Quarterly Creative Offering, Otherwise Known as a Christmas Letter

Hey you!  Thanks for stopping in and reading this sporadic blog.  Here's our family card and letter for 2016.  

Insight into my mind:

1. Read last year's post on family pictures.

2. Take this year's picture.

3. Buy Groupon for $17.99 for 40 picture cards.  Neglect offer for $27.99 for 70.   I am not as wealthy as Scrooge McDuck and have you bought 4 books of stamps lately?!  Plus, 70?  I wasn't Homecoming Queen, I never rushed a sorority, and I'm an introvert.

4. Mail letters to extended family and a few close friends.

5. Regret not buying the 70 cards to have extras on hand, run short, order a few prints from CVS, dig out real, folding style cards to send out a few last-minute glad tidings.  Hope that suffices.

The End.

(Love you, mean it.  Merry Christmas.)

The Twelve Tidbits From Our Year

12 approximate times I used our new elliptical machine.  That may average to about $60 a use.  NAILED IT. 

11 tactics the kids employ at bedtime for maximum sleep avoidance: 1) water 2) Jeopardy 3) YouTube funnies on our bed 4) visits from Mom and Dad bedside 5) prayers 6) “Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?”—which is both precious and guilt-inducing-- “Cat’s in the Cradle” anyone? 7) blanket retrieval 8) lovey retrieval 9) Storytime 10) deep thoughts and ways my feelings got hurt 6 months ago (a Sarah classic) 11) theological questions for the ages (“Does God poop?”).

“10 dollar founding father without a father…”  A lyric from the musical Hamilton in which I became engrossed this summer and subsequently became our around-town driving music.  I try to turn down the radio whenever a more colorful word is used, but I’m waiting for someone pick up on and test out one of those colorful terms.  Alex and I are going to see the musical on Broadway this coming January and we can’t wait!  I want to get the kids “Young, Scrappy, and Hungry” t-shirts (another lyric) and take an obnoxious number of pictures to blast on social media with references to the musical because I’m fun like that.  I’m not sure how I escaped the lure of a drama program in my formative years.

9 is the age Jeremiah will turn this coming May which baffles my comprehension greatly.  J is in second grade, is an avid plane enthusiast (he took his first commercial flight this year with Dad), is working hard on his reading and decoding words like a champ, and will eat 3 pounds of chips and salsa (his preferred meal) on nights we wait for his sisters to finish ballet class.  He is sly, funny, perceptive, and sweet.  A boy of hidden talents that surprises us daily.  Firstborn love of my mother’s heart.

8 The number of childhood fads that are new or resurrected by the toy manufacturers and Netflix that my girls are mildly obsessed with: My Little Ponies, The Trolls, Care Bears, Shopkins, Frozen (Forever and Ever, Amen), EverAfter High, Secret Life of Pets, and Strawberry Shortcake.  I could name at least 10 more, but you would be tempted to call Child Protective Services for all the mind-numbing animation to which we have exposed the children.  (We do try to keep the TV off. Sometimes.  And read. Or even go outside.  Honest.)  For all the silly fads that come and go, it’s been a treat to introduce the kids to the original Muppets movies, Hailey Mills classics such as Parent Trap and Summer Magic and The Christmas Story Movie (“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.”) We read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe this summer and watched the movie.  The girls are still making connections to that story.

7 is the age Sarah turns this coming January and her party was planned the second we blew out the candles on her 6^th birthday “Barbie and the Rockin’ Royals” cake.  Sarah is our cruise director, natural leader and extrovert.  She’s the kid glue.  As an introvert, it’s funny to navigate a child who just wants to meet everyone and invite them to do things! Sarah is a first grader and is involved with dance, STEAM club, and church choir.  When I’m in her school to eat lunch or volunteer, it seems everyone is Sarah’s buddy.  Sarah and her sister fight like cats and dogs, but she is also quick to comfort J or Rachel when they are hurt or sad.  She has a sensitive spirit and became a baptized believer in Jesus this May.  It is a privilege to guide her in faith, one I daily struggle to model well, but strive to make the focus of our family life.

6 The number of times I drive at minimum each weekday on Highway 96, a state road that takes me to the kid’s schools, our favored Chick Fil A, and off-shoots me to Sonic, Dad’s office, church, or Target.  I have a hard time not taking this exit any time I’m on the interstate.  I’d like a sash and tiara to wear as “Mrs. Highway 96” as I sit perched on the rolled down top of a Mustang convertible to collect my progeny and wave to all the parents in the carpool lane as they scroll on their phones.  I think it would add a bit of panache to the whole affair.

5 My baby will be 5 in 2017.  FIVE.  Rachel is a force of joy.  Sassy, mischievous, sharp, and a total Mama’s girl.  She’s a clown and has a “I-hate-waking-up-on-your-terms-but-love-my-preschool-once-I’m-there” lifestyle.  She will create a booty-shaking performance at the drop of a hat, but to my chagrin, also feels perfectly justified in lashing out at her dear mother during times of discipline with the stinging jab, “You’re a stupid butthead.”  I take full responsibility for her believing she is the most beautiful, capable human in existence and ask for your prayers that she does not one day end up as a contestant on ABC’s “The Bachelor”.  #MamaTried

4 weeks of the Whole 30 plan.  For all my kidding around, I took a month to eat in a very limited diet of protein and vegetables with no processed carbohydrates or milk products. (DAIRY. No dairy!)  I did it and liked it and felt great.  It taught me some good basic principles for healthy cooking and eating that I’d like to continue to work towards. 

