Super Noob [Search results for gifts] 

I am doing a melting pot of posts tonight. First, I really want to answer Keely's

Getting to Know You question. What was your favorite gift that you received this year for Christmas? This one is incredibly tough as I did receive some really spectacular gifts. So, I will mention two of them (though there are more that I loved just as much). First, Andy got me a necklace from Lisa Leonard Desings. It has the names of my kids on it, and I adore it (p.s. totally not sponsored to say that or anything...just lovin' the gift I got). Next was a gift that Andy went through a ton of trouble to procure. He registered me for a photoraphy class at a local community college. He actually had to get me accepted to the program they offer first. In order to do that, he pretended he was me to get my diploma, and my college transcripts. Sent them to the community college, and applied/enrolled online as if he were me. Crazy! Crazy that he did all that, and crazier that a community college needs all that when I already have a four year degree (well, it took me five years, but who's counting?). Anyway, I now get to attend the photography class starting in February once each week for, get this, six hours! The class is over three months long. Thrilled. Such a thoughtful gift.

This leads me right to my next segment ;) Christmas. Rather than bore with a lot of details, I will simply say that it was a wonderful time spent with family. We all received some wonderful gifts and the kids had a blast (as exhibited by pictures below). I am not entirely sure that Addyson got it as much as I thought she might. She loved opening presents, but I think the connection between the opening and the fact that they are now her gifts eludes her a little. Though I can't be certain. Colton, without question, had no clue...didn't expect him to. We had good food and good fun, and now I am feeling the "let down" effects after cresting the last peak on the Christmas roller coaster. Sigh. Happens every year. Now...for some pictures ;)

Addyson getting a peak at the loot Santa left behind.

Said loot

Addyson has a thing for Tink.

Turns out all Colton needed this Christmas was a box. Who knew?

My brother (taken with my new lens I might add). Yes, that was another favorite gift for me this year...from my Dad.

Addyson showing off her new shoes.

This is what I get when I ask her for a smile.

My cutest little bug...playing with the window.

This one my dad took...me.

My brother's girlfriend.

So now that I have inundated this one with pictures, I think I am done. The holiday buzz is dissipating (sadly we don't usually do anything for New Year's), and we are getting back to normal around here. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Contest Update:
It's not too late to win a blog makeover... read about it here. Heidi from 3 to 5 has five points! Mindi of Part of Me has two points, and Elizabeth of Our Journey Through Life has two points. The contest ends January 1st. I can't wait for one of you lucky ones to be able to work with Jenna at Bloggy Blog Designz. Start getting your new blog look ideas together ;)

I wish I could say I am done with my Christmas shopping, alas it is not to be. I still have a couple last things to get, but I am super close. Fortunately I have wrapped as I have gone, so that part is not looming.

We did take our gifts to the family we adopted (through the Salvation Army) on Sunday. I hope they wait until Christmas to open them, and I hope they like what they received. Seeing the look on the eight year old's face made everything worth it. She looked so happy to be toting the gifts into to her house from my car. Before leaving, she gave me the biggest hug and it struck me that she is a complete stranger... that I will, more than likely, never see her again. But I touched her life. What a blessing for me.

It's Friday! I love Friday because I get a reprieve from having to come up with my own ideas. Usually I participate in The (Un)Experienced Mom's Fill in the Blank Friday, and a couple of times I have done Mama M's Five Question Friday. Since I can't choose one over the other, today I will do both!

The rules for both are pretty much the same. You cut and paste the question into a post of your own, answer them, link back to their respective founders and then link your post up to their blog.

First, The (Un)Experienced Mom's Fill in the Blank Friday. The question this week is:

If I were going to be on a reality television show, I'd be on ________.
I don't think the 10 pounds I have to lose would qualify...but I would totally want to be on The Biggest Loser if I did need to lose that sort of weight. What an amazing experience to be able to absolutely transform your life. I always feel so inspired by what those people accomplish. Plus, I may have mentioned once or twice that I enjoy working out. ;)

Next up is Mama M's Five Question Friday. The questions are:
1. What's your "comfort food"?
2. Do you send Thank You's (handwritten or email)?
3. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which show would you choose?
4. What is your favorite online recipe site?
5. If you had to choose: "Friends" or "Seinfeld"?

1. What's your "comfort food"?
Dessert! Almost any type...but I prefer baked treats over ice cream (though I do love ice cream too). If it's done right, Creme Brule is the creme de la creme!
2.Do you send Thank You's(handwritten or email)?
Yes, but sporadically. Well, maybe not so much sporadically as only for specific events. For example, when I had my baby shower, I sent them. For Christmas, I don't. Maybe it's because I get gifts for the same people who get them for me, so it's like an even swap...no note required. At least I'm going with that!
3. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which show would you choose?
Rosanne. That way, when I got back to my own reality, I would appreciate it that much more. Plus I think she's a riot.
4. What is your favorite online recipe site?
Food Network. There is a recipe there for anything, and everything...and so many of them are awesome! In my opinion, it trumps all others.
5. If you had to choose "Friends" or "Sienfeld"?
Hmmmm. I really enjoy "Freinds," but Sienfeld is freakin' funny. "THESE PRETZELS ARE MAKING ME THIRSTY!!"

