Five Question Friday

1. What's the oldest piece of clothing in your closet?
I'm wearing it as I type. It's an 13ish year old sweater that I bought in Washington DC. My high school choir took a trip to DC with the band when I was a sophomore or junior in High School. I picked it up at the National Mall. The poor thing is getting pretty ratty. The cuffs are starting to shred and have no elasticity at all.

2. How many random blog readers have you met?
None that I can think of but I like to read the comments that they leave. Sometimes I think only my family reads my blog.

3. Do you let your kids stay up till midnight on New Years Eve? (Or, if you don't have kiddos yet, did you get to stay up until midnight as a child?)
Not this year, he wouldn't make it even if we tried being only 11 months.

I remember being allowed to stay up until midnight as a child. I remember being very excited but having a hard time staying up.

4. What are the gas prices where you live?
Last I looked they were at $3.25.

5. What is one resolution that you know you should do but are too afraid to try?
Lose some weight. It's not that I'm afraid to try, it's just that I've tried and failed in the past so often I don't want to try and be disappointed again.

Christmas Part Two

Went to my in-laws yesterday for Christmas with that side of the family. We had a great time and loved being together with our family. Patrick finished opening his presents; a cute outfit for later this year, play food and pots for his kitchen, and money for his college fund. We are very appreciative for the money for his college. He enjoyed chasing his cousin around the house. They were even wrestling together.

We had a very good lunch with Mary's side and then Ron's side came over that evening. They hadn't seen Patrick since February or March and were so thrilled to see him walking and talking. He's very quick as we learned when Patrick pulled a hot cup of cider off the table onto himself. Praise God, Grandma Mary was quick and go him under cold water very quickly. He wasn't burned but we all go a good scare out of it.

Wordless Wednesday

First Christmas

What a busy holiday weekend. I'm glad it is over, but happy it went so well. We went to my parent's house on Saturday morning. Didn't do much that afternoon, just spent time with family and enjoyed the wonderful break from our normal lives. The whole family went to Christmas Eve Service at my parents church in De Forest. It was so nice for the whole family to worship together. Patrick was enthralled with the candles. Afterwards, we ate dinner and then opened our Christmas presents.

Patrick waiting for gifts with daddy.

Opening presents was a little crazy. In my family we always open one present at a time starting with the youngest. Well, Patrick didn't seem to care about opening the presents and Jonathan wouldn't stop opening presents. Once his first present was open, Patrick only wanted to look at and play with the puzzle.

After all the presents were opened the little boys went to bed. On Christmas Day, we joined my parents for church before heading to FDL for Christmas with Michael's side. Grandma and Grandpa F came for dinner along with cousin Becca. Afterwards Patrick opened a few presents from them. He loved the "Band in a Box" that he received. The maracas are his favorite.

We finally got home in time to open presents from each other and to watch the Packers play. Patrick got a toaster and blender for his play kitchen. Michael received a bluetooth speaker and I received two charms for my bracelet, both for our honeymoon; Rome and Vatican City.

Overall a great Christmas and we still have one more day on Wednesday.

Merry Christmas

Skipping five question Friday this week and I'm just going to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Going to my parents tomorrow and in-laws on Sunday. Pictures of Patrick's first Christmas will follow on Monday. Have a happy, healthy, and wonderful Christmas weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

11 Months Old and the Count Down Begins

Patrick is 11 months old today. It's hard to believe he will be a year old in one month. The little stinker is so active sometimes I forget he isn't a year yet. He has learned to climb and I'm constantly pulling him off of things in the house, moving things higher on the selves, and trying to keep any thing hard off the floor. I don't want him falling and landing on it. So far I've found him on top of the boxes by the kitchen counter, the cooler by the book shelves, on top of chair and now also the table.

He is getting into everything, or at least trying. We've put locks on different drawers in the house and every once and a while I have to pull his hand out. He's gotten it stuck in the drawers a few times trying to open it. Patrick has been walking for two months now. He's getting very fast and I've started letting him walk to the car sometimes. He doesn't do to bad. Usually he goes to the grass and then get distracted.

I'm excited for Patrick first Christmas in a week. He will be so much fun to watch as he opens presents and visits with family. Then it's only a few short weeks until his birthday.

Two Videos of My Little Athlete

The first video, I believe, is normal behavior for a 11 months old, but the second??

Patrick playing hide-and-seek in his closet.


Patrick climbing on the table to get at the computer.

Five Question Friday

1. What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?

Three years ago, Michael bought me a globe. It looks antiqueish . . . tans instead of blue for the ocean. It also has a wooden base instead of metal. I've been wanting one for a long time and had mentioned it once when we were watching a movie that had one like the one I wanted in it. I was very surprised.

