The Wonder of Childhood -- Rebuilt and Still Riding

Imagine Christmas, 1977. The room is filled with the wide-eyed wonder of a little boy when his grandparents got him the coolest Christmas toy ever! As a matter of fact, it was so cool that this little boy's parents saved it so that his kid's might enjoy it someday.

Fast forward exactly 30 years to Christmas 2007. Yesterday when Colin's grandparent's arrived, Dad and Grandpa rebuilt the Wonder Horse while Colin napped. The goal was to have her ready when he woke and to see her for the first time with all generations present. The wonder hasn't lost her magic. After 30 years she made another little boy's heart dance with joy -- the same joy his father felt all these years ago.

Her name? Appropriately, Wonder Horse (as branded on her plastic, 30 year old tush.)

An article in my in-box this morning warned to avoid "fad" toys this Christmas. It encourages parents to buy toys that will spark the imaginations of your child. I am sure that Colin dreamed last night that he was a cowboy, riding his Wonder Horse into the sunset. His imagination knows no bounds on his Wonder Horse!

Everything old is new again. And this toy is alive again because she has made another little boy's heart sing with wonder.

Happy 94th Birthday!

We know you won't he reading this online, but we send a great big Happy B-Day to Great Grandpa. We hope you had a great big celebration yesterday, perhaps a big lunch at Perkins or a slice of Aunt Mainie's pie!

Jingle Bears, Jingle Bears

I just love the Baylor Christmas Card. Thought you might enjoy this even if you don't "sic 'em bears!"

Happy 66th Anniversary

Colin's Great Grandparents just celebrated their 66th Wedding Anniversary, and we say a great big congratulations!

Christmas in Texas

Playing cars with Grandma

Enjoying Buzz Lightyear Phone

Playing with new "Chicken Chase" - such fun!

Colin and I just returned from a long weekend trip to Texas for an early Christmas. We enjoyed visiting with extended family, and even had some great Texas BBQ while we were there. And I even got to go to Hobby Lobby (we don't have anything like it in my neck of the woods!)

Other friends who have travelled with kiddos this age warned that it's probably the toughest age to travel with, and they are probably right. Strapping all of that energy into an airplane seat for hours on end is a bit of a challenge, but we survived...thanks to a mini DVD player we borrowed from our friends.

It was great to see everyone down in Texas -- we love you lots!

Giddy Up Carousel Horsy!

We enjoyed a ride on the carousel horse downtown this afternoon. Giddy Up!

How Many Kings

I am really enjoying a new christmas song this season - It's called "How Many Kings" by a band called Downhere. Here is one part of the song that really caught my attention:

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

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So what's on your playlist this christmas?

Garden Light Show

Tonight we enjoyed a brisk walk through our local botanical garden, as we enjoyed a beautiful light show. Thousands of lights are put together to resemble garden elements - flowers, frogs, slugs, droopy wisteria, lily pads, etc...it was colorful and just gorgeous! Here is a picture of some of the sunflowers. The photo hardly does them justice - they are as tall as a person, and are so very colorful.

Gingerbread House Design Team

We hit the deck running this afternoon with a pre-made Gingerbread House kit from Costco, and Colin got to tap into his creative side and decorate it with lots of candies. With a little help from Dad, it turned out pretty well for his 1st Gingerbread House!

His favorite "design elements" were the gumdrops, though he kept wanting to remove them a few minutes after placing them. It's quite overloaded on one side of the roof, so it has lots of character.

Women's Christmas Friendship Dinner

I hosted a table at our church's Women's Christmas Friendship Dinner, and it was really fun to have so many of my friends join me for a great evening of entertainment -- eating without kiddos running around our legs, visiting, and enjoying great music (a violinist and her band that included flute, cello, drums, and harp.)

I decorated again this year with china that originally belonged to my Great Grandma Peggy's sister. I was fortunate to receive a full 12 place setting service many years ago, complete with serving bowls and platters. It's a unique pattern with red and gold detail work, which makes it absolutely perfect for Christmas. I completed the table centerpiece with a hurricane lamp filled with a fake snow and cranberry mixture (complete with holly from my backyard), and a my nativity set.

Our servers for the night were the husband and father of a friend of mine from MOPS - her table was located next to mine. It's always a treat to have the men of our church serve our yummy meal, and they always do such a great job!

Lastly, it was such a welcome opportunity to enjoy this as a Christmas dinner -- not a "holiday" party, or a "warm wishes for the season" party -- but a Christmas Party, where we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Wet, wet, wet!

Yesterday all of the beautiful snow fall warmed and turned into rain. And rain, and rain! The second most rain here in recorded history. Fortunately we live at the top of a hill, and we/our home are perfectly fine. Others in towns and counties surrounding us are flooded with some as high as rooftops.

Matt flew back from Portland this morning and saw all of the damage along I-5 -- It's under 10 feet of water for about a mile! And unfortunately, the local Home Depot was also submerged, which doesn't help local residents get back on their feet.

Party in the Toy Bin

Mr. Colin's new favorite place to play is in the toy bin. This picture says it all!

What Good Are You?

I asked the cat to fold the laundry, and this is what happened. Can he make himself useful sometime?

The Snow Blues

"Uhmmm, Dad -- my tricycle is covered in snow. Can we go rescue it?"

OK - this wet, white stuff is not what I had in mind!

Holiday Party

We had fun at last night's company holiday party. You hear wild stories about some company holiday parties, but not with this group -- just a classic party with great food, great wine, and pretty decent conversation. What a great, snowy night to get swept into the spirit of the season!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Yeah! It's snowing as I write this, and the huge fluffy flakes are collecting on the lawn. Guess Matt gets out of mowing the yard for yet another week.

The company holiday party is tonight, so I decided to get spruced up by the professionals. I hit Nordstrom before lunch and got a makeover from the Clinique counter (what a treat -- haven't done that in years!) and then headed over to the salon for a trim -- and of course, asked for a style with a little more "flip."

