Dual DS's

Last October, we had our first round of parent-teacher conferences, at which time, we were informed by Isaac's teacher that he was doing great academically, but that he was really struggling socially. He was having outbursts, like snapping crayons and smashing others' projects. He was also not playing with others, generally speaking, and had pretty much made zero friends at his new school. I spoke at length with the teacher, both then and in subsequent conversations. We tried to find things that we could work on together to help Isaac make progress in the areas where he was struggling.

One of the things we did at home - well, pretty much, Lucas did (and I totally agreed with, but it was just really an Isaac and Daddy thing) - was to give Isaac some pretty big incentive. For those of you who know Isaac at all, you know that he is completely and totally motivated by electronics... wii, PlayStation, computer, and DS. One thing he has been wanting for quite some time is his own DS. So Lucas sat down and talked with him about his behavior. He told him that if he would work really hard through school, change his attitude, stop acting out at others, make a true effort at making friends, etc consistently for the next few months in school, then he would take him to get his very own DS.


Well... last week we had our second and final parent-teacher conferences of the school year. Again, Isaac was doing very well academically. Reading at a high second-grade / low third-grade level, doing great in math and science, and writing very well. All great! But the best part was that his behavior section had all positives! No outbursts. No tantrums. No attitude. And he has been really opening up and making friends, interacting with others, and so on. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was, and I could just see Isaac's face light up as we were talking about it at the conference.

That night, after conferences, we went home and he got to talk to his daddy on the phone. And FINALLY, after six long months of hard work and consistent effort, Isaac earned his DS! So yesterday, amid other things (like a trip to the movie theater to watch Alice in Wonderland in IMAX 3D.... sweet), we took a trip to Wal-Mart, where Isaac got to pick out his DS. He chose a red one. He was sooooo very excited! And he should be! He definitely worked hard for that sucker! The first thing they did when they got home (after the movie) was find a game that they could play battle-style with their 2 DS's.

Today

On the list for today: Shampoo all of the carpets and scrub the hard floors. Anything beyond that is bonus! I figured, it's supposed to be a gorgeous day - the last one for a few days, according to the weather experts - so I'll send the kids outside to play, open up the house and get to work! That's the plan in a nutshell. Off to get started so I can get done. Later!

Make a Wish

Wow, things have been non-stop around here this week! I am definitely feeling it with Lucas being out of town during the week! He gets home this afternoon... can't wait to see him!

In the midst of all the activity, I did manage to get ONE layout done this week... I guess one is better than none, right? And I am REALLY liking the way it turned out, which is always a bonus!

Here's the kit I used... Make a Wish... a collaboration by Sahlin Studio and Spotted Dog Design.

I pulled out some un-scrapped pictures from Sebastian's birthday party last year. I usually really struggle to scrap birthdays... and pretty much every major holiday. But this one came together REALLY easily. I am seriously liking this kit, and will most likely be using it for a few more un-scrapped birthday pictures. Maybe I can just get them all done (just in time for more pictures this year, right?)

Journaling: This year you wanted a monkey birthday. And of course, Grandma H. came through with amazing results. She made you your own big monkey cupcake, & smaller cupcakes for the guests. You couldn't have been happier! And yes, you just had to be a monkey!

(Click here to view full credits.)

So Close

Well, after a long, hard weekend of packing, stacking, and rearranging, we are SO CLOSE to being able to get our house on the market! We have every bedroom, closet, the living room, the kitchen, and the basement all arranged and in order. I have only to do a bit of cleaning - appliances, the kids' bathroom, the carpets - and we should be completely set! I can't tell you how good it feels to have things in order. I just can't understand why I waited five years to get our house put together like this. ??? Oh well... gives me some ideas for how to do things differently in the next house.

Our living room...

Why am I showing you my bathroom? Because I LOVE it! LOVE, I tell you! I bought a shelf and a new shower curtain, added a few candles that I had stashed around... LOVE it.

Sebastian's Birthday Song for Me

I know my birthday has come and gone, but I just have to document this so I don't forget it. Sebastian rearranged the words to the 'Happy Birthday' song for me.

Happy Birthday to you.
You are 32.
You are the best mom.
And I love you.

Dining In

Last night for dinner we had some chicken & veggie stew that I had made a few weeks ago and froze. It heated up nicely in the crock pot and made for a quick & easy meal after gymnastics and before small group (about a 20-minute window to eat and clean up).

Tonight's dinner was homemade pizzas on whole wheat thin crust. One was ham, pepperoni, green peppers, black olives, and pineapple (that is my favorite pizza concoction!), and the other was plain ol' pepperoni, green peppers and 1/2 black olives. We had a friend over for dinner, so it was a nice, laid-back dinner for hanging out and chatting. Plus, easy clean-up before church.

Spring Fever!

The sun is shining! The snow is melting!! The air is warming up!!! I am definitely in the mood for spring! And it was so refreshing to see a few new spring-themed kits hitting the digi stores! I did a few layouts with the new Build-Your-Own-Collab kit (BYOC) at the Lilypad... LOVE the spring colors!

All of these pictures are from Easter 2009.

Bunny Ears: While I was trying to get NICE pictures of the three kids on Easter morning, a bunny ears battle broke out! They were seriously cracking up! It was the funniest thing ever... so much for 'good' pictures... these were even better!

(Click here to view full credits.)

Egg Hunt Layouts: So I managed to get a layout done for Isaac and for Meagan. I have every intention of doing one of Sebastian as well. I just have been rather short on scrapping time lately! I'll get to it! Will probably come right back to this kit for it... LOVE it!

(Click here to view full credits.)

(Click here to view full credits.)


I am SO ready to bust the windows wide open and send the kids outside to play (minus snow boots!). Spring fever has definitely set in!!

Have I Ever Mentioned...

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE my husband?! Seriously. For starters, remember that we're in the midst of house prep/messiness... and the basement has caught the major bulk of it, since it is, in fact, a basement. Also know that the basement is the place where all the kids go during small group (which will be held at our house tomorrow, like every Tuesday night). Well, tonight at dinner, he mentioned something about having to do something with the mess in the basement before tomorrow. My heart sank. I had totally forgotten, and I had already made plans to go to the grocery tonight (as this was the only night of the week I would be able to pull it off kid-free...bonus). Oh well, not the first time I've had to rearrange plans... no big deal. Then after we finished eating, he took my hand and drug me downstairs to the basement...

