Roll Tide!

The University of Alabama ended the 2007 season on a high note by defeating the University of Colorado at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. It was a great game...only because I was really happy with the ending. Alabama wasn't that impressive for 3/4 of the game. After the 1st quarter, Bama played inconsistently. Bama managed to win and everyone here at the Owen house is happy. Jonathan started out the game saying that he was cheering for Colorodo since he was born in Colorado. Before the end of the 1st quarter (when Alabama had scored 20 points), he decided he was cheering for Alabama. The kids didn't get to watch the whole game but they will be happy with the news.

Apples to Apples

We played Apples to Apples on Christmas. I know it has been out a few years but it was a first for me. Here's how it goes-- Apples to Apples consists only of two decks of cards: Things and Descriptions. Each turn, the current judge selects a description and players try to pick, from the cards in their hands, the things that best match that description. The judge then chooses the “best” thing and awards the card to the player who played it. Once a player has won a pre-determined number of cards, that player wins. This isn't a battle of wits like Trivial Pursuit, or a battle of drawing skills like Pictionary. This is pick the most appropriate word OR make the judge laugh (usually), and win all the points."

We had so much fun with this game. I love playing light-hearted fun games. What are some of your favorite games to play?

Thursday Thanks Tank #23

This Thursday we are still enjoying Christmas and all the joy it brought. The boys are busy enjoying their new toys each day and I am enjoying having them all play together (with Jonathan home from school). This Thursday I am especially thankful for Christmas. I am thankful that we can celebrate Jesus’s birthday. I am thankful that Jesus was born and how significant his birth is in my life. We had a lot of fun this year. I am thankful for it all. That’s my thankful thought this Thursday. So, let me tell you a bit about our Christmas.

Christmas Eve day was spent doing some very last minute shopping. Seth decided that he wanted to take the boys out to buy me a present. So, while he was out I decided to run out and get him some fun stocking stuffers. We enjoyed an early a nice dinner (lasagna, salad, bread). Then, we went to a Christmas Eve service at 6 p.m. at a local church. We drove around and looked at Christmas lights in town. We got out at the local park that was decorated with lights. It was freezing but the boys had fun running around. We went home and decorated our Gingerbread cookies and our Gingerbread house. Once the kids got in bed, Seth and I had our Christmas Eve date. We usually fondue but this year (since our fondue pot has not been recovered from the moving boxes) we simply had cheese and crackers and fruit. At some point we began to get out the gifts for the kids and realized that we had more putting together than we thought! We set out gifts that are unwrapped for each of the kids. We call these gifts “Santa Surprises” in honor of the way St. Nicholas (Santa) surprised people with gifts. Jonathan was getting a skateboard. David and Thomas were getting scooters. Elisabeth was getting an Exersaucer. We didn’t realize that there was quite a lot of putting together for that Exersaucer! It took about an hour and half. It was humorous a bit, especially when we thought about how as a 5 week old she wouldn’t be able to enjoy it right away. (I am not sure Seth found as much humor in it as me.) On Christmas morning, the boys woke up about 6:30. They were very excited and not too thrilled having to wait upstairs while we changed Thomas’s diaper and got our cameras ready (and the coffee going, of course). The boys game down and enjoyed opening presents and eating the Gingerbread house. We had pigs in a blanket as we opened presents and then we had a late brunch of pancakes and bacon. Christmas evening we went over to a house of some new friends of ours. They have 4 kids—so with 8 kids (6 boys), it was very busy and loud. We had a wonderful dinner and then played games afterward. We got home and got the kids in bed about 10 p.m. Needless to say, they were exhausted from all of the excitement.
I suppose I left out mentioning that we talked about what makes Christmas special and why we celebrate it. I also forgot to say that Jonathan took his first communion on Christmas Eve. It was very special. And, though I tried to explain it, I still don’t think that David understands why it didn’t snow on Christmas.

Christmas was wonderful. I am so thankful for Christmas joy!

Full Friday

It is Friday and where did the week go? I meant to post yesterday but I didn't get to it. Thursday night was one of the only nights this week that I didn't have a huge agenda. So, I spent the night talking to my husband. He encouraged me to write my Thursday Thanks Tank list but I was very thankful to have the time with him. I filled my Thanks Tank this week (which is why this is a "Full Friday") I just didn't write down a list. So, here it is, my late list...

BELATED THURSDAY THANKS TANK

1. Time with my husband

2. Friends: I mailed my Christmas cards this week. I was reminded of how many wonderful friends we have. I am so thankful for each person on our card list. I was struck by the fact that we sent cards out to 16 different states.

