Back to Reality

Tomorrow officially ends the holidays for us. Yes, it is back to school for the Lambert family! I am actually ready to go back, ok let me restate that...I am ready for the boys to go back. If I could have a few more days I would love it. Really I am ready! The sooner we start the sooner it will be summer. (one can dream) Travis has not enjoyed this break all that much. He had surgery to remove his adenoids on December 27th and then one week later he got the stomach flu and missed out on another day of vacation. Poor Guy! Luckily he got all of that out of the way during vacation and we do not have to use any school days for that stuff. It was nice to "play" sick along with him Thursday. I might have needed the rest as much as he did. Now we will all head back to the business of life. It was fun!

What's happening in January?
*We are reading the book of Proverbs, one chapter a night. I am really enjoying this!
*January 17-20 Bill and I are going to Las Vegas for a much needed vacation.
* Tyler starts UpWard Basketball this month, stay tuned for updates. Bill is the coach and Tyler is the "Shaq" of the team. Ha! Ha!

What are you up to?

A Few Funny Videos

These videos made me laugh so hard I had to share them with you!

Not a Resolution, Resolution!

How can I say that I have made a resolution without sounding so completely cliche? I am "embracing" the American tradition of starting a fresh goal on the first day of the year. Ok, that does not sound any better! Why did I wait until today to decide? Who knows? My goal for myself is to change the way I think about food, to change the relationship that I have with it! I do want to lose weight, who doesn't after the holidays? However, that is not my only reason to set this goal. I want to relearn what food is and why we need it. I want to know that if someone makes a cake I can have some, but I do not have to. If I want to eat I can, but I do not have to eat fast junk at 8, 12, and 6. You see I have the mentality that if it is "meal time" then I should eat. Hungry or not I better eat because you never know what might happen later and I get hungry and can not eat, because that happens so often in my life, being somewhere without access to food. WHATEVER! I am changing! It will take some real training and a lot of subconscious redirection, but I know I can do this. I am hoping that since I have put this on my blog that I will be held accountable, whether verbally or not. You see I am leery to tell people if I start a diet because if I screw it up they might find out! Well, world it is time for you to know! I weigh about what I did when I was 4 months pregnant and that is just sad! I can not claim baby weight anymore, he is five! (almost six) The time is now, so here I go! I hope to update my tracker every week. If it disappears there is a problem and I have fallen off the wagon. Consider me the alcoholic that is taking a drink and please say a prayer for me or give a gentle reminder. I need you!

A New Year Approaches

It is amazing how fast Christmas comes and goes. Bill and I had a Lambert Family cleaning day on Saturday, and like a flash the decorations were gone and the garage was all cleaned out. Ok, the flash really took about 8 hours and one very large trip to the dump! Yesterday I cleaned the carpets and today I sit here ready to welcome the new year with a clean organized house! HOORAY! Now if you know me at all you know that this only happens once a year, but it does happen!!

As I reflect back on 2007 I could talk about so many things so I thought I would do my best at a Davis Letterman Top 10 (this writer is not on strike!)

Here goes!

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of 2007 Lambert Style!!

10. Travis John starts kindergarten and we all survived! He has not had any behavior problems at all since the 3rd week of school. (go Trav!)

9. Tyler discovers his passion for acting and is cast in two plays, Oliver! and Miracle on 34th Street. Musical and Acting lessons start in January.

8. I got a new car and said good-bye to the mini van!

7. Travis decided that having a girlfriend that is 16 when you are only 5 is perfectly acceptable. He even told her she was Hot and wanted to date her. (Excuse Me!!!) This is the result of teaching 11th grade Sunday School!!

6. This year we added a new doctor to our list; right beside the "Cast Doctor" is the "Sinus Surgery Doctor." Oh-yeah! Travis had is first of what could be more surgeries to clear up sinus problems.

5. Tyler makes straight A's! YEAH!!

4. I left the classroom and loved every minute of it!

3. Vacations to El Paso, Port Aransas, Houston, and San Antonio brought fun times for all of us!

2. All of our family and friends are again HEALTHY and HAPPY at the end of another year.

1. God is so good, though we do not deserve it we have all that we need and our blessings are endless. HE is an AWESOME GOD!

