Olive, the Other Reindeer

There is a popular baby name book called Beyond Jennifer & Jason: The New Enlightened Guide to Naming Your Baby. Let it not be said of Mr. Claus that he is not ENLIGHTENED. Who needs a baby name book when you have access to the list of all nice and naughty childrens' names?

The hip thing of today is to come up with the most "original" name possible for your new little one, or to sort of reassign old ones (or make surnames into first names in creative ways). This all came to my mind yesterday, when Logan was singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He began "You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Connor and Cupid...." Yeah, Connor's not a newbie, but it is one of those old ones resurfacing, or, in some cases, a last name reassigned. Don't get me wrong, it's a fine name and all; just funny the way our ears hear things wrongly sometimes. Kind of like when Josh hears that I want him to clean the kitchen and he cleans it, but it still looks exactly the same way.

Anyway, Santa is not to be outdone by the celebrities of today. Credit Santa with eight "doozies" (nine if you include Rudolph). He was the original who came up with names like Blitzen and "Connor." I'm sure he has been taking notes, though. His next generation of reindeer will go something like, "On Apple and Shiloh and Suri and Moon Unit, Rocco and Bronx and Knox and Tallulah."

The Christmas List

Both of the boys wrote a letter to Santa. They were just too cute. I wanted to put them somewhere I wouldn't lose them. What better place than my blog?

Here is Logan's (all capital letters, lowercase letters, and punctuation are his):

Dear Santa,

I want a blue d-s a LEGO BATMAN set and a LEGO INDIANA JONES set and a KERRY COLLINS jersey.

love, Logan

P.S. Are there polar bears (drawing of a polar bear) or (drawing of a walrus) at the North pole? (backwards question mark)

Here is Nathan's:

Dear Santa,

I want a black Nintendo DS, a reptile and fish of the world field guide, a new Webkinz, a new PS2 game (I like Star Wars games), a LEGO set. I want LEGO Star Wars the Complete Saga for a DS, and another book.

By the way, how's it going around there? The highest I've ever been is Indianapolis, Indiana. I also want a new pencil sharpener. Our's is broken. The lowest I've ever been is Atlanta, Georgia.

Your friend (and about 2 second witness),

Nathan

P.S. (I've learned about letters in school)!

*It should be noted that Nathan believes in his entire heart that he saw Santa when he was 2 flying through the sky. That is what he means by "about 2 second witness".*

Here's mine:

Dear Santa,

The boys have been really good this year. They have a real sense of love for their fellow man and for following the rules. They have both done very well at school this year. They try to keep their rooms clean. I did say "try." They are working on their manners. And, yes, I did say "working."

I know how you love to get good children a lot of stuff that their parents have to find storage places for. Please, Santa, keep in mind that we've already outgrown our current house. I'll be having to walk and live in this space after you've gone back to the North Pole. So, please Santa, no loud, shrill sounding toys. I ask for no toys that require banging; no life sized stuffed items. And please, no toys with little parts that get lost in the carpet and are found by my barefeet in the dead of night on my way to the restroom.

And since I'm asking, I have been a very good girl this year....

Love,

Keshia

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

It is snowing in Tennessee! We are so excited. Nathan is wearing his pajamas wrong side out and sleeping with a spoon under his pillow (a superstition for getting a snow day out of school, I'm told). I should have some pictures up tomorrow.

SHE'S BAAAACCCKKKK!!!!

I know it has been a while. I do apologize to the two people who missed me. I say two people because that is all who stated I was missed. And, I do find it sad, because one is my husband the other my brother. Pretty pathetic if you ask me, but for you, Josh and Kevin, I will start blogging again. Hold the applause.

So much has happened in the space of 2 and a half months. Both football and soccer are now over. The seasons ended well with everyone getting a trophy...you know the "everyone is special, so no one is special" trophy. I remember thinking I was so special one year at school, because I got a trophy for having perfect attendance for the whole year. Trophies just aren't as special as they used to be. Except for the precious soccer and football trophies that I now have to dust....those are VERY special....*wink*.

Halloween was in there, too. Nathan was Harry Potter this year. A very excellent Harry Potter, might I add. Logan was Anakin Skywalker from Clone Wars. The mask was designed to look like a cartoon Anakin. I thought it looked a lot like Richard Nixon. When he held up two fingers on both hands and shook his head from side to side, it WAS Richard Nixon. I think we will save the mask and put him in a suit....can we say, "Costume for next year!" (That is not very likely...due to the fact, it is a mother's job to go stand in the crazy line at Party City and tell a sixteen year old girl which costume you NEED only to have her tell you it is SOLD OUT....you then choose the next choice and hear the same thing, and so forth and so on, until you talk the child into settling for an outdated Lassie costume.)

Most recently, my grandmother passed away. It was expected because she had been sick for a while. She was a Christian lady who lived a very busy and full life. I have many memories of her that I cherish.

My grandmother's death has been hard on my mother. She was her 24/7 caregiver. I'm doing what I can to help her cope and to simply get out of the house. For instance, I took her today to Logan's class to help with a "Christmas Around the World" craft. Then I took her shopping. She was falling asleep in the van. I think I wore her out.

This morning as Josh was preparing the boys' lunches, he noticed Logan has not been drinking his drink in his lunch box. He noticed it yesterday, but thought it must be a fluke. Turns out Logan is having trouble opening his drink during lunch. Nathan heard his brother's dilemna and said that he would be glad to come over and help Logan open his drink. (The boys are in the cafeteria at the same time.) I thought that was just one of the sweetest things I've ever heard. In fact, last night while in the shower Logan dropped something. Nathan heard the commotion and ran to ask Logan if he was okay. I love the way my boys are growing to really care for each other. I love my two little "brothers" loving each other.

The boys came home with gifts to go under the tree from school today. They bought them in a little shop set up at school called "Santa's Secret Shop". They are so excited about the gifts they lovingly and thoughtfully picked out for their dad and me. They are sweet boys. Logan was so excited he informed me during supper that he bought me a birdfeeder.

So, I hope I have caught you up the best I can. Thanks for reading my blog....peace out!!! :)