Snow in Varnell

So we didn’t exactly get the big snow I was hoping for, but we did have enough for Nora to try and catch some. She and Keith were outside as the snow came down. Nora loves it! She definitely takes after me in that respect. I would be ecstatic to get a few inches of the fluffy white stuff, but realize that will probably not happen any time soon.

Here’s a picture of Nora trying to catch a snowflake on her tongue. She thinks it’s the greatest thing to do except for the wet stuff getting in her eyes. The last flurries we had, I told her to close her eyes when she was catching them, thus generating the below response.

The other picture is probably her reaction when she was unsuccessful. Even frustrated, she’s just too cute.

My Little Skating Lady

We took our youth group skating yesterday. Nora was so excited she barely slept Friday night. I think she finally went to sleep around 1:00 a.m., Saturday. Then, she woke up around 8:00 a.m. and told Keith it was time to go skating. Instead of her usual argument over what to wear, she was upset because we weren't ready to change her clothes. Here's a couple of pictures of her skating adventure.

Nora and Alissa:





















Nora and Keith:









































When she got tired of skating, she headed to the arcade games. Of course, she thinks she's bigger than she is and can play the big games. This was a truck driving game.

My Christmas Wish

On this Christmas Eve, as Keith and I sit in our living room watching “A Flinstones Christmas Carol”, I’m thinking of all the things I have in my life to be thankful for. Yes, I know, Thanksgiving was a month ago. However, with all of the turmoil in our world these days, we should all be thankful for what we have, where we live, and who we have in our lives.

I’m thankful . . .

for this quiet time in the warmth of my home.

for my husband who is sitting next to me on furniture that is paid for.

for my daughter who is sleeping peacefully in a bed, with a comfortable mattress and warm covers for her to snuggle in.

for the homes we’ll be visiting later this evening where family will be waiting to share in this joyous time of year.

for my health and the health of my family and that we are at home instead of a hospital.

for my church family - for a pastor who is there for us whenever we need him, for a youth group who loves us and whom we love, and the freedom to worship with them in a church building that protects us from the elements.

for our jobs.

for our vehicles and a dry garage to park them in.

for my house and the family that makes it a home.

But most importantly, I’m thankful for what this season represents. The most precious gift we have ever been given; yet it is also the one gift so many people forget about, ignore, or reject. He is my Saviour. My Comforter. My Friend.

So, in this short post of mine, my Christmas Wish is this:

For all my friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, and all the people I encounter - I wish the Joy of Christ be real to you. Most importantly, if you don’t know Him, I pray you will realize your need to have Him in your life and in your eternity.

He is THE reason for the season and I am thankful that He came.

Merry Christmas.

The Joys of Toddlerdom

Looking at such a sweet little face you could never imagine the phase of toddlerhood we’re going through.

Ah, yes. Nora has taken to screaming when she doesn’t get what she wants. And, for the first time, this past weekend she actually cried over not getting a toy she wanted. Actually, it was the first three times all in one weekend.

We have tried to explain to Nora that she can’t have everything she sees that she wants. Of course, we always get the dreaded, “Why??”. After repeating this same statement over and over and over and over this weekend, Nora finally said, “but Mom, I want EVERYTHING!” If you have forgotten, please see my Note to Santa post that will show this repeat of history.

On a side note, Nora is about 90% potty trained. She only wears pull-ups at night and when we are going out for a long period of time. For those members of my family reading this, I believe she has a little spirit of Granny Dietz in her. She absolutely refuses to use any public restroom. Period. It has gone as far as us going into a bathroom, putting a pull-up on her, her doing her business and then putting her underwear back on. Tell me how messed up that is??? Like I said, a little spirit of Granny is in there.

Also this past weekend, we attended the birthday party of Titus, my best friend, Elizabeth’s, son. Titus turned the big 1. This was a great event because Nora and Avery, Titus’s older sister, are “best friends”. They had the cutest little conversation about poop while they were eating. It was soooo funny. We were sitting at a table with Matt’s dad (Titus’s Popsy) and Matt’s Granny (Titus’s Great-Granny). Keith and I found it all quite humorous and, of course, were encouraging their little chat. However, Avery and Nora were informed by Granny that potty talk was not appropriate at the dinner table. Too funny. After they ate, Nora and Avery were off. Those two ran so much that they were OUT-OF-BREATH. Can you imagine?? Two 3 year olds breathless. That’s how much they ran.

