It's so amazing to see grace and kindness expressed by complete strangers. In Branson a few weeks ago, we were shopping the outlet malls with the Ellemans and the kids (Emma, Davis & Carley Elleman). While waiting for everyone to finish up shopping, I took Emma outside to play on one of those kiddie rides. I didn't have any change, so Emma was just climbing on the little car. We were there about 5 minutes when a man in his 50's walked up and handed me 50 cents. He didn't say a word, but nodded when I said thanks, and flashed a big smile when Emma said "tank ooo". It was so sweet and wonderful to receive such a wonderful (and cheap) gift from someone we will never see again.
Again, the other night, the family went to Hastings to rent some movies. The routine is this: chase Emma around while we try to find a movie we want to see. Then Emma and I go to the front of the store and play with the game machines while Allison checks out. Hastings has one of the crane games, where you put in some money and try to get out a toy lodged between many other toys. She usually just plays with the joystick and points to the toys inside. 2 punk looking guys (who I seriously thought were stoned out of their minds) walked up to play the game. I pulled Emma aside and let her watch what the thing is actually supposed to do when you put money in. She laughed and smiled as the crane dropped down, but the guy didn't win anything. The guy then turned to Emma and handed her 50 cents for her to play and walked out with his friend. We didn't win anything, but Emma loved moving the crane around with the joystck!
Why is it that little acts of kindness can have such incredible impact on others? And if they DO make such an impact, why do we not do them more? The feeling contagious.
1 Comments
Published by John Nelson
on December 31, 2005 at 8:27 AM.
Again, the other night, the family went to Hastings to rent some movies. The routine is this: chase Emma around while we try to find a movie we want to see. Then Emma and I go to the front of the store and play with the game machines while Allison checks out. Hastings has one of the crane games, where you put in some money and try to get out a toy lodged between many other toys. She usually just plays with the joystick and points to the toys inside. 2 punk looking guys (who I seriously thought were stoned out of their minds) walked up to play the game. I pulled Emma aside and let her watch what the thing is actually supposed to do when you put money in. She laughed and smiled as the crane dropped down, but the guy didn't win anything. The guy then turned to Emma and handed her 50 cents for her to play and walked out with his friend. We didn't win anything, but Emma loved moving the crane around with the joystck!
Why is it that little acts of kindness can have such incredible impact on others? And if they DO make such an impact, why do we not do them more? The feeling contagious.
You scored as William Wallace. The great Scottish warrior William Wallace led his people against their English oppressors in a campaign that won independence for Scotland and immortalized him in the hearts of his countrymen. With his warrior's heart, tactician's mind, and poet's soul, Wallace was a brilliant leader. He just wanted to live a simple life on his farm, but he gave it up to help his country in its time of need.
Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unlike Lafe, who isn't sure about pets, or Travis who isn't a fan at all, Al
lison and I are die-hard dog fans. For Christmas, my mother-in-law got us a book of dog photos from around the world, called Dogs 24/7. For an extra $10, you can upload a photo of your dog and have them create a customized book cover with your dog's photo. So, we did it. Here's what the book cover will look like.
If Anne Geddes would come out with something like this, she would make millions instantly.
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Published by John Nelson
on December 28, 2005 at 12:08 PM.
lison and I are die-hard dog fans. For Christmas, my mother-in-law got us a book of dog photos from around the world, called Dogs 24/7. For an extra $10, you can upload a photo of your dog and have them create a customized book cover with your dog's photo. So, we did it. Here's what the book cover will look like. If Anne Geddes would come out with something like this, she would make millions instantly.
At the office, my cubicle has a big double window to my right that looks out
over a forested valley, with the trees coming up about 30 yards from my window. This morning, I walked into work and into my cubicle. As I looked out the window, I saw 3 does walking around just outside the tree line. Here's the picture I grabbed with my new digital camera (Canon SD550 ELPH). I don't know what it is about seeing deer outside your window in the mornings that really has a calming effect on me. They seem so peaceful. They don't worry about whether "the number" will come in or what reports need to be run. They don't store up for colder weather and try to get bigger spots of forest to live in. They eat what they are provided and share in community. Why are we so opposite of that?