I listened to Christmas tunes as I drove home in the snow and just thought about how much I love the Christmas season. I think I love it because we get to enjoy it for so long.

I am also reading Beth Moore's Study titled, "Jesus - 90 Days with the One and Only." I am hoping to read it in time for Christmas, as it is really preparing my heart to celebrate the birth of our savior.

Last night I read Beth's view (not scriptural, -- purely fiction -- but interesting, nonetheless) on how Mary might have felt on the night after Jesus had been born. Here is some of what she shares, as Mary sits holding baby Jesus in the moonlight:

"The fullness of the Godhead rested in her inexperienced arms, sleeping to the rhythm of her heart. This time she hummed a song she did not know, a song being sung by the choir of angels hovering over her head but hidden from her carnal senses. The deafening hallelujahs of the heavenly hosts were silent to mortal ears except through the sounds of a young woman's voice who had unknowingly given human notes to a holy score. The glory of God filled the earth. Heaven hammered a bridge, but one young woman sat unaware of all that swelled in the atmosphere around her...."

And the snow is still falling. Oh, how I love Christmas time!

Giving thanks for Costco

I have a funny and precious story to tell you that speaks to how much God must just love to hear the prayers of small children.

Last night I watched our friends' girls for the evening. As the three year old prepared for bed, I brushed her beautiful blond hair and told her that her hair was pretty. And she suggested we thank God for her hair when we prayed before going to bed.

Fifteen minutes later, and after reading the princess story (we don't have those in my house, so it was kind of fun), we said our prayers. And I forgot the hair (oh my!)

After saying, "Amen," she squealed, "You forgot to tell God!" And I wondered, well, I prayed to Jesus, did this mean the same thing to her, maybe I should have kept it simple and said, "God." I was overthinking this, by the way -- she's three!

Meanwhile, I know God is getting abig chuckle out of this, as I finally realize, "I forgot to tell God... thanks for her beautiful blond hair!"

Back-tracking a bit, I recommended we say a special prayer JUST for her hair. That was a splendid idea, as shown by the huge grin on her face.

And after that, she said a special prayer that said, "And thanks for Costco and our food."

How tender to hear a child thank God for what he had given her. I have so much to look forward to with Colin.

Christmas Tree Giggles

Someone had the giggles when I tried to get a picture by the tree. Note the lack of ornaments within toddler arms reach. Colin is holding his favorite new ornament -- a brightly colored toucan, wearing a santa hat and holding an ornament in his beak.

We Got Elfed

This is hillarious! Take a look:

Hey, I just made a total elf of myself. Check it out by clicking the link below.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9613912931

This elfin' greeting brought to you by OfficeMax®.

Not So Jolly

I was out at our local mall running an errand and I passed the Santa station -- and he wasn't busy. I had visions of putting Colin on Santa's knee and having a great Christmas picture all in a matter of a minute.

Uhhhh; no!

He was so scared of Santa that he started crying and ran away. Apparently this is common for most young toddlers, so Santa graciously tried to offer a "high 5," and Mrs. Claus told us to come back often and maybe after a few times he would be ready.

Hmm. I think we'll try this again in about 12 months!

So this brings me to another dilemma -- his stocking. I've looked in stores and online and can't find anything I remotely like. OK. So I like the needlepoint stockings on the Neiman Marcus website, but they're a lil' pricey. So we came to the "non decison" last night of deciding that when he is older he can pick out one he likes. We'll just use a non descript one this year.

Nativity Playtime

I decided this year that Colin needed his own nativity to manipulate so that he would leave the breakable one alone. He already chewed the head off of my wax turkey candle, so he needed something of his own to gnaw on. I was all prepared to buy the Little People set when we made a trip to our local Lifeway Bookstore. Colin was fixated on the Veggie Tales nativity, and it was $10 cheaper than the Little People set. So guess what we now own?

It's pretty cute -- Jimmy and Jerry Gourd fit into a cow costume to make up one of the animals for the stable. However, we quickly removed the battery from the angel because we couldn't stand to hear her shrill voice sing "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" over and over and over. He has already spent a few hours moving the nativity pieces from one part of the room to the other. It's definitely a hit!

1 1/2 year Update

Colin recently turned 1 1/2, so I thought I would update you on what life is like with our lil guy at 18 months!

- He is really enjoying his Mega Bloks. Last night he started playing with them while I cooked dinner. When Matt came home over 45 minutes later, he didn't want to stop playing "just" to eat dinner. I love that his favorite toy doesn't require batteries and is super quiet! It's fun to watch him build various towers, etc. His dad's childhood favorite was legos, so Colin's the proverbial chip off the ole "blok" (OK -- so I couldn't resist the pun!)

- Signing "please" and "thank you" are some of his favorites, and he sometimes uses both hands on his chest to sign "please" (or "double please" as we call it when he really wants something.) Signing has come in handy for us to communicate. I am hoping these are some of his 2 favorites to verbalize when we round that corner.

- He enjoys playing at the water table at the Children's Museum - we got a family membership and go a few times a week. He enjoys manipulating the various water levers to make adjustments to the water levels, etc. It's fun to see how he gets the cause and effect of it all. And he always goes home VERY wet!

- He is taking a few classes through the local parks and recreation department. We are fortunate to have a fantastic city program. He is enjoying swim lessons (with dad) on Saturdays and is taking a Baby Beethoven (music) class, as well. Each week has a theme, and this past week we sang turkey songs. I will be curious as December comes if we will sing generic songs like 'Frosty the Snowman' and 'Jingle Bells,' or if we will sing a diverse array of songs from different faiths. I'll have to keep you posted on that one!

- Saturday nights are lots of fun for Colin - he just loves being with other kids at Saturday night church. This past weekend as we walked down the hall to leave, a few older boys ran past him. He grinned from ear to ear and tried to run and catch up with them. And then of course he cried when we left all of the fun to go home for the night.

