The Knight and the Princesses

Last night at the Davis’ house there were two epic battles occurring simultaneously.

First there were the “big kids” – all the “men” playing a game of strategy and deathly blows with dice rolls. But although that battle is far more intense it is also far less cute then the other epic battle.

Before we get to the 2nd epic battle there should be a little recap – just because this group of kids is so stinkin’ cute!

I got home from work and was warned by Rob that Sammy was a little grumpy. To me that sounds like a challenge of course. So I sat on the couch next to him as they watched Surfs Up and tried to ask some simple questions – he was not having it. The only 2 responses I got were:

I spilled water on my pants! (this was highly unacceptable to him)
And
I’m not Sammy, I’m Sammy Webster Alan!

I moved on from couch sitting to dinner prep and kids chomped down some chicken nuggets – this is when I got my first smile – when I offered Sammy grapes.

After dinner my kids got a bath while Sammy played peek-a-boo with them with the shower curtain (the clear shower curtain). Taylor with a giggle would say “We can see you Sammy” and Sammy would say “No I hiding!”

After bath time we played a few games the kids all loved and were all laughing and squealing with delight. Granted the squealing was mostly coming from the girls and Sammy was doing more of the hearty laughing.

I needed a break after that so we moved on to watching Shrek.

They all lay quietly until Shrek began fighting (or really running) form the Dragon… This is where the real story starts:

Sammy: I’m the knight and I’m going to save the Princess!
Taylor: I’m the princess!
Sammy: No Jordan is the princess
Taylor: We can both be princesses
Sammy: We need a Dragon!
Me: I’ll be the Dragon – rawr
Taylor and Jordan run screaming while Sammy puts his fists up and says
Sammy: I’ll save the princess!

It was so fun, but so tiring! I gave up after about 10 minutes and they continued to play. About 10 minutes later Taylor came and said:

Taylor: mommy, Sammy won’t kiss me and wake me up and I’m the princess!
Me: Sammy doesn’t need to kiss you
Taylor: But that’s how the princess wakes up
Me: Its pretend, don’t kiss boys.

What a fabulous night!

Blog-Ache - Spread the WORD

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a normal blog and that makes my heart sad – so sad it’s aching right now. Well not really – its my right side rib area that hurts due to who knows what, but I’m going to say it’s a blog-ache.

I’m going to make the phrase stick…within a year you all and about 534 other people will be saying “blog-ache”.

Any-who… I have told you all that whenever I say/think Any-who I think of Stick Stickly from Nickelodeon! He would always say Any-who. And once I start thinking of Stick Stickly I start singing the song “Write to me, Stick Stickly, PO BOX 963, New York City, New York State, 10108”… I wonder who owns that PO BOX now… I think I might write them a letter.

Ok, so back to what I was saying originally – I haven’t written a normal blog in a while. By normal I mean not a “So Sayith Tay and Jay” and not a “Here is what we did today”. I’m talking about a normal random blog… like here is what is going on in my chaotic little world – come and join in the mess kind of blog. Those are my favorites. At least they are the most fun to write – not sure if they are as fun to read. I really wouldn’t know. I don’t read my own blog – I never really read anything I write/wrote – this included proofreading papers in college – I did it once maybe as a freshmen…but after that… well its just boring.

So instead of the stuff you should be getting today like here is what we did for Christmas… I will give you something much less topical and much more chaotic. To be honest if you don’t like chaos and un-proof-read things you probably shouldn’t be reading my blog.

What will you get today? Has the excitement been building? If so it is not intentional – Its just that up until about 10 seconds ago I really had no idea what I was going to talk about – but now I do.

Make-up. I promise this will not be overly girly for my male readers. I REALLY hate make up. I don’t hate it on YOU…or really ME for that matter. I just hate buying it and putting it on. It takes SO much time to get on and then twice that long to get it all off. It makes your face feel heavy like it is about to fall off and if you have twitch you can’t even rub your eye!

