5 MORE DAYS...

5 more days til Christmas...can you believe it? My motto has always been shop by Halloween and be wrapped by Thanksgiving. However there are 5 days left before the big day and I'm still scrambling. It always comes down to "if I just had 2 more weeks". But you know what...if I had 2 more weeks I guarentee I would be saying the same thing again..."if I only had 2 more weeks". There's always more we can get done if we just had the time. I would love to have baked more, crafted more, and of course shopped more. But I remind myself while all of these things are great...it's more important to remember the true meaning of the season. Christ is born! And behind all of the scrambling I want my girls to know that this is the true reason of the season. With that in mind...here's my Christmas wish list...(in no particular order)

Peace on Earth!
Respect for World Leaders!
All Troops home with their family (since there is now Peace on Earth)
A White Christmas!
A Healthy and Happy New Year.
and finally new boots (that last one is particularly for my husband to notice).

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!

THE TREE LIGHTING IN 7 MINUTES!

Not quite Rockefeller Center...but definately just as beautiful!

The Tree in all it's Splendor! Last night we went to the tree lighting in town. What a magnificent sight....when they counted down from 10 and turned on the lights--how magical....wait...that's not quite what happened. We were running late to the tree lighting (thanks to NJ Transit) and we were 7 minutes late....within those 7 minutes the countdown occurred...the Lights were on and half the town had drank their hot cocoa and ate their munchkins. I did a double take...was I more than 7 minutes late? No it started at 7 and we arrived at 7:07. My watch wasn't broken....had time stood still? Not exactly sure what happened...maybe we'll save this answer for the Twighlight Zone...nonetheless the girls had a good time. I was a bit disappointed because Pauline and Caroline won the tree ornament contest. Their names were called (in those 7 minutes) and they weren't able to collect their prize...we'll get it at a later date. Count all your Christmas Blessing because they too will disappear in 7 minutes and you'll wonder like I did where the time went.

Pauline standing at the tree....notice her winning snowman ornament in the background? It was actually made from recycled straw pumpkins...we called it our RECYCLED HALLOWEEN SNOWMAN.

Caroline did her own recycling too. She recycled a water bottle and made an angel ornament. She too won a prize for her efforts!

And in a blink of an eye...Santa Claus was there to grant our special wishes....(My wish was to recoup those 7 minutes!)

MARTHA'S CRAFT SALE!

Tee-shirt featuring one of my handmade buttons!

Homemade buttons!

My Craft table...featuring buttons, scarves, and outfits!

What a weekend....Friday night and Saturday I participated in Martha's 2nd annual Craft Sale. I sold crocheted and knitted scarves, along with homemade clay buttons. I also sold some clothes featuring these buttons. It was a huge hit and I had so much fun. Friday night was the preview sale with staff and family and friends. Saturday the craft sale was open to the public. I had so much fun meeting with fans of the show. It was such a hit that I sold out. If anyone is interested in purchasing more scarves or buttons....email me at threepluskids@aol ....and thanks for your support.

WHERE I'VE BEEN....

Ok...so it's been awhile since I've written. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I did and I certainly have alot to be thankful. I've also been really really busy crafting, crafting, crafting! This Saturday is the Martha Stewart Employee Craft Sale and I'm selling homemade buttons, painted shirts, and handmade crocheted and knitted scarves. Last night I was up till 3 am working on projects. Tonight will most likely be the same....I'll let you know how everything turns out and promise lots of pictures!

WATCH OUT FOR THE CURB!

Last Saturday I drove my daughter to her first basketball scrimmage. I was very proud of her--her fourth grade team is learning the sport and did extremely well. The score ended in a tie. I think the final numbers were 8-8. Yes it is basketball and not softball--and like I said they're learning. Didn't Michael Jordan start somewhere too? Anyway, we left the game and I was looking forward to 101 things I needed to get done. I pulled away from the parking spot and hit a curb. I didn't think much of it until I was halfway home and wondered what that strange noise was. It didn't take long to realize I had a flat. My husband came to the rescue and bailed me out--changing the tire. All the 101 things that needed to be done were going to have to be put on hold. We had to go to the tire place and get it fixed (but the damage looked bad--so most likely we needed a new one). By the end of the day 200 dollars later and minus 101 things that never got done--the van was fixed. Yeah.