- As much fun as he has at church, it's so much fun to go and pick him up from his class. He sees us and runs with his arms bent close to his chest (that cute 18 month old run) and just reaches up to issue a great big hug. I was even more surprised after MOPS this past week that he even accompanied that big hug with a great big kiss planted right on the smacker. "Ahhh, it's great to see you, too!"

- And did I mention his favorite show? He absolutely adores Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber. We even listen to Veggie Tales silly songs in the car, though I may have listened to Larry sing "I love my Lips" one time too many!

- We are fortunate to have a good eater who seems to enjoy most all of the foods we eat, as well. We are very thankful, and hope this continues. He loves the QDoba chicken, as well as their Mexican gumbo, (who doesn't, right?) He's now oficially 3 feet tall, so I contribute some of that to his openness to eating and trying new foods.

- Last but not least, his favorite little buddy is our family cat. He gently offers hugs to the cat (he bows his head and rubs it near the cat -- and the cat fully tolerates it.)

Bubbles

Often on chilly nights I settle into a tub full of bubbles to relax from the day and have some "me" time. Only a few weeks ago I decided to soak while reading through Christianbook.com's latest catalog to get book ideas for our couples Bible study group. I came across several books that caught my attention - topics ranging from Jewish feasts, to angels, to heaven, to this one -- titled "Unchristian."

And tonight our couples Bible study spent the night conversing with the author of the book -- turns out, he's a good friend of one of the couples in our group. Pretty cool interaction, and interesting (and at times, sad) research on views of Christians.

We somehow got onto the topic of the Christian "Bubble" -- several of us went to universities that had this bubble - from Baylor, to Biola, to JBU -- and we talked about how that bubble can be a great thing for a time (i.e. 4 years of college), but that you have to learn how to engage with the rest of the world.

Did I learn that while I was in my Baylor bubble? After graduation I just moved on to Houston where I cozied myself up in a megachurch and worked at conservative places like banks and accounting firms. Hmmm.

I have much to reflect upon tonight regarding how to put my theology into practice.

I hear a tub full of bubbles calling my name.

Trash Talkin' Monday

I think my city's trash facilities team has determined the most undelightful way to wake me and my family every Monday morning: they send the trash truck on the early route to my house!

Each Monday at around 7:20 am (I say "around" because a few weeks ago he made it here at 6:59 am -- no joke!), the trash truck makes its rounds throughout the cul de sac. Each time it backs up to get an angle on the next house, those loud backing beeps go off, along with the thud of all of the trash being dumped. And that's just for the waste bins -- then comes the truck for the recycling. Fortunately the third truck for green debris comes well AFTER breakfast.

It's like clockwork -- the truck comes, and then about 30 seconds later a little someone is singing into the monitor.

"Wakey, wakey," says the trash truck.

Hmph!
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So I titled this trash talkin' Monday for ANOTHER reason. Bank holidays! I went to the bank today (someone tease me for not remembering my bank holidays -- I only worked at 2 different banks over several years.) Yes, it was closed. Oh, and the local community centers with open gym time for toddlers? Closed. Libraries with story hour? Closed. Oh, and the really cool local children's museum? Closed. Actually, it's closed every Monday.

When I was (ahhem) younger - I'm sure I just loved these random holidays. I slept in, perhaps went to a doctors appointment (they are indeed open), and of course did a little shopping.

And now? What I wouldn't give for some place indoors to let our lil' guy run free. Sure, I could go to the mall along with every other mom in a 15 mile radius who is also out of indoor options. I could battle for a place for Colin on the top of the Tugboat in the mall, hoping that a 10 year old doesn't leap onto him. Those mall play areas are wild when you're little.

Come to think of it, maybe we can just stay home and wait for the third trash truck to come. He does wave at Colin through the window, after all.

Happy Veteran's Day!

We would like to wish a Happy Veteran's Day to friends and family who have served our nation. Colin's Great Grandpas Walker, Biggs and Sturm all served in WWII and his uncle Clint was in the Airforce, as well.

Thanks for helping protect and defend our freedom!

PJs are Over-Rated

Funny story from the Sturm house this morning -- I usually let our lil guy stay in his crib first thing in the morning for a while and just jabber away. We all like to lay in bed a bit, right? This morning after he had a short conversation with the toy on his crib, he must have either been hot or bored. When I walked in his room he had thrown his blakets out of his crib and he was holding his zip up PJs.

Yep, that's right, he was holding them in his hand. He was laughing and dancing away like such a happy little boy, practically naked as a jay bird. I guess we now know he can undress himself completely, including undoing the little footies of the pajamas. Guess we'll give those cute lil zip up PJs a break for a while.

And yes, thank goodness the diaper was still on! Those overnight Huggies have super power velcro. And now I know why!

Mommy Firsts

Parenting, as I have discovered is full of "firsts" for you as a parent; some great, and some not so great. Our family had a few this past week:

1. We got reservations for a nice dinner and proceeded to have a fussing child signing "All done" right before the waiter arrived. That is, just 15 seconds after sitting down. Hmmm, bad idea! Our understanding waiter was probably joyful when I told him we just weren't going to make it that night and we left before even ordering.
2. I got a wild idea and put Colin in the Suburban-sized grocery cart at Albertson's (the one with the little tykes style car attached to the front of the grocery cart.) The first 15 minutes he yelled throughout the store with pure glee (while honking the car's horn at passers-by who thought I was nuts; they may have been right!), and the last 15 minutes he threw a fit because he was all done (see a theme here?) We needed groceries, however, so I practically ran down everything in sight in the store driving that thing to complete my list. And yes, I did have a list.
3. When I took him out of the car cart he screamed and lay prostrate on the ground (but I thought you were all done?) Charming, absolutely charming. A moment that makes every mom proud. I managed to coax him into the Rite Aid next door so I could pick up some photos. He was so deliriously spent that I stuck the closest toy I saw in his hand...and then bought it! Fortunately it was a 4 inch long car toy that is a mini Audi TT and has doors that open and close. Kind of a cool toy for a split second decision. My first impulse buy to tame an unhappy child. Charming, just charming (?!*!)
4. We had out first outing to the big local zoo -- pretty cool! He's definitely not ready yet for the exhibits with the harder to see or low activity animals (like the reptiles.)
5. We checked out the indoor Toddler Play Time at 2 local community centers. What a great way to burn off some toddler energy! The community centers set aside the gym area, filled with toys, trikes, balls, etc., and the toddlers get to run wild and terrorize the gym rather than your living room. fabulous play date set-up!

