Stopping to think about what I believe

I was going to upload a picture of my tree, but the scene is much less adorable and much more unopened mail stacked on the counter top in the background....so we'll pretend I have a fireplace and adorable animals snuggled in front of it instead.

My mom forwarded me an email this morning that was a take on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas only it addressed the commercialism of Christmas and the use of "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

I have to admit, I kind of felt a pang of "EEEK! Am I doing this?!"  

I do not have a nativity, and so far I have only read my son "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  They are both cute stories, and the Grinch addresses the fact that Christmas is not about toys and food but about love and family and togetherness, and it is.  However, for Christians, it's about much, much more, and I want to find a way to share that part of my faith with my son.

So, it is my mission to make sure my son does not get wrapped up in the commercialism of Christmas but instead gets a sense of the beautiful story of the birth of the Child who later takes His place as the Savior in Christianity.  For me, because of what my parents taught me about Christmas, Jesus is the reason for this holiday, and I don't want to fail to pass that message along to my family.

Being a parent is about so much more than taking care of the day-to-day needs of our children.  It is also about teaching them the values and truths that we hold dear, whatever those may be.

I have no idea what everyone who reads this blog believes.  However, I'm sure that whatever your beliefs, you hold them dear to your heart.  Hopefully, while you are preparing for the holiday season, you stop to think about what this time really means to you and share that with your children so that their generation knows that this time of year is about more than iPods and Elmos and (insert your child's favorite toy here). 

Give Thanks!

Last year, I copied my friend's idea for a post and made a list of things for which I am thankful besides the usual (family, friends, home, etc.).  The 2010 version is below for your reading pleasure.  I am thankful for:

1. The fact that there will apparently only be fifteen cold days in Dallas this year.  I'm not sure how I manage to be both fat and cold-natured, but I do manage it.  I was meant to live in the tropics.

2. Books and people who loan me books or tell me about good books or buy me books as gifts

3. The QT (Quik-Trip) across the street from where I live.  How can you not love a store that makes 32 oz. sodas $.50 in the summer?

4.Gas cans...

5. Video game consoles that trick me into exercising

6. The way Silas laughs sleepily when I put him in bed and hand him his sippy and giraffe

7. Those rare days when everything lines up and: I want Chick-fil-a, have the money to get it and it's not a Sunday. 

8. That Clinique counter girl who told me purple eyeshadow would look good on me about a million years ago. 

9. The Daily Show...I'm so uptight that I love people who don't take everything so seriously.  

10. Cell phone cameras 

11. My mom and aunt taking me on as their personal fashion project and helping me remember how to dress...I now have a closet full of work-appropriate clothing...that fits.

12. Having a job with insurance, vacation days and sick days.  Seriously.  I know I'm lucky.

13. People who know how to fix computers, cars, washing machines, etc. and like me enough to keep me from destroying those things in frustration when they're in need of repair.

14. When I get an email to my personal inbox that is not spam or advertising

15. Jason Garrett being undefeated as the Cowboy's head coach...Go Cowboys!!!!  Beat those Saints!!!!

16. When I can contributed to a conversation about what is happening in the news

17. When Silas is going through a "mommy" phase.  No one will ever accuse him of being a momma's boy, that's for sure.

18. Games on my phone when I have a long wait.  I don't need your three year old copy of People magazine, thank you very much.

19. Learning how to do something new and the people who take the time to teach me

20. Holidays that give me a day off work and an excuse to get together with my fabulous family 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Grown up fail

Want to know where I am right now? Sitting in my car...waiting for gas to be delivered.

Thank the Lord I live in an urban environment and have a cell phone. Because I would be crying hysterically if I lived in the country and had to seek out a gas station and pay phone right now. I've watched enough horror films to know that that would mean certain death.

That's right, I'm 28 years old, and I just ran out of gas.

I think we can safely say this is not step three in becoming a grown up.

