Marathon Shoppers

My mom and I could qualify for some sort of marathon shopping award after yesterday.
I used to think people who got up in the middle of the night to stand in long shopping lines are crazy. But one year about 5 years ago we decided to try Black Friday shopping and it's been our tradition ever since.
Yesterday was perhaps our longest day of shopping yet.
We left my house at 3:30 a.m. and didn't return home until 7:30 p.m.
Crazy, I know.
Especially crazy considering that my mom didn't get any sleep before we began our shopping excursion. She had laid down to bed around 10 p.m. on Thursday night, but the anticipation of shopping and knowing she had to get up early caused her to toss & turn all night. I don't even know how she did it, but she was a shopping machine as usual.
I did buy her a Peppermint Mocha Twist from Starbucks to help fuel her with caffeine.
Yummy!
We always go to Younkers first, and this year was no different. We were there at 4 a.m., when the doors opened, and it was worth it. I got Jason some much needed gifts {which I can't divulge here because he actually reads the blog sometimes.}
And, I got two pairs of knee high boots and a pair of dressy black flats for under $90!
Awesome, I know!
We also went to Gap, where they were having a 'buy one get one free' sweater sale.
Sweet!
And many, many, many other stores...American Eagle, Bath & Body Works, Maurices, Dress Barn, Gordmans, Staples, Target, Kohls, Old Navy, Pier One, and Toys R Us, just to name a few.
I did make one purchase I didn't set out to buy. And since I was suppose to be Christmas shopping for other people, I feel a tad guilty about it. But, since Jason likes the new home addition, and likes the price I paid, it makes up for the guilt.
Here it is...

A sofa table from Pier One, regularly $400 marked down to $98 {it has a small nick on the top, so I got it cheaper!} Now I have more space to display photos, since I'm running out of wall space. I was so excited, I already have it all decorated!
Anyway, great shopping day for us!
Not so great for some people.
Jason ran across a news story of a deadly shopping encounter at Walmart in Long Island, New York. One Walmart employee was killed and another pregnant employee was injured when shoppers broke down the doors to get inside the store. Check out the New York Post story, complete with video footage, here.
Crazy!
But what do you expect at Walmart, right?!? {Yes, we are snobs and don't go to dirty gross Walmart unless we absolutely have to, maybe once a year.}
Hope your Black Friday was as merry as ours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Every Thanksgiving we head over to Jason's parents' home and have to eat dinner.
Then everyone heads outside to put up all those Christmas lights that families enjoy driving by every Christmas.
Hey, it's a great way to work off some of those calories!
And it's a fun way to kick-off the Christmas season.
Although I've had my Christmas decorations up for two weeks, causing my children to say things like, 'Thanksgiving? I thought it was Christmas?'
I know, a little ridiculous.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving!

Nap Time

To a mom of young children,
isn't nap time sometimes the greatest time of the day?
It's a break in the busy day when there's finally
some peace and quiet.
It's a time to get things done,
or to do nothing at all.
It's a time when you get some time to yourself.
Nap time is wonderful!
Can I get an amen?!?
{And apparently it's a time to do some random thinking,
and here mine is recorded.}

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hat Treats

Gabe brought treats for his Kindergarten class Thanksgiving party today. These Marshmallow Pilgrim Hat treats are super cute, super fun to make, and super easy {always a great combination.}

All you need is...
marshmallows

milk chocolate chocolate chips

chocolate-striped shortbread cookies

and yellow decorators frosting.


Then...
1. Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.

2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave.
3. One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow.

4. Dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, swirling it around to completely cover the marshmallow.

4. Promptly center it atop a cookie. Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.
5. Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

And Voila....

A happy kid with Marshmallow Pilgrim Hat Treats. Seriously, what's better to a kid than chocolate and marshmallows?

Thankful For My Children: Part 3

Last but not least, I want to give thanks for the baby of our family, Chloe.
Again, Chloe was easily conceived, and again, the pregnancy was better than my first.
We decided not to find out whether the baby was a boy or a girl, but I knew, and I mean knew, I was having a boy. All the elements of the pregnancy felt very similar to the boys, and I had that gut intuition that this baby was a boy.
Needless to say, I was shocked when the nurse yelled, "It's a Girl!"
Chloe was born on May 26, 2007. She weighed an even 8 pounds and was a beautiful little sight. I remember I just kept looking at her, thinking, "I really had a girl?" The shock lasted for days!
I was so thankful to have been blessed with this little girl, but so unprepared. I made Jason stop at Old Navy on the way home from the hospital and we went shopping for girl baby clothes with newborn Chloe in tow. Being the clothes hound that I am, I couldn't let this girl be lacking a fashionable wardrobe.
And she sure doesn't. I think Chloe probably has about 15 pairs of shoes! Granted, some have been given to us as hand-me-downs and some purchased on ebay {another of my vices.} She has any color and style of shoe that would be needed for any outfit and occasion, which Jason finds a little ridiculous. Sorry Jason :) But deep down, way way deep down, I know he's also thankful that I can finally exercise my right to shop on our little girl.
But enough about fashion. There's many other distinct elements that make a girl much different from a boy. Chloe is extremely animated, using hand gestures and raising and lowering her vocal tone so that you're sure to know what she's talking about. And she talks all the time, sometimes non-stop! It's usually very cute, unless you're locked in a car with her on a 19 hour road trip.
Chloe is very sensitive and it doesn't take much correction to scold her. Look at her with disappointment and she'll crumble, which doesn't exactly work for the boys.
Chloe is a great little toddler and is so much fun to interact with. Joy radiates from her and she is usually smiling and laughing, except when that regularly scheduled nap is too far overdue! She loves to give and receive kisses, and loves to sit and snuggle.
I look forward to her growing up and having a mother & daughter bond that is so unique, as my mom and I have. But I cherish these days when she's young, because as I said before, they go by too fast.
Thank you God for Chloe!