Whole

A few months ago a good friend of mine asked me to begin praying for a college friend and her family. Their 2 1/2 year old son, Judson, has been battling a rare, genetic, incurable disease since May called Krabbe disease. This lively and talkative littleboy became mute, blind, and compeltely paralyzed in these past 6 months.

The faith journey of Jud's parents has really pushed me to examine my own faith. As I am going through a Bible study called, "Believing God," I have really examined my heart and have prayed to God, as the father does in Mark 9. Jesus explains that everything is possible for him who believes. The father exclaims in 9:24 "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Jesus, I do believe; please help me overcome my unbelief.

This morning Judson saw Jesus face to face and was healed. His body is whole once again. Thank you, Lord, for growing the faith of so many, including me, through the life of this precious little boy and the testimony of his parents.

Quack, Quack,Quack!

Guess who didn't make it home for dinner last night? And no, I'm not talking about Matt.

Just The Way The Cookie Crumbles

Growing up my brother would use the phrase, "That's just the way the cookie crumbles" -- sometimes you get a really big piece with lots of yummy, ooey gooey chips, and other times you get a handful of crumbs. This past week we got a hand full of crumbs.

We had plans to go out of town that just seemed to spiral out of our control just a few days before leaving for the ten day trip. "Rats," I thought. "This isn't really happening, is it?"

Oh yes, it was.

This kind of disappointment fits into the kind I recall from childhood. Like the time I went to sign up for a musical instrument in 5th grade band, and all that was left when I got there was the tuba. The tuba? What's a girlie girl, dress loving girl to do with a tuba? OK, so I played it and played it well, but I am convinced now it was purely to have fodder for the stupid team building game called "Two truths and a lie."

1. I played the tuba
2. I grew up in a small town
3. I like dark chocolate

Stumper, eh? People always fell for the tuba as the "lie."

Anyhooo.....So my dear husband attempted to make the best of our flubbed up trip plans, the cat sang a great big "Amen" because his humans weren't leaving town, and we decided to have day trips here in our own city -- the zoo, aquarium, children's museum, parks, restaurants, etc. I was even given a surprise trip to the local spa.

Tonight was suppose to be an early Thanksgiving dinner with my family in Panhandle. I thought of you all tonight -- I am so bummed I wasn't able to be there. And Colin is so much fun right now that I am sad for every minute of him that you miss. We are truly thankful for you and can't wait to see you soon!

Disappointment. It's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Zoo

We took our lil' giraffe to the zoo on Friday and he really enjoyed seeing the bigger animals like the jaguar (who kept pacing and staring at Colin as if to say -- "Hmmmm, he would make a tasty snack!"), elephants, and the giraffes. The hippos gave a big show, as well. It was a brisk, cool morning, so the orangutans and other tree dwellers were no where to be seen, so better luck next time.

The Zoomazium indoor play and exploration area provided a nice retreat from the cool weather -- and Colin really enjoyed the indoor rock structures and lower "cave" areas. The other indoor exhibits were a hit, as well, if you like seeing porcupines and bats while you zoom along at about 5 mph! No patient lingering and observation for this guy! The cock roach display grossed me out, but I was very fascinated by the cute little tamarins (smaller than I would have expected.)

The Giraffe's Big Night On The Town

Today we went to see Dad at the office. Usually there's a Halloween party in the office for kids, but this year the office is in a big remodel, so no party. However, Colin did some reverse trick-or-treating and handed out candy to Dad's co-workers.

I also finally got around to painting the big 32 lb. pumpkin that we got at the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. His pumpkin is a giraffe, just like he is.

Halloween Spooktacular

Our local children's museum had a Halloween "Spooktacular" last night. And though Colin is much too young to enjoy a cake walk or decorating his trick-or-treat bag, he enjoyed running around in full costume and enjoying all of his usual favorites. The water sensory area has a water fall, which was thematically filled with a bit of foggy dry ice, and even the rubber duckies in the water were in costume (dressed as mummies, witches, vampires, pirates, etc...)

Colin was a giraffe this year. It is such a comfy looking velour jump suit. Costumes have come a long way from the plastic costumes I wore as a child. I remember swishing as I wore a plastic pink panther costume as I walked from door to door, and breathing heavy through an uncomfortable plastic mask. Now costumes look like life-sized stuffed animals, with the kid being the stuffing for the outer shell. Very cute!

Broken System

Warning: Cynicism to follow; if you read the last post, you know that today is "slump day hump day..."

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Every new mother looks at those little coupons in her new Parenting magazine and thinks, "Sure, I'll just head over to JC Penney or Sears and get a cute little picture of baby." At this point you are trying to figure out when to schedule an appointment based upon the complicating factors such as feedings, naps, and generally happy versus cranky times of the day.

When you do schedule the appointment for this perfect time, the photo studio seems to be behind schedule, and your once perfect time is now forty minutes later and your once happy baby is....not so happy. No amount of waving tattered Elmo in front of baby's face or feigning a huge "ahhhchooo!" sneeze will make baby happy.

Somehow the photographer, who forgets to ask baby's name until half-way through the session, manages to get a few half smiley pictures because you the mom step in to save the day with a few big tricks to perk baby up.

Then here's the real torture -- they make you wait (up to 30 minutes at Penneys) to then view your pictures, which they enhance with all kinds of crazy finishes. And did I mention I'd just be happy with a great smile? No sepia tone needed for my lil' guy!

So you finally view the pics and you already know the ones you don't like without even having to do much looking, and somehow, a few pictures seem to be the contenders for a purchase. At this point baby is bored and screaming, and your nerves are so fried you wonder if they are going to pay YOU for this whole experience. And then you blindly select a pose in a moment of desperation to get outta dodge.

