Kickstarting Christmas...

This weekend marked the beginning of our Christmas celebrations and we could not have had a better start. First up was our "So Long Sucka" party for my dear friend, Kristin. Kristin thinks that just because she is married now, she needs to live with her husband in Iowa. We decided we couldn't let her go without a proper send off. Bacon wrapped weinies, nacho cheese dip, a few beers and gin drinks seemed to be just the perfect adieu. Speaking solely for myself, it was a pretty great party and I sincerely hope Kristin (and Chris) know how much they will be missed and will return frequently.

Saturday brought with it sleeping in, a luscious lunch of grilled meats prepared by Jason, the grill master extraordinaire, a nice afternoon nap and hopefully my last round of grocery shopping for at least a week. If I go to HyVee one more time in the next couple days, I swear they are going to make me an honorary cashier or something. Seriously, it's getting a little ridiculous. It's maybe time to scale back a little when the employees not only know my name but also my children's' names.

And then it was Sunday. The day the girls have been counting down to for weeks now. Ella came and woke Jason and I up and told us, "When I woke up, I was laying in my bed smiling." We had a nice big breakfast of a pannekueken, green eggs and ham and sausages intended to tide us over until our Timberlodge meal after church. The girls were then asked to clean up their rooms and get ready for church. When I heard the rumblings of trouble between the three of them in the basement, all it took was a "You better not act up. Santa is watching and may not show up if you guys are going to be naughty." and order was quickly restored. Cookies and milk for Santa and celery and water for the reindeer were set out and off our sleigh went to church (after a quick photo op, of course...And yes I am aware that Lily, with her white socks, black shoes and slicked back hair, resembles an extra from the movie, Grease.)

Following Mass, we headed straight to Timberlodge and gorged ourselves on cheese curds, that scrumptious Timberlodge bread and steak.
Lily practiced her fish face....
And then with our bellies full and the anticipation mounting, it was time for a quick stop at Hy-Vee (yes, the Hy-Vee that I just said I needed to lay off of but no, not for shopping).

Santa and his Coca-Cola truck had rolled into town and made a pit stop at our local Hy-Vee. As we were walking up to join the line, Lily informed us, "Santa is very generous. He likes to give everyone gifts." After a very brief wait, the girls were at the front of the line, hopped up on his lap, smiled like the professional models they are and gave him a couple of quick ideas of gifts. After a snuggle with the Coca-Cola bear and their bottles of Coke in hand, the girls anxiously scampered back to the vehicle ready to find out if Santa had in fact, come to town.

Jason and I tried to talk the girls into a short ride around town to look at Christmas lights but after a full day of waiting, they just couldn't take another moment so home we went. They burst through the door and quickly noticed the milk and cookies were gone so they knew HE had been there. Things went about as you would expect after that. Smiles, squeals and happiness filled the house. My ears are still ringing from Lily squeaking "I can't believe Santa brought me an umbrella. I can't believe Santa brought me rollerblades. Etc., etc., etc." To say they were excited is a definite understatement.

Grace with the movies, Wii game and chapstick Santa delivered....

Ella, in awe over the "diamond" Santa left in her stocking... (Notice Lily in the background delighted as well....)

Grace giggling that Santa knew she needed a new kickstand for her bike....

A rock crystal growing kit~just what I have always wanted...

Look, a skateboard for my American Girl....

Oh.My.Gosh. I cannot believe I got a Jack-In-The-Box! This is so awesome!

Lily modeling her Snow White ensemble while enjoying her Tinkerbell umbrella all the while thinking, "Ella was right. This is the best day ever." Gifts were opened, hugs were exchanged and that was that. I have to say, my best moment came from dear old Ella. About a week and a half ago, Lily dropped and broke Ella's Leapster. Attempts were made to fix it to no avail and it was determined to be "junk". While Ella was incredibly disappointed and sad, not once did she whine, get angry with Lily or ask for a replacement Leapster. Jason and I were both so impressed with how well she handled this that we decided to give her one extra present, a replacement Leapster. When she opened it, she had a huge smile on her face. I told her we had gotten that for her as a reward for how well she handled Lily breaking hers and that we were very proud of her. Upon hearing that, she charged over to me, gave me a big hug, turned to Jason, gave him a big hug and tearfully told him, "Thank you Daddy. I love you so much." She then gave me another hug and still crying, told me, "This is so special to me. Thank you." Of course, being the big baby I am, I cried and was surprised to see Grace tearing up as well. The appreciation Ella felt for this gesture made every moment of stress and every dollar spent so worth it. The fact that we were able to experience her gratitude and acknowledgement just reinforced my pride in her. She saw past the materialism and was able to see the love that goes into the gifts.

