Deep thoughts…

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*random pictures will be interspersed throughout this most random of posts.  Consider yourselves forewarned…

When I was a kid, I thought for sure the term “Jay Walker” meant someone who walked across the street naked.  I think that stream of thought stemmed from the phrase “Nekkid as a Jay Bird,” which, being from a good southern family, I heard frequently.  But I remember vividly being told once that I was jay walking and getting quite upset because I was fully dressed. 

Sadly, I think I was 11 or 12 before I learned what jay walking really meant. 

As we walked into church last night, Sloan walked outside the pedestrian walkway.  “Hey everybody – look at me!” he called.  “I’m a Jay Walker!”

I blushed.  Because for some reason when I hear that term I can’t get the image of a defiant streaker crossing the street out of my head.

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Sadly, I am already over the great winter of 2011.  Highs of 20 with wind chills in the single digits?  Over it.  Snow and ice?  Over it.  Frostbite after walking from my car to the back door?  Over it.

Lee told me yesterday that he was convicted about his attitude toward winter.  Well that makes one of us.  I suppose I should try to have a better attitude about these frigid months.  I mean, it’s not like I can do anything about it.  It is what it is and I might as well find the silver lining so here it is:

The Clementines are amazing right now.  They are fresh and sweet and…

Ah, forget it.  Sorry, but I can’t find a single redeeming quality to winter.  Bah Humbug.

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Today I will go to a music practice to prepare for an upcoming event that I’m singing at and I’m more than a little bit excited about it.  Every year our church puts on a Girl’s Formal for the senior high girls.  They provide beautiful dresses for the girls and have people come in to do their hair and make up.  After everyone is sufficiently pampered and Princess-ified, the senior high boys escort the girls into the activity center where they are served a meal by candlelight.  For the evening the girls are treated like royalty and are reminded that they are special and beautiful and cherished and loved.  It’s such a sweet event and its something I wish I could have attended back when I was an angsty teenager…

This year’s dinner theme is set in World War II so they asked for a live band to play some of the classic standards from greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and so on…We will be singing songs like Ain’t Misbehaivin’, Blue Skies, Paper Moon and the ever amazing Georgia on my Mind.

Now I can’t skat like Queen Ella – I don’t even think I’ll try so as not to embarrass myself.  I’m supposed to be background music, not the elephant in the room.  But other than that, putting these songs together has been a dream come true and the fact that I get to sing them at such a unique event is even more fun.

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I need a tan.  I need the sun to kiss my cheeks and mask the bags under my eyes.

That is all.

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We’re about a quarter of the way through our massive jar of heaven Nutella.  We are finding many wonderful uses for Nutella, but none of them compete with the classic snack: Nutella on plain, white bread.  I ate a slice at 10:00 last night.  I can’t say I feel great about that decision but whatever…I took up running, again, so it’s all good.

Right?

Okay, there’s really no justification for eating a chocolate covered piece of bread right before bed.

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I’m off to face another frigid day.  I believe the high is supposed to be 24 today, which is better than yesterday’s high of 19.  See?  Look at me being all positive and finding the silver lining.

So much for global warming, eh?

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The one with all the Christmas photos

It was an idyllic Christmas in the Stuart home, complete with a winter wonderland outside.  We enjoyed a long, relaxing weekend and are now all refreshed, rejuvinated and…well, the kids are already tired of each other as evidenced by the fact that they’ve been sent to different rooms and it’s only 7:45.

Whatcha gonna do?

By order of the decree of Mom Bloggers United, I am contractually obligated to share a few Christmas photos with you.  If I don’t, I could be voted off the island.  We wouldn’t want that to happen now, would we?  And so, without further ado, I give you Christmas 2010.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

When did this child turn into a little girl?!

When did this child turn into a little girl?!

A rare moment

A rare moment

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Santa came and left behind a new bike for Sloan (which he declared was tubular!), a CD player for Tia and a Jessie doll for Landon to complete his set of Toy Story toys.  Santa ate most of the cookies (they left him a plate-full for cryin’ out loud) and he apparently tripped over the fireplace grate.  But all in all, Santa did a magnificent job this year.

Landon's baseball helmut, which has hardly left his head since Christmas morning. He looks like the Jack in the Box kid running around here.

Landon's baseball helmet, which has hardly left his head since Christmas morning. He looks like the Jack in the Box kid running around here.

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If any of you have school age boys and you don’t have Snap Circuits, I highly recommend them.  They’re great!  It teaches the kids about energy and electricity while letting them build and create.  If the circuits are snapped together correctly they can make a fan blow, a whistle ring or a song play.  It’s seriously hours of fun.  I’m so glad we invested in these. (Hint: You can get them at Hobby Lobby.  Print off their 40% off coupon online and you get them for much cheaper.)

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Tia received her first American Girl doll, which is apparently a rite of passage for little girls these days.  I’m just old enough to have missed the American Girl phase.  When I was a kid it was Cabbage Patch dolls.  I gotta say…these dolls are cooler.  Tia got Kit and she came with purple glasses and a set of matching pajamas.

I wasn’t sure how my tomboy of a daughter would react.  Would she like it?  Would she cast it aside? 

She loves this doll.  It has brought out the girly girl inside her.  I kind of love it.

All in all, it was a wonderful day for everyone.  We didn’t go overboard on gifts, which means the kids only got things they really wanted.  My parents bought us a rockin’ new video camera, which I’m thrilled about because we’ve had our old camera for ten years, which means in video camera years it was, like, 429.  It wasn’t even worth it for me to drag it out most of the time.

But the piece de resistance, the creme de la creme, came about mid morning when my parents gave us the most creative gift I believe we’ve ever received.

Do you hear the angels singing?

Do you hear the angels singing?

When we were in Italy, Lee and I passed several Gelateria’s with these huge cans of Nutella in the window.  We commented more than once how we wished we could bring one of those home.  We never mentioned that to my mom, but somehow she managed to track down a shop in New Jersey that sold these 12 pound jars of heaven.

60,000 calories.

My New Years resolution to lose 10 pounds is going to be a little bit tricky…

While Christmas was easy and happy for us, our sister-in-law, Becke’, and her family had a traumatic and terrifying Christmas.  Her younger brother, on his way to her parents house for Christmas morning, hit a patch of ice on a bridge and rolled several times.  He ended up with a shattered femur, a broken wrist and some serious head injuries.

They almost lost him.

Thankfully, he will ultimately be okay, but he is in for some grueling months of rehab.  This accident came as they near the third anniversary of Becke’s younger sister Kiley’s death.  Needless to say, Christmas was not as idyllic for that precious family.  Would you join me in praying for them?  Particularly her brother Kirby.

Follow Becke’s blog for updates and specific prayer requests.  And to be blessed.  Becke has a heart for the Lord and a gift with words.  You will be blessed by her blog.

There.  I have officially fulfilled my Mom Bloggers United obligation.  I can keep my member card for one more year.  Phew.  Merry after Christmas everyone!