It is today...

It is today - we are Christmas detoxing at our house.  Too much excitement, chaos, food and lots and lots of people that we love to celebrate with.  It has left me, a traditional extrovert, craving some downtime and quiet.  No commotion.  No places we need to be.  

It is today, the 27th of December.  

I am healthy and my children are healthy.  

My friends are stronger than they know and believe.  

I am trying new things in 2013 to mix things up for our family, hopefully for the better.  

My husband is my biggest champion.  

I am making future plans that are going to change the landscape.  

My children are growing and changing and pushing me.  

I am willing to be pushed and be the mom I am, not who someone else thinks I should be.  

It is today.

Not Quite Hallmark Christmas...

Today was a snow day so I was home with all three kids.  It had its ups and downs.  Many downs, to be sure - everyone seemed very cranky and unsettled.  Of course, that means that nap time was a no go and so tonight, droopy eyelids were easy to spot.  

Luke fell asleep in the living room at about 6:20.  Dottie and I watched The Grinch and then were sitting on the couch.  I was singing Christmas songs to her and it had that "this could be in a commercial" feeling to it. 

Then I starting singing "Silent Night"  I was about 8 bars in and Dottie busts out -

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT.

YOU BETTER NOT CRY.

(She is very accusing - maybe she will be in the FBI)

YOU BETTER NOT POUT

ILL TELL YOU WHY.  

SANTA IS COMING TO TOOOOWWWWN.  

So much for my idyllic Christmas moment of peace and twinkly lights.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Its that time again!  Em was all about the Christmas music this week and asked us to share our favorite tunes.  Em and I seem to have divergent music tastes in general but Christmas might highlight that more than anything! 

I have over 300 Christmas songs in my iTunes library.  Here are the most played: 

1.  The Chipmunk Song - Christmas Don't be Late.  What can I say?  I have three children four and under.  This is at the top of their request list!

2.  All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey. In my opinion this is the greatest pop Christmas song of all time.  It always puts a smile on my face and has a fun beat!

3.  Baby its Cold Outside - Dean Martin/Doris Day.  I only like the classic on this one.  No video available.  Dean Martin is SMOOOOOTH and it makes me laugh.

4.  The Twelve Days of Christmas - John Denver and the Muppets.  I own the whole album that this song is on and love it.  Anything with Kermit, Miss Piggy and Animal has to be the best.

5.  Oh Holy Night - Full Choir Version.  I hate most of the recordings of this song.  I LOVE, however, this song, song in church with a full choir.  beautiful.

Merry Merry Music Christmas!

Check out Barb, Steph and Em and Katrina are celebrating to!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Princess Dorothy is Now Three!

Three years ago, she came into this world in a blizzard.  Nineteen inches of snow to be exact.  So much snow, that despite widespread knowledge of her pending arrival, she had exactly 5 visitors in her 5 days in the hospital. 

She has been our little stormy one ever since. 

She is fierce.  Never one to stand idly by, she has an opinion on almost everything.  She rarely holds back on telling you what said opinion might be.  She is known to stand with her hand on her hips saying, "I told you!"

She is the yin to her brother's yang.  Not a social butterfly, she is more reserved, more likely to sit back and observe for awhile, assessing the situation (and her place in it).  She is happy to play alone and can hold her attention longer than most little people.  Drawing, making crafts and stickers keep her little fingers and mind busy. 

She never stops talking.  No joke,  Miss Dorothy even talks when she is asleep.  When she is playing, she sounds as if there are 10 other kids joining her, even if she is sitting at the table alone coloring.  She loves to use her "Minnie voice" and to make her brothers laugh. 

She is all girl.  A fury of pink and purple and sparkles, she loves to play dress up and is typically sporting a crown.  She has several.  She hates to wear pants and does not appreciate that tights or leggings are required in our cold Wisconsin winters.  Tutus, sparkles, poofiness, it is all appropriate all the time. 

She loves princess junk.  I am not a princess hater or encourager - but she is all about the princess.  If it is her night to pick a movie for movie night, she will say, "a PRINCESS MOOODY"  True in more than one sense!

Her favorites right now include:  peaches, dance parties, having 100 million toys in her bed at one time, talking on the phone, and long, long baths (with NO BUBBLES MOMMY) until she is pink and the water is cold.  Her favorite book is Pinkalicious, her favorite song is Part of Your World (Little Mermaid), and she adores her twinkle stars blanket.  A Sconnie girl in every sense of the word, she cheers for the packers (she even has a yellow tutu that she pairs with her sparkly packer shirt), eats too much cheese and loves to play outside. 

I am so grateful to be her momma even when she is exhausting. 

I SPY...

When I was little, I loved the game I Spy.  I Spy with my own little eye... and then try and get the other person to guess what you have identified as your target. 