Happy New Year!

It All Starts Tomorrow!

Well, I guess the "Big Guy" has loaded his sled is is ready to set off for the 24 hour journey around the world. Too think I have been stressed! I love Christmas Eve, it is the day that my family would get dressed up and travel to my Grandmother's house, eat (I never remember what, I was so excited for the presents), and open the zillions of presents under the tree. I have vivid memories of tons of presents filling the room beneath the tree and over flowing into the living room. Good Times! As soon as the meal was over we dove right into those gifts. I think the gift I remember getting the most was my Barbie Dream House. you know the one with the elevator and the hard pink bed. I know my dad and uncle spent half the night putting stickers on that house, only for me to get it home and rearrange it all. When the night ended we would pile the gifts into the car and I would fall fast asleep on the way home. I wonder how many times my dad carried me inside on Christmas Eve?? So many special memories of family members that I would rarely see took place on this night. So as we go out tomorrow for our new Christmas Tradition I hope that my boys are building these same quality memories. They are already saying first we go to church and hold candles, then we go to LeeLee's house (my mom) and eat dinner (sandwiches are much faster than the tamale dinner I had to sit through), and finally they get to open presents. Only again to fall asleep on the way home and be carried inside by their dad. I love Christmas Eve!

Long Time No Blog! (Miracle)

I must agree with my friend Erin when she apologizes for the lack of blogs. I did not even realize how long it has really been. I get on frequently and read about everyone else, but then something happens and I must move on to "life." So I am thinking about what has been going on since the end of November. So many things....I guess the main thing to mention is the production of Miracle on 34th Street.
As many of you know Tyler has been rehearsing for Miracle on 34th Street since October. This is our second production, the first and last production that will take place during the school year. This play almost killed all of us! Tyler was required to be at rehearsals from 6-9 each night the week before the play. The week of the play rehearsals moved from 6-10 every night! I bragged on my child and how strong he had been. We did not have any meltdowns or complaints. (very surprising!) That is until the show began! Show times were to be Thursday - Sunday one show a day. (Keep in mind we are still in school!) Thursday and Friday went smoothly, and then Saturday came. We had ten tickets to Saturday's show and Tyler's body began to show signs of his exhaustion. He was very lethargic and started running a low fever. GREAT! I am now put in the terrible predicament that mothers get in occasionally. Do I keep him home and suffer the consequences of half the family's loss of ticket money? OR Do I give the boy some Motrin and hope for the best, THE SHOP MUST GO ON! Reluctantly I gave him some Motrin and hoped it would work. ---side bar---What you might want to know is Tyler is a drama king! The slightest thing can become huge on a good day, when he is sick it can be 10 times worse. ---ok that being said---I watched him very carefully until time to go, he rode the Motrin High (what is in that stuff anyway, it is amazing?!) for the rest of the night. The show hand a minor glitch, but it was not my son! He did great! Only to be totally whipped that night. Sunday morning came and I did not even recognize the boy that came out of that front bedroom. I learned my lesson and realized officially how far I can push my kid. I felt awful!! Am I that mom from Highland Park that pushes her kid for her own fulfillment? Lord, I hope not! We stayed home Sunday and he slept almost all day! Monday my son was back and all was right with the world! WHEW! I am glad that is over!! (you are probably glad that story is over)
WEAK STOMACH FOLKS STOP READING HERE!!
Ok, I have to tell you all what happened on Saturday night at the show! Tell me if I am crazy or deserve a medal. Another family in our church had two children in the play, both younger than Tyler. Crazy I know, but besides the point. They have a third in a play in Dallas at the same time. Even Crazier! So they decide to drop all of their kids off at the plays and they go to a Christmas Party at South Fork Ranch, maybe not so crazy after all. Things are going well through the first Act. During intermission the children's choir is to come out and sing a few songs. Their kids are in this as well as Tyler. This is the third time I have seen this so I know what to expect, the kids look more tired but are doing a good job. Faith, their youngest, is unusually grouchy up on stage. I told Bill to look at her, it was almost humorous how mad she looked. Just then BLAH! She threw up into her hands and all over the stage. Keep the image in your mind of 25 kids up on stage singing and they never missed a beat. Two moms quickly jump up and take Faith off the stage, but leave the mess there. It is at this time that I am struck...what to do? I have to do something! I jump up and run to the bathroom to grab as many towels as I can. As I reach the back of the stage I notice a dad has followed me. I run to the stage only to realize that I do not have nearly enough towels. KIDS ARE STILL SINGING!! He comes up behind me with must have been a truckload of towels. As the kids sing we clean up the stage and run off. The show went on without a hitch! I washed my hands and then held Faith until her sitter took her home after the play. What a night! I guess being a teacher you see enough kids loose it in front of you that you just get immune to it!
YUCK I know! I am still waiting for my Academy to call to give me my award! Bill says I that I get is a qualification to walk behind the horses in the next parade. WHOOPIE!!
If you are still reading this good for you!
Good bye for now!

