Christmas Spirit

Our search for the perfect Christmas tree began early Sunday morning. We played church hooky (hey, it was for a good reason, right?) and headed to our favorite nursery to find our tree. With a few inches of snow on the ground, it was beginning to look a lot like, well, you know...


Last year, we found a GREAT deal on a tree at Home Depot. It was huge! It was beautiful! It was only $25! It started dropping its needles before we even got it in the door... (It was probably cut down in September).

We learned our lesson, and we knew what to look for in a tree this time. We searched high and low,

'til we found the one that was just right. Look, there it is!

Oh, yeah, this is the one! We all agreed, the price was right, and after trimming off the bottom we loaded it into the truck and brought it home.

Elijah wasn't too interested in helping with the decorations, but Gabe and Isabel were thrilled to be a part of it. We played Christmas music (loudly), sang and danced and hung ornaments and strung lights and found the perfect spot for each of our decorations. We are now officially in the Christmas spirit, thank goodness. I was beginning to have my doubts that I would be feeling it this year.

Gabe cast away all my doubts, however, when he decided to listen to my heart with my stethoscope (which he dragged out of my nursing bag). After a silent moment of intent listening, he declared in an amazed voice, "I hear Jesus in your heart, Mom!".

Oh, my. Indeed you do, son. Indeed you do.

May we all have Jesus in our hearts this holiday season, and may the rest of the world be able to hear it, stethoscope or not.

Card frenzy!

So many people ask me how I find the time to scrapbook and make cards.

Here's how:


Elijah and Joe play ping-pong, video games and computer games. Isabel entertains Gabe by playing babies and telling stories, while Ellie supervises. Truly, I am blessed with these children of mine, who understand my addiction to all things crafty.

My latest venture was an order of baby shower invitations for a friend. Adorable, pink, polka-dot and beribboned cards were the goal...

I made forty of them, with the assistance of Kay, my most-supportive and ever-helpful mother-in-law. Just finished them up before putting the kids to bed, then snapped a few photos so I could remember what they looked like later.

This was a fun project, but I'm glad they're done. Now I can get my Christmas cards made!

If anyone is ever in the need for some handmade cards, leave me a note. I'm always happy to make them, and my prices are very reasonable. And they make great gifts :)

Happy Birthday, Lula!

Today is a special, two-post kind of a day. Things are better on the homefront, thanks for asking and for your kind comments yesterday. I have an award to pass on...please see post below.

This post, however, is just for Lula. Happy Birthday, girlfriend. Hope this sexy little pic of Rob makes your day. When I last spoke to him, he said he was leaving those crazy Britons behind and heading straight to Pennington Gap so y'all could discuss the book. Not Twilight, the other book, you know the one. So make your excuses to Scotty, get a sitter, and get ready, 'cause here he comes...

Seriously, Lula, you are an amazing blogger and more than that, an amazing friend. Your posts make me laugh until I need to change my Depends, and your phone calls brighten my day (or night, as the case may be). I can't wait until we can play Rock Band and drink more Mike's Hard again...

Hope your birthday is a great one!

Love, Heather

I needed that!

Last week I received an award from a fellow blogger, Wife O Riley, for being a blog that "encouraged" her. What she didn't know was just how much I was the one needing encouragement, and this award totally brightened my day.

I pride myself on being a positive person, handling the problems that come my way with grace and a good attitude. Something I forgot: God doesn't like pride. Leave it to Him to knock me down a notch, so I will realize that I am not at all above feeling overwhelmed, just like everyone else. Okay, God, I get it...now can I get back to being in control (even though that is just an illusion)?

Passing this award on is easy. It requires no rules, your computer will not explode if you don't post it within 24 hours, your friends will not sigh at yet another meme they are "assigned" to do...really, this is a great award. Take it with the knowledge that you encouraged another woman/mommy blogger/friend with the thought that she is not alone in her life, that you have been where she is, and that we're all in this together.

