There's no snow on the ground and I couldn't be more pleased!

This time last year, it was really cold and the ground was wet and hard from a recent snow. While the snow on Christmas Eve was picturesque, I'm glad they're not predicting one this year! The children are all snug in their beds napping. I should be preparing for our Christmas adventure tomorrow, but I'm taking a break instead.

Young John gets birthdays so I told him a couple of days ago that we were going to celebrate Jesus' birthday on Sunday. "Spiderman is coming?" he asks, thinking back to his friend Holt's birthday party. "No son, Spiderman isn't coming."

After hearing about the three wise men and their presents, John said, "Presents for Jesus' birthday?" Well yes, son. (And I promise that was a real response even though it sounds like a scripted line from a movie or Sunday school lesson!) I neglected to explain that we give him presents on Jesus' birthday, but he'll enjoy the surprise tomorrow morning.

William is in love with the Christmas tree. Yes--we have a Christmas tree. My small group leader saved Christmas when she offered an 4 foot artificial tree that she wasn't using this year. The garland idea was a complete fail--it was ugly and heavy and messy. After it fell to the ground a third time (taking pieces of plaster with it), I threw it out the back door and won't ever purchase real garland again, unless it's hung by some yard boys. I cried and the children wondered what was going on, but we moved on. I picked up the Christmas tree from my friend and let it sit in the van for a few days.

Late one evening when husband John was on call, young John noticed trash bags in the back of the van. I told him it was a Christmas tree and he went nuts. He'd noticed Christmas trees (with LIGHTS Mommy!) all around town and had shown lots of self-control not to touch them, so I realized he could handle it. We took it out of the garbage bags, straightened out the limbs, and began to decorate. Lights! Garland! Ornaments! It was a feast for the eyes and heart to see John and William delight in such a simple thing. Bonus for Mom and Dad--no need to water and there was no mess in take up and put down, and it took 30 minutes to decorate.

Each day, we lose about three or four ornaments. I realized that we should only use unbreakable ornaments so we only hung ones from our childhood. It's fun to see the boys marvel at ornaments made in the 80s. A few times, William has plugged and unplugged the lights and pulled the tree down once (he was walking with his cart holding the light cord), but it's been much more manageable that I thought. The energy I spend encouraging them to "walk away!" and "one-finger touch!" is well worth the joy they have about having a Christmas tree. I just might buy a fake tree during after Christmas sales.

John--so excited about a Christmas tree!

The ornaments are too much for William to resist!

John shows me his favorite ornament--a tool man that is his dad's

William appreciating his dad's soccer ball ornament

Reminding William of the rules--lording over his brother is a special skill of John's.

Christmastime is Here

Well, it's December and I realized I never posted any Halloween pictures. Here are a few--John was Spiderman (in rain boots) and William was Tigger. We had fun trolling the neighborhood for candy and seeing our sweet friends.

William and John with their friends Max, Kate, and Jackson

I saw this when I came to get the children out of their cribs. I'd put the pants over his feet in hopes of keeping them warm, but really it provided the opportunity to pull them off!

The first of our Christmas decorations is up. We're waiting for our garland to arrive so we can hang it around the house in lieu of a Christmas tree. (No need to feel sorry for anyone since we'll still hang ornaments and be festive. If anyone thinks a tree is necessary, feel free to live in our guest bedroom and constantly supervise our two small children for the next few weeks.) We're telling the Christmas story to the kids bit by bit, and it's fun to anticipate Christ's birth with them.

Yard Boy

Leaving our house yesterday, John and I had this discussion:

SJ: Remember we raked the yard yesterday John? The wind blew more leaves and you can't tell now.

J: Mommy needs a bag. (He helps me stand up the tall yard waste bags when we rake.)

SJ: Mommy needs a yard boy.

J: I a yard boy!

John is drinking from a cup without a lid, and we've talked about how careful he must be. Yesterday at breakfast:

J: Where's my milk? (a la Al Bundy)

SJ: John, that's not how you ask for milk.

J: Where's my milk please Mommy?

SJ: Here you go.

J: Be careful, Mommy. Be big careful!

And his favorite phrase these days after he's done something that's not funny at all--"That funny!?" and everything is silly.

SJ: John, be gentle with your brother.

J: Ha! That funny, Mommy?

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At the table...

J: Silly chip in my milk! How'd that chip get in there?

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While playing basketball...