Anyway, just wanted to share the peaceful start to my morning with everyone.
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Published by John Nelson
on at 7:22 AM.
over a forested valley, with the trees coming up about 30 yards from my window. This morning, I walked into work and into my cubicle. As I looked out the window, I saw 3 does walking around just outside the tree line. Here's the picture I grabbed with my new digital camera (Canon SD550 ELPH). I don't know what it is about seeing deer outside your window in the mornings that really has a calming effect on me. They seem so peaceful. They don't worry about whether "the number" will come in or what reports need to be run. They don't store up for colder weather and try to get bigger spots of forest to live in. They eat what they are provided and share in community. Why are we so opposite of that?Anyway, just wanted to share the peaceful start to my morning with everyone.
Today at lunch, I was sitting in my car at Memorial Park in Bentonville. I was parked over by the skate park and playground area, eating lunch and watching the kids play. I hear the revving of an engine and squeel of tires behind me. I look in the rearview mirror to see a little car go whizzing by, peeling out of the small parking lot we were in and onto the main street that wanders through the park. As I watch the car speed around a corner past several playgrounds where kids were playing, I thought to myself "I really want to hit that guy!". Being a parent brings out "parental" emotions in me. One of those is rage for stupid kids driving WAY too fast though a playground area. As I let my mind run through violent and verbally savvy scenario's I would have with the kid driving that car, I finished my lunch and settled on the nice thought that maybe a cop would pull him over and fine him a crazy amount of money (or arrest him for the engangerment of many people). As I left the park, I followed the same route the speeding car took earlier. The road rounds a corner and connects back to a main street. As I pull around the corner, much to my delight and sense of justice, a cop had his lights running with the speeding car parked in front. The officer was handing the kid a big fatty of a ticket.
I love sweet justice. There's still a part of me that wants the kid to get a 2nd job (or a first) to pay off the ticket.
2 Comments
Published by John Nelson
on December 27, 2005 at 12:16 PM.
I love sweet justice. There's still a part of me that wants the kid to get a 2nd job (or a first) to pay off the ticket.
Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to the blog world! I hope everyone is having a safe, tasty food eating, loving-the-family-time Christmas! And what Christmas wouldn't be complete with a Cell Group Christmas present?? Thanks Cell Guys...you never cease to amaze me. Please come take the toilet (complete with floating Baby Ruth inside) away. It's the thought that counts, right?
3 Comments
Published by John Nelson
on December 24, 2005 at 10:59 AM.
Every year, Aaron & Allyn Elleman host the Annual Gingerbread House Party. There are only 3 rules:
1) Everything must be edible
2) Not pre-making of anything (except to bake the gingerbread if you actually use gingerbread)
3) Build the house in the time frame alloted (usually about an hour or so)
Our competition is usually really steep. There's a custom home builder in the gro
up, and he and his wife always win. In 5 years of attending (100% attendance, I might add), we've placed no higher than 3rd. That would be the first year, and this year. The first year, we went with your typical house, using graham crackers for the walls and roof. We covered it with icing and gumdrops...very Martha Stewart. We even passed the "earthquake test" that year, which is the shaking of the pan/box/platter the house was built on until it utter
ly collapses. It's like holding onto the bull for 8 seconds.
In the following years, we went with a similar theme: standard house. All the while, we're getting beat down by the super creative, out-of-the-box gingerbread house builders. Last year, we were so mad about losing that we decided to pull out the Jesus factor. That's right! We did a gingerbread manager scene, complete with Little People Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. And we STILL lost!! I mean, do these people hate Jesus and Christmas? Apparently they do! Who has the nerve to say that Jesus doesn't win the competition? Sinners.
