Aloha Friday #10

Play along at An Island Life for Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question this week…..

What Christmas stories do you read to your children?



Yesterday I spent an hour in the liberary looking for some great Christmas stories to read. Found a few but nothing really jumped out at me. I am looking for some recommendations and I am really looking for a good story to read on the birth of Jesus. I can always read the story from my bible but I would like to be able to have some great pictures for the boys to enjoy in a story.

Christmas Card Photos

On Monday night I had the tree all decorated, got the boys all dressed for photos and I couldn't find the memory card for camera #1, I thought well I can use the old camera but I couldn't find the battery for it. Lets just say I was one mad person before I gave up and got the boys ready for bed. My husband had the memory card with him and he really got yelled at when he got home. So last night we tried again. We did our annual Christmas picture in front of the tree for our Christmas cards. I have done this with Luke since he was 11 months old.

First we tried the photo on a stool in front of the tree. Not bad but Thomas does not want to stay still.

Now poor Luke is doing everything he can to keep Thomas contained.

I switch things up and put them both on the floor. This really wasn't working because Thomas was getting mad & didn't want to sit.

45 minutes later I get an idea....

The rocking horse will keep Thomas in one place. LOL...

Of course now Thomas just wants to make the horse go.

Forget the picture thing...I have riding to do.

Finally, we get a decent picture with the exception of the silly faces Luke always makes when getting his pictures done.

Now I need to get it together and get my cards done before it is to late. So do you make your Christmas cards each year, do you use photos or do you take the easy route and just buy a box of cards and mail them? I miss the days of the box cards, so much easier....

My Wake Up Call’s

I am a very light sleeper and I jump every time my boys even make a peep in the middle of the night. Thomas is my 12, 2 and 5 AM alarm clock. He is 13 months old and he still wakes 3 times every night. I honestly think it is a habit now. The bad part is you can’t just ignore him and force him to self sooth himself back to sleep. Oh no… we have a little house so his crib is in our bed room. So he stands up in the middle of the night, shakes the crib and cries until you get up and get him. If I could interoperate baby jabber he would be telling me to get my butt out of bed because he needs a drink and a little cuddle time with mom. He also is telling me he knows I am their so hiding under that blank isn’t going to fool him. LOL….

So three times a night with this child is exhausting and what does my 5 year old do to me…. “Mommy…..” as load as he can like there is something wrong. I rush into his room and calmly he says to me “will you scratch my back”. The worst part is he does this all the time and never when I am already awake at 12, 2 or 5 but around 3 AM. So I either get up and scratch his little back or I kick my husband out of bed and make him share in my sleepless nights.

I love my boys but they both are about to drive me to exhaustion.