3 rooms painted.  We are not big DIYers, but took a weekend to paint the girls rooms a “Plie Pink” in keeping with the theme of being new dance students.  It turned out beautifully and inspired a Great Fall Throw Out All the Junk in the Closets movement that made me preen just a bit in my homemaking skills.

2 new states visited.   We took an extended family road trip this summer with Alex’s Mom, Dad and Grandma to visit the Creation Museum in Kentucky, The Cincinnati Zoo and Waterpark and visit with longtime friends from his Grandma’s childhood in Ohio.  The kids did a great job on such a long car ride and really enjoyed all the sights. 

1 new member to be added to our extended family.  My sister Natalie and her husband James are expecting their first child, a daughter, this coming March.  The whole family is buoyed with excitement this Christmas as we visit with the parents-to-be and look forward to this most desired blessing in the Mead family.  The kids talk about “Aunt Natie’s baby” almost daily and we are planning to visit the family of three in Texas during the week of Spring Break.  There’s so much good in store in 2017!

We sincerely hope you have a joyful Christmas with moments of wonder and peace.  Thank you for being in our lives. 

Love,

Alex, Melissa, Jeremiah, Sarah, and Rachel

Let's Get to the 25th Already!

Hi, my name is Melissa, and I was hiding from my kids on the stairs scrolling Instagram.

Monday and Tuesday were filled with moments of discipline for each child as 1) it won't stop raining and 2) that makes for a lot of togetherness and 3) children like to antagonize and 4) it was an amateur move to try to wrap presents for others while supervising children.  I wrapped about four in the space of four hours.

We have made it to December 23rd.  We are coloring and snacking and movie-watching and paper roll sword playing and I'm in a better place.

Presents wrapped, house cleanish, clothes washed, Santa gifts on-go to assemble.

Now we are twiddling our thumbs, ready for the big day.

Here's a hodgepodge of holiday goodness and fun finds for your time off:


Man in the High Castle on Amazon streaming
This is sci-fi intrigue set in post-war 1960s America in an alternate reality in which the Allies lost WWII and the United States is ruled by Germany and Japan. I don't know where to start here: you can watch it as a couple; each character is multi-faceted and more keeps being revealed; it plays with reality and feels a bit like Lost as it presents possible outcomes and a blurry line between the natural and supernatural. Plus the lead character is really cute and I like his hair. So he's a Nazi. He has Resistance leanings due to meeting a love interest/new Resistance member. And I'm betting he's Hitler's son. We are hooked and eagerly awaiting Season 2.

My daughters in their Christmas program












  Shameless Overshare 

Our Christmas Letter


2015 At a Glance

It’s always a bit baffling to reach the end of another year at what seems like a breakneck speed.  2015 has been a year of new adventures for our family.  This summer, Alex, in a true act of Dad heroism, took us to Disney World for five sweaty, tiring, but absolutely memorable days.  We visited each park and dined with princesses, kissed Mickey, and rode our fair share off iconic rides. I’m a self-proclaimed sucker for all things Disney and am campaigning for a return to Orlando for a certain young man’s eighth birthday.  In October, we had another amazing experience traveling to Europe following a work conference Alex was selected to attend in Flims, Switzerland.  Our parents each took turns manning the battle stations on the home front with the kids so I could join Alex for four days in Paris and on to Amsterdam to meet up with an old friend of Alex’s and stay with his family.  It was everything we could have hoped for in an overseas trip-- beautiful scenery, delicious food, unexpected discoveries, and best of all, time together and with friends. I’ve said it was once-in-a-lifetime, but I’m hoping we’ll push ourselves to travel more as the children grow older.

The kids are now 7, 5, and 3 respectively. Jeremiah is a first grader in an autism classroom.  He is an affectionate, loving young man who likes to draw, print, bike, and play on his IPAD.  Sometimes his noisy sisters overwhelm his ears, but he is the first to give a hug when needed.  His mom (without any overstatement) is his #1 fan and as for Dad, Jeremiah adores him beyond good sense.

Sarah is going on 6 this January and bounds into a room with energy and sparkle.  She is in Kindergarten at brother’s school and brims over with new information.  She loves fashion and crafts.  Frequently, she helps Mom create new desserts to try.  We call her our cruise director and believe she is the most lovely 5-year-old in existence (all apologies).

Our youngest, Rachel, is the family mascot. 100 percent sass, this little girl selects her outfits (as there are several changes) daily, complete with accessories and makeup-- no lip balm, but red lipstick, please.  Not much makes her mom happier than taming her bedraggled hair with a bow and acting as consultant on her sartorial choices. Rachel tolerates too many hugs and kisses and longs to be “like Sarah” in all things, especially big kid school.  As her middle name suggests, she is an absolute joy.

