Always the sign of a fun time, on Saturday night when Paul and I showed up at the pajama party to pick up the boys, they both said, “NO!!!” when they saw us. After we visited with the other parents we decided to get serious about leaving.

Boy Blue politely said, “no thank you” and continued playing with the trains. We brought his shoes and sweater to him, at which point he switched into two-year old gear, and started flailing and screaming, “I’m fighting! I’m fighting!”

It isn’t too early to start thinking about it. Every year I think I’m going to get things taken care of early so I can enjoy the holidays more. This year I really am getting started early! I am!

You already know how much I love Little Towheads Clothing. Dana runs deals all the time with free shipping or discounts. Right now if you become a fan on Facebook and leave a comment that I referred you, I’ll get a discount off my next order, and you can spideweb the project to get your own discounts! Doesn’t that make an original shirt even more appealing? Did you know that if you have something in mind that isn’t already in her store she’ll do it custom?

You really do need to check out the Silent Auction over at Valerie’s adoption blog. Not only can you bid on really fantastic items that’ll ship this month (with plenty of time to wrap before Christmas!) but ALL of the proceeds will go to support their Bulgarian adoption! Great gifts and a heart-warming story of love? It’s a perfect way to start the holiday giving!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my own store. It’s not just for girls, and it’s not just for children — the 2009 Snowflake is now been listed!

Now all I need is come egg nog and Candy Cane Joe Joe’s. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Wednesday:
“Today at school my body wanted to change into Super Red. I didn’t even have to change my clothes, I just transformed into Super Red. But don’t worry, I didn’t fight anyone.”

Friday:
“If bad guys ever come to my school I’ll just knock off the head of the skeleton and cut the pumpkin in half. The rest of the bad guys would be candy and I would just take off their wrappers and eat them.”

It’s all about love, really. My friend Valerie is so full of it that she’s dying to share it! To raise money for their next adoption, this time from Bulgaria, she is hosting a silent auction on her blog. There’s something for every budget (and even a little something from me.)  My personal favourite?  These little shirts, aren’t they the cutest?  But don’t worry about outbidding me, it’s all for a good cause.   

Please browse, and make a bid on something that you like, or contact her for more ways to help her family share their love with others!

(there’s also a giveaway to help spread the word, so even if your funds are tight you can still help, and maybe get a little love in the mail!)

www.fromthetrenchesofadoption.blogspot.com

The Principal at Little Red’s school works hard to provide the students with as many opportunities as possible. Using a contact he has with the Family First Foundation he scored over 100 tickets to the Clippers’ game last week, and hopes to get more event tickets during the year.

And guess what? The seats were awesome! We parked at Paul’s building, walked over, stayed until waaaaay past bedtime, and went home having only spent money on gas. Another successful family outing! We are so blessed to have so much at our disposal.

I’ve made it a personal challenge, that if I’m going to pay so much to live here, I’m going to get my money’s worth, and have tried to take advantage of as many things as I could. I especially try to attend the free activities, free museum days, community events, etc. We have had a blast.

Last weekend we were able to attend the Family Fun Day at the local PBS station, all thanks to a friend who gave me the head’s up on this exclusive event as soon as she heard about it.

The highlight for the boys was being able to see some of the tv characters perform on stage, then meet and greet afterwards.

The boys met all four of them: Sid the Science Kid, Captain Infinity (the mascot for KCET Kids Club,) and Maya and Miguel. I learned that even if you don’t watch the show, seeing a character in person is still exciting. We never watch Maya and Miguel, and Captain Infinity is just a mascot, but seeing them was almost as cool as meeting Sid. Almost.

Paul and I were talking about the different personalities of the different classes at the school and he mentioned that the German parents seem really down to earth. He said, “they seem really nice, even though some of them are pretty hard-core granola.”

“Actually, I think some of those granola parents are my favourite.”

“Well, you’re Canadian,” he began. “That’s like being an honorary granola.” He paused. “No offense.”

“I take it as a compliment.”

Boy Blue speaks in sentences all the time. They’re surprisingly clear, too, as non-family members can often understand him. Remember when he was turning two and not talking? How things change. With each word he says, I learn a little more about his personality.

Last week he had the following tantrums, full-blown screaming fests with tears:

“No take nap, eat broccoli! Eat broccoli now, nap later!” (He was trying to delay his nap and join Little Red for snacktime. He wasn’t actually hungry. I do feed my children. Honestly. I swear.)

“No wash hands in sink. Wash hands in milk. WASH HANDS IN MILK!!!”

“No! No! Give me back my booger! Give it back RIGHT NOW!” (That’s what Paul gets for cleaning the little guy’s nose before bedtime.)

I didn’t intend to go so long without blogging, nor did I mean for so many of my posts to be so negative. While I want to feel free to vent when needed, I really want the focus of my blog to be highlighting the joy and beauty in my world.

There is so much joy and beauty.

Paul loves his job, and more importantly, his superiors love him. Rather than seeing him as a drone or as a dispensible commodity, they want to hear his ideas, are implementing his ideas, and have big plans for his growth within the company (and that has nothing to do with marrying the boss’ daughter!) More than once he has called home to say, “can I just tell you that I love my job?” or “can I just tell you that I love working for (insert name of new boss, or insert name of CEO here.)”

Little Red loves school. He plays with different children nearly every day, and as we walk to school in the mornings I hear children calling his name from different directions. Some of them are children in his class, some are in the Spanish, German, or English kindergartens, and some are older. Many of them are girls. And there are several whose names he doesn’t know, but they still greet him with enthusiasm, and they know his name. I am learning Italian one homework assignment at a time (thanks to google translator!) I’m so impressed with the speed and ease with which he is picking up the language. I went through an immersion programme myself, but when you’re five you just do whatever you do. It isn’t until you are an adult that you see it happen and think, “this is amazing!”

Boy Blue is a confirmed thumb-sucker, but a happier child than he was during the summer months. Many of the anxieties he had have settled down, and with his older brother in school he gets more of me in the mornings. He still gets quality playtime with his best friend every day, and looks forward to picking him up.

I have been keeping very busy with my responsibilities as the secretary in the women’s organization, Relief Society. I have never felt so sure that I was the right person for a particular calling than I do right now. It’s so nice to feel so good about what I’m doing. In addition to that I’ve been coordinating several fundraising projects for our PTA. The level of committment and involvement of the parents at this school is envigorating. It’s fun to see so much good happening!

As for our housing, we’re still looking, although it isn’t occupying too much of our time. We’ll know the right situation when we find it, and will find a way to make things work out in the meantime.

Life is good. Really, deeply, profoundly good.

Not homemade this year, but I’m okay with that. Boy Blue said he wanted to be Mickey Mouse, and Little Red said he wanted to be Spiderman. Their cousins had both costumes. I’m more relieved than I thought I would be at not making costumes this year. (But I’ll almost certainly be making something again next year.)

This year, with my position as secretary in the women’s organization (Relief Society), and my up-and-coming fundraising activities for the PTA, and my day job, and the extra babysitting I’m doing, and the housekeeping I do, and running my sometimesbusiness, oh, and my household… I’m okay with not making costumes.

Next year, however, I’ll plan further in advance. I’m already cringing a little at the idea that someone else could be wearing the same costume as one of the boys.