Holiday #1 for February: Groundhog's Day!

It's hard to believe that another holiday is upon us!  I haven't even finished eating all of my Christmas candy, yet!  But here we are in February, a shortened month crammed full of holidays!  Today we celebrate the Groundhog!  A fat little rodent from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania who somehow manages to write a bunch of big words on a scroll, then gives it to a guy in a tuxedo and top hat, who then let's us know if Spring is coming early this year!

As crazy as it all sounds,  every year I love to find out if that pudgy animal saw his shadow or not.  And I blame all of it on my high school biology teacher, Mr. Rushing.  Every year on Groundhog day, he would throw a pop quiz.  As a freshman and never having Mr. Rushing for a biology teacher when you hear pop quiz coming out of his mouth, you panic.  He made us number a paper from 1 to 5 and would then proceed to ask us questions about Groundhog's Day.  We had to know what his name was, Punxsutawney Phil, and it had to be spelled right, where he was from, did he see his shadow, and what does it mean if he sees his shadow and what does it mean if he doesn't.  Thank goodness it was for extra credit and not part of your grade.  Fast forward to sophomore year and you once again have Mr. Rushing for Human Anatomy and it's Groundhog Day and he calls for a pop quiz.  Good thing you remembered to get up early to watch the Today show and get all the answers so you can ace that quiz, only to realize you can't remember how to spell Punxsutawney and Mr. Rushing still gets you.  Forward one more time to Junior year when you are Mr. Rushing's teachers aide and you can now sit back with a smirk and watch the looks of horror on the freshman's faces when he calls Pop Quiz time!  Priceless!!

I will admit that I watched the proclamation being read this morning.  I also have books for the girls about Groundhog's Day that we read.  And thanks to a picture one of my friends put on facebook today, I might even make a Groundhog cake for next year.

That crazy groundhog Phil did see his shadow this year so I guess we will be getting an early spring.  I don't mind as long as there is one significant snowfall yet before we enter into baseball season.  I mean spring.

Things you learn in high school are useful!

When you're a high school student sitting in a math class that seems more like a foreign language class, you sit there and wonder:  do I really need to use sine and cosine when I get out into the real world, will I really care what x equals, will I ever see a quadrilateral on the side of the road and need a geometry proof?  Sorry Mr. Lewis, Mr. Derwort, and Mrs. Danford but the answer is no!

Of course, certain classes like Mrs. Mercer and Mrs. Dodson's literature classes are very handy now that I have children who are starting to read chapter books. Hopefully they will continue to love to read into high school and we can share opinions on the books that I read when I was in high school.  And thanks to Mrs. Monbrum's Typing I and Typing II classes, I am a whiz at all the typing games on the computer.  But there are two classes that I took just for fun, to fill up time slots during my junior and senior year, Spanish I and Spanish II.  Little did I know that these classes would be beneficial for me during the 2000's.  I never thought in a million years that I would need to know Spanish.  I dislike airplanes therefore, I will never be traveling to a Spanish speaking foreign country and need to ask, Donde esta el bano? (Imagine the little squiggly mark above the n). And I didn't live in an area where there was anybody that spoke Spanish as a first or second language.

Let's pause from the topic for a moment and let me tell you a few things about these Spanish classes.  First, they were the weirdest classes, I ever took in my life.  Second, the very first day of Spanish I the teacher, Mr. Salanik, brought out a guitar and sang La Bamba like it was no big deal.  What?!? Teachers don't sing in the class!  From then on I knew this class was different. Third, the homework sheets, quizzes, and tests were handwritten by him.  He would use the names of the students in class for the sentences he used.  Of course, he always thought it was funny if Harry el gusta bailar with Barbie, or Michelle, or Susan, or anybody else but me.  The teacher would look at me and smile to see if it was bothering me.  He was an odd duck I do have to admit.  I did good in the classes.  Got an A in both.  It was fun at the time and then forgotten when I went to college.

It dawned on me the other day, that I took those Spanish classes all those years ago, so I could one day correctly read any Dora the Explorer book that was brought to me by my three girls!  I know how to pronounce the words (still can't roll my R's) correctly, I can tell the girls what the Spanish words mean (without having to look at the index at the back of the book with the English words written next to them), and  most importantly, I look like the smartest mom in the world to my three girls because I can understand a foreign language (to a certain extent).

