"Back to life, Back to reality, back to the here and now todaaaay".  Anyone remember that song?  Telling my age I know.  Well Disney was absolutely the BEST WEEK EVER.  Just the four of us enjoying time together.  Laughing, playing, eating and just having a great time.  The kids rode almost every ride.  We never could get to Thunder Mountain or Peter Pan and that was basically because of the lines.  Cbug rode every ride her brother did except rockin' rollercoaster and only because she was too short (and she was NOT happy about that).  She loved tower of terror (Cdog DID not) but she did not like Mt. Everest (Cdog rode it 3x).  I wish we could be on vacation every day but I guess if that was the case it wouldn't be as much fun and exciting to do because it would be routine.  I've attached a few pics but if you want to see all of them they are on facebook. 
 

19. vacation
20. watching Cdog play baseball
21. watching Cbug dance
22. cuddling with my babies
23. GNO (girls night!)

13. encouraging email from a friend
14. a smile for no reason
15. rainy days
16. a good song on the radio
17. my children playing together
18. my children laughing

1000 gifts

I was "surfing" blogs today and I ran across one where someone had listed their 1000 gifts (in life), big and small.  Slowly they keep adding all the things they considered "gifts" in life.  Getting to 1000 will take a long time but I absolutely LOVED the idea.  All of a sudden I thought of all the things I am thankful for and because of that I am going to start my list of 1000 gifts.  Some may not make sense to some of you, some you may not agree with but of course this is my list so I guess it doesn't really matter.  So here I go...

1. GOD (because without Him I wouldn't have 999 more amazing things to list)
2. My wonderful, loving husband. 
3. My children
4. My Family (you know who you are)
5. good friends (you also know who you are!)

okay now that I got the most important out of the way the rest are in no particular order just when I think of them

6. warm days
7. a good book
8. an unexpected "I love you"
9. my days off work
10. a good nights sleep
11. my new glasses
12. a good laugh

I think I could keep coming up with more but I want to start recognizing these gifts as I see/recognize them throughout the day.  There are so many we take for granted without ever realizing it. 

Take me out to the ball game...

It's that time of year!  BASEBALL.  I'm so excited.  After last years run where we went all the way to July I didn't think I would ever want baseball to start again but I am ready.  C-bug also starts T-ball this year too and she can't wait for everyone to come watch her play.  Big C is helping coach both teams so he will be pretty busy during the season as well.  My job is to make sure the kids get there on time, to chat with the other moms and to cheer, I think I can handle that. 

Hurry up spring

Does anyone else feel like me after the holidays are over?  I'm okay with the cold weather and the early dark nights until the new year starts.  Then I just HATE the next few months.    January and February are usually cold, boring and I feel like a bear hibernating during the winter.  Not too mention how much my gas bill is during this time.  Of course I also find this as my excuse not to do anything either.  I don't want to cook, clean, go outside, diet or any other activity.  I just want to be WARM.  That usually ends up being in my bedroom with the electric blanket on high.  I've dedicated this down time to preparing for our trip to Disney in March.  I've found the average temperature in March is 78 (yeah!) with the average low at 55.  I've found out our pool at the hotel is heated year round at 85 degrees (nice).  I've found places to eat, shows to see and of course I have created an itinary for the days we are there (I'm sure all of you are just shocked at this).  Now I am working on my packing list, my "to buy" list and how much money I need to save up.  Last but not least I'm working on the countdown.  42 days until we leave for a week of "Fantasmic" (as Disney says when you call) fun. 

Back to Normal

I still can't believe it's 2011.  The years just keep getting shorter and shorter.  Our Christmas went well.  The kids really liked their presents from Santa.  C-bug got a Barbie townhouse that she LOVES and C-dog got an electric scooter that I thought at first might be too fast for him but he zips down the street like a pro.  Our big gift to them was a trip to Disneyworld.  Most of you already know the story but it went something like this.  C-dog unwraps the calander that says "We are going back to DisneyWorld.  We leave in 77 days.  Merry Christmas love Mommy and Daddy".  The reply from C-dog "cool".  C-bug walked back over to her Barbie townhouse to play.  I was like "WHAT???"  Then Big C says "Guys, you do understand we are actually GOING to Disneyworld".  Replies: yes.  No excitement, no great big scream of joy, no big rush of kisses and hugs saying how happy they were.  Oh well...it's been a week and now when we mark another day off the calender they seem to get more excited.  "Can we ride Mt. Everest" or "Do you remember when we went and saw...".  I guess it will be like Christmas in March when we leave.   

