SPRINKLES CHALLANGE

Here are my 12 favorite photos of 2009 in 12 minutes (Read below for details...) Here is also an explanation as to why they are my favorites too :)

This one just needs no explanation! Too funny, and almost scary...

My sweet littlest lamb E, all ready for the Christmas Program at church. He was a sheep. Can you tell?

I just love this photo I took last weekend. All the kids in a row on their way down the sledding hill.

The boys with my favorite student D that I helped teach from 2003-2006. I know, a teacher is not supposed to have a favorite, but I just love this little guy. He's 9 now, and still a close friend of the family. So glad he is friends with my boys.

Scott and I in 2010. Well, we will be working toward that goal, but I don't think you will be seeing me in a two piece any time soon. Like... never!

This is so funny. I had been blaming M for messing up my computer, just recently before I took this photo. He kept messing with the setting, and it was annoying me to no end. Then one day, I tried to get on this particular website and this is the message that came up. I ran and got M and showed him it. He was like.... "What???? I didn't do anything!" I had to take a photo! Sooo funny, I guess you had to be there.

H with one of the pups. Too cute for words!

E and I in our Little Missmatched Socks! Love them!

Look at the smile on E's face. He had caught a chicken in the 4-H Chicken Scramble. He was so proud of himself! He received a gift certificate to Dairy Queen.

H and E, 2 of my 3 silly boys.

Spaghetti Fight! Need I say more?

My precious Christmas Angel!

Just in-case you are just stepping into this, and are unaware of what is going on with this post. See Stacy's blog post under Sprinkles for today. Here is the link: http://stacyjulian.com/sprinkles/

What is a Sprinkle? Well Stacy posts a challenge, either scrapbooking related or sometimes not, but definitely something worthwhile and rewarding. Helping us to Sprinkle our lives with Color and Happiness.

So this challenge is somewhat scrapbook related, and since I am attending a weekend retreat next weekend in Bloomington, I am thrilled with the possibilities this gives me as a scrapbooker. It simply makes scrapbooking more fun. Last summer I realized that my scrapbooking, although still a fun hobby, was losing it's excitement. Yes, you heard me say it here. Can you believe it? So I was reading some of Stacy's hints in one of her books I own called Photo Freedom. Here is where I would post an Amazon Link if I could, but I don't know how, so you will just have to look it up yourselves, sorry... it's by Stacy Julian. So what did I do? I took my scrapbooking stuff outside. It was a beautiful day, the kids were swimming in the pool, I was under a big umbrella at the table with some of my scrapbook stuff, and I created like I hadn't done in a long time. And it was fun. So much fun, and so relaxing. So I did it again on a nice day, and so on. I have now figured out that I enjoy scrapbooking outdoors more than scrapbooking indoors. Funny thing about life. Another challenge of Stacy's that I tried a couple years back was to just grab random photos, your box of scraps, a stapler, and adhesive, 1 black pen. Only use those things. I had a blast scrapbooking with only those items, and some of my favorite pages came from that. So thanks to Stacy, I am figuring out new ways to stay happy and excited in my hobby.

Thanks Stacy, for making this year a whole lot brighter, and here's a champagne toast full of Jelly Bellies to you! Happy Double Digits Everyone! 2010 here we come!

THIS BOY...YES, THIS BOY...IS 17 TODAY!

I can hardly believe that it is true. That this boy of mine is 17 years old today. This precious little baby laying in a cradle in Wisconsin on Christmas morning 1992.

That this boy at 8 months old, smiling for one of his first professional portraits, is 17 years old today.

That this boy, full of spunk and wonderment in his Lion King one-piece outfit, chewing on a graham cracker, is 17 years old today.

That this boy, dressed in his first cap and gown, for his preschool graduation, is 17 years old today.

(Sorry, this one somehow got out of order)... That this boy, at age 1, sliding down the inside of a heart at the children's museum in Appleton, and who stole my heart away, is 17 today.

That this boy, so big and full of life and learning in Kindergarten, with a smile that would melt any heart for miles around, is 17 today.

