And next year we'll donate to their college funds

I get lots of good ideas...sadly about 75% of them turn out bad.

To prove my bad idea hall of fame I thought I would share the latest event.

I've mentioned before that boy and I teach Sunday school each week to 2nd graders. We taught them last year when they were in 1st grade and because they melt our hearts so much we took the opportunity to continue our journey with them. It could also be that they finally learned how to read and if you've ever tried to get a 1st graders to read from Genesis...well nuff said. Well stick with the "melt our hearts" reason...it sounds better.

Truly we love them to pieces and are so blessed to get to encourage them spiritually that I wanted to do something special to reward them. Each week if they bring their Bible they get a sticker, if they bring their devotional completed they get a sticker and good behavior also earns them a sticker. These stickers go into a book and each child has their own page. After 20 stickers they get a prize. We thought a big goal would be more motivating.

Well before ever researching prize options, I blurted out back in August that if they get 20 stickers they get a coupon for an ice cream cone from Chick-fil-a. Eyes lit up and the Heavens opened for these little ones with the mention of the chicken palace. They were thrilled.

I thought surely Chick-fil-a would allow me to purchase such a gift card. Ha that would be too easy.

On Sunday our 1st child will receive his prize this Sunday. Yes, I know the whole idea is awfully motivational seeing as how it has taken almost 4 months to get are 1st prize winner. I callled up Fil-a and asked about purchasing these tickets because they are for the church and the children. They tell me they can ring up $1.07 on each gift card...the full amount of an ice cream cone. So I head that way today and low and behold I get to the counter and apparently they were mistaken they have a minimum of $5 for gift cards. I beg and I plead because it's for the children and the church. No such luck. I cannot back out of this now and break their sweet little Jesus loving hearts so I break out my debit and purchase $5 gift cards. I did a dreadful looking calendar with coupons to remind me each month in 2008 of what I sucker I am.

Looking back it might have been cheaper to sign over some stock bonds to them.

Oh Christmas Tree

Last night we endured our little family tradition of putting up the Christmas tree. Each year I have to bribe boy a bit to help me pull the sucker out of the attic. For him it's like getting a shot. You dread it even though you have to do it, it may hurt a little, but in the end it's all worth it. Now don't get me wrong he loves Christmas like the rest of us, he just did not realize that a 9ft. pre-lite Christmas tree was in the marriage vows.

So we head up to the attic and for 30 minutes yank and pull that sucker out into tree pieces. Drag it down the stairs and then begin to assemble. He bickers for 45 minutes about why I had to buy pre-lite because by the time you find all the plugs and outlets you could have had 20 trees wrapped with lights and Costco is such a rip for selling a lousy tree. We finally get A connected to B and B connected to C. Flip the switch and of course the very top layer does not light up. As he searches in the tree for the problem I hear a shriek and turn to see boy lying on the floor yelling in pain.

Found the problem.

Looks like a light was broken and boy got an electric shock because he forgot to turn it all off. And then we have a pug that is in distress at this new object he only slightly remembers from last year until he smells it and finds the faint scent of his urine from years past and is comforted to know it is his Christmas tree.

And so together we held bandaged hands, sipped hot chocolate, sang "Oh Christmas Tree" and sniffed each branch on the tree. It's officially Christmas time.

Cotton-Headed-Ninny-Muggins

Oh how I love the Christmas season. The presents under the tree, the cider on the stove, but for me nothing says Christmas like Christmas movies! Whoa. I think we have had a Christmas movie on every day for the past week. I may not be able to tell you who is supports what in the political running, but I can share useless knowledge of a Christmas movie. I love them all from the classics to the sappy bad acting ones. They all rock! I felt it would be ever so appropriate to share my favorites and let you in on what my TiVo will be recording for the next month. Also, can anyone tell me what movie the title of this post if from??

Here are some of our favorites:
1. A Christmas Story- so cute! We usually wait and watch this on Christmas Eve.

