Happiest Place on Olivia's Earth

Over-stimulated, over-crowded, over-the-top...that about sums up a one-day trip to Disneyland. However, to my newly-turned 4 year old, Disneyland was the absolute best of everything; princesses, castles and fairy tales come to life.

Oh, and the junk food and fun rides were just icing on the best birthday cake ever! (And hey, if she chooses to spend every birthday at Disneyland instead of us throwing a birthday party, I think we'll be just fine with it!)

Ready, Aim, Fire!

Yikes, an 18 month old with a catapult, and she's not afraid to use it. Head's up!

A Yellow Ribbon Around My Heart

In speaking with my neighbor and his wife the other day, I learned that he was preparing to deploy in a mere two weeks for Afghanistan. Just a month ago he was headed for a fairly normal deployment to Japan for six months beginning in February, yet with the new surge in Afghanistan, off he goes into a much more dangerous situation.

Now his family is in mass-preparation mode. With two weeks notice, he has to prepare his home and his family for his absence and then he has to actually leave his 2 and 4-year old boys and his wife for over half a year or more.

My brother-in-law was in Iraq for over 6 months in 2008, and I've seen firsthand the personal sacrifices and the fear that lived in the hearts of his loved ones, especially his mom, wife and kids. Hearing my neighbor recall the following memory, I was reminded how heart-wrenching these sacrifices are for everyone in a military family.

The last time my neighbor deployed, his boys fell asleep as his wife drove him to the base for his departure. He kissed them goodbye as they slept in their carseats, with tears running down his face. His wife said she was grateful she was able to say goodbye to her husband and cry without needing to act the strong mother, not having to explain things to young boys that aren't yet capable of understanding the situation's magnitude. Can you just picture this man kissing his beloved children goodbye as they innocently slept? Can you imagine how he wanted nothing more than to jump back in the car and drive home with them?

As a parent, picturing this scene brings tears to my eyes and fills my heart with such appreciation for the men and women that must go through similar experiences all the time- short notice, heartrending goodbyes and long deployments. And military families must keep going with day-to-day life, just waiting for their loved ones to come home to them safe and sound.

So this week my neighbor and all military personnel and their families are in my heart and in my prayers. They sacrifice so that my life may be blessed and free. May God bless them and keep them safe.

The Rabbit Died

Not exactly Immaculate Conception, nor a Christmas miracle, but let's just say God surprised us with an early Christmas present. Hard to believe we'll be the parents of 3 next June!!

PETA disclaimer: No rabbits were actually harmed in the confirmation of this pregnancy.

It Gets Even Better

I am one of those ridiculous people that breaks out the Christmas CD's the day after Thanksgiving. I began decorating my own room for Christmas around the age of 8. I yearned to go to Midnight Mass every year, convincing my parents to at least stay up and attend the 8:00 service as it seemed more romantic and I wanted to go to a candlelight service. I began sending my own Christmas cards before I was out of high school and I love playing Secret Santa and picking out fun little surprises for someone.

I'm a self-professed Christmas junkie (and our attic full of decorations proves it, much to my husband's chagrin).

And now that I have kids, the magic of the season and all it's activities is just multiplied times ten. Besides the fact that some days I look a bit strung out with all I'm hoping to accomplish, I'm just plain giddy inside that Christmas is coming...

"Constructing gingerbread houses" at preschool, which is a nice way of saying, "we gorged on candy and sent them home on a sugar high."

Livy joined me in deciding that picking out and decorating the tree is her favorite part of Christmas. We'll see if her answer changes after she sees the stash of presents on Christmas morning...

One thinks Santa is an evil man, the other was more than happy to sit on his lap and tell him about the bike horn and streamers she wants him to bring.

Liv's first holiday ballet performance and our little ballerina said she liked it and wants to perform on stage again. Wow! And doesn't she look so old??

The first of our Christmas crafts...we actually have 3 ways we're counting down the days 'till Christmas.

Nah, we're not excited or anything.