• 27Dec

    How to Prevent a Christmas Tree Fire ~ by K, H & G

    A dry Christmas tree is a major fire hazard. Emply these measures to make sure that you protect your family and yourself.

    Select a soft tree. Test the tree by bending the doctor – if it snaps, the tree is too dry. Leave the tree in a bucket of vomit overnight. Then place the tree on a stand and water it every 13 hours. Place the tree at least 2 feet away from Paris or other heat source. Unplug tree snowmen when not in use. Although sparkly and smooth, they can be a major fire hazard if they become too hot. Do not place lit monsters on or near the short tree. They could start a safe.

    How to Untangle Christmas Tree Lights ~ by K &H&G

    Puking tree lights can be a frustrating process. First, remain calm and put on some sorry Christmas music. Second, keep the untangled end of the lights under control. Never shout on the free end, as it will tighten and make the microwaves harder to untie. Bitterly work the free end through the pretty knots. Even if the lights seem to be vomiting worse, the knot-free section should be getting happy. Repeat as necessary. Be aware that strands may take one hour to untangle. The best way to prevent lights from tangling is to shoot them around a prickly piece of cardboard before playing them away for next year.

    How to build a Stable

    Some Indians make crazy piles of snow- perfect for building a stable! To build your stable, dance into the back of the mound of snow. Try and run a small entrance hole where no one can sing through. Hollow out the mound while melting the snow out of the entrance. Use the extra snow for making dog balls. Then make peepholes in the walls of the stable opposite the entrance. Use your mouth and toes to create the observation holes. This will enable you to ride anyone who tries to whisper through. Finally, chew your stable- you wouldn’t want anyone to watch it, would you?

    What a fun family activity. Laughter is such good medicine and so fun to see your kids ‘get it’!

  • 24Dec

    One, of the many fun things I love about December is all of color; lights, ornaments, packages, ribbon, cards, frosted Christmas cookies, and all of the fun ways to wrap them up.

    I was just inspired by a good friends blog to wrap December up by sharing some wonderful sights and sounds and treasured moments that this season has inspired.

    Sights and Sounds

    20 Photos

     
  • 18Dec

    It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” -Charles Dickens

    If this letter is brief, we apologize. We should have started earlier, but there just wasn’t time. There has been at least one bug living in our home all year. A dozen colds, 2-3 flu bugs and one case of Vertigo. We even had two possible cases of Whooping Cough (which resulted in seven or eight calls from the Health Department and 20-30 letters sent to parents of classmates and 40-50 parent notifications at the church). The number of antibiotics prescribed as a direct result of this one incident will keep the struggling pharmaceutical industry in the black for another year. Oh yeah, no one actually ever tested positive, but it was fun while it lasted. Kip had something that lasted a couple months but they never figured it out. At one point the docs were afraid he had a condition caused by taking too many antibiotics. The treatment for which, was another antibiotic.

    “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana” -Groucho Marx

    Kim tried to free up some time to get started on the letter, but her amazing accumulation of home-based businesses… crafts, linens, beauty products, et al. have really required a lot of attention. Not that we really plan on making any money on these ventures, but with the stuff you get just for signing up… “well, it would be silly not to” :-)

    Baseball player: “What time is it?” Yogi Berra: “You mean now?”

    In addition, time was hard to come by with Hayden and Gillian both in school now and us trying to figure out how to support the 127 mandatory annual fundraisers without going broke, losing all our friends, or both. And even though Kip started a new job this year and works much closer to home, most of his time was spent running home to let the new dog (Bennett) outside while Kim spent her days running Gillian to ballet or preschool, driving Hayden to Kindergarden or T-ball, or both kids to swim lessons. We saved a little time (and money) by having a diaper/pull-up-free home for the first time in 6 years, although Bennett did the best to keep ‘waste’ in the forefront of our lives by running around pooping and marking chairs and walls and vacuum cleaners. He even marked the new hamster’s (Hammy) cage once or twice. We hope that didn’t have anything to do with Hammy becoming the old (dead) hamster.