2. Worst/Funniest White Elephant gift ever received?

Last year Michael got a pair of boxers with a fish on it that said "Mighty Minnow". We laughed so hard. We passed them on to my brother in his stocking.

3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)?

Pretty plain and simple. I prefer white lights over colored. Our ornaments are plain red and gold.

4. "How" do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board way, the shower, back in the dryer, etc.

Iron, what is that. I don't iron very often, but when I do I use and iron and ironing board. Usually this is when I'm sewing.

5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your "must make" items? (I'm looking for recipes here, peeps...)

Well, so far this year I've make a gingerbread house, gingerbread men, Chinese chews, and peanut butter cookie cups. My favorite thing to bake that I haven't made yet is the "Eggnog Trifle Cake."

Basically you make a custard with eggnog, vanilla pudding, and gelatine. This is poured into a crust made from pound cake that has been slices and filled with raspberry jam and then layered on the bottom and sides of the pan.

Confessions of a Guilty Soul

Ever since going on maternity leave, back in January, I've had a hard time tithing to our church. The first couple of weeks was understandable since I didn't go to church. I stayed home to keep Patrick from catching any illness the first couple of weeks, doctor's orders. Then once I started going back to church I was out of the habit and forgot. During the summer we were not there very often due to family-get-togethers. Now that fall is here and I'm at church almost ever Sunday, I've got no reasons not to tithe, not that the above is any reason not to tithe.

I've been struggling with tithing for one main reason; money is very tight now that I'm staying at home. Having one little boy to watch is helping, but I could really use another child to watch full time. We need all the money Michael earns to pay the bills. Once the busy season is over, there will probably be no more overtime, and Michael switches back to day shift, which pays less, and we will really need the extra money that I should be tithing.

But God asks us to give to our church and pastors. "Even the oxen are allowed to eat while they tread." 1st Corinthians 9:9 (Kimberly paraphrase). We, the body of Christ, need to pay our pastors and God asks us to tithe in order for this reason. So, my ever worry prone mind says don't tithe you need the money, but my heart and conscience says pay tithe. God will provide for his children and so I must tithe. There will be not peace for me until I do.

Patrick Teaches Daddy Bedtime

Michael had Patrick all evening tonight while I went out to a friend's house for dinner and a movie. I knew that they would be fine since Michael and Patrick were going to visit family in Fond du Lac. I just wasn't sure how bedtime would go since normally I'm the one who puts Patrick to bed. No fear because Patrick knows what to do.

They got home around 8, Patrick bed time. Michael let Patrick play a little longer. Then Patrick went into his bedroom to play. Michael followed him to check on him, and Patrick started to pat the rocking chair. Michael, knowing I read to him, sat down and read him some stories and then prayed with him. Once back on the floor, Patrick walked over to his crib and started to pat/pull on it. Michael put him in his crib and Patrick smiled at him and lay down to go to sleep.

Needless to say, Patrick has our routine down pat. What a smart little boy.

Five Question Friday

1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
My mom makes peanut butter cookies in a mini muffin pan with a Reece's Peanut butter cup in the center. They are soooo good.

2. What's your favorite holiday movie & why?
I love the Rankin and Bass claymation cartoons. These were the staple of my holiday watching as a child. I also really like The Muppets Christmas Carol.

3. Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you hadn't after they opened it?
Not yet, but I'm sure I will.

4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment?
Living room. I've got boxes of books everywhere as I'm selling a lot of them on Ebay.

5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays?
I drove from North Dakota to Wisconsin and then to Iowa. This was during College.

Wordless Wednesday

Five Question Friday

1. What is your favorite Christmas decoration in your house?
The nativity that I bought while in Macedonia. I've seen a lot of different nativities that people own and often more than one person has the same one. Not with this one; I had to bring it back in my carry-on to make sure it didn't break. Nobody has one like mine.

2. Do you finish your Christmas shopping early or are you a last minute type?
Early. I like to have them all wrapped and under the tree to look out. Plus it makes Christmas more enjoyable for me.

3. When do you turn on your heat?
When I get cold. Thankfully, we live in an apartment, so heat is ready pretty early.

4. Do you ever wish your blog was private?
No, I don't write about things that I wouldn't want other people to read.

5. Do you put your deodorant on before of after you put on your shirt?
Usually after to avoid stains on my shirt.

For Once I'm On Top Of Things

It's December 1st and I've addressed, stamped, and mailed out our Christmas cards. Nothing to fancy, just one of those picture cards. Our family took a picture at my in-laws home when we got together for Thanksgiving last weekend. Patrick wasn't to cooperative, but we go a decent one for the card. I only need to buy a gift for Michael and then my Christmas shopping will be done as well. Not sure how Michael is doing with this since he is working nights.

Here's our picture