Here we are... in such a cute little house with deep snow all around. What the heck is my life? I never even considered moving prior to July... God just orchestrated this.

It was a smooth trip. Toby sang and played his keyboard and talked and watched cars go by and was pretty happy in general. Bean slept most of both drives. We drove 8 hours the first night, and stopped and stayed with Nate's family in Tulsa. Then about a 4 hour drive yesterday, and then a couple of frustrating hours driving trying to find a bank, and the realtors. Finally we got here. It's a pretty, small house. Beautiful wood floors and everything is freshly painted. Toby likes to run the wood floors from one end to the other whilst shrieking. So he's all settled in.

Then it was off to the airport to get Grandma and R2, who had had adventures all day waiting in airports, and getting delayed, and switching planes and so on. All of which R2 thought was VERY exciting. He was so excited when he and I were in the backseat of the van, he was using words and telling me about the airplane and the sky and all of his adventures. When we got to the house, he was really curious about the snow, but me, not so much. Maybe I'll let him play with a little snow today, when the SUN is out.

Now I am cowering in my bed, afraid to face the cold floors and try to find everything. The boys are still sleeping, or frozen.

So there you go. We made it, and today is the first day in the Big Winter.

on the road here... I'm excited all of the sudden. Its a pain to type on the iPhone so I'll catch up later!

It was a very Merry Christmas... fun and family and such. I did spend too much time in worry mode, as is typical of me and holidays. But overall very happy.
Yesterday around 3 we got back from the Clarks, and KSBJ was merrily playing in the background. R1 switched it off and said, "Okay. Christmas is OVER." Then I said, "Welcome to hell." Which was hilarious, and I wish he would have said it.

So today is the big pack day. We have about half of our stuff packed, and I am supposed to be doing more now, or at least laundry. Just wanted to check in.... I'll be able to blog from Richy's iPhone even when all the computers are packed, so fear not.

Took a gazillion pictures over Christmas, (and saw the Josharoos!) but I won't be able to put any of those up till next week sometime, from my little blue house in the heart of America.

Lunching with the mommies... updates later
Happy Birthday, Georgia!

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Okay, back. Last night was the Christmas party. Which, as you know, I am all about Christmas and parties. Unless I have to do something that takes work. Luckily, that was not the case. We improvised a skit... me and Jacob and Richy and Nick (Sanctuary Church). It had singing and dancing and questionable doctrine. We came in second place, to Nate and Leah in tights and Christmas tunics. Yes, both of them.

People keep saying the funniest thing to me. "Are you all ready to go? Packed and ready?" Are you kidding me? Heck no I am not packed. Without my trusty companion Richy, I am useless in the packing department. So, no. But tomorrow we will be packing fools, I imagine.

Lunch at China Delight today... my last time for a while. Dropped my books off at the library, didn't pick up any new ones. Wow. This is becoming real.

Today is the MOG's last day at Simplify. Well, he will still be working part time from home in KC. But his last day going to the office. It was God's provision, and I was grateful for it. But I will be really glad to get him back.

Doing some political thinking... I won't blog on it till my thoughts are clearer.

and a very Merry Christmas to you all!

These anonimis get pretty snarky come late afternoon. I am here, I am posting now. First, I had to put up this pretty cool weather widget ---->
Not exactly what I wanted, but close!
Also, there is the matter of these three children, who continually require food and such.

I think I am starting to get excited about moving. Which sounds terrible and disloyal and so on. But I'm not excited about leaving YOU... I'm excited about the adventure. Which is as it should be. And I'm excited about a new city, and a new Walmart, and a new library... and I am VERY nervous. I'm afraid of being lonely, or homesick. I'm afraid of being scared to drive in the snow, I am also excited about the snow. And, I am talking like a nut.
Cest la vie.

Tonight is the Radiant/Tred Christmas party. Oh heck... I'm supposed to make a snack. I will leave you now.