As we continue this week of Christmas celebration, I hope that we can all not only see but feel the love. Leapsters, American Girls, umbrellas and cameras are wonderful. However, the true gifts of time, love, generosity and thoughtfulness are the sources of true joy and the spirit of the season. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday to all of you.

"Gifts of time and love are surely the most basic ingredients for a truly merry Christmas"~Peg Braken

My "Middlest" Reindeer...

This afternoon Lily and I were entertained by the musical stylings of Ella and all of her 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade John Harris friends. It was Christmas program day and "The Littlest Reindeer" came to a elementary school gymnasium near me. Ella was prepared for a busy day as they had performances at 845AM, 145PM and another tonight at 7PM. Of course, in true Ella fashion, it wasn't making sure she had the moves down pat or the words of all the songs memorized but rather her outfit that was her biggest concern. Her mean old mom wouldn't let her wear a dress or skirt for the daytime performances due to recess and gym class on her extremely busy schedule so she had to settle for nice pants and a sweater. Tonight, though, was a different story and she decided to make the most of her moment in the spotlight. Her inner fashionista coupled with her desire to make the casting director rue the day she didn't select Ella as one of the sugar plum fairies lead her to select her fanciest ensemble.

She couldn't have looked more beautiful, sugar plum fairy or not!

All Ella wants for Christmas.....

Friday afterschool, Ella hopped into the car and informed me her front tooth was about to fall out. Upon further inspection once we arrived home, I determined she was totally correct and her tooth was very loose. So loose that when she closed her mouth, the tooth stuck out between her lips, causing her to look like an adorable hillbilly.
I attempted to tug it out to no avail and Ella went to work, trying to loosen it up even more so Daddy could pop it out with nothing more than a slight nudge.

When he arrived home, he gave it a test run and determined he could get it out but not without some effort. At that declaration, Ella decided to hold off on the yanking and continue to work on it on her own. It wasn't too long before she came to us and stated, "I think I just want you to pull it. I don't want to look like a hilly-bill anymore." Jason, of course, was happy to oblige and with just a few yelps and tears, Ella was one tooth short (but still looks the slightest bit like a hilly-bill or hillbilly, in my opinion).
She has now been singing, "All I want for Christmas is my one front tooth." I have a sneaking suspicion that Santa will not be able to deliver on this one request. Hopefully he will pull through with the guitar that she also wants!
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Today marks the birth of my wonderful aunt, Kimmie! Ella just asked the other day, "Is Kimmie our aunt or great aunt?" When I told her Kim is my aunt and their great aunt, she replied, "Kimmie is a great aunt." I couldn't agree more! Kim has been there for me during all my ups and downs. I know I can count on her for advice, to be a stellar board game partner (or a tough adversary), to provide a delicious recipe or to share a laugh. On this momentous occasion, we would like to take this opportunity to say we love you so very much and Happy Birthday to our GREAT aunt Kimmie!
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"Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister and share love like a friend."~Author Unknown

Look out Roger Ebert...

A movie reviewer, I am not. Restaurants, yes. Movies, no. In fact, I don't even really watch that many movies as I don't like to sit still for long periods on time and often lose interest. Rarely do we actually venture out to the theaters and most often wait for the DVD version. However, last night I watched a movie that captured my attention so much, I feel compelled to urge you to all see it as well (if you have not already, that is).

"My Sister's Keeper" is based off of a book written by my favorite author, Jodi Picoult. I eagerly anticipated it's release and was even wanting to rush out and see it as soon as it was in the theaters. I could not however, in good conscience, force Jason to see a movie that I was certain could be potentially so tedious and melodramatic, it would actually cause him physical pain so I refrained and finally was able to lay my hands on Redbox copy. With Jason off on a man-date with his buddies and the girls snuggled into their beds, I excitedly popped the movie in and sat back ready to cry. Although I had read the book and was fully aware it would be a tearjerker of epic proportions, I still did not anticipate my extremely powerful emotional reaction. So powerful, there were many times I almost just had to turn the movie off because I just wasn't sure my heart could take it.