Busy Times!

http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/xmas_cnt.htm

(click here to see a countdown to Christmas)

I realize that I have not posted in a while, but I have been reading and anxiously awaiting the posts of others. Things here are in the normal pre-holiday chaos with the addition of Tyler's next play. Tyler is a choir member in the production of Miracle on 34th Street this weekend. Therefore, he has practice every night this week until 10:00pm. Not Fun! It does not seem terrible to think that we just have to drop him off and then we are free until 10, however it has turned the whole family upside down. Travis has a hard time falling asleep without Tyler and is bored to tears all night long. Bill and I take turns staying up and dressed to go get him. Tonight is my night so here I sit. I want so bad to put on the new silk jammies I got and lay in bed, but no. Instead I went to aerobics, showered and got dressed again. YUCK! Now keep in mind none of this would be happening if my son complained just once about these practices. Instead he lights up each and every time I take him. Tonight was the first time he saw the marquee which advertised the play! His words were "WOW! Now that is officially the coolest thing ever!" The Plaza Theater is in old downtown Garland so it still has the old fashioned movie theater feel. Flashing lights and a bright sign with removable letters! I will keep you posted on the shows. Take care!
*Prayers for Cody and Kristen as they move!
**Praises for Ryan and Vicki, they are there!
**LeRay completed a half marathon, YOU GO GIRL!

A Gift for Kristen!

Sometimes we all need a "Wave of the Magic Wand!" I hope it helps!

Black Friday

So my first question for you is... Where were you at 4 a.m. on Friday morning? Were you sleeping off that second piece of pumpkin pie? or possibly dreaming of the football games that were to come? Or were you among the "Crazy People" that woke up at four to go find the deal of a lifetime? There are only a few people that read this blog that I know I could have called at four to say, "We are nuts!"
Yes, at four a.m. you would have found me standing in line at the mall waiting for the doors to open at GameStop. I know I am crazy, but my adrenalin was pumping and I had a blast! I opened two stores Friday morning and got everything I wanted. I was a smart shopper that had the ads ready and knew where to start and what direction to go to get the items I needed and get out. I understand that my overseas friend might not understand the insanity to which I am referring to! I think this frenzy which is now referred to as Black Friday has gotten much more intense over the past few years. Stores around here opened as early as 4:00 a.m. People crowded around to get deals on flat screens, laptops, game systems, and various other forms of technology. Being the shopper by trade that I now claim to be this day is my "Super Bowl." I love nothing more than getting a good deal on something! Trust me you will know about it if I have gotten a good deal, have I told you about my $5.00 fresh turkey? Ok, Bill told me I could not Blog about that, everyone already knew. (not everyone...) Back to the point...Friday was a day that true bargain shoppers have grown to anticipate. No matter how early I need to wake up or how alone I might be in line, I will be there next year. Anybody want to join me??

