Advent- Day Ten/ Eleven

On day 10, they sang carols. I let them handle it on their own because I was getting frustrated with the state of mess in my house.
Day 11, was the snow day. I quickly modified the activity to include making snowmen, snow angels, and snow balls. I'll put up photos soon.
I am soooo glad I broke down and bought that camera battery!

Advent- Day Nine

On Day Nine, we took pictures by the tree. I wanted pictures by the kids tree, but we hadn't put that one up yet. So, I used the fancy tree in the dining room instead. I bought all the kids new flannel pajamas: Spongebob, Tink, and Polar Bears. I was surprized that there was no complaining about who got a better set.
I'm glad I wasn't planning on using these photos for Christmas Cards, because we couldn't get all three kids to look at the camera and smile at the same time. The activity quickly deteriorated into a wrestling match.
I broke down and bought another camera battery. I figure St. Anthony has had enough of me, I'm too embarrassed to try another novena. If I find the old battery, I'll just have one charged at all times. Still hoping St. Rita will help me out on the job/salary front. I've decided I need to specify that I want the raise as well as the promotion, because it would suck if I had to do more work for the same pay.
If any of you are wondering, St. Rita and St. Jude are patron saints of impossible things. I figure St. Jude is pretty busy with childhood cancer, so I never bug him unless it has to do with something as dire as that. St. Joseph is the patron of laborers. I try to send a shout-out to him as well. I think it helps to keep all bases covered.
St. Anne is my patron saint. She is also asociated with motherhood and pregnancy. She was Mary's mother, and had the first immaculate conception. Mary couldn't be the savior, though, being a girl and all. But her immaculate conception (the Assumption) set her up for being the mother of Jesus. A novena to St. Anne after five miscarriages, ended with a healthy pregnancy I now call G. I had a lot of help on that novena , and I feel forever indebted to those who prayed with me. I think a lot of Catholics are moving away from associating with the saints and saying novenas. I think this is an important part of the faith and part of what makes being Catholic special. If you can ask someone on earth to pray for you, why not ask someone who has given their life to the faith and is one step closer to God than any living person?

Advent- Days Six, Seven, and Eight

Saturday, we took the kids to see Celebration in the Oaks in New Orleans. They really enjoyed the lights, especially the Cajun Night Before Christmas light show. Unfortunately, to get to Story Land (a mini-park with Mother Goose themed playhouses), we had to pass through a bunch of carnival type rides- ticket required. Of course, all the children whined about how they wanted to ride the "Pay Rides." But momma wasn't havin it. Next year, we may have to find some lights closer to home. (Alternatively, we can take them on a really fast ride next time there's a fair and that would be the end of that. Evil Laugh.)
Sunday, my dad came over so I put him to work. I had him string up popcorn and raisins to hang in the trees for birds. J and M enjoyed it but G wandered off to the neighbor's house. One thing I'm realizing about this advent thing is how hard it is to get all three kids excited about the same activity. I usually get two out of the three, which is pretty good odds I guess.
Tonight will be candy night. The girls have gymnastics and I have a crapload of things to do, so instead of an activity, I'll give them each a piece of candy.

Advent- Day Five

Made paper snowflakes and wrote letters to Santa. My sister and her bf came by for a visit, so they made snowflakes too. I asked Santa for a big diamond ring and a Mercedes Benz. Do you think he'll come through? I've been really good!

In other news. I am so disgusted with family drama right now. It's like a genuine soap opera. My parents have decided to not attend my brother's bootcamp graduation even though they have made all the arrangements and can't get refunds. Why? Because he told them not to go. Why? Because his psycho bitch girlfriend has been sending harassing messages to my mom and then telling my brother that my mom is being mean to her. This has been a cycle for years now. My mom is partly to blame because she refuses to tell the girl's parents. WTF? If any of my children was rude to an adult, much less than the cursing and demeaning that this girl is doing. I better find out about it. So, I told my mom to not call me anymore. I can't handle this cycle of her complaining and asking for advice, but never doing anything that would actually resolve the situation.
What she does is overreacts, like throwing him out for something minor. Then overcompensates by letting him walk all over her and spending way too much money on him. Rinse. Repeat. I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually want advice, she just wants me to feel bad for her. But I can't feel bad and do the "poor you" thing if she won't at least tell psycho bitches parents! I mean, come on, that's the obvious step one, isn't it?
If your daughter got all psycho on their boyfriends mom, wouldn't you like to know about it? Even if the bf's mom was bitchy too (and I'm not ruling that out), that doesn't give a 19 yr old the right to curse at her and spread rumors for three f*cking years!!!!!.
My mother in law is pretty rude and otherwise socially inept. At one Christmas, she told the whole gathering that she was glad my 1st born looked like my DH because, well, "you never know." Did I call her an F*ing Btch? No, even if that is what I was thinking. And if I had, and it got around to my parents, you'd better believe I wouldn't have gotten away with it. It's a parent's role to keep their kids from being trashy. And if the parents are psycho too, well that gives you more reason to put a Peace Bond or Restraining order on the whole f*cked up bunch!
But, you gotta tell the parents!
Discuss:

