The Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Some of each – Dane is a wrapping paper lover, and I of course reuse gift bags until they fall apart. 2. Real tree or Artificial? Real! I really loved the year we won the lottery to cut our own, even though the one we found was sort of Charlie Brown-esque 3. When do you put up the tree? About 2 days before Christmas 4. When do you take the tree down? About 2 days after Christmas 5. Do you like eggnog? I made it from scratch last year. It was a little bit gross. 6. Favorite gift received as a child? My kitty. He is in Israel in a box. Someday we’ll be reunited. 7. Hardest person to buy for? Dane 8. Easiest person to buy for? Ardara 9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, Dane gave me a gorgeous one a couple of years ago. I love it. And a different one that the kids can play with too. 10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I wish I had it together enough to do Christmas cards. Every time I try, I’m late mailing them. 11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don’t remember ever hating a Christmas gift. I must be easy to shop for. 12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I have a few – Scrooged, A Christmas Carol, and The Bishop’s Wife (because I have to get Carey Grant into my holidays somehow) 13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? If I had my way, I would do it way early, but Dane doesn’t let me shop until right before Christmas. I hate that. 14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don’t think so. 15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Candy, baby 16. Lights on the tree? Have you seen the Mythbusters about it? Lights really aren’t what causes all those Christmas tree fires according to them. Its faulty wiring/overloading the sockets, a la Clark Griswald. So, light em up! 17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night (me too, Tara!) but my kids laugh at me because I always cry when I sing Little Drummer Boy. I’m that cheesy. 18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? stay home 19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? my Dad teases me that I remember every lyric to any song I’ve heard even once. That’s an exaggeration, but I have heard The Night Before Christmas many times – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet Cupid, Donner and Blitzen... and do you recall the most famouse reindeer of all? RUDOLPH the Red Nosed Reindeer! 20. Angel on the tree-top or a star? We had a stained glass cross, but it broke so this year I get a new tree topper. I saw a cool one in a catalog. It was a start of David. I think I might get it, if I can find it again. (the one in this picture isn't it.) 21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Morning. No cheaties 22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The people wanting you to give one last tax deductible donation before the end of the year – as if we are all just looking for ways to get rid of our money right now. 23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Ones the kids make 24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Christmas dinner wasn’t really a tradition in our house growing up. We just grazed it seems like. (Sorry mom if I am forgetting your hard work for many years – I really don’t remember Christmas dinner!) But it is my birthday and I do remember birthday cakes. YUM! 25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Something sentimental. Merry Christmas to Everyone and many blessings for the New Year!

Rhinos pictures

Well, Jarnli did send me the pictures of me and the kids with the Rhinos basketball team. So, here they are. I look like I'm trying really hard. But I was cool, really.

Seven Things

Because one of my very favorite blogs is Design Crush, and because she invited everyone to do the About Me survey, and because I love to do surveys, I offer you ...

The picture on my profile right now is an illustration from my favorite childhood book, Water Babies by Charles Kingsley. As a child I had these really wild paisley sheets on my bed and I would get under the covers with a flash light and read Water Babies and imagine I was in an underwater world. I really really wanted to be a water baby. One of my favorite things about Dane when we were courting was that he went to the barber regularly for a shave and a haircut. He was so handsome and smelled so good afterwards with his clean cut, it thrilled me beyond measure. But for the past 7 years he has had me cutting his hair for him, and it doesn't have the same effect at all.

The first person I ever stalked was a man who looked exactly like Cary Grant. I was working at Little Caesar's pizza and he came in to pick up an order. He didn't speak English at all, but was reading off of a 3x5 card. His accent sounded french. I was so taken by him that I looked up his phone number in the backwards telephone directory and his name was Rolph Englehard. It had his address, so I started a daily routine of driving past his house for a glimpse of him. I never actually saw him, though. By now he would be a gray haired old man, although probably still handsome. Actually, that was a lie. I actually started stalking cute boys while I was still in school. I memorized Jim Fransen's locker combo just so I could smell his jacket when he wasn't around. I also made my mom drive past Stan Goligoski's house many many times. I don't know why Rolph Engelhard stands out as the first, when I did it all the time as a school girl. Either way, he wasn't the last. Now, of course, I don't do any stalking. I really am happily married. (: My pet peeves include but are not limited to: not replacing a roll of toilet paper when you use it up, bad grammar/punctuation/spelling, improper use of cliches, fanatics (whether it is a fanatical vegetarian, eschatologist, baseball fan or scrapbooker - they all just get under my skin.) One thing that Dane does that really endears him to me is to sing along with gusto to the music he loves, even though he can't carry a tune and doesn't know the lyrics. I don't really appreciate this quality in everyone, but in my husband it is precious. He confessed to me the other day that he was singing along in the car and thought he was hitting the notes so well he turned down the volume to hear himself. He was wrong. Enough said.