NO MESS! While Meagan, Isaac and I were at gymnastics tonight, Sebastian and Lucas completely cleaned and organized (as much as possible for the moment, anyhow) the entire basement... even swept the floor with a shop vac. LOVE. I can't tell you how happy I was!!

LOVE. That's all I can say about that! :)

In Disarray

Well, we've wiped down most of the walls that really needed it; we've taken down pictures; we've patched and sanded the walls... just waiting to go get the paint on Friday so we can do some touching up.

As of right now, our house is in total disarray. There are piles of picture frames that have been taken down but not yet packed away. There is furniture that has been pulled away from the walls and is currently sitting at random in the middle of the room. There is laundry overflowing in the boys' hamper, and clean laundry overflowing on the ground. There are boxes and bags and piles in virtually every room.

And we have people coming over for small group tonight. Hmmm... could be interesting.

I'm just taking a quick break from all of the vacuuming and wiping and organizing and throwing away. But I'm about to get back to it. Hopefully I can at least find the living room and kitchen before this evening. Not sure where to put everything. Until I get some packing boxes, it may all end up piled high in our bedroom. Oh well. Temporary, right? That's what I keep telling myself so I don't go crazy (I may not like cleaning, but I can't stand a cluttery house!).

Pray for us that we get through this with our sanity and peace still in check. Maybe if I get a chance later (on my next break, perhaps), I'll try to post some "really messy house" pictures (LOL) so that you all can laugh at us a bit and get a feel for the chaos we are currently living in!

One step at a time. Keep moving forward. :)

Dining In

We've had quite a few surprises with our dining-in efforts. Yes, there have been the expected responses of whining and/or complaining about vegetables or chicken or whatever. But there have been a few meals where I was totally expecting complaints and resistance, and instead, got compliments and requests for seconds.

For instance, I made a vegetable venison stew... was TOTALLY expecting that one to crash and burn. Instead, both of the boys really liked it, and have even requested to have it again since then. ??? The other one that was a surprise was meatloaf. I made little mini meatloaves in muffin pans. I was really not expecting a good response to that either, but Sebastian said, "Mom I just love it when you make this kind of stuff that tastes like meatballs" and Isaac ate seconds.

The last one that surprised me was chicken alfredo & veggies pasta. Although Meagan (and Lucas... he is NOT a fan of chicken) both kind of wrinkled their noses at it, the boys ate it up. Isaac (again) ate seconds. Sebastian's comment was, "Meagan, stop crying and just TRY it. It might not look like it tastes good, but it actually really does." LOL! Nice.

I still get frustrated because it seems like no matter what I make, inevitably someone doesn't like it. I'm not sure what there is to make that everyone will like, other than maybe spaghetti or lasagna... but you can really only eat that so many times in a month, can't you? Like Lucas said, though, there are five people in our family; it's going to be hard to please everyone. I figure if I'm doing the cooking, I can at least be sure that I will like it! If someone else wants to take over cooking duties, then THEY can decide what we're having. :)

Change and Rearrange

A bit of an update for you... we are for sure relocating! We still don't know all the specifics, so I wont' share all that for now, but we at least have some forward progress! Since we've found out, we've started working hard to get stuff in order around the house... time to start thinking about putting the house on the market! Eeek!

I've started working on clearing out clutter and rearranging a few things here & there. So far, we've de-cluttered the living room quite a bit, organized the closet by the front door, and rearranged Meagan's room so that it looks more open. Today we spent most of the afternoon wiping down and patching walls. Still lots to do, but we're making progress!

Jelly Belly's

This was one of the many things we did today... we made a stop at CVS for a few "other" things, but we ended up walking out with a bag of Jelly Belly's. I'm not usually one for sweet sugary candy (I'm more of a chocolate girl myself), but I am always up for a bag of Jelly Belly's! There's just something so FUN about matching the jelly beans to the pictures on the back of the bag to see if you can guess the right flavor! I always tell myself "Just one," but I get sucked in and can't stop! So today I exposed Meagan to the joy of Jelly Belly's. She apparently has the same addiction as I do! We put away half the bag in one sitting! It was sooo much fun!

Road Trip

A quick layout I did of some 'mustang' pictures from last summer. We spent HOURS last summer down at the end of our street while the kids drove around and around and around the circle. They would stop and park, get out and 'go to the grocery' or 'go hunting' or 'go to work'... all kinds of grown up things. I couldn't help but think as I was putting this layout together that we may have very likely had our last drive around the circle. Isn't it funny how something seems so ordinary and commonplace while you're doing it. It's so easy to not even consider that it may be the last time you ever do that very thing. I guess there is always a last of everything. Just a teeny little reminder to appreciate every experience while I have it to appreciate.

I used a new kit by Sahlin Studio and Britt-ish designs... It's a gigantic kit and mini-kit combo that's way to big to even try to describe here. Here's a link to Krista Sahlin's blog to check it out.

(Click here to view full credits)

Pixos

Another layout to share with you. This one I threw together quickly the other night... quick scrapping is a HUGE plus when free time is scarce, as it seems to be lately. I used this new set of templates by Sahlin Studio to get the job done fast!

I never used to like templates, but they are definitely growing on me! I'm seeing their value more & more. I was always set against them because I thought a layout made with a template couldn't be "original," but I've come to believe that sometimes having an "original" page just won't really matter 30 years from now. What will matter most then will be simply that the memory was recorded and I can look back and recall the details... template or not! Besides all that, a good template is versatile enough to be used several ways and still be fresh.

Here's what I did with this template pack this time around... I'll most definitely be using these templates again in the near future!

Journaling: I have such mixed emotions about pixos... the tiny little beads that go everywhere when they fall... the giant box of supplies to be stored in the kitchen cabinet... the drying time. Yet I can't help but like a toy that brings out so much creativity in each of you. No matter what my opinion may be, you LOVE them!

(Click here to view full credits.)

Dear O-I

Journaling: Dear O-I, I am writing this letter to thank you. Now, I know that might sound odd to you. You are, after all, an inanimate object - a building, a factory, a company. You have no feelings or emotions. Yet you have taught me, or rather, you have reminded me of some things I had lost sight of... you've reminded me of the many blessings in our lives. You've reminded me that family is the greatest treasure we have in this life. And most importantly, you have shown me yet again that, no matter what circumstances may be, we are held by God, and He alone is our Provider. For these reminders I thank you.