J: Silly basketball go in the basket! That funny!

Drawing and Talking

Young John is always up to something. We keep scissors, pens, paper, utensils, cups of water, and anything else that can spill or end up on the floor or walls out of his reach since he knows how to use a lot of things, just not always on the right mediums. Often, he'll find a piece of paper (usually my grocery list) and a pen close by and ask, "John color?" I let him, since I'm usually in the middle of something and it won't harm.

Well, earlier this week, we saw a large crane travel down our small street and our curiosity was piqued. Turns out, a neighbor needed a tree removed and they had little space to get it down, so the tree company brought in a crane to help with the job. We watched a harnessed man dangle from the crane armed with a chain saw cut branches that were lowered down, chopped up and place in a dump truck or the chipper. It was quite a site.

We came home and John and I were in the kitchen and he's at the counter. I notice he's "coloring". I told him it was ok and a few minutes later he brings me this.

"Look, Mommy. I draw the crane and the tree. See it? See it right there?"

People, my kid can draw! Ignore my (anemic) meal plan and you'll see a stalky tree on the right complete with grass at the bottom. And those diagonal parallel lines to the left? That's the crane.

Fall

Getting ready for nap: "Look Mommy! I got a buncha books in my bed!"

Brothers playing in the yard. William loved it when John threw leaves his way.

Sweetie sent John some stickers. He loved them!

A new Greek yogurt fan

John proudly arranges his trucks on the ottoman. "Look what I doing Mommy!"

Sweet William--can't believe he'll be one in 11 days!

Theo Update

Good news--Theo is in remission!

Even better news--There is a bed for him at the children's hospital in Cincinnati.

He and his mom Raegan are headed there tomorrow morning via ambulance. They'll run a few tests over the weekend, plan another round of chemo and do the transplant in two weeks.

This folks, is a miracle. We are rejoicing with the Gyorffys and praising God. To Him be the glory! Continue to pray for the adjustment to their new hospital home, successful treatment leading up to the transplant, and a transplant that will permanently wipe out the cancer.

'Round Here

Well, fall has arrived in Kentucky. As I type, Husband John is outside edging and raking while the children nap. Young John has loved playing in the leaves this week and our small yard is so manageable, the work is more like play.

William is taking after his mother with his cabinet antics. He can empty a cabinet in no time and he loves clutching his finds with all his might. He loves the cabinet under the sink--yes, the one full of sponges, gloves, and hazardous materials. Yesterday I found him hugging a can of Raid. (Call Social Services!) Later, John saw his brother in the cabinet, jerked whatever was in his hands and rebuked, "No, William! That's not a toy!"

Last weekend, I went out of town, leaving the children with Sweetie and Mush and John (when he wasn't on call). They enjoyed a Saturday at the races and I had fun in Atlanta. I came home to happy children and missed them dearly. My next weekend away will hopefully be with my husband...and a small miracle if it happens in the next two years!

Last month, we painted our kitchen. To say that it needed painting in an understatement. Actually, it could use a gutting, but since we're renting, we're making do. I thought not having a dishwasher would be a deal-breaker, but we've managed fine without it. I thought having only 3 feet of counter space would be problematic. It is, but again, manageable. The dank yellow walls? They had to go! After five (sometimes painful) trips to home improvement stores, we had what we needed to get started. We decided to do it right and prime the walls first. John did that during nap time as I taped the trim. We spent the rest of the evening shooing children out of the kitchen and praying no one touched the walls.

The next day, I painted after the children were in bed. Much better! The next morning, we realized it would need another coat of paint so that night, I finished the job. Painting is no joke! I took a break for a few days--after prepping some window panes with lovely blue tape--and painted the trim the next week. I'm no pro, and it could use some touch ups, but it got the job done. It was satisfying to peel away that last round of blue tape and scrape excess paint from the windows. Bonus! I managed to not paint our old windows shut!

Now, we enjoy beige walls and bright white trim. Like I told my mom, we won't be featured in Traditional Home magazine, but it sure looks 100 times better! The dingy cabinets still remain, and maybe we'll work up the courage to paint them. Only time will tell.

Stud Husband gettin' it done. No more green square in the kitchen!

Young John loves helping in the yard. Here he helps with the weeding.

Our beautiful 11-month old--can you believe it?!

"Oh William, what are you up to?"

John's first day of Mother's Day Out--everyone's excited!