A very merry Christmas

Four weeks ago, I spent a lot of Thanksgiving trying to cook. It was no easy task for me, and I never would have been able to do it without my mother. I had a hard time following recipes and there were a few dishes I make all the time that I had a really hard time remembering how to cook. I was very stressed out and really needed a lot of help. Now here it is twenty five days later. Except for the dessert and the Honey-baked ham that was already prepared, I cooked the whole Christmas feast, which involved most of same food as Thanksgiving. So when people ask me how I'm doing, I can legitimately say, MUCH BETTER!

Cameron was up EARLY this morning. Melvin told him he couldn't wake us up before 6:00. But that didn't stop him from getting up or from waking up his brother. Cam came down stairs and to take up time, starting writing notes on slips of paper and posting them around the room to direct each person where their gifts were located. Max was very excited to open his gifts and he didn't even complain that someone got something he wanted. However, he did spend a lot of the day playing with Ella's big gift. Once she finally "woke up," was out of her tired funk, and put a smile on her face, she started opening her gifts and had a lot of fun.

Overall it was a really good day. But now I'm very tired, and really ready to sleep.

Matthew 2

The NativityBible Story

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Hustle and bustle

Yawn!!!!!!!!!!! These days right before Christmas sure are tiring. This morning, I had so much to do, but Ella decided to wake me me up at 4:00 AM. Usually she just goes back to sleep if I put her in my bed. But today she decided to roll around all over me for a couple hours until we finally went down to the couch to sleep and then she informed me that the sky was pink and not dark, so it was time to get up.

This was not the day for me to be so exhausted. All I wanted to do was go back to bed. So that I wouldn't, as soon as I made sure Cameron was on the bus, the only thing I did to get ready to go out was brush my teeth and put on a pair of jeans. I didn't wash my face, put on make up, or even change the fleece sweatshirt I slept in. I was looking pretty bad as I wandered through the mall trying to pick up all the gifts I waited to buy at the last minute. But I must say, I didn't care one bit. And the only people who sorta snubbed me were those working at Hollister.

Cameron was funny tonight. He kept wanting me to open one of his gifts. I kept telling him I was going to wait until Christmas. Finally he was bugging me enough that I gave in. When he gave me the gift, he was laughing. I opened what I could tell was a book, to discover a an old "teaching" book of mine. Cameron wrapped up the book somewhat as a joke, but what he doesn't know, is that it really meant something to me. Because I miss teaching. I was especially missing it this evening because I had just read some Christmas letters from some former colleagues of mine. But there will be time for teaching, when I'm healed, and my kids are all back in school.

Here's a picture one morning of Cameron doing a "Reading Lesson" with Max. I used the same book (How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" to teach Cam how to read, and although Max and I have gotten a late start, he's progressing nicely.

John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

A couple more days

I had another good weekend. Everything seems to be improving little by little, except for some areas of numbness on different areas of my body. Along with my healing, I'm praying for restored feeling. I also find myself becoming tired more often...needing to nap during the day.

It was a COLD weekend here. We're talking below zero temps, and negative 20 with the windchill. One of my neighbors shoveled my driveway...I said he was an angel, but another neighbor was more precise when calling him Sainted!

I'm happy to say that I have no appointments until Friday of this week. I have some relatives coming into town so food shopping is on my "to do" list.....along with all my other last-minute Christmas things I need to do.



My littlest "MONSTER" wearing black fangs and some kid legwarmers that another breast cancer survivor sent me.

A nice knitter, a fat face, and some cute kids

A really nice lady who reads my blog RuthieJ knitted me some very beautiful, comfortable and warm hats. Perfect for this Minnesota weather! I was just going to post a picture of the hats, because I HATE the way I look right now. Of course I have no hair, the steroids make my face fat and and my eyes puffy as well. But you know what, there's nothing I can do about it. It's just the way things are going to be right now, so I'm finding myself just learning to be okay with it.
Now for some cuter pictures. Here's a rare moment of Ella actually smiling for the camera. She was so excited when she woke up from her nap and saw the tree...you'd think it was Christmas morning already she just couldn't stop smiling. We don't have one of those "department store" Christmas trees where all the ornaments match. But the kids and I, and Cameron especially, like to look at the different ornaments that they made over the year. He and Max also play "I Spy" with the ornaments on the tree.

Max wanted to be like his big brother and see how high he could climb the ladder when putting up the ornaments.

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Depart from evil and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psalms 34:14

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Despite the usual rocky begining, today turned out to be another pretty good day. No matter how much I want to just lie down in bed and do nothing sometimes, I must force myself to get up and do something...going somewhere helps.

Today my husband and I went to get a family portrait framed, and most of the rest of the day was filled with getting all our Christmas stuff out and together. I've always been the one in charge of the Christmas tree....especially the lights. Because of my weakness, I was not able to do my usual job. But my Dad is the light master as well...and the tree looks great with the lights (although we have a LOT of ornaments to "rearrange" from the kids' creative placement). My mom helped get the rest of the house decorated, and Melvin made sure the kids had fun hanging the ornaments on the tree.

