The Play!

Tonight Zen got to go see his first play. His "Auntie" Velvet (this girl who stays with us on the weekends) was in her school play (7th grade) and we got to go see her perform today. Zen was so excited to see her walk onto the stage! It was fun, although he didn't last the whole performance.

I only have 6 papers to write before I can be DONE with the semester!! (Needless to say, I will be quite busy for the next 2 weeks!!) But I will let you all know how it works out...

xoxo

I know I should be writing this all down...

So, if you lived at our house during the last week or so, here are some things you may have overheard:

"Look Mommy, somebody fixed the moon!!" (Once he noticed that it was a full moon, instead of those broken ones)

"It smells like too much sugar" (when test-smelling a new candy cane Oreo. It's too dangerous to just bite in and see.)

"I look like a- dorable" (I think this is him parroting someone about to say he looks like a dork, but having changed their mind. He says it with that pause every time.)

"That cracks me up!" (Followed my falling to the ground and punding his fists on the floor while laughing very dramatically. This is how he expresses that something is funny.)

"You freaked me out" (This is one of his favorites.) "You're not running" (See an earlier blog about the snowboots day)

"I just picked my plate up and syrup spilled over the whole floor. Mom is so disappointing in me." (On the phone with Grandma Debbie)

"Auntie Joanie is my sister." "No, Zen, she's my sister. Auntie Joanie is your Auntie" "If God's is both our dads then she's my sister a little bit." (Okay, point taken. I just hope he doesn't tell the condensed version to anyone at daycare or the store or something.)

"I am so sick of this" (Ususally used if a toy is out of batteries, or his bread on his sandwich start to go different directions)

I don't remember the exact words he said, but I was telling him to put his pull-up (for sleeping) on, and he said something about he wants big boy underwear on his treasure chest. I said "What??" and he said its a booty, and a booty is a treasure chest and a butt.

*And the funniest thign that he thinks he can possibly say is quoted directly from the movie Toy Story. "Look it's the real Buzz Lightyear!" at which point he cracks up. (I tried to get it on video this morning, but it was significantly tamer than the usual hysterics)

This is all I can remember for now. I will ponder it for the rest of the day, and add anything else that comes back to me.


Got 3 minutes and 10 seconds into the movie to see what he is talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th9X66t5UpI

Christmas Lists

I realize that where we are going for Christmas is with those of you whom, sadly, we don't see or talk to very often. I realize that this can cause some problems with gift-giving (especially because kids could care less about gift cards). So I am posting a list of good (and inexpensive) present ideas, and would love it, if you guys would do the same for you and your kiddos! *Someone please get back to me about ideas for Becca and Jack*

So for Zen:
Warm winter socks (size 9 shoe)
Pete's Dragon (the movie)
Movies (preferably ones that I could stand to watch with him)
Dinosaur or Animal Bedding for his toddler-size bed
Age-appropriate board (or non-board) games (We now have Candyland and Chutes and Ladders)
Anything dealing with nature: Animals, dinosaurs, or little kid indoor gardening things.
Things that allow him to be active indoors (we don't have a yard)
Framed pictures of family to dispay in his room.

*He likes Diego, Backyardigans, and Wubbzy. His favorite movies lately have been Wall-e, and Journey to the center of the Earth. His clothes size is 3T, shoes are 9*

If you want to do gift cards for him, the best places are Target, Wal*Mart, Amazon.com, or a Discovery Channel online store.

I love you all dearly, but please no art supplies (look who his mom is), no toys with a million small pieces or breakables, or weapon toys. Anything else should be fine!


***Also, we would both LOVE any handmade presents, drawings, etc... from you guys and your kids. I think it would be awesome if someone could make a DVD about our family for Zen to have, or even just get me videos of you and your family so I could make him one myself. I would love to have more of you guys around my home***


For me: *I am trying to transition to being at home more often. I am always on the go, and so the big thing for me right now, is building a collection of things that give me something to entertain myself with at home.*

DVDs of Frida or Kissing Jessica Stein
Coffee Table books on Christianity/Religion, Art, Crime, Travel, Fashion, Homekeeping/Domesticity, Pop Culture, etc...
Cookbooks, especially foreign/ethnic (i.e. Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian)
Board Games for grown-ups (I only have Life and Monopoly. I would love Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit, etc...)
Really strong candles or Yankee Candle scentstories discs (epecially holiday ones)
*I am still into Titanic, so any books or small things like that would be welcome*
Magazine Subscriptions to National Geographic, Cookie, Real Simple, Woman's Day
I have no jewelry or accessories, so even inexpensive, fake jewelry would be great. (All I've got are plastic pearls that came in a goodie bag from one of Zen's girlfriend's birthday parties, and some earring's mom bought last time we were in PA)
There's a website that makes things based on historic art artifacts and it has a section for under $25 that is pretty decent. I would love ANYTHING from this entire site, especially art, Titanic and fossil stuff... the web address is
http://museumstorecompany.com/shop_by_price.php?range=0&osCsid=6d995870bb72c303112c1a6f1c9c324e

Gift cards for Target, Kohls, Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon.com, and Yankee Candle Company (online), Barnes and Noble, Famous Footwear, BigLots!, or Cost Plus World Market

*And I have plenty of bath stuff, and art supplies. And I am shaped differently (since Zen) and it is hard to find clothes that fit right, so please don't get any of those.*




So please (PLEASE!) let me know what you guys (and your kiddos, if applicable) want for Christmas!! I may elect to get something else, but I would like to know anyway. I love you very much!!!

Sorry it has been so long!!

So, Halloween went well, Me, Dad, and Grandpa Dave took Zen trick-or-treating, while Aunt Kelly stayed home to hand out candy. We haven't really done anything for my birthday yet (with the exception of buying a small birthday cake from Wal-Mart after dropping Zen off for daycare, and consuming the entire confection by myself for breakfast).

On Tuesday, he was adamant about wearing snow boots to school. I gave up and conceded. It didn't seem to matter that it hasn't snowed yet. After school we went to Wal-Mart to pick up stuff for dinner. I looked at his boots and sighed. I told him "You know it's not snowing" he looks up at me and says "You are wearing running shoes" I reply "So?" and he reminds me "You're not running". I had no reply. That would be what my kid would say...

School is going kinda rough, and it looks as if I may graduate a hair shy of honors. I am praying for peace with that. I just feel like I am busting my butt, and that all the other parts of my life are taking all but the minimum away from school.

Prayer Requests:
That God will continue to provide for us financially (even if it continues to be at the last minute)
For school, it takes so much from me and it is really disheartening to be doing not as well this semester.
For patience with Zen. He is smart, and adept at driving me crazy.