Today I am thankful for this. Even if there was nothing else, this would be enough. Photo Credit: Jen Fagan @ New Shoe But there is more, much more, none more important or special than this, but special, important, and worthy of gratitude just the same. Thanks for it all!
Some people call them Holiday Cards, which is fine, but I call them Christmas Cards. A few times in my life, I have had to call them Holiday Cards. Why you ask?? Well, truth be told, I got really behind and had to send the old, "Hope you had a great Christmas, Happy New Year!", edition. Not because social etiquette dictated the choice, procrastination did!
This year, I am so excited about Cards. I recently made a Shutterfly book about Halloween and it came out great. I did have a couple of mistakes, but overall I would call it a success:
Also, it keeps the pictures from living in my camera or in a folder on my pc. They are alive! I love it!!
So, back to Christmas Cards..... I love getting them, comparing designs, looking back to last year's and how much everyone has changed, and most of all knowing that someone took the time to address that card just to us at such a busy time. I know, sappy right? There are people I don't hear from all year, but I get that card. I can't help it, I am a sucker for a canceled stamp. Call me old fashioned, but I will take a real card over an e-card any day. I know, I know, the environment prefers e-cards. I love the Earth too. Heck, I recycle everything I can, but I still love my cards! I don't throw them away, so I am doing my part!!!
This year I am doing a Shutterfly card. I did Thanksgiving ones for the family:
I also have made three calendars for Christmas presents. I can't talk about them here. Who knows who is watching and I don't want to spoil any surprises! You can make your own here, http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=990c1d46b8578dc6&sid=0Act2Lhm4cM2LvA ,and let me give you a little tip: You can put a picture on every single date/day if you want to. There is no limit and what a way to use up a bunch of pictures. You could even pick a day of the week and put a photo on, for example, every Friday!
Today we headed to Jamestown to celebrate another Abby and another big day. How these children are so grown is quite the mystery to me, but that calendar doesn't lie. If you don't already have kids, or your kids are under three NOW HEAR THIS: you only get 2 years out of a baby. Two years. After that they are short teenagers. They speak in full sentences, pick their own clothes, music, and activities. Grown ups in pretty cotton patterns I tell you.
Abby got a robe for her birthday. A robe! I got my mom a robe for Christmas last year. A robe! And she loved it. She screeched, "I got a robe!". She put it on, and she didn't take it off.
Have you heard? 3 is the new 17! Dear Children, please slow down, you are killing me.
I love Avery. I love him more than I knew it was possible to love someone, and I wouldn't take anything for him. Really! However, this boy is killing me this week. He has kicked, screamed, slapped, bitten, ignored, defied, and outright been an A #1 Mad Man for over a week now.
He does have a bit of a runny nose and a stomach bug has been moving through his classroom, but I am genuinely at the end of my rope with this boy. I really don't know what to do with him. I don't want him to be that jerky kid that no one wants to be around, but that is the direction he is going in.
We were in Sam's the other day and he knocked his water off of the table violently. I don't even know what ticked him off. He will never express sorrow. He know the signs for "please" and "thank you" and he uses them a lot. He will not sign sorry for anything. When he gets mad he throws his pacie, pulls my hear, slaps, and scratches. He is like a little crazy feral cat. If he hissed I might have him tested for rabies. It hurts my heart and it is embarrassing. It crushes me that Avery inherited my temper. As I slammed the washer and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Greg you are a dead man!" it occurred to me, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. All roads lead back to "Crazy Town". I guess you can't fight DNA. UGH!
We only have three days of work this week. I am going to try to leave work on time and get home and in to bed early. Maybe he is overly tired. If he rips my glasses off of my face and throws them on the ground one more time I might just start crying and not stop.
Why would you be so mean to the person who does the most in the world for you? BTW, my least favorite thing when he is really acting like an idiot is when someone comes up, takes him away from me, and asks him what I have done to him. Tonight, when I was trying to put on his pjs he bit me on the forehead. OUCH!
Man, I would love to be one of those girls who gets paid to blog. You know the ones. Super cute girl with really nice camera, cute kids, and tons of clever quips. Alas, I am not, so I can only Blog when I don't mind missing out on some sleep. I should be mopping. I am not.
Today was Abbie's 3rd birthday and I felt compelled to give that sweet girl a shout out. She had a magician/ballon artist at her party. Well done Mommy, well done.
Brandon was a hit with all the kids, young and old!
Don't ask me where I have been because I do NOT know. I haven't accomplished a single thing. Not one. I haven't watched movies, caught up on my note writing, cleaned my house, read a book. I haven't cured any diseases, solved any problems, or invented anything.
I have played a lot with this little guy! Does it get any better than that?
Sweet Ginger did a photo shoot for us. This is one of my favorites:
Photo Credit: Jen Fagan @ New Shoe
Photo Credit: Jen Fagan @ New Shoe
