First Place

Lots of fun watching football with friends tonight. The Vikings won and just in time to take first place in the division!!! Thankfully we won -- otherwise, my poor husband would have been sulking and crabby and the tiny party may not have gone so smashingly wonderful.

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20081130_CHI@MIN

Black Friday

For all of those who are interested (all three of you!), I thought I’d let you know that I did NOT venture out this morning for Black Friday shopping. I decided to go with my original thought -- which is there isn’t enough money to be saved or sedatives to be taken to make me want to get out in those pyschotic crowds on a blustery Friday morning.

Besides Walmart, Menards, etc is just too much for my delicate sensibilities on a normal day that doesn’t involve professional shoppers looking for great deals on flat screen T.V.’s. and a Barbie Hot Tub Party Bus.

So, I’m just sitting here eating leftover green bean casserole and turkey, the way God and the pilgrims intended.

I wish I had more time, but G is threatening to end world peace if she can’t get on the computer and play various games on PBS Kids this instant(!).

It’s a lot of drama.

Grateful

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, it is good to remember how blessed we are.

It is easy to take for granted all of God's bountiful blessings. It is easy in today's selfish, consumer-driven culture to always want more and be discontent with what we have.

I often crab about the work that needs to be done on my house, or complain about how small our house is and wouldn't it be nice to have new clothes, or a sleek, flashy car, or perhaps the newest techno gadget.

What I want to do is remind myself (and my children!) of how awesome it is that Hubby and I actually own our own home. I want to remind us that we are very fortunate to still have good paying jobs that offer us health benefits in an awful economy. I want to remember how phenomenal it is that my family is healthy.

Each day I want to celebrate life and all of God's blessings

E's Photos

E used my camera (with special permission) and took

some photos of the festivities on Turkey Day.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

The children love playing with D's new transportation themed toys -- such as the train Lincoln Log set or the Hot Wheels monster trucks. Life is good when you have a younger sibling who gets awesome toys you can steal and play with.

Open Flame

We had D's second birthday party this evening. He really got into the whole party scene -- kept running around telling everyone else "Happy Birthday", instead of allowing folks to tell him Happy Birthday. D loved ripping open the gifts and adored the Elmo cake I made him.
As a matter of a fact, I nearly had heart failure when D reached out to grab his LIT birthday candle, instead of trying to blow it out. I was standing on the other side of the kitchen table from him, ready to take a multitude of pictures. When D reached for the open flame, I was so panicked that I jumped across the table (translation: threw/draped my whole, over-sized body across the length of the entire table) as I blew/spit the candle out before D's precious little fingers could touch the scorching flame.

My family all laughed at me. Although the situation did call for quick action, I may have over-reacted a teensy bit as I spit and flung my body.

We also "got funky" according to G and "shook our booties" according to H. In general, we had a blast and there weren't even any disputes/fights amongst the Blumer girls!

My Baby

My baby is now TWO YEARS OLD!

Trauma!

When I had my two youngest so close together, it felt like I was preggers forever. It truly felt as if I would have babies forever... And although some days that was a really rough and hair raising experience, I also loved every second.

I loved having their warm, cuddly little bodies curled up in my arms -- the feeling of their sweet, warm breath on your cheek as you nuzzled them . I adored the way they gazed at you as if you were the most excellent being ever to walk the face of the earth. I cherished watching them as they learned to smile, giggle, babble, roll over, crawl.

I treasured each individual moment -- including the hideously awful, smelly. blow-out diapers or sleepless nights (G did not sleep thru the night -- not even once -- until she was well over 9 months old.)

It seems like just yesterday that they couldn't talk back or run away. SIGH!!! Now life with a two year old and three years old... Lots of sassing and disobeying. Tons of asserting their own independence and telling me NO at the top of their ever-loving, healthy lungs.

I guess they are still precious and if I am honest, of course, I am still as smitten as ever.

My baby is now two...

Balance

Everyone is freaking out about our economic crisis and big industries are requesting multi-billion dollar bailouts.

We’re a week away from celebrating Thanksgiving, which should be a time to reflect on our many blessings, yet we’re inundated by Christmas catalogs with the sole purpose of making sure we want more than we already have.

E pours over the catalogs that we receive in droves each day while she picks out what she wants Santa to bring on Christmas Eve and then I feel guilty as I think do we really need any more toys in our packed home?

Do I really need any more clothes in a closet full of things?

What is the balance between my reality and the reality of the kids in Mexico, Somalia, Iraq, China?

Why do I have moments where I fully realize I’ve seen the worst as the pictures of unfortunate children (and adults) pass before my eyes on television and yet still have moments where I feel discontent with what I have?

Am I an idiot?

