Good-bye 2011, Hel-lo 2012

The year of our Lord two thousand eleven was a little less than stellar.  Frankly, I think that it was one of the toughest years we've had, so it's with very little regret that I'll open the door at midnight to sweep out the old and welcome the new.

However, however, however...  There were some amazing, wonderful life-changing blessings that we'll always remember 2011 for, like:

The Arrival of Jack-Me-Boy

And then, of course, was Paco's gaining of a daughter.

And who can forget our first trip ever to Oklahoma?

The beginning of our cooking blog, Smoochin' In the Kitchen!

Then you throw in the pb&j-smeared kisses, spontaneous dances in the kitchen, and lots of "I love yous" and turns out, 2011 wasn't so bad after all.

Happy New Year, Dah-lings!  May your 2012 be the most blessed years of your lives!

Christmas 2011 Revisited

We had fifteen people at our house opening gifts after church on Christmas.  Good golly, Miss Molly.  Fifteen people.  Our family room looked like the North Pole and mall had exploded.

The weeks leading up to Christmas, we tried, really we did, to give our kids a solid foundation on the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate it.  They understood that it's not their birthday, but Jesus'.  However, on Christmas morning, this is what we woke up to:

Four out of the five practically foaming at the mouth to get downstairs.

After the kids had gone to sleep on Christmas Eve, I put a crepe

paper barricade across the doorway so they couldn't sneak

out and discover gifts without us.  Plus, it's just darn fun to run through and pretend

you're winning the gold medal at the Olympics.

After an amazing service at church (oh, so lovely to get grounded in the Word any morning, but especially Christmas morning), the gift opening commenced!

Jack's first Christmas...  He got to sit on Uncle Aaron's sweetie Nicole's lap

and figure out how to open gifts.  He preferred taking a nap.

I preferred him taking a nap, as well.

Then there was the gift that made me jump across the ocean of gifts onto Paco's

lap.  I didn't realize the uh, awkward placement of his hand

until I saw the picture.  I also now see the look on my

mother's face.  Hee, hee.  Oops.

(Almost forgot.  He had a hard drive of ours restored. It had

crashed completely with all of our digital pictures from

our honeymoon all the way up until right after Liv was born.

Seriously, the most romantic gift ever.)

A moment of relative peace in the midst of chaos.

We were completely surrounded by gifts and people.

Homerun, Uncle Aaron!  Judah is now

"Sup-ah Judah!"

There's even a big "J" on the back.

(Perfect for Jack in a couple of years.)

The aftermath with all of their loot.

Good gracious, our families love our kids.

And then there was the food.  Oh heavens, the food.  I will be sharing what we devoured on our cooking blog, Smoochin' in the Kitchen.  Lots of new recipes, some old favorites.

I hope your Christmas was a blessed as ours!  Boy, did we ever sleep in heavenly peace that night!

Ten Things I Love About Him

On this day eight years ago, I married my best friend.  We loved each other a lot then, but not nearly as much as we love each now.

When we got married, there were many, many (many, etc.) things I didn't know about my husband.  Almost everything was a pleasant surprise.  In fact, in honor of our big day, I decided to compile a list of some of my favorite things I've found out about him over the years.

1.  He eats the heels of the loaves of bread.

2.  He's an incurable romantic.

3.  He's incredibly handy.  That one even surprised him!

4.  He loves to scare me.  Whenever, wherever, he loves to make me scream in surprise.

5.  He's so smart about so many things.  Even though I had a good idea of this before we got married, he constantly astounds me with with his intelligence.

6.  He only likes movies or stories with happy endings. 

7.  He loves to cook.  Neither of us knew that when we got married.  His dinners used to consist of beer and goldfish.  Home run for Jamie!

8. There is no man on Earth more in love with his children and wife.

9. He still wants to be a cowboy when he grows up. 

10. He's a natural teacher to our children.  

I could go on and on because I kinda like him.  A lot.

Happy Anniversary, Love.  You're my favorite.

Uh, Happy Boxing Day?

(video again.  If you're getting this through email, hop over to the blog and check us out in all of our acting greatness.)

