Has There Been a Recent Alien Invasion?

The munchkins were in their "Quiet Time" this afternoon. The Archangel & The Princess were in their rooms while The Prophet stayed downstairs in the living room. This gives them a chance to be alone for a while each afternoon. They don't have to nap (although The Princess usually does at some point). They just have to be quiet for about an hour & a half.

Well, I went upstairs to put The Saint down in his crib. The Archangel was thumping around in his room, so I went down the hall to tell him to be quiet. I walked into the room & saw him scooting on his knees, pushing a box across the floor. What was he doing? He was cleaning up the room that he & The Prophet share - all by himself w/out even being asked to do it. I knelt down & gave him a big hug, thanking him (w/ tears in my eyes) for doing it w/out being asked. He even said that later, he might even help The Princess clean her room.

This is the second time this week that he's cleaned w/out being asked. A few nights ago, he & The Princess worked on the basement (more him than her). Now, I know a lot of children do extra good deeds at this time of year, persuaded by Santa's visit. We, however, do not use that tactic because I don't think it's fair.

So, to the question in my title - has an alien taken over my munchkin? And if so, how long is he staying?

It's the Little Things in Life...

Last night, I took a trip to the grocery store - sans munchkins. Upon returning home, they swarmed (as they usually do) to see what treasures I'd brought home. Yesterday, I'd used the last of our oatmeal for breakfast so I'd gotten some more. The Princess saw the next container sitting on the counter & said, "You bought oapmeal?" & came over to give me a big hug. (Yes, that is how she pronounces it - I didn't spell it wrong.)

This morning, she was still sleeping when I made mine but I went ahead & prepared hers too. After finishing hers, she came up to me, hugged my left arm, looked up at me w/ those beautiful brown eyes, & said, "Thank you for buying oapmeal!"

It's the small things that make a big difference!

By the way, I also got gas for our van last night using the points earned by shopping. I had about 1/4 of a tank left & filled it for only $13.62. I paid the lowest amount per gallon ever - 79 cents! WooHoo!

Again - it's the small things!!

2 Christmas Memes

MEME No. 1 -
If you were trapped on a desert island at Christmastime and all you had was a small generator, Christmas lights for your coconut tree, an endless supply of Christmas cookies & eggnog (or hot chocolate), your CD player & 6 Christmas CDs , which 6 CD's would you want them to be?

In no particular order, but the first two are tied as my absolute favorites. It's a struggle each year to see which one will be played first!
1) Harry Connick, Jr. - When My Heart Finds Christmas

2) Josh Groban - Noel

3) Hallmark's 1997 CD - Home for the Holidays (w/ Trisha Yearwood & Point of Grace)

4) Hallmark's 2003 CD - Christmas is All in the Heart (w/ Steven Curtis Chapman)

5) The Chipmunks

6) Time Life's Treasury of Christmas Songs


MEME No. 2
Christmas Carols Questionaire
1. Love 'em, hate 'em, tolerate 'em, or...? Love 'em!

2. Policy: none before Christmas, none before Thanksgiving, or...? We start listening to them the day after Thanksgiving.

3. Favorite? Favorites, if you've got more than one? Do You Hear What I Hear; Joseph's Song; Mary, Did You Know?; Silent Night; O Holy Night - just to name a few

4. Least favorite? Drives you batty/hate it/turn it off if it comes on the radio? Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer; Santa Baby; Wonderful Christmastime - again, just to name a few!

5. Caroling door to door in neighborhood? Ever done it/would do it? Wouldn't even consider it? Would love to, if I felt safer. It's too risky anymore in some areas. I did it once in a nursing home & it went over very well.

6. Funniest kids' rendition, if any? Vader, Did You Know?; Nuttin' for Christmas; The Chipmunks (any)

7. Most inappropriate carol ever heard in a church setting (Catholic or otherwise)? Can't think of any off the top of my head.

8. The one foreign language carol I know (or know best) is...? Silent Night

9. Carol that perplexes you the most? Wonderful Christmastime & Santa Baby - Just can't figure out why they were ever written!

10. Carol your whole family will sing? Not sure, but they really like Mary, Did You Know? & it's spoof, Vader, Did You Know?

I'm a Heartbreaker (cue the music)

Yesterday, when we got home from shopping, The Princess asked if she could have some almonds. I told her no because she'd had enough nuts at my mom's house earlier. She fussed & cried - she was very tired & needed a nap. A few minutes later, she came up to me, laid her head on my arm & said, "Mommy, you break my heart." Trying to hide my smile, I asked how I was breaking her heart. "You won't let me have almonds."

Memories Meme

How to play: BOLD anything you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower (from a beachhouse in North Carolina)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (DisneyWorld)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables - I tried
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - The Louvre was remodeling so we couldn't find her.
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise -actually I just toured a cruise ship
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (in general)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing - more like I just sat below deck ready to be sick at any moment!
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class - no, but I watched The Prophet do Tae Kwon Do
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job - not technically fired, I was hired as seasonal help (which I didn't understand) & when my time was up they just stopped scheduling me
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - not a book, but I have had a couple poems published
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day