I made B laugh!

Posted November 26th, 2007 by Mom | Comments (0)

Making B smile is easy. Making B laugh is a little more difficult. Unfortunately, when I made B laugh this morning, it was at my expense. Fortunately, I am able to laugh at myself - and this time it was very well deserved.

After putting up the Christmas tree, and then removing the lights (both pre-strung and those we put on the tree), there was a lot of greenery and small plastic pieces on the floor. While B was taking C to preschool this morning, J helped me vacuum the floor. (J is home sick with a cold - AGAIN!)

I decided to go ahead and vacuum the rest of the living room while I had the vacuum out. When I got around to where the kids have their toy basket, I didn’t want to bend down and pick up their toys (lazy me) and instead vacuumed around some toys and attempted to push the rest of the toys around with the vacuum. I heard a noise and then the vacuum went dead. Shoot! What did I vacuum up (and was it an important toy?)!

After about a half hour of cleaning the vacuum, messing with the roller and trying to figure out why the vacuum wouldn’t work, I came to the conclusion that, “I killed it.” B replied, “It’s not dead, just taking a deep sleep.” I told J that we were going to put it up and let Daddy take a look at the vacuum later and try to fix it.

When I was winding up the cord, I found out that the real reason the vacuum wouldn’t work is that it came unplugged. Duh! Our vacuum won’t work without electricity! The noise I heard was the plug coming unplugged and knocking against the table that was next to the plug.

B got a big laugh out of me spending so much time trying to get the vacuum to work when it was unplugged all the time. At B’s obvious suggestion of me plugging it in and seeing if it would work, I did just that. Of course, the vacuum worked.

Pre-lit no more

Posted November 26th, 2007 by Mom | Comments (0)

When we purchased our current home 5.5 years ago, at Christmas time we realized that our little 6 foot tree looked pretty sad in front of our picture window in the dining room, especially considering we have 11 foot ceilings downstairs. Therefore, we purchased a beautiful, (artificial of course) pre-lit 9 foot Scottsdale Pine Tree.

The lights were great the first 2 years. Then the 3rd year I noticed a limb that wasn’t lit (Naturally, the lights were only warranted for 2 years!) and ignored it since it was a lower limb. Last year a couple of limbs were out, and I knew that I needed to find the problem, but with a 2 year old, it wasn’t a high priority. This year, we got the tree assembled and plugged it in. Only about 1/6 of the tree was lit. It was a big problem. B went to the store and purchased a bulb/fuse tester and we determined that the fuses were good, lots of bulbs were bad and other bulbs tested that “something else is wrong.” Whatever that means.

Anyway, between B and myself we went to over a dozen stores this weekend looking for bulbs to fit our tree. No luck. Tonight we then tried leaving the tree turned off and put strands of lights on the tree. This worked better, but still one strand (I didn’t test them all, since I had a 5 year old and a 3 year old eager to see the lights on the tree) that didn’t light up in the center of the strand.

We put the kids to bed once they saw lights on the tree and then B found the light that was out on the strand and replaced it with a good bulb. He went into the kitchen to get a drink of water and then came back to a tree that was completely dark. UGH!!!!!!

At this point, I asked B, “Maybe God doesn’t want us to have lights this year?!”

After a brief discussion, B went to the garage and brought us each a pair of snipper pliers and we went to cutting all the light bulbs and wires out of the tree. This only took us about 2 hours, and we haven’t tackled the lights at the top of the tree. That will either require a ladder or we can cut those lights out after the tree is disassembled.

Therefore, if anyone needs several thousand spare light bulbs for their Christmas tree, come and get then, just make sure you are here before our trash day this Tuesday!

Tomorrow B said that we are going to get some high quality lights that stay lit even when one light is bad. I asked him if he wanted clear lights or colored lights (the pre-lit lights on the tree were clear) and B responded, “I don’t care, your call.” I think he was a little frustrated at this point!

I had already told him that I didn’t want to put lights outside this year since I am always the one to put them out and then clean up after Christmas. B told me that J had already been talking about the Christmas lights. I found this out when I put him in bed. I left him laying in bed looking out his window at the Christmas lights on a house across the street.