I have a confession to make.  For the last week or so, I have deliberately avoiding posting here and reading other people's posts.  I just couldn't do it.  I thought of all of you often, wanting to touch base, say hello, tell you funny things, see your Christmas ideas and just revel in the holiday spirit together.

Bt it wasn't happening.  We had nineteen people at our house for Christmas dinner yesterday, fifteen present for the morning carnage (aka the gift opening marathon).  I made gifts for three out of my five children, my husband, mother, grandmother, brother and sister.  (I'll have to show you the cuteness later.)  I was slightly busy.

So the week leading up to Christmas and then Christmas Day sped by wonderfully, full of love and laughter and mama mopping the kitchen floor at midnight on Christmas Eve.  The blog was put on the back burner.  I will share some of our Christmas splendor with you this coming week (including the gift that made me jump up and throw myself on Hubby for pure joy), but in the mean time, we made a little gift for you to make up for my lack of presence here this past week.

Ready?



Can you believe that wasn't even rehearsed?  I know, super cool.  We are just that good.  I only tripped over my words about thirty-two times.

So even though I was MIA for Christmas, I'm definitely here for Boxing Day. 

Happy Boxing Day everyone!!

PS Yes, I do know the real reason people celebrate Boxing Day.  However, I don't have any servants (What's the deal with that?), but five children who look for any reason to 1) be videoed and 2) to slug each other.  It was win-win for everyone.

PPS  It's my 300th post!!!!!!!!  I almost forgot.  Hmmm, wish I would have done something special.

If Our Christmas Letter Was Honest

Every year, I painstakingly write out a Christmas letter to accompany our cards that go to friends and family far way.  I write and print and fold and stuff and breathe a sigh of relief when that job is finally finished.

This year I didn't do it.  I couldn't drum up the energy or time (it's fleeting, don'tcha know).  However, I couldn't rid myself of the compelling thought that someone somewhere on our Christmas card list would be absolutely devastated, devastated I tell you, that they didn't receive a letter detailing the ins and outs of our daily lives.

But here's the thing, I only try to be nice when I write those letters.  Sometimes when I'm writing things out, what I really want to say can't come out because it wouldn't be nice.  Annddd, I really, really, really want everyone to think that I have it all together all the time and not that there are days that Jack doesn't get dressed until after lunch or that Paco gets full of joy when I do our semi-annual room cleaning.

So I thought I'd come up with a nicer, more honest Christmas letter for you, just in case you were devastated at not receiving the letter this year. 

Some of these may be pretend examples, some might be slight exaggerations, and some may be the ugly truth.  I'll let you decide.

Over the last year:

1. Judah has discovered the joy of his voice.  (meaning:  He's loud and he memorizes as many movie lines as he can repeating them, over and over and over. Loudly.)

2. Teaching three children this year has been a learning experience for all of us.  (meaning:  Three children are at the table "helping each other" (yet again, loudly) as I'm chasing a semi-naked Judah through the house as the phone is ringing, the dryer signal beeps and the baby is upstairs in his bed screaming for his mama.)

3. Maggie continues in her wonderful love for books and reading. (meaning:  She's very good at disappearing when it's chore time.  She's usually found hiding under the bed or in the bathtub with the shower curtain drawn, book in hand.)

4. Jack has developed a very refined palette.  (meaning:  He wants to eat nothing that we give him.  Except puffs.  Thank God for puffs.)

5. Our garden seems to be doing well this year. (meaning:  We haven't destroyed the two zucchini plants which constitute our garden with wagons or bikes.  Yet.)

6. Olivia's maternal nature has been developed more and more this year.  (meaning:  Sometimes, I hear the baby cry and know that she's picking him up again and/or trying to torture him in someway, like squeezing his cheeks.  Or lungs.)

7. Sam started taking music lessons and is loving committing songs to memory.  (meaning:  If I hear Oh, Suzanna or Jingle Bells being pounded out on the piano thirty-five times today, I may just be requiring a straight jacket.)

8. Jamie has discovered a love for crafting which is a great way to unwind.  (meaning:  The kitchen counter and table are covered all the time in another one of "Jamie's great ideas."  Glue guns, scraps of paper, scissors...  It's a toddlers paradise.)