Thanksgiving Lessons

Thanksgiving has been a great break from the business of life. We began our celebrations on Wednesday. Bill and I decided that the only problem with going somewhere else for Turkey dinner was missing out on the leftovers. So as you can tell we went all out and made green beans, sweet potatoes, and Bill fried a turkey. YUM YUM! As we sat down to eat we all thanked God for the ability to have such a nice meal with our family. The boys told us all of the "things" they were thankful for, we have not gotten to the deep abstract meaning of the holidays quite yet. It does bring joy to my heart to hear their little prayers thanking God for their webkins and dogs. To think of how innocent we begin! Lesson #1... We can survive a Thanksgiving away from family if needed! Good to know!

Thursday brought us a wave of cold winter weather, finally. We woke up and got bundled up for a family bike ride, opting out of the Trot with 35,000 other North Texans trying to justify the 5000 calories they are about to consume. It was a very nice ride, luckily the snow held off until later in the afternoon. Yes, you read correctly SNOW on Thanksgiving. Only 5-6 flakes, but snow nonetheless. (As I write this El Paso has 4 inches on the ground!) We watched plenty of football and headed over to Bill's Aunt and Uncle's house for dinner. We were scheduled to eat at half time of the Cowboy game. (I wonder how many other people base their meal time around the GAME. I was in one and then married into one so I know it is not just me.) Anyway, Bill left early for his family's house so that he would not have to miss any of the game and Travis decided to go with him. When Tyler and I got there at halftime Travis walked up to me and said "Mom, my eye itches!" Keep in mind that I have not even set my purse down. I look down at Travis to see a swollen version of what seems to be my child. His entire left side of his face is red and puffy! My first thought is "How long have you been like this?" and my second thought is "Where is your father?" Don't forget the game!! Nancy and I quickly jump into MomMode and run to 7-11 to pay twice as much for benadryll and eye drops. As we return to the festivities we learn that Bill's Aunt has 9 cats! 8 of which I assume Travis is allergic to! We quickly eat and watch Travis carefully, he is getting better, very tired but better. Only to look at Tyler and see his eye swelling up! Great! Dessert is gobbled up and we say our goodbyes! Lesson #2 learned...boys are allergic to cats! Good to know! Positive...boys fell asleep (thanks to benadryll) at 7:00 and Bill and I had the evening to ourselves.

I'll Take Thanksgiving!

I can not take credit for this, but I thought it was worthy of posting!

I'll take Thanksgiving!
You can have Halloween, New Year's, Christmas, the Fourth of July, Easter, Hanukkah and any day dedicated to presidents. You can stack them all up on one side, and the turkey and I will stand on the other.

I'll take Thanksgiving!

It is, to me, exactly what a holiday should be. For one thing, there are no gifts. You never have to worry about what to get someone for Thanksgiving or how much to spend. There are no lectures about "greed" or "commercialization" or how we're "forgetting the spirit" of Thanksgiving. No way. The spirit of Thanksgiving is eating. Who could forget that?
Secondly, it comes with football. What other holiday does that, New Year's Day, but at least with Thanksgiving, you don't have a hangover.

There is no "right" place to go on Thanksgiving except home. There is no church or synagogue. No graves that must be visited. No trekking out to watch fireworks.
You just sit on the couch, or sit at the table, and you laugh and eat and laugh and burp and ta-da you are credited with knowing the "true meaning" of the holiday.

Also, it comes with a parade. Did I mention the dressing? Not the turkey dressing; the human dressing. There isn't any! Oh, sure, maybe you put on a nice pair of pants. Maybe. But who really dresses up for Thanksgiving? You can celebrate in a sweatshirt. Can you say that about New Year's Eve? Not unless you're a lonely, pathetic loser.

And Thanksgiving doesn't require some smarty-pants history known only by your geeky cousin from Baltimore. Uh-uh. There's no quoting Lincoln or Washington. No reading from the Declaration of Independence. What do you need to know about Thanksgiving? The Pilgrims and the Indians had dinner. Pass the gravy!