This year C-bug will turn five and start kindergarten.  I can't believe my baby will be in "big school" with her brother.  She can't wait.  I made the mistake of telling her this year she turns five and she asks me every day "will I be five tomorrow"?  When I say no it's "the day after"?  Let's hope this isn't what I hear until August...whew. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday.  I know we did.  Big C summed it all up though.  He said Christmas is such a big deal and once all the presents are opened you feel kind of sad.  I agree...it's depressing to take the tree down and put all the decorations back in the attic.  The great holiday cheer is over and we all go back to our normal lives and wait 11 more months to do it all over again. 

Sometimes we get so busy with our lives we forget what's it like to just do nothing.  This past weekend was one of those weekends for us.  Even after C-dog was done with football we had his birthday and Thanksgiving right behind it.  Then December hits and it seems like something is going on every weekend.  Well this past weekend was a refreshing break.  Friday we both got home before 5pm.  After dinner Big C got the fire pit going in the backyard and we sat back there enjoying the warmth.  The kids roasted marshmallows (or as C-bug says smarshmallows), jumped on the trampoline and just had a grand old time.  Saturday the kids and I went to see Beauty and the Beast on broadway.  It was really good.  Then that night we were home again.  Chili was in the crockpot...yummy!  Then we all went out and looked at Christmas lights.  Found some really cute ones.  Sunday was church and dinner with family.  It doesn't get any better than that.  Now we are on the countdown to Christmas.  I can't wait to see the kids faces when they open all their gifts.  Even better I love to see their faces when we open something they picked out.  They are so excited to see if we like it. 

5 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!  Are you ready???

Tis the Season

I love this time of year.  The kids are excited about Christmas, the stores are full of holiday cheer and people are generally nicer to each other.  Wouldn't it be nice if this was how people acted all year long?  It amazes me how attitudes change after the New Year.  How people feel someone is "out to get them".  Or the "it's all about me" mentality.  How great would it be if we remembered to donate in May as well as December?  To open a door for someone, to take a second before being aggravated about something, to say please and thank you, to give a friendly smile for no apparant reason and most of all to just be there for someone.  Of course I'm not saying I'm not guilty of all these things, I'm sure we all are, but wouldn't it be nice? 

Okay I'll get off my soap box now.  I was just thinking of these things today and thought I would jot them down. 

Before I sign off today how about a funny from C-bug. 

After her bath one night she asked me if she could have a honey bun.  I said sure.  A bit later her brother went to get a snack before bed and she comes back with one too.  I told her she had already had a snack.  She said no I didn't and I said, yes the honey bun.  She says "That wasn't snack, I was just hungry".  For anyone that knows Big Girlie you know that is funny! 

8 days until CHRISTMAS!

The only things that matter

I had a serious reality check this past week.  As most of you know we’ve had to purchase a few items lately and cover some costs (example washer/dryer).  Anyway the other day our downstairs heater started acting up.  Not every time but enough to make us wonder what is wrong with it.  While I know Big C is handy he can’t always fix everything so of course my first thought is…really?  Another expense so close to Christmas?  Will it ever end? 

As I continued to stress over this I received an email from a friend at work telling us he won’t be in that day because his son was admitted to the hospital.  The doctors think he has appendicitis and they may need to operate.  **BAM**SLAP** it hits me.  I am stressing over the possibility I may have to fix my heater and he has to worry about the fact that his five year old son might have surgery.  There is something seriously wrong with this picture.  So what if I have to replace a heater.  So what if I have to replace any materialistic item.  I would rather do that any day then to have to sit in a hospital room with one of my children (for any reason).  Right then and there I thanked God for my babies.  For their health and safety.  For blessing C and I with wonderful, beautiful, healthy children. 

Everyone always asks “what’s your new year’s resolution going to be?”  This year I’ve decided to remember all the things I do have and not worry about the things I can’t control.  To live everyday thankful for the blessings God has given us.  To remember that the only things that matter are my faith, my family and my friends. 

Wonderful Weekend +

I got to have a three day weekend this past week.  Took Monday off to finish up some Christmas shopping and enjoy a "me" day.  It was nice.  A little cold which I hate.  I would rather it be 100 degrees every day then to ever be cold. 

I guess I "blogged" too soon about the washing machine.  We had to go get a new one Friday night.  I will say though Big C did a great job finding a deal.  Went to Lowe's and they had the front loader washer and dryer in the scrach and dent for a great price!  Now that we have it we love it.  It's so quiet and takes a lot less time then the older machines. 

Our Elf has been doing some crazy things lately.  After the Auburn win Saturday night he decided to roll the downstairs bathroom.  The kids got a kick out of that.