I used a gorgeous new kit, Tranquil, by Leora Sanford and One Little Bird Designs. You can follow the link to check it out.

(Click here to view full credits.)

Clean Room Awards

A few weeks ago, we implemented a pretty basic new awards system in our house. I was SO tired of having to clean up EVERY room in the house. Our kitchen, living room, basement, and all the bedrooms (and even the bathrooms) were littered with kid STUFF on a daily basis. That, together with the fact that we had sort of been floundering to define and stick to a clear-cut list of responsibilities for the kids, led to this simple little chart - the Clean Room Award chart.

At the beginning of each week, I print one for each of the kids and stick it to their bedroom doors. At the end of each day, we go through the house and examine the rooms. If the room is clear of their things, they get credit for that room for that day. At the end of the week, if they have at least 30 stickers, then they get $2.50 for the week. They get paid in quarters - 10% ($.25) goes into a savings jar, 10% goes into a giving jar and the remaining 80% ($2.00) goes into their ATM machines to use for spending money, or whatever they want to do with it.

I have to say that so far I have actually been pretty surprised at how effective this simple little concept has been. The amount of cleaning that I have had to do on behalf of my children has significantly decreased in the past 3 weeks. Plus, the upside is that they are learning to tithe & to save.

(Credits: I used "Make Chores Fun" by Kate Hadfield & Jacque Larsen to make this chart.)

On a Loop

Lately our kids have been watching movies on a loop. It seems that they will latch onto a movie and stick with it for several weeks, during which time they just watch the SAME movie.... over and over and over..... and over and over.....

Over the past month or so, we've seen a loop of The Lion King, Milo and Otis, and most recently The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (which, by the way, we watched for our family movie night tonight... actually cuter than I was expecting).

Productivity

Well, it ended up being a rather productive day yesterday. Once I got started, I was on a roll! Meagan and I worked together to get some stuff organized and cleaned up. We organized the living room and cleared out the movies and clutter. We even wiped down the walls and moved some furniture around a bit.

Today was more of the same. We concentrated most of our efforts in Meg's room today. We got it cleaned, first & foremost (because it was a disaster area!), and then rearranged the furniture and wiped the walls down. The shelves in her closet are tidy even again, which they have not been since the explosion of Christmas gifts. She was SUPER excited about having her room "be different" and was really looking forward to sleeping in her bed since it's now on a different wall. I love that too, so I know what she means... after I rearrange a room, I like to just sit in it and take in the freshness of it! Funny the things that bring a sense of satisfaction! :)

We still have a LONG way to go... I haven't even touched the kitchen walls, or the walls in either staircase, or the upstairs hallway, or the boys room.... you get the point. There's lots to wipe down and patch. There's lots to get straightened up and organized. I already have about 8 bags full of kids' clothes and toys ready to go to the local pregnancy center (and a car seat, now that Meagan has outgrown it). And I still have a few closets and a basement full of stuff to go through. Aaahh, the joys of preparing to move! In the five years that we've lived here, our house has NEVER been as organized as it is right now... Why did I wait five years to start doing this? Wouldn't it have made a lot more sense to actually LIVE organized? Just a thought... oh well... maybe next time! :)

Like I said before, I'll keep you posted. Until then, we'll just keep plugging along, preparing as though we are moving. If, for some reason, we don't end up moving, I guess we'll just have a very clean and organized house.

Checking in...

I am having one of those days where I feel torn... I KNOW there is lots to do, but so far I haven't done much. Meagan and I have payed Tinkerbell on her Leapster, built a puzzle, and watched a movie. I have finished a layout (I'll post that later), posted it in online galleries, and browsed forums. Now I REALLY need to get started on something productive. There's so much to choose from to do! I think Meagan and I will set a few goals for the day and see how far we get... she is actually VERY excited about the prospect of helping me wash walls (funny what is exciting when you're 4... housework seems magical... I could use a little bit of that magic!).

Wish me luck! I'll check back in later.

Ouch, That Stings

Do you remember this.... when Isaac got stung and his poor little face swelled up like a balloon? Poor baby! I've never done anything with these pictures as far as scrapping goes, though, because they aren't exactly easy to scrap, and it's not often that a kit comes along to help out with those tough scrap subjects... seriously, some pictures just don't look so cute on a page, no matter WHAT you do with them! LOL!

However, I got lucky! Kaye Winiecki released a Bumps and Blah's kit that was perfect colors and perfect little elements to actually do something with these pictures (at least one of them). No matter how pitiful he looked, the story is still worth documenting.

A preview of the kit:

And here's what I did with it:


Journaling: Isaac's poor little face swelled up so badly when he got stung by a bee. 08/08

(Click here to view full credits.)

Cutting out the Middle Man

Yesterday I did something I didn't actually expect myself to do... it just sort of happened before I even thought about it. Yesterday, I broke away from tradition; I skipped the rituals; I cut out the middle man...

What do I mean? Well, yesterday Sebastian lost another tooth. He had lost it at school some time during the day. He was careful to keep it in a little envelope to bring it safely home, because we all know that a lost tooth is good for a dollar in the piggy bank! When we got home, he announced to me that he had lost his tooth, and he pulled it out of storage to show me.

"That's great!" I said to him, knowing that he was excited about it (he had been predicting the loss of this tooth for a few weeks now, so all of his waiting had finally been rewarded). Then... this is the part that I wasn't expecting... the part that I didn't think about before I said it... it just sort of came out... "I'll give you a dollar right now if you'll just throw it away."

He looked at me, a bit surprised at first, but then said, "Okay!" Apparently he wasn't too concerned with HOW he got his $1, just that he got it! LOL! So I took the tooth, tossed it in the garbage, and handed him a dollar worth of dimes (which, of course, he split up into saving, giving and spending).

There now. That was the EASIEST way to get rid of a tooth I've ever encountered. I'll have to keep that in mind, seeing as I have 3 mouths full of future lost teeth. I may not forgo the Tooth Fairy all together, but maybe I'll at least give them the option - the quick way or the Tooth Fairy way... maybe I'll get lucky! :)

Sunny Saturday

I am loving the way this day is going so far! I got a good night of sleep; woke up at 7:30 (on my own, not with the help of kids!); made some tea; read my Bible; browsed online; and am now getting ready to make a breakfast pizza!

