December 1

Tomorrow is December 1! Every year I hope for a relaxed Christmas season, but it seems like every year things still get busy and I spend way too much time rushing around trying to do one more thing and getting frustrated with myself for not planning better. I wonder if this year will be any different? I hope so. I hope we have many quiet evenings to enjoy the lights from the Christmas tree and listen to Christmas music and maybe even a cup of coffee. Here is a list of things I'd like to accomplish in the next weeks. I realize that probably this doesn't interest many people, but I'm hoping it will give me some vision and a plan. If you have any suggestions on how to keep Christmas simple and real I love to hear them. I have not really thought through this list yet so I'm sure it's not complete, but here's a start.

To Accomplish List:
1. Read the Christmas story, several times
2. Maybe cookies to give to our neighbors. Have Isaiah help
3. Decorate the tree
4. Ask Jeremy to hang the Christmas lights outside
5. Finish buying gifts -7 or 8 (plus Jeremy)
6. Decide on something for Jeremy
7. Stay positive and smile for my family even when I'm feeling frustarted and busy
8. Say no to something that will just make our schedule too busy -even though it would be fun
9. Attend a live nativity
10. Plan a menu for Christmas day -something to be made ahead of time so I can relax. :)
11. Sit down with Jeremy and talk about our schedule for the next month.
12. Remember why we give and receive gifts. Be amazed.

Face Your Fear's -today!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I guess I should do a Thanksgiving post or something, but I decided to tackle a more difficult, but important issue. Fear.


Do you fear things? What are they? I don't feel like I fight much fear, but sometimes I do. We've all heard that it is a good thing to "face your fears". Why? If I'm scared of heights should I climb the tallest building I can find and look down? I could slip and fall! If I'm scared of needles should I walk into a lab and ask for "the works"? I could die!

I don't really have any answers, but the words "face your fear" are so strong and make me feel like maybe I could face my fear -some day. Now I know some of you out there do fear things. You've said as much right here on this blog. So, on this day of thankfulness. Why not be thankful that if you wanted to you could face your fears. Just in case you don't believe me. I'll get you started...

Oh, that was fun. I'm sitting here trying not to laugh out loud because Jeremy is in the next room and I'd hate to admit to him that I just wasted 10 minutes writing this morbid post. But I'm still laughing because I bet Rachel just fell of her chair. heehaheeheehahahah!

Dust

Hide and Seek is one of Isaiah's favorite games right now. Nathan even likes it. I found Nathan "hiding" behind a door the other day. He had his head between the open door and the wall, kind of like a horse in a stall. He'd sit like that for a few seconds than turn around and yell like he was surprising us. Anyway, usually he doesn't hide while we're playing, but sometimes Isaiah and I hide and wait for Nate to find us. I feel kind of mean doing it, but it's

such fun. Isaiah is actually a pretty good hider. Last time he hide he decided to hide under out bed. I had a hard time finding him, but when I finally did find him I almost had a heart attack. No wonder there are mice in this house!! How do you keep hardwood floors clean? I'm embarrassed to even post this picture, but oh well. My house is generally sort of clean. (He's wearing black pants)

Birthday Party

This evening we celebrated Isaiah's birthday (on the 12th), Jeremy's Dad's birthday (also on the 12th) and Jeremy's birthday (15th). My mom found these cool Curious George party favors. Isaiah thought they were great!

Get Away

Last week Jeremy and I were very blessed to be able to spend a night away -just the two of us. This was the first time that we went away over night just to be together since before I got pregnant with Isaiah. If you are married with children do not wait this long to be away from them! We hardly knew what to do with ourselves. (that sentence seems all wrong, but there are moms and grandmas that read this blog...) We stayed at a beautiful log cabin. I'd try to explain it to you, but I don't think I could do it justice. If you live in the area and are intersted let me know and I'll get you more information.

I made this fondue recipe while we were there. You don't need a log cabin to make this so why not try it tonight? Fondue's are so romantic.

1 c. choc. Chips

2/3 c. whipping cream

1/2 tap. Vanilla

Heat whipping cream, don't boil Add choc ships, and vanilla. Stir till chips are melted ! Keep warm

No Noise is Good Noise

So far I've heard no more scratching in the walls. I've also not found any dead Things either, but then the 5 days isn't up yet... I'm ready to post about something other than mice, but just in case any of you missed it you need to read Kristi's comment from a few posts ago. I always thought those laundry shoots were pretty neat... Kristi I hope you don't mind me sharing this. :)

Hope you don't mind, but I need to share my story with you. A couple of years ago we had a couple of mice in the basement. We did traps, but also rat poison. Well, my laundry is in the basement also. I was sorting laundry one day and what would you know! A dead mouse was laying in the pile!!! (we have a laundry chute which is why the dirty stuff would be down there for a few days) Oh, not only was it a dead mouse, but as it died it must have pooped or vomited b/c there were BLUE stains (from the poison) on one of MY white t-shirts. Gag, gag, gag. I still think about it nearly every time I'm sorting laundry...

Happy Birthday Isaiah!

