You Can Fly

This toy actually worked out quite nicely...for now. Christina loves to ride and scooch while Maria pushes. They play so well together! Sometimes they just laugh at each other for no reason and have giggle fests. I'm glad there is so much love.

Anastassatos Part-ae 2007

Well, it's been 50+ years since my Great Grandmother Irene Anastassatos and Papou Christos left Greece to call America home. And now their family of 10 has blossomed into 78+. We have yearly gatherings thanks to Pam and Angelo, and their daughters Kim, Kerrie and Mia. This year Christina had lots of fun with her cousin Addy and they played crawling under the tables for 3 hours and scoping out the cigarette machine. Maria was trying to walk and face planted on the floor, my POOR baby! She bled for 5 seconds, it was terrible and I felt like crying for her. (because she stopped after a minute) What troopers I have. My meatballs were the HIT of the party and there were like 3 leftover. Everyone thought Margot made them... but it was all me... and my oven and costco... Kerrie and Jessie celebrated their marriage a little early with some tasty cake. I finally got to meet Lisa's girlfriend Pam and her son from Oregon... fantastic! We're excited to have them back in Reno. Thea Maria ate up her namesake Maria... literally, there were lots of kisses. And it snowed!! Fun greek times!!

Twas the night before Christmas...

Getting ready for Santa was fun. We left the gummy orange slices for the reindeer, colored a thank you note for Santa and hit the pillows. I also wanted to post pictures as proof that Maria DOES have beautiful curly hair... mostly when wet. As a side note, I saw a clever Santa sign that read, "The 4 stages of Santa 1.You believe in Santa 2.You don't believe in Santa 3.You are Santa 4.You look like Santa"

Merry Merry Christmas

What a great time of year! This year we tried to be more focused on the birth of Christ and read lots of scriptures and books on the Nativity. What a humbling thought to think of Mary and the Son of God, as a babe in her arms. We are truly grateful for His life.

Christmas highlights are as follows: 1. Christina's nightly talks with Bro. Chapin's Tree, telling the tree she wants a guitar. You might think she would tell Santa this.... but the whole meth bit... So the tree was quite fun.
2. Theo Speedo and Aunt Val going crazy like they usually do with toys! toys! toys!
3. Papa and Yaya bar-b-quing steak in the 20 degree weather for Christmas dinner. Getting them classy gifts this year (as opposed to a teen's novel entitled Hitler's child)
4. Giving everyone the gift of water. Literally, water. Why waste money? Food storage!! In case of an emergency you need plenty of water. Thank you, we are not ghetto, we are creative.
5. Nono and Yaya... where were our coats? We all always complain about getting coats and the year we don't get coats... sadness lingers in our hearts.
6. Watching Maria eat Papa's mac and cheese... and meat, and pineapple, and salad...
7. Taking multiple pictures of Joe and him not smiling normal in any of them.
8. Hearing about cousin Erin's engagement!! Hooray!! She will be a beautiful bride! Also cousin Regina set a date for her wedding!! Hooray!! The Withers know how to throw a part-ae! We can't wait for the festivities!
9. Getting 20 Christmas cards... this is a record!! (Although 3 cards were actually addressed to Mommers and Dad, but I like to push the envelope... mail fraud, is it really a crime?Ok, maybe.)

So now it's time to take down the tree and decor, but hopefully we can keep in our hearts the birth of the Saviour, His life and ministry, and not just the reason for the season, but the reason for life.

Musical Whimsy

Have you ever had a special party or gathering that needs just the right music? Music that will make you happy and want to shake yo' groove thang? I hold the power of the recorder in my hands. It is my new talent I learned on Christmas day (thanks to a 69 cent book from Savers) Yes. The recorder friends. My current repetoire is Jingle Bells, The Drunken Sailor, Michael Row Your Boat Ashore, The Can Can, Kumbaya and... it gets better. How, you might ask? I can play O Canada. So, if you ever need some festive tunes to get the party started, I don't charge... I only expect meager clapping.

Yes, In the Heat of Passion

Call it a moment if you will. I had one, now it's over. There was a ban, now there is not. I am who I am, accept me and love me, because I love you all. The party is back!

Our family has been asking Christina what we've been getting them for Christmas and she tells them water and a free computer. They laugh. Little do they know...

On a side note, we are starting a new holiday tradition. The girls get 1 gift each and their stocking treats. The rest of the gifts don't have names on them and they rotate who gets to open them. The whole idea is to promote unity within and the extreme importance of sharing. One might ask why? Especially when my children already share perfectly... seriously, it's eery. Perhaps I just want to keep the flow going? I'm excited though.

Christmas Goodies

This year, they actually turned out pretty and tasty! Usually it's one or the other. We made chocolate brownie cookies, pecan jam thumb cookies, yaya's rocky road fudge and a suprisingly yummy cranberry cashew white fudge. Thank you kraftfoods.com!

Glen Duncan

We went to Glen Duncan to do the annual gingerbread houses. They always turn out so nicely. This year Christina entertained the class by singing her ABC's, telling them about chemicals in McDonald's food and just by making herself comfortable. When they were all quietly working on worksheets she loudly remarked how she loves her mommy because mommy takes her to the ballet. My dear Christina... next year we will go to the REAL ballet in San Fran. One girl tried to help her with her house to which she replied, I'm big, don't worry, I can do it.

Ward Christmas Party

I love our ward. I love everyone in it. I love that the Czerwinsky boys (Josh, Spencer and Benji) took Christina up to the front of the line to see Santa, peeled her orange, wiped her hands and treated her like royalty. I sat with a new family in the ward, The Greko's. We were talking about Santas these days and how more time needs to be spent on personal hygiene rather than making toys or grooming Rudolph perhaps. I also was very smart, fed the girls before we came. Mormon hodgepodges of food/dinners are gross. Brother Baclayon did the entertainment, true Hawaiian style and it was just really pleasant. Christina wanted to give Santa gum because it's something special to her. And Maria, well... Santa is scary! I don't blame her.