I am hoping this day will continue to be productive. There's lots to do around the house. Besides the normal stuff - laundry, bathrooms, blah blah blah - there's also other stuff like get ready for the Super Bowl party tomorrow, clean out closets, maybe do taxes. So many options! But if I'm going to get any of them accomplished, I'm going to have to stay away from my computer! Wish me luck!

New Friday Goodies

I have a few new layouts to share with you, as there are lots of new releases coming out today. The first layout, I did with The Lilypad's new Feb BYOC (build-your-own-collab). LOVE the colors... brown & teal get me every time really! Here's the layout I did with it... Sebastian and his tootsie rolls from Grandma & Grandpa H. (an early Christmas present I think).

(Click here to view full credits.)

Another new release.... Wild at Heart by As You Wish Designs. This layout is of Meagan and her friend, just being silly, giggly girls.

Journaling: I love a house full of little girl laughter, giggles and smiles. I love an afternoon full of princess costumes and high-heeled shoes of the plastic, bejewelled variety. I love that friendship can be so genuine and true at any age, and that the 2 of you have been given this precious time of your lives to not only get to know each other a little more, but to teach each other a little bit about life, love, and friendship. The joy that comes from being with a friend is one of the greatest blessings we can ever know in life. Enjoy this time. Enjoy each other.

(Click here to view full credits.)

It's all a little fuzzy....

The other day, as I took my glasses off and laid them on the counter to put my contacts in, Meagan snatched up my glasses and shoved them on her face. She stood for a minute trying to get acclimated, but apparently she just couldn't adjust. She looked at me and said, "Momma, I don't know why you even bother to wear these things. They just make everything look all fuzzy."

She just makes me smile!

New Life

Ready for a flashback to 2001? I just felt like digging through my photo stash (all 33.5 GB... yes, really) for something I hadn't seen for a while. I found this - one of my favorite pictures of Sebastian the day he was born. What an itty bitty peanut all swaddled and snuggled in. Oh I just want to reach into that picture and squish him with a great big snuggly squeeze. He was such a tiny little snuggly bug... and now he is a gigantic, almost-as-tall-as-me crazy boy who rarely sits still long enough to snuggle.

Aah, well. This is what time does to us I suppose. And I do LOVE the little boy he is today. But it is wonderful to be able to look back and remember those precious, brand-new-life moments - way before we had any clue what we were doing as parents - back when we had not the first clue what we were in for or how life was about to change! So his new life brought us a new life as well.

(Click here to view full credits.)

Sweet Tea

I swear some days I just sit back and think, I am one of the luckiest girls ever! I am just constantly blown away by all the gorgeousness I get to play with for fun! It is one of the best things ever! The other night I made a layout using Leora's new kit with Paislee Press, Sweet & Tart. Here's the preview (with links... because it's on sale today, so I thought I'd share it with you!).

I took these pictures Friday during the day. Meagan decided it was her stuffed animal's birthday. So she gathered up some of her favorites (at least for the moment) and set up, what else, a tea party for them. She used her play food for the food, and apple juice for the tea (which she only poured in her own cup... I just didn't think juice and stuffed animals would mix well). She even 'wrapped' gifts for Moley (the birthday mole.... I always thought it was a bear, but she has insisted it is a mole, and I figure it's not worth the argument). Anyway, she spent a good hour or more playing tea party birthday party. At the end of it all, Moley had turned three!

Journaling: Today's events included a birthday party for Moley, who was turning three. What better way to celebrate than with a tea party? On the guest list - Floppers and Husky and Purple Bear (and you, of course). You were a wonderful tea party hostess. It is such a privilege to be a part of these moments.

'09 Valentine

With all the new Valentine-themed kits coming out in the last week or so, I've been itching to actually DO something with the pictures I took at last year's Valentine's Day parties at school. Clearly, this is Meagan's party... I swear every school party feels exactly like the last... but I still love to be there! She is growing up so fast!

I definitely stepped outside of my norm on this layout. Sometimes it's just fun to try something new! Even better when that effort is rewarded in some way... this layout was featured on the Gallery Standouts Blog today! I really did enjoy making this, and will probably do something like it again soon.

Journaling: "Celebrating Valentine's Day at preschool... Friday morning, Meg's class had a party to celebrate the holiday of LOVE. A classroom full of 3 and 4-year-olds running crazy with the anticipation of candy and cookies with sprinkles! They played games. They iced cookies and decorated them with red candy sprinkles and red hots. There was even a game where they had to blow through a straw to melt a heart shaped ice cube to get a colorful heart ring out of it. Although sometimes it can feel like every school party is the same, I still love to go and be a part of it with them. I know that these chances are few, and if I don't take every single opportunity, I will look back with regrets when they are grown and gone. These moments are precious, and so worth the time out of my grown-up day to go and party at the preschool! 2009"

(Click here to view full credits.)

The List Grows On

A while ago, Meagan started a list of things she wants to be when she grows up. For quite some time now, the list has consisted of:

1. A zookeeper
2. An electrician (yes, really.)

Recently, though, her aspirations for the future have expanded some to also include the following:

1. A cooker (I believe she means chef)
2. A queen.

As for the boys, Sebastian has his heart set on the arts. He plans on being an author and illustrator. Isaac has determined that he will be a builder... he just hasn't decided which TYPE of builder. He could either be the guy who designs the buildings or the guy who hits the nails. "Mom, do you have to go to college to be a builder?" he asked me the other day. "If you want to be the one who designs the buildings you do." After a long, thoughtful pause, he said, "Well, I might do that someday, but I think I might be the guy who hits the nails first." I love watching the way his mind works - very entertaining, and good for a chuckle.

It's a Date!

Since we've been making an effort (albeit somewhat unsuccessful lately... breaking bad habits is a slow process I am finding...) to eat less fast food, we have decided to start picking one day a month to plan a special dinner date out. Ours for this month was last night. We went to Steak n' Shake for burgers (or hot dogs, as the kids would have it) and shakes. Nothing fancy, for sure, but definitely an enjoyable dinner date. Plus, since we spent $30, we scored 2 cool glass Coca-Cola drinking glasses. I like.

I'm hoping that as we continue moving further and further away from the crutch of fast food on a much-too-regular basis, these dinner dates will develop more and more into something we all can REALLY look forward to and not take for granted. It's great to have those kinds of things in your life.

