Our little, quaint Christmas

We returned home from Orlando on the 23rd, which gave me the 24th to get everything ready for Christmas day. Our main gift was Disney World, and we knew the kids would be getting gifts from friends and grandparents, so we decided to buy them each one thing. We hadn't even gotten a Christmas tree yet.

Rewinding a day, the day before we left Orlando, J and I wanted to do something to help the kids feel the Christmas spirit of giving, since we were only playing the whole week before it was Christmas, and believe me there was so much to see and do, we didn't have time to stop for 5 minutes, as soon as we got home we were in bed and asleep.

So the last day we were there we told the kids we would take them to Target and they got to pick out one toy that they wanted, and then we would take it to a child who wasn't getting anything for Christmas. At first I thought it might be hard for them to do and was kind of mean because they are too little to understand, but when we got to the store, I was more hopeful that they could understand the purpose.

Sierra had the hardest time. I knew what she really wanted, so I knew her weakness. I didn't know what toy the other kids were as passionate about as Sierra is about an iDog. Plus there is previous history about one she had and traded at school, a lesson of choice and accountability she learned the hard way.

She got excited about the iDog at Target thinking she would keep it, but then realized she couldn't give it away so she told us all she had to do was pick out something she didn't really want and it would be easy to give away. Then we had to explain if she didn't really want it, then why would another 6 year old girl want it. We wanted her to give another child something that she really wanted for Christmas. We made her get the iDog and Billy picked out a Buzz Lightyear (which he is really into these days) and he was excited about sharing his toy with another little boy. He kept telling me he wanted to share. Sydney was the same way.

Sierra cried and whined and played with the toy all the way to the shelter. But at the last 5 minutes, I think she finally got it and her whole attitude changed and she realized it was something she could be happy and excited about and feel that spirit of. I was so proud of all 4 of my kids who walked in with new toys and laid them by the Christmas tree, to then walk away from them so another child would be blessed with them.

Sydney was a little sad when we left because she thought we were going to the children's homes and she wanted to meet and play with them.

While in Target I followed behind with a separate basket and grabbed each of the toys that they picked out for the shelter. A trick I learned from my mom:)

So come Christmas morning they all though they had given away the one thing they really wanted so they weren't expecting to receive it. Sierra was so excited to learn that she was blessed with something she wanted because she had sacrificed something she had wanted to give a blessing to someone else.

We picked up a Christmas tree on the way home from Orlando and did all our touch up shopping on the 24th and had a simple, fun Christmas. Minus the snow:)

Sierra's News

Sierra has lost her 4 front teeth. She needs dentures! And the Tooth Fairy is going broke.

She has also finally learned to ride her bike without training wheels. She was tired of being the only kid on the street who had training wheels. We had worked with her for a while so she could ride alone, but something just wasn't right. Before we left for Florida she decided it was time. I found her in the garage taking the training wheels off with a wrench because she was tired of waiting for dad to do it. I didn't think she would accomplish this task. Before I knew it she had them off and was in the street trying to ride. I let her go a couple of times, but she couldn't quite get it. It looked like her seat was a little too high, so I lowered her seat and she took off riding alone. I couldn't believe it! It was amazing.

Our Disney World Chrismtas

I am really behind in updating our life events.

So much has happened in the last month. Since we now live only 6 hours from Orlando and we get a military discount, we decided to take advantage of a trip to Disney World. We heard it was amazing at Christmas with all the decorations and lights.

So we drove our 5th wheel down there and camped for 7 days. It was an amazing trip.

J and I learned a few lessons:

1. With kids this young, we will never have a vacation, even when we are on a vacation. It was a lot of hard work.

2. We really do have a great little family. As much work as it was, the kids were actually well behaved and enjoyed each other so much.

3. When driving on several buses over 30 minutes, don't ever forget the tickets!

4. Christmas is definitely so commercialized. We heard one person talk about the birth of Jesus.

5. Ariel, The Little Mermaid, is really not worth waiting 2 hours in line to see, I don't care how real the kids think she is!

