The TRUE Christmas Story

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

Merry Christmas!!

Nap time Creative Singing

This apparently is a no-nap day for Sammy.
He's in his room singing and cracking me up!

He's making up his own words to the tune of "London Bridges"

It goes something like this:
"We are brothers all day long,
all day long,
all day long.
We are brothers all day long,
my dear Caleb"
Bridge: (i think, but I don't know anything about music and obviously neither does he!)
"yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes...." (you get the idea!!)

Again to the tune of "London Bridges" and showing that he's tired of being awake in his bed for the past hour!
"I want to get out to play, play, play
play, play play..." (again, the creativity is overwhelming!)

Jehovah Jireh

Jehovah Jireh: The LORD Will Provide.

God is so good to us!
We don't deserve all of the blessings He gives us!
It's so awesome to be a part of God's family that I can't wait to get to heaven!
It's gonna be so awesome!!!

Sammy Says Part 2 and grievances

Sammy: "Mommy, when I grow up to be a girl I want to drink that tea"
Me: "Buddy, you will always be a boy. Boys are boys and girls are girls. You'll never be a girl" (intentionally shield him from the fact that some people in this world don't accept this concept!)
S: "oh. But one day the magic star is going to turn me into a girl. When I go out at night it will turn me into a girl and I can drink your tea"
What?! Oh where have I failed?! My poor child will surely be in therapy someday and I don't even know what started it all!

I'd also like to report that "Mooshoo kiss" has now become "Pooshoo kiss". (Hershey Kiss) The child speaks clear as day, but can't seem to get 'Hershey' out!

And now for my grievances. If you're having a great day, please don't continue reading, because I wouldn't want to spoil it with my complaining! =)

#1 I am sick of blogger!!! It makes me insane! Every time I load pictures it's a pain in the neck! There has to be a simpler way!
#2 I am sick of blogger!!! It makes me insane! (oh, did I already say that? Sorry! But it's really bad!) My previous post was supposed to have a few words with lines through them. You know for drama and interest and all. Then stinkin' blogger decided my entire BLOG needed every word with strike throughs (I know that's not even a word) I don't just mean that post or even all of my posts. No, I mean every word of every post, every word of my title and even every word in my sidebar! GRRRRRRR!!

Sammy Says

"Mama, I want toast, but with nothing on it.

And not toasted"

That, my son, we call bread!

While eating breakfast sausage 

that he wasn't liking

he shuddered and I asked what was the matter.

"It's so shivery! This sausage is very shivery!"

Hooray for Cheap Family Traditions!

This is the second year of our Christmas Trip to Philly Family Tradition (kind of a mouthful!) =)

It doesn't get better than a fun CHEAP family day that kids and parents enjoy!

We spent a whopping $9.90 for the day! 50 cents for a pretzel and the r

est for the speedline tickets.

The boys loved it even though it was colder than an Eskimo's nose.

First we went to Macy's and walked through Dicken's 

Village. Sammy says that was his favorite part (even though he doesn't even know the story!)

I got this picture of Scrooge right in the beginning. Nothing else turned out because I'm photographically challenged and was told no flashes were allowed. After 3 or 4 terrible pictures another girl (you know those annoying ones dressed in their frilly dresses trying to fake an 

English accent) told me no cameras at all! Stinkers!

Then we stayed on the 3rd floor and watched the light show. I think I liked watching it better from there since I swear my neck was stiff for a week last year after looking up at it from the 

floor!

Watching the show through the railing:

These are all of the silly people who will be doing their part this week to put their chiropractor's kids through college!

This cool organ is on the 2nd floor. 

Then we went to see the train exhibit at Reading Terminal Market. Sammy loved it! He walked around pushing all the buttons to make little displays move.

Waiting...

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..."

Psalm 37:7a

I seriously am trying! Lord, I'm trying to wait patiently for You and in the process I'm learning that I'm not only very impatient, but I also have a hard time not stepping in and trying to handle it myself.

I have a dream...

...actually lots of them, but this is one that I keep coming back to because it just sounds so fun to me!

I really want to cater small parties like baby show

ers, wedding showers, birthday parties, etc. 

Maybe cater isn't even really the right word because I don't really want to be involved in all the other stuff.

I just want to make little yummys. 

I love making little appetizers and pastries/desserts. 

It makes me happy coming up with them.

Last night the hubs and I were talking about $$. 

Of course! What else is new?!

We were discussing different ideas for extra income since we're not making it on what we have now. 

Either one of us needs to get a night job or we need some other creative ideas.

I couldn't stop thinking about my little dream. 

I laid in bed unable to sleep thinking up different recipe ideas to try.

It's a sickness! Send for help!

This picture makes my mouth water and sends me into daydreams of making such things!

Poor Misled Child

I like the Veggie Tales. I think they can be cute and silly. 

But they're misleading my child. 

