T'ville

I am very disappointed that I didn't take many pictures during our Christmas visit to Thomasville. I am usually snapping photos left and right. It didn't help that I left my battery charger at home. You'd think that with all the trips I made to Walmart that I would have thought to pick up a few Energizers! Anyway, the kids got way TOO much stuff but now I have more of a reason to purge all the old toys and rotate in the new. I ate way too much and slept less. What else is new? Oh yeah, happy new year!

Here's Luke and Andrew with their cousin, Emily (my sister's youngest). Emily and Andrew share the exact same birth date but four years apart. Crazy!

Time with friends

We ate dinner last night with our friends, the Gysen family. The kids gathered around the small table in the den while the adults ate at the "grown-up table". Afterward, Andrew and Lee enjoyed being silly boys!

Asleep in the car seat

All three kids fell asleep in the car on our way home last night from MeMe and Pop's house. So sweet (and peaceful!).

The boys enjoyed their stocking stuffers alongside their cousins.

Abigail just wanted a lap to sit on all night. HA!

Haircut for Luke

Luke has NEVER cooperated for a haircut. Because of that reason, we decided to splurg and try the new salon that caters only to children, Pigtails and Crewcuts. Instead of the typical hair salon chair, the children sit in either an airplane, race car, cab, police vehicle, or a fire engine. Luke decided he wanted the fire engine because of its ringing bell. However, as soon as the buzzer started, he began arching his back and fighting. It took four adults to get his seat belt on, drape the cape, and hold him still. At one point, the stylist had to put him in a gentle headlock to keep from cutting him. Believe me, she was a great woman and very patient. I'm sure Luke wasn't their first screaming customer. Some say to take him more often so he'll get used to it while others say to let his hair grow as long as he can stand it before cutting it again. I know it will get easier....right?

This picture was taken before he saw the buzzer and clippers.

This is the result of determination.

Merry Christmas!

The McGinnis Family

December 2007
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Luke dances with Elmo

Luke has disco fever! Notice that his gum flies out of his mouth when he grunts at the end of the video. Of course, he picks it right back up and pops it into his mouth - that gum is important!

A Baker's Secret

Here are my "No bake goodies" that I'm going to give to a few teachers at Andrew's school this Christmas. I decided to keep it easy this year and only use the microwave rather than bake all afternoon in a hot house with the oven on. I got these two recipes from the Kraft website (thanks for the reminder, Kirstin!). They are scrumpdillyupmcious!

I also made my favorite peanut butter-graham-honey balls. Yummy!

Kraft Foods Mint Thins

Kraft Foods Marbled Graham Bars

Sugarland

The boys and I decided to do what many of our friends are doing this Christmas season - make sugar cookies with our Christmas cutouts. Hopefully this fun task will develop into a tradition as well as an event that, as the children grow older, I won't have to be so "hands on". All the little guys wanted to do was lick the mixer sticks, dig the dough out of the bowl, lick the bowl, make holes in the cookies, and drown them in sprinkles. I promise that no one licked any fingers during the process!

The Gift of the Magi

Another listen for your heart (ears). I got this link from the gals at GirlTalk. We can learn a lot about what makes good gifts good by looking to Jesus. As the website suggests, gather your family around to listen to this fifteen minute story and then reflect upon our Savior and how blessed his birth was to the hearts of men.

Free Max Lucado reading download

Chick-Fil-A is sponsoring a free download of a reading by author Max Lucado's of his book, You Are Special here. Andrew received this book as a gift a few years ago. I'm excited to read it with him and watch him turn the pages as we listen.

A Homeschool Family

I dedicate this video to all my friends who homeschool, or once homeschooled, their children.

Amy H
Laura M
Maja C
Chrissy S
Jenny B
Angela B (my sister)
Peggy B
Leslie T

Who knows...I might be "one of those" in a few years! (I hope you realize this video is just a joke!)

It costs what?!?!?!?!

Took Luke to the doctor on Monday for his two year well check-up.

Found out he has an ear infection.

Mom is so glad we already had a scheduled appointment.

Mom is glad the doctor found the infection before the screaming, yelling, and misery broke out at home, at all hours of the morning.

Since the holidays are upon us, Mom was glad the doctor suggested an aggressive antibiotic (Omnicef) to possibly avoid the emergency room.

Mom goes to pharmacy #1 and was totally shocked to learn that her insurance paid for $30 of the prescription....my balance??......$72.

Mom made a phone call to the doctor's office to request a different antibiotic.

Doctor prescribed Amoxicillin.

Mom went to pick up the prescription and found out pharmacy #2 declared the month of December as FREE ANTIBIOTIC month (except for Omnicef).