After this ordeal with the lights on the Christmas tree (that is inside our warm house), thinking about taking as much time, if not more time, putting lights outside (in the cold) makes me cringe. I will just have to see the pleading look in J’s eyes and I’m sure the lights will be outside our home very soon.

Christmas Tree Day

Posted November 24th, 2007 by Mom | Comments (0)

I got the Christmas boxes out of the attic. While I was accomplishing this task, C asked me, “Are we putting up the Christmas Tree today?” I answered in the affirmative and C responded with, “Is Santa coming tonight?!” I told him that Santa was coming on Christmas Eve which is about a month away.

After getting most of the boxes out of the attic, B came upstairs to finish getting the boxes and the tree out of the attic. He got the tree downstairs and then we sat for a while discussing the best location for the tree and C’s computer desk that is where we have put the tree in the past.

We had already decided that I would decorate the house for Christmas while the boys were in school on Monday and B would do other tasks around the house since he has the day off of work.

While we were sitting contemplating stuff, B said that he understood why his dad wasn’t as enthused as he was about putting up Christmas. That is because the kids get to play and watch, while the parents (mainly the Dad) have the brunt of the physical labor in decorating for Christmas.  B also asked, “Whose idea was it to purchase such a huge tree that takes up the whole room?!”  I replied (totally honestly), “Your idea.”

So far, B has said “stupid” 2x (not where the kids have heard!) and has sent C to his room for playing in the Christmas tree box. J obeyed and got out of the box. I think I am going to get the kids to play upstairs with me while B gets the tree together!

Santa Visit 2007 and ramblings

Posted November 24th, 2007 by Mom | Comments (0)

I took the boys to the mall last week to get their picture taken with Santa and to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. It was a lot of fun. I had told C and J that if they were nice with Santa, that I would get them a cookie and then we would ride the carousel.

When we got to Santa’s workshop, there was only a little girl in front of us with her mom and Grandmother. They finished quickly and C and J, without an ounce of fear, went over to Santa. C even brought the toy newspaper ads where he has been circling stuff that he likes. After hopping up in Santa’s lap, C went right to showing Santa the ads. It was so funny! In the picture J has his hand in his pocket. That is because the little girl that was in front of us handed C and J each a sucker and J was keeping a firm grasp on his!

The lady taking pictures asked me if I wanted a picture of C, J and Santa looking at the toy ads. I decided against it and am happy with this picture. It is a far cry from last year where J was terrified of Santa!

The boys were great with Santa and since no one was behind us in line, they spent about 10 minutes with him. Then we went to the cookie place and C wanted an M&M cookie, but J just wanted his sucker. We rode the carousel 2x. I went to sit my bag down that had the pictures in it and my purse so I could help the boys up onto the horse for J, dragon for C and when I looked back up, C had already climbed up. Wow! I was impressed. C amazes me everyday with new stuff he can do by himself. C even fastened the safety belt around himself, too. J needed a little boost, but more for my fear of him falling than him really needing my help. The second time around, J chose a wild boar to ride and C chose the tiger. I love the carousel as much as they do. It was a great day!

I can’t wait to hang the ornament on the tree that has the boys’ new Santa picture in it. It is always really neat to see the pictures from year to year hanging on the tree and see how the boys have grown.

B and I have told C and J that “just because you circle an item in the magazine, it doesn’t mean that you will receive it!” B and I still need to sit down together and figure out what the boys are getting for Christmas. They certainly don’t need anymore toys! I need to clean out the playroom again from toys they are outgrowing. That will be one of my projects when they are in preschool.

Every now and then C or J comes to me and requests an item from Santa. I tell them, “I’ll email Santa and let him know to add it to your list.” I know that C has mentioned multiple times that he wants a spiderman shooter thing like a web shooter. He is really into Spiderman. J hasn’t mentioned really anything. He did point out a car transporter, but anything toy car or truck related would make him ecstatic! They both need some winter shirts. I have loved summertime! C and J can wear the same size short sleeve shirts and shorts, however since C is taller and has longer arms, they can’t share clothes as much, or at least C can’t wear J’s clothes. I envision some new shirts and underwear wrapped up under the tree this year! But as my brother once said, “That’s not much of a Christmas present!” Therefore, they will have at least a couple of toys under the tree as well.