That this boy, who got the chance to meet a professional wrestler, at age 6, and was thrilled to extremes, is 17 today.

That this boy, who played his heart out at his piano recital, with such confidence, and excitement, is 17 today.

That this boy, who loved to climb on things and is full of fun and laughter, is 17 today.

That this boy, who is loved by all his grandparents, and relatives alike, and is a friend to many many people, and loves to make his Nonnie try bad tasting things, is 17 years old today.

That this boy, who totally cracks me up, and is so much like his Nonnie, is 17 years old today.

That this boy, who loves his Uncle Ken, more than words could ever express, is 17 years old today.

That this boy, who is never afraid to laugh at himself, and never afraid to make people laugh, is 17 years old today.

That this boy, that makes each day a joy. Who makes me laugh each and every day, to the point of tears sometimes, is 17 today.

And that this boy, this beautiful boy, my most precious oldest son, whom I would never trade for anything in this world, who is growing into such a nice and decent man before my very eyes, is in fact, 17 years old today. I love you M, more than words could ever say. Happy Birthday Son :)

NOT ME MONDAY!

Well, I certainly don't have a few to share this time. First of all, I didn't post on McMama's Blog this very same thing, before I learned how to link myself... Long story, but basically the same thing I posted there. Tried to copy and paste, but it didn't work. Anyway, never mind. I can never get the same wording twice, so please bear with me.

My NOT ME weekend started Friday, when I took the kids (with our homeschool group) to The Nutcracker Ballet. Midway through the show, I most certainly did not find my self staring at a particular male ballerina's man candy, while he was pirouetting all around the stage. Not that he wasn't (or was) wearing a thong under his white and very form fitting tights, but the package in front most certainly was not "out-there" so to speak, for the world to see.

This morning I never would have succumb to my 5 year old's half-hour fit over wanting to put all the nutcracker ornaments on the tree and not share with his brother. His reasoning... because at said Nutcracker ballet above, his brother told him that it was boring, so apparently he thought he didn't deserve to put any nutcrackers on the tree.

Later this afternoon, my middle child, the boring nutcracker boy, while reading the states off in a random form, and as a 2nd grader is the perfect reader who never mispronounces anything, did not read West Vagina aloud, instead of you guessed it, West Virginia. It's just been a house full of nutcrackers and vagina's all day long!

LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOW!

I know, I know... It's been awhile again. I believe that the past 2 months have been the busiest I have ever experienced. October was full of Halloween/Fall excitement, November revolved around Thanksgiving/Turkey stuff, and now we are full into December with Advent, many Christmas Parties, and activities galore.

A few things to take note of... My husband Scott was awarded Employee of the Month at the hospital where he works. That was big and exciting news!

I am co-directing our church's Christmas Pageant this year, and am busy doing that.

I have taken in 3 extra children to take care of daily, while their mom is at school.

And I trudge along on the homeschool highway, trying to come up with new and exciting things for the kids to learn, without being too overbearing.

It snowed overnight, and the ground was blanketed with white this morning. Although the thought did hit me to take a picture this morning, I got sidetracked, and by noon it was gone. Tonight we are supposed to get up to 3 inches, so hopefully I will get the chance to take a picture for my December Daily album I will be posting soon. Below are a few photos I took for my December Daily album.

Dec. 1... First day of Advent. What is better than waking up to new Legos each and every morning. Nothing, I can imagine. M of course didn't want Legos, so he's been getting packs of his favorite gum, a book, cheese, a hat, and some WOW cards.

Dec. 2... I put the candy canes out front, and E decided to give my winter boots a try.

Dec. 4... The Nutcracker Ballet. The boys are patiently waiting for the show to begin. M was a bit miffed that he was the oldest of the group to attend this event, and I made him go. Oh well, a bit of culture can't hurt anyone, I must say.

Members of our homeschool group that attended the Nutcracker Ballet.

H and E with a few of the ballet dancers from the show. I thought it was simply wonderful. Great performance. Although a bit disturbing in a certain part, but I will post on that later.