Elf Magic, What I Know For Sure & #iPPP

"Did you know Keith's brother has Celiac too?," JT asked me when I woke up one morning this past week. "He told me so in his note to me," he added smiling, maybe feeling a little less alone.

Keith has a brother, Todd.  Todd has Celiac disease.  This makes JT very happy because he has it too.  Keith is our elf, a former WWE wrestling action figure.  Todd doesn't live here.  Keith wrote a letter to JT, replying to a letter JT wrote to Keith.

Keith holding his letter for JT.

I love that the kids leave notes/letters and leave them for Keith. They leave suggestions about where to hide.  They ask questions.  They have a dialogue with him.  And Tim, the power behind the elf magic, uses his power for good. Being playful, helpful, inclusive. 

I used to feel bad about lying to the kids about Santa Claus.  It still sort of bothers me.  When Peyton found out that Santa wasn't real, he was pissed.  He couldn't believe we had lied to him for so many years.  But when I told him Santa was inspired by a real-life guy and adds to the magic of Christmas and being a little kid, he got less angry.  And when I told him he could help and be a part of the magic making, he got sort of into it.

He hasn't asked about the elf, he plays his part in keeping the magic alive for the little kids.  For some reason, I don't feel as bad about lying about Keith.  I sort of can't believe that they believe.  But I sort of also just kind of love it.

Keith and the power of the elf connection rule in our house and the magic of all of it is some kind of wonderful, I know that for sure this week.


Here's what else I know for sure (right now):

• Listen To Your Mother (LTYM) Metro Detroit is collaborating with Alternatives For Girls. And I couldn't be more proud and excited about it.  Click here to read more about our LTYM collaboration.

• I could be or find the next Eminem.  Yeah, that's right.  While searching for a LTYM venue, I got to stand in the spot where Eminem got his start and where the movie 8 Mile was filmed.  When I came home and told the kids, they acted like I told them I went to Target.  They looked annoyed that I was speaking.  They'll be sorry when I'm famous.

That's not Eminem, that's some random guy outside the famous spot.

• Pantene's ad from the Philippines is a powerful look at stereotypes and labels.  It's gone viral and I love it so much.  Watch it.

• Playdates are important for kids and grown ups. And um, isn't my pal Liane's playroom just the cutest?

• I am not loving the new season of Parenthood. Where are the sibling breakfasts? Where's the humor?  Where is Hattie?  And why is Christina ignoring Max and Nora? And why don't they have a Christmas episode? Ugh. I miss the old days.  I want to love one of my favorite shows, but I just don't right now.

• Trouble figuring out the difference between empathy and sympathy? Check out this beautiful, simple animation of a Brene Brown talk.

• Christmas caroling is really sweet.  Lucy's school choir went last night and sure it was only about 8 degrees, but it was cute and festive.  I had to reign in my enthusiasm a bit (Lucy didn't want me to do jazz hands, what?), but it definitely put me in a holiday mood.

What do you know for sure (this week)?  C'mon, we're friends, share what you know. 

Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Please come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed. 

I'm linking up today with my friends Greta from  Gfunkified.com and Robin from FarewellStranger.com for the #iPPP link up.  They host a link up where they encourage people to share "your funny, your yummy, your heartfelt, your favorite photos of the week" from our phones. 

Six Months From Yesterday

Today I am sharing a cautionary tale.  A warning as we enter into the season of year-end reviews and moving on into the season of resolutions.  Today I would like to take a break from my constant Christmas blogging to talk about another very important holiday, my birthday.

No it's not the big day.  But six months from yesterday, it will be.

Six months from yesterday, I will be 40.
And that kind of freaks me out.  

Last June when I turned 39, I thought it would be fun to make a list of things I wanted to do in the last year of my third decade.  And all I have to say is....what the f*ck was I thinking? I must have had a lot of caffeine or had some kind of manic high the day I made the list.  I mean, because, well...just take a look:

In the past six months I haven't done any of these things.  I started number 34, but I only read about four chapters of the first Harry Potter book.  I'm almost completely on track to be an ultimate failure at my third decade bucket list.   To be fair, Loretta Lynn and Lenny Kravitz haven't had a concert anywhere near my city. 

Oh wait, I did accomplish something.  I totally did number 11.  I watched two seasons of Scandal.  Phew.  So sure, the show has made me lose faith in our government and really all human decency, but at least I accomplished something on my list.

That's the thing about bucket lists or resolutions right?  You have to be a little realistic or risk feeling like a total loser.  

Six months from yesterday, I will be 40.

