Growing Up and Up and Up

So my baby turned four this week. Four! I did NOT give her permission to do that. Nor any of my other kids when their birthdays came along. I even threatened to superglue bricks to their heads to keep them from growing. But sadly, it won't work. Nothing will. The seconds keep ticking by. The minutes. Hours. Days. Years.

But despite the fact that it's happening too fast for me, I love every second of watching them grow--well, most seconds. Okay, so maybe a little less than that. The seconds when they're not fighting, teasing, whining, etc.

My ten-year-old is developing such a fun sense of humor. He now teases me, and I love it. Like the other day when we were working on his Lego set he'd gotten from Santa. Our conversation went something like this:

"This set is awesome," my son said.

"Yeah, we figured you'd like it."

He shot me a look. "You mean Santa figured I'd like it, right?"

Oops. "Well, yeah. I mean, we told him you'd like it," I backpedaled.

"Santa's not real, is he, Mom?"

Crap. "Yes he is."

He shook his head. "You're a terrible liar."

My eight-year-old is the definition of sweet. I pray she never changes. My six-year-old is going through a phase right now. He likes to boss. Tease. Always be right. (This is starting to sound like I'm talking about me). But he still gives the BEST hugs ever. And my NOW four-year-old is a princess through and through. What will I do when she stops insisting on wearing skirts every day and changing the flowers clips in her hair hourly? I will be sad. Very sad.

But I will also be happy. Because I'm sure there will be something new to love about them.

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

A huge thanks to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Martha's Bookshelf for hosting this hop!

Fill out the form below to win your choice between either
A $10 Amazon.com gift certificate

or books valued at $10 or less from the Book Depository:

Best I've Read 2011 and LDS Women's Book Review Countdown to Christmas

This year, I got the two early Christmas presents (and you can, too)!

The fabulous Kathy at I Am a Reader Not a Writer has nominated Minor Adjustments as one of the titles for Best I've Read 2011. If you'd like to win a copy of your own, simply fill out the form on Kathy's site HERE. And don't forget to check out all the other giveaways and titles featured. It's an awesome place for book recommendations.


Also, the lovely ladies at LDS Women's Book Review are featuring some great books and giveaways in their Countdown to Christmas 2011, and I'm honored that Minor Adjustments is among them. To enter to win, go HERE, and be sure to take a peek at all the other great books and giveaways.

What's better than a fun new read during the holidays, right?

Giftcard Giveaway Hop Winner!

And the winner of the $10 gift certificate is . . .

Marjorie!

Thanks again, I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Attack of the Book for hosting this hop!

Tis the Season

So the other day, my son's kindergarten bus stopped to pick him up. My three-year-old heard the noise and ran out to the middle of our driveway where she waved excitedly at the bus driver, who smiled and waved back. Then my daughter ran back to me and grinned. "Mom, I did a service!"

Which, of course, made me smile.

It was also a great reminder that simple things can have such a rippling effect. The bus driver was that much happier when she left our house, and my husband came home not long after and smiled when I told him the story. That was four people made happier by one excited little wave.

I don't think people realize just how much good they can do with a simple, "hey", a quick compliment, or showing kindness in general. We always talk about remembering Christ during the holiday season, but what does that really mean? As a child I used to think it meant thinking about Him a lot--about his birth and life. It wasn't until I got older that I realized it means living like Him, too. Going about doing good in our own small and simple ways. That's the real spirit of Christmas.

Gift Card Giveaway Hop

A huge thanks to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Attack of the Book for hosting this hop!

Fill out the form below to win your choice between either
A $10 Amazon.com gift certificate

or books valued at $10 or less from the Book Depository:

Fun Family or Little Friend Gift

My sister told me about this cute idea for my kids to give to their little friends, so I created my own version. It would be great for a family, too! Just print it out (Game board on one side, instructions on the back), and package it with a bag of M&Ms! Super cute and fun!