As for us adults, Alex continues to work as a Programmer at Silvervine Systems.  His team indicated to me that he is the Eeyore of the group as he is on the look-out for potential problems that could arise in any project.  He is a wonderful father to our kids and a supporter in all ways to me as his wife.  I’m very proud of him.

I’ve renewed my contract for my 8th year as an at-home Mom and though each year brings changes to my role, I’m enjoying this new stage.  I’ve become more involved in the kids’ school, and work with 8th grade girls Sunday school--whom I constantly admonish to be nice to their mothers--as well as teach choir to Rachel’s age group.  I blog, attend bible study and a Mom’s group, keep the domestic wheels running, and think wistfully about exercise as I either read or binge Netflix in my off-duty time. We just ordered an elliptical machine, so hello, New Year’s Resolutions!

In closing, we are just plain thankful to have you in our lives and pray this Christmas season and the new year to come are marked by the greatest of these: love. 

*

And from Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift  December 23rd reading:

"He came as a Baby because He was done with barriers. He disarmed himself so that you could take Him in your arms.  God came as a Baby because he wants to be unimaginably close to you. What God ever came so tender that we could touch Him? So fragile we could break Him? Only the One who loves you to death. Only the God who had to come to get you, to free you, to be with you....
Christmas isn't about getting something big and shiny. It's about God's doing whatever it takes to be with us-- and our doing whatever it takes to be with Him. (emphasis mine)

He doesn't care if your list is checked or your halls are decked.  He doesn't care if you've spent 25 days preparing your heart or  a lifetime far away from Him.  He cares about you, about us.
He made a way for us, by his righteousness alone.  Isn't that really the best news?  I get swept along in the craziness each year, and I always arrive back to wonder seated in our Christmas Eve service--  Son of God, Love's Pure Light.

Merry, merry Christmas, dear friends.

Sending Christmas Cards in 50 Simple Steps

I just sent my second batch of Christmas cards.  I placed them on my lap as I pulled up to the post office box and took a picture.  I was about the ponder filters when I realized there was a nice lady waiting patiently behind my car.

I'm having a little sit-down with myself about this, promise.

I started to back-track all the steps I've taken to send these cards, and I present them below for your amusement.

1. Realize it's Fall and High Season for family pictures.
2. Float the idea casually to my husband.
3. Husband readily concedes as he knows this is a lost cause.
4. Price out photography sessions.
5. Contact photographer.
6. Set date.
7. Ponder family attire.
8. Go to Target for "some things".
9. Reschedule session due to weather.
10. Take pictures on a weekday afternoon, i.e. Get kids home, fed snack, repair hair, and clothe in subtle autumnal finery--dressy casual, natch.
11.  Curl hair, allow for last minute scarf debate, ponder options for best figure enhancement.  Don boots and big earrings.
12. Iron two options for Dad's shirt.  Iron son's shirt and daughter's dress.
13.  Meet Dad at a park and present shirt choices.  Realize this is a bit much.
13. Smile pretty.
14. Encourage children to smile pretty.
15. Promise playground time for smiling pretty.
16. Snag one last shot just-in-case.  We always need just-in-case.
17. Play on playground.
18.  Bribe anxious child with donuts and a promise to come back to park later.
19. Fall out on the couch upon arriving at home.
20. Wait 2 weeks for proofs.
21.  Wait an extra day for proofs as photographer's site is down.
22.  Drive to pick up CD of finished portraits to get them in my hot hand right now.
23.  Obsessively look at sun lit pictures of my offspring like the loon I am.
24.  Debate over posting offspring's pictures.
25. Post offspring's pictures.
26. Begin card hunt.
27. Find groupon and order cards.
28. Wait for cards.
29. Receive cards.
30.  Frame card.
31.  Find inspiration and deep dive into my OneDrive for all family pictures from Christmas 2008 forward.
32.  Order said pictures.
33. Order best sibling picture on canvas.
34. Realize it's time to send the cards.
35. Send husband out for pretty stamps.
36. Address and write a personalized note on batch one to my girls' life group.
37. Realize a year in review letter might be nice.
38.  Write year in review letter seeking to strike a tone between earnest, self-deprecating, and humorous.
39. Proofread and feel optimistic about tone.
40. Select pretty pens and address second batch of cards.
41. Sign letters.
42. Write personalized notes on cards.
43. Stamp and seal.
44. Drive to post office and drop off.
45. Take obnoxious picture.
46. Chuckle at myself.
47.  Count up the money I've spent on cards that may stay on a mantle for 2 weeks and quickly shove such practical thoughts aside.
48. Realize this is good blog material.
49. Blog and import obnoxious picture.
50. Post blog to minister to any woman who embraces the lengths we go to as Good Will Ambassadors for our families.

The End.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

This December

Because it's the kind of day where I dug out the emergency set of back-up clothes from my son's backpack because everything else is dirty.

Because last night we spent 45 minutes in tears over the last bite of a hot dog with my daughter.  Making a point over a hot dog, yup, totally dumb.  But we're gonna learn simple obedience.  If we demand our way, we will learn consequences.  Yes, ma'am, we will.