So this year, Allison got really excited about finding a gingerbread house design in a magazine. I, on the other hand, have stopped trying to compete with the infedels. But Allison insisted we would win (or at least place in the top 3), so I trudged along with the idea. This year, we actually made our own gingerbread and homemade icing. Where our other houses had been Martha Stewart-ish, this was straight up Martha's Vineyard, complete with Nestlé Tollhouse Swirled Morsels for side shingles and Frosted MiniChex for roofing shingles. We, however, did overlook a very important thing: frame support. You'll notice in the pictures above that there are hands holding the house together. That's because we didn't have anything INSIDE the house supporting
the walls and roof. So, the only way for us to get a picture of it intact was to hold it. Needless to say, we didn't win the earthquake test this year...but we did place 3rd! Reagan McKinney won for first place...she did Cinderella's Castle from Disneyworld! She used 3 large gingerbread cakes for the round body part, and upside down iced icecream cones for the spires. There's even a moat (with Goldfish) and some Disney characters in front. One guy did a small snowman using marshmellows. He then rigged a glass fishbowl upside down with fake snow inside and a can of compressed air. It made it into a working snowglobe! It looked horrible, but the concept was pretty amazing!
After the winners were announced, we (meaning everyo
ne's kids) got a visit from Santa Claus! Finley Robinson had his college roommate in town for the weekend, and got him to come to the party for fun (or obligation). Bart usually dresses as Santa (this is the snowglobe guy), but somehow coaxed Finley's friend into beign Santa. All the families took turns posing for pictures while most of the kids cried because that's what kids do on Santa's lap...they cry.
0 Comments
Published by John Nelson
on December 23, 2005 at 3:52 PM.
1) Everything must be edible
2) Not pre-making of anything (except to bake the gingerbread if you actually use gingerbread)
3) Build the house in the time frame alloted (usually about an hour or so)
Our competition is usually really steep. There's a custom home builder in the gro
up, and he and his wife always win. In 5 years of attending (100% attendance, I might add), we've placed no higher than 3rd. That would be the first year, and this year. The first year, we went with your typical house, using graham crackers for the walls and roof. We covered it with icing and gumdrops...very Martha Stewart. We even passed the "earthquake test" that year, which is the shaking of the pan/box/platter the house was built on until it utter
ly collapses. It's like holding onto the bull for 8 seconds.In the following years, we went with a similar theme: standard house. All the while, we're getting beat down by the super creative, out-of-the-box gingerbread house builders. Last year, we were so mad about losing that we decided to pull out the Jesus factor. That's right! We did a gingerbread manager scene, complete with Little People Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. And we STILL lost!! I mean, do these people hate Jesus and Christmas? Apparently they do! Who has the nerve to say that Jesus doesn't win the competition? Sinners.
So this year, Allison got really excited about finding a gingerbread house design in a magazine. I, on the other hand, have stopped trying to compete with the infedels. But Allison insisted we would win (or at least place in the top 3), so I trudged along with the idea. This year, we actually made our own gingerbread and homemade icing. Where our other houses had been Martha Stewart-ish, this was straight up Martha's Vineyard, complete with Nestlé Tollhouse Swirled Morsels for side shingles and Frosted MiniChex for roofing shingles. We, however, did overlook a very important thing: frame support. You'll notice in the pictures above that there are hands holding the house together. That's because we didn't have anything INSIDE the house supporting
the walls and roof. So, the only way for us to get a picture of it intact was to hold it. Needless to say, we didn't win the earthquake test this year...but we did place 3rd! Reagan McKinney won for first place...she did Cinderella's Castle from Disneyworld! She used 3 large gingerbread cakes for the round body part, and upside down iced icecream cones for the spires. There's even a moat (with Goldfish) and some Disney characters in front. One guy did a small snowman using marshmellows. He then rigged a glass fishbowl upside down with fake snow inside and a can of compressed air. It made it into a working snowglobe! It looked horrible, but the concept was pretty amazing!After the winners were announced, we (meaning everyo
ne's kids) got a visit from Santa Claus! Finley Robinson had his college roommate in town for the weekend, and got him to come to the party for fun (or obligation). Bart usually dresses as Santa (this is the snowglobe guy), but somehow coaxed Finley's friend into beign Santa. All the families took turns posing for pictures while most of the kids cried because that's what kids do on Santa's lap...they cry.
No, not "Cousin Geri" from The Facts of Life....Geri the Minivan! That's right...he's finally here. After a couple of months of waiting, I have been blessed with my first minivan. Of course, it's a company car, so it's pretty much free...I can't complain much.