I think our cup overfloweth with blessings this Thanksgiving as I look at our children.

Thankful For My Children: Part 2

Continuing my thankful-themed posts, I want to thank God for Cooper.
Cooper, like Gabe, was easily conceived, but unlike Gabe, didn't cause me to be sick the entire nine months of pregnancy. After about five months of sickness, I felt much better, which to many may still not sound like a cakewalk, but after my first pregnancy, to me it was.
The doctor did ultrasounds throughout my pregnancy since I was again measuring small and my first pregnancy produced such a surprisingly large outcome! At one of the ultrasounds we found out we were having a boy. I remember I was so happy, thankful for Gabe to have a brother to play with.
Cooper was born on June 10, 2005, and weighed in at 8 pounds, which seemed tiny after his 'big' brother. He was a good baby from the start, sleeping through the night within the first few weeks home and content most of the time.
We often refer to Cooper as 'little Coop' because he's so small. At three and a half years old he only weighs about 32 pounds. But there's a whole lot of sweetness packed into that tiny little body. Cooper is the one who often grabs my face in his little hands as to make sure he has my attention and says, 'You're my best mommy ever!' And he means it, so genuine and sweet is that boy!
Cooper is happy-go-lucky, well, most of the time. I have to say, Cooper went through about 2 or 3 months of the 'terrible two's' that every once in a while still rears its ugly head to this day. When I tell others that he can be quite a little stinker, they often don't believe me because Coop is usually well behaved. But believe me, he does have an ornery side. But one little smile can make you forget any wrong he has done.
Cooper loves trucks and tractors. His grandparents call him their 'tractor boy,' which is so fitting. I wouldn't be surprised if he grows up to be a farmer.
Cooper also LOVES Christmas, definitely a child after my own heart. He points out anything vaguely relating to Christmas...lights, wrapping paper, ornaments, etc., and says, 'Look! It's Christmas!'
Cooper enjoys playing with other kids and especially likes to interact with younger children and babies. He goes right up to toddlers and starts 'helping' them as he calls it, getting them toys or singing them songs. I think that's why he loves to be in the nursery during church, because I get reports that he is just another one of the helpers. I've also found Cooper taking a front row seat to different babies just to watch them sleep or to talk to them in his sweet little voice. If his behavior is any indication, I think he'll make a great dad someday.
I could go on and on, but I'll just end with one final thought.
Our lives would be a whole lot less sweet without our little Coop. What a special kid.
Thank you God for Cooper!

Thankful For My Children: Part 1

As I think about Thanksgiving and the many blessings the Lord has given Jason and I, the most cherished, of course, is our children.
When we first got married, we both knew we wanted to have kids. The number of children we were planning to have was not set, but we knew the Lord would be our guide. We wanted to wait a few years, give us time to get settled into married life and take a few adventures as a young couple in love while we still could. You can't easily travel to an amusement park and ride those roller coasters Jason and I love so much with a bunch of babes in tow! Well, I take that back, we have done that since children, but you have to take turns riding, while the other stays with the kids. Not as fun as riding together for sure!
In 2002, we decided through a lot of discussion and prayer that two years had been enough time and we made the leap of faith to try for a child. We had prepared ourselves for a time of waiting, thinking we wouldn't get pregnant right away. I remember at a young age, when I was still a little girl, God had really laid adoption on my heart. Two of my best friends growing up were adopted, so I always thought I would love to adopt a child some day, seeing the love those friends gained from a family who welcomed them into their home. Because of this openness to adoption, I had felt that maybe God was preparing me for a difficult time conceiving, or not being able to conceive at all. But that was far from true.
I became pregnant practically as soon as we thought about trying, and we were both surprised and ecstatic! But those nine months were soooo long. I was very sick from the start, literally, every day. I lost weight instead of gaining it in the first and second trimesters, was still sick throughout the third trimester, and gained a total of 9 pounds with my pregnancy.
And my stomach measured very small, so the doctors were estimating a 7 pound baby. Were they ever wrong! After 3 and a half hours of pushing, Gabe was finally born on March 29, 2003, a healthy 10 pounds! Yes, that's right, 10 pounds. The story is, when our pastor announed Gabe's birth and weight at church, the congregation gasped! No one could believe the size of this kid!
But what a beautiful baby, and with the funniest full head of hair, dark on the roots and blond on the tips. He looked like he came out of a beauty salon with highlights in his hair. And at 10 pounds and a full head of hair, he looked more like a six-month-old than a newborn. We called him our little man, because he truly looked like a little man!
I'm not going to lie...Gabe was NOT a great baby. He cried all the time, ate all the time, that is, when he wasn't crying. And slept very little in those first two months. Then, all of a sudden, he changed overnight and started sleeping straight through the night 10 hours at a time! He has never been one to do things half way, it's all or nothing.
I cannot believe that big baby I once held in my arms is now a 5-year-old! Older parents tell us all the time to cherish these baby and toddler years because they go by so fast, and they are not kidding!
Gabe has grown so much, and to have the privilege of watching him grow into a strong, respectful, kind young man is beyond words. He is so fun, his laugh so contagious, and the joy he brings his dad and I is so sweet.
Gabe is kind and outgoing, and because of this, makes friends with everyone. He is funny, loves to entertain, or to show-off, whichever you want to call it!
Gabe is all boy, 100 percent. He loves to rough house, and loves all sports and physical activities.
Gabe has so much energy, which thankfully now that he's getting older, is being used for good instead of evil, like when he was a toddler and was a little spinning tornado breaking everything in his path. {Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but he was a rambunctious toddler!}
Gabe is already a leader like his dad, willing to stand alone and do the right thing. He has a passion for knowledge, curious about everything and yearning to know more. He loves God, and is understanding more and more what Jesus did for him on that cross. And Gabe has a passion for life, wanting to get out in the world and experience all there is to experience.
What a wonderful young little man he is,
and we couldn't imagine our lives without him.
Thank you God for Gabe!