Mom's checkbook is smiling.

Christmas party

We had our LIFE small group Christmas party tonight and played Dirty Santa. I think Mitch and I walked away with some pretty darn good stuff. Mitch left with two DVDs (including Zoolander) and I ended up with a new game called In a Pickle. Here we are after playing the game - some were so proud of their gift that they were too scared to set it down for fear someone would snatch it up (yes, I'm referring to you and your pink pig, Jennifer!).

number 2

Happy

2nd

birthday,

Luke!

Tomorrow we will

PARTY and will

be sure to post

pictures of your

celebration.

We love you,

sweet boy!

Nap time

Andrew and Abigail taking a nap in my bed yesterday afternoon. Precious!

Can you read?

Thanks, Melissa, for these great laughs!

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid - Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig, huh?

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2007 when...
1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn ' t even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )
12. You ' re reading this and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

A different take on 12 days of Christmas

This is worth watching....they are truly talented! You'll be sure to smile, laugh and remember the 80's.

Subway

Went to Subway today.

I hate that they don't have napkin dispensers....you have to ask for more if you need them.

They love their napkins.

They must have a "napkin nazi" working in the store because they don't like to hand out many when you ask very nicely for more.

Subway's napkins are two-ply and very thick - great for soaking up a spilled drink.

Note to self: Ask early for an extra helping of napkins before sitting down to eat with three small children.

Or, I might just pack my own napkins in my purse next time I plan a trip to Subway.

They love their napkins.

What a hoot!

I am sitting at my computer WAAAAAAYYYYY too late. While doing a few things online, I hear the rumblings of a train approaching on the nearby tracks. Then the whistle begins to blow. The engineer must be a festive kind of man (or woman - you pick one) 'cause he's tooting away to "Jingle Bells"! I think he's actually moving really slow or at a stand still because he's now on verse two. I kid you not!

Kelly & Holly

I'm giving my cousin, Kelly, a free "plug" for her business. She and her husband live in Birmingham where she stays at home with her two small children and also keeps busy with her own graphic design business. She can design anything your mind can imagine so visit her website to see some of her work. Not to mention that you will find my friend Holly Tye's photography being used in some of Kelly's artwork. Click here to see some of Holly's photography.

Fun pictures

Just a few of the happenings in our household this past week.

The boys playing hide-n-seek behind the curtain.

Making yogurt pops one night for snack - recipe is so easy! For two servings, include 2 cups of vanilla yogurt, 1/2 banana, 6 small strawberries, and 1 cup of milk. Blend on high & freeze overnight.

Luke playing with his friend at our house.

Lord, help me to cherish.....

Christmas traditions are something that should serve your family - building memories and bonding. When we become slaves to the idea that we MUST do everything perfectly and we get frustrated and frazzled, the whole point is lost.

- Barbara Curtis

Chips

Ok, it's not the healthiest snack in the world but the boys asked nicely and were craving some time outside. So, I let them each have a bag full of chip crumbs and watched as they sat in the garage talking to each other while cramming their mouths. Aren't they cute as they dig the bottom of the bag for the last little bit?

Andrew's school Christmas program was tonight. Although he's not looking, he's the blonde in the direct center of the photo. It turned out to be the best I could do for the night. I was sitting in a bad spot and couldn't get any closer.

Just ramblings....

My feet hurt.

The attempt at the Advent activity is going well but it's hard to keep the attention of a three and two year old. The excitement of finding a treasure in the drawer helps, though.

My kids ask for gum and candy far too many times throughout the day.

Getting up at 5 a.m. to workout is hitting me hard.

Missed church yesterday because Luke had conjunctivitis...did I spell that right?

Did I mention my feet hurt? Need a new pair of sneakers.

Mitch and I have TiVo'd Wheel Of Fortune for over a year every weekday night hoping to see our spin numbers from a prize puzzle. A free trip is our only hope for a far-away destination vacation.

The dishwasher has run twice today and it's waiting to be unloaded for more.

I have managed to only make two trips to Walmart over the past seven days.

The gym is practically empty on the weekends which means I get my pick of machines!

I just folded three loads of laundry while sitting on the floor. Another is currently spinning in the dryer....oh, happy day.

We decorated our Christmas tree as a family on Saturday afternoon. The boys enjoyed hanging the ornaments ALL IN ONE SPOT! Now we are fighting the battle to keep them from running around it and underneath as a tunnel (we won't put presents out until Christmas Eve).

Luke, age two, answered the first three catechism questions correctly tonight. It certainly surprised me since all I thought he knew was #1.

I'm starting to fall asleep while sitting here typing.... ZZZZZZZ