Christmas Loot

We had a very good Christmas this year - the boys racked in! Of course with 2 sets of grandparents that live out of town and 5 cousins, the haul is bound to be big! I haven't downloaded pics yet, so those will be coming soon. The fun part this year was watching the kids tear into their presents and then start playing with their brother's stuff! Rob and I have wondered how different Noah's development will be because he is always playing with toys "older" than him!

Ethan had a big year - this was his "big boy bed" year. I've been shopping for almost a year and finally found a loft bed with a slide that I could afford (he's been asking for one ever since seeing his cousin Lexi's - THANKS A LOT, BRANDON AND CARLA!!!) Believe it or not, I took a gamble and bought it on-line through Ebay. Brand new and went together smoothly. It did mean, however, that Rob and I have been moving and rearranging the house since last Friday. I hope to have everything finished by this weekend so I can start the painting/decorating. Now Ethan has a bedroom right across from his brother and our office is upstairs - hopefully that will also keep the computer equipment from being a further casualty of Noah the destroyer (We had only had the computer 2 weeks when he managed to break a CD cover off the drive. Sigh)

Pics will be up soon. Hope everyone had a Wonderful, Blessed Holiday. We thought of you all and thanked God in prayer for our friends and family far and near! God Bless you in the upcoming New Year!

Oh, and if you are inclined to send me birthday wishes this year in March, I am turning 29 for the 8th time. Gotta love denial! :)

New Interactive Question

Salt or Sugar?

I'm definately a sugar girl. That explains a LOT, doesn't it?

The halls are officially decked

Well, we finally finished the decorations. Not much, mind you. A few sentimental figurines, a nativity set (I learned a new word recently...creche), the tree, the wreath, and some well placed candles. This is the first year Ethan noticed we really don't do outside lights, so I figure I'll be one of those crazy people who get up early on the day after Christmas to try to load up on lights for next year.

This year, I stepped back from my trimming and decking responsibilities and let the kids have at it. Here is the result of our poor tree:


















I forgot that when you are only 2 foot high, this IS random and scattered! And this, mind you, is after I've already sneaked and moved a few ornaments around (the bottom limbs were hanging low from the weight of about 25% of the total ornaments being on them!) Noah thinks this is a toy tree - I find ornaments in various rooms around the house throughout the day.

The boys also helped me bake cookies this year. Another bit of perfectionism I had to let go of...Man, I'm doing GREAT this year!
















































Poor Mr. Snowman didn't even have a chance in this sprinkle storm.

Idiot Knights

Today we were reviewing Sunday school lessons from this last Sunday. In Ethan's class, they learned about the Good Samaritan. Noah's class, being full of toddlers, mainly just gets a coloring page and a Bible story. Ethan is looking at the page asking me what it is a picture of. I say "that's a picture of when God helped Gideon defeat the Midianites." Ethan, always wanting more of the story, says..."so why did God help him beat the idiot knights?"

I couldn't answer for at least 5 minutes. Had to catch my breath and run to the bathroom before I wet myself!

We've had a lot of fun along this same vein with Christmas music this year as well. Some examples include the Three Kings from Glorian, the One-Horse slofen sleigh, and when you ask him to sing "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" he immediately breaks into air guitar and the Bruce S. version. He also thinks "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is that song on Charlie Brown.

Yep. I think we've captured the spirit of the season around our house... :)

After posting today, I looked back and saw I had not updated any photos of late. Here are some photos from our Thanksgiving celebration with James and Letitia Brooks and their children: Henry and Hannah.













Hannah is a little doll!











Ethan and Henry were inseperable all day long!








These last 2 photos are of us attending the Holidazzle Parade in downtown Minneapolis. This was the first year we didnt' freeze our you-know-what's off - it was actually quite tolerable!

Nonetheless...

Rob and I were talking about a conversation he had recently. The man asked him if he could sum up the Bible in one word, what would it be. My thought was "love". Rob couldn't do one, but he managed two: "grace" and "truth" (as the scripture describes Christ). This man had a very interesting response that has had me thinking. His word: "nonetheless". Then he proceeded to quote scriptures that used "nonetheless" or "nevertheless" in them such as (paraphrased) "nonetheless Samson's hair began to grow again", "nonetheless God would not listen to the curse of Balaam and blessed instead", "nonetheless, though God was angry with Israel, he raised up judges to deliver them from their oppressors"...just to name a few. The point? Scripture is full of examples of men who failed God, yet was still blessed or used by God, or examples of places where God was completely fed up with man yet still extended mercy. Wow. Isn't that wonderful to know? That God can use me DESPITE me? That it is not contingent on what I do, or how I act? That I can stumble or fall a million times and still come to the cross and find grace and mercy? This, of course, does not mean I can live any way I wish (Romans 6:1) for though the gift of salvation is free to receive, it costs everything to pursue. It's just liberating to know it's OK to NOT be perfect. It's OK to make mistakes - and to not be looking over my shoulder for the "hammer of God" or that lightening strike from the heavens.

I suppose that "nonetheless" is really another way of saying "grace" or "mercy". I may be wrong here (I have not studied all 'holy' books), but I believe the Judaeo-Christian scripture is the only holy writing that does not shirk or hide the fallen nature of man. God puts it all out there for the world to see as an example of His mercy and longsuffering with mankind. Adultery, murder, incest, theft, lying, deception, blackmail, cheating, rape, homosexuality, greed, lust, gluttony...you name it, it's there. Hollywood has NOTHING on the Bible. These examples do not dishonor our God, but display Him as the God who is merciful, patient, gracious and loving. I like this definition of grace: when we get what we don't deserve, and don't get what we deserve." Praise be to God! His love endures forever!

High School

If you could go back and do high school all over again, would you? Would you do all of it or only portions? Is there any part of high school life that you would never repeat even if you were offered a gagillion dollars?

I had a pretty good high school experience - especially being involved with the swing choir and drama. I think I'd do it again. However, I'd want the option of being the person I am now and not the silly, petty, insecure girl I was then. Hmmmm...don't we all want that? I think it was Twain who said "youth is wasted on the young".

I would also repeat college - what a blast! As great as my high school friends were/are, I have maintained many very close relationships with college friends.

Of course, that's not to say I'm living in the past or anything. I also enjoy where I am right now, though I often wish I could have arrived here without much of the pain and lessons of life. Ah, well...no pain, no gain, huh? I also wish I could be closer to family and some of those aforementioned old friends.

Superpowers

So if you could pick just one super power, what would you choose?

I'd like to be able to fly. As a matter of fact, I'm hoping in Heaven, I will be able to . And I'm not talking angel wings - I'm talking more like Superman. :)

Second choice - I'd like the ability to communicate and therefore control animals. Kinda like Aquaman, only with all animals - not just sea creatures.

I have no use for invisible jets, truth ropes, or the ability to change into any form of water. What was up with those Wonder Twins, anyway?

Today's random question

If you had to pick one food (or food type) to eat from now on, what would it be?

My answer: anything Mexican. YUM!!!!

Your turn! :)

Random Topics

OK, I have been inspired by a recent e-mail I received from a friend and want all of you to be more interactive with my blog. So I am going to, on occasion, pose meaningless questions to you that I will also answer. Hopefully, we will find out some interesting things about one another.

Today's question: What movie (or movies) could you watch over and over and never get tired of?

My answer: (in no particular order) The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail, and Yellow Beard. Those last two just crack me up! (and yes I realize that may label me as a "nerd"...I don't care. They are brilliantly funny!)

Leave your answers as a comment!