Life and Times of the Sharp Family

Tonight, we are ringing in 2012 at Surfari Joe's in beautiful Watervliet, Michigan.  Actually, I have no idea whether or not it is beautiful because I have seen none of the actual town.  You literally turn off 94 directly into the parking lot of this massive indoor water park/hotel. We ran into a deal that Surfari Joe's was having that included a night's stay in one of their hotel rooms, a Pizza Hut dinner for 4 (brought to the hotel), and an all-access family pass to the water park.  We decided to give it a whirl, so here we are. It's been just awesome.  The kids swam and swam and swam.  There were water slides and a lazy river and valves and wheels to turn that released water in a delightful spray.  Most of the water park is only six inches deep, so we were free to let the kids wander at will and watch them giggle and be wild.  AJ would climb up the rope ladder and fly down the slide over and over again.  Breslin loved to float on his back...

Guys who are sensitive to "female" issues, beware.  It's true that this post is dedicated to my gynecologist, although I didn't want to put that as the title because that just seemed like a deal breaker.  I do want some people to read this, after all.  It will not, I repeat, will not contain any graphic material whatsoever.  Cross my, ummm, heart. I  love my gynecologist.  She is funny, smart, and real .  She takes more time to talk to me than many people in my life and shows genuine interest in me, not just facts relevant to my gynecological health.  She never, ever makes me feel stupid or unimportant.  She seems like the kind of person I would want as a friend, and I genuinely look forward to seeing her, even though I certainly don't relish the appointment itself.  That's a high compliment to give if you've ever been to or have any inkling of what goes on at an annual appointment with an OB/GYN. Today was a day...

It's been no secret that Miss Dharia Lou is a fan of cooking.  Every time that I go to make something, she is my little sidekick-helper.  She is forever wanting to help me scoop, measure, and mix ingredients.  So when I saw that today, at Camp McGregor,  Fresh is Best, LLC  had a free kids' cooking class for ages 3-12,  I loaded up Dharia and we headed out for our adventure.  I had no idea of what to expect, but when we arrived (a little late and my internal GPS was slightly off) we found a very energetic group of women who had all kinds of cool projects to share with my daughter.  Almost just as importantly, mommy found a fresh-brewed pot of piping-hot coffee, complete with organic creamer and fair trade sweetener.  I happily imbibed while watching my little girl learn the art and wonder of cooking (knowledge I am not fully qualified to impart). First, we made veggie pizza.  Dharia painstakingly spread the cream cheese mixture o...

Today is the single most dreaded day of the year for me.  It's the day that I take down all of the Christmas decorations, including our Christmas tree.  The Christmas DVDs and books get boxed up, the candles and snowmen, the fiber optic gingerbread house (yes, I actually have one of these...don't ask) all get placed into Rubbermaid bins of green and red and stored in the attic for another 11 months. It's all so very depressing to me.  Seeing our bare, naked Christmas tree stripped of its lights and ornaments and laying by the side of the road makes me want to cry.  And that's not an exaggeration at all, unfortunately.  Our living room never seems so big and empty as it does just after the tree has gone and the stockings are down.  Somehow, everything seems a bit less cozy and comforting. But, I really have to believe that the anticipation of this horridness is worse than the actual task itself, because completing it leaves an odd sense of relief.  ...

I couldn't post this yesterday, because I had already written a pretty selfish and shallow post about the gifts my mom got me.  Maybe it would have seemed less superficial if I had been thankful for my mom's thoughtfulness instead of just talking about all of my loot.  I guess deep inside I'm still an eight year old girl, straining to see which presents are hers under the Christmas tree. But, regardless, yesterday, after I got ready and marveled at all of my cute new stuff, we headed over to my aunt and uncle's house for an all-day Stuart Clan Christmas (where I also got cute new stuff...hello, sparkly Tom's Shoes! Thanks Dad and Lisa!) which culminated in a couple of rounds of the game Wits and Wagers and the perennial favorite, Catch Phrase .  I love playing games with the Stuart Family.  Everyone is a good sport, no one gets whiny or dramatic, and we're a pretty smart group (if I do say so myself), so it's always a challenge and interesting.  I got to p...

