Freakin me out

Okay, I knew it would happen eventually but Erica can read!  This is blowing my mind.  This has developed in about the last week and a half.  She sounds out everything she sees.  She was so proud of her self Sunday because she read the whole Dick and Jane Jump and Run book in one afternoon.  Pretty soon we won’t be able to spell in front of her either.

Oh Christmas Tree (sigh)

This year is the first year in about 10 years that we have had a fake tree.  Due to Erica’s allergies, we have resigned ourselves to artificial trees from now on (or at least until she moves out).  The funny thing is that she’s not actually allergic to the tree, it’s the outdoor molds attached to the tree that are the problem.  No more beautiful E&R trees for us

The first time we had a fake tree was when we were newly married and had moved into our first house (read short on cash), we had my sister Laura’s old artificial tree and I think I convinced Brandon that if we used that, we would have a little more money to buy gifts with.  First I have to say that he had never had an artificial tree growing up (neither did I) so we were doing this on a trial basis (if it looked too hideous, we’d get a real one).  So I started getting things out and figure out how the thing goes together while Brandon got supper for Sam.  He walks into the room and says, “there is no way anyone is going to believe that is a real tree”.  Now mind you it was not the most fantastic tree around (as a matter of fact it was an after Christmas K-mart special) but it had potential.  After I explained to Brandon that you have to spread out the branches, he was a little more amenable to the idea (threw that one in for all those who think my kids have huge vocaularies).  All in all we ended up deciding that it was livable.

So, on to our new-gently used Christmas tree.  Last year we happened to be at Love Inc. in Hudsonville looking for a chair.  While we were there, we saw that they had a pretty good selection of used Christmas trees.  I said to Brandon that I guess if you need/want a fake tree that would be an affordable option.  Guess where we got our new tree?  We went about a month ago (I knew weekends were occupied for Nov.) to see what they had.  The one we got is actually quite nice, instead of the little pegs that you have to stick into the slots around the tree, the branches are attached with loops around pegs so when you’re done you just scrunch the branches back together and flip them all up (pretty cool if you ask me) and for a grand total of less than $20.00 we were good to go.  So anyway, we set it up Friday night after the girls went to bed and then put the lights on Saturday also after bed time, and put on the ornaments with the girls Sunday afternoon. (Sorry,I can not for the life of me get this picture to rotate so that it’s upright)

My Christmas Tree is a little bit like a scrapbook for me.  It tells the story of our lives.  We each have a bulb with our name on it because that was something Brandon’s Oma started and then his mom carried on (I got to make Joshua’s this year!), we also have some ornaments from my childhood such as these Lifesaver stockings.  Also each the girls and I usually get at least one ornament each year either from my mom or my aunt Diane.  I have a gingerbread chef from the year I sold Pampered Chef (just long enough to earn enough $ to buy all the things I wanted at a discount), of course the standard “baby’s first christmas” for each of the girls  and “Our first Christmas” from the year we got married, I have ornaments from Romania  and Guatemala (Brandon knows better than to buy me nick nacks, just an ornament), then there is the enormous 4″ bulb that I got at an ornament exchange for work one year, but one of my favorites is the one my mom gave me when I had just graduated from cos school.  I also love my Jewel Brite Nativity tear drop ornaments.  Those are from my grandma, when my grandparents started going to Florida regularly, My grandma gave me all of her Christmas decorations, I have the box from them which still has the price tag of what my Grandma paid for them $.70 for a set of four on clearance and yet one of my favorite memories of helping decorate her tree each year on thanksgiving afternoon (priceless).

The girls and I hung our stockings (Brandon’s mom makes our stockings -that’s Joshua’s in the middle) and also got out the fake presents.  Yes that’s right fake gifts.  It’s time you learn a little secret about me… I’m A NUT and I HATE to shop!  Yet one of my favorite things about Christmas is pretty packages (the other one is the tree).  So, many years ago (back when $ was tight and we didn’t buy eachother much) I started making fake gifts to put under the tree (because it looked so sad with nothing under it) and have continued because we only do stockings with the girls (we do a big gift at thier b-day).  Now another thing you should know is that I’m cheap.  So my fake gifts are wrapped with leftover wrapping paper from gifts I have recieved that were wrapped in pretty paper, and the boxes are wrapped in such a way that if needed they could be used.  Also they neatly stack inside of eachother for convenient storage. (perhaps this is too much information)  So if anyone ever tries to steal our gifts I will laugh my fool head off because they are mostly empty.  (Brandon says this tradition is so full of sermon illustrations he can’t narrow it down to one)

Another funny story about the gifts.  The first year that I did this we had our youth leaders over for a meeting one day.  One of the female leaders said “oH! someones been good this year” because 3 or4 of the boxes were old jewelery boxes.  I don’t remember if I told her the truth or not.

