little snipits of our Christmas

Making Chocolates

Singing at a retirement community

Singing at the Hospital

Making Gingerbread Houses

Going to school Holiday Parties and Plays. Elle was "Dandy Candy" in her play

This was at Elle's party. Notice the three of them enjoying all the yummy treats

20 min later at Ava's party, once again enjoying all the treats!!

Ava's heart is broken because someone laughed at her when she was playing musical chairs....who was laughing at her? Her sisters....naughty!

Dad, just being Dad

Christmas Eve dinner!!

Our traditional meal of Cornish Hen and Raspberry sauce, Cranberry sausage stuffing, wild rice and maple glazed carrots.

The Nativity....they did a great job acting it out

New PJ's on Christmas Eve

Christmas morning waiting patiently for mom and dad to wake up and give them the green light to descend.

It was a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Merry Christmas!

Chloe did her own arrangement of "Angels We Have Heard on High". We hope you have a Merry Christmas!!

I bleed brown

I am convinced that right now if I were to cut my finger I would bleed chocolate. I have eaten more sugar and chocolate than any human should legally consume and Christmas hasn't even started. I am in trouble!

Friends

Today I have had a little pain in my heart. Even though we all know growing up is hard, I think it is harder to be a mom and watch your kids grow up. When they hurt, we hurt more. As a young girl I had my share of friendship struggles and hurts. There comes a point in your life when friends are everything and when those friendships aren't so good, it makes life difficult.

Chloe didn't have many good friends in Elementary school. For some reason she was shunned so she focused on her school work and I kept telling her to be kind to everyone despite her hurts. Middle school has been great. The past 3 years she has fostered some good friendships but there are always bad ones in the mix. Olivia on the other hand had great friends in elementary school but has struggled this year (middle school is a whole new thing). The weekends come and go and all her friends (I say that loosly) will get together for sleepovers and movies and she will not be invited. Everytime I see my girls sad, my heart aches. I think it is way harder to be on the parent end of all this.

So last night Chloe had arranged for a friend to come over. Last min this friend invited another friend to come along......no big deal until.....the two of them went over to the first friends house, called Chloe and said they couldn't come anymore and the two of them hung out and had fun together and didn't invite Chloe. She was sad, and so was I. A couple of days ago I asked Elle how school is going? She is my ever stalwart non drama girl. She just shrugged and said "Ok" so I enquired further until she broke down in tears and told of how she introduced her friend to another girl and now those two are best friends and leave her out. Then tonight Olivia got in the car when I picked her up from school and was sad because all her friends meet after school and walk out together but lately they have started leaving her to walk alone.

This blog is my journal and my girls will read it and one day their daughters will read it (oh no maybe I should delete the post about me wanting to steal homeless people's food :) ) So Here is what I want to say.

I know why we are here on this earth and though I ache with you, I know it is ok. We are not here to be cute, rich, have nice clothes, or be popular. We are here to grow and develop into the best human beings that we can possibly be and our Heavenly Father is orchestrating things to help us get there. Often our greatest growth will come from our greatest trials. You will be more compassionate because you have been left out, you will be more loving because you know the hurt and you will draw closer to your Heavenly Father as you plead with him for help and understanding. As your mother I don't care if you have, or are, all the things that the world will tell you have value. I do deeply care if you are kind, full of faith, optimism and love for others. Dad and I will be here to hold your hand through all the hurts and your Heavenly Father hears every prayer. You are in good hands!

Shameless Plug

I know that many blogs endlessly brag on their children. It bothers some, but I love it because what is more important than family? With so many uncared for children in the world what is better than mothers who love and feel pride in their children? Yes I am often one of those people but there is nothing else that brings me so much happiness and fulfillment. I am often bursting with joy as I watch my girls move forward in their life and accomplish things that amaze me. Well as most of you know my girls love to write music. So the other day they put one of their songs, that they went to a local studio to record, with pictures. A friend of ours asked us to post it. I love it and hope you will indulge a mothers pride. I love the song and I think they sang it well. The lyrics to me are well beyond a 12 year old (age she was when she wrote it). Also a shout out to my dear friend Lissa Hatcher who took all but 2 of the pictures. http://www.lissahatcher.com/.

Today I wanted to steal from the needy and homeless

This is twice in one week that I have horrified myself.