I had to admit something: I totally LOVE this thing! Damnit! I want to hate it with my entire being, but I just can't. It has a ton of room, a 22 gallon tank (which I don't pay to fill up!), and has a nice ride and drive to it. It's silver with gray interior...keepin' it classy.
Anyway, I just wanted to share news of my new family member. The entire family (me, Allison, Emma, & Belle the dog) is heading to Little Rock this weekend. We finally get to take 1 vehicle, so we're pretty excited. Our first family trip with Geri!
UPDATE
I've had several questions regarding the name "Geri". I did not name it for Cousin Geri from the Facts of Life (I will not make any retarded jokes here...but I really, really want to). I'm a deep guy, so I needed a car name with a deep meaning. So, Geri's name comes from the Greek root "Geros", meaning 'old man'. It is where we get our words Geritol and Geriatrics.
We took the family to Little Rock in Geri this past weekend. It was the first time since Emma was born that the entire family (me, wife, baby, and dog) traveled together to Little Rock. Usually, Allison and Emma go down there in her car, and Belle and I go in my car. Now, we all fit comfortably with tons of spare room. Geri has some get-up-and-go, too, which I didn't expect. Overall, I'm totally head over heels for Geri. Whodathunk?
Here is another opportunity to do a blog party...the kind where everyone blogs about the same topic. It worked OH so well on my last attempt, but I have faith in the blog ring that this will come together! Here it goes...the topic is: Favorite Christmas Memories (and/or traditions)!
My Favorite Christmas Memories/Traditions
Growing up in Mountain Home, a ton of my father's family still lived there and/or came back for Christmas time. In fact, my family lived right next to my Uncle Robert and his family, and about 2 blocks from my Pop & Grannie Nelson (my Dad's mom & dad). So, we naturally spent a lot of time together. For several years between my age of 6 and 10, we ALL got together and went Christmas Carolling. There were about 14 of us that went. My entire family is like the Partridge family, too...everyone sang and/or played an instrument. Heck, my Uncle Robert was the high school band director for 20 years! So, when we carolled, it was really great sounding.
I remember practicing several songs over at my Uncle's house. Once, I remember getting really upset because I couldn't pronounce the phrase "in excelsis Deo". I got SOO upset that I ran out of the house and back to my house. My sweet Mom walked over and helped me learn the words by telling me to "just sing 'in egg-shells day-o!'". That helped, and everything was back to normal.
It was so fun to go knock on people's doors (the honor to which they gave the grandkids), then begin singing as they opened the doors. It's a shame more people don't carol to others anymore...I think Christmas would be a lot nicer and more "christmas-y" with that tradition.
2 Comments
Published by John Nelson
on December 11, 2005 at 6:53 PM.
My Favorite Christmas Memories/Traditions
Growing up in Mountain Home, a ton of my father's family still lived there and/or came back for Christmas time. In fact, my family lived right next to my Uncle Robert and his family, and about 2 blocks from my Pop & Grannie Nelson (my Dad's mom & dad). So, we naturally spent a lot of time together. For several years between my age of 6 and 10, we ALL got together and went Christmas Carolling. There were about 14 of us that went. My entire family is like the Partridge family, too...everyone sang and/or played an instrument. Heck, my Uncle Robert was the high school band director for 20 years! So, when we carolled, it was really great sounding.
I remember practicing several songs over at my Uncle's house. Once, I remember getting really upset because I couldn't pronounce the phrase "in excelsis Deo". I got SOO upset that I ran out of the house and back to my house. My sweet Mom walked over and helped me learn the words by telling me to "just sing 'in egg-shells day-o!'". That helped, and everything was back to normal.
It was so fun to go knock on people's doors (the honor to which they gave the grandkids), then begin singing as they opened the doors. It's a shame more people don't carol to others anymore...I think Christmas would be a lot nicer and more "christmas-y" with that tradition.
Here's a beautifully blurry pic of my Christmas lights. It doesn't look li
ke much...but that will change next year! Thinking I would knock the neighbors' socks off didn't turn out quite as well as I thought it would. But, I DO win on classiest...the other neighbors' houses look like a cheap Santa's North Pole. Cute, but overdone in my opinion. Next year I'll hit up some roofline lights and we'll have changed the flowerbed situation so that will look different, too.