Anyway, all said and done it’s not the tree or the packages that are important but the ultimate gift of our saviour and Lord who came to this earth to suffer and die that we might have eternal life with him.  Now THAT is priceless.

Crazy busy

So I’ve been a little busy lately.  The last couple of weekends Brandon has gone up north to my family’s hunting land (McBain).  Last weekend he got an 8 point!  The girls and I went up Friday after school so we could have Lauren’s B-day party up there. (poor child was born the day before opening of fire arm season -My dad didn’t see her till she was a week old) I can’t believe she’s already three.  Thursday and Friday last week I had Sam home from school because she had a terrible cough.  I took her to the doctor on Thursday, they said so far it was just a cold but they heard wheezing in her chest so we went home with a script for albuterol (at least I’m already familiar with that one).  They did say it could possibly be a precursor to asthma but since this is the first time she’s had a problem, I’m holding out hope.  So far she seems to be holding steady.

Erica on the other hand has been doing well.  We are in the process of stepping down her meds again, this time we’re actually doing it a little slower than the allergist said to and hoping for better results.  She’s been a little dark under her eyes again lately which is not usually a good sign but we’ll chalk that up to too much fun with the cousins.

So any way, we are planning on heading back up north again for holiday and then heading back down Friday night so we can get together with Brandon’s folks while they’re here.

Also I have been using my usual blogging time (after the girls go to bed and I’m too pooped to go anymore) for working on Joshua’s scrapbook.  My goal was to have it done by Thanksgiving but it’s not looking like that’s going to happen, I guess maybe Christmas is a better goal.  I’m very excited about how it’s turning out!

So my apologies for my absence and since I probably won’t have a chance to post again before then, HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

We are so truly blessed.

Speaking the Language

Communicating with children is all about speaking the language.  Their language that is.  It begins with being able to decipher when “da” means daddy, and when it means the neighbor is walking by with their dog.  Eventually they become more clear in their words but you have to decipher meanings and determine what they mean when they use a term you are familiar with, but giving them what they ask for does not result in them being happy (no I am not referring to a spanking).  Sometimes it comes down to rephrasing.  For example, we have discussed earlier that it is possible to special order even the simplest meal (toast).  Recently Lauren wanted toast with jelly.  She said “I’ll get the toast” and headed for the fridge.  I proceeded to make the toast and put it on the plate.  However when I delivered said toast, she said noooo!   I want toast.“  I said, “That is toast”.  To which she replied “no it not.”  I said “but it is.”  After this went back and forth a couple times I realized a new approach was in order.  I asked her if she wanted bread with jelly, no she wanted toast.  More confusion.  Eventually in her frustration she uttered the phrase that made it all clear “I don’t want it cooked”.  Aah ha we have a winner!  Through further clarification I discovered somewhere along the line she had labeled jelly as toast. (I do not keep the bread in the fridge)

 Just now Brandon was getting his computer stuff together so he can leave when I’m done writing this.  She asked what something was for.  Brandon told her it was for his USB cable.  Then she saw something else and asked,  ”Daddy what is this for your EFG cable?”

Trick or Treat

Okay so here are the Trick or Treat pictures Lindsey asked for :

Samantha went as Queen Esther and Erica was a ballerina princess.  Yes that is the same outfit Sam wore last year as a princess,I guess she’s moved up in the hierarchy.  The kids had a great time at our church Trunk or Treat even though it rained the whole time they were out collecting candy.  Samantha was less than impressed with the “icky boxes” she almost puked after the “eyeballs” box however Erica thought they were pretty cool and had pretty much all of them figured out ie. eyeballs = grapes in mayonnaise, brains=spaghetti etc.  I thought it was pretty cute.  Lauren had still had a fever Tuesday night so we thought it best that she stay home and is none the worse for wear as she has been pilfering out of her sister’s buckets with their full approval.