But It's The Truth!!!

I have been in a blogging slump. I could write about all of our Christmas shopping, decorating, and laziness, but I just didn't want to. We've had a LOT of family time lately, with the Christmas holidays and our early snow days last week, and still I couldn't come up with anything really worth posting. "My kids are crazy" ~ that would be the only thing I could think of to write. But y'all already know they're crazy. :)

This past Sunday we went Christmas Caroling with members from church. We love doing that, for obvious reasons. We go caroling at various nursing homes, plus a few individual homes of some shut-ins, and it makes us every bit as happy as it does them. I love it when my kids (especially Little Lady, who happens to be the baby) give hugs to the little old ladies. You can tell it just makes their day!

Jason & I had to explain to Dub what a nursing home was. "It's not a hospital, Dub, this is where they live. They just need a special apartment where they can be near doctors and nurses all the time."

Dub: "Will we have to live in one of those apartments?"

Us: "No, because it's usually older people who live there."

He got it when we went in the first home and saw all the elderly residents, and he didn't ask again until we got to the last nursing home. We reminded him that it wasn't a hospital, but a home for older people.

While we were singing, a lady came through the lobby wheeling her dog around in her walker. And just as the song ended, Dub spotted it and said (loudly):

"Look Mom, a dog lives here! He must be really old, too!!!"

What do you say to that?! We just laughed. :)

Merry Christmas, everybody!!! We love all our family and friends, and hope you have the best season ever. We'll be busy with fireworks again after Christmas since we still haven't come into any huge money that will eliminate the need for that meager income.... If anybody would like a nice two-day job around New Year's Eve, let me know! :)

If I Had A Nickel...

My precious Little Lady. She is so adorable and wonderful, full of sugar and spice and everything nice. In my eyes, there is no one in the entire world who is more beautiful or wonderful than she is.

But there are some insanely clueless people out there.

If she does not have a bow in her hair...regardless of how much PINK, and flowers, and hearts, and frills and lace she's wearing or surrounded with...if there is no bow, idiot clueless people will assume she is a BOY! Drives me crazy.

Yesterday, we were in line at the grocery store (LL was not wearing a bow), and here comes The Clueless Man.  He starts by gushing over Little Lady, "Oh, what a handsome little fella!" Then to Dub and Bo, "You've got a good-looking little brother there, don't ya?" He was a nice older man, so I just played along, saying 'thank you' and 'awww' at all the appropriate places.

The Man went on,"Look at that blond hair and those blue eyes. You're going to be a movie star someday, aren't ya, little guy? Won't that be neat, Mama? You'll have your own little movie star someday. What a pretty little boy!"

All this time, Bo's next to the buggy saying over and over, "She is our SISTER!!!" The Man didn't hear him.

He continues on, complimenting all three of them:  "Oh, and just look. Those two are handsome, too! You have three good looking kids, Mama. All three of them are so handsome. Well. I'm guessing your husband is a good looking, handsome man ~ am I right?"

Oh, yeah. Thanks so much. All three of my boys get their good looks from their Daddy, and I was just the petri dish. Hush, I know that he meant boys are supposed to be handsome like their Daddy (but one of them is a GIRL!!!).

That poor little man...he was trying to be so sweet....  I'll remember him forever, but not necessarily for the reasons he hoped.

Here is Misty's Tip of the Week:  If the baby is completely dressed in pink, more often than not it's a GIRL!!!

M&Ms Melt In Your Mouth, Not In Your....

So the other night, I had taken Little Lady upstairs to give her a bath, and Jason gave Dub and Bo some M&Ms for dessert. Jason was busy doing whatever it is he does when he's not paying attention :), and Bo said, "Ub, Dad...Dere's uh Emb-A-Demb up by dose...."



Awesome. They melt in your nose, too, obviously.

The Top 10 Things I'm Most Thankful For Today...

...besides my family, of course, because they would take up most of the list, and obviously I am MOST thankful for all of them.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And Christmas is, too. I am just like Dub and Bo: Thanksgiving is my favorite, and Christmas is my favorite, and Easter is my favorite, and Halloween is my favorite, and Valentine's Day is my favorite, and New Year's is my favorite.... Special days are my favorite.  But anyway, here's my list for today (since I could come up with a new list of things to be thankful for probably every day).

#10: Minute Clinic: We had to go twice this weekend, because Dub and Bo each got PINK EYE ~ Dub on Friday night, and Bo on Sunday. I really wish they (whoever "they" is) would just put the dumb eye drops for pink eye behind the pharmacy counter so we could avoid the middle man (the doctor). I mean, really. We KNOW when it's pink eye! The nurse at the minute clinic took one look at each of them and said, "Yep, that's pink eye." Then she took 15 more minutes to do the paperwork just to give us the prescription for the drops that we already knew we needed. I think a pharmacist could do exactly the same thing and just hand over the stupid things. But until then, thank goodness for Minute Clinic, where we could go ahead and get the drops without having to wait until MONDAY to see the pediatrician. My kids always get sick/hurt on the weekend. Oh, and if I had a Top 10 Things I Hate list, PINK EYE WOULD BE #1!!! Along with cancer, of course. Anything bad that happens to kids would be #1.