A Change is Gonna Come

What an interesting week we have had. It's easy to forget how quickly one phone call - one bit of news - can redirect the course of life as we know it. As of late, I had lost sight of that a bit. This week, life abruptly reminded me.

Wednesday was really going on as quite a normal, nothing extraordinary, kind of day. Until about 3:45 when I got the first hint of something not-so-normal. I got a text from Lucas that stated 'the big wigs are here,' meaning there were people from corporate visiting the plant where he works. Then, 'we have a 4:00 meeting. I won't be home for a while.' At about 6:00, I got a phone call at home from him saying they had just been informed that the company had decided to close the plant - this plant - the one where my husband works, effective May 1st.

So, fast forward through all of the details..... we are not sure at this moment what that means, other than we will very likely be moving sometime after May 1 (which is the last day of production here at this facility). We don't know where. We don't know when. We don't know much really. Just that change is coming, that God is a good God, and that we are relying on Him and trusting Him to make a way for us. We both feel confident that something good will come out of this, and that we, in the grand scheme of things, will be just fine. So please be praying for us if you are the praying kind... we would appreciate all the prayer possible. I'll keep you all posted as we find out anything new.

Life is an adventure and a story waiting to be written. Although this chapter in our lives seems to be coming to a close, we still have much to experience, and the rest of the story to write. It is an awesome thing to know that the Creator of the Universe holds us in His hands, and that He is guiding every step of our way. So we move forward, not knowing what lies ahead, but knowing with the fullest faith that we can trust Him with it all.

First Kiss Collab

Two of my FAVORITE designers have teamed up this week to bring us one of the most fun collaborative kits I've seen in a while - First Kiss. First, here's a preview of the kit, with links if you're interested...

And here's what I did with it...

This picture of Meagan is from 2007... doesn't she look so little?! Ugh, time flies! Journaling says, 'Who could resist those big blue eyes and that sweet smile? You are so lovable!'

Precious

While waiting for my picture files to transfer to my new external hard drive, I got a chance to play. This is a hodge-podge of stuff from different kits, different designers, just thrown together for fun. I used Simple Solutions Templates by Leora Sanford for the base and then just starting building around it. You know me - I just can't leave things clean & simple.

Anyway, I took this picture of Meagan last week when she was sick. She was crashed out on the couch, snuggling her puppy and fluffy lamb (who didn't make the cut in the picture, I'm afraid, LOL). She just looked so peaceful, I couldn't resist the picture.



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1 TB

Just a dumb little thing, but a little thing that makes me happy. I have been wanting to get an external hard drive for a while now. Just to store all of my digital stuff all in one place, so I can get it all tagged and labeled & organized for easier use. Today I got one. One terabyte. Yea! Now I have plenty of room to store my digital supplies and my pictures and back up my layouts.

1/2 Day

Yesterday was a 1/2 day of school. The boys got home around 12:30, so we had a special day together. For lunch we hit up the Pizza Hut buffet and ordered a plate of chocolate bread sticks for desert... YUM!

In the afternoon we worked together to get kids' bedrooms cleaned up and organized (why is this always an ongoing project?). It may not have been a special treat for the special afternoon off of school, but it needed to be done. At least we were in it together I guess!

Then after a quick dinner (dinner IN, I might add), we headed to the Aquatic Center for family swim night. It only cost $1/person to swim, and they played Ice Age up on the big wall of the family pool area. We staid until about 7:15 - just over an hour. By then, we were cold (the water in the big pool, where we spent most of our time, was a little less-than-ideal-temp) and getting tired. So we headed home, got snuggled up in pj's and the kids tucked in for some bedtime movies.

Silly Boys

I FINALLY got my laptop table I've been waiting for! I had asked for one for Christmas, and Lucas got one for me. However, the one he got me had feet that wouldn't fit under the chairs and couches, so we returned it and kept looking. There was one at Wal-Mart I had seen that would work just right, but every time we went to the store, it was out of stock. I mean, I had honestly taken to semi-stalking Wal-Mart. LOL! Finally, after much waiting, and stalking, my persistence was rewarded! They got one in and called me the day it came! I went to Wally World right after work and got my table. Of course, it was then necessary that I try it out that night. So I plopped my back-side on the couch, busted out my new table, and spent the evening making a layout.


Here's my first layout ever created on my new laptop table (LOL).


These pictures are from our family silly string fight back in September.

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Est. Dates

One more new thing to share with you today. These Est. Dates by Sahlin Studio are the kind of thing I will use over and over again. Love the style, and the extra brushes that come with it are way too cool to add a little extra to a layout. Here's the preview:



And here's just one of the layouts I've made with these since I got them:

Journaling: Like every June, this one was full of activity! The boys had their last day of school, followed by an afternoon at the park with friends (complete with a water balloon fight). Sebastian celebrated his 8th birthday with a pool party at Grandma & Grandpa H's. And there was plenty of t-ball and baseball to go around. We even got to take a trip with Grandma B. to Ottawa Park and play in the lake there. June is always full of fun!

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I *Heart* Books

Kaye Winiecki has a new mini kit out today that I LOVE! She is the guest designer at Scrap Matters this month, so it's available at Scrap Matters until the end of the month.

Here's the layout I did with this kit. The picture may look familiar (from my previous post). Isaac and his book!


Journaling: Isaac is a wonderful reader! He is reading at a high 2nd grade level in 1st grade. For his Christmas book exchange at school, he got a book of Curious George stories. He has read it over and over again since then, and is so proud of himself because it has over 100 pages. What a smarty pants!

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Week 1

As with last year, I started out this year with the idea of documenting the entire year with photos. The idea - one photo a day to capture every-day life. The reality - sometimes I forget. Life goes by so quickly sometimes, and I just simply forget to grab the camera, or to stop and take a moment to snap a photo.

Although I have not gotten a photo EVERY day, I still plan to do my best to document each week of this year through a combination of photography and blogging. This should make it much easier to pull together a complete album at the end of the year, having the photos and the stories already captured.

So here is the start of it all.

Week 1: Jan 1 - Jan 7, 2010

Grandma H. cut Meagan's hair. Meagan was not pleased with the whole process. Too much sitting still.

Isaac used the money he had been saving to buy this dragon mountain, among other things. It was, much to my surprise, quite a hit.

She is forever in a costume. Some days, she is in every costume she has at one point or another.

Isaac got a book for his school Christmas book exchange that is a collection of Curious George stories. He is turning into quite the reader.

