Random Ramblings (The Week Before Christmas)

I have so much "real" stuff I need to blog about, but instead I am going to have a random rambling post because I can't focus on one thing/topic for more than a minute or two...

Before I forget, here is Buddy on Friday. We found him riding on a train, headed straight for the Polar Express movie. So guess what we did Friday night? Had a movie and popcorn/Shakes night! Woohoo! That Buddy has the greatest ideas.
Apparently the popcorn and shakes weren't enough for our elf friend. Saturday morning Buddy was discovered eating M and M's from the candy cup. I don't think Daddy was very pleased with that. He claims the peanut M and M's for himself and doesn't particularly care to share...
They say "Melts in your mouth, not on your hands". But I guess they said nothing about not melting ON your face...
This morning, We found Buddy in the living room. He was hanging out, playing with a Christmas Rubix cube.

Totally not Elf related, here is our little Fuzzy Face. Have I said lately how much I adore her???

We still have no ornaments on the tree. Well, a few that the kids have made. That is it. I am thinking maybe Wednesday when we will have more time to do it.

Nor have I sent a Christmas card out. I do have them (I think...). I just need to do the whole addressing, licking the envelope, stamp thing.

Just in case it sounds like I am totally not in the holiday spirit, I should add...

We are doing the Countdown to Christmas books. I did not wrap them all at the same time as I have done in years past. I am wrapping about 5 or so at a time. Then when we are about to run out, I wrap more. That has been okay with the kids and has worked for me.

I am also doing a "12 Days of Christmas" for my hubby. Each day I have a corny little poem or note to go with a little treat or a promise for a date later. Today's was a pack of gum with a note telling him I would "chews" him over and over again. Nothing big. Just fun. I put them in a different place each day.

I am not sure where the weekend went.

I was running some errands yesterday. On a whim, I stopped at a store to check on some things I was looking for. I hit the jackpot. I got four new custard cups for fairly cheap (which was a treat since some children in my house used my other custard cups for paints and they never have looked the same). And I found Black and White drizzled kettle corn. I had had it at a baby shower not long ago and had dreamed of it ever since. I bought some. I wish I had bought more. It is DELISH. Yum. Yum. Surely it is kind of good for me, right? Popcorn has fiber in it...

Did I mention that these are random ramblings?

We had a nice evening last night, hanging out with our friends J ad A for dinner. Good food, good company.

I better stop rambling. I will try to be serious soon. Maybe.

Reba

Elf Adventures

So much to share. We finished up programs tonight. We had a fun night creating a gingerbread house. And some thoughts on Santa and gifts. But none of that will happen tonight. I have been very busy with Christmas related tasks and still need to do a few more things...

So I am going to do an easy post. I will share a few Elf adventures around here...

One morning we found Buddy hanging out in the Christmas tree. The tree that STILL has no ornaments. Well, other than this one ornament Buddy hung up. Hmmm, looks a lot like a little elf I know.
The next day we found Buddy hanging out by the water/ice dispenser. Looks like he wrote out a little message for the children in the house.

The next day Buddy was spotted in the dining room, riding a Star Wars Starfighter. Looks like R2D2 and Darth Vader were checking him out.
One night Buddy decided to sign our daughter's agenda (for school). I wonder what the teacher thought about that?
This morning the kids found Buddy in the toyroom. He and Barbie were apparently taking a joy ride around the house. They need to be careful though. I didn't see a seatbelt on either one.
Buddy seems to be a bit infatuated here...
Hmmm, I can only guess what our next adventure will be!

More soon,
Reba

Feeling Festive...Finally!

I am a bit behind in posting some big events, but with good reason. Programs. We attended our third holiday program tonight (Child 2 has had two, Child 4 one), with one more to go this week (Child 1). I want to share a picture or two from each but will wait until the final chorus concert.

We are slowly getting into the festive spirit around here. I finally just stayed up one night and did a little decorating. The stockings are hung. The nativity sets are out. The garland adorns the fireplace. And I even have Christmas music playing from my i-pod these days. (Though our tree still does NOT have ornaments...)

It took me a while to get here.

I have mentioned before that it isn't that I am anti-Christmas. Quite the contrary. I am so very thankful for Christmas and what it means. I am just anti-early holiday. Seeing Christmas in October is just too much for me. I treasure Thanksgiving and what it means (giving thanks for all God has provided and even more for who He is). I don't want to rush the holidays. In fact, I want to savor them. Each and every moment.

And finally I am there.

Now the kids...well, they have been festive for some time. :) But they have patiently (most of the time) waited for me.

I think even the pup is feeling festive these days...
Well, kind of :)

I haven't given an elf update recently. I have a few more to share but they are on the camera and I don't feel like getting up to get it.

