A Little Bit of Everything
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009
It is easy to make Andrew laugh. He likes the ‘ooooooo’ words. #1 and #2 on his list, toot and spoon. LOL
Friday, December 29th, 2006
I know I’m a little late with the wishes, but I hope you all had a MERRY CHRISTMAS, that was fantastic and full of love. Ours was great, spent surrounded by family and so much fun.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and I hope that it is a wonderful year for you, full of special family time, health and happiness.
Lots of love,
Amber and family
Friday, December 22nd, 2006
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
(REPEAT)
by Stuart Townend
In my days of singing up on stage with Jon, I could always shove my emotions away and sing strong on songs that if I was in the congregation I would whisper through while fighting back tears. Somehow I had the strength to get through it without thinking about it too much. Something about being up there in front of people and my phobia of others seeing my tears, I guess.
I could do that well until I met/heard/learned/sang this song. I remember one Sunday in Nakusp when Jon and I were practicing before the service. “How deep the Father’s love for us…” I couldn’t go any further. I stood there trying to keep my composure while Jon continued on. I couldn’t come back in at any part. I just stood there, sobbing inside, with the image of a hurting God looking away from His creation and His Son in my head and in my heart. I don’t think I sang much of it during the service either…I remember just looking at Jon and shaking my head as if to say “I can’t…”.
The words are just so powerful here. God giving His only Son - I have THREE sons and it would shrivel up my heart to give ONE of them up, even to have two of them still with me. MY sin upon HIS shoulders; MY voice calling out among the scoffers. I will not boast in anything…why should I gain…? I DO boast, and I shouldn’t gain, but I do and I have, and still - this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom.
Wednesday, December 20th, 2006
I loooooooooove receiving Christmas cards (and I love sending them out though this year I’ve been a little too laid back and will be doing New Year’s cards instead ;o) ). I think I really like to see what people have been up to all year. I enjoy the Christmas family letters that come along with the cards, and I REALLY love to get pictures of our friends. I never really knew what to do with all these pictures though, after the cards were taken down and put away. Until this year.
This past year, I discovered scrapbooking and my first project was to scrapbook all of those fantastic pictures of our friends and their children. It turned out so wonderfully and now I’m even MORE excited to get the picture cards. I even want to do one ourselves. Jon is somewhat opposed though, so I have a bit of convincing to do before that comes about.
Anyway, as soon as I find an envelope that could contain a Christmas card in my hot little hands, I’m actually excited to open it up. Will it be a lovely homemade card? A beautiful card purchased from a store? What kind of wishes will I find inside? Who is it from?? No card disappoints. :o)
And the first place I look when I open the envelope? Before the picture, before reading the letter or the greeting…I look at the “From” section. Why? Not to see who it’s from…I usually can tell that before I open it. I look there to see if there is any baby news hidden there. Lots of people who send us cards are in those childbearing years. Jon and I started and filled out our family quite young, so we have many friends that we are still anxiously awaiting that special news from, announcing baby #1, 2 or 3. I think there is no better way to announce it than at the end of the family Christmas letter. If we decide to go for #4 (which right now has been struck from our life plans, so nobody get any ideas), I think I’d like to announce it at Christmas time.
Merry Christmas everyone, and I wish you very many Christmas cards. 
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006
I found a really fun addictive game. Great for parents who understand and non-parents who think they can do better than their friends who are parents. LOL Click and play!
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006
I’ve been thinking a lot about traditions lately and what gets passed on directly and indirectly through the years.
For example, something that I think has been directly passed on to me is the pajama tradition. New pajamas, opened on Christmas Eve. I can’t remember a Christmas from my childhood that didn’t include new pajamas on Christmas Eve. Even now, I’m pretty sure I get new pajamas every year. Last year, I got big jammies from one of the boys that would fit my huge pregnant belly, and some normal sized jammies from the other for after my belly was baby-free. I was so very happy to get pajamas that my Christmas was made right there.