Because I got little sleep heading into a Monday back from a holiday and by 5 p.m. squabbles, I made a NO CHIPS proclamation because snack-sized chips are for LUNCHES  and THIS IS FOOLISHNESS and I WON'T BUY THEM ANYMORE.  Then I threw my hairbrush on the ground.  Had a fit.  I can be a real delight, sometimes.

Because I spent a half hour explaining that we can wear our princess dress at home and to the store and most places, but it's not fair to the other little girls to wear it to preschool.  So I laid out three outfit choices (dresses only, naturally) to be worn after the princess dress to school.

Because everyone in the house has been sick at some point in the last two weeks.

Because the sink is overflowing.

Because why, oh why, am I sweating on the first day of December?

Because I have 7 highly trained, amazing professionals in my children's lives that I want to honor with a thoughtful gift, and I haven't a clue.

Because sometimes we say thoughtless things to the ones we love the most.

Because I've gained a new rock to carry around in my pack, and I'm weary of it.  If I talk about body image one more time, my own eyes will roll up in my head because I'm exhausting to myself.

Because we have enough of everything that my biggest problems are my excess.

Because a full calendar might cause stress, but it means I have somewhere to go.

Because it's Christmas.

I'm ready.

For peace in the swirling chaos.  Hope in the noise.  Love without conditions.

For Advent.

Sounds of the Season

I am obsessed with the following songs this year:

First, "Yahweh, Jesus is Coming".  This is a worship song that I've heard performed both at Easter and Christmas and it prompts a visceral reaction.  It's not one of the single-streaming-tear songs. It's a my-insides-are-trembling-because-this-all-happened-and-I-am-part-of-it.  This gal had to work to keep my composure at the Christmas performance this year because I'm not sure if I would have stood on my chair and waved my arms like an air traffic controller or just laid myself out in the aisle.  All I can say is listen.  It has a tribal, chanting cadence. It's beautiful.



ITunes is selling all holiday albums for $7.99 so I picked this one after all the "Mary, Did You Know" rave reviews I saw.  Pentatonix is an acapella group and their sound is totally original. I am slightly obsessed with this song.  I'm not sure how snow and UFO make for great Christmas lyrics, but they do.




Lastly, I bought Josh Groban's Noel last year and every song is beautifully arranged.  This one, though, with the overlayed voices of soldiers sharing their Christmas wishes to family, wrecks me.  Each time when it gets to the mom missing her 4-year-old's face on Christmas morning, I. just. can't.
Highly recommend.



I also love Michael Buble's Christmas and anything by Amy Grant or Harry Connick Jr. for Christmas music.

And now, a shameless plug...the one, the only, the Sonshine Singers.


Happy Listening! (And please share your newest favorites!)

Deep, Cleansing Breaths: A Few Things I'm Trying for Christmas

December 1 is this Monday.  This Monday.

Have you seen that youtube clip "Sh*t Southern Women Say"? (Mild expletive warning, but oh-so-funny and accurate).


ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?!?!

(no.)

I'm not "ready" by a long shot in terms of decked halls, wrapped presents, or personalized, stamped cards.

But I do have a few, simple resources I'd like to share that I plan to use to prepare my heart for Christmas.

1.  Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp
A follow-up to her book The Greatest Gift, this is a 25 day family devotional for the Advent season.  We used the Jesus Storybook Bible Advent reading plan last year and really enjoyed it, but some of the stories are lengthy and I felt like the kids missed the impact (though the exposure was great).  The book is beautifully illustrated and provides 25 devotions written with children in mind that correspond to the Jesse tree tradition.  Free printables are available here for the ornaments.  You can even have a "Night Before Advent" party with ideas here.  I'll check back in in a few days to give feedback, but I think this is going to be a winner.  And if you purchase the book today (Black Friday) on Amazon, enter HOLIDAY 30 and receive 30% off one book.


2. Why Do We Call It Christmas? DVD
This is another "What's In The Bible" DVD that I've shared previously and I love, love, love it.
We've watched the entire series and I regularly find myself in church thinking, "Where have I heard this?" and answering back, "Oh, the puppet taught me that."  Lifeway and Amazon have been running specials on these DVDs.  This one deals with the history behind the traditions of the Christmas tree, Santa, and why we celebrate Christmas on the 25th. Fun fact:  Newly converted German Christians hung evergreens in their homes as a symbol for Christ, a stark reversal after once worshipping the oak tree.

3. Truth in the Tinsel
This is another Advent resource for Christmas that I discovered from a suggested Facebook page.  It is a devotional and craft for the 25 days of Advent.  I don't plan on doing this one this year because if I committed to doing 25 crafts, Mama would be celebrating Christmas at a "rest facility" and a nervous breakdown involving twine and hot glue doesn't scream "miracle of the Incarnation" to me.  Seriously though,  I am following this page on facebook and hope to maybe do at least one of the crafts.

4. A "Wow" Experience
We are spending Thanksgiving in North Georgia and get to kick off the season by going to Stone Mountain and doing their Christmas Adventure, which is the regular attractions plus a Christmas train ride. Santa sightings, 4D movie, and a big parade.  We're hoping that the kids get a big kick out of it.  J will probably want to ride the skylift up the mountain and do the train ride around the park all day, and I know the girls will lose their minds with being in a winter wonderland.  This is the first year we are doing anything like an all day attraction.  We are dumb enough to try it with a 2 year old, but wise enough to rent a hotel room nearby.