Meagan had a friend over to play for the afternoon.

Our weekly routine - picking the boys up early so that we can get to gymnastics on time. Our first week of January was full of a steady supply of snow.

Credits: Photo editing utilized Leora Sanford's Photo Overlays: Celebrating Color

A Fun Little Photo Treatment

I have to show you my new-found addiction! Leora Sanford came out with these photo overlays a few weeks ago, and I am HOOKED! It's the easiest thing in the world to do, and it's so much fun to play around. You can get so many different looks just by overlapping colors and playing with blending modes and opacity. Here's an example of a picture I edited using these overlays.

Before:

After:

I swear I didn't do anything else to this photo besides apply a couple of overlays and mess around with the blending. I LOVE them! Definitely using these on just about every photo I use from now on!

I Love Your Style

I can't remember if I ever told you... we FINALLY got around to taking Isaac to his birthday movie. Over Christmas break, we all went to see Alvin & the Chipmunks. The kids LOVED it, and are STILL singing the songs and quoting the lines! Anyway, I took this picture just as we were walking out the door - Meagan and her funky style. She had on her little plaid peasant dress with hot pink leggings and hot pink socks and hot pink boots. LOL. Gotta love that girl!

Journaling: Stay true to yourself You are so special & have so much in store!

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Celebrate

I know I never really got around to posting any pictures of Isaac's birthday. Hopefully this will make up for that in some very small way. I put this layout together to showcase some of the birthday activity.

Journaling: A birthday celebration full of color and fun. Snowman cupcakes, candles and balloons. Family and friends. Not to mention birthday gifts. It was wonderful to see your face light up with joy and excitement. You were happy the whole day through. A day to celebrate YOU.

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2 Less Teeth 2 Brush

Journaling: Just before school started, you lost your 2 front teeth. I thought it might make you hesitant to smile, but I couldn't have been more wrong. As far as you were concerned, it was just 2 less teeth to brush. Sept. 2009

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they all fall down

It happened. It got us. All of us. We all fell victim to the flu garbage that Meagan had early last week. Our week went something like this...

Sunday: Around 11:00 at night, Meagan started getting sick. She was up ALL NIGHT on the hour. No fun.

Monday: Meagan was home from preschool, therefore I was home from work.

Tuesday: I don't work on Tuesday's so I already had the day free to stay home with Meagan and give her some extra recovery time. Although she had slept through the night, Tuesday morning, she started in again. Tuesday afternoon, the school called and said Isaac had gotten sick on the way to gym class. About an hour later, Lucas walked in the door, home from work early. It had gotten him too. Thankfully, we had cancelled small group. Later that night, it hit me as well.

Wednesday: Meagan and Isaac were home from school. Lucas and I were home from work. We sent Sebastian to school. We all laid in bed all day long. By the end of the day, the kids were starting to show signs of feeling better, although they still hadn't eaten any solid foods. Still, though, I was feeling hopeful for being able to send them to school on Thursday. Until... just before bedtime, Sebastian started in. (Are you freakin' kidding me!! Aaaah!)

Thursday: Well, once more, I knew I was going to be missing work (my third and final work day of the week, now gone). Still, I was planning on sending Isaac to school and Meagan to preschool, giving Sebastian quiet resting time, and hopefully giving me a bit of a chance to get some work done. However, after breakfast, just before the bus came, both Isaac and Meagan got sick yet again. Oh for the love! So, the coats came off, and they all grabbed a couch or chair to plop down and rest. So much for a quiet, peaceful house.

Friday: Finally, both boys returned to school. Meagan was doing much better. I was starting to turn around, and Lucas was back to work for the 2nd day. Still buried in laundry and carpets to scrub clean, but heading in the right direction at least.

Look at the Bright Side

Well, it has been a not-so-great day around here. Last night, around 11:00, Lucas and I were laying in bed watching an episode of Heroes (my Christmas gift!!), when we heard the dreaded sound of vomiting coming from the other room. We both went to see who was the culprit, and found Meagan, still in her bed, getting sick everywhere. Uggh. Lucas scooped her up and took her into the bathroom, while I started stripping the bed, washing the laundry and scrubbing the carpet. We made a bed for her in our room, and attempted to lay back down. However, she was up about every 15 minutes getting sick all over again. It was a long night.

Today has been much more of the same, although it has slowed to about every 45 minutes I would say. She did manage to finally fall asleep around 1:00, and has only woken up a few times to run to the bathroom, do her thing, and then collapse back on her bean bag bed and go back to sleep.

I have been doing laundry and scrubbing bathrooms for most of the day. And there is still MUCH to be done. The kitchen is a mess, and I have 2 more bathrooms yet to do (not to mention that the laundry is nowhere near being finished). Looking at the bright side, though, I DID get to spend the day with my baby girl; and I have one very clean bathroom.

Another new form of torture...

Torture by health food. Uggh. It's killing our kids! Having to eat roast. And carrots. And potatoes. Where are the pre-wrapped fast food sandwiches? The french fries? The kids' meals?

Yes, Lucas and I have had a few discussions and have decided to really make the commitment to cut out the vast majority of eating out that we do. It has become a habit - a bad habit - based on our schedules and convenience. No excuse. We need to stop throwing away our money on food that is killing us!

So, the last several meals have been at home - home cooked. And our kids are at a loss. Some of the stuff they have actually rather liked. For example, much to my surprise, Meagan actually LIKED the roast tonight, and asked for seconds. However, the carrots did not go over so well, and all three of them stared at their veggies for quite some time. Isaac's trick for eating the meat was to drown it in ketchup. Really. Covered. In ketchup. So when he was finished with the meat, Lucas made him eat the big heaping pile of ketchup as well. Don't think he'll be so liberal with the ketchup next time.

We realize it will be a process. It will take time, and we will have our share of battles while we're making these changes. But it's a battle I would rather fight when our kids are 4, 7, and 8 instead of 12, 15, and 16. I like our chances much better at present. So, we'll bite the bullet, so to speak, and do what we need to do to change what we need to change. And I am willing to bet, at the end of it all, everyone will be alive and well, despite what the children may currently believe.

Merry Christmas...

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas... we definitely did! I will try to get back tomorrow to post some pictures and stories and all that good stuff. I have had a pretty lazy day today - I actually slept in until 11:00 this morning! And believe it or not, when I finally woke up, Isaac and Meagan were still asleep! Isaac didn't wake up until 11:30, and Meagan not 'til 12:00. Nice... I love lazy days - they are few & far between around here for sure.

