How do I know my kids are home?

This is why... empty toilet paper rolls. You think I am kidding. It's no joke. If you have kids and haven't empty your bathroom trash lately... get up right now and go look. I bet there are at least 3-5 empty rolls sitting in the trash basket. It's crazy. Another tidbit or two of information that you may not be aware... 1. Charmin has the thickest/strongest toilet paper centers! 2. Toilet paper rolls are recyclable over here in Okinawa!This is NOT how many we've gone through this Christmas break, but I have had to bust into a second 12 pack last night... so that's about 13 rolls used in 11 days!

Another funny thing... as Junior and I were at the PX yesterday, I overheard a young military wife (she was like 21) say to her friend, wait I need more toilet paper. Her friend replied... "you just bought 4 rolls at the commissary last week!"

The response was "I know, what's going on?"

In my non-pushy loving voice I invited myself into the conversation.

I asked "Do you have kids?"

"no..."

"Oh, then your husband is home on his '96' and is using it all up!"

Their mouths hit the floor.

"How did you realize that?"

I simply replied...

"experience my dear experience...

17 years of empty toilet paper rolls on holidays, breaks and liberty!"

They giggled in a 21 year olds way and skipped off probably thinkin'

'OMG she's old enough to be our mom!'

AND...If I were a GREAT mom and my kids were still young (middle school is NOT young in case you didn't know!) I would come up with some super dooper outta this world craft they can make using these cylinder cardboard pieces of plenty. But I am not super mom w/ lots of ideas nor do I have wee ones, I am a selfish mom who wants to be crafty today.

Just in case you are wondering, my craft skills today have been reduced to washing and folding laundry, and putting a bike basket on a bike, emptying the trash, weeping over my messy crafting table and kicking kids outta the house to play in the sunshine!

It's 75 degrees here today!

From my IPod Touch

I can't believe I can do a post from my Christmas gift.
And take pictures!

Lovin' this gift Mark you rock!

Merry Christmas...

This one is totally Caleb!

For all the deployed Marines... We love you and are praying for you and your families at home! Wishing you soft toilet paper, real toilets and a warm place to rest your head. Stay safe and see you soon!

Cartoon compliments of SemperToons!

Christmas Eve!

The magic is still alive in our house! The anticipation of Santa is barely contained. I get to dress my kids only a few times a year... school pictures, family photos, Easter and Christmas Eve services. They are so grown up looking soon the magic, the belief and childhood innocence will be a thing of the past.
The first gift of Christmas. The traditional....

wait for it.....

JAMMIES!

Looking forward to Christmas morning, having my home filled with laughter,

joy and best of all presents!

Can't wait to see what the kids bought for me... they've been teasing me for weeks!

Thank you Lord for allowing Mark to be home this Christmas, it's been far too many years of celebrating your birth without him. We are grateful, blessed and over joyed to have him home!

More best gifts...

A continuation of the best gifts...

• Every year for my birthday, my Aunt Sue would always get me a card and a HUGE bag of Peanut M&M's. I blame her solely for the addiction I have for them. I wish I could be the cool Aunt that gives M&M's for gifts (my nieces and nephews are allergic to nuts, milk, eggs you name it... it sucks!) But Aunt Sue rocks w/ her bags full of candy. I am certain my mother cringed when she saw the bag, "that's just what Colleen needs more sugar!" BTW: they were never wrapped, they didn't need to be... they were individually wrapped in candy coated shells! I also never ever ever shared them.
• I begged and begged for a goldfish one year for Christmas. Can't remember if I was testing the reality of Santa or not, but there he was! My very own Goldfish greeted me on Christmas morning. My mom and brother rock!
• In 5th grade I had just started band and asked for a trumpet. It was a huge request, but there it was. I still have that trumpet and look forward to giving it to Seth to play.
• I was 15 years old, it was Christmas break and a boy asked me out. Mom had a rule that we had to be 16 to date. It was after all Christmas so mom let me go. It was a great gift, but in another post I'll tell you about that very first date! It was a doozy!
• This year I asked Santa for an IPOD. Sure hope I get to add this to the best gifts ever!

One of my most memorable memories of Christmas morning...

I was little, like maybe 3 or 4 years old. I was sitting at the top of our steps with my brother Jeff. We were anxiously waiting for mom to say we could come down the stairs. Mom was making sure Santa didn't make a mess, started the coffee pot, let the dog out and turned on the Christmas lights. It felt like it took forever, finally the word came "yes you can come down now!". Jeff hit me, pushed me, encouraged me call it what you will but he shoved my butt down the stairs. I rolled down the steps head over heels all the way down landing my my head in front of the window. I am sure I was screaming and cried and cried. I don't know if Jeff ever felt bad about it or not, but it created a memory I'll never forget!

Best Gifts Ever

What have been your best Christmas present ever? In this and at least the next post I'll share my favorites with you. But I'd love to know what tops your list of the best gifts ever.

The first set I want to share is from you guessed it, my mom's family! We are a unique bunch and I am blessed to have grown up with such great women in my life. My grandparent's (on my mom's side) had 4 daughter. I've spoken before about them and I am certain I'll share more about them in the future for now it's about the gifts.
Through the years I've come to look forward to gift giving holidays in my family, here's why!

1. My grandmother got a handgun, YES A GUN, one year for Christmas from her daughter, my Aunt Pat. Aunt Pat bought it for Grandma Alberta b/c she was tired of hearing her complain about the cats getting the birds in her yard.
2. Grandma Alberta made a lot her gifts. She made me the best Barbie clothes one could ever imagine. She had including camping gear, my Barbie's had sleeping bags and even pedal pushers!
3. Uncle Bruce had carved me a pendant when I was about 10. I found it before we moved; it brought me right back the the smells and sounds of Christmas at Grandma's house.
4. Grandpa used tape, a lot of tape. It became tradition that everyone brought pocket knives to Christmas because we had to have them to get into any gifts that Grandpa wrapped. It was his signature. Today my children have inherited his addiction to tape (we now hide the duct tape!)
5. Aunt Pat would always buy me the latest fashions (when I was really young she made them all!) from blouses to purses I was a total fashionista after Christmas.

My favorite memory is when we'd arrive at Grandma's house mid morning. We'd all sit around opening one gift at a time literally spending all day opening presents. Laughing and snacking all day. We only took breaks for the potty, to refuel the fire and to get more cookies! Christmas with the family is the best. Laughs and memories of the past have carried me through many hard holidays. To my family, thank you for unforgettable Christmas memories, creating unbelievable magic and a legacy that is an honor to carry forward.

Ohio House!

Not our house, but it's just up the street. Apparently they are huge OSU fans.

I will be driving around this week taking pictures of the community at night complete with all of their Christmas lights. The local businesses really go all out. It's quite fabulous. Can't wait to share them with you.