My mom is the BEST at giving presents.  I know, I know.  Christmas is about giving, not what you get.  But, today, when I was getting ready to go out, I kept gravitating towards all of the cool stuff my mom gave me.  Last night at our Christmas, she got me a sweet shirt and a really cute scarf.  She gave me cute boots and my favorite lip gloss. It wasn't just the stuff, ok?  I'm saying this because my mom always makes me feel like I am cute and fun and funky with the presents she gives me.  I feel so special because she knows me so well.  I can't wait to wear and use all of the things she gave me for Christmas. Thank God for my Mom's presents! Lord, thank you for my mom.  Thank you for the way she is able to make me feel so special.  I feel so lucky to have a mom who cares about me so much and knows me so well.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Nine years ago today, my husband proposed to me. It's fun to think about and reminisce.  Colby and I had arranged to exchange gifts in the late morning at my house after my brother, Evan, and I had Christmas with my mom in Jackson.  On Christmas Day, 2002, there was a ton of snow on the ground and on the way home, Evan decided that he wanted to do some doughnuts in a parking lot.  During the course of our doughnut frivolities, we somehow careened out of control into a ditch and got stuck.  It took us over an hour to get unstuck and back on the road.  So, needless to say, we were very late and neither one of us had a cell phone (this was 2002, after all), so Colby was left to sweat it out in nervous anticipation waiting for us to arrive. When we finally got to the house, we started exchanging gifts.  My last present from Colby was a Precious Moments figurine that had a little boy down on one knee with a sign that says, "Yes or No: Choose One". Colby g...

I love making Chex Mix.  Perhaps more accurately, I love eating Chex Mix.  And in my humble opinion, almost nothing beats warm Chex Mix straight from the oven.  Snow days, maybe. When I was a kid, I remember my mom used to make Chex Mix specifically around the time of football bowl games.  Of course, I had absolutely no interest in football at that time, but I do recall that she embroidered this cute little forest-green napkin with the words "Reindeer Feed" and a little cartoon reindeer.  She would use it to line the bottom of a bowl that she would fill to the brim with warm, salivation-inducing Chex Mix.  That was the best.  I would sit through any amount of football for the opportunity to stuff my face. Meijer had a deal this week where they packaged the three types of Chex cereal together with a packet of pre-mixed seasonings.  I couldn't resist.  This afternoon, football was on, dinner was in the slow cooker, and all o...

Here it comes, the long boring post I promised. What have I learned on this 365-day journey? I've learned that it's been immeasurably, annoyingly good for me. Did it cultivate gratitude in my life?  Yes.  Every day I became subconsciously on the look out for things to post about.  Even when certain things would happen, Colby would comment, "Well, there's your post for today!" I've learned that this growth was not something that came easy.  There were certain days when I absolutely, positively, did not want to post.  If it had been a particularly rough day,  like a petulant child, I did not want to thank God for the difficulties, sadnesses, frustrations, or despair that I was experiencing.  Especially toward the end, there were many obstacles placed in our path that would have made it very easy to throw our hands up and say "forget it!"  I think Satan knew I was close, and was doing everything he could to prevent me from finishing.  M...

Today is the last day.  Can you believe it?  365 days! I know it seems like there should be some deep, inspiring prose that should follow here, but I honestly don't have it in me tonight.  Give me a couple of days and I will, I promise.  I'd love to mull over what I learned, what I experienced, what I was surprised by, etc., etc., etc., and bore you to tears with the resulting post, but my brain isn't functioning at that level tonight.  My husband and I are in Chicago right now, looking over the city in our loft with our feet up after an awesome dinnner of pizza at Lou Malnati's in the South Loop.  My mind is elsewhere. Right now I am thankful and proud for the journey that I complete right now, this very instant.  I had so much to be thankful for in these past 365 days and I recognized that in each and every one. Thank God for the last day! God, thank you for all of the things you taught me over the last 365 days.  Thank you for giving me...