And I'm kind of okay with that.

When I first re-looked at this list, my reaction was "you haven't done anything, you suck, go back to bed! Oh my god you can't even do that. waaaaa."  But who said I can't change my list to-39 Things To Do Before 50?  That's like so long from now, I will surely be a yoga practicing, French speaking, tatted up, viral video making chick by then.  I mean come on, for sure, right?

In all seriousness, isn't that the beauty of being 40?  Finally feeling like "wait a second, I'm a grown ass woman I can do what I want."  Forty to me is feeling like it might be a bit freeing, a little empowering.  And I am ready for a little freedom and empowerment.  Jesus, I might break out into a version of Sisters Are Doin It For Themselves any minute as I type this. 

Whether it's changing headers on my to-do/bucket lists or coming to terms with relationships that just can't be fixed or meaning it when I say I don't care that I can't afford Botox for my forehead lines or that when I get really tired I look like Gilbert Godfrey, I am feeling pretty good about 40.   

Not to go back to another 80s pop song reference, but you might say I have a new attitude like Patti LaBelle sang about a million years ago.  And yeah, I'm feeling good from my head to my shoes, know where I'm going and I know what to do, I've tidied up my point of view. Mmm-hmmm. 

On a sidenote, I used to have this record and I knew every single damn word of this song.  I would wear my mother's fuchsia heels and sing the hell out of it in my living room.

These songs are really dating me. But who cares, I'm owning it.  Six months from yesterday, I will be 40.  The moral of this story is: be kind to yourself, be realistic with your lists, be willing to change your attitude, and 40 isn't old.

Do you make bucket lists?  Are you loving 40? Do you love Patti LaBelle's song New Attitude as much as I still do?

Keeping It Simple, A Pinterest Poser Challenge

I am all for going overboard.  More lights, more decorations, more cheer, more holly jolly.  If there was ever a time to go a little over the top, it's Christmas time.  I mean can someone be too joyful?  I believe the answer is no if it is genuine joy.  Can I resent that said overjoyed, very merry person sometimes, mmm-hmmm, yup.  But that's mostly me being jealous.  So all you over-the-top Christmas people, you go with your bad selves.

Some years I consider myself sort of over the top.  Other years not so much.  Whether it's kids being sick or having too many activities or not having the extra money to spend, sometimes it's better to keep it simple.

This week's Pinterest Poser Challenge* is about a few projects that are simple and pretty much free.

*In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,** every week I  detail a new Pinterest challenge whether it be a new recipe or a craft.   

**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.**

Joy To The World
This whole Pinterest Poser Challenge Tuesday should maybe be renamed to What To Do With Leftover Boxes.  I've made ornaments, signs and name banners out of boxes.  For Christmas, I simply cut letters out of an old box, ModPodged festive tissue paper onto the letters, poked holes in the letters and strung string through them.  I hung it on my front porch in front of the window.  It was free and I love the way it turned out.

It's not flashy, but it is joy-filled.  It wasn't expensive or too time consuming.  


Paper Chains Are Rad
I have loved construction paper chains forevahhh.  They are almost the definition of simple craft.  Cut strips of construction paper and then staple them together.  Boom. Done.
I decorated my kitchen with holiday paper chains.

I even decorated my beloved front porch with holiday paper chains. (I hung them with Duck tape.)

My kids looped and stapled all of them in the kitchen while I cooked dinner, it was pretty fabulous.

Here's a great link about the benefits of paper chains and a how-to from Wade's favorite show right now, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, click here.

Charlie Brown Inspiration
This past weekend the kids got trees at Breakfast With Santa.  So, I found a pot from this past summer and planted the tree in it.  Wrapped a red ribbon I had already and it's a simple, sweet holiday decoration.

Snowflakes
Last week, we filled part of our house with paper snowflakes for an Elf-theme dinner.  It was an extremely simple and fun project (snow flake design was inspired/copied by/from this pin).  And I've decided to leave the snowflakes up through the holidays.  

All these projects are simple.  All these projects included my kids.  All these projects make us feel full of joy.  It's not always about the most expensive or the most elaborate at Christmas time.  So, no worries if you can't go overboard this Christmas with the crafting and the baking and the decorating and the gifting....simple is beautiful too. 

Last year, I found some amazing holiday projects, check them out by clicking here.

Have you made anything on Pinterest lately? Any holiday projects?  Share what worked and what didn't, leave a comment here or on my Facebook page.

Come on over and follow my Pinterest boards too.