So other than a trip to Wal-Mart, and a general clean-up of the house (that was disastrous after small group and 2 Christmas celebrations), we have all done very little today. We're getting ready to plop on the couch and watch a movie. I will try to be more productive tomorrow... at least where blogging is concerned if nothing else. See you then!

Christmas Baskets

This morning was our church's Christmas Basket outreach. So, the kids and I rolled out of bed early this morning, got ready, and headed over to the church to help assemble baskets to be handed out around our community. At first, they were sort of grumbling about it... 'I don't want to do this; it's boring; blah blah blah' But soon, they got into the whole thing. Sebastian took the list of what needed to go in each basket, and Isaac and Meagan helped fill the orders. It was a great opportunity to remind my children that God has blessed us so very much, and we should take every chance we get to be a blessing to others.

At one point I explained it to Isaac like this: Today we are practicing giving to others. What we practice becomes habit, so let's practice doing good.

Journaling: The kids and I went to the church to help fill Christmas baskets this year. The boys worked together to pack the baskets full. Meagan did her part, too. Here, she and her buddy Pastor Mark are working together.

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Birthday Boy - 7 Years Old!

Our baby boy turned 7 yesterday! Wow! Look how grown up he looks... it's crazy to me to even think about it!
For his birthday, he chose dinner at Applebee's. Well, originally he had picked Chuck-E-Cheese. But we were JUST there about 2 months ago (and Lucas & I can only take so many trips to Chuck's per year... we've had 3 this year.... which is about 2 too many...LOL). So I had told Isaac, if Chuck-E's was what he really wanted, that was fine, but his other option was a different restaurant and a movie date.... so he opted for Applebee's & a movie.

HOWEVER... when we went to pick a movie to see, our choices were basically the Princess and the Frog or Planet 51. Initially I had no objections to either, but as I started reading the parent reviews on both of them, I quickly decided that, at least until Lucas and I have had a chance to preview them both, that neither one was an acceptable option for us to take our kids to see. The Princess and the Frog, apparently, has a bunch of Voodoo and blood sacrifices and consulting spirits from the dead... um, not quite what I would expect from a G-rated Disney movie. And Planet 51 was rated PG for mild Sexual content... like references to "probing of certain body parts that shall remain nameless" and "references to other unmentionable boy parts" - what! What the heck?! All I can say is 'GRRRRR!' How frustrating that I can't just take my kids to see a 'kids' movie and trust that it will have kid-friendly content! Aaaaaah!

So, I felt AWFUL because first I talked him out of Chuck-E-Cheese in exchange for a movie. Then I had to tell him no movie. Uggh! But we found a good compromise so that the whole night wasn't a total bust. We had a Blockbuster card good for 2 rentals, 2 20-oz Coke's and a big tub of popcorn for $12. So we went to Blockbuster after dinner, and he got to pick out two movies. So we came home and watched G-Force as a family, and the kids chowed on the big tub of popcorn. We also told him that when Alvin & the Chipmunks comes out, we'll try to go see that, since we had to miss his movie date. HOPEFULLY that one's content is safe enough and I won't have to break another deal!

At any rate, he seemed to enjoy himself. He's pretty laid-back when it comes to that stuff, so he just sort of rolled with the punches and had fun at whatever we were doing. I think he just enjoyed having the time together as a family... and getting presents never hurts! :)

Getting Scrappy

Yesterday was the last day of school until 2010! It was also Isaac's birthday (which means school birthday treats, provided by Mom), and Sebastian's class Christmas party, so the boys each had a special treat of sorts for their last day (plus, Isaac got to do show & tell, where he shared the light-up snowman that was on his birthday cake, so he was thrilled!).

When the boys got off the bus, they were buzzing with the excitement of a few weeks off of school. Like always, Lucas and I asked them how their days were. To our surprise, Sebastian informed us that he got in a fight on the playground. The story went something like this:

He & his friend Harley (and maybe a few other kids) were playing some game that involved having snowballs. They had made a bunch of snowballs that they were collecting into a pile. Well, apparently, some other kid was playing a different game that involved snowballs as well. That other kid came over and accused Sebastian of stealing his snow (pause to laugh at this concept...it's Michigan...there's PLENTY more where that came from!)... anyway... so the kid proceeded to kick and punch Sebastian. To which Sebastian replied with punches of his own. In comes Harley, who just started going at the kid (in Sebastian's defense, of course), leaving him with a bloody nose (at least according to Sebastian's retelling of the story). Eventually, the teacher split them up and sent the other kid to go scoop snow in another corner of the playground... problem solved.

After further discussion, we learned that this was not, in fact, his first fist fight at school. Nope, it was his second. He didn't really go into details about the first. Whatever. I didn't ask. He's a boy. It's bred in them. Life goes on.

Isaac's birthday party

Last weekend was Isaac's birthday party for family and friends. Grandma's & Grandpa's (and Aunt Suzie) came, and so did a few of our friends. He had a great time (I always worry because his birthday is so close to Christmas - it's hard for people to find time for a birthday party in mid-December). This year he wanted to have a snowman birthday party. So, snowmen we did! Grandma made the most adorable snowmen cupcakes using marshmallows, gumdrops, candy sprinkles and peppermints. Adorable! He had lots of friends over, and they played all afternoon! He was as happy as could be. He had a great birthday!

I did this layout of a C.U.T.E. picture I got of the cupcakes. Are these not the cutest things you've ever seen?! Love them! I was so super excited that this picture turned out so well!

Journaling: Snowman cupcakes for Isaac's 7th birthday party. Made with love by: Grandma H.

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Song Tree

Over Thanksgiving, Grandma & Grandpa H. gave the kids each a singing Christmas character as an early gift. Meagan got a pink snowman lady who sings 'Santa Baby.' Sebastian got a sledding reindeer (moose?) who sings some sleigh ride song, and Isaac got a Christmas tree who sings, 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.'


They all LOVED them, but Isaac was enthralled! He carried his tree around everywhere. He even got all 3 of them together and played 'singing band' by making them all sing at the same time (that sounded ever-so-interesting, let me tell you!). It is always amazing to me the things that kids latch onto. He just absolutely loved his tree!