That brings us to this past weekend. I ran to Kohl's to use my bonus bucks and to take advantage of their early bird special. I cashed in on some specials...mostly for me and then headed home. Only as I was leaving the parking lot...I hit a curb....and once again I heard....bump, bump, bump etc. Another flat tire! How could this happen 2 weeks in a row! I pulled into the parking lot and called my husband who I knew was going to have a cow over this one. He said he'd be right there. And sure enough he came to my rescue...and changed the flat. 200 dollars later, the van was fixed. How could I be so careless? My husband was actually really wonderful and instead of having a cow, a bull, a turkey and a monkey...he very calmly said--"no one was hurt". I love this man--just another reason why I married him. So when he doesn't remember to make a duplicate key, or take out the garbage, I will remember his comment "no one was hurt" and move on. And if there is another lesson to be learned---SLOW DOWN AROUND CURBS!

WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE...

God knows exactly where you are--at every moment of the day...Yes you are accounted for!

Last night I was exhausted from work. We taped two shows and the day just felt draining. I couldn't wait to jump on a train and head home. My husband called to tell me he was running late at work because he was involved in extra paperwork. The babysitter had to head out early--so I was in a rush to get home. I made the 6:40 train with about 5 minutes to spare. I felt like I was in good shape. We left the platform on time--even better shape. Then the train came to a screetching halt. The train didn't move. We were informed that there was a disabled Amtrack train in front of us....it would take only a few moments. Well a few moments turned into a half hour, then an hour, then an hour and a half. Thankfully we had service in the train and I was able to reach my sister who could relieve the babysitter who had to go. People started getting frustrated. No one could get off the train. We finally started to move just before 9 pm. I eventually got home around 10 pm. Yes I was tired, yes, I was upset, yes I just wanted to be anywhere but that train. But I reminded myself of a story that a friend emailed me regarding 9/11. It went something like...God wants you right where you are at every minute. One man took his son to school for the first day--and missed the collapse of the Twin Towers. Another man went to the drugstore to pick up bandaids for a blister that same day and missed the collapse. Another man overslept...and also missed the collapse. Yes...for some reason I was meant to be at that very place--stuck on the train. I have to trust that that is where God wanted me at that moment--well actually more than a moment...2 and a half hours.

Then I tried to find the silver lining in that delay. Thankfully my good friend Fran gave me two bags of chips that served as dinner for those around me on the train. Thankfully my sister was available to relieve the babysitter. Thankfully I had my knitting with me. I finished a scarf (one Christmas gift done). Thankfully...I was accounted for on that train...and I did get home...and was safe. Next time you're stuck somewhere...just remember, you're exactly where you're supposed to be.

WE MAY NOT HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER--BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL!

My 5 beautiful daughters!

RANDOM THOUGHTS....

I am so proud of my five girls. I love them even during the moments when I'm trying to get sleep and they somehow manage to wake me up at 6 am on a Saturday. I love them when they tell me a half hour before their basketball game they need kneepads (especially when it's at 8:00 am and hard to find a sports store open). I love them when they decide to express their creativity by coloring all over the kitchen wall. I even love them when they act like magicians and make food disappear between the couch. I just love them! That's what we do as moms--love our children no matter what. My favorite saying is...WE MAY NOT HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER--BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL! And we do...overall we are always there for one another. When someone hurts or upsets one sister...I love seeing the other sisters step up and protect each other. That is my greatest wish that all my daughters always stay close and help one another out.

This past weekend my daughter Caroline had a basketball game. She did great--until a girl from the other team pulled back her finger and jammed it. It's probably just a sprain and she'll be back in the saddle in no time....but this player just seemed so rough. If looks could kill this girl would have dropped on the spot...because all Caroline's sisters peered and seethed at this girl for what she had done.

More random thoughts....My daughter's school have been collecting boxtops. Usually at the end of the year whichever class collects the most gets a free lunch. The stakes are higher because now whichever class collects the most gets a NUD day....meaning a no uniform day. So here's my dilemma--I"ve been collecting them since summer....I have about 100 or more. The contest ends mid-december. I can divide the boxtops up and in the mix they won't account for much...or I can give them all to one daughter and her class most likely will win the NUD day. Then I had another idea...I will use the boxtops as bribery...be good...don't wake mom up on Saturday at 6 am, don't ask mom for kneepads right before the game, don't hide food in the couch, don't color on the wall (even though I love you no matter what)...and you'll get the boxtops!

Happy Random Thoughts Monday!