Poor Sammy thinks that there was really a worm (caterpillar!) 

named Carlisle with Jonah 

and that he must have disobeyed God too 

because he was also swallowed by the whale. 

(yes, I think it was a whale, not a big fish. No nasty letters, please)

Dinner Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Here's a fun giveaway I found on Shelly's blog.

A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!!

And since I don't think my boys would look too good in it, if I win, Shelly will get it! =)

Dinner Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Christmas Shopping

I just made another Christmas gift purchase and I'm so excited! 

I got it on ebay and hope it's here in time! 

So fun!! 

Sammy's gonna love it!!

I'm getting so excited for Christmas!

It seems like every year is more exciting than the last!

This year having 2 who can really enjoy it will be a blast!

What's even better is Grammy is coming tonight to watch the boys so Daddy and I can go do some more Christmas shopping! 

Yay! 

A night out together sans little people and shopping for Christmas! 

Maybe we'll splurge and stop for some coffee at the Treehouse!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!

Napkin Rings Tutorial

Because I'm feeling like a dork and am telling myself I have nothing better to do I thought I'd share the napkin rings I made for our Thanksgiving dinner. If you will be at our Thanksgiving dinner please kindly pretend you never saw these little cuties and upon seeing them on the table on Thursday act shocked and amazed at them and most importantly forgive this horrid run-on sentence!

Here we go: You'll need some good old Elmer's (or craft glue), double sided tape and scissors (please try to find ones that are sharper than mine. I think gnawing the ribbon with my teeth would have gone faster!)

You'll also want some type of silk flowers. (These are some of the leftovers from my extravagant spending trip to Michaels. They cost me a whole 19 cents!!! And I didn't even use all of them! Lunacy!!)
There's the glue. It helps if you don't have a defective one so you won't have to use a q-tip like I did, but it actually worked pretty well.
Then jump on your 'puter and print up some cute little "give thanks" and mount them onto some card stock.
Next you'll need some rings. I used corrugated card stock for scrapbooking. I got it for 25 cents per sheet a few months ago and could have easily made 10 or 12 out of one sheet! Cut them to the size you want and lather them up with Elmer's.
I used clips to hold them still until they dried.

Go ahead and use the baby's nail clippers to remove any excess "leaves" from the flowers. I won't tell!

Next you'll notice I didn't take a picture of the ribbon before starting. Once again, I'm dork so I think it's excused. 

Cut your ribbon with enough to wrap around the ring and some to overlap. Then tape it down with double sided tape. You could use glue, but I used tape so it'll be easier to reuse these by changing out the ribbon. For these I used a yummy chocolate brown ribbon that I got for free on something we bought a few weeks ago.

Before you stick the end down tuck a flower in the front side.

Add a nice dab of glue to the ribbon on top of the flower.

Then put one of your nifty 'give thanks' cards on and clip it in place. It'll need to be clipped or you'll have to hold it while it dries since it's not a flat surface. (Don't I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about?!)

Here they all are drying. I'm a confirmed dork because I didn't take a picture of the final product, but you can see it pretty well in the last picture.

Like 'em???

Oh the Joy of a Good (Thrift Store) Deal!! and a heartfelt confession!!

I HUMBLY CONFESS TO YOU: I'm addicted to Tweaking!!!

I just can't leave anything alone!

I've already made changes to my cheapy fall decorations. It's not a huge difference, but I'm even happier with them now than I was before.

The boys and I (the boys were reluctant companions on this trip!!) went to the thrift store today and found these little beauties. 

They're cute little wine glasses with a nice twisty type design on top. 

They're fairly sturdy little buggers (unlike the ones I had in the arrangements before) and they have perfectly flat bottoms so I couldn't resist! 

I think the budget will be ok with the purchase - just $2.90 each!! woohoo!

I used some super strong double sided tape and put them on top of some glass bowls that I had. It gave them just the right height.

My next find was this tin medallion type joby. I really like it! It too was only $2.90!! Maybe some day when I'm feeling ambitious I'll repaint it, but for now it makes a nice little background for another fall display I have on top of the entertainment center and hides the hideous speaker pretty well. Of course I forgot to take a picture. Sorry.

Let me also apologize for the dark pictures. I'm new at this photography thing! 

My other finds were toys for the boys for Christmas (assuming I can keep them away from them for that long since they already saw them)

The first one is a perfect Candy Land game which Sammy has been asking for. This one is Pooh and both boys love pooh. $1.90!!!

Lucky Ducks for $2.90!!! I've been wanting to get this for him since last Christmas!

One of Caleb's friends has this phone and he loved it so I was planning on getting it 

for him for Christmas and paid just $1.90!! So exciting!!

Fun Fryday Contest (a day late!)

One of my favorite blogs is hosting a contest. 

I've been following MckMama's blog for a while now 

and praying for their family during good and bad times that they've experienced recently.

Anyway, she's hosting a contest and this here is my fancy shmancy entry! =)

** Click on this sentence to go to MckMama's blog **

Hooray for 80% off End of Season Sales!!!!