Don’t answer that. It’s intended to be hypothetical.

Funky

For about the last week, the children have all been wired. I’m talking about the kind of hyped-up, frenetic energy that would make a Tasmanian devil say, “Wow. You’re kind of a spaz!”

E has always been a high energy kid, but I’m talking about levels of activity that defy any relation to my gene pool. I tend to think of napping as a neglected art form.

Maybe it’s the cooler weather or maybe it’s because the evil marketing genius' have ramped up their campaign to make sure your child’s Christmas isn’t complete without a Barbie Jammin’ Jeep. In any case, we have reached new heights of enthusiasm for life in our household.

In fact, last night as I attempted to wrestle G into her pajamas, she suddenly exclaimed, “WAIT! I NEED TO GET FUNKY!”

And then proceeded to move to the middle of the living room where she danced like a disco queen with great gusto for the better part of four minutes until C finally told her she needed to take it down a notch.

But in spite of the fact that all the activity is about to kill me, I still have moments when I look at her (or any of the wee ones) and can’t believe she’s mine.

I had no idea I could love any one person this much.

Ignore No More

Hands and Feet

Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet.
~Vietnamese Proverb

Covers Over All Wrongs

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.
~ Proverbs 10:12

Augusta

Last weekend Husband and I dropped by Mitchell's and Erin's. It was great to spend time with other adults and no children. (Although I want them to marry and have children asap, so I am in no way advising that they shouldn't GET A MOVE ON IT!). It was also wonderful to see young Augusta, who is no longer little. She's only approx 5 months old, but she is already massive! I swear, that adorable dog must be part horse!

Democracy At Its Best

Better late than never -- WHOO HOO!!!!!!! Obama won the election! I am so excited that we do not have to endure another 4 years of awful leadership.

Ode to My Neighbors

We have the bestest neighbors ever. I adore them and their darling pugs, Lucy and Harley.

Agreeable

"I do not want people to be agreeable,

as it saves me the trouble of liking them."

~ Jane Austen

A Picture Is Worth...

Alrighty then. The picture says it all... or almost all.

Yesterday I laid G down for her nap in nothing but her diaper because she hates staying clothed. She was supposed to be laying down, but I thought I heard a small being sneaking around in the kitchen (off G's bedroom), so I quietly stole across the living floor in an effort to pounce on the evil wrong-doer who was supposed to be resting.

I jumped into the kitchen doorway, ready to yell "I caught you!" -- but I was so dumb founded that I just stood there with my mouth hanging open.

Hello?! Seriously?! ... I couldn't stay angry or even pretend to look stern when I was laughing and running for my camera.

Rapturous

Today is our THIRD wedding anniversary!

It's insane to think we have already been married for three years. On the flip side, our relationship history is so much longer and more involved than our three brief years of wedded bliss. I pray we have decade, upon decade, of additional enchanted, rapturous, and feisty (who wants to be boring and always get there way) martial jubilation.

Of course, since I am a quote junkie, below are a few reflections on love and marriage.

"The most imporant thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."
~ Theodore M. Hesburgh

"Relationships - of all kinds - are like sand held in your hand. Held loosely, with an open hand, the sand remains where it is. The minute you close your hand and squeeze tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You may hold onto some of it, but most will be spilled. A relationship is like that. Held loosely, with respect and freedom for the other person, it is likely to remain intact. But hold too tightly, too possessively, and the relationship slips away and is lost."
~ Kaleel Jamison

"Love is a choice you make from moment to moment."
~ Barbara de Angelis

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - excerpts from 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:12-13

'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. - Leviticus 19:18

VOTE!

GO VOTE.

Do not pass GO; Do not collect $100. IT'S YOUR RIGHT, HONOR and PRIVILEGE to live in a country where you can vote without fear of bodily harm, etc.

MOVE IT... RIGHT NOW!

If you are unsure of where you need to go to vote, go to the website for your Secretary of State. If you live in Minnesota, go to: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp

Glorious Blessings

"Bittersweet October.

The mellow,

messy,

leaf-kicking,

perfect pause

between the opposing miseries

of summer and winter."

~ Carol Bishop Hipps

Testosterone

Daddy is so very proud to finally have a little boy and to his complete and utter joy, D willingly drug a kitchen chair into the living room to watch football with Daddy. I have rarely seen C so spitting proud and grinning like a fool!

Bummer!

What a total disappointment! I just found out that my fantastic husband is traveling for work beginning next Wednesday, November 5th.

Normally this wouldn't be too big of a deal (aside from the fact that I hate being ditched with the children all by my lonesome) -- but it's our WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

Hello?! There should be a federal law against work travel being required on your anniversary. I am bummed.