Admist the unavoidable chaos of December, my wish for me and you are redeemed moments
because the Christ is coming.  Merry Christmas!

A New Tradition

We packed our first Christmas gifts today.  Despite being familiar with Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse, for several years, I had not prioritized getting boxes ready and kept pushing it down on my "mean-to-do" list.  Determined to change that this year, I took J & Sarah out and we had a great time.

If you are looking for a way to model thankfulness in your family and to just plain have fun, please consider checking out OCC and packing a box.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider packing a box for Operation Christmas Child:

1. It's personal.
The box you put together will be opened by a specific individual, just like any other gift you will give this year.  This is the only charitable organization that I know of that transports gifts instead of using donations to purchase items and services needed in a particular country (though they do that too).  OCC is very hands-on and tangible for involving children.  You are encouraged to include a note to the intended recipient.  The OCC site also has a coloring sheet that can be completed by your kids and packed.  And if you give the estimated shipping cost ($7/box) online, you can track your box to its end destination.  You might even gain a penpal if you include your address in the note you send!

2. It's transparent.
89 percent of monies raised by Samaritan's Purse goes to funding its incentives. It has an overall rating of 95.9 by Charity Navigator and a rating of 100 for transparency and accountability.  This is a trustworthy place to give.


3. It's low-cost, high return.
You can pack a great box for $25.  You can  build one online for without leaving home or you can head down to the local Supercenter and gather materials.  I bought hygiene products (soap, toothbrushes and paste, chapstick, hair ties), small toys (coloring books, puzzles, stickers, hard candy, whistles), essentials (pencils, socks) at the Dollar store.  I think our store stocks items that are specifically on the OCC list because I found a ball pump today, a suggested item, as well as flip flops, which are obviously out of season now, another suggested item. I went next door to Walmart for a few special items like a basketball and HotWheels car for my boy box and soft baby dolls for the girls. I also got better brand art supplies there.  My most expensive item was $7 (basketball), and most were $1.  There is even a Pinterest board with low cost ideas.

4.  It will bless a child in need.
This isn't a guilt trip, but y'all, for the cost of a casual meal out, you can give a child a present that has long-reaching effects.  Each item in your box will honestly knock their socks off.   A dollar store toy will be played with and put in the toy basket tomorrow at my house, but it will be treasured by a child who may have never received a Christmas gift.  The gift is more than the gift.  Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization whose mission is "helping in Jesus' name".  Many children who receives boxes also gain 12 weeks of bible lessons about God's love.  If you are looking for the real meaning of Christmas-- that God gave-- here's a great way to kick off the season.


5.  It will make you happy!
Buying gifts for a child is fun.  So is stuffing a box to the brim with goodies.  Believe it or not, if you let your kids know for the outset that your shopping trip is to buy gifts for others, they will not beg for toys on the toy aisle.  Giving is medicine for the gimme-gimmes.

This is our first Christmas doing Operation Christmas Child and it's really fun! We've seen a bunch of people shopping for kids around the world! #operationchristmaschild

A photo posted by Melissa Young (@thejaybirdblog) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:37pm PST

What'dya say?  Ready to start a new, meaningful tradition right before we enter the season of thanks?  Do it!  And let me know if this convinced you!

A Grown-Up's Christmas

If you are older than about 18, and begin to "do" Christmas (i.e. be in charge of more than your own enjoyment), I believe a portion of it will be stressful.  No matter what.

Am I the only one who gets stressed by the pressure to try to find a sense of calm and holiness in the mad dash and feels guilty that it's not-so-calming?  The pressure to make it magical and holy?  I'm not talking about Santa vs. Happy Birthday Jesus debates.  I just mean, even by trying to make it quiet and intentional and fun, it's still gonna push my limits.

Because I am the same person in the month of December that I am all year long.  But with extra responsibilities, obligations, travel, and money spent.

So unless I say no to every single solitary event, purchase, and memory-making opportunity, I'm going to feel a level of stress.

This is a personal revelation.

I can be proactive and budget for gifts and buy them throughout the year. Or run around like a crazy person like I have every other year.  I can create traditions that embrace the incarnation and the whimsy of childhood memories.  I can cook and clean and host.

And then, when that's done, I can be.

Be in the moment.

The moment a little girl clutches her dolls, a boy starts up his race track, and toddler rolls past on her scooter.

The moment my daughter lifts her lit candle during "Silent Night".

A second later, I'm plunged back into the ordinary.

But that's okay.  That's Christmas.  That's life.

Light piercing the darkness.

So, I didn't have the perfect Christmas.  But this side of eternity, I had a good one.  A real one, with frustrations and fun all mixed together.

I have 11 months to recover. Then I'll be ready to do it again.

Thoughts from My Recent Hallmark Christmas Movie Binge

I've got reviews of "A Very Married Christmas", "Baby's First Christmas" and "A Very Merry Mix-Up" to add to my authorative look at MFTCM. For now, let these musings inspire you to select a better class of Christmas movie.