#9: Facebook: This could also be on my Top 10 Things I Hate list. I have a love/hate, feast/famine relationship with FB. But you know what I saw at Walmart? A gift card for Farmville!!! Isn't that taking things a little too far? I haven't gotten into Farmville, or Yoville, or Sorority Life, or any of the Mafia Wars or anything like that. Y'all all know what's good about FB, so I don't have to spell it out.

#8: Our Washing Machine: I'm with everybody else - I dislike laundry. I won't say I hate it, though, because most of the time I'm at peace with it. I love having it all DONE, and the only way to get it done is to do it. (?) Anyway, it amazes me that women used to have to do laundry without a washing machine. I am thankful all the time that I live in this age, with indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and washing machines (and dryers). Oh, and makeup & curling irons. :) Those should probably be on this list too, but that would be too vain, right? So the five loads of laundry I have to do every Monday, they don't bother me too much. Well...yeah, they do. But not too much.

#7: Once Upon A Child: If you don't have one in your area, I am so sorry for you. I love these stores. It's used kids' clothes, etc., for pretty cheap. But the best part is they BUY your stuff! It's not really consignment, but it's similar. I could just look around for hours, which is exactly what I tried to do this past weekend, until Jason snapped me out of my hypnosis and we left the store. With several new dresses for Little Lady. :)


#6: Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer: Not being a coffee drinker until semi-recently, I am only now discovering this. We were in Walmart today, and I saw the cute little Christmassy bottle there...and it was only $1.50...so I thought I would try it. It is so totally worth the $1.50!!! (That's supposed to be a joke since $1.50 is pretty cheap.) I just don't see myself getting 32 servings out of that little bottle, which is what they actually had the nerve to suggest. You know, even if I used the entire bottle in one day, it would still be so much cheaper than anything from Starbucks! And it probably has less calories & fat, too!

#5: School: WHAT?!? No, seriously! I am so thankful for our public schools here in Wilson County. They are awesome! I hated the thought of not being Dub's #1 caregiver, but there is NO WAY ON EARTH that I could home school that child (Bo either!). Dub needs a crowd, honestly. He also gets bored if he's at home for more than 10 minutes at a time, so I have really come to love school. Yay, school!!!

#4: The Fact That I Will Never Ever Ever Have To Go To High School Again: Except for Open Houses as a PARENT, of course. Jason & I talk about people we knew who were "IT" in high school. They are the ones who would give anything to go back to that age. Oh, that is SO NOT ME!!! I don't even like to think about my high school years too much! Thank goodness for my very best friend in high school, Jaime. Without her...I don't know. I'm pretty sure I survived, and came out a little less loser-y, just because we were friends. :) Unfortunately, we went to colleges halfway across the state from each other, and we drifted apart, at least until Facebook! I'm so glad I am DONE with my teenage years. I don't care how old I get, I will NEVER want to go back to that age. I shudder to think of it.

#3: Daylight Savings Time: and Standard Time, which is what we are in now, I guess. I love Standard Time when it's new ~ when the days end sooner and we can go inside to the cozy house earlier.... Then about January I start to hate it, and I'm wishing for spring which is still MONTHS away.... But for now, while it's still new, I love Standard time.

#2: Dave Ramsey: I lovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelove Financial Peace University! Next week will be our last class session, which is very hard to believe. Even though "most" of what he teaches is more or less common sense, Dave presents it in such a way that it's like, "OH!!! Now I get it!!!"  This dude has really changed our lives. Our money has multiplied, just like he says at the beginning, even though I was totally skeptical back then. Oh, how young and naive I was! I lovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelove FPU! Did I mention that already???

And the #1 thing I am most thankful for today: Baby noises, especially the laughter. No explanation needed.  That goes for little boys' too, although I can't say I am thankful for all of their noises. :)

It's All About Bo (this time)

Here he is, one of the most adorable little men in the entire world.  Bo steals my heart. He is so funny, and sweet, and loving, and unselfish... just an all-around awesome little dude. Everybody needs a Bo in their lives!

Bo just turned 4 years old. We had a birthday party for him, as usual. But since several of our usual partiers couldn't make it this time, we are going to be eating pizza, salad, and cake for a looooong time. This time, we actually DID freeze the pizza and cake. There's no way we, uh, need to eat all that!

See...here's a picture of his cake.
He wanted a cake like his sister's birthday cake - which meant "with M&Ms on top." It was actually one of the easiest and cutest cakes I have made (at least in my opinion!).  The "B" is for Bo, and the "4" is because he's four now. Believe it or not, I had to explain that several times. No offense, y'all!

Bo is an awesome helper. He takes helping Daddy very seriously. I doubt he needs the hard hat in the attic, but you never know. Especially with Bo. Which leads me to...








Bo's most recent hospital visit. The child just turned 4, and he has been to the ER 4 times.  #1 was when he was an infant; it had to do with the surgery he'd had recently (a hernia repair, etc.). #2- Easter Sunday 2009 with a broken arm. #3- June 2, 2010 (our anniversary, by the way) for a high fever (106 or so) in the middle of the night that wouldn't respond to medicine.

