!

Me: Why were camels there?
V & G: Because they brought the wisemen.

Me: How do you think the trip on a camel was?
V: it was long.
E: it was a lumpy ride.

Me: Now that Christmas is over, what’s next?
E: Go to bed…

These brief answers were difficult to get, the kids were busy running around and laughing…simply enjoying their time together. C and I have been saying to Violet that Christmas is not about “the stuff”, it’s about the birth of The Saviour. We have tried hard to give more of ourselves this season. We have tried to model relational giving and less material giving. Watching them play, showed me that kids already get it, it’s us adults that have to keep hearing “it’s not about the stuff”. I pray that this season of joy lives on throughout the year…

All I want for Christmas… December 18, 2006

I just rec’d this from another MOM (mother of multiples). I thought it was funny, yet true… (Especially the part about brushing my teeth and hair!)

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I’ll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

* I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have)

*Arms that don’t hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.
* I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

**If you’re hauling big ticket items this year

* I’d like fingerprint resistant windows

* A radio that only plays adult music;

* A television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals;
* A refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

** On the practical side,

* I could use a talking doll that says, “Yes, Mommy” to boost my parental confidence,

* Along with two kids who don’t fight
* Three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power
tools.
*I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting “Don’t eat in the living room” and “Take your hands off your brother,” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don’t mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten
the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a
vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if
you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding
payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet
under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back.

Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come
in and dry off so you don’t catch cold.
Help yourself to cookies on the table but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, MOM…!

Food For Thought December 15, 2006

We have a bedtime routine that rarely changes. We do baths, books, a little playtime, and then off to bed. The goal is for everyone to lay down and go right to sleep. The reality is that Bigweld always needs something. He even gets out of bed and flips the light on a few times each night. Herbie would just like a bit of darkness and quiet. The routine usually involves at least two parental visits to the boys’ room. Last night, Bigweld gutted one of his stuffed animals and then cried when he couldn’t snuggle it.
By the time 7:30 rolls around, I am tired- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I need bedtime to be smooth and peaceful. I don’t have the patience for a singing bear that won’t sing, a toy car that needs a tire, or a cold frog.
Tonight, we told the boys that we wanted them to go to bed without crying, getting up, or screaming. And, THEY DID IT! They went to bed perfectly. Did they just need to be told what the expectations are for bedtime? Is life really that easy? Do we simply need to voice our wants/needs/expectations/concerns?
My husband assures me that life is never easy and that the boys are planning something big for tomorrow night when I have to put them to bed by myself…

What Should We Name the Child? December 13, 2006

Since my life consists of laundry, toy (and real) airplanes, messy art, and a lot of cute questions. I really want to be able to talk about my family. Unfortunately, I am afraid that “they” are looking for me. For some reason, I don’t want anyone to be able to google our names and actually find us. Some call this “being cautious”, others (my husband) call this “paranoia”. Either way, I would like to give each of my children a blog name! So, here goes…

My oldest, a daughter will be called “Violet”. She loves the movie “Incredibles” and is hoping to someday discover her own superhero powers.

My second, a son, will be referred to as “Herbie” because he is a true Love Bug…Today anyway.

And we shall call the third, also a son, “Bigweld” (have you seen “Robots” a few hundred times?!). He loves to build and un-build everything in sight!

I feel so much better. Now if only I had a good story to tell so I could try out their new names! I’m sure that sooner than later they will present me a lovely tale wrapped in something sticky. For now, I’ll just fold another load of laundry and wait…

Isn’t this the truth? December 11, 2006

There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins. Josh Billings.

Josh Billings was the pen name of humorist born Henry Wheeler Shaw (12 April 1818 - 14 October1885).

Pearl Harbor Day (12/07/2006) December 8, 2006

I’d like to wish The Pelican a very happy birthday! We celebrated the day by watching Finding Nemo (yet again), fishing dvds out of the VCR, and eating pizza with good friends (thank you). I made a banana cream pie for dessert. (I use my moms crust recipe which yields the best crust in the world- no exaggeration!)

Every year The Pelican’s Grandma tells the story of the day he was born. She went off to work with good news to share. She told everyone that the American flags were flying just for her as she had just become a grandma (for the second time)! She continues to be a proud grandmother to this day.

I hope he enjoyed his day. I enjoyed sharing yet another birthday with him.

Note: His actual birthday was yesterday. For some reason I could not get this to post last night.