Christmas Snapshots

HOPE YOUR CHRISTMAS WAS MERRY AND BRIGHT!

How to Survive the Christmas Crud x Six

Oh the joy of the post-holiday illness...times six people! It all started with Abigail a few days before Christmas, then Rebecca on Christmas Eve, then Michael and Katherine and Jeff and Genny...you get the picture. I don't know if it's a cold or flu or what. It doesn't knock you down completely where you get nothing done, it just zaps you of energy, ruins your sleep and keeps you achy and slightly feverish off and on for about 7 days. For example, I'm sitting at the computer feeling so-so with my throat a little sore and in a while I'll be achy all over and freezing. Blah, blah, blah....

It's been interesting to have a house full of sick people, but somehow we are managing to get the basics done, like meals and dishes. I'm especially glad to have had Michael (Katherine's boyfriend) here because he has a special gene that causes him to put dishes in the dishwasher and to collect glasses and cups from all over the house. Too bad we had to get him sick while he was here!

Here are a few things that we could not have done without as we've battled the Christmas Crud of 2011:

1. Nyquil Cold & Flu - is it cold or is it flu? Doesn't matter. Just take this every night. It will help you to have a night of partial sleep versus no sleep at all.

2. Kleenex Cool Touch Tissues - the only tissue that's ever given Puffs Plus a run for their money. They are actually cold when you touch them to your nose!

3. Keurig - We've used the Keurig day and night, almost non-stop for the last week. Hot tea, coffee, cider, chocolate, you name it, hot drinks have abounded.

4. Carmex - for those horribly dry lips from mouth-breathing all night

5. Sleep - oh, how I long for a night of uninterrupted sleep for surely that would be the best thing to help me recover. I'm thinking it might just have to come in the form of a nap today.

Christmas Lights

Driving around looking at Christmas lights never gets old, especially when they are as gorgeous as these are. This is near downtown Ft. Worth. We took Mother and Buddy on a tour when they came to spend a day with us last week. It was pretty chilly outside, but we agreed that it was much better and more "Christmasy" than if it had been hot!

Here's Christmas and I Never Blogged Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving, yet it's come and gone along with Christmas now and I have nothing to show for the month in between. Well, I did say a few posts back that I wasn't going to feel guilty for not posting, so moving right along...

It was difficult getting in the Christmas decorating spirit this year. We were busy with basketball, Rebecca was on crutches for a sprained ankle, we had appointments for someone every time we turned around...you get the picture. My decorator, Katherine, was still at school. Abigail finally complained, "Why can't we just have a SIMPLE Christmas?" My first thought was, "Is there any such a thing?" Anyway, we plowed ahead and finally managed to put up the tree and a few things on the mantle.

I always think, "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..." which is funny because if it's cold enough and we have a fire, Jeff has to take them all down before he starts a fire and then I put them back up again, and then down and up and down...and we're both griping about them by the time Christmas rolls around.

I couldn't resist buying this Peanuts nativity this year.

I just hear in my head Linus saying, "And there were in the same country,

shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night..."

Christmas holidays wouldn't be complete without a new game --

Quelf, which is a very bizarre game -- note Abigail under the table doing...something

Our beautiful, shiny tree and presents

And a gingerbread house...

More Christmas soon...

Thought for the Day

My Second Football Post This Year

Who would have thought I would be writing about football in just a matter of months from my first post about the game? I guess technically this post isn't about a game as much as it is about a player -- Tim Tebow. The Denver Broncos' quarterback has been in the news the last few weeks due to the fact that he is an outspoken Christian and the media can't get enough of the reaction to his bowing and praying on the football field. I would say he has endured much persecution these last days and I expect it will only get worse. What I love about Tebow is that he is standing strong. I'm praying that he will continue to be a faithful witness in a very worldly, ungodly atmosphere.

So, to get to my point...I've been doing a Bible Study on the books of 1 & 2 Timothy the last several weeks. This morning I was reviewing lists of characteristics of believers and unbelievers. The challenge was to apply them to our own lives and see where we stand. As I read the lists, Tebow came to mind. It also struck me how closely the "Tebow haters" and those who make fun of him resemble the "Unbelievers" lists. Check it out:

worldly, empty chatter

gone astray from truth

foolish/ignorant speculations

lovers of self

revilers

unholy

unloving

brutal

haters of good

treacherous

oppose the truth

go from bad to worse

not enduring sound docrine

lovers of the world

vigorously oppose Christian teachings

This week a player on the opposing team actually bowed and pretended to pray, making fun of Tebow directly on the field! A sportswriter commented that if Tebow had done the same thing, but making fun of a Muslim that he would have been fined and hauled off to jail!

Quoting the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:17-18 here's what I would challenge Tim Tebow to remember: "But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth. The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

And Amen again!

Merry Christmas with Love

If you have not read this little book by Chris Shea, I encourage you to find a copy for yourself. It has such a sweetness about the pictures and the words. I pull it out of my Christmas closet and read it every year. In case you can't find it or don't have time, thought I would share it right here. In all the busy-ness of December it gets easy to be overwhelmed with our "to do" list and forget about this simple message.

