Love, twue love, ah, mawwage!!

When my husband and I first got married,  we didn't have a t.v.  I HIGHLY recommend it as we had to talk, play games,  clean house,  and get to know one another.  Then we traded some scuba equipment never used for a t.v. and vcr.  One of the first movies we bought was The Princess Bride.  Oh how we laughed that first night watching it.   The second viewing was even funnier cause I knew some of the lines,  and by the  third viewing I just cracked up,  and then the fourth something happened.  I didn't laugh so hard, or so often.  By the tenth viewing I would walk in the room, see the screen and walk out.  I just couldn't do it.  The movie was ruined.  A few years ago my honey thought the kids could handle the movie now.  And they reacted very much like me.  The first viewing cracked them up.  Or so my honey says.  I honestly couldn't watch it.  I think I had a...meeting, yah, that's it. 

Ok, long intro but you needed back ground for the Mawwage title.  And if you still don't understand,  go rent the movie, pop some popcorn, and have a family movie night.  But only once,  send it back, and DON'T EVER, EVER rent it again.  I'm just sayin'.  

Ok,  we went to a wedding this weekend of my niece.  She is a very talented decorator and chose the colors and do dads herself.  Here are a few pics of the occasion. 

It's really all about the cake...I mean for the kids.  Isn't the table beautiful?

Great looking party.





The cake, again,  cause I am looking through the pics and realized,  my son took most of the pics, and they were of the cake.  I guess he was hungry.  Note to self,  grab the camera and take pics of what I really want to remember.  Cause now I am hankerin' for wedding cake.  HMMM.  I have an anniversary coming up.  Cake anyone?

thanks for reading,

Reb

The New Excuse

It's my 40th Birthday today.  I am loving it!!  I tend to be a little...rebellious.  But usually only in the it- doesn't-really-matter-any- way, way.  So instead of having a melt down,  a pity party, or a mid-life crisis,  I am thrilled.  As my dad says, the alternative is worse!! 

When I was in my 20's,  I was super woman.  I could do it all, and don't tell me I couldn't!!  Then I birthed 4 chillins and people started telling me when things were a little.. um.. hectic just to say I homeschooled and/or had 4 wee ones.



Three kiddos with a wee one on the way!



  I rebelled at first, then found it quite convenient true.  But now, in my 40's,  with at least 2 pretty responsible people at the house,  that excuse isn't working.

 So as I talked with my husband over a quiet lunch today,  he said I could just say,  "oh,  it must be that 40's thing!"  and people would understand.  So if you read something and thing  "HEY"  or see something not quite well executed here on this blog,  just remember, 

I HAVE 9 MORE BIRTHDAYS TO GO with this excuse,  AND HEY  I am 40 TODAY!!

thanks for reading,

Rebekah

Oh the Holidays...You Can't be Home Sweet Home

I told you I would put up pics of our decorating.  Believe it or not,  well, you probably will,  I still haven't learned how to get the pics off my camera.  That is a goal next week.  I am tired of being dependent on others.  I want freedom,  I am my own woman,  I don't like subservient to a 15 yr old,  too much power for her, and nothing for me!   I'm back.  We try to get our tree up the weekend after Christmas,  it just seems RIGHT,  and it takes me all of December to finish the rest of decorating.  NO,  you will not be seeing a house redesigned for the holidays,  remember it's about the BOOKS!!  My eldest most capable was on a road trip to FLORIDA with her grandparents over Thanksgiving and wanted us to wait for her.  (I told you she has such power).  So we waited 4 DAYS,  it was all I could do not to skip church on Sun. and make let everyone put up the tree.   It's ALL ABOUT THE TRADITIONS....no,  I was really fine with it.  JOY< PEACE!!  We had a friend over to help:   FMI (for my info)  having friends over during the hanging of the greens helps diffuse all some sibling conflict.  Here goes.  Please don't fall over at the quality of either the pics or the decorating. 

The tree!   We have oranaments of every kind, from ones my grandmother made (she loved to crochet) to themed ones from my mom, to homemade ones.  I waffle between wanting a coordinated, sophisticated tree to loving this mish mash of memories.  I think the mish mash is more real.  And yes,  the 6 and 9 yr old did most of the ornaments,  why did you ask!?