The Nutcracker... Reno Sass

Well... First let me just say I love the ballet. I always wanted to be a ballerina, but being short, stocky and thick thighed didn't really work. (I had to edit because someone misread/misunderstood what I wrote... thank you, I'm not a nasty or vulgar person Mother) I was way excited this year because Christina could come to the ballet! We dressed in our finest dresses, put on lip gloss, perfume and special lotion and off we went. We had a blast, and it really was just magical. We even got to see our friend Emily Hollenbach in the orchestra pit! However, I did notice a few glitches in the ballet that I think can be attributed to, well, Reno itself.
1. One of the russian dancers did a few flips and there was thong-age. Ew.
2. The Sugar Plum Fairy had the shakes....
3. There were a couple babies at the ballet... Yes, I'm a snob and don't think babies belong at the ballet, especially when they are screaming because it's bedtime and I've paid $70.
4. The Danish Nutcracker turned prince in his very tight, white tights... with greasy hair. More like Buttcracker. Solid. Not so fun.

Don't get me wrong, I love my motha-land. These things only add to my love of my state and it's ability to constantly entertain all my senses.

Never to early to learn how to say NO

I am a big advocate of teaching children how to SAY NO TO DRUGS. We've had many a lesson or FHE on drugs and alcohol and how they destroy lives. And it is sinking in... and I am oh so proud. At dinner at Yaya and Papa's, Christina proceeds to tell them that she loves them. Then she informs them that she doesn't love yucky people. I told her that we should love everybody but stay away from yucky people. She then says, "Yeah... We don't go by yucky people. We lock the car doors and drive away from the yucky meth users who do meth at the ballet." Then she loudly says, "Why is my turkey bloody? We don't eat bloody turkey. Yaya, why didn't you cook the turkey? Gross bloody turkey." They also asked her if she knew what meth was and she responded, "It's like alcohol. It's terrible." Train up a child and they shall not depart from the way, eh? One can only pray though.

On the Move

So Maria has been crawling/moving/scooting for about 2 months now. She hates it. I don't blame her, we're not dogs after all. So she mainly will just crawl/move/scoot to pull up on me. I didn't mention it earlier because I didn't know exactly what to call it. Whatever it is, she sticks her butt out in the air as far as baby possible.

*As a side note, how did I get a semi-blonde, blue eyed child?

Carson!!

Fun times with fun friends! Thanks Angela for bring the gingerbread house. As a side note, Carson is in Nursery with Christina and is 2 1/2. He is quite the cute kid and has pleasant manners.

Look what daddy taught me...

Melt my Heart

So today at dinner Christina really liked her eggplant. She kept on mixing it up with eggnog... but she was certainly clear when she looked into my eyes and said, "Mommy. I love you so much. I'm going to grow up and be a mommy just like you." My heart melted. I was filled with joy that can't even be described. Recently I've been really going back and forth on whether I want Christina to go to preschool. I've found one that is absolutely perfect, but I just can't seem to let go. What if the other kids are mean? What if she gets hurt? What if it's just a waste of time? I know that all these what if's are just personal fears. I love her and her sister more than life. Tonight I was comforted though reading 1 John chapter 4. (verses 7- 19) "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knowth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us."
I know that God watches over my children and keeps them safe. It may seem stupid to have such anxiety over letting my little one leave me for 2 hours a day, 4 days a week... I just love every moment with them. I'm grateful though, to my Father in Heaven, who loves me and is patient with me. Through some fervent prayer, I hope to find my answer on whether I should have her go this upcoming January.

Books are funny

It really is quite funny now that Maria is enjoying books more. Almost every time you can catch her laughing to herself as she turns the pages. I don't know what is so funny, but I sure love watching her. She is so happy and thrilled with every new discovery. I'm glad to see she has a sense of humor so early on in life.

A Bowl of Mints and Eclair for Dinner

This is when you know you are a good mother. At least she ate pasta for lunch. As a side note we had John and Laura Padron over for dinner. She asked them if they ate McDonalds and they said yes. She looked confused and asked why. They told her they liked the food there so she comes over to me and whispers, do they know there is chemicals at McDonalds? Why is she so much fun!

The Shower in the Snow

1 hour before the shower it's a blizzard! I was so worried that the guest and nugget of honor would end up in a ditch. Thank goodness Jesus is with us! Do I sound like Toney Riley? Yes. But I mean it! It was a lovely time with good company. Also... can I just say, I love that the ring was your favorite gift.

My Neicey Miss A

So I always thought these things were the creepiest pics on earth until, of course, my gorgeous b.f. mated with a fantastic nigerian (who does not beat her) and produced Amyra. Isn't she amazing? Can't wait to be your aunty little one! I love you already and cherish you for the wonderful person you will be! Stunning and not even born yet!

What do you want from Santa?

The age old question you ask kids. Well, at church, Christina responded to a woman who had asked this question, "Santa has meth mouth." The woman looks at me oddly. She repeats her question to which Christina replies, "Maybe a tattoo, but not a cheap one." I kid you not. I embellish not. Let me just say on a side note that Meth Santa gave her a rub on tattoo that lasted 10 minutes so I told her we'd get her one that wasn't so cheap. This whole memory lasted 11 minutes, but had a profound impact on her.

Christmas Cards

70 pictures and 1 thankfully turned out decent. Thanks Papa and Yaya for the cute matching outfits! Christina was very happy to be able to match her sister.