Taking a Break

Did you know that Christmas is less than a week away? Did you know that I'm not done shopping? Did you know that I have no idea what to get for the people left on my lists? Did you know that I haven't even thought about wrapping the things I have purchased?  And did you know that I still have 2 1/2 days left at work before Christmas break? To quote my friend Andrea "What the what!?!"

The shopping and wrapping isn't that unusual, actually.  Ryan and I generally go shopping the day after school gets out for break.  It's a huge, marathon day of fun.  The trouble is that this year we get out much later.  We've done some shopping but we still have a ways to go. 

I do have a lot of things left to do before Christmas.  As I'm sure you do as well.   Last year I wrote about my list making and the not letting my lists overshadow the people I'm doing things for.  To that end, I'm going to take a break from blogging until Tuesday, January 9, 2018.  Look at me, not even freaking out about typing 2018 (liar, liar pants on fire). 

I have 2 major things to work on this break. 

#1.  Hanging with these dudes

#2.  Reading these beauties

Watch out for funny B stories in the new year and some book reviews! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, friends.  I hope you'll return in January. 

Finding Your People

I've worked with middle schoolers for my entire career.  For 17 years I've watched kids struggle to find their place, their people.  I always feel bad for them because I know how that feels, to not know who you're people are.

As a girl, I lived in the same town my whole life.  I did have a little friendship issue before my senior year but I was about slide right into a new group.  In college I had my sorority sisters.  As a grown up, it's been a little more difficult.

I am so blessed to have found my people.  I am double blessed to have two groups of people.  And I got to spend time with both sets lately.  I got to spend the weekend with my sorority sisters and I got to eat dinner with our local friends.  Both were so good for my soul.  Lots of laughing.  So, so much laughing.



Here's the deal, the world is full of broken people.  We're all broken.  Some people can't handle your kind of brokenness and you can't handle theirs.  You might be a generous person.  They might be too broken to receive your generosity.  They may think you want something in return.  They may hoard it and try to keep you from being generous to others.  These are not your people. Your people wouldn’t use you. Your people wouldn’t keep you from loving others.

The key is find the broken people who fit with your kind of broken.  That way, you each give what the other needs and receive it with an open heart. Your people love you the way you are while pushing you to be better.

Take heart, it might take a while to find your people. You might have to try some people out and then find out they aren't your people.  It can be a painful discovery but it's better in the long run.  No one has a ton of free time, make sure you spend it with people who love you for yourself and who make you laugh.  For me, the laughter is the key to knowing your people. When you can laugh together you can love each other.

I hope you find your people! I'm so thankful for mine!

Flu

Well, the flu bug has hit our home.  Last Thursday Ryan came home around noon and went straight to bed.  Friday he went to the doctor and tested positive for flu. 

That afternoon, I got Ryan all medicated up, Lysoled everything and we cleared out. 

Monday afternoon, our school district announced that we would close on Tuesday and Wednesday because we had too many kids and staff members out due to the flu.  Since Ryan was over it and no one else felt bad, I thought we'd have a 2 day mini vacation.  We'd visit Santa maybe do some shopping. 

It was not to be...

B got in bed with us early Tuesday morning to inform me I hadn't put anything in the advent calendar.  Then promptly went back to sleep.  Which was odd.  When he woke up a couple of hours later, he was burning up.  We called the doctor. 

The thing with B is that he has a high pain tolerance.  He kept telling us that he didn't feel bad, he just had 'croaky' voice.  I'm so glad we went ahead and took him to the doctor.  He tested positive for the flu. 

This time we got more than Lysol, we all got tamiful, except for Ryan who was almost done with his tamiflu. 

The flu hasn't slowed B down much.  He played right up until time to go to the doctor.  He played when he got home.  He did lay down on the couch for a bit but even then he was plotting to open his petting sitting business this summer. 