Concerned friend: Rachael, you have something crawling out of your eyeball!
Me: No I don’t I just rubbed my twitchy eye and black stuff seeping out of the corner of it – its all normal – no fear!

That wasn’t a real conversation – that is just the story my brain wrote while typing about a twitchy eye.

I don’t think I really need makeup, but when I don’t wear it I look about 16 – and I feel rather unprofessional at work.

Me with Makeup – Hello, I’m a professional ready to work my day
Me without Makeup – Yup, I just rolled out of bed and showed up – maybe I’ll be productive today? Who knows.

Now that isn’t how I actually think, but I feel like that’s how people are looking at. I really hate makeup. Can everybody else just stop wearing it so I can too? That’d be great.

Anyway, even though I don’t like the stuff my girls are quickly becoming fans of it. Jordan snuck into my bathroom while I slept yesterday and took out my make up bag.

I know you are picturing what I would be – A kid with blue eye shadow, red lipstick, and pink blush splotched onto every part of her face. But my friends, we are wrong. She actually put it on pretty nicely! The foundation was evenly spread, the lipstick (“lips” as she calls it) was mostly on the mouth, and the blush was prominently rosy on the cheeks – on her face AND Elijah’s of course.

I did not get a picture because I was so out of it in the morning I really didn’t notice it until cleaning off their faces after breakfast! So instead here is a picture of what you would have expected to see:



I don’t know who these kids are but I found them on Google so I figure its fair game.

So Sayith Tay and Jay #8

What is your favorite food?

Taylor: Is um, blueberries

Jordan: raviolis

How do you remember things?

Taylor: Because of your brain because you can remember things with your brain - that's what my teacher says

Jordan: I remember things good

What are all of the rules in the house?

Taylor: not run, no jumping, no hitting, laying down in bed, sit at the chair for dinner, my cup goes in the middle of the table, no splashing and no getting out of the bath when you are wet.

Jordan: I cant put Christmas lights on my head

What's the best deal?

Taylor: the best deal is no painting on the wall and the ceiling and curtains and the door and I heard my momma holler like I never did before (that's a quote from a book - not sure where that came from) I really can't staaaaay - baby its cold outside... (yup and now she's singing)

Jordan: a penguin with a hat

What is your favorite toy?

Taylor: The barbie house like my papa gave me.

Jordan: a barbie I said, a barbie!

Why is Christmas over?

Taylor: because that's how it ends - because after Christmas is my birthday!

Jordan: when its not snowing then Christmas is over (runs to the window) see! No more snow.

So Sayith Tay and Jay #7

From Jennifer: Who are you going to marry and why?

Taylor: Harry Potter, because I love him.

Jordan: Princess Fiona, Because I'm a princess (oh no - we got some work to do).

From Miriam: What does PU mean?

Taylor: something is yucky and really dirty and when something is really dirty you say PU and yucky

Jordan: Yucky, Yucky, Yucky

From Sam: Could daddy wrestle a bear and win?

Taylor: No because sometimes because you are angry at him because he plays games because when he fights bears it can chomp him. when they are in the wild and a person goes down the bear will get somebody.

Jordan: It will bite him and bite him like this ::starts chomping::

From Roxy: What do you like best about your brother and sister?

Taylor: (Elijah) When he plays and I play hide and seek with him and I like to put him in the box and then let go because he is going to be a baby dinosaur - (Jordan) When she likes Tinkerbell

Jordan: (Elijah) because he breaks a glass (he just broke a glass cup trying to clean up and put it in the sink on his own) - (Taylor) because she's not breaking glass

From Shelly: If you could get mom and dad a present for Christmas what would it be?

Taylor: (mommy) a pillow - a blue one - (daddy) a dark red pillow

Jordan: (mommy) a white present - (daddy)a blue present

From Grandpa Bob: What animal reminds you of Mommy, Daddy, Elijah, and (sister)?

Taylor: (mommy) a tiger - (daddy) monkey i mean dinosaur - (Elijah) alligator - (Jordan) a lion, excuse me mom, i'm an animal. I'm a chameleon. I change colors because I'm a chameleon.