I know there have been so many funny things that Nora has said lately, but I’m old and can’t remember them. I need to start posting as she says things to keep up with it all. Here is one such tale that I can remember:

Last night, Nora pulled one of her I have-to-go-the-bathroom-instead-of-going-to-sleep routines. After she was through, Keith decided to go, too, since he was up. Anyway, from the bathroom he is telling Nora that she better be going to sleep when comes in the room, blah, blah, blah. So, I, being the sarcasm lover that I am, said, “Alright dad, but either pee or get off the pot.” Ha. Ha. And, Nora, being the mocking bird she is replied, “Yeah, dad. Either pee or get off the pot. That’s your options.”

Where has she heard that before, you might ask. Oh, about 5 minutes before she went to the bathroom, I told her she needed to get on her pillow or get in her own bed. Those were her options.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

My New House Guest . . .

I’m not sure what the average age is for ‘meeting’ your imaginary friend, but in our house it is 3 ½. Nora’s little friend is named Rosie. As in Caillou’s little sister. For those of you who have young ones, you know this family of Sproutland. For those of you who don’t, you’re very lucky.

It was really quite funny the first night she started talking to her. It was this past Monday night. The part that creeped us out a bit was the fact that we were watching the TV show “The Ghost Whisperer” which I DVR. (I’m a couple of weeks behind b/c I was depressed with the story line. If you watch, you know what I’m talking about.) Anyway, if you’ve never watched the show, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays a lady who ‘sees dead people’ and helps them ‘cross over’.

So tell me, if you’re watching such a show and out of nowhere your little one says, “Come on Rosie lets go in here. Be careful and step over that” as she points to my laptop drop cord, how would you feel????

And, if in addition to the show, your husband or significant other just so happens to be a Funeral Director/Embalmer, do you think that might add a new level of creepiness?

Keith and I just looked at each other, slightly confused.

So we asked her who Rosie was. She said, “Caillou’s sister.”

Ok. Breathing can return to normal.

So now when Nora takes a bath, Rosie takes a bath. When we wash Nora’s hair, we wash Rosie’s hair. When we dry Nora’s hair, we dry Rosie’s hair.

Get the picture? It is really quite cute. Now, anyway. She did ask me that same night where Rosie was. I had to explain to her that she was the only one who could see her so she would have to keep up with her. It did help when we were going to sleep and Nora wouldn’t settle down. She asked again where Rosie was and I told her she was lying on the pillow beside her asleep so she needed to be quiet. LOL!

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that right after the introduction of Rosie to Keith and me, he had to go out on a ‘pick-up’.

Quite a night in the James house.

A Couple of Nora Stories . . .

1. How to know when Nora has spent the day alone with her dear old Dad:

Lying in bed Wednesday night, I was tickling Nora and picking at her.

She, in a very serious voice said, “Mom, if you don’t stop, I’m going to fart at you.”

Ok. Maybe that’s not appropriate to report in blog land, but it is my life. I should always question what Keith and Nora will be doing when he has a day off with her. I need to make sure they are active in some way with little time to converse. Maybe then she will stick to the innocence of ‘fluffing’ and not the harsher references my husband teaches her.

2. Where, oh, where has Grandpa’s hair gone??

Tonight, we had some candles burning on the bar in the kitchen. Nora climbed up in a barstool and leaned over them. Here’s the ensuing conversation:

Nora: “Ooh, that’s fiery.”

Keith: “Be careful and don’t get your hair near them. It’ll burn it off and you’ll look like Paw.”

Nora: “Dad is that what happened to Paw. Did he get caught in a fire?”

For those of you who do not know my father-in-law, he has been mostly bald since his twenties.

I guess I am lucky that the conversation ended in innocence. I’m sure at some point in her life Nora will hear the story of Dad, his buddies, a lighter, let’s just say a little natural gas and a not so fun way to learn the pain fire can cause.

I’ll spare you all the details and pray my little girl avoids the lighter.

It's a Jungle Out There - Or In Here . . .

Ok. So I'm really behind on posting. There's a couple of new ones now, so read on. Anyway, my little angel decided to only wear her Halloween costume on the day we got it in the mail. I think one of the girls from our youth group got her to put it on for about 2 minutes on Halloween night, but not for anyone else to see.

Here's our little giraffe. The only costume that she insisted on since we began asking her what she wanted to be. I have to say, it was absolutely, too cute. But I am biased. Too bad the rest of the world didn't get to see her Trick-or-Treat in it!!