Busy week & weekend

Well, we were on vacation from last Saturday until Tuesday. We went to Gatlinburg, TN & had a wonderful time! It was so nice to just get away & the kids loved staying in "our new house". They were so funny while they were exploring everything. They've never stayed anywhere but at home or at my mom's house. We rented a chalet & it was beautiful. It was just up the mountain from downtown Gatlinburg so we were close to everything. I recommend visiting there! Here's a picture of the boys at Cades Cove.

Now we are preparing for Christmas. We put our Christmas tree up on Thursday because we were home all day. I love our tree. It's really pretty. We have lots of lights & lots of ornaments. The boys love it & really haven't messed with it as much as I thought they would. Pictures don't do it justice but here's one anyway!

I've also spent some time taking pictures of my boys today. They weren't dressed up or anything. Actually they were still in their pajamas but I thought they looked cute!






I am almost through with my Christmas shopping!!! Yay me!! I never, ever get up & go shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving but this year Walmart had 2 items that I was sure I needed. I got up Friday morning at 4am & headed to Walmart. I got there & walked in & there were hoards of people standing around all of these pallets full of stuff going on sale at 5am. Well, stupidly, I thought "Well, I'll just check out the electronics department since everything I want is there". BIG MISTAKE!! I couldn't get within 100 feet of any part of electronics. There were so many people! Apparently the budget crunch isn't affecting people around here! Everyone in Olive Branch was at Walmart.Well, needless to say, I promptly turned around & walked to my minivan & was back in bed by 4:45am. I did go back around 9am & got 1 of the items I wanted & it was much less crowded!! Saving that mental note for next year because I decided that Walmart couldn't give away stuff to get me there that early again!
Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I have so much to be thankful for this year. My husband is wonderful & my sweet boys are happy & healthy! What more could I ask for!

My Little Men

I have the best little babies! I'm looking at them & I am just amazed that these wonderful little boys are mine. They are all so unique. They all look very similar but their personalities are so different. They have all been super babies. Now as they grow older their own personalities are coming out more & more.
Eli is kind & gentle. He is strong & protective. He knows just how to take care of his brothers. He's never mean to Joshua & he knows exactly how careful he has to be with Jacob. He remembers everything & always knows the best way to do what he's doing. He is also somewhat headstrong & definately a first born. He is so smart & very inquisitive.
Joshua is thoughtful & very smart. He loves to work with tools & figure things out. He loves to help me with any number of things. He's extremely headstrong & relentless & he forgets nothing, especially if it has to do with him getting to do something. He has an angel smile & when he's up to something he curls his nose.
Jacob is still so young but he has a wonderful personality. He loves to be talked to & cooed at. He loves being held & cuddled. He doesn't mind laying in the floor on a blanket & playing with his rattle. He adores his brothers. They are the funniest things in the world to him. He is a chubby little butterball & he sleeps best when he's next to me.



Anyway, that is what I've been thinking about today. I am an extremely lucky mommy. I have been blessed beyond words 3 times. They take my breath away every single day & I love them with all my heart!

Time for Christmas

Well, I'm officially Christmas shopping, ugh! I am not a crowd person & I don't enjoy getting to the store early to get the best deal! Really, I prefer to shop online when possible! I don't know exactly what the boys are getting for Christmas. Afterall, they already have way too much stuff. I think I need to toughen up & just get rid of the stuff that they don't play with, even if it's in good shape! That's my problem, I am forever holding on to stuff because it's still good. Well, if no one plays with it, it's just in the way. I think I may work on this today, otherwise, we will be run out of our house by toys this holiday season!
Now, onto other subjects. We are going to vacation next week! Really, it's just a small vacation, 4 days & 3 nights in Gatlinburg but we are so excited! It's the first vacation we've taken since we got married 5 years ago. Usually, when Kevin gets vacation time saved up we have a baby & he spends vacation time at the hospital!! I'm actually a homebody but it will be fun for our little family to just get away! Kevin needs it because his job is driving him crazy right now! He works 2nd shift so we have very little time together since I work mornings...but I guess you do what you have to do....
Now, I'm thinking about putting up the Christmas tree! We will probably do that the day after Thanksgiving! Kevin hates putting it up that early but I love it. It gets me in the mood for the holiday season & the boys love it. I love to see their little faces when they lay on the floor under the tree & look up at all the pretty lights. I get tired of fighting for them to leave my ornaments alone but they're a little older this year so maybe they'll listen to reason, haha!
I know Christmas trees & toys are not what Christmas is all about & I'm sure I put too much emphasis on these things. I am trying to figure out how to make this Christmas special for my boys & teach them what the season is really all about. Poppy Joy's mommy posted a wonderful idea on her blog about making each day a learning experience about the true meaning of Christmas. I thought this was such a great idea because as we raise these children we are responsible for giving them truth, first & foremost. Hopefully, when we give them a strong foundation they will not be so easily swayed in the future. I want my boys to always be thankful for a Savior that was born to this earth just so he could die on a cross so that we can spend eternity in Heaven with Him. What an awesome thought. Even before there was Christmas God loved us enough to do that. Amazing!!

Looking ahead

While I am sick about the events that brought us President-elect Barack Hussein Obama, I am doing my best to trust that God is in control. As a born again Christian I know that God can do anything. God can use ungodly men to further His kingdom just as He uses Godly men. He is not in Heaven this morning changing His "game plan". He knew this was going to happen. He is only sad if Christians don't trust Him with this decision. We will get through this.
Thankfully, even though the state of California did vote for Barack Hussein Obama, they did pass the ban on Gay Marriage amendment, along with the 2 other states that had this on the ballot. That is something.
I believe that this could be God bringing Christians to our knees. I, for one am on my knees. I will pray for Obama & Biden. God can change an evil man's heart or He can use the evil man for the betterment of His kingdom.
So, in closing, I am not going to lose sleep over this. I am going to trust God & I am going to live the life He wants me to. I am also going to thank Him daily for the miracles that I live with every single day....They were people from the moment they were conceived & the knowledge of that should be above no one's pay grade!