Jordan: (mommy) blue and green on it and some white on it - (daddy) he's a lion - (Elijah) a Kyle - (Taylor) a lion

From Allyson: What did Santa do before giving present to all the boys and girls?

Taylor: some people don't have presents so get gets them to the boys and girls. ::whispers to me:: but he's only pretend and if he comes out of Buddy the Elf movie into my world then he'd be real!

Jordan: he brings presents to my friends but we don't have any presents

(Insert Name Here)

There are some days I have a few minutes that are quiet and I think – Now is a REALLY good time to blog and I sit staring at a blank screen for 5 minutes and wonder why I can’t think of a single thing of interest.

There are more days where I have no minutes of quiet and think of like 20 things to blog. I find this situation just plain rude. My brain and I argue about this sometimes – I mean being rude is dumb, its even worse if your brain is being rude to itself (yourself/myself?).

Today again I almost gave up and then had a “duh” moment and realized I have the perfect thing to blog about!

The date was Saturday, December 2nd. I sat in the pew at church and thought I really like Christmastime – I should have a party. So a few conversations later it was decided – in 1 week the Davis’ would have a Christmas Party! Hopefully the first annual with a clever name for the event to come…maybe by the time I’m dong writing this I will have thought of a name and it just may be this blog title.

I invited way too many people to fit in our apartment, but since they are some of my dearest friends I figured they wouldn’t mind being a little cramped.

We started of with dinner. I made a honey glazed ham for the first time. Oh boy did it look hideous. I’m hoping that the fact there were no leftovers meant the sight was far worse then the taste. OR I just have really nice friends that forced it down anyway. We had green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, salad, rolls, and a homemade chocolaty cake. It was fabulous! We converted my living room into a half dining room an fit 12 adults around the table. I totally forgot to take pictures!! This just adds to the reason why this should be an annual event. So I can get pictures next year.

We lost a few after dinner – not by death or food poisoning (I hope). We did however also gain a few after dinner and ended with more adults then we started with. We played a really fun game to start (Kim’s idea) – And again – I forgot to take pictures! How am I even allowed to own a camera?!

We played another game (Matt’s idea) and THIS time I got pictures – but half of them look so angry because they are concentrating ::sigh::: Again I ask, why do I have a camera? Now that I think about it – if the Newmyers should get a special thanks for the idea of 2 great games to play – so thank you!

I had an amazing time and am super thankful for the great friends God has put into my life. It is the time of year (at least for me) to look at the gift God gave us in his son on earth and enjoy the blessings that flow from that gift.

So until next year… not that I am going to stop blogging until then – you can’t get rid of me that easy. Well I guess you could just stop reading…

Thank you to the friends that helped the Davis’ have a special Christmas party (in no particular order unless the order is whatever my fingers type)

Scott, Rachel, Brendan, and Caleb
Tawni, Rob, Sammy
Kenny, Tracy, K5
Kandyce, Taylor
Shanda
Travis
Matt, Kim, (Baby in the oven)
And Sam

Sam was last on purpose – because I figure he’d be the person that would be least care about being mentioned last.

Enjoy the few pictures I did manage to remember to take:

So Sayith Tay and Jay #6

From Inq: How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck norris?

Taylor: What?

Jordan: He could chuck some wood and some alligator.

From Brittany: What will your wedding be like when you get married?

Taylor: My wedding will have snow. That's it.

Jordan: Like Princess Bride.

From Brittany: What is your favorite part of the the bathroom?

Taylor: When we take a bath.

Jordan: The bathroom when I peed.

From Brittany: Who are Buzz and Woody's mommy and daddy?

Taylor: I don't know.

Jordan: You mommy!

From Rob: What do the Wonder Pets do when they are not on the TV?

Taylor: They are real and they can stay with the people.

Jordan: ::looks at tv:: They're not on tv!

From Miriam: If you could make one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what rule would you make?

Taylor: First you better make a tree house then my rule of my tree house will be to paint on the walls.

