Little Drummer Boy

We all have our favorite Christmas song... mine is Drummer Boy. Two years ago I heard Josh Groban sing it and was reduced to a puddle of tears. His voice, the words, the combination. Click the link above, close your eyes, and enjoy. My favorite verse is:

Little Baby
Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too,
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you!
Pa rum pum pum
On my drum.

I put myself in the boy's shoes. I'd have no gift fit for our King. Speaking of which, I always thought it said the king... not OUR King. That is even cooler!! So the very fact he offers what he has is what melts me. I can offer Him the same thing... what I have. My talents: creativity, my heart to be a stay-at-home-mom, my heart for adoption, the joy I find in making a meal & planning a party... they are all gifts from Him that I can turn around and give to Him. I can pa rum pum pum pum my way through a party and remind myself, He gave this gift to me and I will throw a party like no other to give Him the glory.

So what gift can you give? What thing can you do for Him on your "drum" of choice?

Linus Explains the True Meaning of Christmas...

I have mentioned before that I receive emails from a site called iMom. Today they sent me this video and said some insightful things about Linus in his dialogue: The first is that everyone is literally in the “dark” about the meaning for Christmas until Linus says “lights please” and standing in the light, sheds light on the true meaning by reciting the Word of God. The second is when Linus says “and they (shepherds) were so afraid and the angel of the Lord said unto them ‘fear not’”. The second Linus says “fear not” he drops his security blanket as if no longer afraid.

The birth of Christ is what Christmas is all about. Somehow we have all lost sight of this at one time or another. It isn't hard to do. But Linus has caused me to take that minute again to remember that Jesus' birth is the most important thing about Christmas. Without him coming to earth, putting on skin (as Pastor Dary says) and dying on the cross for each of us, we wouldn't have eternal life with him.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

On The First Day of Christmas Break...

I couldn't sleep. Today was D-day... dentist-day. I had my two front teeth redone. After an hour and a half of grinding, swallowing who-knows-what, sniffing the worst fumes on the planet, and enduring dry mouth like I've never known, they are done. I'm not sure I love them. I miss my old teeth... kind of silly, but I do.

After shoveling 8 inches of snow, Scott and the kids went shopping for my Christmas gifts... hope they got me the Cat Attack poster I've always wanted. Ha.

After lunch Scott and Whitney went to the hospital to be with a friend of Whitney's. Her mom called to ask Scott to come pray with them, her grandmother was suddenly facing death today. She passed away before they got there. It was still special for them to pray together and comfort a friend at a really hard time. Life is fragile.

While those two helped out friends, Reagan and Tennison made no-bake cookies.

After all that hard work it was time to get crazy!!

Not sure what looks yummier, the kids or the cookies!?

I vote the kids!!

Once Whitney and Scott returned we went sledding. We used all kinds of sleds we've accumulated over the years. We even used the one my dad got for Tennison, an old wooden Radio Flyer with metal runners - awesome and fast!!

We came home and guess what? Santa came...

An incredibly generous Santa from Iowa with a nickname of Miss Julie.

Now the kids are just dying!

One day down, 17 to go. Yep, seventeen. It is a doozie of a break. I promise not to give you a blow-by-blow of each day. Just wanted to highlight the first day and note that we've all survived... and even had fun. And to top off the night, I get a break from kitchen duty... we ordered pizza.

Merry Christmas Season Everyone!! Slow down and enjoy!!

I'll take my own advice tomorrow!!





Traditions & Memories

Nothing makes me happier than traditions... old traditions that bring back great memories, and starting something new that you know will become a tradition... like the Christmas breakfast for friends I've done now for 2 years. I hope it lasts and becomes one of those things everyone looks forward to.

Last weekend we did our favorite Christmas tradition, decorating gingerbread houses. Good thing I decided to use kits this year rather than bake them, having cut my thumb earlier in the week might have sent me to buy kits anyway.

Our first attempt with icing in a bag... a little tough!

Just ask Reagan, it launched out the back and all over her foot.

The boys tag teaming their houses.

 The finished house. Love it! Check out Reagan's

Smarties and icing patch... and the Pixie Stick sidewalk!

 Can you tell Tennison worked on this one?

If you look closely you'll see a big ol' fly on the roof of that house.

From gingerbread houses we drove straight over to our friend's house to go caroling. We planned for the Potluckers to carol in a different neighborhood this year. It was so much fun, we were quite the crew...



Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas

were our 3 signature songs!

Taking over the 'hood.

The Potluckin' Women...

And their men!

Again, I love traditions and memories! We just added some more memories and love it!

It Can't Be True

When Reagan was 6 months old, every fall we started taking pictures of her with Scott in a pile of leaves. This is their first photo.

 Let me zoom in a little...

Her hair has filled in, her chubby cheeks are all but gone...

but I still see her as this little baby sometimes.

I mean really, look at those fingers and chubby hands on her.

I could lick her... or cry!