Another family tradition that I have tried to carry on even with the craziness of having three kids under five is getting each member of the family a new, unique Christmas ornament to represent the year.  My parents did this with me, and when I had my first big girl Christmas tree with Colby, we didn't have to go out and spend a fortune on ornaments since I brought so many with me...almost like a dowry, right? It's been fun to choose ornaments for the kids, attempting to bring in their personalities and passions with each and every choice.  Even in Tree Tragedy 2011, we didn't lose any of the kids' ornaments, which is in itself something to be thankful.  I have a feeling that we won't have the freedom to choose for too many more years, if any.  But, this year's choices were successful, as evidenced by the unrestrained love my kids show for their respective ornaments.  On a near-daily basis, my kids check-in with their ornaments.  Tonight, I got the chance ...

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail.  I look forward to getting the mail every day around Christmas time because I get excited to see if we got a Christmas card from someone.  When one comes, I hang it in the doorway of my kitchen, just like I remember my mom doing when I was little.  It's fun to see the faces of families we love smiling down at us while we prepare meals or are just hanging out.  I'm sure we won't be getting them for too much longer, so for the time being, I wanted to be thankful for that daily anticipation of going to the mailbox and hearing from people that we love. Thank God for Christmas Cards! Lord, thank you for the tradition of Christmas cards and for the joy it brings us to receive them in the mail.  Thank you for the families who sent us cards this year and for all of the loving people we have in our lives.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Today, was one of the laziest days ever. We didn't leave the house. Not much cleaning was done, and we got good naps. Today, was a great Sunday. Dear Lord, thank for allowing us to caught up on some rest. Help us to have a great week. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Tonight, while Colby and I were desperately trying to get some Christmas shopping done, Breslin made some super letters at Grandma's house. He was very excited about them, but I wasn't quite sure what it meant until we got home. At that point, he instructed me to cut them out and pin the big B to his shirt and the little M to my shirt. Little did I know we were undergoing our transformation into superheroes.  Super Breslin and Super Mom to be exact. I feel so lucky that he inlcuded me in on this adventure.  So lucky and so cool, in fact, that I am sitting here typing this blogpost while still in my full superhero regalia. Thank God for superheroes! Lord, thank you for my son.  Thank you for the fun we had together tonight.  Thank you for his imagination and creativity.  Thank you for the way it made me feel to be included in his adventures.  In your name I pray, Amen. PS -- AJ is really funny:

Today, I had to take the kids to daycare in the Saturn.  This always means that one has to sit up front with me. I hate it, generally, because it makes me so nervous to have a kid in the front seat, even if it's not for very long. But, this morning, I loved it, because Dharia held my hand the whole way to daycare. It was so sweet and made me feel so loved.  Thank God for hand-holding! Lord, thank you for my sweet daughter.  Thank you for our safety on the way to daycare this morning.  Thank you for a chance to hold her tiny hand and to feel her love.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Tonight was the big Christmas concert. I have never been more thankful for the girls who run our daycare. Their love for our kids was so evident tonight.  Not only do I deem them as brave for being willing to put on a Christmas concert full of children under the age of five, I feel so lucky to have such smart, hard-working, loving people teaching my kids day in and day out. It was so fun to see my kids up there singing their hearts out, well at least Breslin and Dharia.  AJ preferred to grab her props (a baby for "Away in a Manger", bells for "Jingle Bells") and then come and sit in my lap to watch the rest of the kids sing the actual song. And, then there was my Dharia, whose sweet, powerful voice managed to get everyone's attention, if only for the fact that she was about seven words ahead of everyone else in "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". And, AJ really does love to sing.  I have caught her during the past few weeks singing "Jing...

