Thanksgiving 2010

There are so many gifts to celebrate this year and our family realizes that all those blessings stem from God. On the way home from Val's Thanksgiving, we were overcome with emotion thinking about the past year and how God has blessed us...

Last Thanksgiving, we prayed for a baby and God answered our prayers with a HEALTHY baby boy this year! We're blessed with our health and our families health. We have a strong marriage. We have a warm home and hot food on the table. Richard has a great job, which he works very hard at. The Chief's finally have a winning season...

So much to be thankful for... not just at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year. Our goal as a family is to make Thanksgiving a way of life, not just a holiday.

NOW and THEN

Last night, we went on a family date. Last nights family date consisted of Panera Bread, topped off with a peppermint hot chocolate. Richard and I were reminiscing about our wild and crazy single days when a date consisted of a whole grooming routine (for me shaving my legs and putting on matching underwear, for him putting on a hoodie that was washed within the last week), going out around 9:00 pm for dinner, drinks and dancing and would stumble in the door in the door at a very early morning hour, or worse, not at all (don't judge, we've all been there!). Here is what we discovered about NOW and THEN.

NOW when you don't return a text right away, it's because someone has likely spit-up all the way down your back or has had a massive blow out in the middle of Wal-Mart. THEN you purposely waited several hours, or even days to return a text so you didn't appear that you were too into someone else.

NOW you freshen up by changing out of that spit-up soaked t-shirt and put on a new t-shirt that you anticipate will stay puke free for about 3 hours max. THEN you freshened up by shaving your legs and putting on matching underwear (for me that meant lacy and racy, for Richard that probably meant no holes). If your night (or more likely morning) ended with puke on your clothes, that's okay, but at least it was likely your own puke and let's be honest, sometimes bad decisions lead to some really good memories.

NOW you hope to be in bed by 9:00 pm. THEN you were just stepping out of the shower preparing for your wild and crazy night.

NOW you feel so lucky that the baby slept until 6:00 am and find yourself thanking God for his blessings as you stumble to the coffee pot. THEN you felt that 10:00 am was awfully early and find yourself promising to God that you won't ever get that drunk again as you stumble from the bathroom. Since an egg McMuffin was no longer available at McDonald's you decide to just go back to bed.

NOW your husband asks you how your night was and if the baby slept all the way through. THEN you would call your friends and ask if you did anything to embarrass yourself the night before.

Funny how things change between NOW and THEN, isn't it? THEN was fun, but NOW is even better (and no hangover!).

Blessed, Loved and Well Rested

It's a quiet Saturday morning at the Moss house. Who would have thought that getting to *sleep in* until 6 am on a Saturday would feel like such a treat... My how life has changed in the past year! And, I wouldn't wish it to be any other way.

Feeling so blessed this morning, and remembering where all those blessings stem from. Honestly, I'm overcome with all that God has provided us with, mainly our health and an unbelievable family (both sides of the family) a strong marriage, and an unbelievably adorable baby boy!

Feeling very loved. Richard works so hard to provide for our family so that we can have all the comforts we desire, including me getting to stay home with Mason. Not only is he a great provider, he is a wonderful husband! Attentive, affectionate, understanding and hi-lar-ious!

Feeling very rested. Mason slept for nearly 9 hours straight last night. Also, last night, Richard walked in the door and informed me that he booked me a massage for this morning! A surprise massage... does it get any better than that?

New Traditions

Around the holidays I really enjoy thinking back to traditions that my family had. While we usually referred to these traditions as FFF: Forced Family Fun (as we became teenagers, we thought of some other words to describe this), looking back I am so glad to have these memories to look back on, even though at the time we all were probably less than enthusiastic.

Some of my favorite childhood holiday memories are my family making fudge (and eating it until I made myself sick) and setting beer and cookies out for Santa (Mom said that Santa got milk at every other house and the beer was a good change of pace). For a few years, each of us kids made gingerbread houses. I don't know what my mom was thinking, but we had so much fun (and a huge mess by the end of it!). One year, my gingerbread house didn't quite make it through the night. My mom knew I would be devastated. I remember waking up and going downstairs and seeing a paper on the bar where I would eat my breakfast. The paper was made to look like a newspaper article. The article said that a terrible tornado went through the gingerbread village and my house didn't make it and that I would be staying at my sister Jill's gingerbread house. To help make the gingerbread tragedy a little better, we got to eat my gingerbread house for breakfast.

I also remember getting one present to open up on Christmas Eve. It was usually a new pair of pajamas, no doubt so we would look presentable for those Christmas morning pictures.

So, I'm thinking about what sort of traditions I would like my family to start... Any suggestions?

Celebrating Someone Special

Today, we celebrate Grandma Canote, who passed away early this morning (November 6, 2010). She was 98 years old and lived a very full, active life. What a strong, generous, kind-hearted, beautiful woman! And, let me tell you, she could cook!

A few of my favorite memories of her are going over to her house and she letting us have all the grape juice and sugar cookies we wanted. And, she could make a heck of a macaroni and cheese! It was always my favorite when she would make it for family dinners. Such a special lady who will be greatly missed!

Confessions of a Stay at Home Mom

I remember being a kid and watching a lot of tv shows that portrayed the stay-at-home mom. You know the ones where the wife greets her husband wearing a dress, has a 5 course dinner on the table and does the vacuuming in high heels. Well, it turns out, you can't believe everything you see on t.v. Here are just a few confessions I have during my short stint of being a stay-at-home mom.

1. On most days, my idea of 'getting dressed' is putting on a new pair of pajama's right before Richard gets home from work. If I'm really getting dressed up, they will match.

2. Some days I don't get around to brushing my teeth until lunch time.

3. I've been known to heat up some frozen burritos and throw some fresh lettuce and tomato on top and act like I actually cooked.

4. There have been a few times where I have to choose between a shower and sitting down to eat lunch... I usually choose lunch.

5. My husband doesn't really have to ask how my day was... I'm sure he can tell by either 1. my pajamas and 2. by checking the chocolate chip bag in the freezer.

6. On one day, I asked myself if it was 'legal' to pour rum in my diet coke when I was the only one home with the baby. You will be glad to know, I refrained (but only because it was 10 in the morning!).

PS ~ I'm still wondering how that Brady family could afford a full time house keeper with 6 kids!

With that said, I am so appreciative that I have the opportunity to stay home with our sweet boy (and in my pajamas) to witness all those sweet smiles!