And wait! Your not done yet! At Penneys, they want you to schedule an appointment to pick up the pictures. Yes, an appointment to come by and pick up an envelope. As if I'm even going to remember at that appointment what I selected in a frenzied moment of post picture horror. And they recommend the best time for coming, which is guaranteed to be during baby's nap time, so you tell them you'll only come at "x" time -- I am the customer, right? So was an appointment REALLY needed? They want me to come back in so they can sell me on the "extras" the lab printed "just for me."

And somehow, like people say about childbirth, you forget how bad the experience was and you do it all over again for baby's next biggest milestone. Crazy what we will do for those $3.99 portrait sheets!

Their system is broken, just broken. Please let me just go home and view them online with my spouse and at about 10 pm later that night I'll place the order from the comfort of my home and you could even ship them to my house. Guess that'd be too easy.

Slump on Hump Day

Wednesday is school day, unless you are a cranky lil munchkin that wakes up with a fever! Our lil guy slept through the night fabulously, though he woke at 7 am with a whimpering cry that indicated our plans for school were to be tossed out the window today. Yes, it's a slump on hump day!

It's rare to get a cuddly moment with an energetic, energizer bunny of a 1 1/2 year old, so when he wanted Mom to hold him all morning, I knew he felt bad. And I feel bad that he feels bad. Time to put on my nursing "hat" today!

~~~

Fortunately, though, we had some great weather these past few days (I actually got to wear capris -- woohoo!) and had some fun playtime outside. He's just now getting big enough for his tricycle, making for some cute fall pics that you will enjoy.

Pumpkin Patch

Two pumpkins!
So many choices!
I like that one, Dad.
I can pick this one up!
Going on a hayride!

We slogged out into the Pumpkin Patch today. It's been really rainy this past week, so it was definitely mud boot weather. Colin enjoyed his hayride out to select his pumpkins - and one of them ended up weighing more than he does!

Fall At School

Colin enjoyed playing with the new play stations at school this week. His teachers so creatively created a sensory room filled with fall items -- big plastic spiders and fall leaves in the water table, orange lentils in the sand pail, and squirrels and other fun fall critters in the wooden cubbies. Definitely a fun day to have the camera at school.

Bob, Larry, and Colin

Veggie Tales. If you don't have kids and are over the age of 25, you probably know nothing about these lovable veggies and their silly songs and videos. When we were DINKS vacationing in Vegas a few years ago, I recall seeing a Veggie Tales shopping display near the Aladdin and thinking, "What's that and why are parents lined up to purchase such random videos for their munchkins back home?"

Fast forward a little less than three years, and here is my response: "Oh, now I get it!" Today I was "that" parent. Let me explain.

~~~~

Matt is off in the forest on his annual guys hunting and camping trip, so I decided to take Colin for a visit to see how vendors from across the area suggest we enhance the great indoors -- The Annual Home Show.

The show resulted in several brochures and lots of ideas about things I have pondered for our home "someday": a new deck (can you say GORGEOUS Tiffany-style solar powered post caps, stone masonry for the columns of the house, house painters, vanishing screen doors, entertainment center cabinetry, etc. I also registered to win a house full of new windows (real exciting stuff, right -- I never knew there were so many window manufacturers.)

I also left with a cool kids apron from Home Depot (very cute - just like the ones they wear in the store), a recommendation on why my current solar yard lights are no longer working (they apparently use rechargeable batteries -- duh!), ideas about what not to do when working at a booth (talking on the phone or sounding bored when I describe what I am thinking about), and fear that I was leaving the event center across from Quest Field just hours before the Seahawks kickoff (can you say hairy traffic!)

But what I didn't realize we would discover at the show was the one thing that made Colin just LOVE the car ride home, even right at nap time. One of the vendors was selling Veggie Tales CDs that are personalized with your child's name inserted into key portions of the song. Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato spent hours in the studio recording over 1,000 names for various parts of the sing along music CD. So the theme song starts out, "If Colin likes to talk to tomatoes, blah, blah, blah..."

Later on in the CD Junior Asparagus sings to Colin, using his name and singing songs like, "God is so good. He's so good to Colin...", and "Colin's happy heart is a thankful heart..." (Thankfulness Song.) The CD closes with Bob and Larry's typical show closing, "And remember Colin, God made you special, and he loves you very much!"

HUGE smiles, and much happiness. Colin and me. Bob, Larry, and Junior Asparagus made Colin's day by singing him his very own songs as we drove home. And can you believe he cried when I took him out of his car seat? Now that was a first.

Want Larry, Bob, and Junior Asparagus to sing to your munchkin? Check it out online at Just Me! Music.

Kid Nation - They Chose The Books

I haven't really tapped into prime time shows much this fall, but I saw a promotional spot for "Kid Nation," a reality show where 40 kids spend 40 days as "pioneers" in a fictitious town called Bonanza City.

It's a true reality show with team challenges and rewards. This past Wednesday the show's theme dealt with religion. I was curious to see how a diverse bunch of 8-15 year olds dealt with issues of faith.

In this episode the town council receives a journal directive that says, "You've been so busy feeding your bodies that you don't have time to feed your soul." And thus they had to decide how to handle religion and hold a religious service (or services.)

The discussions about religious differences were as real as something you might hear among grown adults. One kid tries to explain Hanukkah, while the other has no tolerance about even hearing of it's significance to the other child.

In the end, a group of kids gather in the evening by the bonfire and have an impromptu, inter-religious prayer service. It was a visibly a moving experience to many of the kids.

And during the typical reality show "challenge" later in the show, every team completes the task under 30 minutes and gets to choose between 2 rewards: instant gratification or spiritual salvation -- A giant miniature golf course for the center of Bonanza City OR a library of religious books from various religions.

The kids overwhelmingly voted for the library of books. And near the end of the show, the boy reading from his Jewish book, and the boy reading from the complete King James Holy Bible read through Genesis 1 and the creation. And they realize it says the same thing, and that they believe the same thing about creation, exclaiming, "That's pretty cool."