My very favorite car in the whole world is a 1963 Jaguar XKE. It is pure sex on wheels.

TAG! You're IT!

Teachable Moments that REALLY Matter

So, last night Dane told me he would need me and the kids to be finished with our exploration Wednesday by noon for him to use the car. Since our unit this week is on the sun and the moon, I quickly yanked the kids out of bed and dragged them outside (okay, I wasn't really that rough about it) to look at the gorgeous, bright full moon over our house. Then I told them we would be getting up early and going somewhere special to watch the sunrise. I was so excited myself, I could barely sleep. I just knew it was going to be a special day. I was right. We woke up at 6:30, got some apples and coffee together and some woobies, and drove to Watson Lake. We got there just in time to scramble up onto a huge granite boulder, cuddle up under the down woobies and watch the sun peek over the horizon. As it rose I talked to the kids about Lamentations 3:22-23, "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." I told them that if there was ever a time in their lives that they realized they weren't close to God, or thought they had done something God wouldn't forgive, or just wanted to somehow draw closer to God, I wanted them to wake up early like this and watch the sun rise. That every time they watch the sun rise it will remind them that today is a brand new day. Every day is a new chance to start all over. Every morning God's mercy is perfectly new. Fresh. Not two week old leftovers out of the fridge, but brand spanking new mercy that doesn't remember the past, but tells us "I forgive you. Just go forward and don't look back." We sang that little chorus that I learned when I first became a Christian - "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases/ his mercies never come to an end/ they are new every morning/ new every morning/ great is thy faithfulness, O God/ Great is thy faithfulness" Then we got to just climb around on the awesome granite dells and explore for a few hours, which was super duper fun. It was by far one of the most meaningful times I ever spent with my kids, and I know it touched them too, because the rest of our day was filled with supernatural peace - which is HUGE when you have three young children! Just before bed time Huyler told me "Mom, I had a really good day." My heart wanted to just over flow. I hope they remember it, because without that fresh mercy every day, I would be totally lost in life.

Netiquette

So, I just found out that FTW is supposed to mean "for the win" and not "f*** the world", which explains a lot about why I see this acronym from people I totally wouldn't expect to hear swearing. I googled it. I also found a whole glossary of internet abbreviations and I am just sitting here wondering why people can learn what practically amounts to an entire new language for typing on the internet, instead of spending an equal amount of time learning to type things out in the language they already use? I mean, it doesn't take me any longer to type "for the win" than it does to think of typing FTW and then executing it. If that's really a part of someone's vocabulary anyway, why not just practice your typing skills to save time? I guess it just bothers me that the English language is falling by the wayside while people are taking the time to create a glossary so that others can understand their mostly initialed email.

In case you couldn't picture it...

As described in my last post.... here is me with a paper clip in my nose. It came about from helping my kids clean their room and finding said paper clip on the floor. I realized that it had been quite some time since I had pulled that little shocker, and sure enough, Augie was completely taken aback. He loved it. Dane, not so much.

Let's All Get to Know Each Other

My mom sent me a quiz! Of COURSE I had to fill it out. And it was a fun one, too.

(X) Gone on a blind date an Irish kid named Patrick in Santa Fe. He took me to an old people restaurant

(X) Skipped school I forged a note from Mom and it was so obvious I got called in to Mr. Bixler's office and busted for it.

(X) Watched someone die Holly Windish had an asthma attack at the Major Lingo show in Jerome, and the ambulance didn't make it up the hill in time from Cottonwood. Very sad.

(X) Been to Canada (thanks to Anika!) yeah!

(X) Been to Mexico Prescott's sister city Caborca for a service project when I was 16

(X) Been to Florida thanks to my Father in Law!

(X) Been on a plane (more than I'd like) amen.

(X) Been lost "...but now am found, was blind, but now I see"

(X) Been outside of the country Ireland, Israel and stopovers in England (can't count Mexico and Canada, because not only are they attached, but we already covered them in a previous question)

( ) Gone to Washington, D.C

(X ) Swam in the ocean Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Dead Sea!

(X) Cried yourself to sleep Hello, I was 16 for a whole entire year.

(X) Played cops and robber Sheriff Powder Puff with a chicken coop for a jail!

(X) Recently colored with crayons Like every day.. .I did the best Incredible Hulk yesterday. I should scan it.

(X) Sang Karaoke I can do Loretta Lynn's "You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man" like nobody's business. I just recently sang it a capella to Dane on our anniversary - we didn't feel like going to a honkey tonk to actually get accompaniment.

(X)Paid for a meal with coins only I have paid for more embarassing things than food with coins only

(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't… Have you seen Augie's smile? He could get me to go back on my word 100 times a day.