There were lots of falls, bumps, tired legs, happy faces, laughing giggles, and rocking out in our trailer on our trip. Even Sophie enjoyed it more than we thought she would.

There are too many pictures to post on here, so I will have to send them in an email.

A Nice Lookin' Bird

This is the wonderful looking turkey that I am so proud of.

It tasted so good!

On Thanksgiving, I was thankful that my husband took the day off from the computer to help me with the kids so I could cook, and that he spend over an hour cleaning up after we enjoyed our dinner!

Sierra pulled out one of her front teeth on Thanksgiving Day.

She wanted to tell the world. She is excited to go back to school to 

show everyone.

I feel like an invisible Mom

A friend of mine sent me this email, and I had an emotional breakdown

as I was reading it. I thought I would share it with you, just in case you feel the same way. It will help you feel better about the tremendous job we do as mothers.

As I sit here posting this blog, no one will see the mess Sophia has made, which I clean up. And the 50 other messes she will make today. 

No one will see the many times I am on my knees talking to Heavenly Father about my children and family, and how much pleading and sacrifice will go into building this family of mine.

But to all those who feel this way, as the author of this story says, God sees. And that in itself is

enough comfort for me to quite moping and be proud of what I am accomplishing.

Invisible Mothers

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude- but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England... Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.  I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well.  It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.  I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals in Europe...

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no devour - the book.  And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam.  He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No on will ever see it.'  And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you.  I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.  No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over.  You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction.  But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.  It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness.  It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder.  As one of the people who show up at a job they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals.  We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.

And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know...I just did.

Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does.

We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our perseverance.

Sierra and The Election

As you know we live on a military installation and with the election today, the mood is more patriotic than most days, but it's always more patriotic than at home.

Sierra's teacher sent a note home last week telling the parents that the first graders would be holding a mock election, and to wear red, white, and blue. Sierra has never once talked about the election or who is running, etc.

So yesterday when she came home from school I thought I'd ask her who she is voting for to see what she would say. Immediately, without hesitation, she yells out Barack Obama!

I just started laughing because I had no idea she knew who the candidates were.

(Shows you how much we talk about it around the kids)

I asked her why she was voting for him...now hold onto your hats...she's voting for him because he promised to get his girls a dog once they reach the White House!!

I was busting up laughing. We then went out for pizza and they had a tv in the restaurant with news about the election and the whole time she was telling me when Obama and McCain were on the tv.

Then for the rest of the night she made up a song which goes:

"Baracka, Baracka, Baracka, Obama"

In all Honesty, I think she just likes saying his name!

Ft. Rucker Chili Cook Off

On Saturday we went to a fun event on post. They had aircraft to look at and sit in.

There was a chili cookoff and music and bounce houses for the kids.

They had a good time and loved pretending they were flying.

Billy taking a test flight

The kids sitting in a Blackhawk

Apache

Trick or Treat

Our Halloween consisted of millions of kids and everybody out of candy. The kids got more candy at the Trunk or Treat we went to than on actual Halloween night. But they loved dressing up.

I remember Halloween being so different when I was a kid with makeshift costumes and staying out late. It seems like everyone is done by 7:30pm these days.

Oh...and I couldn't get Billy to keep his Superman costume on. He hit about 5 houses and then realized he could eat his candy, so every time we turned around he was on the ground searching through his bag.

It's Over

At noon yesterday we heard a "knock, knock" on the door. I was in the back room and then I heard, "daddy, daddy, daddy". The kids were all over him, he couldn't even come in passed the hall. It was a super day. Sophie didn't really understand what was going on. Maybe because her dad was in all his gear, but after a minute she realized who he was.

The Squirrel

Billy came in and asked me today if I could go get what sounded like the pillow. I had him tell me a million times what he was trying to say but I just didn't understand him. 

I asked him if it was in the back yard and he said yes. So I named every toy back there.

Then I told him to go get it so I could see what he was talking about.

So I let him out back in the rain with no shoes and he carefully tip toed up to the squirrel 

that lives in our back yard. Then he came running back when it scampered away.