There are so many things that my mom just did at Christmas that I now have to have them at Christmas time too:
-The Dolly and Kenny Christmas Album. I just got it on CD this year and I’m sure I’ve listened to it way too many times for my family’s liking.
-Shortbread cookies made by my mom. I just can’t make them as good as her’s (I think I’ve eaten a whole batch already, and we just baked together last week).
-Stockings full of fun little things.
-Un-decorating on New Year’s Day. No sooner, no later. That is just the day it’s done on.
These things have been indirectly passed on to me, and are a set part of my Christmas.
Jon has also had his share of traditions that we’ve continued on in our family: the pajamas on Christmas Eve; the stockings; and a new Christmas tree ornament that is marked with the child’s name and the year, so he can take a collection with him when he moves out.
Together, though, we’ve made our own traditions that our children will hopefully make their own and pass some on to their children.
#1 - We read the Christmas story from The Bible first thing on Christmas morning. We all gather in ‘Mommy and Daddy’s bed’ and read together and pray before heading out to the livingroom to check out the loot.
#2 - We order Chinese food on Christmas Eve for dinner for whoever is at our house.
#3 - We attend a Christmas Eve service at church (which we will actually have to search for this year since our church is not having one).
It is so important to us that our kids see past the ‘glitz of x-mas’ (as Jon calls it) to the real reason we are celebrating - the birth of Christ. We want them to know it’s not all about getting a million presents, it’s about the one gift God gave us - His Son.
So, for those reading this, what makes Christmas for you? What are your traditions? What do you NEED to have to make Christmas feel right?
My stat counter shows there are actually people visiting here, so I hope to see some responses. 
Monday, December 18th, 2006
Things have been weird around here lately. The boys are not sleeping at night; there is a constant game of musical beds going on. And they are whiny and clumsy all day long.
We’re all tired, we’re all cold all the time.
Jon’s work schedule is full, and so, therefore, is mine. I am looking forward to his vacation; and I’m counting down. Only nine more days until I can get a sanity break for myself. It seems so far, especially after the last two days, which have been especially trying. An example of ‘trying’…the past hour.
I’ve been feeling BLAH today, so I put Andrew down for a nap and went to lay on the couch with the boys while they watch TV. I JUST get the blanket pulled up on myself and Andrew starts to cry. Then Josh starts to cry ’cause I “left Andrew upstairs all by himself”. So I go to calm down Andrew, get him happy and dozy again and put him down in his crib and I hear Josh screaming at the top of his lungs because he stepped on a toy and hurt his toe. I kiss his toe better and he starts crying again because he wants to watch a movie. Of course he won’t tell me WHICH movie right away, I have to guess what “awahyabyabaaaaaaaaa” means. Finally got it, found the movie, put the movie in and Daniel starts playing with the remote and plays the features instead of the movie. I told him ‘no’ and went back to start the movie. So now Daniel is having a temper tantrum because he isn’t getting what he wants. And I’ve had enough of the whining. I put down the remote and tell him to watch the features then, and I’m now in a self assigned time out before I start cleaning our messy messy upstairs.
*sigh* Only five more hours until bedtime…
~~~~~
Edited to add:
Not even one minute after I posted this, Daniel came upstairs, with Josh behind him. I told them to go watch their movie and they whined they didn’t want to. Josh cried until I carried him back down the stairs. And he cried as I put him on the couch with a pillow and blanket and turned the movie on. And he was rubbing his eyes and crying as I came back up here.
I need Andrew to take his nap. And I need the other boys to play on their own sometimes. And to not fight over every. little. thing. Maybe I need a nanny a couple days a week. And to win the lottery to afford said nanny. LOL
Okay, HAVE to get to the cleaning…cleaning always makes me feel better.
Saturday, December 16th, 2006
Dear Santa,
I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I’ll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes:
I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache (in any color, except purple,which I already have) and arms that don’t hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.
I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
If you’re hauling big ticket items this year I’d like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, “Yes, Mommy” to boost my parental confidence, along with kids who don’t fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.
I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting “Don’t eat in the living room” and “Take your hands off your brother,” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.