Please note the uber-cool Train decoration. About 15 years ago,
my parents went to the Precious Moments Chapel in Cathage Missourri for their Christmas display. (thankfully, they're not INTO Precious Moment figurines...they were just in the area and stopped by). My Dad kept noticing all these great lit-up decorations and moved in for a closer look. He found that they used wire mesh, plastic tubing, and Christmas lights to create a giant Lite-Brite. He went home that day with a mission...to create his own Lite-Brite world right there in Mountain Home. A few weeks later (and tons of scrap material), we had a 5' tall toy soldier, a 5' tall snowman, a train (similar to w
hat you see here), and a 9' "GLORY TO GOD'. Surprisingly enough, it was a lot less gaudy than you'd think. It worked. Now, my sister and I both have trains! You can't see it in the picture, but the wheels and the smoke on the train actually move. Since I am a man with no skills in any area, I am completely amazed by Dad's creation! Way to go, Dad!
Also pictured: our Christmas Tree and our Nativity.
1 Comments
Published by John Nelson
on at 6:34 PM.
ke much...but that will change next year! Thinking I would knock the neighbors' socks off didn't turn out quite as well as I thought it would. But, I DO win on classiest...the other neighbors' houses look like a cheap Santa's North Pole. Cute, but overdone in my opinion. Next year I'll hit up some roofline lights and we'll have changed the flowerbed situation so that will look different, too.Please note the uber-cool Train decoration. About 15 years ago,
my parents went to the Precious Moments Chapel in Cathage Missourri for their Christmas display. (thankfully, they're not INTO Precious Moment figurines...they were just in the area and stopped by). My Dad kept noticing all these great lit-up decorations and moved in for a closer look. He found that they used wire mesh, plastic tubing, and Christmas lights to create a giant Lite-Brite. He went home that day with a mission...to create his own Lite-Brite world right there in Mountain Home. A few weeks later (and tons of scrap material), we had a 5' tall toy soldier, a 5' tall snowman, a train (similar to w
hat you see here), and a 9' "GLORY TO GOD'. Surprisingly enough, it was a lot less gaudy than you'd think. It worked. Now, my sister and I both have trains! You can't see it in the picture, but the wheels and the smoke on the train actually move. Since I am a man with no skills in any area, I am completely amazed by Dad's creation! Way to go, Dad!Also pictured: our Christmas Tree and our Nativity.
The other night, Allison went to do some Christmas Shopping so Emma and I got to hang out for a while at the house. My only instructions were "no TV...she's watched a ton today". So much for vegging out to Dora for 2 hours. Time for some creative "first timer" stuff!
So I built Emma her first fort! I put it over by the fireplace with the Christmas lights on the mantel and the stockings. Then, I turned off all the lights (except the
Christmas lights) and threw down some blankets and pillows underneath. I grabbed the flashlight and some books, and we entered her very first fort! We tried reading some books, but she was extremely intrigued with the "shashyight". I showed her how to put her hand over the light and turn your hand into ET's glowing finger. We also put it in our mouths so our cheeks would light up! She kept trying to put it against her eyeball, but I repeatedly told her that's not a good idea and that she'd go blind if she kept it up (yeah...such a parental thing to say). We laid there for about 45 minutes simply playing with the flashlight. Belle joined us a few times, but kept getting frustrated with Emma's constant shining of the light into her eyes and attempts to stick it in her mouth.
I have such great memories of building forts growing up and letting my imagination run wild. As my Mom & Dad built forts for me and gave me such wonderful memories, I'm super glad I get to do the same for Emma!
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Published by John Nelson
on at 2:38 PM.