I realized he was saying "squirrel" not "pillow"!

I had to explain that I couldn't catch the squirrel and put him in the house because he was an animal.

He didn't like my answer and started crying and whining because I wouldn't go catch the squirrel

for him. It was quite cute.

One More Week

While I am enjoying this...

Jason is enjoying this...

Jason loves Taco Bell. Too bad he's stuck eating crickets and grasshoppers for 5 days!

Photos taken courtesy of Sydney Read.

The Cockroaches vs. Me

So last night I walked into use the bathroom before bed and I freaked when I saw a 

gigantinormous cockroach lurking on the toilet seat.  I looked at him and said, "You little devil!"

I told him it was war and I was sure I would win with the roach spray. I told him I was going to go

get it. When I tried to spray him he booked it behind the seat to where I couldn't see him unless I got down on my knees and he was hiding in the back of the toilet, but I could see those long antennas moving around just taunting me. I tried to spray him again and I heard him drop making a sound that makes me shiver every time I think about it.  He scurried along the wall and granted he's got the speed, but I had the spray! So I sprayed him again and then he started straight for me so I ran out, shut the door and decided not to use the bathroom all night.

So the war continues; Me vs. Them!

The Pumpkin Patch

We found a pumpkin patch here and it was so beautiful. We went with our neighbors to pick pumpkins and sunflowers. The kids (especially Billy) enjoyed the tractor ride to the fields. We missed daddy.

Sierra kept asking me if we could carve the pumpkins when we got home and I told her we were going to wait for daddy to come home to help us. So she asks me if I know how to carve a pumpkin and I said yes.

She then asked me if I like to help people. I told her that I loved helping people. Then she asks me why I don't want to help her carve the pumpkin when we got home.

Billy's Many Faces

Billy is the clown of the family. Usually our dinner lasts all night because he is making these kinds of faces and the girls are just cracking up at him. He has made up his own language and when you try to ask him a question and he's in this clown around mood he just starts talking jibberish. Army Strong!

Sierra's Dream Comes True

Sierra is always telling us that she wants us to build a ranch so she can get a horse.

We found a teacher to give her riding lessons and Sierra is in heaven.

The horse that she rides is named Majik and Sierra calls him a "lovely horse".

Special Talents

Billy likes to line up all his cars and then count them,

"1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5, 3, 3, 3, 3"

"How many do you have?"

"All of them!"

Sophia's special talent is climbing up on everything. 

I found her chillin' drinking her cup.

Welcome to Ft. Rucker

Just a few things we see here everyday at Ft. Rucker.

1. The main gate where we have to stop and show ID every time we come in.

2. Just passed the main gate is this helicopter on a post. I think it's a Huey.

3. Ted E. Bear, who fashions the latest outerwear. Every so often he'll be wearing something new. This week was "Fire Prevention Week" so he's dressed like a fireman.

4. The speed limit sign. It doesn't seem natural to drive for so long only going 20mph. Jason is always reminding me to slow down. There are some places where it's 25 and 30 and 40mph. But from the gate to our house we mostly can only travel 25mph.

5. The radar! As you can see it's flashing police colors. If it clocks you going over 20mph these red and blue lights go off to let you know you are being unsafe.

These 5 things are in order as we see them driving to our home. So we pass them once or twice a day.

Dear Dad, while you were out...

Sophia turned 1! We had a little party for her at home. She enjoyed making a mess with her cake.

The Garden Grew

Dear Dad, while you were out...

your garden grew. One day this watermelon just appeared.

It was hiding outside of the garden fence under a tree.

It looked ripe so we picked it. The kids were amazed.

But it wasn't completely ripe.

The zucchini were bigger than the kids. I heard somewhere

those things grow like half an inch a day.

Good job on the garden dad!

Day 5

Dear Dad, while you were out...

Billy made a train track with the toy buckets.

Billy really, and honestly fell asleep on his bed like this.

The Swim Lessons

Dear dad, while you were out...

the girls swam and swam, and swam. We are amazed that Sydney even got into the water, and Sierra's feat was jumping into the pool.

You go girls!