9. Pat is always up for the challenge of raising a large family.  (meaning:  Some days, he really, really wants to run away to live on a golf course.  But he doesn't.  What a guy.)

10.  Our family has been exceedingly blessed this year.  (meaning:  We made it through this rough year only by the grace of our loving God.  Hallelujah!!)

Wonder what I'll get to write next year.

How Do You Worship?

As I've been traveling down this road of transformation over the last several months (read about it here, here, and here), I've started seeing myself in a new light, understanding who I am and getting to love the way the Ultimate Creator created me.  There was a lot of self-loathing and guilt for many years and as it's slowly being chipped away, I'm beginning to see who this woman really is.

Part of this process has been discovering how I worship.  I'm not talking only of what I do Sunday mornings, in the car or even daily in my home with my voice, although that is important (and fun).  As I get older, I'm realizing that there are different ways we worship.  Sure, Baptists worship one way, Pentecostals another, Methodists and Lutherans even another way.  What I mean is in each of us as individuals.

When I'm a good wife and mother to my children, I'm worshiping.  When I'm washing dishes or doing laundry, making a menu and grocery list, encouraging a dear friend or doling out hugs, that's all worshiping, too.  It's all being done to glorify God.

But what about for me?  Sounds selfish and petulant, doesn't it?  But it's a point that has to be taken into consideration.  How or when do I feel closest to God?

There's been one thing about myself that has never changed and Lord willing never will.  I dearly, dearly love to learn.  I'm a reader, a studier, a talker, a listener, a watcher.  I would happily go to school for the rest of my life if I could.  I love to go to the library to check out books, watch documentaries, go to classes, listen to people tell about their experiences and travels.  It makes this girl's heart happy indeed.

Last Sunday, I connected the two.  My love for learning + desire to worship.  Could it be that God designed me to worship Him through learning, studying, contemplating Him and His truths? 

Whoa.  Talk about an AHA! moment.

The more I mulled this over and tossed it around in my head and heart, it made total and complete sense.  This is part of me as sure as my brain and heart or the fact that I hiccough weird, solo, random, rogue hiccouphs loud enough to be heard all the way to Kentucky.  I couldn't cut it out of me no more than I could cut out my liver.  (Ew.  Oh, gross.  Why would I say that?)  Anyway, that's how He created and lovingly designed me and it's something that has to be fed.  It's almost like a physical hunger.  If I'm not learning and studying about Him, I will surely die spiritually.

And so I enter into this new understanding with awe, respect and a stillness in my soul, lest I ruin the sacredness and holiness of new revelation.  I tread with quietness and joy, waiting to see what He is ready to teach me and make my soul nice and chubby.  Oh, the joy of having a chubby soul!

How do you worship and become well-nourished even to the point of chubbiness?

How are you doing today, my dears?  Are you feeling the rush and frantic-ness of the season?  If you are, may I encourage you to stop for a few moments and just breathe Him in?  Remember the reason we're checking things off that monstrous to-do list and think on what really glorifies Him? 

Christmas Scripture Fun a la Judah - Motherhood is Calling

If you're receiving this post via email, make sure you head over to the blog to actually see the video.  C'mon, you know you want to.

There is a certain age where your kids are so adorable that it's almost impossible to think they're naughty about 85.4% of the time.  That means they're not naughty (wait, it's way too early to be doing math) um, 14.6% of the time.  Right?  Can someone check my math?

Yes, I am a homeschool mama.

Judah is at that age.  He's adorable and naughty, sometimes adorably naughty and has the memory of steel trap.  It's actually kinda scary.

Well, I've been working on having the children memorize portions of Luke 2 through the Christmas season.  It's always amazing to see their faces light up with recognition when they hear the verses they've been memorizing being read at church.  It makes me want to jump up and point at my kids, yelling, "Do you see that my children know this verse?!" while doing a fist pump and then shouting "BOO-YAH".

But I haven't done that.  Yet.

Last week, Judah lost his voice.  A two-year-old who loses his voice?  How does that happen?  I don't know, but it sure was completely, over-the-top cute and I knew I had to video him with his sweet, raspy voice saying his Scripture to share with you:

BOO-YAH!  And that is why I'm a mama.

hee, hee





How was your weekend?  Is there anything you'd like to post for Motherhood is Calling?  If there is, post some serious blog cuteness using my little button over there and then link back here.  Hope y'all are having a blessed Christmas season!