As I've mentioned before, I am a sucker for a sad story and any story that involves sick children especially tugs at my heart strings, as I am sure the same is for each of you. For those unfamiliar with the story line of this particular movie here is a brief synopsis. A couple has a daughter who is diagnosed with leukemia. As a last resort to save their daughter's life, they have another daughter who is genetically engineered to be a "perfect match" therefore able to supply her older sister with the necessary bone marrow and other various bodily fluids needed to potentially bring about remission. After many years of painful medical procedures, the younger sister petitions for medically emancipation so that she does not have to donate a kidney that her older sister will need to prevent her death. The younger sister knows that by not providing the kidney, her sister will die but is adamant in her quest to acquire the rights to her own body.

There are so many elements that are interesting to me about this story but there are two main ideas that I continue to ponder today. First, the story is told from the perspective of each of the people involved: the older sister, the younger sister, the mom, the dad, the brother and the lawyer. Each sharing the same experience but with completely different feelings, thoughts and reasons for why they do what they do and why the feel what they feel. How numerous people can be faced with the exact same situation and experience it so very differently is incredibly thought provoking and intriguing. It makes a person realize they are only a small part of a very large puzzle. Using this knowledge to consider how others involved in a situation can only be a positive thing.

Secondly, there comes a point in the movie (and book) where a certain piece of information is revealed that changes the whole tide. Something that only some of the characters were aware of but affected them all. It really made me reflect again on how it is impossible to fully grasp the reasons any one person acts in a certain way. There are always underlying circumstances that affect how decisions are made and why actions are taken. For any of us to ever assume we know why another behaved a way they did is absurd. Things simply are generally not that cut and dry. This movie said all of the things I attempted to say in this post, http://thekolbfamilyadventures.blogspot.com/2008/11/through-my-eyes.html but far more eloquently than I can even begin to attempt.

As sad as this movie is, the messages it conveys are important. Acceptance, love, sacrifice, loyalty, dedication, family. How can you go wrong? Watch it. Think about it. And then, use it.

Lily The Storyteller....

I have every reason to believe Lily has a future as an author of fictional works. Here is an excerpt from a conversation between the two of us on Monday:

Me (curious): "Hey Lily, why did you hop into bed with Dad and I last night?"
Lily (without hesitation): "Because the animals were biting me."
Me (thrown off guard): "What animals were biting you?
Lily (straight face): "My stuffed animals."
Me (biting back a laugh): "I don't think your stuffed animals were biting you. That sounds like a story to me."
Lily (totally Oscar worthy): "No Mom, they were biting me and it really hurt."
Me (feeling inspired with a 'gotcha' reply): "If the animals were biting you, do you have any marks? Let me see the marks."
Lily (momentarily stunned but unwilling to bend): "Well, their teeth weren't very sharp but it really hurt."
Me (calling her bluff): "I think you hopped into bed with Dad and I because you wanted to snuggle."
Lily: (Game over) "Yes, I wanted to snuggle. The animals weren't biting me. That was just a story."

End scene.

I can't help but think how well this talent of weaving a tall tale will serve her in her teenage years. Hopefully her tendency to take the story just a little past believable coupled with my ability to sniff out the truth will hold or we could have trouble on our hands.

Where does the time go?

Unbelievable. Thanksgiving is already over and Christmas is just around the corner. Makes me wonder where the time goes. After uploading my pictures from the past week, I discovered where the time went. It went to waiting patiently at All Tune and Lube while our oil was changed..... and to honing our roller skating skills.
To dressing up our smiles with light up grills....
adhering, albeit reluctantly, to the strict guidelines set forth at Carousel Skate...
showing our love to one another...

and laughing hysterically while playing Apples to Apples.

It has also been spent snuggling with adorable babies...

posing for family portraits...

more snuggling with babies...

and perfecting our wrestling moves.

Obviously, some of our time has been spent pretending to be a banana...

trying to take naps...

and squeezing in just a little more baby snuggling.