And now this, his poor little forehead. He was playing on the handrails before one of Jason's football games, and he fell right on his head. The ER doctor didn't want to do stitches on his face; he chose the Steri-strips instead. And then I said no thanks, because those things would be off by the time we got home, so the doctor re-chose the Dermabond glue. Good choice, doc! :)



I'm telling ya, this little guy is so adorable. All it took was a cherry coke, and he was as happy as he always is.  I hope he realizes that he doesn't have to go to the hospital just to get a cherry coke. :)

Like I said, he steals my heart. I love this little big guy so much!!! I have to include a picture of him reluctantly wearing his (homemade, thank you very much) Halloween costume:



He and Dub were 4-armed men. You get more candy with 4 arms. :)

Life is so much fun with Bo! He really is my Sweetheart. Look out, ladies...he's got his Mama and his little sister already hooked...Dads, lock up your daughters! Not really; he'll be an awesome catch someday. Once he starts to like other girls, that is.

From the Video Vault

It's Halloween Week!!! I love Halloween. I especially love the way my kids love going through the Halloween aisles at stores and pressing every single button they can find there.  Dub is big enough not to be scared by much of anything there anymore. Bo puts on a brave face, but he makes sure to stick close to Mama or Daddy. He adores Dub more than anything, but for some reason he just doesn't trust Dub in those scary aisles. I sure don't blame him.

So this video is about 2 years old. Bo would have been just about to turn 2 years old. It was taken with my cell phone, so the quality isn't great, but I think you can still tell what is going on.

Ah, fun times! I'll file this video away for his therapist when he's grown, especially since we laugh and laugh every time we watch it.  Poor little Bo. :)  I love Halloween!

My Lifetime's Not Too Bad!

Well, we're kind of almost done with football season. Jason's team (Junior Varsity) has only one more game, and the Varsity will be done around Halloween. I never really know what to pray for during football season - if we pray for a great year, they could have games all the way to Christmas (I'm depressed just thinking about that!). But how can you pray for a lousy season??? Even though I didn't exactly pray for it, they've had a lousy season this year. Oh, that's too bad...(wink, wink).

Every year, though, I get into a good routine on Friday nights right around the time a lousy season would be finishing. This time, Dub & Bo's  Nana & Pop took them to several of the games, and even let them spend the night a couple of times. That was awesome (for them AND me!).  Even when they are here at home, though, I get to have several hours of "free" time once they are all in bed. And I like to have Lifetime Movie Network on during that free time.  Of COURSE I don't just sit on my hiney and watch TV for hours...No, I clean the entire house, and cook all of next week's dinners, and iron every shirt in the house, and paint the shutters, etc.  While I'm busy doing all THAT, though, I like to have the TV on as background noise.

Let me just tell ya - these movies can be so terrifying! Not in the Poltergeist kind of way, but in the "Oh, man, she had everything going for her and just lost her mind for ONE SECOND and her entire world caved in around her" kind of way.  Jason & I joke about how it's usually the Man's fault. If an alien is getting all its information from Lifetime, it would assume that All Men are evil, and Women are either extremely strong in character or the most vile, vindictive, heartless, backstabbing creatures...maybe that's why they are staying away from earth!

Anyway, last night's movies were especially terrifying for me. The first one, which I caught just the very end of, was The People Next Door. It had to do with a childless couple who kidnaps the kids next door, and the mother(single, obviously) who never gives up searching for them. Fortunately, she finds them after more than a YEAR. Y'all all know that's my biggest fear (losing my kids).

The next one was based on a true story - The Familiar Stranger.  It was about a man who embezzles money from his employers; he decides the best way to "save" his family is to commit suicide, leaving behind his faithful, loving wife, and two sons, ages 12 and 9. A decade later, they find out that he is still alive, and had only run away to start a new life.

The last movie I was able to see (or not see...) was also a true story: The Stranger I Married.  The husband is on his way home and has what should have been a fatal car crash. He survives, though, but after coming out of his coma they find that he has amnesia. He doesn't remember his wife, his kids, his life before the crash, really not even anything about himself at all. The end of the movie doesn't even satisfy me because it isn't resolved in a nice little package where all his memories come back.  I guess that can happen with true stories!

It's a shame to have to admit it, but those movies made me count my blessings.  Even though my kids are wonderful and adorable, they can absolutely get on a nerve!!!  But I would so much rather have those nerves gotten on than to not have those kids, whether I never even got to have them at all or to have them taken away from me in some way. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity and privilege of being a Mom.

And Jason - he is not perfect. I complain about how he's either too ____________, or not nearly ______________ enough, or even that he "never" or "always" _________________. (The blanks are because my complaints change daily.)  But as bad as my complaints seem to me, they could be infinitely worse!!!  So I am thankful for my husband, warts and all. :)

Lifetime Movies have a way of making me realize how scared I am of things I didn't even know I was scared of before I saw the movie. Maybe I should lay off of them? Well, football season is almost over, so it will be almost a year before I get to see any more. You know Jason won't watch them with me!!! But that's ok.  At least they aren't making any movies about MY life! I'm ok with boring, if boring means extremely blessed with a good, normal family!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!