Top Ten Life Lessons Learned from Made for TV Christmas Movies:

10. If you are single and someone starts calling you by your first and last name and punches your arm, fellas, watch out. Might be love.

9. If you find yourself with an attractive, bubbly stranger: in a jail, a hospital, with a stray dog, handcuffed to the passenger's seat, or under an assumed identity, watch out. Might be love.

8. If said person loves: antiques, vintage clothing, his/her grandma, his/her grandpa, is estranged from his/her parent(s), is close to his/her parent(s), again. A Christmas love miracle is unfolding before your very eyes.

7. If you have two incredibly handsome suitors vying for your affections, you have a fabulous sense of style, and you are both a strong, capable woman while maintaining a childlike vulnerability just below the surface; girl, you already gone.

6. God/Santa/Fate brings a a lost treasure back into your life: a love note, a handmade clock that stops ticking the minute you first met your amore, your wedding ring you threw away... TRUE LOVE. "True love begins in eternity." You can quote a Very Merry Mix-Up on that.

5. You are dating a plastic dude who wants to remake your life, sell your business, tells his friends you do what he says; just wait. Mr. Wonderful's about to enter, stage right. He's hot and he makes furniture with his own.two.hands. Or rediscovers his benevolent heart. Or rocks a baby. Whatevs. He's perfect.

4. There are no "accidents". Spending the weekend with a family you think is your intended's and instead finding out your new family are not home and hearth people? Hitting an old lady with a swinging door and losing her dog? You are on your way to a job promotion, a home saved for foreclosure, and rediscovering yourself in one fell swoop.

3. It only takes from Thanksgiving to Christmas to change your whole life. Love everlasting? Handled. In 6 weeks or your money back. (Thanks, Lara.)

2. Be with someone who makes you better. Especially if a doorman/police officer/minister/voice of wisdom reminds you that every moment running from the one you love is wasted. (True.)

1. Christmas is magical. Because Faith, Hope and Love are real.

The Pure, Unadulterated Delightfulness...

Of the most cheesy-made-for-TV-movie time of the year!  ABC Family, Hallmark, and Lifetime each have their own festive offering, so it's bound to be a delightful cinematic season.  The Hallmark Channel begins airing new movies this Saturday.  Queue up the DVR! To get us in the spirit, here are a few notables in my pantheon of:

Made-For-TV Christmas Movies (MFTCM)

You know that happy glow you feel looking at a lit tree?
That's how I feel about these types of movies.

A Christmas Kiss- My first delightful MFTCM of 2013.   Basically an assistant to a mean ol' boss (think a very B-version Merle Streep from The Devil Wears Prada) falls in love with the boss's boyfriend and kisses him in an elevator.  Of course, she's incognito and he doesn't recognize her when they are introduced.  But they both felt 'flutters' (Gag me.  The guy says this repeatedly).  Dude's rich and has amazing hair a la Gordon Gecko of Wall Street. The actor comes off as very vanilla, but the female lead has two sassy best friends/roommates whose wise quips keep things from getting too queso.  The two lovebirds are thrown together planning Dude's Christmas party.  Of course they fall asleep on each other's shoulders watching movies.  Of course it's innocent.  Of course Boss Lady/Girlfriend goes on the attack.  And of course the sassy friends intervene.  This one is currently on streaming Netflix.  If you like to put your mind on hold like me, you could do worse for entertainment.


Hitched for the Holidays- Joey Lawrence of Dancing with the Stars and Blossom fame stars.  He carries the film well.  Quite dashing and roguish as memory serves.   He's an ad exec who hates to be tied down to anything (lost little boy inside and all that).  His love interest needs a date due to her family's growing concern for her after being jilted at the altar (there's a story there).  He's Catholic, she's Jewish, and both need a date to save face at holiday functions.  And his dying grandma's last wish is that he find true love.  But she's not really dying.  Oy!  Crazy family shenanigans! Watch it!  Airs this Saturday at 10 p.m.  And copious times thereafter.

Holiday in Handcuffs- This had me at Mario Lopez (a la Slater from Saved by the Bell and Dancing with the Stars). Anyone see a pattern developing here? 90s star plus DWTS stint equals revitalized MFTCM career. Melissa Joan Hart (again with the 90s teen stars) is a scatterbrained, struggling artist that needs to bring home a suitable date to her family Christmas in a remote cabin.  She flubs an interview, gets a bad home perm, and basically grabs a pistol at her waitressing job and hijacks Mario/Slater at gunpoint.  Yeah, he could wrestle her.  And the pistol is an unloaded antique just hanging out by the register.  Details.  Crazy eyed Melissa/Sabrina (the Teenage Witch) gets him in her car, secures him with novelty handcuffs and voila, instant boyfriend!  Of course they see through the kidnapping and fall in love.  She puts on an ice skating routine for him.  They play chess.  He stops trying to escape.  That's a formula for true love right there.  

Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade- This is a cute one and I was struggling to remember the exact title until I followed my own advice and scheduled my Hallmark movie marathon via my DVR!  This plays Sunday at 4 p.m. on Hallmark.  She's the Thanksgiving planner who wears vintage everything (a nod to her deceased mom); he's a slick suit brought in analyze her event and rain on her parade (wink).  They bond over a chance meeting at the grocery store and share cute phone calls while watching holiday movies.  It's fluffy, mindless, and the good girl gets the right guy. Not a bad distraction while you're folding towels.

Mrs. Miracle - This stars James Van Der Beek (aka Dawson) which should make this a lock for my generation.  A magical nanniy (Doris Roberts of Everybody Loves Raymond) helps a young widower (Dawson) with his young sons and surprise, not letting love slip through his fingers.  Real sentimentality, not schmaltz.  Very sweet. 

Recipe for the Perfect Christmas - I watched this a few years back and it has some decent acting.  Food critic (Carly Pope) and chef (Bobby Cannavale) meet cute.  Overbearing mom tries to live through food critic daughter.  Complicated relationships, second chances... all staples of any good MFTCM. 

Snowglobe- Another loud, eccentric, overbearing family causes our heroine (Christine Milan) to dream of a perfect Christmas, the one she sees in her snowglobe.  The magic of this snowglobe whisks her into the wholesome land of a perpetual Christmas.  Turns out fantasy is way more boring than reality.  Especially when your imaginary snowglobe boyfriend shows up in real life.  Yeah, that happens.  She still finds true love. Christmas movie magic, people.  

A Very Brady Christmas  Words fail at such a wonder.  If you need to laugh and have 90 minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching it in its entirety here on Youtube.  I probably watched it with my sister for the first and only time 15 years ago and I still remember some of the lines.  Wondering if you should make the first move, ladies? "If the idiot won't ask you, ask the idiot!"  Entertainment and solid dating advice. 

All that's left to due to look up the newest offerings from these fine channels to help plan your viewing season.  Delightfulness guaranteed! 

ABC Family Christmas Movies 2013

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2013

Lifetime Christmas Movies 2013

Merry Christmas

Here's our Christmas card.  Merry Christmas, blog friends!

Pretty cards and greetings are beginning to arrive, and I am inspired to reflect on this past year.  Here is, in a nutshell, ours…

Alex spends most of his day at IDMI, a computer software company that works with insurance companies.  He writes code, plays aggressive ping pong with co-workers (as in they had to come in and patch the walls one Saturday), and chats about Georgia football with almost everyone there.  We are both extremely thankful for this company.  It is run with integrity, by a boss who listens and treats his employees with respect.  It is a big reason we enjoy Middle Georgia so much.  Daddy’s arrival always brightens our day, and he is a great hide-and-seeker as well as child thrower, bouncer, wrestler, and swinger.  Our date nights are usually a Netflix movie and a cup of coffee, but we try to laugh and joke often.  Children provide lots of material!

Jeremiah is now 3 and a half.  He loves to have a matchbox car in his hand, and is obsessed with letters and spelling.  He spends 3 mornings a week at our church preschool, and has a wonderful teacher.  He is in big boy underwear, and growing so tall!  I always kid that he looks like a college freshman with his new buzz cut.  Jeremiah loves the cartoon Dinosaur Train, playing flashcards on Mom’s phone, bubble baths, swinging, taking walks, and any song with hand motions.  He is all boy, and he’s ours.  Jeremiah is very affectionate, and hates to be outside of our favor.  He wears us out, and he is worth it!

Sarah turns 2 this January.  She is all sass and goes through a gamut of emotions at a moment’s notice!  She is picking up vocabulary and loves to ask “What’s that?” as she shrugs her shoulders.  She flashes her toothy grin frequently and uses those big teeth to chomp happily away on her crib when she ready to get up.   She always greets us with a high-stepping run as if we have been apart for a long time.  Sarah loves Toy Story, and shouts “Buzz!” anytime she sees something related to the movie.  She prefers to carry about 12 baby dolls at any one time, and dumping things in and out of containers is a great thrill.  She has also begun to say “no” at everything, as in “Would you like candy?” “No….”  Sarah is a beautiful, rambunctious little girl who knows just when to melt your heart.

As for me, I just try to keep up!   I am involved with Ladies’ Bible Study and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), both of which are a great encouragement and sometimes, a plain escape from kids into the world of adults!  I still tutor a bit, and get to exercise a different part of my brain.  Some highlights for me this year were hosting a summer bible study at my house and having about 20 kids upstairs while their moms and I studied and socialized.  I have wanted to do something like this for a long time, and finally did it!  Along with my sister, I committed to posting and learning bible verses throughout the year, and we are taking a trip in January to a Beth Moore conference for those who completed this task.  I have some serious review to do, but I can’t wait! 

Since a Christmas greeting focuses on what is good, I’ve left out our day-to-day challenges, mostly tantrums, frustrations, and trying to be patient, consistent, and loving.  I mention this because each day, and each year, brings its own set of challenges.  Especially at Christmas, I want to thank God for the highs and lows, because he came to bring life to the full--not a life free from pain or problems, but a life that takes those things and makes them for the good!  We thank God for the blessing of our children, our families, good health, and His abundant provision, day in and out.  Merry Christmas!

Love, Alex, Melissa, Jeremiah, and Sarah

This Ain't No Disco...