{Since I've written a book about our first child, I'd better continue this post and write about Coop and Chloe on a separate entry!}

Thankful For My Husband

Since it is almost Thanksgiving, what better than to write about the blessings in my life, giving thanks for those things I am grateful for.
To start this mini-series, I want to write about my husband.
{Warning...be prepared for a whole lot of sappy, mushy talk.
What can I say...I love my husband!}
Where do I begin? I met Jason in high school, and we have been together for over 13 years now, married for eight. I was a 16-year-old junior in high school when I was assigned a seat next to 17-year-old senior Jason in an American literature class, and I have to admit, wasn't taken by him at first. I thought he was cocky, arrogant, and a bit of a show-off. I later found out this was his method of attempting to get my attention, which backfired on him a bit. Truth be told, I was actually dating one of his friends at the time, so wasn't looking for anything more than friendship. But as we became friends through study dates and get-togethers, I soon saw who he really is, and he won my heart.
Jason is a kind, caring person, not afraid to show his love for his family. He is the first to take care of me when I'm sick and to cheer me up when I'm sad.
Jason is understanding, calm and easy-going. I know I can talk to him about anything and everything, and he is always there to listen and to understand.
Jason is encouraging, inspiring me to fully live and to strive for better, to take chances and to try new things. He can squash the fears I have and encourage me to overcome doubts about myself because I know he believes in me.
Jason is a provider, working hard for his family. He supports my desire to stay at home with our children and shares in that desire. And after long hours at work, Jason will still come home and offer a helping hand with the house work.
Jason is a forever kid, able to find fun in the littlest things, which I love.
His children adore him, and so does his wife. And he adores us to, always praising and encouraging the kids, and telling me I'm beautiful and I'm loved.
Most of all, Jason is a man who is a leader of our household, and who is centered in the Lord and guided by His Will, leading us through every day with wisdom and maturity. I have full confidence in my husband throughout everything, and my heart belongs to him.
He is my rock, my love, and I thank the Lord daily for blessing me with such a wonderful man. He inspires me to be a better wife and a better mother.
Oh, and he's pretty darn cute too!

I love you babe! Always!

No more princess chicken?

Our local Chinese food is in jeopardy.
Today our little 5,000 plus community was thick with immigration officers and our beloved Peony was raided.
Four illegal immigrants were arrested and the restaurant is currently closed for business, leaving the Sanders family with one important question...who is going to make our princess chicken now?
And what about our crab rangoons?
Our other favorite Chinese food place in C.R. turned into a sushi bar a few months ago. Yuck!
What's happening to the world?
Hopefully this local restaurant will somehow be able to stay open and learn to hire their employees from the vast pool of legal citizens.

Cooper at the Movies

On Sunday afternoon, we took Cooper to his first movie in a movie theater.
He's actually the same age Gabe was when he saw his first movie...3. The difference is, the first movie Gabe saw was 'Doogal,' and if you're one of the few people who actually saw that movie, you'll know it wasn't that great.
Cooper's first movie was 'Madagascar 2,' and both Cooper and Gabe loved it, and mom and dad didn't think it was half bad either!
Cooper's favorite part...the popcorn! That comes as no surprise if you know Coop's love for popcorn.
In the middle of the movie, Cooper whispered in my ear, "Mom, we're not at home. We're in Cedar Rapids at the movies!" I looked at his face, and he was smiling so big. Then he gave me a kiss, as to thank me for bringing him. It was so sweet.
Here's Cooper's review of the movie...

A big thumbs up!