The biggest struggle is the medicine.  B does not like liquid or chewable medicine.  The trouble is that tamiflu doesn't come in a pill for him.  Oh joy - a liquid.  The first dose of tamiflu came right back up, if you know what I mean.  I think we might have figured out a work around and, fingers crossed, the second dose will stay down. 

So many of our friends are sick right now.  I'm so thankful we have a great doctor.  I'm glad B got sick when we had the 2 days off school and work.  It's less stressful than getting a sub and worrying about him getting behind on his work. 

Circus by B

This weekend, B-man made a pretty cool video.  Here, I'll let him tell you about it...

This is an advertisement for a circus I want to do.  Third graders would put on the circus for k-2nd graders.  For each group  there would be 1 ringmaster, 2 clowns,3 jugglers, and 4 acrobats. hope u enjoy





It's Aimee again - my favorite part is the face paint.  What's your's?

Light it Up!

Yesterday I wrote about my love for Christmas cards. Another of my favorite things about Christmas are the lights.  Especially the lights around our house. 

Generally, I like the house on the dark side.  Dark usually equates with comfy and cozy to me.  Add white Christmas lights and blanket to that and I'm in for the night.  I want to share some of our Christmas lights with y'all!

This is our candy cane tree (everything on it is red, white and silver) plus a ceramic tree that my momma made when I was little.  The ceramic tree is the only multicolor lights in the common areas of the house.  B and Zac have multicolor lights on the trees in their rooms.  But generally, I only like white lights in our family areas.  But my ceramic tree is the exception.  This is my view each morning during my devotional. 

This is our Disney/keepsake tree in our bedroom.  I love laying in bed at night with this tree on.  Besides all my Disney ornaments I put all the boys' photo ornaments, baby's first Christmas and other keepsake ornaments. 

This is our mantle.  More Disney here.  Ryan and I got our stockings when we were dating.  When Zac was little, I ordered the stocking holders.  I ordered an extra for giggles and it turned out we needed it for B-man.  B's is the only holder with out a picture. The rest of us have pictures from a Disney World trip before B was born.  Every year I say I'm going to print out our names in a cute Disney font so everyone would be the same.  And every year I forget to do it.  Maybe this is the year...doubt it. 

When we first married my goal was to have all Disney Christmas decorations.  I found out very quickly it's hard to find high quality, nice looking Disney decor outside the parks.  So, I have areas of Disney - the mantle, my Disney tree, a Disney advent calendar and wreath (purchased in the park) and a Mikey and Minne swag that I put together myself in those early years. 

And last but not least, our house.  Ryan worked really hard on the house.  The boys helped, ever so slightly.

Do you prefer white lights or multicolored lights at Christmas?

Christmas Greetings

I love to get mail.  You never know what kind of surprise you're going to get.  Maybe an invitation.  Maybe a bill.  Maybe a check for overpayment of services.  That one's rare, I know. This time of year getting mail is especially exciting because we're getting Christmas cards.

I love Christmas cards! My favorites are the ones with pictures.  I save them up each year.  I punch holes in them and put them on a ring and we get them out with our decorations. I love to look back and see how much everyone has changed.

I generally love the process of sending cards as well.  I like to take family pictures.  I like picking out clothes for the boys. Although I will admit, this has gotten less fun as they've gotten older.  I love getting to see how they've turned out.  There are usually a lot of B-man outtakes.

As I wrote about last week, it's been a rough fall.  My instinct in tough times is to curl up.  I'm really working on resisting that this Christmas season.  I don't want to mess up Christmas for my boys just because I'm tired and beat down.

The truth remains, I can't keep up my usual pace right now.  I want to make sure I have energy for important family times and activities so I've decided to cut our Christmas card.  But, being me, I couldn't give it up completely...

Here's what I would have put on the front

Here's a collage for the back

Here's the verse I would have incorporated

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.      Romans 8:19 ESV

I also would have included lyrics from O Holy Night

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Enjoy our Christmas greetings and accept my apology that it wouldn't arrive in your mail this year.