Christmas is 5 days away. There are a jillion little presents under our tree.... because I went a little nuts and wrapped everything separately. As in, one little Hot Wheel car. One tub of playdoh... it was fun and it will be interesting to see how it goes Christmas morning. I imagine once Toby opens his piano, he won't care about anything else. I am a Christmas junkie. I love it. the music and the movies and the shopping madness and all of it. Interesting, nothing spiritual there. I don't associate it so much with the birth of Jesus... wonder if I am just a crass commercialist American?
I'll think about it. But now, let's have a little poll.

When it comes to receiving Christmas presents, I am:
	Kwality Kathy: I want one expensive/nice present.
	Greedy Grace: I want a lot of small presents, maybe one medium or big.
	Ebenezer Scrooge: I don't care about presents, I don't want any and I won't buy you one.
	Other Otto: I will explain in the comments.

Had a revelation last night, as I was driving somewhere,- I am sick of existing. I want to live.

I actually had the real revelation of this years ago. After I lost my twins, I got terribly depressed. I remember thinking and writing that I wanted to be dead. Not suicide or even real death necessarily. Just desperate to stop feeling pain and wishing there was some relief. One night we were driving home, when we still lived near Cleveland. It was pitch black out there, except for headlights. And out of nowhere, a car swerves wildly into our lane. Head-on. Richy supernaturally got off the road, and we were unhurt. And in that black shock of a moment, I thought, "I want to live."

Now years later, I'm facing the next phase of that. I want to go beyond not wanting to be dead. I want to live and breathe and fight and CARE.

I want to be a burning heart. To burn for something. Who ever wakes up in the morning and says, "Man, I'd love to be a milktoast." ??

So, okay. Time to take life by the horns and move to Missouri. This is movement. And movement is good.

Also, new pictures over at the picture blog

Sorry for the absence of a blog here today.. I had a funso day at Stephanie's and couldn't log in to my own blog for that. So I will now recap my weekend.
Simplify Christmas party Friday night... I got new hair color and cut and so on, and looked real cute. Unfortunately, no one took my picture. So you will never know.
Saturday my sons stayed at Viking Granny's and I used the opportunity to go nuts at the Dollar Store, Walmart and Target. Nuts for me, which is still not very expensive. Then I came home. after it was VERY dark, and used our fireplace for FIRE whilst I wrapped presents. Very exciting.
Sunday we went to Christ the King and said goodbye, and then we had a birthday party for Toby. And Georgia jumped in the pool fully clothed for cash. And we don't even drink!

Then today I went and had la Palma with some pals. tomorrow, I will put up some pictures from Toby's party on my picture blog.
So there you go.

My mom is so great. She gave me an apple. It's cold. I think I should tell her it's cold. It's cold. It's cold. It's cold!! It's COOOOOLLLLLDDDD!
She said it's cold back to me! YESSSS.
An apple is kind of like a ball. A ball. Ball. Appo. Ball. Appo. I will throw it. WOW!
Mmm. Appo.
Where did she go? I will go stand by her arm and eat my apple. She probably misses me all the way across the room. I will touch her arm. Feel my hands, they're wet and cold and sticky. COLD!
Uh-oh... choking a little. I need to cough. WOW! My apple chunks landed on Mommy! WOW! I will cough some more. FUN! Now, I think I will walk around dropping little bites of apple on the floor everywhere from my mouth. Bite. Appo. Wow. Table? No. No table.

Hmm. Basically done here. I will gently set my apple on the carpet in a corner of Mommy's room. Yes, there. There is good. Now! Time to go pull all of the paper out of the printer. WOW!

I went to Walmart on Tuesday, to grocery shop and to get out of the house. I went yesterday to pick up the 2 things I forgot. I went today to get paper for Richy. I am sick of Walmart. I am almost like a normal person in my dislike of Walmart today.