God has blessed us forever. That is what Christmas is all about.

The nature of Christmas is giving...because it all began with a Gift. A gift that can only be received, a gift that brought Joy to the world, a Gift that came special delivery. As promised, God sent His best, and the sky and the stars gave the world's first baby shower. (God knew they couldn't afford announcements so he lent them a star, the only nightlight with a lifetime guarantee.)

Christmas has a radiance all its own and even unplugged could illuminate the world. (Two thousand years later God leaves the Light on still.)

Then through a tiny door every creature saw it, the enormous gift of eternal Love, and all who entered knew they stood upon the very floor of Heaven. This was the touch of Christmas: the simple became the sacred. Even the world's first masterpiece was only framed in straw. Who but God would think of sending a Message and wrapping it in swaddling clothes? Who but God knew it would take the heart of a child to reach the soul of the world?

God is Love. Christmas is proof: for only from the heart of God could such a one as Jesus come...such a tiny little son who would grow to comfort all the world, a Savior to look up to who would never look down on us.

Jesus...our best, our ever friend.

Peace on earth began in a manger, the Christmas Presence asleep in the hay.

May the simple beauty of Christmas take your breath away. May you taste the love in every Christmas cookie, hear joy in every Christmas song, feel warmth in every Christmas present; and in the midst of all the celebration, may you make room for Peace.

Merry Christmas, With Love

Abigail Joins the Club

I must post about this event, which is one of those life-changing things that most teens go through -- getting braces. We talked about not getting them for Abigail because her top teeth were fairly straight. After her pleading cries for months on end (kinda) we found an orthodontist and she got her top braces on November 10. I've always told Abigail that she needs to go through the "awkward teenage" stage like most kids do, but she really hasn't done so. Even with braces I think she looks pretty cute.

BEFORE

AFTER

Yes, she's in a little bit of pain here. Her comment after getting braces was, "The people who invented braces must hate children." "But you wanted them," I replied. "I just wanted straight teeth -- not braces!" she cried. And there's the logic of a 14 yr. old, hard at work.

The Post in Which I Have Nothing to Say...

I keep coming to my blog, signing in, and looking...waiting for words to miraculously appear. I know this may surprise some (okay, most) of you, but I just don't have anything to talk about. I do have a few pictures to share, maybe...

Thinking that now might be time to rename this the "Holmes Happenings BLAHg" if I don't get inspired soon. I'll be boring all of you to death; not to mention how tired I am of going to the blog and seeing that picture of Jeff on Halloween. So, if for nothing more than that, I'm going to post some recent pictures just to move him on down the way. You can thank me later.

Signing off as "Boring in Blahg-land"...

Trick or Treat!

Yes, this is the only one in our family who dressed up this year.

Who do you think he is?

Word Choices, or as I like to call them, Semantics

Really?!?

Seriously?!?

Whatever...

This sounds like something one of my teenagers might say, along with rolled eyes and a heavy sigh, but actually that's me you're listening to. I have found there is a strong correlation between how I feel physically and how my words sound coming out of my mouth.

As I mentioned in a previous post, my "neck issues" have returned in full force this week. I have been in a great deal of pain for a good portion of the last 8 days. I find that when I am in pain the regulatory device that controls my words tends to be on the fritz, as well. When you are in pain, you don't really care about being polite or politically correct. (Although I usually do not subscribe to being politically correct when I feel great either.) It really boils down to the fact that you are hurting, you want people to stop talking and go away, unless they are standing in front of you with a glass of water and a fistful of muscle relaxers, followed quickly by "Hey, let me massage your neck and back for you. I'm free for an hour!"

Here are some examples:

1. Abigail has to be reminded to feed the bunnies.

Healthy Genny: "Absie, don't forget to feed the bunnies before you go to school...sweetie."

Genny in Pain: "If I have to remind you one more stinkin' time to feed those rabbits, we are taking them to the nearest park and throwing them out for the coyotes to eat!"

2. Genny prepares dinner

Healthy Genny: "Time to eat, everyone. I made your favorites!" (spoken in sing-song voice)

Genny in Pain: Child: "Mom, what's for dinner?" Me: "Like I care? You should be cooking for me."

3. Girls ask for help with homework

Healthy Genny: "Why I would love to edit your 8-page paper! It's my greatest joy to help you."

Genny in Pain: "It'll be fine like it is. Who cares if you get a bad grade? Doesn't your teacher always drop the lowest score?"

Now I hope you realize I'm kidding...um, yeah, well kinda...I'm pretty sure I'm joking. Yes, that's it. I was just playing with ya. After all, it's only semantics...right?

Hop to It!

I love these photos Abigail took of the bunnies a couple weeks ago. She has such a unique perspective and the bunnies are always so sweet. We let them out so I could try and clip their nails. Ohmyword....why do I even try? They are so jittery when I try to start snipping. I managed to get some of them done on both bunnies so I called that success. And, we will live to try another day.

SABLE

BUBBLES

Yes, we can see you, silly rabbit!