God & Religion

A relative, to remain unnamed, says that we are not electing a preacher, we are electing a president. My question, not to her because I don't care what she has to say, but to anyone else is this, Why would I keep my core beliefs out of my decision for president? My core belief is that we were created by God Almighty & He sent His precious SON (His baby!!) to die on a cross so that I would be allowed into His Heaven if I accept Him as my Lord & Savior! This belief should form my opinions in all matters.
All decisions that I have made in my life have not been centered on this idea. The decisions that I have made in my life that were for myself & without thinking about what God thinks have ended in disaster in my life. Even now, all my decisions are not centered where they should be. I am working on that & trying very hard to always think of what God wants me to do.
So, again, why would I keep my beliefs out of my decision for president? I wouldn't! My beliefs are my fundamental center. My core beliefs are what makes me who I am. My decisions are based on what I believe! My beliefs are not a religion but a relationship with my Creator.
Abortion is my number one issue. I don't believe that God appreciates a woman's "right to choose". God, our Father, knows us by name & knit us together in our mother's womb. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. There is no one that can tell me that He is happy that people have made murdering His precious children okay.
I feel sorry for a person that thinks they can keep their fundamental beliefs out of their decisions. You can't because what you believe is who you are. Maybe some don't believe in anything & I really feel sorry for those people.
I will not sell out my future or the future of my children by voting for the most liberal Senator in Washington! Liberals have given us legal abortion, the idea that homosexual marriage should be accepted & welfare. I will be voting for John McCain & Sarah Palin on November 4th. I am praying without ceasing that people would wake up & see Barack Obama for the danger that he is. There are people that are so blinded by their own ignorance that no matter what happens they will be voting for Obama but for anyone that is on the fence or that actually has core convictions the choice is glaringly clear.
I hope next Tuesday all Christians will vote their core beliefs & convictions. I will be!

Getting Ready

Well, now is the time of year that Kevin starts saying stuff like "If we don't get started with Christmas shopping we'll have it all to do at the last minute". For some reason, this year I have NO IDEA what anyone is getting for Christmas! Usually I at least have an idea. I am so unprepared and I have so much to do! We are going on a short vacation in 4 weeks so I may save some shopping for Gatlinburg. That's a nice place to get gifts! For the boys, I'm at a loss because they couldn't possibly need anything less than they need toys but what fun is Christmas morning without toys?? I don't know, I'm sure something will come up, hopefully soon!

I love this time of year though. It's starting to be crisp outside. I would much rather be cold than hot. None of my boys sleep with blankets. I, on the other hand love to be cuddled down under a couple blankets in a cool room. It's hard to have a cool room when all the boys are either in undies or diapers...yes this includes Jacob. He is the worst cover kicker that I have! He's so funny. He will squirm & kick until he gets the covers completely off but he just continues to snooze!






We took the boys to the fall festival at church Saturday night. Eli dressed as Indiana Jones, complete with "snap" or whip to you that don't know the lingo. Joshua was Woody from Toy Story complete with a horse to "ride". His legs were the horse's back legs. Jacob was dressed as a dalmation. He was less than thrilled with the evening but Eli & Joshua had the time of their lives. They had a huge slide & they both loved it. Then they did the whole Trunk or Treat thing. We have been juiced up on sugar all week. They had a great time & it was so fun to watch them. Joshua isn't in the least bit shy but Eli is painfully, but now at church he's starting to loosen up a little & be more outgoing. He's alot like me, kind of quiet & reserved.

Anyway, that's what's been going on. Getting ready for Christmas & vacation & all of that.....

Patience

I always thought that I was a relatively patient sort of person. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't love waiting or anything like that but patient as in with people. I know that I should have the most patience with my boys. After all, I adore them. Some days though, it seems like I am constantly griping at them, either to pick up their toys or don't wake up the baby, don't climb up there or get out of that stuff!Of course, the griping does nothing but make me more nervous. It sure doesn't get them to listen.

I watch the Duggar's. They are a family from Arkansas that have 17 children & 1 on the way & the mother is so calm & collected all the time. Of course, it's edited for TV but I really can't imagine her raising her voice. The funny thing is that her children listen to her even when she DOESN'T yell at them. She doesn't follow them around begging them to help clean up a mess they made because they automatically clean up the mess. That's what they've been raised to do.

I wonder, sometimes, how I got so very far away from the calm person that I used to be. I am not a loud or boisterous person by any stretch of the imagination. I am reserved, quiet & pretty shy to be honest. I think that my boys have found me to be a fairly easy mark as far as getting their way. They seem to have decided (probably together) that if they push me just enough I will give in. I think that if I were more calm & more firm maybe, just maybe they would listen. I realize that we train our children to mind & cooperate. I'm not saying that my boys don't ever listen or don't ever mind because they do. I'm actually very fortunate to have really kind little boys that love to please me & do what I ask. The problem is with me. I have to learn to be calm & firm at the same time. I sure don't want to turn into some tyrant of a parent that they don't respect & don't want to be around. I'm not really the tyrant type & I want nothing more than to be with my family!

Anyway, that is what I have been thinking about for a couple of days & I like being able to get it out! Maybe this will encourage me to work on myself!!