Mom tells me I need to write down all the things C-bug says.  She is a hoot and at four is full of comedy and very dramatic.  So the other day she's in the shower and she starts to say "We found you something at the store for Christmas" then she throws both her hands up exasperated and says "but I can't tell you....I just can't tell you!"  Like I had asked her or something.  It was hilarious.  The older she gets I see a lot of Big C in her.  Her mannerisms, her facial expressions, how she always wants to make poeple laugh and the way she can't sit still.  We have to be careful with her she's so cute we let her get away with some things when she probably should get in trouble.  Yesterday she told me she was going to be good at school because she "knows I'm on the good list". 

I've also come to remember why we put C-dog in sports.  Without them, at night, he's crazy!  I have found him running in circles, jumping off furniture and just moving (wiggle worm).  I guess both of them are like their Dad in that way.   

Yesterday was such a "blah" day for me.  Left early with a headache then took C-bug to dance class which didn't seem like it was ever going to end.  Then for dinner we decide on Taco Bell (not my favorite anyway) and we sit in the drive thru for twenty minutes; crazy!  I mean you make taco's how hard is it to have some ready when people order?  Anyway...we finally get home, get kids to bed and I crashed in the bedroom.  I got up later that night to find Big C fixing our washing machine (again).  I went to bed thinking for sure we were going to have to buy a new one, right during the holidays, but when I woke up this morning he said it was working again.  I can't complain, we've had this set for almost fourteen years and have only had to spend less then $100 to fix both the washer and dryer a few times.  It's nice to have someone around that's handy like that.  If I lived alone I would be at the store today picking up a new one. 

Seminole Angel was at it again the last two nights.  Yesterday the kids woke up to him sitting in the living room with the Wii on and guiter hero in his lap.  They thought that was hilarious.  Then today he had moved all the stocking around so the girls were on the boy stocking holders and vice-versa.  C-bug very clearly told him this morning before she left "ELF...you need to fix these stockings before we get home from school today!"  C-dog on the other hand informs me he's going to wake up real early tomorrow and catch Seminole Angel in the act so he can prove he's real. 

22 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

Seminole Angel

Our Elf came to the house last night.  The kids decided to name him Seminole Angel.  I figure that will be abbreviated before too long and mostly they just call him Elf.  This morning when they woke up they were shocked to find he had busted out of his box.  He got into the laundry room, pulled clothes out and hung their underwear on the Christmas tree.  This of course was hilarious.  C-dog was very careful as he pulled the underwear off not to touch the Elf as his sister yells "DON'T TOUCH HIM!".  She also decided to lecture the elf before she left this morning telling him sternly "we are going to school you need to be good while we are gone".  Big C is amazed at what kids fall for.  It's definitely given us a good laugh.  When I showed them their Elf last night you would've thought Santa just walked in the door, the excitement was so high.  C just kept hiding his face and laughing. 

This year for Christmas we are giving the kids a trip to Disney.  This morning I realized we made a good choice to surprise them with that.  C-bug asked me "Do you love Ariel?".  Of course I said yes.  "Do you like seeing her when you go to Disney?".  Again I said yes.  "When can we go back and see her again?".  Don't you know I took that opportunity to say "I don't know...it costs a lot of money to go.  I don't think it will be any time soon".  Her brother pipes in with "we've been saving our money" which is actually a jar of change with about $50 in it.  I sure wish I was at the age where that is enough to take everyone on vacation.  Of course we all used to believe money just grew on tree's and our parents had an endless supply of it.  Oh how nice that would be. 

24 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS! 

My first blog....ever

My friend A.T. has this great blog "blessed beyond belief" and I've become addicted to checking it just to see what she has to say.  I used to love to journal but with 2 kids (c-dog and c-bug) who has time.  Yes I'm using abreviated names.  My main reason is internet safety.  I know...I know...what are the odds, but I can't take the chance of some disturbed person reading my blog, figuring out where I live and what my kids names are.  SO...if you know me you know who c-dog and c-bug are. 

I went and bought my first "Elf on a shelf" today.  C-bug had one at her school and when she told her brother, well he wanted to know why an elf doesn't visit our house?  I can't wait to get home tonight, read the story and see what name they come up with for him.  Trying to think of different places to put him nightly will be a chore but I know Big C and he always comes up with good ideas for stuff like that.  If you don't know about Elf on a shelf just google it.  It's a CUTE idea.  I figure I only have a few years left with C-dog before he starts really questioning Santa so I want to enjoy the magic of it all while I can. 

I hope to blog regularly and hope those of you who are farther away (and the ones close by) will enjoy reading the life and times (and great adventures I'm sure) of C-dog, C-bug, Big C and little old me.