Thanksgiving never moves. It is always on a Thursday, strategically placed so that you might as well take off Friday also, since Saturday and Sunday are next, and, while you're at it, maybe half of Wednesday just to pick up everyone from the airport. Thanksgiving gets you half a week off. What's Labor Day get you, Monday?

And there is no shopping on Thanksgiving, unlike Memorial Day or Presidents Day. Sure, there are Thanksgiving sales, but you do them on FRIDAY! How cool is that?

Also, there are no masks. You don't beg for candy from strangers. And nobody eggs your house.
Have I mentioned stuffing? There is no more celebratory food short of dessert than stuffing. Be honest. When you were young, you couldn't get enough of it, right? Maybe you hated cranberry sauce, but all kids loved stuffing. It was everything great about bread and pudding and hot, mushy food wrapped into one. Tell me you don't still feel that.

Tell me there's anything better than a meal that goes all night, that doesn't have an event tied to it, that doesn't come with a bill at the end.

Tell me there's anything better than only having to catch up with your aunts, uncles and cousins to feel like you did the holiday proud.

Tell me there's anything easier than passing plates.

Tell me there's any better place to appreciate what you have than in a kitchen filled with good smells. Especially Sylvia's "homemade" yeast rolls! or Pat's fruit bowl!

Tell me there's a better invention than "the kids' table."

And what holiday not only condones but pretty much expects you to fall asleep on the couch?
So let's sum up. No costumes, no presents, no services, no tuxedoes, no time limit, no guilt trips, and all the food, naps and football you want.

I'll take Thanksgiving! After all, no one tries to sit on the turkey's lap and ask for an X-box!

Yes, I'll take Thanksgiving!

My Elf Family

We are gearing up for Christmas!
hee hee
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9548696393

My New Toy

This is a picture of my new toy. I am now the proud owner of a Red Pacifica, as the boys are calling it "Mommy's Hot Rod." So funny to think that anything not a minivan is considered a "Hot Rod!" I am glad Tyler likes it, because it might be his first car. Yes, this is really what we were considering. I can not believe the fact that I might have bought my son's first car. CRAZY!

On a completely other note...I am an Houston this week on my own. I am attending the TAGT, Texas Association of Gifted Teachers. I am learning some really neat things. Right now we are talking about avatars and Second Life. I feel so dumb because I am just not into the virtual world, but this is really what are kids are into and we need to stay ahead of them. Can you imagine my posting in a virtual world? What would I look like? HMMMM!

Farewell Old Friend!

Well, it is with deep sadness that the Lamberts say goodbye to Hardy Soccer Ball Lambert. Hardy was a great friend that spent his days in a fishbowl! I must say that washing dishes tonight was not the same without his bubbly grin looking back at me. Hardy lived a nice long life that started out swimming among the roots of a plant in a pre-k classroom. Two summers ago we adopted him and made him our own. He loved his Grandma LeeLee and thanked her for fish sitting him one summer. The boys knew it was coming after we watched Hardy suffer these last few weeks. We can only hope that he has arrived at the fish bowl in the sky. Farewell my friend, you are missed!!

Halloween Fun!

As you can see Halloween was quite a family affair. Our neighborhood goes all out and everyone participates. It is a blast! I am always reminded of the scene in ET where the whole block is out together, well that is us. Bill and I look forward to it every year. This year we were Rock Star Groupies! FUN TIMES!!

Techno-Num Nut!

Ok, I hope this title did not offend anyone. I am not speaking of anyone in particular. You see today I am sitting in a workshop called "The Native are Restless: Reaching the GT student through technology." Sounds interesting, I am sure, to those of you who are not in education, to me however it sounded great. "Right up my alley" However, we have been in here for two hours and all he has taught me was how to use MySpace.com and now how to Blog. I am not lying or stretching the truth at all. So as I use my time wisely I decided to update my blog. Now this is where my bloggin brain starts to gripe! Why is it that advertisements never state the truth. Would it be so hard in our fast paced culture to just come right out and say... this is a boring class on stuff you already know, or this car is really not a good deal. Why!?! Don't we as consumers want the truth? Or Are we so fascinated by pretty words and hype that we still buy into this nonsense? Stay tuned this might get better!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Being an only child I had the blessing of growing up to be best of friends with my mom. We are very close and talk numerous times a day. I thought that since she just celebrated her _ _ birthday that I would give you the Top 10 things that I love about my mom.

