Saturday, December 20, 2008

FFF: Theme HoHoHo



Since I have posted every picture I have of Collin with Santa within the last week or so I decided to post one of his favorites.
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Now and Then

2007 Wildlights





2008 Wildlights-Yes, he is wearing the same coat again this year!
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Holiday Happenings

I think we have a new family Christmas tradition. The last few years we decorated sugar cookies and then we would go to the zoo to see the Wild Lights display. The only problem was the cookies. The kids seemed to get bored after decorating a couple and the adults would end up getting stuck decorating dozens of cookies. But, it was something we all had to look forward to every Christmas. So this year I saw this idea on another blog and decided to give it a try. You use sugar cones and decorate them like Christmas trees. We had to put our own twist on it of course, so everyone made their own "winter Christmas tree scene". It turned out better than I could have imagined and everyone seemed to love it. The kids lost interest after decorating a couple of trees and they went off to play while the adults had a little creative fun! I can see this turning into a major competition!Check it out.









The finished product.








After our decorating party, we were off to the zoo. The Wildlights display is great. It seems no matter how early we start we can't seem to arrive at the zoo until after 7:30pm. The zoo closes at 9pm so we are always rushing. This year was no different but we had fun anyway.






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Weekend Update 1

Look at me-so far so good! As promised here we go-this week one of Collin's favorite activities was STACKING and LINING UP. Anything he can stack or put in a line, he does.It can actually be quite impressive sometimes.






He also likes for me to put him in his crib so he can pile all of his "friends" in one corner and then jump into the pile, throw them off one at a time and then plop down onto the mattress and cover himself in stuffed animals. It makes me laugh because he kicks his feet wildly. He used to do that as a baby. I remember our first visit with him at 4 months old-I don't think his feet ever stopped moving for the whole week, even in his sleep.







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I can use words now-it's Friday

The Wordless Wednesday picture is the very first photo we have of Collin when me met him for the first time. The foster family had just left and we ran straight up to the room to get him undressed and check him out and have him all to ourselves for one full week. It was heaven!

I know that defeats the purpose of Wordless Wednesday but I can't help it.
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Guatoberfest Cruise 2009

My soapbox about the Advent Conspiracy

I came across this video on another blog. I have to admit I only looked at it for entertainment value. I assumed with a title like that, it had to be some wacko conspiracy theory and who doesn't need a good laugh. Suprisingly enough it really touched me and made me think. It didn't grab my interest because of it's religious value, because that's not really my thing. I am not the type of person that flaunts religion or believes in pushing your beliefs onto others. It touched me because of it's human value and because it shows me how quickly I forget.

When we were in Guatemala it was truly a life changing experience for a myriad of reasons, only one of which was bringing home a baby! We saw poverty that we could never imagine in this country. I remember thinking when I was there that despite all of the stress of the situation, I was more at peace than I had ever felt in my life. Among other things, there was no pressure to have more...there was nothing to have. People just lived their lives. Families worked together, lived together in cramped housing-if they had a roof over their heads at all-and they were happy! We were forced to enjoy eachother without our "creature comforts" and I loved it. I now remember hoping that once we got home, I would never lose that idea that we don't really need much at all. I realized our society makes us think we need more but we really don't. And after watching the video it makes me realize that I have failed miserably.


I had made up my mind that in order to honor my new found attitude and our sons heritage, we would sponsor a Guatemalan family every year so that they could have food and heat and their children could go to school-things we take for granted on a daily basis. For some reason I can never seem to find the money to do that- BUT- I can find the money to buy coffee every day, sometimes several times a day, Collin will see a room full of gifts on Christmas morning, I can go out to eat, I can do whatever I want for the most part. My priorities have gone right back to where they were before I experienced Guatemala and it makes me sad. That is the reason that I am posting the video in a permenant spot on the blog, so that I am constantly reminded, not only during Christmas but all year to give PRESENCE to my friends and family not PRESENTS and to give back to something that I feel very strongly about. I don't write this to push Guatemalan charity or any charity but to encourage anyone reading this to slow down and take a look at your life and see what means the most to you and see where it takes you.

Advent Conspiracy