Sunday, December 18, 2005

Before Christmas post

There has been so much going on lately, I really haven't had time to post but since I am currently in bed sicker then a dog I figured I would take this chance to give you a brief update and share some pics.
Here are a couple of Jackson's recent Christmas play at school. He had so much fun and worked really hard at home to memorize all his words and actions. He had a couple of lines and a small solo during the song "We wish you a Merry Christmas".
















Here are Jackson and his little friend at lunch the other day during pajama day at school. Jackson wore his Dash (The Incredibles) pj's and was so proud.














Here is a picture of the newest addition to our family. My sister Sarah had a baby girl last week. Her name is Chyanne Nita (after my mom). She weighed in at 7lbs 9 oz and was 19 inches long.











Well, beyond that I really don't have much else to share except I pray you all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and I hope you will all be blessed as much as we have been.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth...or an MP3 player

What happened to this simple little request from cute little 1st and 2nd graders? I was eating lunch with my 6 year old today and the little girl in the next chair was telling me she asked Santa for an MP3 player and a Karaoke machine. My 6 year old doesn't even know what an MP3 player is and when I was that age I didn't have a clue about anything except a new doll. What are we doing to our children? They are becoming more and more materialistic at a younger and younger age and it's our fault. We whine about having the latest and greatest thing and keeping up with the Joneses and if they have it then we have to have it and so on and so on. It's pathetic. Now before you all freak out on me let me clarify, I am not saying it's wrong to have "things" but it's the way in which we go about acquring all these things. When we are constantly getting bigger and better we are showing our kids we are never content. And the thing is we will never be able to stay ahead so we might as well find our contentment in what we have and begin teaching it to our kids as soon as we can. Here are a few ways we have found to help curb our kids greed. Everyear right before birthdays and Christmas (and other random times) we go through all their toys and games and we get rid of everything that hasn't been played with. We talk about how some other kid will be so blessed to have this toy and how God will honor their being selfless. We also find an angel tree and I let the kids pick a couple and then we all go together to shop for it. We talk alot about how blessed we are. I also tell them we have to focus on what we do have and not what we don't. The bottom line is this ~ ultimately we love God b/c He loved us first not b/c He gave us an IPOD and that's how it also began with our kids. We loved them from the moment of conception when we gave them life and they now love us in return. Lets keep it that way. Have a blessed Christmas!!

Saturday, December 03, 2005

And you are...?

Working at Starbucks I come into contact with literally hundreds of people on a weekly basis. Having been there 3 months I know all of our regulars (the ones who come in on my shifts) by name and sometimes what they drink. For instance: Paul - venti coffee, Mary - grande Mocha, Gina - Decaf iced tall 2 sweet and low 2% extra foam latte, John - venti coffee, Dan - grande no foam latte. These are just a few examples of the hundreds of drinks I personally make every week and all the names I know. It's actually pretty cool to "know" all these people by name. It makes them feel special to be acknowledged and remembered. It makes me feel like I am somehow brightening their day just by greeting them by name everytime they come in. Well, it works both ways. There have been several times where people want to know my name and now when they come in make a special effort to greet me first. John is my favorite. He comes in every morning and no matter where I am working greets me and asks me how my day is going. It's so awesome. Well, I said all that to say this...there is nothing that tickles me more than seeing any of these people outside of Starbucks, say the mall or grocery store. They look at me with this look like..." and you are or do I know you..." It's hilarious. Usually, as soon as I say Starbucks they are like "oh yeah I remember now". I mean here I see these people day in and day out but without the green apron and black hat they don't know me from Adam.

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