A Punch to the Heart

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Sometimes life can be going along fine – nice and quiet – enjoyable and content even.  Then the words of a 4 year old can punch you right in the gut – make you stop and catch your breath.  Words that can make you smile and nod and make the appropriate mommy sounds, kiss him and squeeze him good night – tell him you love him to the moon and back and to the sun and forever and ever – then walk out of his room and sigh and whimper just a bit.  

Tonight at bedtime Davy and I were having our usual bedtime discussion as I got him ready.  He was filling me in on all the important things I needed to know today.  Tonight’s conversation began with the certainty that he wanted to be a policeman when he grew up.  As I listened to him jabber about his future job I was struck unprepared when he told me he wanted to have a “bwother to be a policeman with him.  They would police guys together and then maybe there would be another bwother – a baby bwother to be a policeman too.” 

Oh sweet little man – mama would give the world to give you your wish – if only it were that easy.  Just when you think you’re growing content with your circumstances – that you are okay with the place you have landed – the carpet can be yanked tugged out from under your steady feet and you find yourself crying for what might have been, what you wish was.  And in that moment you realize you still want more – you still ache for the dream that was.  I’ll go to sleep tonight with a prayer that I have prayed too often – a wish, a plea, a cry on my lips.  If only – and it’s so hard in this place to pray “Father your will and not my own”  when really I want His will to be the same thing I want.  

Menu Plan for the Week and Miscellaneous Thoughts

Monday night leftovers from the weekend

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Tuesday night – Daddy plays cards and we have a play date with Aunt Angie and the cousins so we’re going kid friendly with Homemade Corndogs  

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Wednesday night Italian Crescent Casserole

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Thursday night – Crockpot night – Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken

Friday night – Movie night

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We’ll have a Take and Bake pizza and watch a friendly bigfoot.  WeeMan has been obsessed with BigFoot lately.  One of the other kiddos at the sitter told him Bigfoot eats humans and so we have had some rough dreams lately.  We’ve tried reassuring him that there is no such thing and that he doesn’t eat meat at all, but it’s just not sticking.  So we’re resorting to an ’80’s movie to help convince him that if Bigfoot did exist he would be friendly and scared of humans.  Hopefully it helps.

Now a completely random list of news and thoughts

* I’m an aunt again.  My sister had her little girl Friday morning.  We’ll be planning a trip down to meet her sometime in February I hope.

* The flu has been ripping through our school something fierce since Christmas break.  Most days our attendance rate has been between 90 and 93% which is not good at all.  I’m afraid this crazy warm weather isn’t going to help things much.

*What happened to winter! I miss snow days and delays.  WeeMan is desperate for some more snow to play in. 50 degrees in January kind of stinks,  

*I’m working on WeeMan’s scrapbook again finally.  Now I’m less than a year behind.  (I was two years behind when I got back to it last week.

*I’ve been menu planning like crazy and sticking to it since Christmas break and it feels good.  I think we’re saving money too.

* I’m working on working on several Pinterest projects at once, but my reading keeps interrupting them.

*I’m hooked on the Beautiful Creatures series right now.  I’ve made it through the first three books in two weeks.  There’s one left, but the reviews weren’t great for the last one… and I don’t want it to end so I keep putting it off.  I hate that feeling of loss when a great series comes to an end.  (I cried when I finished the last Harry Potter book b/c I knew that was it – there would be no more.)

* Final random thought I’ve been reading “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” to my squirrellly attention challenged class of second graders and something in there hooked them and it wasn’t the magic b/c there’s really not that much magic in the first series.  I think it’s how many of them can relate to that underdog feeling that Harry portrays, and because how many of us dream of just belonging and being loved like Harry is by his friends.  

Pirate Party – a belated birthday post

On December 29, my baby turned 4.  For the first time since he was born, we actually got to have his birthday party on his birthday.  This year he is all about pirates and so he asked for a pirate party.  

We were able to pick up pirate kits at the Dollar Tree.  They came complete with eyepatches, hats, and bandanas.  We also found some fake teeth at the Dollar Tree – there were 4 pairs in a set and they were perfect.  After all everyone knows pirates have bad teeth.  WeeMan latched on to a pair with one painted gold because he said the captain should have a gold tooth.  He also demanded to be called Captain Gold Toof all day.  I made the mustaches out of felt, fabric glue, and sucker sticks.  

We found party decorations at Walmart.  We even found a pirate piñata there.  First time for a piñata.  I think next year we’ll skip the piñata too.  It got a little dangerous!!  

Finally I found a picture of a pirate cake on Pinterest and one of our church friends did a fantastic job of replicating it for us.  

My only regret is I didn’t get a picture of all the kids in their pirate garb! Taking a picture of all of them was a little like trying to herd cats!!  ImageImageImageImage

December Weekends

Today was a busy weekend for us.  WeeMan visited with Santa at the library.  Last year he wasn’t too sure about the jolly fellow, but this year – he had no fear – well except for informing me he wasn’t going to talk to any elves because he said elves are weird.  Not sure if that’s due to our elf on the shelf Francis – or just a new WeeManism.  He was so excited to see Santa, he even took the time to rat out some of his friends for singing the Batman Smells version of Jingle Bells and for calling each other names.  Yep – guess who will be working on not tattling this year!!  

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Today was busy too.  We had a birthday party for my nephew, church, and a cookie exchange.  Now I’m vegetating and watching “ELF” with the family, instead of lesson planning.  Fog rolled in about two hours ago and I’ll confess I’m hoping it sticks around until morning.  

For the cookie exchange I made two new Pinterest recipes and I was thrilled with both.  The exchange was at my house so I made this hot chocolate for everyone to enjoy.  

http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/beverages/crockpot-thick-creamy-hot-chocolate/

Holy cow it was the most delicious Hot Cocoa in the world!! I’m pretty sure I gained 5 pounds from one glass but it was totally worth it. 

As for my cookies I made White Chocolate topped Gingerbread Cookies and they were a winner too.  Here’s the link to them.  

http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2010/12/07/white-chocolate-topped-gingerbread-cookies/

I highly recommend them too!