We have also done our fair share of parade viewing...

participating in some good old fashioned family bonding...

and, believe it or not, even more skating at our new home away from home, Carousel Skate.

(Yes, that is me in the yellow shirt, showing off my sweet skills.)

A few moments have been spent wondering how it is possible that Theresa has surpassed Dawn in height (with roller skates providing a slight boost)...

and we also took some time to celebrate the birth of this lovely lady, Miss Hannah Berens.

We wrapped up the week with the much anticipated reception of the 2009 ornaments (Grace-Wonder Woman, Ella-a flamingo with a sea shell, Lily-a Jack In The Box and Jason-a grill)...

and the grand finale of decorating the tree.

Two of my favorite moments of the past week were not captured on camera but will forever be etched in my mind. As we were leaving the parade on Friday night, Ella reached for my hand and said, "Mom, I hope I grow up to be like you someday." I asked her why that was and she replied, "Because you are the best mom ever." Aww...

And then yesterday, I was paid the highest compliment a 3 year old can muster as I was deep frying tator tots. Lily proclaimed, "Mom, you are as good of a fry cook as Spongebob is." Next to Daddy, Spongebob is Lily's hero and so I can think of no greater honor to have bestowed upon me.

All wonderful ways to have spent the past week. I think it goes without saying, I didn't have to ponder too long to come up with my list of things to be thankful for this year. I hope you were able to spend time with your blessings as well.

Giving thanks....

I'm sure most of you have heard the horrendous news story about Shaniya Davis, the 5 year old little girl who was raped and murdered after her mother "allegedly" sold her into a prostitution ring. It sickens me, it saddens me and it makes me wonder how things like this can even happen. What would possess a mother to even consider this? How does the idea even enter your head? Aren't adults given the honor and responsibility of protecting and loving the children in their lives? How dare this woman so boldly and maliciously fail in her responsibility?

Of course, to us, this sort of event is unimaginable but unfortunately it is not. When I first heard this heinous story, I immediately thought of a bible verse I became aware of last year and has stuck with me, "Be not overcome by evil but overcome evil by good." In my opinion, what happened to this little girl is the ultimate evil. Obviously I do not know this girl or have any sort of connection to her at all but I do think we can all use her tragic death as an opportunity to overcome evil by good.

For me it is so easy to become bogged down by things that aren't going perfectly; every day things like whiny kids, broken refrigerators, piles of laundry that seem endless, the list could go on and on. Unfortunately it takes a story like the story of Shaniya Davis to give me a little perspective. Never have I been faced with any real tragedy. There have been times of grief, extreme frustration, depression but never have I ever been even remotely in the presence of this type of evil. As an self proclaimed Caring Bridge stalker and a reader of incredibly sad blogs, I am aware of the tragic circumstances so many people are dealing with. How dare I allow myself to become upset over vehicle trouble?

Unless you have actually encountered tragedy and evil, you cannot possibly fully grasp it's wrath. Nevertheless, we have all heard the stories and from the stories, we can learn. What does it mean to overcome evil by good? Obviously by letting someone go in front of me in line, I will not be stopping all evil in the world from occurring but is it at least a start? Random acts of kindness, being aware and responsive to the needs of those around you, putting forth effort on behalf of someone else~these are all stepping stones to overcoming evil. Making someone's day brighter is never a bad thing. So many times, we worry about how helping others may be harming ourselves. We worry that extending ourselves for the needs of another may take from our limited supply of time, emotion, capabilities or resources and in some cases, that may be true. Every dollar you place in the Salvation Army bucket is one less dollar in your pocket. Every minute spent doing a good deed for your neighbor is one less minute you have to spend on your own needs. However, what we need to recognize is by giving, we are fulfilling God's will. In our own small way, we are prevailing over evil and that can only benefit us all.

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I am challenging myself to look at the big picture and hope you will join me. Look beyond your four walls and brighten someone's day by utilizing the means with which you have been blessed. Baking cookies for the new family in the neighborhood, holding the door for the harried mother struggling with her stroller, giving time or money to one of the many charities that have a great need this time of the year or simply sharing your smile with a stranger. In your own single act of giving, the thanks will be immeasurable and evil will be one step closer to being overcome by good.

"Now what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving."~W.T Purkiser