Yes, it was pretty cool.

Eight or ten years from now, how would Colin react in a similar situation? Would he rally the troops and be respectful and knowledgeable of other religions while being firm about his own beliefs? As a parent, it really made me think. And pray. What an awesome responsibility we have to raise our children in the admonition of the Lord. Colin's faith will be his own, but I have such an awesome responsibility to teach him. I am humbled.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Simply Salmon

In the spirit of honoring those hard-working salmon who are swimming up stream night and day to "meet their destiny," I thought I'd pass along a simple and yummy way to enjoy salmon on the barbie!

- Brush both sides of salmon with olive oil and add salt & pepper. Grill 6-7 minutes per side.
- Slice pineapple 1/2 inch thick and toss with olive oil. Grill 2-3 minutes per side.
- Brush salmon and pineapple generously with sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian specialties section of your local market - brand makes no difference, but be sure it is sweet).
- To serve, place pineapple on plate and top with rice (I prefer Trader Joe's Thai style lime pilaf). Place salmon on top and serve with your favorite veggie.

Disappointment

Friends from church had a baby boy this past weekend, and today Colin and I headed over to their house to deliver dinner to them. As we drove over, I explained to Colin that he would get to see both baby and baby's older brother (who is just a yr older than Colin).

We caught them just before they got home, so we left dinner at the door. And Colin WAILED for about 15 minutes the entire way home because he didn't get to see his little friend. He was so disappointed! I had "played up the visit" ("You'll get to see your friend"), and when his friend wasn't home, tears just flooded his sweet blue eyes.

He doesn't have the words yet to say it, but he was so disappointed. His little mind understands so much of what we say, and I know he wanted to just say, "But you promised me, mom!"

Yes, we're going to see our friends tomorrow : )

School Day

Today was a school day for Colin -- and he just loves school...but so does Mommy! We take a pre-toddler/parent class through our local community college at a nearby church, and there are 5 different rooms filled with fun toys, music, sensory activities, and 24 other kid/parent combos to interact with.

Five other families are from the class we took last year, and three other families are from my PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) group, so it's great to see our friends each week and to meet new ones. We also have 3 fabulous teachers who have been doing this for a combined 60+ years, and they have so much perspective on parenting our little kiddos (with lots of insights and helpful ideas for addressing various parenting challenges.)

Colin's 2 current favorite play stations are the kitchen (though we almost pulled the microwave onto another kiddo today -- oops!) and the bouncy horse. It seems that all the boys gravitate towards the horse.

A busy and fun morning leads to a great nap afternoon. We like Wednesdays!

Victory and "Thee Perfect Dress"

Every Southern Girl knows the thrill and victory of capturing "thee perfect dress." It starts when we're very young, and I just discovered, continues on as we are adults.

Growing up I would search for the perfect "first day of school" dress -- usually on a marathon trip to every store in Amarillo. Sometimes we ended up back at the first store we ever went to (usually), but we searched every store just in case. And sometimes, there was a tie and more than one (two or three) would end up coming home so that I could decide the ultimate victor the night before school.

Then there was the Christmas dress, the Easter dress, and even the dance recital final bow dress (usually the Easter dress, since the 2 fell so close together.) My mother reminds me how in Kindergarten I wanted a dress like Mikael and Jama because their mom's MADE theirs. Mine was "just" store bought!

Around second grade the perfect dress style was to have a layered dress (2 or more pieces), and I recall even having one with a layer that had bells on it. I loved that dress, though I received some teasing from my cousin Jason.

Fast forward to 8th Grade Achievement Night, and this is where the real search for a formal began. I scored a beautiful deep sapphire, full length formal from The Trolley Car Boutique. It had a sequined bodice and a full skirt (which of course required a full petticoat), and it had just one poof sleeve with the other side strapless. I felt like a princess. And that is how you know you have found THEE dress -- you feel like a princess.

Searches for the perfect prom dress in high school resulted in the need my senior year to make the 6 hour trek to Dallas, the shopping mecca of the south. I returned home with the most unique and beautiful flapper girl styled dress that was fully sequined with a colorful paisley design. Who cared if I had no date to the prom -- I had THEE dress, and that was what mattered most.

The quintessential dress hunt occurred back in Amarillo when I was on the hunt for my wedding dress. Every girl dreams of this dress, and I was no different. I was "daring" and found a dress with a floral accent with champagne flowers....It was everything I wanted, so that I could marry the man who was, and is, everything I ever wanted.

I was reminded this weekend, that victory can indeed happen even after our bodies have given birth to a baby, and even after years of marriage. I broke the cardinal rule of dress shopping (I was wearing no makeup, and my hair was just in a top knot.) and I dashed in to Cache to see if they had something special for the upcoming company holiday party. And boy did they! It was a beautiful, black , full length dress, which exuded the elegance of Audrey Hepburn. It fit perfect, and I felt like a princess. And I walked out of the store, with no dress in hand. I found the perfect dress, enjoyed a small moment of victory, and that was enough for me.

The Call

In addition to being the family designated "form filler-outer," (what a title, eh?), I am also the family designated "contacting the customer service rep to fix a billing mistake" person. I "earned" this designation from my years working in banking, which included customer service roles, both in person and by phone. Character building, really character building.

So today I had to place the dreaded, "I'm not paying this $x annual fee" call. Period. The rep told me last year the fee was waived permanently. It's not my fault that their computer system doesn't allow permanent fee removal. So, until I close the account and pay an account closing fee, I will make a ritual call to have the annual fee waived. It's easier to grease the squeeky wheel than to risk losing my business.

So here's the kicker the next time YOU call regarding a crazy fee, etc. Ask them this question: "Is it worth the $x fee to permanently loose my business?" If they say yes, then be prepared to go elsewhere. If they really want your business, you have nothing to loose for asking.