Jordan: Space

From Travis: What is your favorite game to play?

Taylor: The one with the sticks and marbles...what's that game called? Oh yeah, my favorite game is plunk! (Kerplunk)

Jordan: Daddy's game.

From Tiffany: What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Taylor: What?

Jordan: When the man comes with his car (I sure hope she means the ice cream man)

From Scott: What would you do if there was no chocolate in the world?

Taylor: ::big gasp:: then we wont be able to eat it!

Jordan: Buy some!

From Jennifer: What is your favorite book to read?

Taylor: The spider one.

Jordan: Llama Llama Red Pajama

From Jennifer: What is your favorite Christmas tree ornament?

Taylor: That one ::points to tree:: That's my favorite Christmas Tree. Mine is the celebration balls (mini disco balls). I just loves those. Those are going to be in my collection tomorrow.

Jordan: All the ornaments

From Rachel: If you could only take one thing with you out of all the stuff in your house what would it be and why?

Taylor: Finger paint.

Jordan: Big Big Dora's house.

Hope

I have the tremendous blessing of working for ECCU and part of that includes a “staff meeting” on Wednesday mornings (pretty much just a chapel with worship and bible study most of the time).

This morning was an awesome “staff meeting’. An all worship and reflection time about Hope. Several people between worship songs spoke about Hope. Stories or definitions of Hope to them that got me thinking of a real time of Hope in my life. So as an early reflection for Christmas I am going to share a story of Hope for all of you. If you’ve been ready my blog for awhile you’ve seen a lot of my stories of Hope – this (I think) is a new one.

October 2009 I sat in the office of a coworker and friend and we talked about how I did not want any more kids (yet). Jordan (my 2nd girl) was turning 1 and my heart wasn’t in a place to accept the chances of having another girl.

Going back a few years when I first found out Justin and I were having our first baby – I hoped for boy. I was never a girly girl and I hated pink and I didn’t like dollies or dresses. I was more comfortable around boys so naturally (?) I wanted a boy first. A girl someday, but a boy first – Then we had Taylor our first baby girl. About 2 years later we had our 2nd little girl – despite my goal of having a boy of course.

Because of this I didn’t want another baby yet. I told my friend that if I can’t just be happy to have a beautiful baby despite the gender the I shouldn’t have a baby at all. As we continued to talk I realized in that moment…I was “late”.

My lunch break that day I got a pregnancy test and sure enough – there was a baby stewing in my belly. I cried.

Fast forward about a month. Here I am now at Jordan’s 1st birthday party. I was going to be a mommy – again. And I KNEW it was going to be a girl. I was happy for a baby, but still prayed constantly for God to grant me the desire of my heart to have a baby boy. I knew this was my last shot. Justin and I had also decided that we didn’t want to find out the baby’s gender – just in case it was a girl. I didn’t want to be sad at all about the baby – I wanted to hold onto that Hope and be happy in that Hope.

As Jordan’s party rapped up I felt a rushing sensation down my leg. I ran to the bathroom to find that the rushing was blood – a lot of it. Talk about awkward – walking out into a room and telling people at your house “Um, you all have to leave because I need to go to the hospital”.

I prayed the entire way to Urgent Care. I clung to that Hope with a tight fist and prayed. Please God – save my baby.

The doctor examined me and VERY casually – as if saying “how do you do” when passing a stranger – told me “You are having a miscarriage – head to the hospital and they’ll remove “it””. He walked out of the room and my heart imploded. “It” – how dare he. I remember the nurse in the room looking at me with sympathetic eyes before walking out of the room as well. I sat and prayed as Justin rested his hand on my shoulder. The Hope slipping through my fingers no matter how hard I tried to hold onto it.

We headed to the hospital in mostly silence. I continued to pray, but my prayer was wrapped in spurts of anger. I didn’t want to have a baby! Why would He give me a baby and then take it away! We were at the hospital for several hours before finally getting an ultrasound. The tech kept a straight face as she looked into the monitor – but I was still searching for glimpse of Hope in her face. I did not get it.