#10 My mom has forgiven me for stealing her car when I was in the 8th grade and taking it on a joy ride. (right mom?)
#9 My mom has a heart of gold. I can only hope to be a genuine and kind as she is.
#8 She is the best LeeLee in the world! As the boys say her house is made of fun!
#7 My mom is the type that would stay up until 3 AM talking you through your problem, even if it had no effect on her, and she had to go to work the next day.
#6 Do you know how many times I volunteered this working mother to bake cookies, brownies, or cupcakes for my class and then told her at the last minute. (I know those paybacks are coming!) She would always do it and they were perfect!
#5 Class- my mom has so much class! She lights up a room when she walks in, whether it is with her beauty or her smile you will not miss it.
#4 My mom is a pillar of strength. No matter what trial she is going through she sees the silver lining, pulls up her "big girl panties" and makes it through!
#3 Her love for my dad is unmatched! I challenge anyone to beat the love my folks have for each other. Just to think that they have been together since they were 13...AMAZING!
#2 She is a PRAYER WARRIOR! My mom wakes up with God and they talk, just the two of them, every day. Her prayer life is something that I look up to and strive to emulate. Everyone that meets her knows it. No matter what you are going through she has words of encouragement to help you through it. I know that I can trust her to be praying for me and my boys.
#1 She is my best friend! I can yell and scream and know that she will be there for me when I change my mind in ten minutes. I also know that she will set me straight when I need it, doesn't matter if I want to hear it at the time or not. She is patient and kind, caring and considerate, and she is AWESOME!!

I feel like an idiot!

Ok, Bloggin Buddies I have a bone to pick! I decided today that I would update a few things on my site, notice picture, and I found it! What is IT you ask? I found two misspelled words on my welcome note. If you took the time to read it and thought, OH MY! I apologize! But I ask if you saw it why didn't you tell me? I am going to declare some blog rules, like Man Law.

Blog Rule #1: If a friend misspells or mistypes a word correct her immediately.

Blog Rule #2: If a friend writes something in a rage that might be misconstrued please help her out gently. Gently is the key for fear that her blog did not release all of her rage and you might be the next target.

Blog Rule #3: If a blog offends you, know that we are sorry and did not "really" mean it to. Note our feelings could have changed by the time you read the post.

Feel free to add new rules of your own! I love Bloggin!

Do you know this child?

Travis has decided that he loves to have his face painted. At school his after-school-care-teacher brought paint and made him into a scary pumpkin, the 1st picture. It was hilarious! The second picture was taken at the Baylor game this past weekend. Travis and Tyler have met some boys that are also at every game and they look forward to sitting on the first row and watching the game with them. The one joy of Baylor football is it is not crowded! (There is emphasis on the ONE JOY!) Anyway, these boys decided to paint their face so of course it was not long before Travis was asking me if he could too. So yes I allowed a stranger to paint his face! I just think it is so cute! The real surprising thing is that he will sit still long enough to have this done!!!

I Love Fall!

Well, even though it does not feel like fall yet, it is! I just love this time of year. I love the colors, the clothes, the TV shows, and it is finally the time of year when we are settling into our routines. The boys have already bought their Halloween costumes, however I think that we will be buying another one just for fun. You see...Travis decided to be a knight. My mom took him to Target where he found a costume complete with the sword and shield. Only one problem...the costume does not come with pants! I am assuming that we are supposed to buy black sweat pants, but Travis will hear nothing of it. He came running out of his playroom declaring himself the "Knight of the Full Moon." Absolutely hilarious! This is one thing that my son does best...makes me laugh! I hope you have the picture in your mind of my little one, OK not so little, running down the hall and from the waist down he is pantless. It was great fun! Anyway from Texas to Ohio to Japan, Happy Fall Ya'll!