Jamie vs. Skinny Jeans

I had a problem yesterday.  It was a nice problem, but a problem nonetheless.

My jeans are too big.  Hooray!  But it's Christmas time and we all know what that does to a budget.  However, pants had to be bought or else it was a very real possiblity that one of my children could give them a hearty tug and well, that's something no one wants to see.

So off we went to Kohl's to do some preventative retail therapy.  I knew pretty much what I wanted, jeans that I could tuck into my new pre-Christmas gift boots (thanks Mamacita!), but that might be harder than imagined.  The fashions say to buy skinny jeans to tuck into boots.

I have a firm belief about skinny jeans.  You have to be skinny to wear them.  And even though I needed smaller jeans, I still swim in the chubby end of the gene pool.  No bitterness, just the facts, ma'am.  Skinny jeans go against everything I've ever watched on TLC's What Not to Wear, at least for my body type.  Skinny jeans, mom jeans with white Reeboks, anything with cats or Star Wars on it...  You get the picture.  Hmmm, I wonder what they say about jeggings.  I think I can guess.

(yeah, not my legs.  those are from photobucket)

So the hunt was on to find some more fitted jeans that worked on me and that I actually like.

AHA!  There's the rub.  I have to like them enough to want to wear them out of the house.  Are there even options out there for a thirty-two-year-old woman with five children, who goes days without even leaving the house?  Is there hope?  Please, please, please tell me there is.  Hello?  Hello?  Is there anyone out there?

Hubby came along for moral support and humble opinions.  He's actually maybe not the best person for me to take along.  He never wants to hurt my feelings and will say something looks beautiful, even when I can clearly see cellulite showing.  Bless his heart.  I really needed Olivia with me.  She'd tell me the truth.

Alas, Olivia, my five-year-old fashion guru wasn't with me, so it was up to Hubby and me to muddle through on our own.  Into the fitting room with six pairs of jeans.  Tried 'em on, did a little dance in front of the mirror, making sure everything was properly covered and modeled them for Hubby.  He liked everyone.  What did I tell ya?  (He's so great.)

I managed to find some skinny-ish legged jeans.  A little snugger on the legs than I'm used to, but over all, not to shabby.  They're alot better than those "pajama jeans" you see on commercials.  Tell me I'm not the only who has seen them.  Not to hurt anyone's feelings, but  "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING PEOPLE?!"

Mission accomplished.  I managed to find jeans that can be tucked into boots while still being able to breathe and move.

Hooray, hooray!  It can be done.  It's another festivus miracle!

What the Pictures Do (and Don't) Tell

They say that every picture tells a story.  While this is somewhat true, I always chuckle at what our family Christmas pictures DON'T say.

They don't tell how we were racing out the door leaving our house looking like a hurricane hit it because we were running late.

They don't tell of dirty knees and mussed-up tights.

They don't tell of Daddy's anguish over the trip to the mall to find coordinating clothes for everyone.

They don't tell of my anguished cries to "Don't run and fall!" or of Judah then falling and konking his noggin on the cement.

They don't tell of the need for boogie-wipes and forgotten earrings.  They don't tell of me asking our photographer for just one more picture even though the sun was fading fast. 

They do tell, however, of a family started with two people madly in love with each other even still today.

They tell of the beauty of having a large-ish family.

They tell the story of growing boys...

(Sam, age 6)

(Judah, age 2 1/2)

(Jack, 9 months)

... and my gorgeous girlies.

(Maggie, age 10)

(Olivia, age 5)

They tell the story of a blessed family... yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Okay, just one more for the road.  Please??

Thank you.

Do you have a family Christmas photo tradition?  If so, I'd love to hear about it (and anything else you'd like to share).  Link up and share!  Don't forget to use my button and comment back here!  Happy Monday!

Blessing Your Husband Through the Holiday - Part 2

My list of things to do is about a mile long.  I bet you can relate, can't you?  There's no time for extras... like Hubby.

Oops.  Did I really write that?  Wow, guess I did.