To be completely honest, I was wanting to skip Christmas this year. Now obviously I wouldn't, and couldn't...not with 3 kids. But I just felt overwhelmed and anxious about it all....but I feel much better now that my family helped bring the Christmas spirit all through my home.

Besides the usual prayer request for healing, I ask that you pray for Ella as well. She had a fever yesterday and still has one tonight.


Proverbs 17:22 A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing.

The unwrapping

Christmas morning is always fun when you have a household of kids. They each approached their wrapped mountain in a different way.

Cameron tried to begin his day at 12:30 AM. Melvin and I were still both up doing the usual last minute gift wrapping and toy assembly. All the lights were on, so Cameron assumed it was morning. He came bounding down the stairs, “Merry Christmas guys!” We quickly sent him back up. At about 6:30 AM he came to our room and woke us up for the day. Cameron took awhile to open his presents because he wanted to see what his brother and sister were getting as well, and with each present that he opened, he would express such excitement and tell us how much he wanted it.

Ella didn’t run right to her pile, but when given a gift, she joyfully ripped open the paper. Then she would immediately hand me the opened gift and whine, “Open it! Open it!” because she wanted to play with whatever was inside immediately.

Max was very interested in the opening of the presents, but not the presents themselves. In about five minutes he was done with his heap of gifts and then kept saying, “I want more presents! I want more presents!”

The rest of the day involved playing video games on Cameron’s part and playing with all of Ella’s toys on Max and Ella’s part. Max’s pile remained fairly untouched. I’m working on putting the SmartCycle together.,…but I’m not sure if I’m smart enough (ha ha).

So what if it's a lie.

Cameron apparently is too cool for Santa.

Ella wants nothing to do with the scary-looking man.

But Max, he’s all about the jolly white-bearded guy from the North Pole.

And somehow he’s quite aware of the ramifications of being on the naughty or the nice list.

If I even say that he’s acting naughty, the first words out of his mouth are, “But I want Santa to bring me presents!”

Today, I didn’t even need to say the word naughty; he knew that when he was screaming and spinning around when we were waiting for a table at restaurant that he was not on good behavior. All I had to do was look at him cross, and he flashed those big eyes at me and started whining, “But I WANT Santa to bring me presents.”

This morning was the best. We were eating breakfast at the buffet in the resort where we were staying and Santa was sitting right outside of the eating area, just waiting for little kids to come by. He had a clear view of Max. During breakfast, Max was a very good boy, and remarked about his own good behavior quite often during his morning feast.

I figure I have maybe one more season to tap into this Santa thing with Max…oh and you bet I’m going to milk it for all it’s worth!

A brief exchange

I love everything about Christmas….especially Christmas decorations. I love to see everyone’s houses lit up and all the special holiday displays in and outside of the house. Tonight I even took the kids on a tour of some of the extravagantly lit houses in the area.

But sometimes there’s this pressure to have everything look too perfect.

So when my Mom’s Spiritual Spa small group decided to do an ornament exchange, I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and see who could have the WORST wrapping of their ornament.

I really thought that with my ornament adorned in a diaper and duct tape, I would win.

However, my British friend Libby wrapped hers in a panty liner box.

I think the vote was unanimous. Those darn Europeans…have they no modesty!

Jingle Bells all over the place.

A preschool Christmas program:

It doesn't get much cuter than that!

Ho, Ho, Hmmmmm....

Yesterday we were invited to a neighborhood Christmas party where Santa showed up. After reading a story to the kids and taking photos with each of them, he handed out gifts that we parents provided.

As toy after toy was opened, I began to get a little worried about what was in Santa’s bag for Cameron (who by the way remained on good behavior about the Santa issue, even taking a front and center seat to play along with the big guy). I had wrapped him up a book. I thought that maybe he’d be disappointed in his present compared to all the other kids.

But when he unwrapped his non-toy, he was so excited, and immediately ran to his friend Patrick to show him what he got. Then the two sat down and actually started reading it together!

Gotta love that Junie B!

The truth is...

Last year Cameron's friend British Ben told him about the truth...or should we say lie...of Santa Claus. I was totally fine with that because in all honesty, he was asking a lot of questions, and I didn't really like making up lies to try to keep the legend going.



I've explained to him that he is not to tell other kids. It's up to their parents to tell them, and it's especially not fair, and quite wrong, of him to take away the fun of Santa for the little kids.


I've been nice about it, stern about it, threatened punishments, etc.


However, Cameron, in all his 6 year old wisdom, thinks it is his duty to inform everyone about Santa's actual status.


So I will just apologize now to anyone who feels my son has ruined Christmas for their children. And I would not be offended at all if you choose to keep your kids away from my little informant, at least until the Christmas season has faded away for the year.