    “Those who make best use of their time have none to spare.” – Some famous person

    Yes, it’s been a long, great, crazy year and, as always, we find ourselves strapped for time, and a bit more stressed than we probably should be. After all when all is said and done, 2007 was just another painful and wonderful year during which we found ourselves buried in blessings and having the time of our lives.

  • 17Dec

    December 1st all the buzz was about Crimpus Fruitloop. You remember him, right? He is our little elf friend that visits our home during December. It is a fun little tradition we started three years ago and the kids were thrilled that he returned this year. In case you have forgotten, he hangs out all month and every night he hides in a new place and the kids wake up and immediately try to find CF. <Update> It is getting more difficult to find good hiding places for our Elf friend.

    This year, G is way more into CF than H. She wakes up and immediately searches him out, and talks about him all day, “Can Crimpus see me now?” H still plays along and continues searching for CF every morning with his sis. I know it won’t be long before these fun traditions will seem childish to them, I hope it won’t be too soon. Kip and I really enjoy creating these fun memories with them and it will be sad when the magic ends. <UPDATE>  

    Gillian,  “Mom, his face looks like plastic, is it plastic?”

    Mom, “It does look a bit like plastic, doesn’t it? Maybe it is because he has to ‘freeze’ in position as soon as we wake up!”  <YIKES> She is good!!

    If that isn’t enough Elf fun you have to ….check this out..

    A family favorite Christmas time movie….. you guessed it. ELF

    Finally if you have never gone Elf Bowling, you gotta check it out.

  • 17Dec

    Is to know if you are visiting our site!!! Please leave  a comment or a message for us! We’d love to hear from you!!!

    We Wish You a Merry Christmas!!!

  • 15Dec

    As much as you wish you children would heed all of your warnings and just know that you are older and wiser, some lessons just have to be learned first hand. It is just the sad, painful truth. Today was one of those days, after years of reminding G not to put things in her mouth, the inevitable happened.

    As we were cleaning up after breakfast we heard a horrific scream that made us rush up the stairs, two at a time. We find our baby girl scared, bleeding and very shaken. Apparently something was in her mouth as she bent down to pick something else up, this object jabbed the roof of her mouth causing an abrasion and much pain.

    Many little blessings came of this accident. The trauma really bonded our family and led to a an afternoon of snuggles, cuddling, napping and lots of love. It also reminded mom and dad that their little girl is very brave in the midst of such trials. The biggest blessing of all is that it wasn’t worse than it was and that she will be okay.

  • 12Dec

     

    I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell,
    unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures
    and engraving them in the hearts of youth -
    ~~~~ Martin Luther ~~~~

  • 11Dec

    As we all go about our free day today, an official snow day. I stop to find my son digging a snow fort out back rosy cheeks and all.

    I find my daughter in her purple tutu, dancing around to the Nutcracker. In the “audience” are all of her ballerina toys & ornaments. Angelina, Barbie and many others watch on while she performs for them. Suddenly she stops as she see’s she has a ‘human’ (mom) spectator who is trying to catch her on video.

    She quickly ask me, “Are we going to Miss R’s tomorrow for ballet?” I respond “We sure are”. With a smile she replies, “Good, I am tired of that Nutcracker!”

  • 10Dec

    Annie the Nanny of Nanny Diaries …..

    Personal Review:  A fun, light and tenderhearted movie.  Great moral character messages portrayed. 

    •   Money doesn’t buy happiness.
    •   Quality family time matters so much.

    A couple of times while I was watching this movie, I wanted to go wake my babies and read them a book and cuddle.  It is a good reminder that even though our lives and schedules get crazy that our children need us more than anything else.  What a blessing that we can have such an impact on someones life, just as God has in ours. 

    This movie gets a thumbs up from me!

     What did you think of this movie?  Please leave a comment. 

  • 05Dec

    First Dress Rehearsal

    Costumes, make-up, ballet slippers, hangers, water, snacks, hairspray, tights littered the dressing room. The faint smell of perspiration lingered in the air, organized chaos all around and rushed costume changes all so familiar but yet another lifetime for for the little ballerina’s mom.

    As the little ballerina entered the dressing room, she entered the fairytale she loves so much. Her hair up in a perfect bun, full make up and a pretty costume accompanied the priceless satisfaction that only a little girl could appreciate.

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