I’m off to watch B play his xBox 360 that my parents told him he could go ahead and have. I told B to pick up HALO 3 for me to give him as a Christmas present. This afternoon as B was hooking up the 360 and telling me that he couldn’t wait for the kids to go to bed so he could play, I told him that I hadn’t yet given him HALO 3. He said, “that thought had not crossed my mind yet!” He was very frustrated, disappointed, etc. and then I made a deal with him. B had ordered on Amazon for me the soundtracks to a couple of movies (Man from Snowy River and The Piano) that I had requested for Christmas. I told him that he could have HALO 3 if I could have my new soundtracks. His response, “Deal.”

Before bedtime, C got to play a little on my Wii. I was amazed at his agility with the controllers. He has been playing Super Mario Galaxy. I need to show him that he can play bowling, etc. on the Wii as well. That will thrill him to no end and will take some of the stink away of not getting to play outside as much now that it is getting colder.

If only I had more time to play video games. Maybe C will teach me!

Though I must admit, it is fun to try to beat B at a car racing game. I think I have won once out of about 12x playing against him. Time for B to get back to us playing video games. C and J would enjoy playing against Mommy and Daddy as well, I bet!

BTW - That is Santa’s real beard.  I have played Bunco before at his house with his daughter - for real, not kidding.  Shhhh!  The boys don’t need to know that he lives near here and not at the North Pole!  (or maybe this is his vacation home away from the hustle and bustle of work at the North Pole; or maybe he keeps an eye on the elves with a video conference camera like we talk to B when he travels.  Who knows?!)

Love of Books

Posted November 24th, 2007 by Mom | Comments (0)

J’s current favorite book is “Tiger Can’t Sleep.”  It is a cute book about a boy that is trying to go to sleep, but has a tiger playing in his closet making too much noise.

This evening, I put C in bed and finished reading to him “Henry and Ribsy” by Beverly Cleary.  C really enjoys being read to, and I have been working with him on sounding out words.  He loves pointing out letters and naming them.

Anyway, back to J… B put J in bed this evening and read to him the tiger book.  A bit later after tucking him in bed and leaving the room, J called out to B that he was scared of a shadow.  B showed J that the unusual shadow on his ceiling/wall was caused by the change in his bedding.  J had pulled up his comforter, and he usually just sleeps under the blanket and top sheet.  A bit later, J called out that he heard a noise in his closet.  B told J that there wasn’t a tiger in his closet and put ALL of J’s tiger stuffed animals on his bed (I think J has 4 or 5 stuffed tigers, in addition to the stuffed dinosaur, elephant, puppy, nemo, pooh, and others.) along with ALL the other stuffed animals.  There was hardly room for J, but alas, he was happy.

However, I fully expect a light tap on my arm in the middle of the night when I am in bed.  J has been having “bad dweams” and has needed to be rocked around 5 in the morning.  I guess he is being awakened by that pesky tiger in his closet making too much noise!

I’m so glad C and J love books.  It is amazing to watch their imaginations grow.  You should have seen them when we first read “No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!”

Where’s the love?

Posted November 23rd, 2007 by Mom | Comments (0)

Today is Black Friday. Yesterday my parents offered B an xBox 360 for his Christmas present and B was to go out early this morning to pick it up at the store since the sale was just for today and quantities were limited. The store was to open at 5 a.m. (certainly NOT on my clock!) so B set his alarm clock for 4 a.m. to get ready and out to the store on time.

B and I put the kids to bed last night and then B headed to bed. I wanted to stay up and read a bit and eat a piece of sweet-potato pie. I went into the bedroom to get my book off my nightstand and B said to me, “Make sure you come to bed later and don’t fall asleep on the couch watching tv.” In my mind I was quite flattered that B wanted to make sure that I got a good night’s rest and also thought, he really is concerned about me!

I replied to B, “Why do you want me to come to bed?” I was wanting him to verbally say that he was concerned about me getting a good night’s rest, etc.

Instead, B said, “I need you to do that annoying thing you do with the sheets (I tug, tug, tug at his covering until he turns the alarm off) to wake me up when the alarm (clock) goes off at 4 a.m. since I can’t hear it over my (sleep apnea) mask and want to make sure that I get up in time (to go get my xBox 360).”

After a sarcastic response from me, we both laughed at how far we have come in 11 years of marriage!