Here are some of the projects I've already attempted, the good and the bad:

DIY Ornaments-click here

Gluten Free Clay- click here

Make Your Own Stamps- click here
Birthday Shirt- click here
Gluten Free Pop Tarts- click here
Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here

Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here

Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click here
The Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

Come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

Oh yeah, and come follow me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood and subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel here.

God

"Jesus was born in a nest," Wade stated matter-of-factly.  

"A nest?," I asked.

"Yes, a nest," he repeated.

Obviously, he is still trying to figure out parts of the whole baby Jesus Christmas story.  But I'll give it to him, in some nativity scenes the manger full of hay/straw does indeed look like a nest.

Aside from playing the role of Jesus when he was three months old in a Christmas pageant, Wade hasn't really been exposed to a lot of conversations about Jesus.  Even though he goes to church every week, his world revolves around the Goldfish crackers served for snack in the preschool room.

It surprises people sometimes when I tell them that we go to church every Sunday.  It surprises those people even more when I tell them I teach/run an adult Sunday school class.  Those people are usually the people that know I don't know a whole hell of a lot about the Bible.

I wasn't raised in a church or a religion.  My parents were Christian and we floated in and out of different churches from time to time.  I loved the idea of church, in the beginning.  But then you know, life got messy and complicated.  My parents divorced, my mom got sadder and sadder.  Everything got darker.  I didn't understand how church people accepted all the darkness and the complicated-ness and that God had something to do with it all.

Instead of seeking and questioning, I ran.  I felt judged and damned by the church people.  And you better believe I judged right back.  I not only ran, I closed doors and I hid.

I hid from the church people.  I hid from the questions, my questions. I hid from the fear. I hid from the unknown.  I hid from hypocrisy. I hid from doubt.  I hid from faith.

In my early twenties, I came out of hiding a bit.  I was living on my own and I was curious.  I visited several churches with an "okay, show me what you got" kind of attitude.  I was curious, but I wasn't really buying it.  I was still an outsider with all the church people.

Then I got older, more complicated-ness happened, more amazing-ness borderline miraculous happened.  Then I married a Catholic.  Then I started having babies.  Then I came out of hiding for real.

So now, I belong to a church and I teach Sunday school.  And I ask questions a lot.  I doubt a lot.  But I'm not afraid.  I'm not hiding. I'm seeking.  I'm learning. It's laughable to some of the other almost 40-year-olds in my class when I'm like "you guys! this is an ahhhhmazing story" while reading a part of the Bible.  Or when I loudly exclaim "so that's where that came from."  

My faith still probably looks a little different from a lot of church people.  I believe in God. I believe in people's right to choose what they want to do with their bodies and who they want to marry.  I believe there's no hell.  I believe in agreeing to disagree. I believe in love. I believe it takes a village. I believe in magic.  I believe in traditions. I believe in community. I believe in having a pretty gigantic sense of humor. I believe in serving and making a difference. I believe in being open to possibility and hope.  

A friend of mine spoke to my Sunday school class yesterday about how many of us have clogged receptors to God.  She said there are three factors that clog people: physiological, physical, environmental.  As she spoke I just nodded, I know what it feels like to have clogged God receptors...I spent a big part of my life clogged.

For the most part, now, my life is fairly unclogged.  I am open to hearing, seeing and feeling God in my life.  This time of year especially.  I mean come on, to me God is everywhere.

At the breakfast with Santa.

God everywhere from the completely messed up, but adorable tangles in Wade's hair to the sweet big sister getting down to his eye level to reassure him that Santa isn't too scary.

Lucy's like "see I told you, he's not that bad, you're doing great Wade." Wade's like "whatever, I'm not moving, but I guess it's okay, are we done yet?"

And then we proceeded to take up the rest of everyone's time explaining how it might be possible we'd end up on the naughty list.  Not sure if everyone else behind us in line was feeling God at that moment.

At Jesus' birthday party at church.  

Lucy played the role of intense, silent shepherd in the skit.

Little boys and their Jesus-y crafts.

Even with me when I push and push myself too much and end up in bed sick, having to miss a Christmas party. Resting and sleeping until I feel better.


At the Christmas parade with neighbors and friends.  

Especially when the marching band goes by and I turn and look beside me and my four children and my husband are with me, snowflakes start to fall and everything in that moment is perfect.

I want to give my kids the gift of being open, unclogged.  A homebase, or nest if you will, of faith.  I want them to ask their own questions about life, do their own seeking.

 
Um, I think it's working, look closely at this picture and you will see JT giving a slight tug to Santa's beard....just curious.