Now, go do your own post and be sure to link up. Then again, if you don't want to, and you'd rather leave me a comment with an answer or two...no need to twist my arm!

Warning: Blog operator's brain on fritz...so don't expect much. This post is a bunch of odds and ends, hence the title.

First and foremost, I am excited to share the fact that I do have a few after pictures to share. Remember this post where I bared my deepest and dirtiest? If you didn't read it, you may want to now. Guaranteed to make you feel better about yourself in five seconds flat however long it takes you to read the post (but read this one first, because it has some cool stuff). So here are the pictures.

My bedroom floor after and before. Big exhale.

Nightstand after and before. Better light in the after!

Here's one that wasn't in the last post because I had already shown so much, that I thought enough was enough. Anyway, this was/is one of my dressers. My room now is one place that no longer causes me extra tension.

Moving on...in doing my cleaning, I came across some books that I have either, never used or used gently. I no longer have a need for them, and would like to know if any of you are interested in any or all of them. If so, please leave me a comment of which book you'd like. I will let them go on a first come, first served basis. ***This is not a giveaway*** Just wanted to see if anyone here wants them before I take them to the used book store. All I ask of those that are interested is that you kindly pay for shipping, you may have the book(s) for free. They are:

The Everything Pregnancy Book, and Dr. Sears Fussy Baby Book.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Baby Wise, and Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs.

This one is Kids Create. Its arts and crafts for 3-9 year olds. We have never used it, and sadly I am just not that crafty. But there looks to be some fun things for kiddos to make with moms and dads.

Last thing I have is a wedding scrapbook. Never used at all. I had already started a different one when I received this as a gift.

Okay, there is one more thing I want to show you all. I mentioned a while back that one of my favorite gifts for Christmas was a fantastic necklace from Lisa Leonard. It is really awesome. It has all three of my kiddos names on it, it's silver (and I'm a silver kinda gal), and it goes with cute dresses or jeans! So awesome.

I may or may not be hosting a giveaway really soon. It may or may not have to do with Lisa Leonard! So stay tuned.

That about wraps it all up.

Friday for me means it's time for The (Un) Experienced Mom's Fill in the Blank Friday. Super easy to play along. Just grab her button, cut and paste her question, answer it and link it back to her. As always, I gladly accept your answers right here in the comments as well. To all of you who have been taking part, thanks! Keep it up and we will keep it around ;)

Her question today is:
If I had spare money that had to be donated to 3 charities, they would be _________, _________, and __________.

Here's the thing, I am deviating from the question just a wee little bit. We don't really have spare money this year, but we are already donating to two charities. One I blogged about before. It doesn't actually require extra money, just extra stuff. It is a local charity, and we donated a TON of our gently used toys and clothes to them. It is a children specific charity, and they ensure that all the items go to less fortunate boys and girls. Next, we have put aside some money this year to adopt a family via the Salvation Army. We have been assigned a family of five. It is a single mother and four children. They can't even afford a tree this year let alone any gifts. I feel grateful that we are in a position to be able to help her and her children this Christmas.
Finally, about the third...if I had an endless amount of cash, I would donate again to String of Pearls. I say again because we didn't donate for the holidays, but we have donated to them before. Fortunately we have not experienced infant loss, but can not imagine the pain for those who do/have.

How about you? Do you feel moved to give to any charity? Do you volunteer your time? Do you wait for the holidays or do you participate all through the year?

I have not even crossed the finish line yet. I still have to get one (maybe two) more gift(s), and I have to get stocking stuffers...I tell you, Santa is a slacker! Isn't stuffing the stocking part of his job?

Wrapping is well underway, however, and that has me feeling pretty pleased. I have been wrapping as I go, so I only have a few gifts left that need their festive skins. Our tree already has a fairly hefty bounty below.

We leave tomorrow to travel far and wide about 120 miles to visit family for all the festivities. I have been delegated to make the Spanish rice for our Christmas Eve dinner. Also, I opened my mouth and mentioned salsa...or something or other. So, I now have to do that too.

With all the craziness that is this season going on, I have not taken much time to sit back and enjoy it, or even think about enjoying it. Today's the day. I will get my last items scratched off my list, and will finally sit back (with a glass of wine perhaps) and revel in the completed tasks.

I honestly can't wait to see what Addyson will be like this year. I do think Colton will just be all about tearing the paper, but Addyson may finally "get it." So it should be fun.

In any case, since we are leaving, I probably will be M.I.A. for a little bit. Maybe not though...there is always the chance that some creative surge will occur and I will be able to get some posts done and scheduled. We'll see. Whatever the case...Merry Christmas! Happy every other holiday too for those of you that are not Christmas celebrators (is that a word?). Here's to great food, fantastic family and friends, lots of laughs, and being able to wear your favorite pair of shoes without a swollen foot (that one is just for MODG).

he's my brother...