G-R-O-W - They Really Meant It

Having worked in Corporate America over the course of my career, I've seen my fair share of hokey initiatives that were merely just a means to boost ratings for the "Best Company to Work For" Annual Awards.

For three of those years, I worked at a company that had an initiative called "GROW," which stood for Growth and Retention Of Women. Through this initiative, our female partners would host special women's only events, dinners, breakfasts, etc. I even worked with a few of these female partners to do some work for a non-profit organization. So they not only invested their time in female employees, but also in a female youth organization. Pretty cool.

This company has ceased to exist for over 5 years. And still today, I received an evite from 2 of the female partners, asking all of the women from our (former) office to join in a happy hour -- oh, and it's a bi-annual event. Pretty cool.

GROW -- They have no financial incentive or corporate ratings to win from continuing the growth of this group of women. So you know what: They meant it. They really meant it.

Good Luck!

Tomorrow (or for those of you reading on the East Coast that would mean later today) Matt will be speaking at a large national conference. I mentioned this several months ago when his speaker proposal was accepted, and where did the time go?

Well, here's a big GOOD LUCK from those of us back home!

Staged For Living

I am thoroughly enjoying my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group this year, as our theme is "Living Fully From the Space You Call Home." Today we had a mother-daughter real estate team, who are also accredited home stagers, come and talk about home staging.

This really is not only something you can do to sell your home -- but also a concept for giving your home a "put-together" feeling that is inviting and welcoming to friends and family. It's about taking a fresh and objective look at what's in each room and deciding what you like, what needs to go, and what needs to be replaced or changed.

And here's a bit of useless trivia that I found none too surprising: The concept of staging actually originated back in 1985 in the very city I live in. An interior designer turned real estate agent was using the concept and was selling her clients homes faster and with a higher price tag. Others who first mocked her concept then took notice, and her website, http://www.stagedhomes.com/, is now the premier site in the industry.

I am excited about using a few of their ideas throughout the coming year to freshen up our home. One idea was to buy pillows that can have interchangable covers to go with the season change -- and this would work great since we have chocolate leather furniture. Another idea is to change out the color of the candles to also go with the season and to coordinate with the pillows and other accessories. The trick is to keep the harder to change items (couch, wall colors) in a neutral palate to accomodate these seasonal changes.

OK, I am sure I am boring those of you that were born with the interior designer's touch, but let me guarantee you that this genetic trait did not get passed through my family, so I found these concepts refreshing. My current big "accent" items are the baby gates; all things for a season!

Cutting (And Pasting) the Red Tape

Every few months, I put off the inevitable and endure the pure torture: I tape together a random assortment of receipts, pharmacy and physician statements, explanation of benefits forms, etc. all in the hopes that the magic genie through our flexible spending plan will refund our own money back to us. It's torture. It's like when I had to fill out a time and expense report when I worked for a now defunct accounting firm after I had a big round of travel...(talk about a mish mash of receipts!)

In these modern days of technology, I at least was able to fill out the request form electronically, but here comes the fun part, which is more like a 4th grade cut and paste project. Armed with my tape dispenser, I carefully tape each receipt to a piece of printer paper, coded with a numeral to match the corresponding entry on the request form.

Every year I question if the tax savings are really worth my time and energy. Doesn't my sanity count for something? I am the designated family form filler-outer, and I just dread this activity intensely! Our last legitimate request for $86 was denied because they wanted more info. So I put my happy bottom back in my car ALONG with my 16 month old, drove over to the doctor's office, AND got a more detailed print out. And now the detail is taped and coded. I hope that was worth the approximately $24 in tax savings. I could have been sleeping, cleaning my kitchen, or even blogging for that matter.

In this world of quick and easy, Uncle Sam wanted us to get our tax savings with some real sweat equity.

Hi Dah!

We have few words, but his latest is too hold the phone and say, "Hi, Daahhh" (for Dad...) Cute!

Swimming upstream

The first time I ever saw salmon swimming upstream I was amazed -- these half alive, somewhat decomposed fish are making a journey to their deaths. It's a journey that is quite remarkable and truly speaks to God's creativity with all of His creatures.

This past weekend we took Colin to the Salmon Hatchery where he could see salmon swimming upstream and then up the fish ladder. Getting up that close to the fish was quite remarkable. You can check out the SalmonCam to check on their progress.

Battle of the cars - my wandering mind

So it's been 10 months since I gave up my cute lil' red, 2 door Accord, and I miss her dearly. Ah, the sacrifices we make as parents! I occasionally spot one like her and I reminisce about the "good ole days!" I can't imagine getting Colin in and out of the back seat of it now, but it was so much fun to drive!

Honda keeps sending us materials about their newly redesigned '08 Accord Coupe, and it's just gorgeous! I was just thinking the other day that when Colin is old enough to crawl in and out of the car on his own, it just might work.....hmmmmm.

Mazda must know that Honda has been tempting my mind, because they have put on a full court press and keep sending me all of this cool stuff -- a great zoom zoom magazine, and even a little touch up paint kit for my CX-7....just in case I've had a little too much "zoom, zoom" (clever, very clever.)

Will I look back on my Accord a bit like Uncle Jerry looks back on his classic Mustang? Probably. Am I just a little silly? Probably. But I sure did love that car!

Hammer Down

Gimme some feedback....How did I convince our little man that said new toy is intended only for use on the matching tool kit and not my kitchen counters, random other toys, or even the cat. OK, so the cat can stand up from himself . But the other things?

Savoring The Observable Presence

I am excited about this new Bible Study I am doing through the women's ministry program at my church. The study, called "Believing God," has a portion of each day's study dedicated to something called a GodStop; with STOP standing for "Savor the Observable Presence." This a journel time where I consider how God is moving in ways in my life where I can note that occurrences are more than just "coincidence" or a "random chance happening." In noting this, I can Savor The Observable Presence of God.

And then yesterday I received a card from a friend and the card was made by "Savoring Grace Greetings. On the back of the card, it gives a definition for Savor:

Savor: To recognize the value of. To undergo an emotional reaction. To have a particular flavor or suggestion. To receive pleasure from.