3. Computers: If it weren't for computer technology, I would never be able to stay in touch with our friends and family located in 16 states. I enjoy my computer time and I enjoy my long distance relationships.

4. A clear head: (No jokes, please) I spent Wednesday night and most of Thursday suffering from a terrible sinus headache. I am thankful, oh so very thankful, that the headache went away early Thursday evening. I feel so refreshed this Friday morning because I don't have a headache (and I am putting thoughts together before the kids are awake!)

5. Breaking Free: I may write about this in an upcoming post. So for now, this thankful item may seem kind of ambiguous. I am thankful for the freedom to wipe the slate clean. I am thankful for the ability to declutter and not hold on to things I don't need.

6. Finishing a cup of coffee before the kids wake up: If only I could get up and get going more often. My coffee is much more enjoyable when I don't have to heat it up in the microwave 3 times before I finish it!

7. Kisses from the Kids: Last night was wrestling night at our house. (This happens a lot and it sure will be fun to see Elisabeth in that mix one day.) Seth gets on the floor and wrestles with the boys. The boys LOVE it. Last night I got on the floor and participated. Really, I just jumped in and tickled everyone. The boys forgot I could roll around on the floor (after my pregnancy stint) and they were so thrilled, I was getting spontaneous kisses. I love that! I love surprising my kids.

8. Christmas season: I am thankful for how joyful people are during the Christmas season. I am thankful for the reason we celebrate Christ's birth.

That's it-- that's all I have time for this morning.

I am quite thankful this week and I hope you are, too!

Thursday Thanks Tank #22

This is such a busy time of year! I have been struggling to feel thankful. I am thankful for many, many things but I haven't been feeling it, if that makes sense. I have been trying to concentrate on how thankful I am for Christmas. This is one of my favorite times of the year. I have to admit that I have been mostly just feeling worn out. It may be the busyness or the fact that I am way behind on everything or just the fact that I am on the new baby sleep schedule. As always, writing my list uplifted my spirit. I hope it stirs your heart, too.

Here's what was on my heart tonight:

1. Gingerbread lattes. I have not been getting them often enough (as I mentioned to my hubby tonight—they only come around once a year!). However, I had the pleasure of running out tonight and the latte was wonderful.
2. Visiting Family. My in-laws were just here visiting. They don’t get to visit very often. It was really nice having them in our home. I enjoyed seeing them play with the kids and hold Elsie…and I just really enjoyed their company. We are so thankful that both sets of our parents were able to visit us during this crazy time of year.
3. Christmas Choir programs. Jonathan’s school music program was last night. He was very cute and excited about the program. I enjoyed watching him but I also enjoyed seeing all of the families being excited for their kids. We made a family outing out of watching the program, which was quite a feat with the late program (7-8 p.m.) and a 4 yr old, 2 yr old and 3 week old. I was thankful to be there together because I know it meant a lot to Jonathan.
4. MOPS meals. My MOPS group is bringing my family meals. I enjoyed this MOPS tradition when 2 of my boys were born and it is a blessing again. They even worked the meals around our company—bringing us meals in-between grandparent visits and now meals after our company left. My house seems to be the craziest the 2 hours before dinner. It is very helpful right now not to have to cook dinner.
5. Baking. Baking fills my heart with joy—and tis the season! Yesterday I made a batch of Snickerdoodles. The day before I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow I am making Pumpkin bread. I am planning on trying some new recipes, too, and I have been having fun looking through a new holiday cookbook.
6. My mother-in-law’s southern cooking. The last night before she left she made me chicken and dumplins (veggies as side dishes) and banana pudding for dessert. It was incredible. (How many of you are chicken and dumplin fans? AND, do you like your banana pudding warm –right out of the oven- or cold?)
7. Christmas cards. This is really one of my favorite things. I love getting mail, anyway, and getting Christmas cards is just simply wonderful.

By the way, my Thursday Thanks Tank was inspired by Pam over at Without Fear. Take some time to make your own Thankful list. I'd love to hear what you are thankful for!

Sleeping Beauty

Here are a few pictures of Elisabeth from last night.

College Football

Any college football fans out there? The big SEC championship game is today. We will be watching it at our house and cheering loudly for the VOLS (yes, I can cheer for them when they aren't playing BAMA!). Anyway, I wanted to pass on this interesting and funny article or post on the World magazine blog: College Football Post