If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.
If you don’t mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.
Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back.
Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don’t catch cold.
Help yourself to cookies on the table but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always,
MOM!
P.S. One more thing…you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.
~~~~~
One of my friends emailed this to me. I think it is cute and funny and heartwarming, so I immediately thought of posting it in here. However, I then decided against it because it seems negative to me in some way, like a woman is unhappy with her life, or ungrateful for her children.
Obviously, I reconsidered again, because negative or not, it is real life. I can totally identify with a lot of what is written here, and I love my children to bits; couldn’t be more thankful for them.
My waist is gone; I tell people to contact me through email, because really, I can’t hear them on the phone, over my boys screaming my name. I hear “No Mommy” way more than “Yes”, my kids fight all the time, and I’ve just *barely* started to fit into my jeans again. Well, even then, it depends on the day.
I, too, choose between brushing my teeth and combing my hair in the morning. I tend to stand at the kitchen counter and eat my meals slowly as I get the boys whatever they need.
My children don’t yet demand money to help around the house…I told them if they don’t clean the basement, they don’t get their allowance, and that statement was met with a SHRUG.
So, you see, I could have written this letter myself. I wonder if there is a mom who can’t identify with this at all. Maybe a mom with a nanny helper…
Friday, December 15th, 2006
Every year and everywhere around me, I hear people talking about being stressed at Christmas time. I went to a brunch with my mother-in-law a few weeks ago, and the speaker’s topic was just this - how to reduce stress at Christmas time.
I have to say that I have somehow avoided this whole ’stress’ thing, but I have no tips to offer to others. I don’t know why I’m not stressed, I’m just not.
We started early with the gift buying, and now only have 2 more things to purchase. We aren’t travelling anywhere, our mothers are taking care of brunch and dinner. My mom and I got together yesterday and baked all day, and got a ton of goodies stocked up. Even though I wasn’t feeling so well, we had a blast!
Our tree is up, the house decorated…nothing left to do but sit around and watch Christmas movies on TV.
Tonight Jon and the boys and I did just that. We watched Winnie the Pooh and The Santa Clause together. We sat in the basement, cuddled on the couch and enjoyed doing nothing together, which doesn’t happen often.
Andrew played and giggled in my arms until he couldn’t keep his eyes open, and Daniel cuddled into Jon and fought sleep hard. Josh, who napped this afternoon, was happy to run around and play, and read stories. After his brothers had both gone to bed, he got some one on one time with Mommy - we coloured and he practiced his letters. He is starting to read and write now; I’m so proud of him. Then he cuddled with Daddy and watched some Superman features before getting his jammies on and getting into bed. It was so sweet to watch Josh just soak up the attention that he doesn’t usually get all at once.
I’m really enjoying the season so far, stress-free and full of family. I just don’t know how we enjoyed Christmas before we had kids; they seem so instrumental in making Christmas a wonderful fabulous time full of love. I CANNOT WAIT for Christmas morning.
Monday, December 11th, 2006
Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here’s what you’re supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire post and paste into your own blog. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. ‘Tis the Season to be NICE!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I think wrap is better, but gift bags are faster.
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial - it’s BEAUTIFUL!
3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime around the first weekend in December.
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day
5. Do you like eggnog? No, but I try it every year.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Cricket
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes - a ceramic/stone type of one and a Veggie Tales Set that the boys play with
8. Hardest person to buy for? My brother in law - either one. LOL
9. Easiest person to buy for? Jon
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably some sort of clothing item I didn’t like.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, but email is faster.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don’t really know…
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually December, but this year I started early.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom’s shortbread cookies
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both, though our tree has lights built in and we can have only one or the other or both on. Love that!
17. Favorite Christmas song? Oooh, I like pretty much all of them. LOVE Christmas music!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I love staying home. I wish we had somewhere to travel to in the summers though…
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen…But do you recall…the most FAMOUS reindeer of all…? Rudolf the red nosed reindeer…
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowded shopping centres.
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