I have no idea what to get the MOG for Christmas. The book I was going to get him, he bought himself. I got him an Iphone for his birthday, so that's the coolest ever. So he says. just get me a card or something. LAME. I am the Christmas fairy. I LOVE buying presents. It can't cost much, and it has to be cool. I have a knack for buying the wrong thing, i.e. a basket of fancy coffees when he has secretly decided to fast coffee for a year (he didn't). I have waited too long to order anything, I think. Sometimes I get on my nerves. Ah, well, maybe a nice gift card to Walmart.

In other news, how is this not Friday? It has seemed like Friday since I woke up, and I am having a hard time convincing myself it really is NOT.

My knees are sticky. I don't know why. The problem is, I'm wearing jeans. And the outside of the jeans are not sticky. Mystery.

Toby has been awake for over 2 hours and has not even picked up one of the presents I wrapped last night. I am amazed. Maybe he forgot about presents? Whatever, I'm not arguing.

About to venture back over to Walmart for all the stuff I forgot yesterday, and maybe the dollar store... MUAHAHAHAHA

And, my hair is burgundy. So there you go.
Chuck Norris and Mike Huckabee

Bought a few Christmas presents today. It's very funny to buy them with little people around. I bought a keyboard for Toby (probably) with a mike. $9.88 at WalMart. God Bless Capitalism.

Anyway, of course he spotted it and in an amazing show of gymnastic strength, bent himself over the cart seat far enough to turn it on and play it a little. I let him, because I don't fight Happy Toby. I let him be. Once he got uncomfortable and mad enough, I hid it. Under his feet. He then raged for about 30 seconds until we passed something shiny or demonic, and it was forgotten. When I was going through the checkout line, he was frantically saying Guttaletta? and such. Which obviously means Do you want to get down? which means HE wants to get down.

So I let him and he looked under the cart, where the keyboard had been. MUAHAHAHA. He was very disappointed for 4.5 seconds, and then he started suggesting which candy bars I should buy him. And I, Stealth Parent, hid it back in the cart.

So THAT is awesome.

Now I have to figure out a present for R2, who also really liked the piano. Is it lame to buy them both the same thing? Would it even work, or would they still fight over the same one??

We've moved!!
Bookmark the new site!
http://www.radiantjess.blogspot.com

Look at the prettiness! And all that strange white substance on the ground! So we filled out all the paperwork, me signing things and scanning and emailing them, and he hobbling about in KC with his crutch and ICE STORMS. 21 degrees. What will become of me?

I am not ready to move. Not emotionally, no. But that will probably never happen. I mean, physically. I have all this stuff and nothing packed. Deja vu? Me too. I guess I'll start getting rid of stuff. Again.

If we get approved for this house then I can start ordering services and change our address and such. Wowzer.

I am tired. I stay up too late, sleep too little and wake up too early. If you have a direct line to Toby, I would warn him not to mess with me today.

Stuff I want to do before leaving Conroe for a year
• Have a couple of kidless dates before going to the faraway land of Nobabysitter
• Eat at Rancho Grande. Maybe multiple times.
• See famblies and friends. This would be easier if I was less tired.
• Pack, find a house, cancel services, switch services, change address (boring, not what I'm really talking about)
• OH MY GOSH do they have Blue Bell? Research time.

• What else?

Smartypants is in business! Entertain me with your queries on the holidays, entertaining, etiquette, and whatever strange neurotic questions float amidst the gray matter!

The MOG is flying to Kansas City this weekend to look at some houses... I was supposed to have like 10 scheduled but when it's all said and done there's only 4 appointments. Sheesh.

And all of them have redeeming qualities, and are not exactly what we're looking for.
Hopefully either we hit the jackpot with one of these or somebody shows him some non-listed houses while he's there. This is a little scary.

I'm off to Target to give the manager what-for. Updates later!
Actually, I'm not going anywhere just yet. The MOG has all the keys, and I have to wait for him to hobble across the street and bring them back.
Long story short: police were beckoned yesterday because of R2's "injuries". They let us go, no problem. But I need to do a little education about the difference between abused and special needs children. Grrr.