I love the movie Elf , with Will Ferrell.  It's not just one of my favorite Christmas movies ever, it's one of my favorite movies ever. Period. I never get tired of watching Buddy go crazy when he hears Santa is coming to Gimbels or hearing him congratulate the workers at the restaurant with the World's Best Cup of Coffee.  After I watch it, I want to answer my phone by saying, "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?" and put syrup on my spaghetti. In short, it made me smile a little bit more than I thought I'd be able to tonight, and for that I am grateful. Thank God for Elf ! God, thank you for laughs in unexpected places and in unexpected times.   Thank you for this fun movie that has never failed to make me smile.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Dear Colby, The past two days have been awful.  We have cried together and held each other and through it all, I still feel blessed because I have you. The words you have said to me and the way that you have taken care of me mean more than you will ever know. It's hard to find things to be thankful for in times like these, but I am so thankful for you.  Thank you for everything you are and for loving me so much. Love, Alaina Dear God, Thank you for giving me my husband.  Please continue to give us peace and comfort.  Thank you that we have each other.  Thank you for our three kids and all of the family and friends who love us so much.  Your love is peace to the broken, strength for the weary, hope for the hopeless.   I know that is how Colby and I both kind of feel right now, so on behalf of both of us, thank you for the promise of that love. Love, Alaina

Today, I am thankful for my Aunt Suzie.  I really needed her today, and she stepped up.  Without her, a hard day would have had a tremendous amount of stress.  Suzie is always willing to bend over backwards to help me out.  She is wonderful. Lord, thank you for my aunt Suzie. Thanks for putting someone so loving in my family.  We are so thankful that she is home, and close by again.  

Tonight, I realized that I had scheduled myself to officiate a gymnastics meet this Thursday in Adrian. The only problem was that it was at the same time as my kids' first ever Christmas concert. I was beyond bummed.  I have been looking forward to this since I first heard about it.  Every time I hear AJ sing/shout "Jingle Bells" I laugh and think about the big night.  How could I miss my kids' concert? I would definitely be out of the running for the Mother of the Year award. Depressed and discouraged, I sent out an email to a group of gymnastics judges and coaches, describing my pitiful situation.  I felt that it was unlikely that I would find a replacement on such short notice. I just checked my email and a mere 20 minutes later, I had 2 volunteers. I am so relieved and grateful! Thank God for a taker! Lord, thank you that I will be able to go to the Christmas concert this Thursday.  Thank you for providing kind people who were willing to...

Laundry basket + Dharia + AJ - a couple of rough landings = 30 solid minutes of fun Can you say easily amused? Thank God my girls can be easily amused! Lord, thank you that my girls can come up with funny ways to entertain themselves.  Thank you for the fun they had tonight and for keeping them safe.  Thank you for making them buddies.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Breslin told me tonight that a notoriously mean boy at daycare is a consonant person.  When I asked him what that meant, he said, "It means BDCFGHJKLMNPQRSTVWXYZ, but sometimes Y is a vowel.  A consonant person is a mad or mean person." "But mommy, you're a vowel." Thank God, I'm a vowel! Breslin actually went on to say that our whole family are vowels, reiterating that sometimes Y is a vowel.  He really just wanted to be sure that I knew that. Thank God I'm a vowel! Lord, thank you that my son doesn't think of me as a consonant person.  Thank you for his brain and his creative, unique ways of looking at things.  Help me to cherish this in him and help it grow.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Today we're thankful for gymnastics dinner. Once a week we meet for dinner as a family for dinner. Tonight we met at Fazoli's and enjoyed a pizza together. It was nice to sit and eat together, and not have to worry about clean up and all the craziness of home. Lord, thank you for our weekly night out.