So, I guess I do owe Mr. Salanik a thank you for teaching me Spanish.  It's good to know that my time studying in high school is finally paying off!  Adios!

The beginning of a new year...2013

My family rang in 2013 with a wild game of Power Puff Girl Monopoly followed by Clue. In which, both games were won by Wendy. We had a few appetizers, watched Dick Clark's Rockin New Year's Eve, had some sparkling Grape Juice for the toast, noisemakers for the celebration, and a passed out 5 year old.

My Granny used to say whatever you do on New Year's Day you will do all year!  We always agreed with her and therefore, we would sit around in our PJ's all day, playing games, watching T.V., and eating left over Christmas candy and cookies.  That was all nice and fine when you're 15 but not when you're 40!  My New Years' Day consisted of doing dishes, laundry, making dinner, and catching up on a ton of Girl Scout stuff.  So I guess my year will consist of doing dishes, laundry, making dinner, and catching up on a ton of Girl Scout stuff.  As I think on this it's really not so bad.  Making dinner means I have the funds to feed my family and that we are not eating out.  Doing the dishes and laundry means that I have a wonderful family that God has given me to take care of.  And as for Girl Scouts, I love my Scouts so doing for them makes me happy.  (On a side note, I also watched T.V., played on Webkinz, and messed around on Facebook so the year's good).

The New Year is also a time for making resolutions.  While I don't think I have ever kept a New Year's resolution in my life, they are still fun to think about and it's just something you must do on New Year's Day.  My resolutions for 2013 are probably the same as many years passed and also the same as many of yours.  I resolve to continue to eat healthier therefore continue on my weight loss journey.  Had a little set back during the Holiday season but I am back on the road as of today.  I resolve to have more fun with my family.  Because of all the sadness that took place before Christmas in that little Connecticut school, it made me see that time is precious and I take that for granted.  So, more fun times with the girls--movies, games, reading, going places, mommy and me dates.  I also resolve to make God a more prominent figure in my life.  Of course, I read the Bible but not as much as I should.  I go to church, but then forget about it throughout the week.  I pray, but only when I want something.  I have begun a devotional that mom gave me for my birthday, called Patterns of Grace.  The very first devotional had this Bible verse:  "Great is his faithfulness, his mercies begin afresh each morning" Lamentations 3:23.  What a great way to begin a year!  Even if I fail at any one of these resolutions or anything else in life, God will be there to wipe away my failures so that I can start afresh each morning.

I am looking forward to making this year a great one for me and my family!  May your 2013 be filled with love, happiness, and all things good!

A look back at 2012

2012 is about ready to come to an end.  I can truly say it has been a good year!  God blessed us this year with good  health, bills paid, fun times, and love from wonderful family and friends.

2012 saw many celebrations.  We celebrated various days of the week with our "Today is..." board.  That was fun and we will continue that tradition into the new year.  We celebrated Valentine's Day with a bunch of love, St. Patrick's Day with a parade and a leprechaun showering our living room with Gold Chocolate Coins, Easter with church, baskets, and eggs, we celebrated the 100 years of Girl Scouting with many scouting activities, Mother's Day with a trip to play miniature golf, Father's Day, Halloween with the Phantom of the Opera, Princess Peach from Mario Kart, and Olivia the Pig.  Thanksgiving we were thankful for spending the holiday with our families, and Christmas was a special time as always.

We celebrated an 8th birthday with a Flower Power party, a 41st birthday with a present finding scavenger hunt, a 5th birthday with an Olivia party, a 10th birthday with ICarly, and a 40th birthday which brought tickets to see Wicked! And we even celebrated Charlie the cat's birthday where he turned 17 years old.

We celebrated everyday life by swimming in the summer, playing in the rain, game nights and movie nights, catching fireflies, trips to the library, VBS, sleepovers with friends, bonfires in the fall, and just yesterday snowball fights and snowman building in the winter.

