Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Disneyland
Daddy played hooky and we went to Disneyland today..we had a great time! There weren't many people there, and it wasn't too cold...We had a great family day!
Colby & I checked out Santa's reindeer...you can kind of see one in the back on the right....While we checked out the reindeer, Jack & Daddy went on Big Thunder Mountain! At first Jack said he didn't like it, but then the rest of the day talked about how much he "wuved Big Funder Mountain!"
Santa & his reindeer were there today....When Colby sat down on Santa's lap, he looked at him for a few minutes...and then here in this picture, he is started to get his pouty lip out! The next picture (which I didn't put up here) he started to cry!!
The boys started holding hands while we were walking...so cute!! They have their moments :)
We got to ride on the Nemo Submarine ride finally! The line is usually 2-3 hours long..we waited about 50 minutes today (Daddy kept Colby entertained while Jack & I stood in line!)...The ride was super cool!
Colby LOVED the Nemo Submarine ride...He stared out the window and said "ooooooohh" to everything!
I like the back view...
Colby was acting so hyper and crazy while waiting for Nemo today...here he is on Daddy's shoulders, then leaning down to look him in the face! He was hamming it up for the people in line!
Play Group Christmas Party
We had our annual Christmas Play Group Party where we wear our jammies....Jackson & I had a great time together! Colby stayed home with Daddy this time...

Jack and Jack...That's my boy, doing his "homework" as he calls it :)
Jack's good friends Anthony & Mikey...
The Play Group moms in our jammies...
Colby Ryan Lately...
I am loving being home this month...Now, if I could find a way to get paid for this, I'd totally do it :) Here are some of my favorite shots of Colby lately.. He is just such a love! He's very much a Mama's Boy, which I love, and he loves to read books and pet Princeton...Jackson won't let me get many pictures of him, so he loses out on this posting :)
There are two places Colby loves to be this holiday season...The first is looking out his window at the lights out front...He just stares & talks to the lights!!
And the 2nd place is looking at the Christmas Village..He points up there, gives some sort of grunt, and I pick him up to look at it...He smiles and laughs the whole time! We do this about 5 times a day....
Here is Spaghetti Face...I have a whole series of this scene..too funny!!
This picture is so sweet to me!!!

House Lights...Good job Daddy :)
As promised, here are pictures of our house lights....I tried to get a few different views...


Fireplace Doors!!
Kaleb installed fireplace doors on our fireplace....We've hated the eye sore of the giant hole that our fireplace was...now it looks finished! Here is a view of it and our first fire this winter! It is so cold lately..I love it!

Here are the boys helping Daddy with the doors...Colby had just gotten out of a bath, so he was a naked helper :)

Friday, December 7, 2007

Reflections...
I usually use this blog as a diary to myself, of the daily life of my beautiful children. I guess today it has a different purpose. I love to write..journaling is a part of my life, and keeping records of life is so important to me. I suppose that is why I scrapbook and blog and journal....so that someday when I am gone, my boys will know how I felt. This coming Thursday, December 13th will be the fourth anniversary of my mom's death. Each year since she died, when December 1st hits, I have a hard time getting through the days until the 13th hits..This year has been different. I have been in constant reflection (which is normal for me), but not as sad as usual. I just read this fabulous book For One More Day by Mitch Albom (who wrote Tuesdays with Morrie), and was so moved by the book. It speaks about losing someone, and the possibility of getting one more day with that person..what you would say, do, etc.

One part of the book really hit me...it said, "I hope you never hear those words. Your mom has died." Of course I remember that moment when I was told that my mom had died...It is just a surreal thing. I know that I have so much sadness, anger, resentment, and loneliness in my heart, ever since she left this earth. She never got to meet my boys, or got to see ME as a mom. When I see my friends with their moms or talk about their moms and how their moms know and love their children, it just tugs at my heart every time. I wonder if they know how lucky they are? I know they can't possibly know...You don't know what it's like, until you know.

God has blessed me with this awesome role as mom. As all of us moms know, it's a daunting task. We love it, think we're doing a good job, and then feel like we're failing. I have realized these last few weeks, that the idea of dying drives most of what I do. I don't want my boys to feel the way I do--alone, only left with my memories of her. I realized that my excessive scrapbooks, are all about my boys having that when I'm gone. My journals that I started to each of them when I was pregnant, is all about them having my written word when I am gone. In the book, there were several notes that the main character's mom had written to him. My mom wrote me notes all the time growing up..putting them in my lunch pail, my Bible, etc. I wish I had saved more of those...When I come upon something in her handwriting, I just feel like I have a piece of her right next to me. I guess this obsession with leaving my legacy behind might be a bit strange...But I do hope that someday it will bring comfort to my boys...Of course they're boys, so who knows if it will be appreciated :)

One part of the book said, "Mom. I hadn't said it in so long. When death takes your mother, it steals that word forever." This is just so true for me. I will never use that word to address someone, because my mom is no longer here. The power of that word is just so strong--I know it because I can no longer use it, and I know it because I am two little boys' mom. I wish she were here to know these fantastic boys...She would have been a great grandma, just as she was the best mom I've ever met.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Dear Santa...
Jackson wrote his letter to Santa the other night...."Dear Santa, bike...socks...light bulb...Jack love." This is one to keep forever!
Jack starting his letter....
Very focused ...
Jack and his letter all done!