We waited a few more hours for a doctor to come in and talk to us about the results and the “next steps”. The doctor came in and told us the baby was fine. There was a tear somewhere that was causing the bleeding. The tear also meant the baby wasn’t getting everything it needed so it was smaller then it should be, but it was fine. In that moment I sunk so deeply back into that Hope. God had a plan – I didn’t know what it was, but he did. That is my Hope. Even in my doubt and anger he worked his plan. That is my Hope.

I look at my now 18 month old baby BOY and he is a reminder to me of my Hope. My Trust in my God. And my Hope is that you can rest fully in the Hope that Christ provides you this Christmas! If you don’t know where to find that Hope let me know! I’ll be happy to help you find it in Him.

So Sayith Tay and Jay #5

Courtesy Rob - Why does Daddy play video games?

Taylor: because you don't want him to but he doesn't listen

Jordan: because he did on his computer

Courtesy Alianore aka Shelly Carlstrom - What does Christmas mean to you?

Taylor: its about Jesus because its Jesus birthday because he's a baby

Jordan: means you get a Christmas tree

Courtesy Brittany - How does the internet work?

Taylor: Because of the plugs down there (points to the outlet on the wall)

Jordan: it works all day

Courtesy Brittany - Why do people speak different languages?

Taylor: um, because they need to and they know how

Jordan: because Taylor talks different languages

Courtesy Brittany - How do you say I want a hippopotamus for Christmas in spanish?

Taylor: I don't know, maybe my teacher has to teach me.

Jordan: Waga laga sing

Courtesy Aunt Jeanine - Where is God? Can God see me? Can I see God?

Taylor: In our heart. Yes! No because he's in my heart.

Jordan: I don't know. Nope. Nope.

Courtesy PoPo - How do you make a cake.

Taylor: when you use the right ingredients - eggs and water and oil and pour chocolate syrup.

Jordan: When the chefs come.

Courtesy Veronica - If u were the president what would u do first? (since they didn't know what president was I defied it as "boss of the world")

Taylor: Um have presents, I mean if your the boss that means your mean to someone and then somebody gives you a present you say you don't want it because your mean. In Little People when someone is mean then they are bossy and they wont give you a present because they are mean.

Jordan: poop

A Day with Taylor

The day is only half over and Taylor and I have had some great conversations:

While watching a football game

Taylor: Mommy what one do you like the yellow or the blue
Me: The yellow, they are called packers
...
Taylor: Mommy why is that lady wearing cheese on her head?
Me: Because they want the packers to win - they're called cheeseheads
Taylor: What do people wear on their heads if they want the blue ones to win
Me: The blue ones are giants, I guess they just wear hats on their heads if they want the giants to win
...
Taylor: Mommy! We can't like the packers any more! They knocked over that giant!
...
Taylor: I love this yellow blanket now, its my favorite because I want the packers to win.

While hanging out

Me: Taylor guess who's coming to watch you tonight
Taylor: I know! Beach Grandma
Me: How did you know that?
Taylor: Because you said "Justin call your mom to see if she can watch the kids" and since daddy's mommy is Beach Grandma, that means Beach Grandma is coming over.

While trying to take a nap

Taylor: Mommy at church today when they were playing the peaceful music I closed my eyes and wanted to fall asleep.
Me: Oh?
Taylor: Yeah peaceful music wants to make me sleep
Me: Why don't you go to sleep now?
Taylor: Well if you sing me a peaceful lullaby then I'll fall asleep
Me: (starts singing)
Taylor: Nope that's not gonna work I need PEACEFUL Music, we should ask Matt to sing on the phone.

While hanging out
Taylor: Mommy the other day Tracy came over but she only came to take daddy to go get his car
Me: Yup
Taylor: Well that wasn't fair, because me and Jordan wanted to hold the baby and we didn't get to
Me: Maybe later
Taylor: But I wanted to hold him last day! I know! Tracy can come over again so I can hold the baby