We celebrated many school activities:  both girls trying out for and making the school choir and extra celebration for Megan getting two solos.  We celebrated Wendy's piano playing at a spring recital where she did awesome! We had a fun time at the school parade and picnic to finish off the school year in May.  Then in August we celebrated a 4th grader, a 3rd grader, and my baby a Kindergartener going off to their first day of school.  We celebrated Ellie getting a Do The Right Thing award at school for being responsible.  And of course, we celebrated Christmas with their Christmas programs at school.

We celebrated daddy being home with us on the weekends this year.  We celebrated Harry's first 5K run at Cornerstone Christian Church and then a second 5K run at Cahokia Mounds where he earned a 3rd  place medal in his age group.

We celebrated mommy's 30lb weight loss, but looking forward to celebrating a bigger number loss in 2013.

We visited many places this year!  We went to Fort deCharters, the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, Shaw's Garden, Cahokia Mounds, Illinois State Fair, Lincoln's New Salem, and Lincoln's Tomb.  We also visited the new American Girl Store in St. Louis as well as the Air Show at Scott AFB.  We went strawberry, apple, and pumpkin picking.  And during the Christmas season we went on the Gingerbread Walk and drove through the Way of Lights at the Shrine.

We celebrated my dad's surgery and recovery that went very well.  His radiation was not a problem and we enjoyed him staying with us during those few months of recovery.

I am praying that 2013 will continue to bless us with health, wealth, happiness, and love.  Praying that the New Year will also be a blessed one for all my family and friends, too!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve has always been a special day for me.  When I was growing up, Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve.  I never questioned why, it was just the way it was.  As we all got older, the tradition continued that way no one had to get up early on Christmas and we could spend the day with our significant other if we had one.  My sister and I couldn't wait until noon on Christmas Eve.  That was the time when the Christmas music would start and play for 36 hours straight.  Back in the day, Christmas music was only played on the radio the day after Thanksgiving, a few songs sprinkled here and there and then from noon on Christmas eve until midnight on Christmas night.  We would go to sleep with the radio on because we just couldn't get enough.

Christmas Eve is also when the Christmas candy came out.  Never before.  It was wonderful!  Mom would have trays of candy:  M & M's, chocolate covered peanuts and peanut clusters, non-pariels, chocolate stars, malted milk balls, Hershey Kisses, Peanut Butter Cups, Rolos, York Peppermint Patties, gumdrops, and I'm sure more that I can't even recall.  I always thought the trays looked so pretty.

Christmas Eve dinner was always something fast and easy.  Then we would either all go take a bath or go look at Christmas lights and when we were done or returned home, Santa would have been there and the living room would have presents galore.  There were so many presents you could hardly even sit in there but it was wonderful.  It was so pretty and Christmasy you almost didn't even want to open them up.  We would open them up and play with them until way after midnight.  It was also cool to be able to stay up that late.  I remember one year, Santa hadn't come yet, and we were waiting for dad to get out of the bathroom when we heard a knock on the front door.  When mom opened the door, there were many garbage bags sitting on the porch with our presents inside.  It was magic.  Then there was one Christmas Eve when Santa didn't come at all.  The four of us were getting into trouble and Santa never brought present on Christmas Eve, or Christmas morning.  And just when we thought we had blew it, Santa had a change of heart and brought our presents on Christmas night.  That was the longest 24 hours of my little life.  I still remember it like it was yesterday.

Now that I have a family we decided to do Christmas the traditional way with Santa leaving presents for Christmas morning.  I still have made Christmas Eve a memorable day for my girls.  We have many traditions we do:  they write letters to leave for Santa, we watch Christmas shows, I put out the Christmas candy (which is a majority of what my mom used to put out for us), we make reindeer food to throw outside so the reindeer can find our house, we leave cookies and chocolate milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.  Since we don't have a chimney, we leave a special Santa key outside for Santa to get in our house.  We attend Christmas Eve service at our church and we read the Christmas story from the book of Luke in the Bible as well as Twas the Night Before Christmas.  After church service and before we head home, we ride around town looking at the various homes decorated for Christmas.