So I built Emma her first fort! I put it over by the fireplace with the Christmas lights on the mantel and the stockings. Then, I turned off all the lights (except the
Christmas lights) and threw down some blankets and pillows underneath. I grabbed the flashlight and some books, and we entered her very first fort! We tried reading some books, but she was extremely intrigued with the "shashyight". I showed her how to put her hand over the light and turn your hand into ET's glowing finger. We also put it in our mouths so our cheeks would light up! She kept trying to put it against her eyeball, but I repeatedly told her that's not a good idea and that she'd go blind if she kept it up (yeah...such a parental thing to say). We laid there for about 45 minutes simply playing with the flashlight. Belle joined us a few times, but kept getting frustrated with Emma's constant shining of the light into her eyes and attempts to stick it in her mouth.I have such great memories of building forts growing up and letting my imagination run wild. As my Mom & Dad built forts for me and gave me such wonderful memories, I'm super glad I get to do the same for Emma!
From left to right: John (me!), Emma, Allison, Ginny & Bob Shell (Allison's parents), Cathy & Terral Gammill (Allison's sister and her new husband).
The Fayetteville Square.
The Fayetteville Square.
Ok, I've been a pretty bad blogger lately. I've been reading everyone else's, and have plenty of content to blog about, but just haven't sat down and done it. Procrastination...it's a my lifestyle.
Thanksgiving
This year, Allison and I got to have Thanksgiving at our house. We recently got dining room furniture, so we were overly excited, too. Allison's parents came up from Little Rock and my Mom's mom from Fayetteville came and ate Thanksgiving lunch with us. It was really fun, and nice to not travel for the holidays. The food was great, and the conversation is always interesting when Granny Dill is around. All in all, a very great day.
Day After Thanksgiving
I put up Christmas lights on the house. This is the first Christmas in our new house, so I wasn't sure how decked out the neighbors would be. I felt like I would be at least in the running for most lights. Man...I was wrong! I should have learned from Halloween that our neighbors go ALL out...and by all out, I mean 40/29 came to film the houses to use on the air. So, my house looks super classy in comparison, which is fine with me. I just happen to live next to 4 Grizwolds.
We have a family ritual every year on the day after Thanksgiving. Usually, we go with my sister's family to the Fayetteville Square to eat at Tiny Tim's Pizza and see the lights. However, Amy & Sam were in Colorado during this time. Sam was speaking at a family camp all week, and the fam went with him. So, in lieu of the Hannon's, we went with Allison's parents, her sister, and her sister's new husband. We had a great time! Very cold outside, but still good. Emma REALLY liked the lights this year and was just pointing at everything. We missed the Hannon's, but the Shells were pretty fun, too.
Saturday After Thanksgiving
We celebrated Emma's 2 Year birthday with just my parents, Allison's parents, and her sister. It was really fun. Emma scored a lot of Dora stuff (she's a HUGE fan), and a Cozy Coupe car with a stand alone gas pump. She spends a ridiculous amount of time in that car now. She even takes her snacks and eats them in the car! Her Dora doll dances and sings, so she's been dancing around the living room with Dora ringing in our ears. It's cute.
Last Weekend
This past weekend, we went to Branson with our friends Aaron & Allyn Elleman (say THAT 3 times really fast...it's almost impossible). 3 Kids and 4 adults...it was a lively weekend! Friday night, we got to the condo and put the kids to bed, then the adults played a TV Show board game, at which Allison and I got totally destroyed. Probably because Aaron is 5 years older than everyone else. The dude grew up watching the old stuff. We all had to catch it on Nick at Nite reruns when we were 4. The next day, we went to shop a bit and the ludicrously crowded outlet malls. Around the kids' naptime, Aaron and I took the kids back to the condo to sleep while the girls kept shopping. Aaron and I sat on the couches and watched football. After naptime, we loaded the kids up and went to Silver Dollar City to see their Christmas lights. over 350 miles worth of lights...it's really cool. We rode the big Christmas Train, which the kids loved...especially Emma who has an unhealthy fascination with Trains. You ride the train around and sing Christmas Carols while song-specific lights appear along the hillside (example: Frosty the Snowman song has snowmen lit up on the hillside). Then, the train stops at "Grandpa's" house. A guy sitting in the freezing cold all night begins telling the Christmas Story (with accompanying light displays, of course). It's really neat, and Emma was even pretty quite during the whole thing. Sunday, we just ate breakfast, packed up and headed out of town. A very fun weekend getaway.