I spent the morning at the hope center organizing food donations. I made one huge mistake......I had a busy morning and I arrived having eaten nothing all day. I was hungry, very hungry. It began just fine. Sorting canned goods, you know green beans and corn and I was just fine. Anything expired goes to the side to be thrown away. It was the moment I had to sort the cake and muffin mixes that I started to feel weak. Orange cranberry, blueberry, chocolate chunk. I began having evil thoughts like "Oh my gosh I would love to go home and make Orange cranberry muffins, really do the homeless even have ovens? I don't think so! I know there are needy families with ovens but c'mon....Orange cranberry muffins are a luxury, even at my house."

I would have a few of these thoughts and then in shock reign myself in and self loath for a few minutes until the cookies and granola bars needed to be sorted. I found myself looking at expiration dates and praying for something, anything that was 2008 and too far gone to stock on a shelf. I was then struggling with the dilemma, do I just open it up and eat it here? In front of everyone? Will I need to explain that it is expired and going to be thrown out anyway? Will they see me as George Costanza in Seinfeld who found the eclair in the trash and ate it anyway. Really who hasn't eaten something expired? But would all that explaining make me look like a crazy, hungry lady. I was losing it. The hours ticked by and I tried to work on only canned spinach or other things that looked revolting but then I had to sort the chocolate and candy. I found myself justifying my awful thoughts by wondering at the fact that needy people were being given chocolate.  Who is donating chocolates? Belgian chocolates imported from Europe? The only reason someone would donate something yummy like that is if it was expired, yes I am sure it is expired. Dang 2009.

I am home now, had lunch and am again in my right mind and horrified by the secret thoughts of the morning, that are secret no more. This is my way of doing penance for my evil ways.

I have now confessed. :)

Rituals

At this time of year we think so often of traditions, these things that we do to keep our families close and our happy memories strong. Tonight I have been thinking about something just as important to me......daily rituals. These are the things we do each day that solidify our connections to each other. The kiss each day as the girls head out the door. The sweet visits as I pick them up from school....."give me the scoop, how did your day go?". The back scratches when sitting on the couch together. The way we play with each others hair if we are within touching distance and most important, the way we sing at the top of our lungs in the car when driving together and everyone chooses a harmony or part and we make it our own. The other day I was picking Chloe up and she looked mortified as I drove up. When she got in the car she huffed...."Mom, turn down the music, it is so loud I could hear it from the door of my school. How creepy that all my friends think my mom is rocking out". Ha ha!

The way that Ava is always announcing to me that Dad kissed her today and she thinks that she is going to marry him so we go back and forth arguing about who Daddy loves the best....I always win of course but whenever he kisses her she always glances sideways to make sure I am watching and gives me a smug look as she walks away. These are just simple things we repetitively do everyday without much thought but are so vital to our well being. Even the frustrations and annoyances and the way we deal with each other.......eyes rolling.."Oh MOM!!" These are even tender to me because they are part of our growth and learning.

Night time rituals are especially tender. Ava and Elle are so funny the way they love to pray with us each night. They always choose what way they will pray, there is the hugging prayer (they face me and we hug as they pray), the kneeling prayer(this is the standard) and the on the back prayer(this is where I kneel and they climb on my back and hug me around the neck. I don't know how this got started but I love it each night. Then stories and kisses.

I love the rituals that Chris and I have, those tender things we do over and over that are often simple and repetitive but deeply vital to our well being and connectedness.

Chris: "I love you"

Gale: "I love you more"

Chris: "NO, I love you way more"

Gale: "No I am sure that I love you more than that"

Why do we keep repeating these silly actions and conversations? Isn't it already solidified in our minds what is going to happen and what we feel. Yes, but we go through our ritual again and again and again. I LOVE it because it reminds me that some things are absolute and will always be there for me.

Traditions are absolutely wonderful but rituals to me are everything.

The mom ponytail

The Holiday Store finished up today. It was such a great week and a huge thanks to my friends who were so helpful.

I am horrified by 2 things that happened this week; first I was asked to sing at an event on Thursday night, why I said yes to anything the week of the H S is just crazy but it took until Thursday at 5:15 pm (the event starting at 6:30) for me to realize that it just wasn't going to happen. If I am ever asked to do something I will go to the ends of the earth to follow through but I just could not see my way through the clouds and had to make that awful call at the last min to bail. I am truly horrified but that night I didn't even get home until almost midnight. Julie, if you read this I apologize again, and again, and again!!