We have continued to do this every year since. With our early snowfall it took a while to get these shots! Here are a few of the latest...

We always have to get back to the beginning with Scott in a backwards hat -

be still my beating heart, Scott with a hat backwards gets me every time.

She still loves her daddy... even more today than yesterday!

Last night was our first transition to high school meeting. It can't be true, we aren't ready... well, I'm not ready. I mean that top photo felt like it was yesterday. Get the Kleenex ready, this isn't going to be easy on the mom.

Wounded Warrior

Hi everyone.  Guest blogger, Scott Kissel here because Closet Genius Mom is down a thumb and can't type!  Ok, not down an actual thumb but almost.  Well, ok, not almost either but it sure sounds better to build the hype up doesn't it?  This isn't quite as dramatic as the cat attack she experienced a while back but still a story that is blog worthy.  I couldn't resist jumping in for this guest spot because I think my wife is pretty incredible so only seemed fitting to keep her posts going while she recovers!

Two thumbs up is a good sign!

So, to lay out the crime scene here is what I discovered after receiving the phone call from Kris to let me know that she sliced her finger and thought it was pretty bad.  Kris hates going to the doctor and can handle pain like no other woman I know (3 babies, no pain meds.....my hero....need I say more?)  I pretty much had to convince her to go to the doctor while I ran to get the kids from school.  I pieced together what happened and took a few pictures so here you go.

Scene of the crime--scrapbooking station!

Legos not included, those are Tennison's.

 

 This is what Kris sacrificed her thumb for.

We all love her photo albums!

 Yep, the culprit.  The dreaded paper cutter with a guard rail

 but Kris gets pretty extreme when scrapbooking.

The kids were so sad for her and wanted to get home right away to take care of her.  Of course, we had to jump into action to take care of dinner so Old Chicago 7 pizza it was per Kris' choice!  Hey, if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Sad and pathetic all at the same time. Poor Krissy....



We all chipped in to turn a bummer day around

and make it a thumbs up night.

Kris will be back soon.  Thankfully, she did not need stitches but almost did.  Some steri-strips and a "thumb cast" and out the door she went from the doctor's office.  For all you Moms out there, you know what an inconvenience this is so yes, it is driving Kris crazy.  I have no idea how all of you get the things done that you do on a daily basis anyway!

Kris, thanks for all that you do and taking on the risks of being a full fledged Mom & wife.  We are truly blessed and spoiled by you.  Get better soon.  We love you Wounded Warrior.

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

How bad do you hate me for getting that song stuck in your head? Sorry. But it is true. My teeth... my two front teeth. Poor 2 year old me fell and knocked 'em right out. They didn't grow in forever so the dentist had to split my gums to let them loose. When they did come in they were brown, twisted, and sensitive from the antibiotics I took as a kid. My mom had to hold me down to brush my teeth, makes me clinch my jaw just thinking about it. Not sure who was more traumatized by that, me or her?

As my teeth came into their own, with a bit of help from the orthodontist, they needed colored. I went to a dentist who put great caps on them. Right before Scott & I got married I got them redone. These teeth are now 18 years old. 18! That means they could vote, drive, graduate from high school. They've been through a lot with me - a wedding, buying our first two houses, 3 babies... we have history. But now they are wanting to fall apart. So before one pops off at the most embarrassing time, I'm getting them redone and I'm a little freaked out. I'm not only getting that done, I'm doing the whitening trays too. I'll keep you posted...

Wish me luck!! I'm white knuckled thinking about it all.

Tim Tebow

Now that Tebow is our QB I'm back to being a 4th quarter fan. Those 4th quarter comebacks are Elway worthy and besides, our new QB is cute. The girls always say, "Mom," in that teenage tone when I mention his looks. I then add, "Dad's cuter, but it is nice to have a cute QB finally." We also think he's a great role model. Check out this ESPN article:

On the night before he delivered the Denver Broncos to their fourth straight win, Tim Tebow was asked by coach John Fox to address his teammates. According to the Denver Post, Tebow turned to the Bible, quoting Proverbs 27:17: "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Tebow's motivational message worked. The Broncos put together their third fourth-quarter comeback since Tebow took over for starter Kyle Orton, rallying past rival San Diego for a 16-13 overtime win.

"He said iron sharpens iron and men sharpen other men. And I think that's totally true," rookie linebacker Von Miller told The Post. "He gave us a great speech. We came out (for the game) fired up. And that was a wrap."

Tebow, when told of his teammates' reaction to Saturday's speech, was touched. "It was a huge honor," Tebow told The Post of being given the chance to speak. "I just tried to share from the heart."

The Broncos (6-5) are 5-1 under Tebow and have forced their way into the race for a playoff spot. They face the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday.

Go Tebow!! Keep being the role model us parents are proud our kids are looking up to. And could you swing another 4th quarter victory to beat the Vikings? I have a brother in MN to brag to with a victory!!