I'm Not A Fan

I don't know why I sit around and think about these things. I guess it comes from an extremely stressful, long October. My neck has decided to start hurting again and I've been putting heat on it this morning. This has nothing to do with this post, except when I am sitting still with heat on my neck, my mind wanders and here is where it wandered today...I'm sorry.

There are some things that many, many people like...dare I say LOVE...that I simply do not care for. (Sorry about the sentence ended with a preposition. I hate that, too!) And, remember, I apologized earlier.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I will eat one, but I can actually avoid one even straight out of the oven.

Crazy, right?

Oreos

I just don't care for the whole black teeth thing or, the whole scraping your teeth over the icing if you're into eating them that way. Ugh. Nails on a chalkboard...

Hot Chocolate

It's just too sweet or something.

(And I don't know why this is underlining and won't go away, but I don't like that either.)

White Cake with White Icing

Boring

Squirrels

I believe I've spoken enough on this topic for you to know my true feelings.

Dogs

Yes, I know. It's practically unAmerican.

Sorry.

There's really no point to this post. In fact, I think I need to go back and put heat on my neck again. Thinking about things that irritate me have really irritated my neck. Heavy sigh...

So Let's Talk About Football

I know! Me? Talk about football? What in the world is this blog coming to? More importantly I would like to discuss the Aggies and their complete inability to play a full four quarters of a game. I can't tell you how many texts I've gotten from Jeff (at the game) which look like this:

14 - 0 Ags up

17-3 Ags

24-3 Ags at half

time passes....

31-6 middle of 3rd

time passes...

31-34 ballgame

What?!? Did they just walk out of the stadium? Stand there? Forget all their plays? Now I know these guys are smart because they got into A&M. (I refuse to acknowledge any rule bending to allow "less than qualified" players in. Sure, they probably live with their tutor, but they came in legally, right?)

Not sure what's going on with those guys but, to borrow a High School Musical phrase, they "gotta get their head in the game!" (And yes, I know that was about basketball.)

Anyway, to get to my point...and I do have one. Aggies, I need you to win. The moods in our house are not happy when you blow a game in the 4th quarter. Romo is killing us with the Cowboys and even the TCU Frogs lost this last weekend. Thank goodness the Rangers are in the playoffs!

Of course, everyone loves to hate on the Aggies, so we get all that grief, too. You know...how dare we move to the SEC because we couldn't possibly play all those great teams. Hello...news flash. It's not about winning, people; it's about money. (and you can quote me on that)

My favorite comment over the Aggies' loss to Arkansas this last weekend was posted by my husband on Facebook: As an Aggie and a Cowboys fan, I am glad my joy comes from the Lord.

Gig 'em!

It's A Good Thing

As all four of you who read this blog know, I am no Martha Stewart. I have a good idea every now and then, am a passable scrapbooker and a fairly decent cook. I can be crafty when called upon in a school project emergency. (Like the time I made Rebecca a Jacqueline Kennedy pillbox hat out of a sailor cap, black fabric and hot glue.)

But, THE SNACK BOX. Definitely one of our better ideas. It was mostly a "necessity is the mother of invention" type situation, but a good idea nonetheless.

After I pick the girls up from school they are always thirsty and starving. Maybe it's the fact that we have a 20 minute drive home, but they are "dying, I tell you, dying" and don't want to wait for food. So, being the gracious and generous mother that I am, I would stop at 7-11 and buy them (and me) a drink and a snack. Well, at an average of $7.00 per stop x 3 days per week, we were racking up an impressive amount per month.

Enter the Snack Box. I now keep a full box of snacks in the car at all times. The girls' friends absolutely love riding anywhere with us. We always have food. Then, I added a little cooler of drinks, too, making me the most generous mother anywhere in the world. (also making my girls the most spoiled children in the world: negative side affect)

I recommend one for your car or minivan. It's a good thing!

Just a Little Trip Cross Country

Rebecca took up a new sport this year -- cross country. It's been a great experience for her. Her team is like a big family and Coach Raines has really developed this group of kids into good runners. We've enjoyed this sport because we have our evenings free. Sure, we've been waking up at 5:30 a.m. every Saturday since August 13, but we're home by 10:30 a.m. That's not so bad, right?

It's also been good for me because while the team is running and lifting weights I've been walking. Nothing like a good hour of forced exercise.

Group Shot from the Grace Prep Meet

I've commented that the starting line looks like a scene from Braveheart. This is one of the smaller meets we attended. At some starting lines, there were anywhere from 75-100 runners. Becca is almost in the middle here. (Click on any photo to enlarge and actually see!)

Mid-Race (Becca in yellow, Jeff on left, me in shadow)

Audrey, Becca, Lizzie

Jeff and I working the finish line at the Grace Prep meet

This is usually how you see the runners, from a distance.

Becca's shirt is the color of the grass!

The middle schoolers love Becca. Her coach says she is the "team mother."

Crazy group shot!

Three more weeks...I'm actually going to miss it, especially when I'm sitting on hard bleachers in a smelly gym. Oh, basketball, why'd ya have to go and ruin a good time?