"Marry" Christmas

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing loud for all to hear."--Buddy the Elf

I love the Christmas season and the carols that go along with it. I try not to sing too loudly. I don't want to hurt any ones' ears. Tonight Erica began singing a carol to me. It was the sweetest song that I have ever heard. It went a little something like this,

"I wish you could marry Christmas, I wish you could marry Christmas, I wish you could marry Christmas, and a Happy New day."

Music to my ears!

God Bless Beau

The Buening family gathered to celebrate Baby Beau's baptism. His Mommy and Daddy were so proud. Following mass, everyone headed to Gammaw and Papaw's house to eat and be merry. Of course, Ethan and Erica loved playing with their cousins. Ellie was loving on Beau when she wasn't mad about not having a paci. We had to remind everyone NOT to say paci in front of Ellie.

Who Needs a Paci . . .

Who needs a paci when you have Michael Jackson?

Thanks goodness for the "Beat It" video. It has been our saving grace. Each morning Ellie asks for "Beat It." If she is fussy, just start the music! Instantly, the tears stop and the dancing begins. She really wasn't in the mood for dancing tonight, but she was mesmerized by the video. AMAZING!

First School Picture

Wow! I can't believe how my baby boy, you know the one I just brought home from the hospital yesterday, has morphed into a kindergartner. But he has.

Picture day was a little traumatic at the Buening home. Ethan only wants to wear "comfy pants," NO JEANS. I prepped him all week that he would be wearing jeans for picture day. The morning came, and Ethan must have had cotton in his ears, because he was madder than a hornet putting on his jeans. The pep talk didn't go over so well, but we finally made it to school.

Fast forward to the next morning. As I was helping Ethan pack his bookbag, I noticed that he hid his picture money envelope. Mommy was NOT happy. All I can say is thank goodness for digital cameras, because we still received our photos. AND, I think they turned out really well. It will look fantastic next to his senior pictures at his graduation open house. Please tell me that his open house is not next week.

Hey Guys, Are you going to the game tonight?

Somewhere, my college roommates are laughing. They claim I asked them that same question from September-March, football AND basketball seasons. The Buening Cousins are ready for the big game! Erica LOVES her "chill-leading outfit." I am sure that she will wear it to many FC basketball games this winter. Ellie, not so much. She had her uniform on maybe 2 minutes before she began gagging and vomiting. Is this a sign of my life in 10 years?

My future Grizzlies . . . Mommy has already prepped them.

Each Christmas, the Buening cousins get their photo taken together for Gammaw and Papaw. Apparently, no one is very good at keeping secrets . . . Gammaw and Papaw received their Christmas presents 6 weeks early on their anniversary.

Enjoy the photos! The mothers were EXHAUSTED by the end of the photo shoot.

Ethan Jerome 5 years, Allyson Kalin 4 years, Erica Renee' 3 years, Jake Scott 21 months, Gabrielle Lee 18 months, Max Benjamin 6 months, and Beau Gordon 2 1/2 months

Orneriness at its cutest

We've got SPUNK, yes we do.
We've got SPUNK, how about you?

Doctor's Orders

We are nervous for what tonight will bring.

Ellie has eczema. This fall it has been particularly bad around her mouth. I chalked it up to teething and use of her pacifiers. The doctor said to get rid of the paci. My heart sank. There goes my baby! How will she sleep? How will I sleep? It's not like she has been a great sleeper lately.

I love how honest my husband is. When we were discussing this, he reminded me that it would be harder on me than it is him. Those darn hearing aids! I wish he could sleep in them just for tonight.

So, good-bye paci. Ellie (and I) will miss you. You helped us through bumps and bruises, shots, and long car rides. You were there on the nights with little sleep, during snuggles, rock-a-byes, and good nights. Tonight I will tuck them gently into Ellie's memory box only to pull them out from time to time wondering where my baby has gone. Because in the morning when she wakes, she will no longer be a baby. She will be my sweet little girl complete with a ponytail.

I'm Purple

Ethan tells everyone that he is a "Northwood Owl," and I am so proud. I love, love, love, that he attends my school. I randomly get surprise visits in the middle of math as he is leaving for the day. I am also able to find out the little things that I might not normally know had he not attended my school.
Today Ethan pulled a card. When I was questioning him about it, I told him it made me sad. He replied, "Mommy, I'm purple."
"Purple?"
"Yes, purple. It means sad, Mommy."
I thinking, thinking, thinking . . . Thinking, wow, I didn't realize that he understood the meaning of a color. "Ethan, do you mean, you feel blue?"
"No, Mommy, I'm purple, I'm sad!

Kind of reminds me of Violet Boregard on Willy Wonka.

It's fun to be 31!

I had a wonderful weekend celebrating my birthday. Friday night Paul and I headed out for dinner and drinks celebrating with a friend who also celebrated her birthday this week. Saturday we spent a quiet night at home and turned in early. Sunday, my actual birthday, we worked our tails off. I cleaned the house all before anyone woke. We went out to breakfast, then cleaned out the garage and the attic. Cleaning is not normally my idea of fun, but hey, maybe, I am turning over a new leaf in my age.

Friday Night

That would be 5 shots + 1 shot of water!!!

Saturday Night

hot chocolate by the fire and hide and seek with flash lights . . . country nights at their finest

Sunday Night

I am thankful for the wonderful gifts in my life. . . these being three of the BEST gifts!

It is either laugh or cry, so I will LAUGH A LOT

I first must say that I LOVE my job. I get hugs and "I love yous" every day. I get to happy faces, amazed faces, and "I finally got it" faces each day. I love my job. But, oh my. What a week it has been! I think that full moon is lingering just to test my patience.

This week Ethan had to go to the bathroom at school. Now this is the first time this year that he has had to go. His teacher sent him to the restroom and continued to teach class. His class did calendar AND story time before going to the restroom themselves. Thirty-five minutes later he was still in the restroom. Must be a boy thing! Ethan's teacher told me this after school. My first thought was did he undress just as he does at home. She thought I was nuts when I asked. However, she did make a point to stop by my classroom today. As Ethan's class was lining up to take their restroom break today, another student said, "I wonder if Ethan B. will take his clothes off again today." Yes, he did undress and pile his clothes on the bathroom floor at school while he took care of business (No, he didn't leave the bathroom stall, whew!). Guess what "home skill" we will start working on tonight?!?!

I am currently leading the morning announcements on the school's "television station." I allowed my ENTIRE class to help me with the Pledge of Allegiance and then we sang Happy Birthday to our principal. One of my students was mad after singing because there was not a cake to be found. You cannot have a birthday without a birthday treat. She was so mad that she refused to do ANY work all day long! She hid under the table among other things. I guess I should have brought in leftover Halloween candy for her.

Last week I had a family that was looking for a desk for their child to use at home. So, what better place to ask than the school, right? Apparently, I told this family that they could have a school desk to use at home, and they came to school today ready to pick it up.

I was also reminded today of one of Ethan's stunts this summer. The farm across the street has barn cats. One of the cats had kittens this summer, and they were everywhere. One afternoon, Ethan placed a kitten in our deep freezer because we didn't have a kennel for it, and he did not want it to run away (The kitten was not in there long and was fine). Well, of course, I shared this story with some teachers with little boys of their own. One of the little boys brought it up today in his class. I had forgotten all about that incident, or tried to anyways.

Do you understand why I have to laugh?