Our Warped Family...

So...

I came to a conclusion this winter break:

Only a warped individual would fully appreciate the interactions that go on in our home.

Let me explain...

First, Chad grew up in a home of six kids. He was the youngest... but don't let it fool you he can hold his own! He was not the little picked on baby of the family, he turned it on anyone else he could!

His favorite game on the PLANET is Monopoly but it is not just the game. There is an entire feeling that goes hand in hand with the game. He becomes this different person. It becomes strictly business- no fun and games, he is here to win!

Now, as for myself, Monopoly has never been one of my favorites... (when the room around you turns thick as Chad announces that he is the banker and land lord.)

The boys pick up on the tenseness immediately, planning their defences as if we are now at war.

(Stupid me: Last time I read the instructions to the game "war" was not a key point...)

So as we begin Ashton quickly acquires all four railroad cards, Boardwalk, and a few other miscellaneous properties. I gain the best score in collecting groups of properties quickly then begin building hotels (this after Chad asks me how much money I have and quickly trades all I have for little red buildings- that stresses me out thinking I will hit one of Ashton's railroads and owe him $200.).

Taylor attains very little and Chad possesses all the opposite of Ashton. Chad quickly asks to trade even throwing in money as an extra bribe. Ash is dead set that there will be no business done with him. Tae backs this up- even though he is quickly loosing the game. Chad gives me most of his unusable property as we all drift through the game.

Until...

Tae hits one of my properties where he bankrupts himself.

He knows there will be no sympathy from Chad, so he looks adoringly to his Mom (sticking out his bottom lip...)

With puppy dog eyes he looks at me and asks in the most serious voice if he could trade sex for staying in the game.

(yes, our family games usually do take a warped turn)

I don't know to this day if my money bag took his dog up on the offer....

Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

So....

I was thinking today about Christmas.

What does Christmas mean to me?

In thinking about it, a thought came to me this week. I have a friend (one of my best friends in fact) her name is Fae. She is in her 80's, and she has cancer... again.

Fae is an amazing lady that I am truly a better person for knowing. I adore her! I think she is the most kind, loving, devoted, faithful woman on the planet.

I have been lucky enough to know her for the past 13 years. Each month I am able to talk to her and catch up on things. I have told her many things in confidence, knowing they never go anywhere. She is always supportive and loving. I look forward to our visits! She has been there for everything, the good, bad and the ugly...

This week, her daughter stopped by our home with a gift for Christmas from Fae. She made it a point to tell me that her mom is to ill right now to shop for anyone, but she requested that Cindy and her missionaries receive a gift, that was all that was important to her.

I cried.

So, what does Christmas mean to me?

Making someone, somewhere feel special.

Let's all do that this Christmas Season!

FOOT NOTE: Sadly, Fae passed away a few days after Christmas.

Endearing Moments....

There is something incredibly endearing about seeing your child interact with other children...

Last week, Taylor's 9th grade class was going to see "Body World", he was not interested in seeing it for a second time, so he asked to skip school instead of watching movies all day in class.

I agreed with him- informing him that he was not just to spend the day in front of the computer playing games, that he was to jump in and help. He was there to work, not play.

As the kids arrived, Tae's concern was very prevalent in the expression on his face. He was doubting himself and wondering what he had gotten himself into.

We did circle time and then pulled my class aside, this is when he started to get excited. Here is my darling son with these little ones that barely come up to his waist, looking up into his face and melting his heart, just like they did mine.

My class is all boys. (thank heavens that is what I know)

So, they became Jedi knights, Santa's, and astronauts leaping around the room with light saber balloons, rolling in the pile of leaves to de-contaminate, and circling the wagons to avoid instant disaster with the massive asteroid attack. It was so adorable to see the elation in their faces to have a new guy there entertaining them for the day!

I asked him after what he thought of the kids, he said, "Mom, you have the funnest job on the planet! When I grow up this is what I want to do too, come to school everyday and PLAY!"