I also love Seek and Find books, Wheres Waldo, etc.  You get the drift.  I love the challenge of looking for hidden gems. 

Good thing.  Socks?  In my house? bhwahhahahaah.  Hidden gems. 

I am not just talking about baby socks (the devils curse), but girly toddler socks, boy athletic socks, daddy work socks and any two freaking socks that will make a pair for mom.

I have been seeking to find those socks every day for the last 4.5 years.

This morning?  The socks defeated me. I present to you my foot on December 13, 2012.

 No Sock.  Just red shoes.  Reminding you that I live in Wisconsin and its December.  Remind me of this when I have a cold in 1.4 weeks.

Christmas Confession. Ventage Tuesday

Today's plan was to talk Christmas traditions. Everyone else had lots of love for the holidays so let me apologize in advance. 

I am not a Christmas person. I love twinkly lights as much as the next gal but I could do without the fuss. Work is always very tense in December for me.  I get too worried about the logistics of who when and where. I'm tired. 

I Will not wax poetic about the season. Here are my favorite things (cue Julie Andrews)

1.  I love midnight mass.  I love the candles, the singing, the worry about children who should be home snug in their beds.  I love our parish and the people and the bursting at the seams with joy of Christmas eve service. 

2. Adults playing returns with kids and their new toys.  This is my dad circa 2010 with the kids new play kitchen

3.  Our imperfect tree decorating. Well, sorta. This one is kinda tough because I would really live to have a Martha esque tree and I hate decorating with the kids because I feel like the tree is going to crash down, I refuse to put up my good ornaments, it always looks like a disaster.  I do love the look on the kids faces though, so I just supress my hatred of the Charlie Brown tree. 

4.  Crazy Christmas photo shoots.  Every year, we have some goofy shoots to capture the wackiness.  I love winter hats and the kids usually get some hats for Christmas, this is one of my favorite pictures of the kids ever (photo by Barb).

5.  The one thing I super love about Christmas?  Christmas Cards.  I REALLY REALLY love getting them and seeing everyone's families and displaying them and feeling that close to home feeling.  We sent over 150 cards this year and I hope we receive a million.  If you would like to send me a card and don't have my address, just ask. :)  I will be posting my Christmas Card in a few days.  Stay tuned.


So I am sorry for my grinchiness and I hope you can check out the other gals to see what the real meaning of Christmas is. :)

Only Five? Barb's Greatest Hits

Its a Ventage Birthday!  The lovely Miss Barb had a birthday yesterday.  I have known this dear girl since she was 16 years old.  I can say with confidence that there are far more than five things we adore about her - but here are a few:

5.  She is my cooking accomplice.  When my kids were born, it became difficult and expensive to get a lot of nights out to do big dinners, as was our habit before said children.  Barb and I devised a solution - the Year of the Feast.  Every month, we planned elaborate menus and made so much food we were stuffed for days.   It made the transition to Mom of 2 under 2 a lot easier for me because I always had something to look forward to.  Did Barb mind the chaos? Finding food that the kids would like?  Having lots of little helpers?  I don't know, but her menus, food and fellowship was enjoyed by our whole family.  In fact, I think we should have a year of the Feast Part 2.  

Barb even touched meat with bones, for the feast - she was that committed to making it happen. 

4.  Road trips - Barb and I have been on many.  Most memorable?  When I was pregnant with Dorothy we decided to go on Cheese tours.  We were envisioning the wine tour experience and instead got quite a lessen in milk marketing and dairy business.  It was a hoot  - and I loved every very weird minute of it.  Barb had lists, and maps, and detailed plans, all of which lasted until our first major debacle of the first day.  We just went with it and laughed the WHOLE time.  

3.  Calm in the Storm.  Other than my husband, there is no one in my life who can grab my hand and in a stern voice say - you can do this - and make me believe it.  When times have been tough she has not been afraid of my emotions, she has listened to me cry.  She has offered solutions but not judged.  She has been everything a friend could be.  I hope you all have someone like that in your life.  

2.  Greatest Auntie ever.  My children adore Barb.  They love to make her laugh, play games with them and read books.  She is a constant and steadying force in their lives.  She taught them that it is ok to have ice cream for dinner once in a while, she risked her life to teach Luke how to roast marshmallows, she indulges Dottie's inner princess, and has been thrown up on by Charlie more than anyone.  

1.  Past Present and Future.  I knew the Barb who skipped class and hated high school.  I knew the Barb who threw up in her yard after celebrating her last final exam.  I know the Barb who was the first person besides Mike to hold all my babies.  I know the Barb who is rising above some very petty and juvenile people in her life.  I know the Barb who is making a real future for herself that she is and can be proud of.  I will know the Barb who eats Thanksgiving turkey with my family when she is 70.  I will know the Barb who calls with triumph in her voice.  I will know the Barb who will be my best friend.  Forever.  

Love you babe.