To our dear Firstborn,

Where have 3 years gone? You are a passionate little boy. You love life so much that some days I think it hurts. You are insightful, determined and sensitive. You are a boy! And you love to tell us that often. You are so proud to be a boy just like your Daddy. If Daddy likes something you like it. You are starting to love music and will spend hours caring around a "drummer" stick banging on anything you can while dancing and singing. You are also learning about God. Yesterday you asked me out of the blue "Where is God?" At moments like that you help to put all that is important into prospective for your mommy. Several weeks ago on the way home from church you listen to your parents talking about church and leadership "stuff" and about life in general. Suddenly we heard you say "Nothing is impossible with God". Once again we were amazed at the incedible mind that God has given you and how he is using you to help us keep things in line. My prayer for you today:

Lord, I pray blessings on this child. I thank you because he is fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray that you would give him a heart for worship and truth. Teach him even now at this young age to understand the difference between right and wrong. Protect him from decisions or influences that would cause regret later in his life. Grow him to be a strong man of God that knows You and will stand for your church no matter what he faces. Give him wisdom. Give Jeremy and I wisdom to raise this son you've blessed us with. Give us patience. Let Isaiah see you in us. Help us to make our home a refuge and a place of laughter for Isaiah will always feel safe.

Amen.

Update

Since so many of you seem interested in the recent invasion that has occurred at our house I guess I'll continue the story.

Last night Someone went to Wal-mart for a couple of things. One of which was mouse traps. At least that is what the Other Someone thought, but forgot to remind Someone. So Someone forgot the traps. The forgetting isn't really a bad thing. It simply means that Someone isn't living in fear of Things that like to scamper up your legs and get tangled in your hair. The no traps part was a bad thing for the Other Someone. So, Someone, being very resourceful remembered that we had some rat (RAT!) poisoning left over from our apartment in Gettysburg. (who would think that a cool place like Gettysburg, PA would have mice?)

Someone placed the "food" in the basement then came upstairs to explain to the Other Someone what would happen.


Someone: "Rodents will eat the poison then you will start to see them in about 5 days" (something like that)

Other Someone (thinking) Hmmm. Eat Poison. Sounds good. "See" them in 5 days?

OS: "What does that mean?" (picturing drunk mice slouching around the kitchen)

S: Well, in about 5 days they'll come out and just die right here on the kitchen floor. Nathan will probably play with them.

OS: Not available for comment.

Can we fix it?

Yesterday morning I pulled a bag of granola out of the cupboard and noticed a nice little round hole in the side of the bag. Hmmm, almost looks like a mouse could have done that. Immediately little chills ran all over my body and I became very jumpy. Then I decided maybe the bag got caught on something. Yes, that must be it. We've never had a mouse problem since we've lived in this house.

Fast forward to sometime in the middle of the night last night. I woke up to the sound of something. Sounded like one of the boys had snuck a toy into bed with them. So I went to investigate. Nope, both boys are sound asleep and that's when I realized that the sound was coming from somewhere in the kitchen. Now, most of you wise people would calmly walk into the kitchen and hunt down the noise. Not me. I was in my bare feet! "Jeremy, what's that noise?" In a loud whisper so as not to wake of the boys or scare the Thing. Jeremy stumbled out of bed and decided that the sound was coming from the ceiling! He bangs on it a few times, the noise stops and he goes back to bed. I run back to bed. I was in my bare feet! Jeremy assures me that we'll set some traps and catch the Thing and then he falls back to sleep. Not me. Are you kidding??!! My mind works the best at night.

There is a hole in the ceiling of MY closet. The hole was made before we moved in. It has something to do with the plumbing from the upstairs bathroom. Now if your mind works as well as mine does you will be picturing little creepy mice crawling from the ceiling through that hole -into my clothes!! Into my shoes! I'm home all day I'll wear what I wore yesterday and didn't put away. Thankfully I didn't put my shoes away either. Everyone knows you ALWAYS wear shoes if there are mice in the house.

Next thought. I really should have something to protect myself and my young if one of these Things should make an appearance. Isaiah thinks I'm scared of spiders. I'm not scared of spiders. I dislike spiders. If he sees me around a mouse he'll need counseling. Maybe I need counseling. Yes, I need to protect us. Tools. Maybe a hammer, or a broom, of a shovel. Yes a big heavy snow shovel. It's in the basement.

Next thought. If they're in the ceiling on the main floor then they most certainly are in the basement. What if they are in the ceiling of the basement?? I need a hat. It's in my closet. Won't work. If they're in the ceiling they have to be on the floor. Boots. Big rubber boots. I'd have to dump them upside down while standing on my bed so that if any of the dozens of little Things crawled into the boots they would fall out and run away. This could work. I don't own rubber boots. Won't work. Note to self, have Jeremy get me a sledge hammer when he is home for lunch.

Speaking of tools, here's a picture of Isaiah in his Bob the Builder outfit that he wore to Story hour on "dress like your favorite story character" day. Just a little reward for anyone still reading this nonsense. All together now "Boooob, the builder, YES WE CAN!"

I'm off to find away to keep Think 1, 2 or 3 from escaping out of my closet.

Bad Hair Day

I'm tempted to write about the election yesterday, but I think I'll refrain. :) (Did you vote?) Instead I'll just post a picture of Nathan. He finally took several steps last Saturday. I know he can do it, but just doesn't feel like it. He is a very good crawler so I think he figures why waste the time to learn to walk. Instead he spends most of his time crawling on things like the kitchen table. :( What a boy. He is still a sweet, sweet child, but is learning to yell rather loudly whenever things don't go his way or if Isaiah gets to close to him.