Second horrific; today I got up, showered, blow dried my hair and headed out to a busy day at the school, upon arrival someone said something that horrified me. This person is someone I have known for 2 years. She worked with me on the holiday store last year and our daughters are best friends. We see each other, not often, but frequently. I walked in and upon seeing me she had a look of surprise, then said this, "Gale your hair is down!". I wrinkled my brow and squinted my eyes suspiciously...."yes, my hair is down?" Why was she saying that to me? Then this....."Oh, I have just NEVER seen you with our hair down, it is always in a ponytail, it looks good you should do that more often." You are kidding??? I can't believe that this woman who I have seen so many times over the past 2 years has only seen me with the "mom ponytail". I am seriously sick about this because I know that I am guilty. How many times I wake up and take care of my kids only to realize that we are running late so my hair goes in the easy up. Horrific, and I am changing my ways today!

Here are some pics of week!

Ava wrapped a million presents. She was the best helper!!

Ava worked with me every day and the days were long for her. So when she got bored this is what she did. Took random pictures.

She also was thrilled to get to eat lunch in the big girl cafeteria with her sister every day!!

Is it better to give than receive?

Giving is the the greatest thing we can do and it brings rewards beyond our expectatations. When I was young I anticipated my family and friends opening the gifts that I had carefully chosen and purchased for them more than I anticipated opening my own gifts......ok so maybe that is a lie..........but the anticipation of both getting and giving were at least the same. I felt pride and huge amounts of joy at being able to give a gift that brought joy to another. I still feel this way and as an adult I love giving WAY more than receiving. I happen to believe that giving is the greatest part of Christmas. So as we move into the holiday season there is a push toward charitable giving. This is so great for the giver but I have always hated that the less fortunate who are on the receiving end often miss half of the greatest part of Christmas......that is why I LOVE what I do.

This is my second year to create for our school the "Holiday Store". It is more fun than I can explain here in a blog but it is sufficient to say that the joy I feel is HUGE. What is a Holiday Store? I begin in December, right after Christmas, and I shop....all year long. I don't buy anything unless it is 75% off. So I peruse the Wal-marts, Walgreen's, CVS Pharmacies, Targets etc. and whenever I can find a "to die for' deal I buy everything they have. I go to all the after Christmas sales and clean out the stores as soon as everything goes 75% off. I am talking car loads full. I do this after every Holiday, Easter, Valentines Day, Mothers Day etc.
Then the first week of December I create a store in the school where the kids can come and do all their holiday shopping for dirt cheap, from $0.25-$5.00. There is nothing in the store over $5.00 and I have some really great stuff worth a lot more than that. Most of the kids show up with $20.00 and end up buying gifts for their whole family. They are so so so excited when they leave and know that they will be giving this Christmas. We have a scholarship program where the teachers let us know all the kids that may not be able to afford to bring any money and we give them money and help them shop. By the end of the week there will not be one of the 700+ children in our school who does not have gifts for their entire family. What do I love about it......Pride. I see each of these children regardless of their financial situation feel pride that they are prepared for Christmas and will be giving great gifts to their whole family.

Today was the first day of the Holiday Store. My feet are sore, I am tired, all my volunteers didn't show up and I was in a panic for much of the day but all the children who shopped today said that this years Holiday Store was the best they had ever seen. They had a blast and I am so happy tonight and excited about tomorrow. I believe that it is important that not only everyone gets a gift for Christmas but also is able to GIVE one.

How important is a Dad to his daughter?

Ava had her Thanksgiving presentation and feast yesterday. We had a great time but there was one priceless moment, and lucky for me, I caught it on tape. The kids sang 5 or 6 songs and then the parents surprised the kids and sang a song for them. I wasn't planning on taping Ava at this point but she was making funny faces. Chris had not arrived yet, see if you can tell from the video when he walks in....Priceless.

Edward saw me naked today!

I have been laughing all afternoon about this.