So many of you have encouraged me on any given day. These are the people who stick out in my mind today:

Michelle, my sister

Becky, my BFF

Catherine, my first blogger friend

Lula, my inspiration

Heather and Tiffany, for all the SITS love (even thought I didn't win a single thing for SITmas)

Kori, her strength and faith are amazing

Lizzy, the most honest person I know

Betty, who is just so stinkin' sweet (and adorable)

Jen, my nurse friend and mom extraordannaire

I could keep on going, but I'll limit it to these ten fabulous women for now. Thank you all so much for your kind words, your ability to make me laugh, and your friendship. I love you.

Something's in the air...

Something is in the air today...

At least five different times, Gabe has broken down in tears, looking a lot like this, (but with warmer clothes on):

And when Gabe has a day like this, you can only imagine what my day is like. I have gotten nothing done today (well, other than hop onto SITS nearly every hour to get my name in the proverbial hat). No laundry, no cards made, no Christmas shopping or even decorating done. AHHH!

Wednesday will only be more hectic, between exercise (which I desperately need) and work (which I also need, for the money as well as some time away from the photo above).

Oh, my goodness.

If I seem a bit overwhelmed, it's because I am. After this busy weekend, I'll be feeling a lot better. Oh, and if I ever get my frickin' vacation money so I can buy some Christmas presents; I'll be feeling a lot better then, too.

C, I think I'll be needed that Robitussin toddy right about now...

Merry SITSmas!

Dear Santa,

I promise I will be a good boy this year.

I promise I will stop saying "potty" words like turd, poop, and butt, especially at the dinner table or during prayer.

I promise I will stop carrying the kitty around by her neck and giving her squeezy hugs just so I can make her meow real loud.

I promise I will be nice to my brother and sister and mommy and daddy for the rest of my life.

I promise I will do all these things. Forever and ever. If you would just please bring me some pants. Maybe Mrs. Claus can sew some for me? That would be great. Thanks.

Love,
Gabe

Merry SITSmas, everyone! Good luck to all my friends. (If you're not my friend, get out of the way so I can win something this time.) Oh, did I just say that? Oops.

Monday already?

Hard to believe another week has come and gone already! Now it's December 1st, and the countdown is on. Remember how slowly the days would pass when you were little, anticipating Christmas? Now I look at the calendar with a sense of (panic), thinking of all the things I need to do before the "big day". Shopping, baking, card-making, mailing, working, exercising, wife-ing (is that a word? If not, it should be)...you get the picture.

Truly, I do enjoy this time of year, and sitting in church yesterday, celebrating the first Sunday of the Advent season, our pastor brought it all into perspective. The "reason for the season", if you will, is very simple. We are the ones who complicate it. I am determined this year to simplify Christmas, for my sake and for that of my family. (I'll let you know how that all works out, okay?)

So, for another "Not Me, Monday!" post:

1. I did not let Gabe pick out a new cat so he could have his own pet (Isabel has two, you know).

Did you fall for it? Really, I didn't let Gabe get a new pet. This is Sugar, our cat of eight years. He's usually an outside kitty, but Baby, It's Cold Outside, so we let him in. Seriously, no more pets for us for a long time. Lonnnnngggggg time. Get it?

2. I did not drunkenly spill half of my Mike's hard lemonade on my keyboard while blogging and eating popcorn and drinking. The letters "a,s,d,f" are not sticking as we "speak". Man, that just sucks. Now I need another drink!

3. I am not trying to make 40 baby shower invitations by FRIDAY, having to work three shifts between now and then. I do know how to say no when a gazillion people ask me to do stuff for them (yep, that's a lie...I know you saw right through that one).

4. I am not struggling with my Not Me post today. I am not one crabby, exhausted mommy suffering from a lack of patience with my little ones this evening. Nope, not me.

5. I am not shamelessly linking you to Kat's blog, Sunshine and Lemonade, to increase my chances of winning a whole set of Outlander books. And desserts. I would never do that!

Happy Monday, all! Don't forget tomorrow is Happy SITSmas day, with lots of chances to win cool prizes. Heck, I might even win something; who knows?!