Do You Like Links? Hehe!

He went to Jarod! I HATE that commercial. It is on a lot, and since our T.V. is also, we have seen a lot of it. Apparently, Jarod is a local jeweler. I guess since the big holidays are here or approaching, the jewelers have to do their jobs in order to make their money. As I was growing up, I dreamed someday of getting diamonds and other jewels from a man who loved me eternally and would always be just perfect! Hehehahaha! I have my jewels and I have the closest to perfect man that I could have ever dreamed of, but as an adult, of course my ideals have changed. With every diamond jewelry advertisement I see lately, I feel so sorry for the men of the world and for my boys as they grow up. What pressure! What false hope! If you give her the perfect diamonds, that makes you the perfect man and your lives will be truly perfect forever! Please my young boys that are so innocent and loving: Do NOT fall for it!! These days what makes my heart melt are the perfect hug after a long day and a long sniff of my husbands cheek as I kiss him. Forget jewelry, though my husband has not forgotten that, and just last Christmas I got two beautiful necklaces that I wear quite often. Let me watch him sit by the fireplace stirring a winter fire and turning the logs with his bare feet on the hardwood floors. Let me listen to him read to our children or hear him making silly dying noises as one of the boys shoots him with a blaster and declares that they will never turn to the "dark side." Let me unwrap kitchen wares and household items, please, please don't spend our money on jewelry! Hehehe. I never ever thought I'd see this day. Yet here I am. And I love this life, even on the long days, even on the hard days, even on the toughest days, please give me popcorn and a movie on the couch beside my husband before you ever think of giving me jewelry. There, got that out of my system.
So, we've been busy as always. And with busy comes stressed and then add the holidays and a pinch (ha, just a pinch!) of financial stress and the fact that we have a lot to do in order to put this house on the market, and you have one crazy life going on! I saw a book on the shelf of the library last week and I just couldn't resist: She's Gonna Blow! Real Help for Mom's Dealing with Anger. Well, wouldn't you know, I can totally relate to this lady! It's a down to earth book all about the frustrations of daily life, coupled with whatever haunts us from our past, adding up to volcanic eruptions coming down on our children. And, the best part is, there are practical, helpful solutions for dealing with the anger/frustrations! Woohoo! Warning to my secular and/or non-Christian friends: this book is written by a Christian woman and has a strong Christian perspective. It's not so strong that it would interfere with all the wisdom you can glean from it though! I've been changing the word Pray to Meditate (although I do pray, I just hate for anyone to tell me to, LOL!), and changing phrases like "Christian Woman/Mom" to "Loving Woman/Mom." It works for me. ;) I'm also attempting to read two other books, one is called Whole Child Whole Parent by Polly Berrien Berrends. This is more my style, it gets into Spirituality, and all the psycho-babble-type stuff that I'm really into. And the last is A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison. This book has been a great reminder that, for the most part, I am doing my homeschooling just as I set out to do it this year. (thanks for loaning it to me Jennifer!)
I've also been busy preparing to make Christmas gifts, gathering ideas, buying supplies. Can't really tell ya what I'm doing in here, cause I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's surprise! ;) A lot of it has nothing at all to do with yarn though. So far, I've gotten each of the boys a few of these: Bare Books, two of these BRAND NEW YOUNG ARTIST ART SET/CARRYING CASE*163 PIECES for only $3.88 each at A.C. Moore, this Tie Dye Swirl - Caron Latch Hook Kits Kits for Philip, a couple Pirates of the Caribbean puzzles, and I really, really hope to get some socks done for Tyler at least by his birthday. I still have to complete the first one of Ed's pair, plus I'm working on a scarf from this book I borrowed from the library, Not Your Mama's Knitting: The Cool and Creative Way to Pick Up Sticks. I've also made a hat for Ed, one for my Mom, another scarf, I'm in the process of completing a couple of these Lily: Pattern in exchange for a sitting fee for our first ever family pictures that will include Evan Andrew, at least outside fo the belly, hehe! :) We had a great time posing and being silly after we finally relaxed! You'll never see the first few pictures, of our hands clenched and our glued on smiles as we all tried to figure out just exactly how you're "supposed" to act and look for a photo shoot, haha!
Tyler is spending the night with a friend tonight, tomorrow will be Philip's turn with the same friend, and next week they will each spend a night, separately, with another friend. We though we'd have til May or June to do all the things they'd ever wanted to to with their Columbia Playgroup friends and our neighbors here, and now we'll only have 'till the end of February or beginning of March, and so we are cramming in some sleep overs, hehe. If I ever get my hiney to bed, I'll get to go grocery shopping tomorrow with only 2 kids, Yippee! Off to dreamland I go! 'Night, night!