When Fables Fail

This post has nothing to do with a jolly old elf who will be stopping by our house tonight. No, it's about another fairy who frequents our home.
Maurice the Midnight Hairdresser has become a regular at our house. He is the elf who is responsible for bedhead hair, and it is he who, if you leave gum in your mouth while you're sleeping, will ensure that it ends up in your hair.
We have regularly warned our children against sleeping with gum using Maurice as the reason why you shouldn't. In fact, after stepping in gum a while back, I officially banned gum from our house.
Well, one of Ellie's friends just brought a little gift for Ellie, and attached to the gift was a package of gum.
I very nearly took the gum off the present before anyone saw it, but decided that it was Christmas, and that I should go easy on the kiddos. I diligently warned them that if I saw the gum outside of their mouths I would confiscate it, but apparently my warning went unheeded.
I just discovered Sarah with a HUGE wad of gum stuck--nay, SMASHED on top of her head.
I asked her what on earth she was thinking and she replied "I was just trying to figure out what Clarice (aka Maurice) does when she (he) put gum in your hair at night."
All I can say is thank heaven for peanut butter. It is not the first time it has prevented a most unseemly haircut (and we get plenty of those around here without me wielding the scissors). Today's adventure took about two tablespoons of Jif creamy peanut butter, and although I wouldn't say it was taken care of in a "Jiff," I will say the end result was much better than pulling out the scissors.
So, for anyone who tells tales to their children in hopes of teaching a moral, I would like to remind you that there is always a chance that it will backfire, so be sure to have your peanut butter on hand!

Our "Christmas Card"

Here is my blog equivalent of a Christmas Letter including the highlights of our lives:
Greg-just found all of his Gameboy DS games--they were in the pocket of his fleece sweatshirt. YEAH Greg!
Heather-is very proud of herself for actually doing any kind of "Christmas Card" since there hasn't been one sent out since Becca's first Christmas.
Becca-has a loose tooth.
Ellie-loves tromping through the snow (unless she is wearing a skirt, in which case she has figured out that if she gets a "reminder" at school she doesn't have to go outside for recess...We have had a talk about that).
Sarah-is growing by leaps and bounds...I'm pretty sure she outweighs Becca and Ellie now.
Rachel-is very naughty (but SO CUTE). Not only does she continue to disobey my orders to "stay little" she has officially entered the "troublesome toddler" stage...Look forward to "Ellie-esque" blog posts about this little angel in the near future.

So there you have it--the shortest Christmas letter ever (but since this blog has more info. about our daily lives than anyone would care to read I'm pretty sure it's enough!)

Happy Holidays!

My Potty Mouth

Today we celebrated Grandma Lavern's birthday. In keeping with tradition, we all went to her house for cake and goodies and to spend some quality time with the cousins. It was great until it came time to clean up the basement, which was a bit of a disaster by the time we got around to cleaning up. Fortunately the room was full of parents helping to clean the room, because my girls were tired and not being very cooperative with the cleaning efforts. Sarah grabbed a truck & dominoes Deanne was trying to clean up, and would NOT let go, then Becca refused to clean up another set of dominoes she was using to build a chain.
I told Becca it was time to clean up and she replied "Just a sec."
My response to her: "No, Becca. No Secs." Somehow it didn't sound the same way spoken aloud as it did in my head, and as you may recall the room was full of parents who were helping to clean. I now know why you should think before you speak.

Christmas Tea Party

Today we had a Christmas Tea Party for the Macaroni and Cheese club. The kids were so funny. I had set the table with fancy Christmas dishes and made cheese and crackers, apple slices, dino-nuggets, and green punch, but the girls all insisted that we have macaroni and cheese, too because they were after all the macaroni and cheese club. I couldn't refuse, so they got their wish. I have to say that today's party was the funniest tea party I have ever attended. The girls sat around the fancy table complete with lighted candles, and they would try to act like princesses. They would put their pinkies out as they drank their "holiday tea" and dab their faces with the napkins one minute, then they would have dinosaur wars with their chicken nuggets and scream "Ahh! My dinosaur lost its head!"" the next. Then they would be right back to acting like little angels. It was quite entertaining.
Following the luncheon, we made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. I put icing in a bag for each of the girls, but they all just wanted the entire house covered with frosting in order to facilitate decorating. Let me tell you, I wish I had taken pictures because there were some great houses.
We also made ornaments, read Christmas stories, played "Pin the nose on the reindeer" and watched a little bit of the Nutcracker movie. I think the girls had a good time, but I'm sure I had more fun watching them than they did participating in the events.

Santa?!

Saturday was our ward Christmas party. Santa and Mrs. Claus came and the girls all sat on his lap. Rachel was a little nervous, but held out for the candy cane and picture.
When we got home, I asked the girls if they liked sitting on Santa's lap. Ellie responded, "Sure, I guess, but it wasn't the real Santa."
Becca on the other hand was convinced that he was "the real thing."
When the other girls had left, I asked Ellie why she thought that the Santa at the party wasn't real. "Well, he didn't know everyone's name, his beard wasn't real, and he just put on those clothes."
I asked her if she had ever met the real Santa and she said, "no."
I asked her about the Santa at the grocery store last year who had a real beard and knew her name.
"Nope, he wasn't real either."
I asked her why.
"I could just tell."
So, how much longer is she going to believe? I have a feeling she will find out before Becca (who heard some kids on the bus discussing the fact that Santa was fake & she said that she hoped Santa would still give them presents even though they didn't believe in him).