Step two in becomming a grown up

Friday, my mini was sick, and although I have the world's best babysitter, I stayed home with him and showered him with love and attention and called doctors and (much to his dismay) took his temperature every thirty minutes.  He tricked me over and over again all weekend by acting like he was feeling better and then spiking a fever and being bratty and/or pitiful until his medicine would kick in.  He seems to have finally conquered it today and is (happily) terrorizing the babysitter and her family once more.

Aside from nursing the mini, I also spent my weekend developing my five year plan for buying a house.  It requires the sacrifice of downgrading from my shoe box to a matchbox.  

The matchbox has a single closet in the entire space, no dishwasher and no dryer connection (although there is a washer connection  - WTLF?).  I can envision you sitting there wondering what the upsides are.  Well, I'll tell you.  My (although it isn't mine yet) matchbox has been carved into two (teeny, tiny) bedrooms, has a yard (where I will install a storage shed for all of my shoes), and is three doors down from my mom.  It will cost me a fraction of what I would be paying to upgrade to a larger apartment and will allow me to comfortably sock away enough money to put down a sizable down payment on a house in five years.

So, we will be sacrificing in the short term in order to benefit in the long term.  I have just completed step two in becoming a grown up, and it's only been thirteen months since completing step one. (See here for step one).  Step three...?

Writer's Block

Write.  Delete.  Write.  Delete.  Write.  Delete.  That has been me trying to write a post today.

I'm mad at someone.  The truth is I've been mad for months.   I am confrontational 999/1000th of the time.  Almost to the point of ridiculousness.  However, 1/1000th of the time, I am so overwhelmed by the potential repercussions of  a conflict that I avoid the situation until I'm so angry that I unhinge and do irreparable damage to the relationship.

So, I've been writing self-righteous, passive-aggressive posts addressing my anger and hurt feelings and then deleting them.  

Nothing has been resolved with this exercise, and I do not have the energy or mental capacity to write about anything more entertaining.

Maybe my kid will do something funny soon or someone will do something heinous in public, and this will be more interesting reading.  Until then, cross your fingers that I find a way to speak my mind in a non-public forum.

P.S. Google has told on you by showing me my stats, and I know there are more than 4 people reading this blog.  So, although you refuse to follow me, I sincerely appreciate you reading!

Eat mo' chicken

As if I didn't already love Chick-fil-a enough, they have now won my heart all over again because they cater to my mini.  

Silas and I were banished from the house last night because daddy was cleaning the carpets and rearranging furniture (awesome reason to be kicked out).  So, we trotted to the mall to return some things and kill time.

Silas is usually ready to eat dinner immediately upon our arrival to the house from his babysitter.  He'll spot his high chair and begin trying to climb up it while whining, "eeeeeeeeeeeeat.  eat.  EAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"  

So, I knew I had a matter of minutes before a total meltdown when we got to the mall.  

Because there was a Chick-fil-a on site, I was desperate to have it.  I was contemplating getting chicken nuggets for myself so I could share with Silas when I saw that they have a kids' meal for $2 that consists of 1 chicken strip, a side and drink (milk is an option!)

So, sweet Silas was introduced to Chick-fil-a.  I didn't have to waste money on a bunch of food he wouldn't eat and was able to refill his sippy with milk.

 In summary, Chick-fil-a allowed me avoid the "EAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!" meltdown and the "mama, milk, mama, milk" meltdown.  Also, my sandwich was friggin awesome as usual and I didn't have to share.  Don't worry, I plan to teach him about sharing through books....rather than by example.

Read these books!

Stop what you're doing (well, after you finish reading this post), and go buy the books depicted above.

I will be starting the third book tonight (and probably finishing it in two days.  Thank you to my boss/friend, TH, for loaning me such awesome books all the time!)

I will review them more properly once I have read all three.  For now, I just want you to know that they exist and that you will like them regardless of your age, gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.

Ok, go now.  Right now.  I'm serious.