---

So here's what happened. R2 has a mark on his face from where he smacked himself during a tantrum. So yesterday, we went to Target just for the sake of getting out of the house. We shopped for an hour or so, and when we left, the police came and parked behind us (3 officers) and said that someone had called because there was some concern about R2's injuries. Right away, I thought of his cheek, so I explained he hit himself. Then I realized they were also talking about his eye, and his limp. So I explained the situation, and I showed them his itty-bitty eye. I think the policemen were pretty embarrassed. They kept apologizing. So we drove off and I see them talking to a Target manager type on the sidewalk. I was so embarrassed, and scared and just shaken up. But the more I thought about it, I remembered that same manager talking to me in the store, seeing if I needed help finding something or whatever. So, I'm thinking she's the one who called.

So I decide to go up there today and talk to somebody because I love Target. And I want to keep shopping there. So I get the decoy manager (you can tell these things) and I am telling her the story and how upset I am. so she calls the real manager. Who, was on duty yesterday and can assure me it was not an employee who called. They would have had to run it by her first. But she and the decoy manager feel terrible and they can't believe it blah blah blah. So, it must have been an overzealous and not terribly observant customer who actually called the police because of how R2 looks.

It makes me sick. And nervous to go anywhere. Ugh.

If this works, then good.

My kids want to get out of the house. But it is alarmingly cold. I hear you Yankees scoffing. Look, this is cold. Maybe there's no snow. Maybe there's no frostbite. Maybe, it's 40 something degrees. All I know is when I open the door, the Arctic wind blows in.

Maybe we'll go to the mall. Ay ay ay.

I feel very rich this Christmas. Not in a fiscal sense... But rich with my family around me and all this joy. And tantrums and snot and peanut butter wiped on everything, yes. But so much joy. I went a little nuts at the dollar store. It's very festive around here.

We move in 23 days. Is this really happening?

miss sp:
how should one go about impressing children (and adults) that it is more blessed to give than to recieve?
The rod, dear reader. The rod.

anonymous said...
Mrs SP,
In your humble opinion, is it true that the tradition of Christmas trees has roots in paganism?

The amazing thing about Christmas trees is, they have no roots. If, at one point, they were rooted in paganism, they were then heartlessly chopped down and shipped to Walmart, where they are from then on unrooted. And eventually, they are potted, and then, in due time, return to the earth. Although, some might argue that Walmart itself is rooted in paganism. Party poopers.

anonymous said...
How is Christmas celebrated in Australia?
Australians do not celebrate Christmas.

anonymous said...
Mrs Smarty P.,
Is it proper etiquette to eat cranberry sauce with your hands?
Charlie
It is not proper. Please remove your hands from the keyboard immediately.

Now, some of you are asking... "Did she really DEFY the MOG and purchase a potentially pagan tree? What hath God wrought?" If so, you talk funny. But I will tell you. The Scrooge MOG did not want a tree. He vaguely alluded to forbidding me to buy one. Not concretely. (he knows better). It's a long story, but someone in our marriage went to a great deal of work and got a $100 gift card online for her their efforts. Which, after 6 weeks, arrived in the mail. Then, someone other than the party of the first part threw away said gift card because it was, and I quote, "trash in the van".

I climbed into the dumpster to retrieve it. I called to activate it, and there was no activation code. So, I climbed back into the dumpster and retrieved the letter with the code. I then spent $40 of that hard earned card on a tree, which I brought home by myself. It is over 8 feet tall. I am just over 5 feet tall. I then wrestled it in my house, and set it up and decorated it. By myself. Which makes me hardcore. When the Man of God got home and saw the tree, he was highly amused. He is quite happy to not have to have done anything. Next year, I am hoping he will have developed Merry Christmas genes and be jolly and bright.