2. Christmas Vacation- probably our favorite. A Christmas is not complete without this one.

3. Santa Claus- have not seen the 3rd yet.

4. Christmas with the Kranks

5. Home Alone- both of them. Such good memories watching this.

6. Elf-we LOVE Will Farrell.

7. The Grinch- both the animated and Jim Carrey films.
8. A Charlie Brown Christmas
9. A Muppet Christmas- watching this film is a tradition on my hubs side of the family.

My list could go on and on. And then here are so fun ones I can't wait to watch. You can't go wrong with finding a Christmas movie on the ABC Family channel and their 25 Days of Christmas. And we must not forget the Hallmark channel. I can't wait to watch this one on December 8th, Notes.

The Thanksgiving without Pictures

Yes, ma'am the title says it all. We have no Thanksgiving pictures because well...I'm lazy and forgetful. You would think that with 3 Thanksgivings the odds would be in my favor. But that's life as a blonde I guess.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We sure did and can feel it as we have to hold our breathe now to squeeze into our pants. I mentioned we have 3 Thanksgivings, yes it's truly painful to eat that much, but seeing all our family makes it so worth it. Last Tuesday we headed to the lake house for Thanksgiving with my parents. This is perfect to just chill out, eat and of course break out a few games of Spades.

We headed back to our home Wednesday and Thursday morning boy's folks came to stay. Sadly I did not cook a turkey. We did have another big meal of sorts that I'm sure carried the same amount of calories. And no gathering with boys family is complete without an ultimate game of Cranium's Pop 5. We went to bed that night with a full belly and cheeks hurting from all the laughter.

Then Friday we all headed down to boy's extended family to have another turkey dinner (mashed potato less I might add...it's hard to call a Thankgiving meal a meal without mashed potatos and gravy). I might have to fix that next year. Always a blast to get together with our baby cousins on that side. This is the truly Texas side, where we don't say dog we a daaaawg!

And that completes our Thanksgiving without Pictures...oh yeah and add in a glorious amount of sports including a game by our beloved Kansas Jayhawks. I may have not shared this passion with you before. We oh so love our Jayhawk basketball team and like so many of you before 2007 we forgot we even had a football team. Rock chalk!

Truly Thankful

I am thankful for:
- God overwhelming grace and mercy.
- My hubby and the laughter he brings to this marriage each day.
- An abundantly supportive and loving family.
- A mischevious yet lovable pug.
- Sweet friends that will help you out at the drop of a hat.
- All my blogging friends...I just love y'all!
- And the semi-homemade oatmeal cookies that are baking in the oven (hey..I had to add eggs, butter and water).

I hope y'all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Time to put on the Thanksgiving Pants!

I'm having a difficult time getting into the Thanksgiving spirit when my a/c is on and I'm walking around in a tank top, capris and flip flops wipping sweat from my forehead.

I will, however, get over it quickly for the food. I love Thanksgiving food. Nothing better then mom's homemade mashed potatoes. Yummy.

We begin our series of Thanksgiving dinners tomorrow and then finish up on Friday. It's rough, but someone must do it. By Friday the calories will have set in completely and the gym will be waiting my arrival Saturday. So worth it though!

And on a different note. I am looking for a song. I'm sitting at my computer trying to find this awesome song I heard on a Christian radio station. They never mention who sings it and if I could talk to y'all I'd sing it for you and you could put my hunt to an end and tell me who sings it. This is a very important mission and so I have the radio on the internet on with itunes ready to go. I'll let you know if I find it.

UPDATE: Whoa! I kid you not as soon as I hit publish I found it. The song is "Undeniable" by Mat Kearney. We have us some good traveling music now!

Because No Trip to Ikea is Complete without a 6ft. stuffed snake.

I made a quick trip up to Ikea the other day. I saw this for $4.99 and knew a pug that would love this. It's his new bud that he drags around the house. This pug is so spoiled.