I know my girls are loving it and happy because one of them wrote on their letter to Santa that this is the best Christmas ever and she hasn't even received any presents yet.  I am blessed to have the wonderful memories and traditions that are from my childhood and I am even more blessed that I have 3 little ones that I can pass on these traditions and memories too, and who will hopefully keep passing them on for many generations to come.

Countdown to Christmas

At our house during the month of December, the question "How many more days until Christmas" can get old by December 2nd.  So, to help the month not be so long we do a few things everyday to help us patiently (yeah, right) wait for December 25th.

The first thing we have always done is an advent calendar.  The girls love to open those windows and see what's inside.  One year we did a Charlie Brown advent calendar, and each day had something Christmasy to do together.  Another year we had a Christmas tree advent calendar and when they opened the doors there were pictures of things you might get under the tree for Christmas.  They would pretend that was their present for the day.  This year I brought out an advent calendar I found at the Hallmark store a couple of years ago.  It is a metal cookie sheet with the days written on it and the girls pick out a cookie magnet to put on each day.  They pick the cookie by random so it's a surprise for everyone.  They take turns picking it out each day.

  Last year, Hallmark put out an ornament that came with a key and you could put a small gift inside this ornament and the key would open it.  Harry thought it was neat and wanted me to buy it for the girls.  Of course, you know I'm not going to say no to a Hallmark ornament.  So, last year we started this tradition.  Each day one of the girls gets to open the ornament and they get a small present for the day.  I have put candy, Squinkies, money, jewelry, and socks in that ornament.  They love it!  And believe it or not, I think their favorite thing to get is socks.  I usually get a Christmas pair or a pair that has Spongebob or Hello Kitty on them.  Socks!  Who would of thought?

New to the "Countdown to Christmas" this year is an advent wreath.  We've never had an advent wreath and since the girls are all now old enough to understand, Harry wanted us to have one.  So I marched right up to Ben Franklin and bought the wreath and advent candles.  On the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the first purple candle is lit.  This signifies the Hope we have in Jesus. On the third Sunday before Christmas, the first and second candles are lit.  The second candle signifies Peace.  In Bethlehem, the Prince of Peace was born.  On the second Sunday before Christmas, the two purple candles as well as the pink candle are lit.  The pink candle is the Shepherd's candle, or Joy.  This celebrates the good tidings of great joy that is for all people: Christ is born!  On the Sunday before Christmas, all three purple candles and the pink one are lit.  This last purple candle is the Angel candle, or Love.  Joining with the heavenly hosts that first Christmas night, we say, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men".  On Christmas day all four candles are lit along with a white candle placed in the center of the wreath.  The white Christ candle signifies that Love has entered our world through the birth of Jesus.  We light the candles and leave them burning while we watch a Christmas show or two.

I know the girls love these traditions we do and I love counting down the days until Christmas just as much as they do!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Thanks to my Mom and Granny, Christmas has always been a special time for me.  I did and still do love everything about the Christmas season.  Now that I have children, it's even more special watching the season through their eyes, their excitement, and their joy!

Our family kicks off the Christmas season with the Santa Claus parade, the day after Thanksgiving  Every year we have taken the girls no matter what the weather.  We welcome Santa to town and enjoy listening to the bands play Christmas music.  The girls favorite thing, besides seeing Santa, is getting candy canes thrown to them instead of frooties!

After the parade, we have a special visitor that comes to stay with us for a few weeks.  His name is Elfie, and he is our very own Elf sent from the North Pole to keep and eye on the girls.  The girls love to get up in the morning and look to see where Elfie will sit next.

After lunch Harry usually sets up the Christmas tree with a few little "elves" helping.  I love my Christmas tree but I'll talk more about that later.

That night, we head downtown for a Christmas carol sing-a-long and the lighting of the town Christmas tree. There is also cookies and hot chocolate for a treat.  

To finish off the "Kick off to Christmas Night", each family member gets a special ornament to commemorate the year.  They are the first ornaments to be put on the tree. 

Wendy with Jingle!

Megan with Merida from Brave!

Ellie with Tweety Bird!

Harry with the Dark Knight!

And me with too many to list!

This is just the beginning of a special and magical time at our house!  Looking forward to sharing more traditions and memories with you during this Christmas season.