(X) Made prank phone calls I actually did, but I can't remember with whom or what we said

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose And one time Karen Chandler made me laugh so hard I threw up in my thirstbuster cup. TMI, I know.

(X)Caught a snowflake on your tongue

(X)Danced in the rain

(X)Written a letter to Santa Claus

(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe But never taken by surprise in a romantic, movie way. I'm always the dork standing under the mistletoe going "Oh, look! I'm standing under the mistletoe! How silly of me!"

(X) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about

(X) Blown bubbles

(X) Gone ice-skating

(X)Been skinny dipping outdoors The last time was with Mom in Tomales Bay!!!

(X) Gone to the movies If there is anyone who is living in a technologically advanced enough vicinity that they can receive random quizzes via email and yet they have never been to the movies... I'm confused.

(X) did something illegal

1. Any nickname? Squasha Tasha

2. Mother's Name? Silly Sally

3. Favorite drink? It changes, but lately I have been enjoying Nescafe in the mornings. It reminds me of Israel, where everyone drinks instant or Turkish coffee. No one has a coffee maker.

4. Tattoo? Several, but I'm not proud of any of them now.

5. Body Piercing? Septum, but I don't wear anything in it anymore. Sometimes I stick a paper clip in there to freak out my kids.

6. How much do you love your job? I LOOOOOVE home schooling my kids. I HAAAAAAATE doing office work for Dane.

7. BIRTHPLACE? a hospital delivery room, unlike my lucky little sister.

8. Favorite vacation spot? I like the vacation spot in "The Fifth Element", where they go for a cruise on another planet and hear an alien opera diva. Way cool.

9. Ever been to Africa? Never even desired to go. Well, maybe to Egypt.

10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? No, but Pancakes is a regular dinner item

11. Ever been on TV? Nope

12. Ever steal a traffic sign? No, but three different boyfriends of mine have. It is always a result of drugs and/or alcohol.

13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes, and always my own fault - but NOT the result of drugs and/or alcohol.

14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4-door 4x4

15. Favorite salad dressing? Wishbone Green Goddess

16. Favorite pie? It's been a super long time since I had mom's rhubarb, but it does sound good. I also like me some pumpkin pie from scratch with free pumpkins from the day after Halloween at Albertson's. I forgot to go get one this year, but I still have some in the freezer from last year.

17. Favorite number? 11 - because it's just two sticks

18. Favorite movie? P.S. I Love You - speaking of karaoke, I haven't seen Dane laugh that hard in years. Mom, you would love that scene. Its PG-13, did you see it?

20. Favorite dessert? Just a little bit of delicious chocolate for me

21. Favorite food? sushi, and I'm proud to say that my 7 year old loves it too.

22. Favorite day of the week? Wednesday, its Exploration Day this year in school and we are required to go spend time outdoors, exploring a new place every week. The kids draw in nature journals, and we do experiments. And no math class or anything.

23. Favorite brand of body wash or soap? Body Shop pink grapefruit

24. Favorite toothpaste? Tom's non-flouride peppermint

25. Favorite smell? clean little babies sleeping

26. How do you exercise? hmm. ha ha. haaaa haaa haaaa. bwahhh haaaa haaaaa haaa. HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Maybe another baby? Maybe living in Israel? "...yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." James 4:14

28. What do you do to relax? I have a lavender eye pillow and I lock my door and lay down and put on my eye pillow and I escape into another dimension until someone comes screaming at me that so-and-so is going to kill them, and then I get back up.

29. Furthest place you will send this message? Newport, OR, but I may post it on my blog, too, which is read all over the world according to my little map counter thingy!

30. Who will respond the fastest? Mom sent it to everyone I would send it to. And I bet you I sent it back before Jarnli! HA!

Oh, and if you read my blog, consider yourself SOOOO tagged. I want to see some long quizzes on your blog pronto.

Okay, I forgive you.

I'm really easy to appease. Just remember 3 things:

1. Don't treat me like a jerk in the first place
2. When I go to sleep on the couch, you aren't supposed to LET me.
3. When #1 and #2 get missed, just TRY to make up.. even with a bouquet from the grocery store. I'm not picky.

Arizona Rhinos

Yay! Prescott Valley has a basketball team! The ABA team, the Arizona Rhinos was at Tim's Toyota Center today for a meet and greet. Then they showed up at a fall festival we were enjoying at Glassford Hill Church! We got to watch them shoot some hoops! Jarnli took a picture of me and the boys with the team, but its on her camera, so I may never see it. Season starts December 5th. Woot! And Huyler made friends with this little guy, Kalil, who was with the team, although I don't know whose son he is. He was 4 and ADORABLE (He gave me his autograph.. just a lowercase "h". so cute).