Happy Birthday, Jesus!

I finally did it! I threw the birthday party for Jesus that I've always wanted to throw. It was simple and adorable. The kids loved having their friends over and their Mommy did too. I got pictures and videos. And quickly threw them into a post on Facebook.

I gotta get away from Facebook and back to this blog. To me, Facebook is like renting and this blog is like home ownership. Renting is faster and easier and less stress in the short run, but in the end, you don't have anything to show for it. I go back and re-read blog entries ALL THE TIME, and enjoy seeing how things were way back when and look at pictures and say, "Oh my gosh, I had totally forgotten about that!" So, I will figure out how to keep it in my life before Davis' memories go undocumented. Not to mention, I am sure he is going to say some CRAZY FUNNY stuff! Heck, he already does!

Okay, so here are a couple of pics from this morning...

Party guests from left to right = Toby (3), Alli Jean (5), Jack (6), TJ (4), Davis (2), Devin (6), and Evan (3). They were SO good and participated in the reading of the Christmas story and Nativity Scene Reenactment.

Between tracking down and delivering Thirty-one orders, finishing up last minute Santa wrapping/hiding/rearranging, and Christmas crafts, we're keeping very busy.

I have a feeling that my next post will be about potty-training Davis. You know how when you ask kids a question in Sunday School, they don't even think before immediately answering, "Jesus!!" because most of the time that's the right answer? Well, that's how Davis is. I ask him, "Tell Daddy what we did today!" His immediate response? "I pee-pee'd in the potty!" To which Jeff exclaims, "Wow, you did!??? Oh my, what a big boy to..." until I call from the kitchen, "... No he didn't!!"

So, he's ready. He gets that it's a big deal, he's pooped and peed on the potty and has even come to get me to tell me ... at home and in public. And he loves to watch the Elmo Potty Time video. You know, the one where kids call out the term THEY use for going #2?! Yes. The kid yells into the camera, "I call it DOOKIE!" and just when you furl your brow because THAT's something you wish they would have left out... another yells, "I call it CACA!" I am not kidding. Jack watched that video several times and never muttered either word, but of course Davers yells "DOOKIE!" over and over after that scene. *sigh*

So, today, I think I decided Santa is going to bring him BRAND NEW (handed down from Evan) "big boy underwear!" ... and Mamaw and Pops are bringing a different Elmo video, thank you very much.

Not sure how this post started with "Happy Birthday, Jesus" and ended with me talking about CACA, but that's about how my days go lately...

We thought this was a funny outtake as Davers' arms make it look like Jack's wearing a full-body striped getup and is riding on Davis' shoulders! And their faces are just weird-funny.

Merry Christmas everyone, from our family to yours.

Jack Everett (6 yrs) and Davis Jarrell (2 yrs)

We'll catch up after the New Year! Can't wait to upload pics of a few big gift items the boys are getting this year. Better not write about them just yet, now that Sherlock Everett Holmes can read.

Deck the Halls!

It's time to decorate for Christmas (well, a bit past time) and I remind myself that it is worth the trouble. Worth the time. The kids will celebrate what we celebrate and by oversimplifying Christmas we might be sending them the message that it is NOT as big a deal as it is. SO the goal tomorrow is to clean the living room enough to pull out the tree and start decorating when Daddy gets home from work.

Then Tuesday, I am headed to Bjorn's to do a public service. I am helping the husbands and boyfriends find something special for their wives from Thirty-one. With guaranteed Christmas delivery and $5 giftwrapping, there will be no excuses. This is an effort to complete my goal of 12 parties in my first 90 days and I'm almost there! My first check was awesome - almost enough to cover the mortgage payment! Sweet!

I am also taking a part-time position at the church as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Children's Ministry. This will start after the New Year and will include 20 hours of work, and will provide Davis 2 days in the Kids Day Out program from 9am to 2pm. Looking forward to that, but enjoying the days leading to Christmas, happy (beyond happy) to be home with my boys.

I am missing the blog, but enjoying the time away from the computer. I read back over my blog so often, though, and am so thankful that I captured the memories included here. I go back and forth with the motivation for blogging, and struggle every once in a while with finding a balance with it all... but want to find my way back here. After Christmas perhaps?

Let's concentrate on getting the tree up first...