I hope that this is a foreshadowing of their future relationship. I have a brother, and he is without question one of my best friends. My love for him is very much like the love I have for my children...it just is. It exists free of condition, free of burden. My brother has added a layer of depth to my life that has aided in the shaping of who I am today. Together we lived, laughed, cried, loved and faught our way through childhood, adolecsence and into adulthood. My life is richer, fuller and more complete as a result of him. Of all the gifts my parents have ever given, my brother is undeniably the most cherished I have ever received. It is my deep desire that my children also share the same amazing bond that my brother and I are so lucky to have. I hope that they carry each other through hard times, laugh with each other through good times, cry together through sad times, and pull each other through when the rest of the world seems to have left them bereft. So...it is my hope that this photograph of Addyson pulling her little brother, is a foreshadowing of their relationship, their ever growing friendship, and their unbreakable bond.

Having started my blog in October of this year, I never thought it would be such an awesome outlet for me. Never would I have counted on *meeting* some seriously fun and friendly people. So when people name me to receive these little awards of recognition, I'm thrilled. They are so much fun. Here are a couple I have gotten recently.

Jenna at The Neuff, Shandal at My Life in 3D Tyler at Just Another Day in Our Paradise all gave me this Happy 101 award. Thank you all for thinking of me! This one says you must list ten things that make you happy, and then pass it on to ten others.
Ten things that make me happy:
1. Sweet lovin from my babies
2. An earnest compliment from my husband
3. My family
4. A good book
5. Being cozied up in p.j's on the couch when it's raining outside
6. Cooking...and eating!
7. Jeans that fit just right
8. Working out
9. Taking a great picture
10. The smell of the desert after the rain
I am going to pass this on to Elizabeth at Our Journey through Life, the Molly at The Snyder 5, Tammy at My Thoughts in Color, Becky at In the Trenches, Elizabeth at Confessions of a Working Mom, Megan at All a Bunch of Momsense, Rudy Family Rukus, Liz at Harmony Song, Keely at MannLand5, and finally last but in no way least, Melis at The Zookeeper's Diary.

The next one I got is A Sweet Award from Mindi at part of me. Mindi's blog is a lot of fun, and filled with some awesome crafts you can do together with kids. Thank you Mindi for choosing me. With this award, you must thank the giver, link to their blog, list five things about yourself and then pass it on to five more people.

Hmmm...5 things about me:
1. I can waterski slalom
2. I love to camp, fish and shoot a gun
3. My first kiss was with a boy named Ari...he was 17 and I was 15
4. When I workout, I don't just do cardio...I lift weights. I can bench press three sets of fifteen at 135lbs (but I am so not a behemoth...just strong).
5. I drive an Expedition...and it is such a mom car. By mom car, I mean loaded with crumbs, toys, books, strollers...you get the idea.

So now to pass this one on as well. Humph. All this linking is making me need a glass of wine! Here goes: Nancy at If Evolution Really Works, Heidi at From 3 to 5, Drea at Peanut Butter Jelly Days, Amy at The Adventures of JAMC, and Amy at Mommy of the Year.

To all of you whom I forwarded these, either enjoy reading your blog, love that you are such an active commenter to mine, or both! Thank you.

Growing up, my brother and I were never those kids that got spoiled rotten for Christmas. Oh, we received plenty, and were always grateful for what we did get. In fact, I remember the year I got my acid washed denim jacket, walkman and New Kids on the Block tape. Wow! Did I just say all of those things in the same sentence? I loved that jacket! I wore it all of the time. That walkman was played so much that in the first few days I already needed new batteries. The tape? Please don't tell anyone that I had posters of them plastered all over my wall...absolutey sure that if Marky Mark ever met me and really got to know me, that he would fall head over heels. Pft. Right.

Fast forward to last night. My husband and I were talking about the kids (ours not New) and their gifts. We have decided not to go crazy on them. The reason simply being, we don't want to instill in them at such a young age, a gluttonous attitude. Certainly they will not be deprived...they will all receive plenty, but not so much that they don't appreciate the things that they do get. I long for them to look forward to the celebration with family and friends. I want them to cherish those times as much as I always have. Presents were nice, okay...awesome...but they were not everything. I want my children to look forward, with anxious anticipation, to giving someone that perfect gift just as much as they look forward to getting it.

Just like I mentioned in this post, I believe my kids to be blank slates, waiting to be marked. It's my desire to teach my children at a young age about the many joys of Christmas. My daughter already has a giving spirit, and I intend to nurture it.

When asked what she wants from Santa this year, my daughter's reply is "candy and a radio." Truly if that were all she received...her Christmas will have been made! Now, don't get all in an uproar on me, we are totally getting her more than that. Just not so much more that next year the greed will overtake her. As for Colton, I have an inkling that he will be enthralled with simply tearing open the packages...and Drew, he made a list, and between us and family, he is pretty much getting everything on it. So before you go feeling all sorry for our munchkins, rest assured that the visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads will surely become a reality.

So spill it. Do you go crazy with gift giving for the kids? I started a discussion about it in my new Blog Frog community...would love it if you found time to come over and join and jump in the discussion. You can reach the community through the widgit down on the left of my sidebar. Oh, and of course I still would love to have comments here. I know, I ask for the world.