When Christmas Comes Early

Today could have been December 25th and my kids couldn't have been happier. Monday we finally had a decent snow storm and so I went outside with the girls to build a snowman and go sledding down the hill in our yard (a very small hill for Sarah's sake). Then, today, Grandpa W. took all of the girls to Dollar Tree and let them each choose about 10 items for their Christmas present...not only that, but he let them keep/open them all today. Oh, yes, it was like the big day came early.
We got home from our shopping trip a little before 5:00, and I literally couldn't get dinner started until after 7:00 because the girls were so excited about their new gifts (and I felt the need to supervise most of the activities).
So, what did the girls get, you might ask...well, here is a list of the highlights:

• Bubbles
• Puzzles
• Magic Tricks
• Paintable Sun-Catchers
• Candy (chocolate Santas, Pixie Stix Candy Canes, ornaments filled with chocolates, Bobble Head Santa & Reindeer attached to jars of bubble gum, Pez dispensers & candy etc.)
• Silly Putty
• Stress Relief Dogs that looked like they had swallowed bones--yep, that was a highlight
• Stamp Pads and Stamps that looked like makeup
• Lip Gloss and other Makeup
• Dress up accessories (shoes, earrings, tiaras, etc.)

And, had they not been vetoed and discretely put back on the shelf . . . an inscribed shot glass and pink whistle attached to a hot pink necklace saying "Bachelorette loose" and a red velour heart-shaped pillow with some serious fringe around the edges.
Oh man did my girls ever have some fun today!

Happy Sinterklaas Day

I have no (or very little) Dutch blood; however, I like to claim a Dutch heritage. My great-great grandpa served missions in Holland, and my great grandma lived there as a little girl because of it. Every year growing up I received a chocolate "H" from my great grandma, Mimi, and I loved it. So now that Mimi is gone I have decided it is a tradition that I don't want to let go.
For the past few years I have set out a pair of wooden shoes my uncle, Richard, brought back from his mission to Holland for me on Sinterklass Day (December 5th). I let the girls put hay and carrots in the shoes and then replace them with homemade chocolate letters as a gift from St. Nicholas.
Then, I read a story I received from another set of great grandparents about "me" when I was younger and got to visit all the people who help Santa (St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, Babouscka etc.).
I was reading the story and telling the girls about Sinterklaas, who is also known as St. Nicholas, when Sarah looked at the picture and said, "That can't be St. Necklace. Look he isn't even wearing a Necklace!"
I now know what is missing from Santa's costume!

Stop and Smell the Roses

Oh, if I only could. If anyone remembers my post, even before I was writing things I was thankful for, about being grateful for the ability to smell, I have now been without that ability for two weeks. I am also tasting very little and I must say it has been a very odd sensation. I decided to test my inability by chomping on a green onion and a piece of cilantro. The cilantro could have been lettuce as far as I could tell, and the green onion was very odd to eat because I could feel the slight burning that comes from onions, but I could neither smell nor taste anything "oniony."
Taking care of Rachel's dirty diapers has been an interesting experience as well. She has learned a new word "poopy" which is good, because otherwise I wouldn't ever think to changer her--I really can't smell ANYTHING! I even put the Vick's right up to my nose and couldn't smell a thing.
Bizarre!
It has made the actual changing of the pants a lot easier though! I just have to apologize in advance if I get sidetracked and don't take out a dirty diaper, or don't flush the toilet after my sometimes forgetful children, because I have always relied on my nose to remind me to do said jobs.
So for everyone with a working schnoz out there, remember to enjoy the smells...and tastes...around you!

Squish Squash

My kids have an unnatural love of gourds. It doesn't matter what kind I get, they love to eat squash. When they see squash in the grocery store they beg me to buy it. The other day, Ellie saw some spaghetti squash, and thinking it was "Yoshi fruit" (anyone who has played Mario will understand) begged me to buy it.
Now, how can a mother say no to a child begging her to buy squash? So, I bought it and just pulled it out of the oven. I put a little butter, salt and pepper on it, and went in the other room for a minute. When I came back, all four of my girls had their hand in the cookie jar...or should I say squash bowl. Rachel was eating the stuff two-fisted, Ellie had filled up a plastic cup with squash and was eating it like popcorn in front of the TV, and Becca and Sarah were chasing each other around the kitchen taking "squash breaks" to nibble a little from the bowl each time around.
Greg on the other hand is not much of a squash fan, so I don't buy it much, and we usually only eat it when he is out of town or as an after school snack.
Call me crazy, but it cracks me up that one of my kids' favorite after school snacks is squash (winter squash and spaghetti are their favorites though).

Surprise!

Welcome December! I am unbelievably excited for the Christmas season. I love it! We have had such a wonderful fall that I can't be anything but happy to look forward to a new season....as long as winter doesn't bring a terrible inversion come January, anyway.
I am not one to leave buying Christmas presents to the last minute, so I am always wondering what to get Greg--he is a little bit like his father that if he wants something he will get it, and I often have to put anything released around Thanksgiving off-limits until after Christmas. But, even if I do come up with something, it is even harder to surprise him because I have to tell him-don't get that game or you will have two come Christmas.
Anyway, this year I came up with the perfect gift. We have a projector in our basement, and Greg eventually wants to move it over to our unfinished section, turning it into a full theater. However, even in the meantime, Greg has often looked longingly at the movie-theater style popcorn poppers, and has said many times that he would like one.
Well, I found one at Costco that fits on the counter top, and thought it would make a great Christmas present.
I ordered it online, the bill came to my email address, and I knew I had come up with a surprise that was sure to delight and would not be discovered.
However, in that I was mistaken.
The other day, the UPS man came to the door when Greg happened to be home, and the girls answered the door. I could hear them shouting from up in my bedroom "A POPCORN MAKER! A POPCORN MAKER!"
Yes, the popcorn popper was not only delivered when Greg was here, it also has a HUGE sticker on the outside of the plain brown box depicting its contents.
Well, as Greg put it, he was certainly surprised . . . just not on the day I was hoping he would be!