Journaling: Isaac's early gift from Grandma & Grandpa H. was a singing Christmas tree. "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" is the song of choice. Isaac couldn't have been happier - he carried it around all night & played 'singing band' with his tree, Meg's snow-girl, and Bas's sledding moose.

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Gallery Update

As life so often does, it has once again stolen away my free time, keeping me from being able to update my blog like I would like. To say the least, it has been a rough two weeks. Thankfully, things are turning around, and getting back on the right track.

In my blogging absence, I have missed sharing several layouts with you....so here I go, trying to get caught up...


Fall
This layout I did way back at the end of November. Just never got around to sharing. These pictures are of Isaac, and were taken last October (2008).


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Christmas Eve 2008
I took so many pictures last Christmas. These were some of my favorites. Don't you just love Sebastian's expression?! Priceless!


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Merry & Bright
As with every Christmas, we (make that I) took a ton of pictures of our Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa H. last year. Many of them didn't turn out very well, but I tried to choose a few that turned out okay.


Journaling: Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa H. came a little late this year because of work schedules. We actually celebrated on New Year's Eve. Still, we were blessed to have them with us, no matter what the date. Time with family is so very precious. You always have a blast, and they LOVE seeing you open your gifts. '08

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Snow Joy

These pictures of Meagan were taken just a few weeks ago, during our first snow of any consequence. She went out in her new hat & gloves from Grandma and had a blast eating big hand-fulls of fresh snow. I just can't believe how old she looks in these pictures! She doesn't even look like my baby girl any more!


Journaling: The snow on the ground was too much to resist. You just had to get out in it and take your first big bite!

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His own Sense of Style

Just an FYI...

Isaac opted to wear baseball pants to school today. A detail that completely escaped my attention. He must have had his snow pants on over them before I saw him dressed. Nice. So he had on pants that came down to his knees. In Michigan. In 14 degree weather. His teacher must think we are crazy!

The Muppets Crash & Burn

Recently, we activated a 2-week trial of Netflix through our PlayStation 3. It lets you do the whole Netflix thing (you know, get movies through the mail & send them back when you're done), and it also lets you download certain movies instantly & watch them on the PlayStation. Well, yesterday evening, we didn't have anything going on, so Lucas loaded up a Pokemon movie for the kids to watch. They were ecstatic, and sat through the whole thing. Loved it!

This morning, Lucas decided to give Meagan a dose of the shows WE grew up on, so he played (or started to play) The Muppets Take Manhattan. She sat for a minute, trying to figure out what the heck was happening. Then she said, "I only like the frog guy. The rest of them are dumb. Can I watch Pokemon now?" Lucas tried a few more times to capture her interest with the Muppets, but she just wasn't having it. "No Daddy, I'm done now. I wanna watch Pokemon."

Nice. The 80's version of kids' movies totally crashed & burned... I wonder if she would like the Muppet Babies??? I may have to look into that.

So Proud of our Gymnast

Yesterday at the gym, I was talking to the receptionist to schedule something for Sebastian. I gave her his first name and some other info. As she was finishing up, she said, 'What's the last name?' I told her, and she said, "OH! He's all over the newsletter this month!" So she gave me a copy of the latest Twistars Newsletter, and sure enough, Sebastian was in there a couple of times - once because he was the new points champion for his team with 89 points, and once because he learned a new bonus skill on floor. So cool! He was excited to see his name in the news, and we were so proud of his hard work and progress!

You Stress Me Out!

Every Thursday, in order to get to Meagan's gymnastics practice on time (or close to it), I pick the kids up from school. First Meagan, then the boys (so that they miss as little of school as possible... ends up being only the last 15 minutes of the day).

Anyway, yesterday, I picked Meagan up a little behind schedule. To make up time, I thought I would avoid the stop lights of downtown, so I took some side roads instead. As I turned down the third side road, Meagan says to me, "Mommy, you know, you stress me out!"

(Laughing to myself) "Why is that, honey?"

"Because you always take the wrong roads! It just stresses me out!"

"I'm not on the wrong road, honey. We're just going a different way."

"Well, I think you still stress me out!"

We continued driving... As we turned onto the road the school is on, and the school came into view, she shouts, "Mom!! Look!! You FOUND the right road! Good job!"

As if I just accidentally stumbled upon the right road. She is hilarious!

The Unexpected Elements of Christmas

Tonight at dinner, Meagan decided to entertain us all with a song she has been learning at pre-school. The lyrics are 'The Virgin Mary had a baby boy...' Something like that.

So she sang it for us. Only she sang, 'the berginary had a baby boy.'

"What's a berginary?" Isaac asked (and for good reason... what IS a berginary?)

So I explained that the actual words are, 'The Virgin Mary.'

Pause................

"Then what's a virgin?" Sebastian asked.

Yeah. Sorta saw that coming, but was hoping it would go unnoticed... I should have known better.

How to explain without offering too much detail??? "It's a girl who is not married who has never been with a boy in a way that could make a baby." (Praying for no follow-up questions... but I'm thinking non-fiction, informational, Discovery Channel-ish stuff... maybe? Please please please don't ask any more questions, LOL)

Whew! He went a different direction. "Then Meagan is a virgin!"

"Yes she is."

"But I'm not, because I'm not a girl."

"Oh. Um. Well, it is for boys and girls... I just said girl because Mary was a girl."

"Do you remember Hank?" (Hank is Grandpa's friend... where on EARTH did that come from?!)

"Yes, I remember Hank. What about him?"

(This is still Sebastian, by the way) "Well, when I was little, he wasn't married, so I think he is a virgin too. Unless he got married since then."

Hmmm... does this kid's mind EVER stop?!

"Well, honey, Hank has kids, so.... "

"Oh, then I guess he's not one."

Finally, end of that topic. It switched from there to "I think Mary was married to God" (Isaac), to which Sebastian explained that she was married to Joseph and that God isn't married... etc etc. Goodness, these are the elements of the Christmas story that you just don't think about, ya know?!

Gorgeous Freebie Kit

Hey all, just wanted to pass this along for those who are into digi scrapping...

Through the remainder of the day, The DigiChick is giving a free kit when you spend $15 in the shop. Normally, I don't get too excited about these kinds of things... often the freebies that stores offer are not all that great, in my humble opinion. BUT... this one is WORTH it! It's gorgeous, and crammed full of a TON of stuff! Here's a preview of the kit, and a link to the shop if you're interested. Happy shopping! Love The DigiChick!