Tonight the Sharp family is thankful for Pizza Hut. Some days you just need to be able to pick up some pizza and be done with dinner. It was so nice to be able to do that tonight. Lord, thank you allowing us to be able to get a quick dinner when we need it. Thank you for the extra time that it allowed us to spend together tonight.  In your name we pray, Amen.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been meeting with nine high school students at the end of the day to design a demonstration show geared at elementary age students.  The goal was to get these kids excited about science, and maybe teach them a little something about the phases of matter and the forms of energy along the way.  We spent a lot of time developing scripts, rehearsing and perfecting the demonstration techniques, and problem-solving the logistics of getting all of our people, chemicals, and equipment out to the elementary schools. Today was our first show. I wish I could say that it was flawless, but that would be a lie.  The high schoolers were very nervous, and because of this, a lot of the instructional portion of their scripts was lost. The elementary students, however, didn't seem to mind.  They applauded wildly after each and every demonstration and looked at the high schoolers like they were rock stars. But, we pulled it off, and I wa...

Here is the letter Breslin wrote to Santa at preschool today, as translated by me: "Dear Santa, Please bring me a B is for bird shirt. So I love you Santa. A shirt that fits me.... What is your favorite food? Why do you have elfs? I-Z-Z-Y splls izzy. Santa, O is a vowel. B for Breslin when you give me presents. Love, Breslin" Have I mentioned how awesome I think this kid is? I LOVE that he wants to tell Santa that O is a vowel.  Just in case he didn't know.  And that he should use a B for Breslin when he gives him presents.  Just so there's no confusion. And just so that he doesn't sound too self-centered, he throws in a couple of questions that make it appear as though he really cares about Santa beyond simply his role as present-bringer.  Maybe he thought that Santa gets sick of all the milk and cookies, but keeps eating them for tradition's sake.  Maybe Santa's favorite food is really Sweet and Sour Pork or a bean burrito tha...

Today was filled with spontaneous outbursts of I love you. My husband says, "Those are great."  And I couldn't agree more. Dharia has been having to go to the bathroom about 75 times a day for the past couple of days, in what I am fearing is a developing UTI.  During one trip, as she was sitting on the toilet and I was keeping her company, she looked me right in the eye and said, "I love you mommy."  No prompting, not returning the favor, just a heartfelt "I love you" out of nowhere. As a side note, I also was asked to be her best friend today, which I thought was so cool.  I wonder how long that will last... I also got to hear spontaneous declarations of love from Breslin several times today.  Of all the kids, he is the one I'd say is most likely to do this.  So, while it was awesome, it wasn't that unusual.  What was cool, however, was when he came up to Dharia before she went to bed and said it to her.  Then, he said...

Tonight, Colby and I got to go on a date while my mom watched the kids.  We were able to go to one of our favorite places, Buffalo Wild Wings.  Nothing fancy, but it was great sitting, eating and chatting.  After a long day of gymnastics judging practice it was wonderful to catch up with my husband. Lord, thank you for giving Colby and I an opportunity to spend some much needed quality time together.  

Nothing like falling asleep in a chair. Lord, thank you for getting us through the week. Thank you for providing us with a home where we can fall asleep in comfort.

Today, at Panera, Breslin started saying what sounded very much like "Sexy!" very loudly across the restaurant. Colby and I looked at each other, horrified at what we were hearing come out of our sweet little boy's mouth. He's reading everything now.  Is it possible that he could have seen the word somewhere and sounded it out on his own?  We peppered him with questions. "Buddy, where did you hear that word?" "Did you see it somewhere?" "We probably shouldn't use that word, okay, Bres?" He looked at us with tears in his eyes, then laid his head down on the table. Later, when we got home, he got out his dry erase board.  Colby and I were sitting on the couch when he came out and proudly showed us his board.  On it were six letters, all in caps: XAXEYY Painstakingly, he sounded it out for us. Go ahead, try it. Does it sound like "sexy" a little to you too? He's been in the habit, lately, of making...