355/365... enJoy

Over the past few years we've tried several different ways of celebrating our Christmas baby in the hopes of landing on a few traditions that honor the privilege of having such a special birthday, as well as give her day to call the shots like the rest of us get throughout the year. We've tried a few things that have worked well (having a combined daddy/Caroline birthday celebration on the 26th or 27th) and some things that have not worked so well (sweeping everything Christmas to the side and having a birthday party in the evening on the 25th), and this year I think we've settled on a few traditions that give Caroline the chance to fully enjoy Christmas and still feel special for her birthday.

My favorite new tradition for her that we added this year is her birthday tree from Maw Maw. With seven special ornaments on it and the promise of a new one each year, I think it's a really special way to celebrate who she was in that previous year. So far her ornaments include everything from a ball made from newspaper clippings from the day of her birth, to a tea cup (a nod to her tea party birthday last year), to a little "Chesty" ornament for this year. I know that she'll look forward to decorating her own tree every year and will love her collection of ornaments as she grows.

People are quick to feel sorry for our Christmas baby assuming that she'll get a raw deal, but I hope she always knows how special and wonderful it is to have been born on the day that we celebrate the birth of our Lord. I really can't imagine a sweeter birthday.

Birthday tree joy...












354/365... enJoy

Let the fun begin! The first of our holiday visitors arrived today and the party has officially started! Dad surprised the kids by bringing two bags full of old basketball uniforms from the late Cocoa Beach Christian School basketball team and everyone got in on the fun of those bad boys. Jack might be the biggest fan of all. He calls the jerseys "teamworks" and when I say he won't take them off, I literally mean that he will not, of his own accord, take them off. I'm not sure if I'm glad that there are about 15 teamworks at his disposal, but he sure is.

Three cheers for teamworks joy...



(As I'm writing this a full week later, I can testify that there has yet to be a day without a teamwork on Jack's body. Every outfit change brings with it a fresh teamwork on top!)

352/365... enJoy

Part of Jimmy's job has him interviewing and hiring new employees when they're needed. Today he decided he might need two new guys and wondered if I knew of any who were available to start immediately. I said I thought I might have the perfect guys and that I could even drop them off that very morning before running lots of pre-company errands with the big kids.

So, armed with toy cars and popsicle sticks for making a track, books, snacks and yes, the laptop for a little Netflix reinforcement, his two new temp workers arrived ready to get to work. At then end of the morning Jimmy had to admit that their "productivity" level was high and their salary agreement (hot chocolate and cookies) was reasonable. And he might have been a little relieved that their position was seasonal.

A day at the office with dad joy...


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Linus and Luna are little Yorkshire Terriers and while I'm not even sure that they break a sweat when playing with tolerating Chesty's puppiness, he gets a complete workout pouncing and jumping and running circles around them trying to entice them to play. I have no doubt that they will be good friends one day, but for now Linus and Luna are far more refined than our three-star General. And I will love them forever for completely wearing him out today.

Sleepy Chesty joy...






350/365... enJoy

Remember when I said that Jimmy excels at spoiling his ladies? Well, he's pulling out a few of his tricks for today and tomorrow. After a crazy-busy month (or two) and more than one living being in the process of learning the proper place for depositing their bodily... things  (ahem), to say that our home was struggling would be an understatement. So not only did Jimmy arrange for a team of little elves to come and clean our house for me today, but our carpet is getting the royal treatment tomorrow. And I feel like a queen. Having a clean house speaks to my soul, and so does fun, chill-out time with my kids.  Jimmy has given me both.

Since we had to vacate the premises so that the SupaKleeners could work their magic this morning, we completed a few errands and then went to the park for a doggie play date with our friends Charlie and Norie and Linus and Luna. And returning to our sparkling home after a morning of fun? Luxurious.

Living in the lap of luxury joy...





349/365... enJoy

I've never let so many strange men babysit my children before, but these guys were way more captivating than the bobcat guys last week. I mean, a cement truck? In your own backyard? Too good to be true.



348/365... enJoy

How much trouble can a two year old get into when left to his own devices for a few minutes? A lot. Perhaps I wasn't using my best judgment when I let Jack head downstairs ahead of me this morning, but I knew Jimmy would be down there within a couple of minutes so I decided a little more time in my cozy bed was worth the risk. So when Jimmy went down and then came right back up again asking me to guess what he'd found down there I can't say that I was surprised. I probably wouldn't have ever guessed except that right about that time Jack decided to come back for a little "duggle" and I both smelled and felt his slimy, greasy little hands that gave him away. Jimmy soon confirmed that he had, in fact, eaten a whole stick of butter. With a knife.

It probably could have been worse but it was still pretty gross joy...


347/365... enJoy

Tonight was our annual Christmas caroling party with a few of the Community Groups from our church. I can't really think of a better time than eating good food with good friends and then spreading some Christmas cheer together. We might come caroling with toy rifles, rowdy children who touch the pretty Christmas decorations and  roll down the hills of the front yards, and our "joyful noise" might not sound all that fancy, but there's something about opening your door to Christmas carols that makes the season even brighter.

Spreading Christmas cheer joy...





346/365... enJoy

The first time we played Forestville they pretty much gave our team a beat down. And while they did beat us again today, the improvement that our Crusaders showed was pretty impressive. They really do get better every week! It might be due in part to their awesome coach....

More "Intensity!" joy...