Here is Buddy on the day of Child 1's birthday. He must know what a Razorback fan our son is. Or maybe he is a fan himself. :)


Finally, as you may remember, about a month ago, we gave up eating out as a family. We talked alot about sacrifice with the kids. We told them we would take that money we normally eat out with (once a week, occasionally twice) to give to others. At first, the kids didn't feel the sacrifice. I will admit, Mark and I had a couple of "dates" that involved food but otherwise, we kept to our promise (about not eating out as a FAMILY). I think I felt the sacrifice first...I love pizza and missed it terribly. I made some at home but it isn't quite the same. About the third week, the kids were feeling it too.

One month later, we ended the sacrifice with...pizza of course. :)

We used some of the money for an offering at church for missions.

But we still had some left.

So tonight I talked to the kids about some possibilities for the money; they will each get a portion to share at the charity of their choice. I mentioned missionary friends, some charities in Guatemala, "angels" at the elementary school (to help with Christmas),
etc. They also brought up Circle of Life, a local hospice, that is near and dear to my heart. We will talk more tomorrow but for now, it looks like the boys are leaning toward some opportunities with charities in Guatemala. And the girls are leaning toward Circle of Life. Though we are eating out again, we are going to slow down on eating out (really, we don't do it THAT much) and continue to give monthly to a special cause.

Well, that is a quick wrap up. I better head to bed. More running to do tomorrow!

Have a good day!
Reba

Deck the Halls...

Slow Moving. That is what we are. Slow moving.

As of last night, our tree was up with lights on it. And a star.

That is it.

Maybe it will have ornaments this weekend.

Maybe not.

Because of course, we have lots of activities this weekend too.

Just lights is kind of pretty, isn't it?
On another note, I am even behind in blogging about Buddy. After Buddy's fun playing in the snow (or powdered sugar), I guess he felt it necessary to take a bath to clean up. I am also thankful he cleaned up that powdered sugar...it really was a mess. (Now if he could just teach my kids to do the same...)
Last night, apparently Buddy had a rough flight to or from the North Pole. We woke up to this...
His poor little foot.
Hopefully an elf's foot heals quickly!

On a somewhat funny note, our youngest child's teacher told me that he was a bit of a turkey today. She didn't have to tell me, I knew. He was like that when I saw him too. Anyway, she said they were walking to the gym. She had to keep stopping to tell him to follow the rules. As I said, he was being a turkey. She finally stopped to tell him he would need a time out in the gym once they got there. She then told me the next thing she heard was his little voice, "I am going to tell Buddy the Elf that Ms. L doesn't get any presents this year."

Do you see what I am dealing with?

She said he did apologize later for saying that, but inside she was laughing.

I am glad she was laughing.

I don't think Santa will be once he hears about little turkey's day...

More soon (really),
Reba

Angels We Have Heard On High

Another evening of holiday activity.

And another tired Reba who doesn't have a real blog post in her.

Just an elf post.

Because they are short.

Of course, just typing this, I keep falling asleep.

So I better be short and sweet. And promise yet again to be more informative tomorrow. (I think NO activities tomorrow after school other than one "ball" practice...)

So we got up this morning and a certain elf had made snow angels (or maybe "elf" angels) in a white substance on the counter. (After further investigation, it was determined that the white substance was actually powdered sugar.)

We have a very messy elf on our hands.

And a messy counter.

Maybe he misses the North Pole?




More soon,
Reba

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree...

How bare were your branches...

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree, now covered with...

toilet paper?

Oh, that silly elf.

When we got up this morning, a certain elf (who will remain nameless) had decorated our bare tree with toilet paper. Yes, toilet paper. And though it is tempting to blame one of the kids for this one, to make matters worse, we found that certain elf still hanging out IN the tree, empty toilet paper in hand.

Caught red-handed.

Or is it white?

Anyway, I should give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was trying to help out our pitiful attempts at decorating this year. Maybe the white reminded him of the snow at the North Pole. Or maybe we just have a mischievous elf which fits in well in this household.
Either way, I have to say, it keeps life interesting around here!

Reba
PS I do have more things to share if we will ever have a free night of NO Christmas programs. :)

Buddy the Baker

So much to share but it won't be tonight. I am still trying to recover from all I did yesterday. And all I still have to do.

But I wanted to share our Buddy (the Elf) adventure for today.

So this morning was Mark's morning to get up with Marley. Except for that whole twisted ankle thing. So I got up. It was a tad bit chilly out there. I hung out in the toy room waiting for her to take care of her business outside then come in to eat her breakfast.

A bit later, it was time for the kids to get up. Mark started getting breakfast ready for the kids, when one of them yelled out that Buddy was in the dining room.

Sweet!

Buddy had prepared breakfast.

Mark and I were off duty for the morning.

Woohoo!

Gotta love an elf that bakes!

More soon,
Reba