Ain't no country club either...  This our tree. We have our first live tree this year!  Two things I did not anticipate:  a) it is much fuller than an artificial tree and b) it takes a lot of lights. 

We always had a live tree as kids and Mom always fought for colored lights and we usually overrode her vote.  She was right.  Colored lights are so festive.  We are all about the flash, not the class, here.  My favorite ornaments are on the top fourth of the tree, and all the plastic balls and candy canes are on the bottom (the sacrificial lambs).  Sarah has already chomped down a Styrofoam package ornament, a ornament hanger (not the sharp hook part) and pulled tinsel out of a homemade ornament. 

Maybe one day I'll have a collection of glass ornaments and a themed tree in each room, but for now, I'm pretty pleased with ours.

What's your favorite tree trimming tradition?  Mine is listening to the Beach Boys and Amy Grant Christmas albums while decorating the tree.  We always spun those on my Dad's old, massive stereo/record player/tape deck system. Now it's streaming Pandora.  I'm not sure if the improved technology has the same warm aesthetics as that old behemoth.

May all your days be merry and bright!

In case you are missing the sparkle...

We took down the Christmas decorations on the 30th, and I miss the lights of the Christmas tree.  The Valentine dish towels on the oven door just don't replace that feeling.  So in case you're like me, mourning the loss of carols 24/7 on the radio and TV, and re-watching your DVR'd Lifetime Christmas movies, here's one more sight of the season, from us to you.

Happy New Year!  And Merry Christmas, always.

Preschool Party

The backstory:  Sarah was wearing her matching outfit, but due to the antibiotics for her ear, we had a blowout.  Big time.  At McDonalds.  They enjoyed the party; however, Jeremiah fake cries during choral singing, so he did not enjoy "Happy Birthday, Jesus".   Sarah fell from holding on to a chair while I was taking Jeremiah's picture by the tree.  So my excellent parenting skills were on full display!

 I love the picture of Sarah chugging the juicebox.  She's so blase about it!

Priorities

Mine.  Back off.

Tackling the Scooby Doo presents.

Sarah likes the bows.

Jeremiah knows these are t-o-y-s.

 Little sister wants what big brother wants.

And both want to be at Mom's feet.

On a comical note, I think it is worth mentioning that Jeremiah has not mastered the art of blowing his nose or expressing discomfort when wearing a dirty diaper, but he know exactly which presents belong to him.

We're ready for Jesus' birthday to be here!

Santa Babies

Jeremiah at 7 months on Christmas Day  2008

Sarah at 11 months a week before Christmas 2010

AFP

Awkward Family Photos.  Check it out.   The following are not on the same level, but they make our own hit list of awkwardness.

Before...

After.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas

Our Christmas pics. Mostly action shots.  We had a great times (as always) visiting family in Albany.  We drew names this year, but all bets are off for the kids.  So, we still hauled out a ton of beautiful presents.  Great food and conversation.

This was the first time in my adult life that I was the host for Christmas morning.  Alex very kindly did all the heavy work like mopping, scrubbing and vaccumming.  I did the fluff work and the cooking.  I had it all planned out, but still cut it close on defrosting the turkey.  So I cranked that baby up to 400 degrees.  The pan drippings started to smoke at the end of the cycle, so our mac and cheese had a subtle smoked turkey flavor.  The Caramel Nut Cheesecake (Caramel Nut Cheesecake for the recipe) went over big.  I was too tired to use the Christmas china at the big meal and used festive plastic plates that my sis graciously provided.  I am just too sore and big to care.

I hereby vow that I will honor Christmas in my heart and use paper plates if need be if it means enjoying the reason for the gathering--- being with family, remembering past memories and making new ones.  We did enjoy the Christmas Eve service at our own church.  Christmas Eve and Good Friday services are my favorite all year.  I was choked up at the opening multi-media slides.  Before the Lord's Supper or candle lighting.  So, yes, I enjoyed it.

Here's the pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=169284&id=562275959&l=08ba03f94f

Peccadilloes

Funny little story:
I was giving Jay a bath in the a.m. last week, and since he knows how to climb out of the tub, I hauled him out as soon as possible and placed him on the floor.  He crawls off and finds his big stuffed teddy bear and gives it a kamikaki hug.  I dipe and dress him, and soon notice a big wet stain on the floor.  Then I check teddy.  Wet.  I can only Febreeze the carpet, but I'm able to fluff and fold ol' teddy.  Boys and their territory.

Jay is now in the 91st percentile for height and 85th for weight.  He is around 29 pounds.  He is cutting two more bottom front teeth and can't seem to shake a runny nose and cough.  No runny nose last Wednesday at the doc; wakes up with one on Thursday.  I guess it's the unpredictable weather.

Here's a picture from Thanksgiving weekend.  We went up to Dahlonega to see the Southern Living Idea House and took this picture near his Great Aunt's house site.

I'll include some pics from my sweet shower for Baby Sarah.  It was the bee's knees.  I have the best sister.

I'm gonna get a Santa picture and hopefully a family shot.  Trying to remember that Christmas is about the miracle of the incarnate Christ sent for man, not my need to document a faux perfect family in matching plaid!