Today I dropped Ava off at school at 1:00 then ran home to shower and try to be back to the school for her Thanksgiving presentation and feast at 1:30. I hopped out of the shower and went to plug the straightener in but it wasn't there. Arrrggg. I figured Chloe or Olivia had taken it to their room and being in such a huge rush I just made a run for it.......buck naked. I ran up the stairs and into Olivia's room only to be assaulted by her giant size picture of Edward (above) on her wall.....Before I could even process a thought I screamed, jumped back and covered my self. The weird thing is I actually totally felt embarrassed and my face went red before I came to my senses......its a poster!! HA ha. I can't stop laughing.

My Wingmen!

Everyone needs a good wingman! Yesterday I had 8.

A wingman (or wingmate) is a pilot who supports another in a potentially dangerous environment. The idea behind the wingman is to add the element of mutual support. A wingman makes the pilot both offensively and defensively more capable.

I woke up with a busy day ahead but then got an email from my co-committee chair for the Holiday store at school that she had left town and all the fliers, envelopes and advertising was not done and was left up to me. I went into full panic mode. It all needed to be done yesterday and I couldn't see how I could possibly pull it off.........enter wingman #1 My Sister Leslie (so awesome!) She called me first thing in the morning and said what can I do? I told her the situation and sure enough she said "no problem, I am on it....just leave all the paper work to me". While I ran errands and worked with the school on scheduling, she designed all the fliers, handouts and envelopes and within 2 hours had them all emailed to me. They were amazing.

My awesome sister!

Then I had to shop for additional items for the store. This was a huge undertaking and I knew it would be long and I would have a car full of merchandise from the dollar store.....enter wingman #2 Karen. She just happened to call and when I told her what was happening she said. "Oh bring Ava over here, she can play with Livy and then I will take her to school. I was able to shop without any worries, deadlines or children.....priceless!! 3hours later and $1200.000 poorer I was done. Whew!

I went home to begin printing......whadda ya know my printer wouldn't work. I knew I could take them to kinkos but I had to pick the girls up from school....I quickly called Karen (yes, wingman #2 again, and my friend Tana (Wingman #3) and they each agreed to pick up my older girls, who are at different schools. I took all the files to Kinkos and had them printed the only glitch is they couldn't print on envelopes so we had to print labels that would go on the envelopes. I got it all done and headed home.

At this point I had not even cleaned up breakfast. I headed home dreading what I would find. But!!!! Wingman #4 Chloe had gotten home and seeing the mess had taken care of everything and cleaned it all up. Oh what a relief. Chloe

I grabbed the girls and we headed straight out to go to piano lessons. I brought all the labels with me and while Chloe was in her lessons. Wingmen #5 (Elle) #6 (Ava) and #7 (Olivia) put stickers on over 600 envelopes for me!!

Ava and Elle!! My littlest wingmen!

Olivia kept asking if she could do more to help

After lessons we headed home for homework, dinner and putting kids to bed. It was a rushed evening and I finally got everyone settled. Now the big job began. I had to finish putting labels on and then paperclip all 700 fliers to the envelopes, I thought "no big deal" but it was a big deal. I worked and worked but after 2 hours I only had 150 done.

Enter wingman #8 (and oh is he a sexy wingman....I am thinking Top Gun here) My husband!!The night before we had gotten only 3 hours of sleep because our house alarm malfunctioned and was blaring in the middle of the night. He had then gotten up at 5 am to drive to Dallas, worked all day then drove straight to the university to teach until 10 pm. I knew he was exhausted but when he arrived at 11:00pm and saw what I was doing he insisted on helping. We sat together on the bed until 2am and put the whole thing together.

If you could see his eyes, he is so tired but hung in there with me!!

I just couldn't have gotten through this day without help.

I am so grateful to these amazing people in my life,

I hope they all know that I have their backs too!
Ava and Elle helped put them all in the teachers boxes this morning.

Chloe Shines!

This past weekend we got to see Chloe in action as she was the lead in her school play. She just shone on that stage and sounded beautiful. There is nothing more rewarding than watching your children work hard and excel at the things they love. I am so proud of her and know that she worked so hard and had many late nights trying to keep up with homework and school as well as play practice. She played Sarah in Guys and Dolls!!
She just doesn't look 13 to me. Maybe I am just freaking out watching my daughter grow up, but I keep thinking..."hey wait, you are growing up too fast.