I have had some incredible GodSTOPS this past week, and I am definitely receiving pleasure from and am recognizing the value of this observable presence of God. A chance encounter with a college sorority sister. A chance meeting with another mom with some great thrift store tips. A chance meeting with a stranger in need. Not chance at all.

Spiders...They're Everywhere You Want to Be

I'm not a fan of spiders, though I do realize they have some redeeming qualities in the "eating other bugs" department. I was in the yard today preparing to plant some bulbs and I kept coming oh so close to almost running into all of their webs -- eeks! This one, in particular, kept "getting in my way."

At least they aren't cockroaches. I remember them so clearly from when we lived in Texas. You'd be sitting on the patio on a warm spring evening and you'd have to move indoors because they scurrying everywhere and we're the size of small children. OK, not really that big, but they were several inches long. I so don't miss that!

Praise For What I Didn't Even Know I Needed to Be Praying For

Rewind about 2 years when I was still pregnant, and I had the perfect vision for child care -- I was going to commute with child in tow to work via the bus, take him/her across the street to daycare (where I could join him or her to nurse throughout the day) and then we would commute home together on the bus and life would be blissful. I watched another mom/daughter pair do this, and I was just convinced! I somehow forgot about the long bus trip and the aweful windstorms in the winter!

Then a few weeks into my maternity leave I called the childcare facility and learned that every woman under the sun had a baby when I did and there were absolutely no spots downtown. What?!?! I searched desperately for a new place -- on the Eastside. I toured one facility and had that "not in my lifetime" feeling in my gut. It felt like a baby mill.

Then, with the recommendation from my mom, I looked for a church childcare facility, and I found The Ark. I enjoyed talking on the phone with the assistant director. When I toured the facility, it just felt right. I can't explain how I knew, but I just felt that Colin would be just fine there for 3 1/2 days a week. I had this same assurance when I toured Baylor University many years ago -- I just knew it was where God wanted me to be. This kind of assurance and peace is something over my life that I've learned is an assurance from the Lord that I am on the path he has chosen for me. And now, for me and my family!

This time last September , I cried as I packed his bag for his first day of "school." I had ironed nametag labels into all of his extra clothing, and I had everything set. My mind knew he was going to be cared for by a woman with a huge heart and lots of love for my son, but letting go with my heart was SOOO hard. It also meant that I was returning to work (with a new boss and a new employee reporting to me, at that!)

The first day I picked Colin up, "Miss A" was playing a CD of Phantom of the Opera, and it warmed my heart somehow -- that was one of my favorite shows (though I slept partly through it when I was in NYC when I was in the 8th grade -- a whole other blog topic!)

The timing of taking Colin back to daycare coincided with many other sleep and nursing challenges, and there were days I was gleeful to take him in at 7:01 am. Just being honest, but "Miss A" was a life raft for me as a mom. Those first months were so tough, and the thought of taking Colin to someone else so I could recharge was pure bliss! I love him, but "Miss A" had the patience to see me through a very tough time. A time when I needed to learn how to be a mom and learn from her things like, "Oh, he needs a stage 2 bottle nipple, " or "Oh, his nails really DO need a trim so he won't keep scratching all of us!"

And the time came in December that I knew I needed to be home full time with Colin. As I wrote my resignation, I knew this was God's will -- that I stay home full time with Colin. I knew with clarity that was beyond a doubt. God has given me such peace and clarity about this decision that I praise Him for this peace of mind.

I didn't know when I was pregnant that I needed to be praying for such an awesome childcare center -- and yet I ended up with an awesome place with people that love him. And we gleaned another blessing from all of this.

Colin's afternoon teacher, "Miss J," was/is a special friend to me. She was there when I would pick Colin up after a frazzled, crazy day of work. And she could 'read me like a book" when I was just totally spent. She later offered to care for Colin when her schedule allowed.

And at Colin's 1st birthday, he was SOOO excited to see "Miss J!" He just loves and adores her, and we do, too. We didn't know to be praying for a special person to love and care for our son, yet God sent 2 women who love and adore him. Like the love from our Father, who loves and adore us.

Praise be to God for The Ark that kept me afloat during a rough storms of parenting, and praise for "Miss J" who was able to be with Colin tonight while Mommy was out at a meeting.

God takes care of things we don't know that we even need to be praying for. I didn't know I needed to be praying for his daycare situation; I didn't know that I needed to be praying for a woman who would love Colin and come care for him from time to time so mom and dad could have date night. Thank you Lord, for taking such good care of us and our son.

Hail, Caesar!

We joined 3 other couples for dinner Saturday night -- always a great time of food and fellowship with other families that have small children (the other 3 moms all have #3 on the way -- yikes!) Colin had a great dinner and ate everyone under the table....on Caesar salad, of all things! I hadn't ever offered him salad (silly me, I suppose!) and he chowed down on it like there was no tomorrow, thus gaining the name from our friends of "Hail, Caesar!"

Can I remind him of this love for green foods when he is 4?

Holy Cow -- Or, Bull, Rather!

The picture says it all. Congratulations, Grandpa!

Fun in the Sun/Son

Today was a gorgeous, sunny day that we enjoyed right in our own neighborhood. Each year the neighborhood community association hosts a picnic to come meet your neighbors, nibble on a hot dog, play with the bubbles and other kids toys, and meet the local police and fire department. Colin enjoyed checking out the fire truck and even got his very own fire chief hat. Pretty cool!

We then headed over to Bellevue Waterfront Day at the Bay, a celebration on the waterfront where the city also shared more about plans to expand the public waterfront based upon some recent acquisitions. Colin enjoyed dipping his toes in the lake and playing with some of the big kid's activities.

We capped off the day by going to our first ever Saturday night church service. Colin did really well (he's an early-to-bed sort of guy), and now we can sleep in tomorrow and read the Sunday paper. It was so easy getting out the door for evening service -- because, afterall, we've been dressed and ready for the day for well over 10 hours.