I love snow

We just returned from our trip up to Washington, to visit my family for Christmas, and it was fantastically wet, cold, and windy the entire time we were there. It even snowed a couple times, something I had prayed for, and that made our Christmas even more special. It was fun to show Jack to my family, and to meet my new niece and nephews: Katherine, Isaac, and Alex. Alex is my oldest sister's baby, born just a week after Jack, and Katherine and Isaac are newly adopted from Ghana by my other sister. So, the grandchildren more than doubled this year! I will try to post some pictures of all the kids.
Well, happy new year and remember that half of all Americans are on a diet on any given day.

~Theresa

I love Christmas songs! Especially the old, traditional ones. However, there is a newer Christmas song that hit me so powerfully this year that I just have to post it. Probably because I have Jack this year, and I can identify with Mary thinking about her little baby, which just happened to be Jesus. Hopefully you will get a chance to not only read these lyrics, but to hear it as well.

Mary did you know that your baby boy would some day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when your kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

Oh Mary did you know---

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb---.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding is the great--I--- AM---.

I must have failed in the animal-teaching department somewhere. Today I looked down at the floor, and suddenly Abby was crawling, no, wriggling across the dining room on her belly using only her hands. Wanting to be encouraging I commented, "oh, are you a snake?" "No." "Are you a worm?" "No." "What are you?" "Woof, woof!" We will have to work on what animal movements go with which animal. :)

Jack re-discovered how to blow bubbles with his mouth, and is doing it with great gusto lately. He also thinks that Abby is hilarious now, and laughs at her in whatever she's doing. Abby likes to copy him, so if he starts laughing at her, then she laughs back at him, which makes him laugh more, and pretty soon I'm just cracking up at the two of them. I'm very blessed to have these kids! And my hubby! I'm so thankful for God's goodness in giving us our little family, and I truly cherish each day. Despite the hard work and long hours, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

~Theresa

Map

My daughter is so into Dora it's not even funny. She just learned to say "map", which for those of you that don't watch Dora 20x a day, it is the map that Dora and Boots check whenever they go someplace. A few weeks ago, I started letting Abby watch Dora whenever I fed Jack so she wouldn't be so bored and try to climb all over us while he was nursing. Well, now it has progressed to the point that whenever Jack cries, Abby smiles and says "map!" hoping that it is time to feed him again.
One of the pictures I just posted has Jack holding Lamby - which is a doomed love since Lamby is definitely still Abby's best friend. But it was so cute I had to post it.

~Theresa

Adventures in Potty Training

So, it's not as easy as I thought. My hat's off to all parents everywhere who have gone through potty training boot camp. Why is it so hard to just sit down and go? Why is it so much easier to sit for 10 minutes and then go once you get the pull-up back on? Why do kids have to go all the time except when they're sitting on the potty chair? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind...

Sometimes I feel like I have more than just two children. Every time I need to change Jack's diaper, Abby runs over with her Lamby, and says "poo-poo", which means that Lamby needs a diaper change too. So we change Jack and Lamby. Then, if Jack needs a change of clothes then Lamby does too. If Jack needs a bottle - you get the picture. Lamby is our third child, and seems to be just as needy as the other ones. But that's only the half of it. Sometimes Molly the dolly needs to go in the swing. And then Diego the bear needs to sit in the high chair. And of course Mulligan the monkey has to go in the stroller and Pablo the bird has to lay on the mat. All at the same time that Jack needs to do so as well. Funny coincidence isn't it? So, I think I'm up to about 7 or 8 children by the time the day is done. And Bryan wonders why I'm so tired when he comes home...

~Theresa

Holiday Hurry

I think I have officially kicked off the holiday season (already). I went to a cookie exchange today, and after baking and packaging 13 dozen cookies I'm wondering why I put myself through such an ordeal. So, my resolution for the holidays is to simplify. Which is why my blogs are going to be so short. We've all heard that life happens while we're busy making other plans, and the same is true of the Christmas season. If we are too busy trying to celebrate Christmas with all the cards, pictures, presents, music, services, etc. then we will actually miss the real celebration. Christmas will happen while we are making other plans. So don't miss it! You can call me and remind me of that anytime too.

It might feel like it is too soon to talk about Christmas, so let me just say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and I hope you have a wonderful day next week. To all of you who will be joining me in the day-after shopping, I wish you much energy and success as we race around to seize the bargains. My neighbor and I will be going at midnight Friday morning, so feel free to call me on my cell if you are out at that time too. (661) 904-3347 Happy Shopping!

~Theresa

The Land of Blog

Dear Friends and Family,
I finally decided to join the masses, and start a family blog to update everyone when I can't always call or write (because I am so good at that anyway.) Besides, I need another excuse to make someone look at my kids' pictures because they are so cute. So, hope our lives are interesting enough to warrant a blog about it, and thanks for checking out our blogspot!

~Theresa