It's so easy to get caught up in everything that I forget about him.  The other night we were watching tv and he looked at my toes and said, "You should paint your toe nails."

(photo source)

Okay, really it seems like this would not be a big deal.  It's such a small thing, but I really heard what he was saying.  My husband likes my feet.  Kinda weird, I know.  But he really likes it when my toe nails are polished and my feet are taken care of.  I must admit that this has not been a big priority for me over the last while.  It's cold, for pity's sake.  I want to wear warm fuzzy socks all day.  Don't judge me.

That's why yesterday in the midst of the Christmas to-do list, homeschooling and laundry I stopped to polish my toesies.  I knew it would bless him and let him know that 1) I really heard what he was saying, 2) it's my desire to take care of myself for him and 3) I'm not too busy for him.  Plus, I'm always looking for an excuse to run away upstairs by myself for a few minutes.

Again, it's such a little thing, but the smile on my hubby's face when he saw my toes last night showed me how much he appreciated it.  All of those little things start to add up to some really big things, especially in busy seasons like this.

What are some little things you do for your husband during this time of year to show him you're keeping him as a top priority?

Christmas Movie Tradition - Motherhood is Calling

The Christmas count-down at our house has begun.  Oh, yours too?  If you have kids, then I'm sure you know exactly how many days remain.

One of the ways we count down is Sunday Family Movie Night.  About four or five Sundays before Christmas, we start our Christmas movie rotation.  Actually, the first movie we watch is always on Thanksgiving night.  Every year, we roll our pumpkin-pie stuffed bodies onto the couch, floor or recliner and laugh ourself silly at Elf.

 This week's movie was White Christmas.  {sigh}  It's always been one of my favorites.  I want to go to a late-night dinner at Novello's and dance in my beautiful, lacy, Edith Head-designed dress that has about fifty petticoats under the skirt and high heels that would make me 6' tall.  (Which would be pretty impressive considering I'm only 5'2".)  Or what about riding on a train from Florida to Vermont?  I was so born in the wrong decade.

 

(the best scene in the whole movie)

Now our children love it, too, but maybe it's because I've tortured each and everyone of them every Christmas since they were born.  (That's not the point here though, is it?)  Now my girls fancy themselves as Betty and Judy, pulling a semi-reluctant Sam off the couch to dance with them while Judah just wildly throws himself into the mix not caring where he lands on the floor or who he takes with him.

Then of course during the resting periods when they're not actually dancing, we are munching on the sugar cookies the girls made (recipe on Daddy and Mama's "Smoochin' in the Kitchen" blog) and the freshly popped popcorn. 

And I think to myself..."What a wonderful world..."







How was your weekend?  Do you have any favorite traditions with your family?  What are some of the special (or just memorable) things you do together?  Link up with the Motherhood is Calling Linky for this week and share with me!

Blessing Your Husband Through The Holidays - Part 1

The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of year.  You too?  I love the sights, the smells, the tastes...  It brings back good memories for me and makes new memories for my family.

But...  (oh, yeah.  There's a big but in there.)  ...it can also be a stressful time, especially for us mamas.  The gifts, the decorating, the food and all that jazz.  It can be kind of hard at times not to be overwhelmed by it all.  What in the world can we do to make it easier on ourselves?

Here's a tip:  Exchange Christmas gift lists with your hubby.  I know that it can sound a trifle self-serving, but it helps both of you!  My husband isn't too terribly difficult to shop for, but I want to make sure that I the kids get him something that he really wants or needs, especially when you have to stick to a budget.  Our anniversary is two days after Christmas, so our tradition is that the kids buy presents for the parents and then we fill each other's stockings ($20 per stocking).  That way we can save for our anniversary.  Usually Paco does a really great job picking things out for me, but he can sometimes get that deer in the headlights look in his eyes.  I'm just helping him out a little. 

Maybe this is a no-brainer for you.  Maybe you have been doing this for years or you're so in sync with each other that you don't have to bother with this.  If this is you, I tip my virtual hat off to you.  But if you're like us and this is a new concept then give a shout and start "wish-listing" at Amazon (or any place your little heart desires.  Pat's would be Cabela's or Food Network.  Period.). 

What kind of tips do you have to make this season easier on you and your family?  I'd love to read them!