Advent- Day Four

Last night, the kids were supposed to write letters to Santa. They asked if they could put it off until today.
FAIL

Advent- Day Three

Last night we made Christmas ornaments. I got Jackson a little unpainted wooden truck from the craft dept at Walmart and I let him color it with markers. He was sooo proud, he brought it to school today to show his teacher. I'm not sure he'll let me hang it on the tree.
The girls made flowers from a Martha Stewart kit, also from Walmart. The kit was supposed to be for children, but I should have know Ms. S. meant children with superpowers like her. The glue wasn't tacky enough to hold on to the felt, so we had to sit there for about 10 min each time we glued something- holding it until it dried. They came out cute in the end, but next time I'm going to come up with my own fool-proof projects.

Here's a Thursday Diversion for you:
Top 5 Hottest Teen Idols of the 80's
Honorable Mention: Matthew Modine
5. Rob Lowe
4. Judd Nelson
3. Josh Brolin
2. River Phoenix
1. John Cusack

Who would make your list?

Adevnt- Day Two

Last night we drank cocoa by the fire. The one measly log looked so puny in our extra large fireplace. Sean says he wants to fill it up one day and see what it can do. I'll have 911 on speed dial.
We listened to the Christmas Station on the tv, and I taught the kids the words to "I'm Gettin' Nuthin' For Christmas." So appropriate. *Sigh*

Advent- Day One

For the past few years, I've been meaning to make an advent wreath. The kind with the purple and pink candles. A Catholic Menorah, if you will. Well, I'm already too late for it this year. I've decided instead to make an advent calendar to at least make sure we get to do some fun holiday activities as a family this year, and maybe start a new tradition or two.
I made my advent calendar by gluing magnets to small metal wedding favor tins I got at Walmart. I printed out these numbers from D.Sharp on sticker paper and stuck them to the top of the tins. Then, I made a list of fun holiday activities. I printed two copies, one for the tins and one for me to have on hand so I can see what's coming up and make sure I have any materials and enough time to complete the activity. Since we are in Louisiana, I had to leave out the obvious snow-related activities like ice skating and snowman building, so I stuck in a few "Candy" days where the kids will get candy in leu of an activity. I put the slips of paper with the activities in the tins with corresponding numbers. This is important so we can make sure we know what is coming up.
Lastly, I stuck the tins on the refridgerator in a neat little grid. The results look something like this, but with numbers on ths lids instead of patterned paper.
I'm sure you're wondering why I don't post a photo of my own? That's because my dumb-ass self lost my camera battery after I charged it. Don't you get some kind of award for that level of stupidity?
Arrgghhh!!!!
BTW: no job news yet. I'm convinced that no news is bad, bad news.

ETA: I forgot to say last night was Day One on the advent calendar. The activity was, "Read a Christmas Book." I was so proud that G was able to read to her little brother and sister with almost no help.

St. Anthony is my Homeboy!

I found the charger yesterday in a bag it had no business being in. It was not the proverbial last place I would have looked as it was actually in a place I would never have looked. Coincidentally, over the long weekend, Sean had to do some work at home. For some reason, my laptop wasn't playing the video he needed to review. I took my personal laptop to work and lent my work laptop to Sean. It was when I was unpacking my laptop at the end of the week that I noticed the camera charger right next to the laptop charger in my case. I have no idea how it would have gotten there because I hardly ever use that case and I distinctly remember using the charger a few weeks ago in the kitchen, right before Grace's birthday party. I think St. Anthony just stuck it in there so I'd find it.
In other news, the Novena to St. Rita is still on. No word yet about the promotion. I'm starting to let myself down over it so that if I don't get it, it won't sting so bad. I hope I find out soon, because wondering is killing me. All the people I ask don't know anything, but they all say I should get it. Boss Man doesn't listen to everybody else, unfortunately. Maybe Rita will see how Anthony came through for me and will try to up the ante. Fingers crossed, everyone!