Let me paint you a picture.

Three years ago when we were shopping for a minivan there were a number of things on my mind: mileage, age, color, etc. A DVD player was not on my list. I felt like it was really "good" for kids to have to battle it out over miles and miles of road-trips, grocery-trips, sports-trips and every-other-kind-of-trip you can imagine. So when we found our minivan and it had a built-in DVD player I figured it would be an occasional treat for the kids. Fast-forward three years and it has become the center of any and all time spent in the van. Not a huge fan of letting my kids watch hours of tv at a time - and with the time we spend in the van escalating I decided to exert some self-control and limit the DVD watching to longer-than-20-minute-trips.

Let me paint you a picture of our "drive" home from the gym this afternoon.

Naomi: mooOOOMMM! my throat hurts.
Mom: I'm sorry, I'll get you something to drink as soon as we get home.
Naomi: but my throat reALLLYYY huRRts! aaaGGGGHHHhhh....uggHHH (insert some sort of guttural sound) MMMOOOOMMMMMMM MY THROAT HURTS!!!
Mom: You know what is NOT helping your throat? Screaming. (Glancing into the backseat to see the boys battling it out in some sort of boyish cat-fight)
Naomi: What?!! Screaming? What doooOO YOU MEAN? THE SUN IS IN MY EYES! ARRRRR - MY THROAT! MY THROAT! MY THROAT!
Mom: Naomi! The sun is not hurting your throat!
Naomi: Well. It's not helping!
Mom: (Taking deep Lamaze-type breaths. Didn't need it in labor but use it all the time now.)
Calvin: IGHTING-IGHTING-IGHTING!!!
Mom: Talmage! What is wrong with Calvin??
Talmage: He's mad that we're not fighting anymore.
Naomi: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
Talmage: (Having figured out what I have know all along) Mom please turn the movie on! It's the only way to get some quiet!
Mom: (Pondering the wisdom of my 6-year-old) Okay.
........
Naomi: I guess my throat doesn't hurt.

A DVD player is now #1 on my list. I will go without leather, automatic locks/windows, air-conditioning, and maybe even heat but you will not find me in a minivan without a DVD player.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! (I feel bad Wicket didn't make the cut - but we just can't get a good one with him :))

Is Santa coming to our house? That expression says it all.

All the kids with their new Christmas pajamas!

Sisters!

Doesn't this look like a fun team!

Elisabeth's first gift...her pj's!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was great! We had the usual gang over for dinner and it was so fun! The Saturday after, we got our Christmas tree. I still haven't given up getting a real tree - even though I've settled for a Home Depot lot tree instead of going to one of Texas' "Christmas Tree Farms." It was a great way to get ready for the season!

We made Uncle Spencer come along to help us pick out the beauty!

Tough papa!

Ouch!

Andy caught Tal having a rage blackout a couple of days ago. This consists of Tal holding his breath, turning bright red, squeezing his fists and usually growling some inaudible phrases.

Andy: Talmage! Where did you learn that kind of behavior?
Tal: Uh? Mom.
Andy: I've never seen Mom act like that.
Tal: Well, that's because your always at work.

Ouch. Nothing like having your lunch handed to you by a six-year-old.

A few other funny ones:

A few nights ago as Naomi and Tal were both hyperventilating because I-wasn't-putting-them-to-bed-first!!
Mom: (As I was tucking Tal into bed) Tal, do you think I should go tuck Naomi into bed?
Tal: (getting very quiet and thoughtful) Well, maybe if you do Santa will put you on his nice list!

A few nights later as Tal and I were talking about our day.
Mom: I'm shouldn't have gotten so upset when you weren't listening.
Tal: That's okay mom. (and then after a moments pause) But mom, I really want you to get what you want for Christmas even though you were a little naughty.

He's just full of one-liners these days!

Leg Pits

Mom: Tal go finish your thank you notes right now!
Tal: Mom, I don't think I can do it. My stomach hurts, my throat hurts my leg pits hurt...

I'll leave it to you to interpret this one but I think he's referring to the part of the leg behind the knee - makes sense to me :)

Not a good idea

Note to Self.

Not a good idea to try and rescue your daughter's gingerbread house from the hands of a scavenging two-year old by placing it on top of the freezer. You will inevitably remember it just as you're opening said freezer and watching in horror as it falls - spraying your laundry room with a trillion sprinkles and candies of varying sizes while shattering gingerbread all over the floor. Then you will be faced with the task of trying to clean up microscopic sugared treats from all areas of your very-nook-and-crannied laundry room.

Better just to let the two-year old devour the whole thing.

Santa

Tal: Mom, I noticed that there is a big box in the garage with a blanket over it. I think it's for Christmas.
Mom: Oh you do? Did you look under it?
Tal: No Mom it's for Christmas!
Mom: Well don't look under it okay?
Tal: Mom, I think you should move it...I don't know how long I can resist!

A couple of nights ago Tal was being over the top nice. "Mom, can I get you anything?" "Please mom anything? I really would like to get you something?" "Here Naomi use my pillow?" and on and on. Finally, I asked what the deal was? "Well I really want to be on Santa's nice list. I do not want a lump of coal!" It's amazing the difference this discovery has made in Tal's behavior - December may become my favorite month!

Tal: Mom, I think I want a hot tub for Christmas.
Mom: Really? A hot tub? That sounds like something Daddy would like too.
Tal: Yeah, it'd be a gift for me and dad.
Mom: (Trying to come up with a way out of this one) Yeah, I don't think a hot tub will fit on Santa's sleigh.
Tal: Sure it will mom. A trampoline fits on his sleigh and a hot tub is about the same size.
Mom: Well, that's true. (Desperate now) But if you got a hot tub it would be for both you and dad. Do you think Dad has been naughty or nice this year?
Tal: (With a little smile) Well a little naughty.