 



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 My so capable daughter made this.  She just sees something on other blogs and makes it.  MAGIC!  Anyway,  I want her to do a quick tutorial on how to make one,  and as she will be at her grandmothers this weekend,  I may have her do it then.   Keep looking. 

My last pic.   I love this "scene".  (I have been reading TOO many crafty decoraty blogs lately,  it's all about the lingo)  It is traditional, PEACEFUL,  and simple. 

There you have it.   I wanted pics of the kids decorating but.....

We are off to a wedding this weekend.  I will try to gather pics of the affair.  HMM...not the best word to use with wedding is it? 

thanks for reading,

Reb

A Trip Down Memory Lane

I just signed up for a giveaway over at http://theinspiredroom.net/.  I don't normally enter giveaways because I have trouble figuring out the comment section.  Really.  It is very difficult.  I don't know what a my google address is, and then you have to come back and read letters.  Time.  Don't have it.  Anyway,  the giveaway said to tell your favorite CHRISTmas memory.  And I started thinking about that.  Here is what I wrote. 

I grew up in a military home. Because of this our address, weather, and conditions changed all the time. But my favorite memories are of CHRISTmas in the Middle East. My mother is the queen of tradition, and no matter where we were, whether in FL with sunshine, Va with snow, or the desert, we had our tree, our favorite foods, our stockings hung somewhere, and our favorite songs playing. We always celebrated CHRIST and He led us from place to place. What a wonderful trip down memory lane. Thanks!!

I really do have a mom who is the queen of tradition.  I tried to follow her traditions for a few years and felt like an utter failure.  I just KNEW my kids were going to run away because we didn't put up the tree on just the right day,  have an advent calendar we followed daily with little candy canes for every child,  exactly 7 meaningful stocking stuffers that were opened each night the week before CHRSTmas,  music, food,  etc.   You get my drift.  Smell my cooking.  You get me.  I have struggled for years with minor depression beginning with Dec and travelling through Jan.  AND JUST THIS YEAR  I have learned why.  I can't be my mom.  She is amazing,  and wonderful, and I have Hallmark card memories of not just CHRISTmas,  but many holidays, some I am sure were made up just so she could have fun. 

This is getting long, AGAIN, but I will just say this year is wonderful.  We did do some things like the tree, and some decorating,  we have had wassail and sugar cookies,  and we are going to a concert this morning of CHRISTmas music.   But I am not going by some wonderful "moms" play book on how to have a meaningful CHRISTmas.  I am going by my play book.  Which is more low key,  a little more spontaneous.  The memories,  I FINALLY realized were not in the tradition, but in the joy my mom had.  And without joy,  the traditions are meaningless.  So my NEW tradition is to find JOY and PEACE  in the holidays.  What a concept,  considering the the celebrations of CHRIST'S birth (and eventually death and resurrection)  is about the one who brings JOY (no happiness, another post I am sure) and PEACE (not an end to war but peace about our role in this life and where I am going next,  another post I am sure) to this world. 

Merry CHRISTmas, thanks for reading, 

Reb

A Perfect Mellow Evening

I am sitting in a big comfy chair,

listening to mellow  CHRISTmas music,  with the tree lights on, 

creamy coffee in a mug,

and listening to my 6 yr old tell how she is making stores and planning streets with her Peoplies. (little people, but we call them peoplies, sound better!!).

 This to me is a perfect evening.  Kids reading,  time to think, talk,  look at my kids growing before my eyes,  (ok not so much this part but it is part of the night).  I seem to be missing something though.....A FIRE!  Yes,  we have a wood burning stove but no wood.  I may be taking the kids out tomorrow and finding me some.  Doesn't it seem as if there are very few of these kinds of night?  We seem to always be going,  to music lessons, to church, to run errands...and sometimes,  like tonight,  when we do have mellow evenings,  it almost feels guilty, but it shouldn't.  I should just feel thankful and enjoy it.  So I will. 

I was going to post about our CHRISTmas decorating.  I will post some pics tomorrow.  But if I post about decorating it won't peaceful and mellow.  Decorating makes me want to curl up and suck my thumb,  or run far far away.   But tonight I will leave you with a couple of peaceful, mellow pictures.  I hope your evening is mellow like jello. 

thanks for reading,

Reb