This Past Monday
Since my sister and her family were out of town during all of Emma's birthday celebrations, they had us over for a Birthday dinner.
This Coming Weekend
Friday night: Nestle Christmas party @ The Plaza restaraunt
Saturday afternoon: Blog Party!!! Come join the fun!
Saturday evening: The Chronicles of Narnia movie with Josh & Margo...I'm stoked.
Whew! All caught up!
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Published by John Nelson
on at 6:55 AM.
Thanksgiving
This year, Allison and I got to have Thanksgiving at our house. We recently got dining room furniture, so we were overly excited, too. Allison's parents came up from Little Rock and my Mom's mom from Fayetteville came and ate Thanksgiving lunch with us. It was really fun, and nice to not travel for the holidays. The food was great, and the conversation is always interesting when Granny Dill is around. All in all, a very great day.
Day After Thanksgiving
I put up Christmas lights on the house. This is the first Christmas in our new house, so I wasn't sure how decked out the neighbors would be. I felt like I would be at least in the running for most lights. Man...I was wrong! I should have learned from Halloween that our neighbors go ALL out...and by all out, I mean 40/29 came to film the houses to use on the air. So, my house looks super classy in comparison, which is fine with me. I just happen to live next to 4 Grizwolds.
We have a family ritual every year on the day after Thanksgiving. Usually, we go with my sister's family to the Fayetteville Square to eat at Tiny Tim's Pizza and see the lights. However, Amy & Sam were in Colorado during this time. Sam was speaking at a family camp all week, and the fam went with him. So, in lieu of the Hannon's, we went with Allison's parents, her sister, and her sister's new husband. We had a great time! Very cold outside, but still good. Emma REALLY liked the lights this year and was just pointing at everything. We missed the Hannon's, but the Shells were pretty fun, too.
Saturday After Thanksgiving
We celebrated Emma's 2 Year birthday with just my parents, Allison's parents, and her sister. It was really fun. Emma scored a lot of Dora stuff (she's a HUGE fan), and a Cozy Coupe car with a stand alone gas pump. She spends a ridiculous amount of time in that car now. She even takes her snacks and eats them in the car! Her Dora doll dances and sings, so she's been dancing around the living room with Dora ringing in our ears. It's cute.
Last Weekend
This past weekend, we went to Branson with our friends Aaron & Allyn Elleman (say THAT 3 times really fast...it's almost impossible). 3 Kids and 4 adults...it was a lively weekend! Friday night, we got to the condo and put the kids to bed, then the adults played a TV Show board game, at which Allison and I got totally destroyed. Probably because Aaron is 5 years older than everyone else. The dude grew up watching the old stuff. We all had to catch it on Nick at Nite reruns when we were 4. The next day, we went to shop a bit and the ludicrously crowded outlet malls. Around the kids' naptime, Aaron and I took the kids back to the condo to sleep while the girls kept shopping. Aaron and I sat on the couches and watched football. After naptime, we loaded the kids up and went to Silver Dollar City to see their Christmas lights. over 350 miles worth of lights...it's really cool. We rode the big Christmas Train, which the kids loved...especially Emma who has an unhealthy fascination with Trains. You ride the train around and sing Christmas Carols while song-specific lights appear along the hillside (example: Frosty the Snowman song has snowmen lit up on the hillside). Then, the train stops at "Grandpa's" house. A guy sitting in the freezing cold all night begins telling the Christmas Story (with accompanying light displays, of course). It's really neat, and Emma was even pretty quite during the whole thing. Sunday, we just ate breakfast, packed up and headed out of town. A very fun weekend getaway.
This Past Monday
Since my sister and her family were out of town during all of Emma's birthday celebrations, they had us over for a Birthday dinner.
This Coming Weekend
Friday night: Nestle Christmas party @ The Plaza restaraunt
Saturday afternoon: Blog Party!!! Come join the fun!
Saturday evening: The Chronicles of Narnia movie with Josh & Margo...I'm stoked.
Whew! All caught up!
Today is Emma's 2nd birthday. It's very cliche, but it truly is amazing how fast time goes by. You've been such an amazing blessing in mine and Allison's life. We love you very much!
