a blog makeover

in the spirit of the holidays in 2010, i’m changing my blogs theme:  all tropical, all the time!!!  in 2010 we are skipping Christmas & New Years and heading to Florida (worst case) or Hawaii (best case).  in other words…bring on the Coppertone!!!

the daredevil of my life…

on the way home from Christmas #5 i was excited to go in and get some much needed rest!!!  that lasted all of about 2 minutes when my little rat terrier, Lakota, decided to slip and fall off the stairs outside.  she came in and wouldn’t walk….i looked at her paw and knew something was wrong.  we called the emergency vet and took her in.  By 12:30am they had her casted (splinted) and us with a bottle of meds and out the door…only $305 later!!!  X-rays and the emergency treatment costs…yikes!!  The next morning we (Jason & Jayden) are in the vets office where they tell us she will be fine in 4-6 weeks.  She should have a complete and total recovery.  The vet assured us that within 3-4 days she would be doing everything she did before just with the cast.  Well that took all of 24 hours where she tried (and succeeded) in jumping off the couch! the next 4 weeks should be a hoot!!! 🙂

"Let It Be Christmas"

as the Christmas season is in full swing, i find myself drawn to a specific Christmas song this year.  it’s not one i would typically classify as a favorite but probably after this year it will be.  i came across this song a couple of years ago but it has come to life for me this Christmas season.  i absolutely love this song!!!  let anger and fear and hate disappear…..let it be Christmas!!!!

“Let It Be Christmas” by Alan Jackson

Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the hearts of all people both near and afar
Christmas everywhere
Feel the love of the season wherever you are
On the small country roads lined with green mistletoe
Big city streets where a thousand lights glow

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas
Christmas everywhere

Let it be Christmas everywhere
With the gold and the silver, the green and the red
Christmas everywhere
In the smiles of all children asleep in their beds
In the eyes of young babies their first fallen snow
Elderlys’ memories that never grow old

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas
Christmas everywhere

Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the songs that we sing and the gifts that we bring
Christmas everywhere
In what this day means and what we believe
From the sandy white beaches where blue water rolls
Snow covered mountains and valleys below

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere

10 days and counting…

as i pack for my trip to Greenbelt tonight, i’m reminded of all the things i have to do to prepare for the holidays.  gifts to shop for, gifts to wrap, presents to send out, menu’s to prepare, food to buy…oh yea…and time to actually enjoy this holiday season. 

and then…i’m reminded of all the things i have this holiday season and i realize that God is still in control, He’s still on the Throne and i just need to relax and trust in Him for this holiday season…Emmanuel…God with us…which means He’s here with me in the midst of my hustle and bustle of the holidays season.  He’s with me on the plane, in the hotel and everywhere else i go…

Emmanuel….God with me….

The Air Zoo

so, when the paper came home i thought ooh a field trip! then when it got here i was like ick a field trip! but this place was so way cool!!! The Kalamazoo Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, MI. It’s part of the Smithsonian collection. There were airplanes & rides, flight simulators, 4d movies, space ships & rides…it was so awesome!!! Chris Roberts & Jaylan were in our group and they were good kids that i didn’t have to worry about killing!! The kids had a blast including Jayden…it’s a great memory and i am so glad that i took the time to be a part of his life, even if it wasn’t about what i liked. i love my kid!!!

Christmas ornaments

Our tree finally got put up this weekend…only one week late!!!  We normally put the tree up the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, but since we were down in Southern Indiana, we weren’t able to do it then.  The tree went up with out a hitch, something that never ever happens!! 

Jayden got his annual Christmas tree ornament and of course i bought two of them.  When he is ready to grow up and leave me, he will have his set of ornaments to put up and i will have mine and no one gets cheated!!!  He has now 11 ornaments on my tree, ranging from “Baby’s First Christmas”, to Yoda, to Bob & Larry, to Snoopy trying to get elected (from 2004, Election year), to Leonardo, Elvis x 3 (he loves Elvis!!) to this year’s ornament, Mickey & Minnie. 

The past few years, when Jayden & I go to get his ornament, we get Jason an ornament too.  This year, we found the perfect ornament for him.  First you have to know that Jason is the cook at our house.  We call him the “Chef” or the “Grill Master”!!  You also have to know that for our Christmas Eve dinner we have home made cheeseburgers, toasted buns & home made French Fries.  So when Jayden & I found this ornament, we simply  had to buy it for Jason…Jason simply loved it!!

This year when I got out my decorations I was again overwhelmed with a since of homesickness when I put this ornament on the tree.  I would simply love to visit home at Christmas, but I know that what i miss isn’t there.  I miss my childhood home, my mom cooking in the kitchen and staying up most of the night before Christmas getting everything ready and my Dad shooting us some mistletoe right out of the tree.  The things I am homesick for this year, can’t ever be visited again except in my memories.

So the tree is up and it’s filled with old memories and new ones and the hope that there will be many more to come.

Uncle Gunny

we had a great Thanksgiving!! Great food, great shopping and hanging with my favorite part of Jason’s family. Jason & Susan made a great Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, rolls, green bean casserole, corn & a really cool cranberry dish Jason tried out. Jayden ate 6 plates of mashed potatoes…the most anyone ate that day!! Friday we went shopping, ate pizza and watched movies. Saturday we went out to lunch, Jayden & Uncle Gunny went shooting and we played games that night. such great times!!! Uncle Gunny is like Jayden’s favorite person ever and whenever they do anything together, it’s a great time. i am glad that someone in my extended family takes time out for my son…so this year I’m very thankful for “Uncle Gunny”!!!!