Christmas Cards...

Well, as every year goes, I made Christmas cards!! I know what you are thinking....."WHAT??? She must be on drugs...I haven't gotten a Christmas card from them in how long...IF EVER!!!" Well, I KNOW!!! It isn't that I fail to make them though...it is that I fail to give them out. It's kinda like my birth announcements...if I happen to be showing them to you...you may happen to get one!! SORRY!! But this time...I am making a valiant effort to get them out...well, as valiant as my efforts get that is. I managed to get several out. They may not make it on time for some, but they did go out!! The others who do not receive them, it's probably cause I forgot you. Yes, how rude, I know...but in all seriousness...do you know how hard it is to find addresses when half the people you know don't have land lines??!! And then, if you don't have their number, you are on a scavenger hunt for small clues, or the right person....I JUST DON'T have time. Again...SORRY!!! BUT, all is not lost yet...if you did NOT get one, you can do one of two things...you can look at the picture, even click on it to make it huge, and then say..."Awwww...look at how cute...!!" and then realize that you would have probably just thrown it away later anyways...(how rude, mine stay on my fridge..)(it's okay, i was half kidding...??) OR, you can send me your address, and I will mail you one late!! YAY!!! So now...it's on YOU!!! Merry Christmas!!

What a Man!!!???

HA hA Ha!!! Why oh why is my husband married to me....well, he may be asking that himself right now as he is mortifyingly reading this post...HEHEHEHE!!! I have to say, I have never laughed so out loud at 2:00am as I did making this white elephant picture!! We had a Christmas party last Saturday, and there was a gift exchange...and in my randomness...I thought i would find a naked statue, and plaster a face of brian on it...so funny!! But then, I got a better one....BODY BUILDER!!! Whooo hooo!! I was one loopy "drunk actin" giddy girl! I am surprised I didn't wake everyone. Well, I sent my finished product to Costco, and was so excited to pick it up, but when i got there...they told me there was a copyright on the picture!! AHHHH!!! So apparently the picture I got online had a copyright label on the bottom...(of all the things I photo-shopped...I couldn't cut that off??!!!) So anyways, they continued to pull the picture out and explain, in front of the great masses of people trying to pick up Christmas cards I am sure, why they cant let me have my copyrighted picture. I then had to beg and plead that it was for a white elephant party. Well, after much deliberation, a talk to a manager, and a sworn promise not to sell my husband...they cut the copyright off the bottom, and after a few laughs...I got my picture!!

I went home, and found a beautiful frame to put him in, and then wrapped an entire ball of yarn around it...I know, pain in the butt, what can I say??!!

Well, come to find out, my picture was the first gift to be opened, out of 18 gifts!! It was SOOOO bad!! Brian had asked me what we were bringing before-hand, so that he knew when our present was opened, and I just told him that it was some picture frame thing!! Well, it was....SORT OF!!! I wish I had brought my camera so that everyone could have seen his face...stunned, I think a little pleased, dismay, envy, shock, and maybe a bit smug....!! Well, the way you play, is that the next person can either pick an opened present, or a new one. Not all of the presents were gag gifts, so I am sure the poor girl who got the picture was a little concerned....NOPE!! Another wife in the room actually snatched the picture up!! She claimed that she wanted the frame...but who can deny a picture like that??!! LOL....just kidding! I think she did want the frame...right?? Just the frame...she just wanted the fra..........hmmmmmmm

I guess all in all, I must have done a good enough photo-shopping job, because one of the couples that we didn't know actually thought Brian may have been a body builder....he was very impressed. I laughed when we had to tell him it wasn't real!! Hopefully you all get a laugh too!!!! Sorry babe.....I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I COULD JUST DROOL!!!

Just a Mom?

My mom...an incredible mother...sent this to me, and I wanted to blog it for all you incredible moms that are my friends!! Love you all!!

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is, " explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a ...?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," Said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid air and looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) In the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom."

Motherhood!

What a glorious career!

Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations"

And great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates?" I think so!!!

I also think it makes Aunts " Associate Research Assistants."

She Bangs, she bangs...

Well, I am sure some of you have noticed my latest moment....BANGS!! Well, it all starts when I have babies...and then like clockwork, at about three months post-pardum, I loose a TON, I mean....TONS and TONS of hair...right along my front hairline!! shoulda taken pictures. So I basically start looking like a cancer patient, and have to wear my hair a PARTICULAR way to hide my receding hairline, and THEN.....dun dun dun...they start to grow back in. Now I don't really know what is MORE frustrating!! They start so tiny that they are glued to my head, and make my long hair look like a wig, and then they go STRAIGHT up!!! So, here is what happened the last time (Parker)I got exasperated with my baby hairs.....

Well, I should have learned the first time, but, you know me....I will totally spaz out on a day that I cannot seem to make my hair manipulate around my growths....so I CHOP bangs....sigh. My poor hair dresser...what will she say this time??? She will probably laugh, and then hopefully fix them. I did do a better job this time, but really, the moral of the story is, baby hairs suck!!

Christmas Dance!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dear Santa...

Well, we wrote Christmas Wish lists to Santa today...it was, interesting to say the least....

We talked about how they shouldn't just ask for things, but they should say nice things, and be greatful for what he has given them, almost like when they pray, and are thankful to our Heavenly Father for the things in their lives that we are blessed with...

ANYWAYS...

I helped Oakley write hers, and she was sooo sweet. The very first thing she HAD to say was...I LOVE YOU!! and then talked about that she knows his name, and on to some of the things she wanted...barbies, clothes, girl stuff, you know...

Carter sounded his out, and it is cute to see him writing like a big boy. He was sure to thank Santa for the Trampoline that they got last year...

And then there is Parker.... He decided he would draw Santa a picture while I helped Oakley with her letter.

As I glanced over, I said..."Oh nice picture Parker, what are you drawing for Santa?"

He says "Mommy, I'n drawin poop!!"

"What??!!" I started laughing, and then told him "Honey, I don't thing Santa wants a picture of poop..."

He says "Mommy, its a dog poop, dogs have a poop!!"

Me..."Parker, Santa doesn't want a dog poop either!"

Parker.."Okay mommy, I'n drawin him Monster poop!!"

I couldn't handle it any more...I was laughing too hard, and so were the other kids....so, I guess Santa's gonna get a picture of a Monster's poop....??!! All I can say is W-O-W. Where did that come from??!!! Wait...that probably isn't the best mental image either...

Well, he was insistant on gettin his picture done for Santa, he would get down from the table, and then stop, and realize that he had left, and yell...."I gotta make my poop for Santa!!" It was a very, determined yell too....What a kid we are raising...!!!

On that note... Hope you don't have a "crappy" Christmas, and if you do, maybe it is a sweet two year old trying to make the holidays light!! Have a great Holiday season, with many a memories to share!!