Traitor..........

Not quite sure, how I was the only one who received white, but I like it!!!!

I feel like Benedict Arnold......a Traitor to the literary world. But I can't help it.......

I (and the other huge readers in my family) have traded over to the Kindle!

Yup, that is right, I went digital. The sad thing is, I can see my kids going digital reading before WAY too long, but not before we are out of picture books. Our bookcases are full now, and I am nowhere near the point of wanting to stop reading. I will miss the smell of a brand new book, but a girls only got so much room in the house......

So it was a VERY Kindle Christmas around here. My Mom, Dad, and Bro all got one, including ME!!! This new advancement to the e-reader, will not stop me from rereading the current books that line my shelves now, but it will be handy in the new books coming my way.........

Happy Reading, whatever form you choose!

Singing in the Rain..........

These Munchkins were preparing for water balloon battle at the time of the picture - hence the shorts. Now, we are wearing our boots for the reason they were made for ~ RAIN! Our neck of the woods, has received almost 2 inches of rain since Noon today. You know it is BIG, when we make national news! Remember, we are in So Cali....not really known for rain, but SUNSHINE!

OK, so I took a walk today with the little Munchkins and the Puppy because we all have been in the house for 6 straight days now. We need some exercise. As we left it was misting heavily. We kept walking, jumped in a few puddles, watched the creek behind our house overflow.....Enjoying the weather. By the time we rounded the VERY flooded park, and the kids tromped in the EXTREMELY flooded play area normally filled with wood chips, it was really coming down. I didn't know what to do but keep walking home. What other choice is there? Secretly I was hoping Hubby would drive by on his way home from work......NOPE. So we walked, and my singers were singing in the rain: Christmas Carols. Priceless.

Puddle Jumping

After Puddle Jumping, we needed to be warmed by some good ol' Hot Coco, and a Marshmallows Snowman (notice on side of cup). For this activity, her brother decided to join her ~ funny how that works. He has been coughing and wisely chose to not jump in puddles. Hot Coco is just what the Mommy Doctor ordered.

Her Trusty companion in the rain. You can't really tell in this picture, but here is Puppy, still half soaking wet, after being towel dried. He chased balls and bit at the rain, while she splashed away. They both had a ball.

Seriously ~ how cute is she? Sorry for the sideways view, don't know how to turn it. This is what comes in adventure fun, after four freezing days of rain. Love it, but bored kids are never fun. Yesterday's creative fun was blowing bubbles in the rain, to see how fast they popped. They surprisingly pop fast when Puppy is biting them.

All the while she was jumping in puddles her song went like this:

"Rain, rain, stay today,

Stay around till Christmas Day!"

Personal Tradition Change.......

This is my new choice in reading. I have read it before, and L.O.V.E. it!!! It is spiritual, personal, and encompasses the true meaning of Christmas and the faith and hope that go with it. Highly recommended. Also, apparently Max Lucado has written another Christmas book called the Christmas Child. I haven't read it my self, but based on popularity, and who wrote it, can it be bad?

As stated before, this was a pick by my school's book club. I for one am not a fan. They made a Hallmark movie out of it. However, the drama and struggles were a bit too personal for me to enjoy. Some of the conflict wasn't my cup of tea to be reading at Christmas time. So very unlike me, I stopped reading it. Usually I torture myself, thinking and believing there will be redemption near. This book I just gave up.

Dickens is still next, but I somehow gave out my copy, and need to go find it, or get a new one.

Happy reading.

Reasons to Love Cali.........

Tomorrow our skies will look like this as more "wintery" weather blows in.

Today: our skies look like this picture perfect and resting in the mid to high 70's.

I don't live in Syracuse and get 39" of snow dumped on us in three days time. I don't live in Alaska where they don't see the sun for months (although, I want to go and see the Northern lights one day, wanna join me Cathy?) Anyway......this weekend we got blessed with warm weather. Too warm for some.

We went to Disneyland and wore flip flops with our Christmas t-shirts and jeans. Today Bubba wore shorts to church. Today is a gift for us who live in Southern Cali. Today is a gift because we can enjoy the sun, and relish in the beauty that God created.

Never fear, winter is right around the corner. By the end of the week, it is suppose to be in the 50's. For us Cali chicks, that down right cold!

Hope your day is just as beautiful, regardless of what weather you are having.

Personal Tradition

Every year at Christmas time, when I have the time, I only read books about the Christmas season. This is my own little tradition, that helps me in the Holiday mood. Some are spiritual, like the one from Max Lucado. Some are just for fun. These are the two for this season. Mrs. Miracle was actually picked by co-workers and our noncommittal book club.

I have picked this one, because I have seen almost every version of the movie, yet have never read the words that Mr. Dickens penned himself. It's about time. That and it fulfills another personal goal of reading a classic a year.

Happy reading, and if you join me in my personal tradition, let me know so we can chat about it!

Whirlwind Weekend.............

This weekend was a blur. So much going on, and yet so much time to reflect on it.

It started on Friday with Parent/Teacher conferences. The kids and I got a more relaxing morning before we had to report in. Then I got the opportunity to go with Mr. C. to our kid's conferences, before going to the ones for the kids I see for work. A blessing to hear about your children, and what the teachers think of them. A blessing to see their hard work be acknowledged, and yet at the same time, see areas of growth that need to happen.

Usually we go to Disneyland to celebrate the end of the beginning of school, and to see the Christmas decorations. However, that wasn't in the card for this year.

After conferences, the kids and I came home so I could change clothes, and then headed back out to have lunch with Daddy. Funny, when the kids get to pick their choices: Subway while eating out at the tables in front of Daddy's office. Fine by me, healthy, beautiful day, and you could see the ice skating rink and decorations.

Then it was off to the races. Curling Missy's hair for her BIG Christmas performance. Getting Bubba to soccer practice before playoffs start. Somehow making and feeding the family dinner, and making it to all these places on time.

Missy was AMAZING in her Christmas performance. I wish I had pictures. Yep, that is what happens when you are running around like a mad woman, you forget the "easy" camera. However, never despair, Mr. C. got it captured on the big camera that isn't loadable to my laptop. GRRRRRRRR. At least we have the moment captured, and had a great cookie reception afterward.

Then on Saturday, we were up with the Sun ~ literally to get to the soccer fields for round one of playoffs. The boys were ready. The parents were bundled up. The excitement was in the air, we had arrived to this point. The game was great, we had control of the ball MOST of the game. The ball should have gone in the net, several times. However, fate found it's way to the field........ Although the boys played with endurance and with their whole hearts, we ended up loosing 1 - 0. Our first loss.........Several players cried, several parents cried. The coaches were teary eyed. It was a shock to our systems, for we were undefeated. The way the boys played, it shouldn't have ended that way, but it did. So we went home, licked our wounds, and rested until we had to return to the fields for round two. Round two would mean that we were ineligible for the championship round, but we had a job to do, and were ready to do it. Again the boys played with endurance, speed, and a hunger to make the end of their season end right. Bubba scored an amazing goal, the others played with their hearts as well. We ended up ending our season winning our last game 3-0. Bitter sweet, but sweet all the same.

We were all tired from the events that had happened over two short days. We had much needed family time. We went to the movies, took the kids to a fun dinner to celebrate good report cards, relaxed with each other. We ALL are going to go to bed early, for tomorrow starts another week..........