I've never had any fall decorations and have always said that when I find good prices I need to slowly build up my collection. I love decorating my house for every season, but that normally just means a few vinyl clings on the front door!
Autumn will never be the same in our house and I'm so glad!! It all started at the Christmas Tree Shop. Hallelujah and God bless the amazing person (had to have been a woman!!) who started that amazing place!!
I bought a cute bead garland there for a couple of bucks that went on my dining room hutch. I also bought 2 pumpkins that are made of corn husks. So cute! I forgot to take a picture of them, but will try to soon. I was so excited with my finds! I think I spent about $8 for all three things!
Then I went to Michael's...two times! Lord help me I love their sales!! All of their Autumn stuff is 80% off!!! Crazy good deals!! Here's what I put together with what I got there.The berry garland is from Christmas Tree Shop ($3.29) and the pumpkin inside the cabinet I already had (FREE!! It was a leftover at church that a friend gave me!)

The 2 glass votives holders were my Grandmother's and I love using them all year round. The hurricane I bought last year at Kohl's for like $4! The rest of the things I got at Michael's ($3.76!!!) There's a leaf garland, 2 different berry/bead garlands and 2 picks with pumpkins and gourds. I also threw in some pinecones that you'll also see in the shelf decorations. They were $2.90 for a huge thing of 78 at BJ's!! The tablecloth looks somewhat Spring(y) but I'm not ready to pay for a new one right now!There's a close-up of the centerpiece. I love it!!!
It's a huge improvement over this. Don'tcha think?!?!
These are the arrangements I made for on top of my 2 shelves. I used a leaf garland, some of the pinecones and some fall flowers. The glasses I already had and I put tealights in them. I can't wait to see them lit for Thanksgiving!

Warm Heart, Warm Cheeks

My heart is warmed because of our sweet Caleb. 

He said "I love you" for the first time tonight. 

I said it to him and he replied "Ah woo woo!" 

Made my heart sing! =)

My cheeks are warm because of Sammy. 

I seriously had tears running down them I was laughing so hard. 

He was praying at bed time and said his normal 

"Dear Jesus, thank you for this day. Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Caleb. Thank you that Caleb and Sammy can sleep good" 

(not great grammar, but cute nonetheless. 

Then he said "thank you that....." and he paused for so long I thought I should help him out and added "we could go to church today?" 

he said, "no. Thank you that the piggy banks are where they belon

g and that the books are there and that the pants and socks are where they belong. Thank you that S-A-M-M-Y spells Sammy and that C-A-L-E-B spells Caleb. In Jesus' name, Amen." 

Oh mercy! 

I was holding him and trying not to shake from stifling my laughter, but the tears were rolling down my face. 

It was so funny and so cute and sincere. 

Kids are so fun!

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!!

The Fightin' Phils have won the WORLD SERIES!!!!! GO PHILLY!!!!

Proof that I live in a house with too much testosterone!

The longer he sits, the messier he gits

Caleb is such a good baby.

95% of the time he can sit in his highchair 

for an hour and be happy as can be. 

Long after he's done eating he'll just sit 

(sucking his thumb and twirling his hair, of course) 

watching what's going on around him...

...the other 5% of the time he gets messier 

and messier the longer he's there.

And this is the result....

...leading to this shortly thereafter!

Fireman Sam*my*

 

(never actually watched this show, but it sure looks cute!)

Sammy absolutely LOVED the fire truck that came to preschool the other day! So much so that he climbed so high on the ladder that his teacher could no longer reach him and a taller woman had to help him down. And, while in the driver's seat he managed to step on the brake causing the (hydraulic?) brake to make that "pooff" noise and the 2 firemen came running just to make sure it wasn't going to lurch forward taking several 3 year olds with it! 

He seriously isn't like that normally! This is the kid who didn't realize he could say "no" to us until he was 2 and has never gotten into things like his brother has at 18 months!

(check out the Caleb label and see his little brother's antics!)

Anyway, the fire truck was a hit. Here are some of my favorite pictures. 

I'll spare you most of them since I took 90! 

I'm sick! 

Please send for help!

Climbing up the ladder

I think after this he wants to be a Fireman. Please don't tell his father who plans on him having a high paying job (preferably in MLB) so that he can buy us a house...now there's a man who has his priorities straight!!

Look at that brave guy ready to put out any fire! And so handsome!

"Ummm, sweetie, I don't think that's a very good idea!"

Anyone remember that silly little song "first you take a rubber hose. Then you stick it up your nose. Turn it on, then you're gone! Wo-o-o-oh!" It's stuck in my head!

Here's his whole class. I had so many group pictures because more and more kept jumping in, but wouldn't you know the only one with all of them still doesn't have all of them because they're either not facing the camera or hiding behind someone else! Toddlers! =)

After the kids got a little ways away they sounded the horn and siren.

Let's not forget the ever adorable Fireman Caleb!