Traditions and Apologies for being Lame

My apologies...I've been a total flake about blogging lately. Not being all that happy with my template brings on fiddling sessions...which end up messing things up and bringing on more fiddling sessions. Which mess things up more resulting in IMing and e-mailing my wonderful computer geek friends asking for help, which all results in a lack of motivation to put more posts on the blog that doesn't look right yet. Lame excuse I know. I'm one of those odd people that can't sit down and read until my room is clean. Apparently the habit has leaked into my blogging habits too. So even though it's January, I thought I'd post about some of our Christmas traditions.

One of my all time favorites has gotta be the popcorn and ice cream for dinner tradition. On the night that we decorate the Christmas tree we watch a movie and eat popcorn and ice cream sundaes for dinner. Although of late my parents insist on having some kind of protein with it. I think this year we had some steaks along with the sugar. Very healthy! :) We used to watch this old movie called "Silent Mouse" every year, but after about ten years of it we got kinda bored and asked for a different Christmas movie. Now we watch whatever takes our fancy, as long as it's Christmas.

Another is the REAL Christmas tree tradition. Serious mutiny would happen in our house if a fake tree entered the premesis of our property. We always go to the tree farm, always spend a good amount of time considering the many pros and cons of different trees, and finally sawing off one that Mommy, as the supreme tree chooser decides on.

Christmas Eve is full of tradition. First we often stop by at my Grandma's house where she holds a Christmas party for all her brothers and sisiters and extended family. Then we head to our church's Christmas Eve candlelight service. Finally, our jammies donned, we gather under the Christmas tree with sleeping bags and pillows. We get to open one gift on Christmas Eve, it's always a book. After reading for a while, we lay our sleepy heads on our soft pillows and dream of sugar plums.

And I should just mention for Collin's sake that we burn the tree after Christmas. Once we did it when we got home on Christmas day, but usually the day after Christmas. It's fixed standing up in the back yard, set flame to, and whoosh it's gone. Pretty cool!

Pink and Brown for Tiffy

One thing I love about sponsoring with the Philip Hayden Foundation (PHF) is the allowance to buy outfits and toys for your sponsor baby, send it to China, and then receive pictures of your baby wearing the clothes. I recently sent these two outfits to Tiffany and can't wait to get pictures of her in them! I'll be sure post them when they come. I perused the entire mall for the little pink and brown dress, and found the perfect little Mary Jane shoes to match. The other outfit I found at Target...on sale!...and got to shop for it with a dear friend who was buying for her little sponsor baby Meg.

Curls and Sparkles

Necessities for a Christmas party: curls and sparkly dresses. Mia has both. If only the party had not been canceled, her majesty would definately have stollen the show!

Haul a complete set of speakers and woofers out to the bedroom in the garage...

Get your amazingly tech-savy brother set-up perfectly right to set up the system...

Stack your three little sisters on your bed with blankies, pillows and stuffies...

Add some cute smiles...

And TADA! You have your own theatre in the bedroom in the garage...perfect for watching pointless Christmas movies without bugging the parents!

More Tea

I adore snow. It makes a good excuse for scarves, hot chocolate, snow boots, books, Starbucks, blankets, and mittens. So, with the flakes coming down, Mommy gone on arends, and Alissa and Ania just coming in from playing with the goats, hot cocoa was a necessity. After throwing some pots, milk, and chocolate around for a while and generally making a mess, the cocoa was ready, and poured into Christmas mugs. Upon being served her little mug of chocolate, Ani stuck her finger in to sample the whipped cream. Pretty soon she was done and calling out, "More TEA! More TEA!" The cocoa was still in her cup,but the whip was gone. Several times through the course of a half hour, the call for "More TEA!" came loudly from a corner of the dining room, followed by the sound of a whipped cream bottle.

More Pictures of Tiffany

My Babies in China

About 3 months ago I signed up to sponsor a little girl in China. (www.chinaorphans.com) Her name was Ava-Hope. Within a month and a half I was totally attched and called her "my baby in China." The day I found out that she was getting adopted was bitter-sweet. She wasn't going to be my baby anymore, but someone else's; but it was exactly what I had been praying for so I was happy at the same time.

After Ava was gone, I had to pick out another baby to sponsor. I chose Tiffany, a four year ol with a solemn face that turns spunky when she smiles. When I first got the info on her I regreted choosing her. I had sponsored Ava-Hope for only a month and a half and cried when she got adopted. Here was another little girl, just as beautiful, who has serious heart problems and will probably not live long, or get adopted. I really didn't want to go through all that emotional trama. But, as I prayed for Tiffany, and carried her pictures everywhere, God changed my heart and she's now my second baby in China.

My friend Annie also sponsors a little girl who lives at the same place, and we're planning a trip to visit them this summer. If anyone's intersted in going we'd love to have you!

Let's Hope it's Not True

My cousin had a dream about me and my brother. It made me crack up...let's just hope it's not prophetic:

I came over to visit and Kaisha was married to this hippie that looked exactly like Napoleon Dynamite. His name was William BootBop. He was a freak. He would come up to everybody yelling "PEACE PEACE PEACE!" And then Kaisha would say, "Awwww... isn't that just sooo cute!" Then we would all look at her like NO! He is the weirdest thing since teletubies! I was talking to you and Collin and you said that you guys had to go make a music video. So.... I came with you and it was a weird video. Collin was wearing this tee shirt had a picture of a bunny on it and the tee shirt said "Fried chicken is cool!" and black pants. And Kaisha was wearing these old ugly overalls that were sparkly and Rainbow colors. You guys were dancing around with Tubas and were singing " Hallelujah!" For 4 minutes straight. You guys thought that it was so cool! Then.......... i woke up!

Aunt Brenda sent me some pictures of the other kids from "Christmas in October." In the top picture is my cousin Emily, and Alissa. In the bottom one is Thomas, Mia, and Emily. Way cute!