Life and Times of the Sharp Family

Today we headed out to Granny D's Christmas Tree farm to select our Christmas Tree for this year.  The kids sang Christmas songs the entire way out to the farm, and once we arrived, we bumped along on the back of a tractor-drawn wagon to wooded fields full of blue spruce, Scotch pine, and Douglas fir. The kids were troopers despite the abundance of thorns and prickers we walked through.  After carefully considering optimal height and girth, Colby dropped to the ground and used a handsaw to bring it down.  We negotiated our prize back through the brambles and thickets, and the kids thumbed a ride back on the tractor. One of my favorite parts of the day was embracing my inner redneck with my husband, as we used rope to lash our tree to the top of the van.  No need for a rack or a truck bed in this family.  I laughed when people drove by wide-eyed as we tossed bright yellow rope to each other back and forth over the top of our van.  Hey, ...

I braved the crowds this afternoon in order to visit Target. My plan was to stay away from all things retail today, but sadly, our Elf on the Shelf, Hermie, was nowhere to be found.  Since he was scheduled to make his yearly appearance today, Colby and I needed to either find him quick, or buy a replacement in a hurry. After much frantic searching, it was decided that I would go to Target.  In exchange, Colby would vacuum and clean the bathrooms while I was gone. Target wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.  In addition to Hermie the second, I also purchased a second pair of window treatments for my living room and Christmas Eve Jammies for my entire family.  Because they were so cheap, I also got myself an extra set of non-Christmas Eve jammies just because.  Can you say consolation prize? I am so thankful for my new jammies.  They are incredibly soft fleece that feel like I am wearing a blanket without looking like a snuggie.  Now I am sit...

On the way up to my mom and Bob's house for Thanksgiving, Colby and I tuned in to home.fm, who started playing all Christmas music that morning. All the way up to Holt, the five of us sang loudly and with reckless abandon.  We may have butchered the second verse to "Jingle Bells", but no one sang it with more gusto than we on this day. I love how my kids give themselves over entirely to music.  I am thankful for the opportunity to see their faces light up each time a new Christmas song came on that they could sing to.  I am grateful for the chance to teach them songs to cherish like I do. Our spontaneous sing-a-long breathed life into our ride north and gave me a whole 'nother reason to be thankful before our meal ever began. Thank God for some Thanksgiving caroling! Dear Lord, thank you for my family and for the way they enjoy singing with me.  Thank you for our time of singing together today.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Today, around noon, we decided to call our favorite triple playdate family, the Messers, and see if they were interested in joining us for another triple playdate at the Bounce Castle. The three pairs of kiddos had a giggle-shriek-filled time bouncing and running about the cavernous space.  Too soon, however, those giggles turned into whines as they voiced their feelings of hunger and thirst.  To be fair, it was almost 6 o'clock and none of them had yet eaten dinner. We decided to do a group outing to Little Caesars for some pizza, bread, and hanging out. The kids were remarkably good and we had a chance to enjoy each other's company even longer, which is always a good thing. Sometime in the middle of dinner, Breslin and James made up a secret handshake, which Breslin and Dharia re-create here, because I didn't have my phone with me last night! I am so thankful that Breslin has a friend that he cares about.  He has lots of acquaintances, sure, but James is som...

Year after year, I find myself repeating, "I just have to make it to Thanksgiving." Not that the school year is ever so terrible that I can't wait for some time off, but it is the longest stretch of the year without any breaks.  It's too early for snow days, there aren't any holidays to create long weekends, the days grow shorter, and we look forward to the blissful promise of a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. It's the first chance to legitimately be at home on a Wednesday afternoon in sweatpants.  And you don't even have to be sick or have a sick kid to take care of to qualify. All of us, including my students and my kids, needed this time.  I'm grateful tonight to say that we've finally made it. Thank God we made it! Lord, thank you for helping us get to Thanksgiving break.  I pray you would fill it with rest and relaxation so that we can return to school reinvigorated.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Remember how I was excited to have groceries yesterday? Well, it spilled over into today too. I purchased some "lunch-friendly" tomato soups at Meijer and packed one in my lunch this morning. It was delightful. I had spent all morning shivering in my cold room.  My soup not only tasted delicious, but warmed me right up.  I left lunch happy. Thank God for a tomato soup lunch! Lord, thank you for simple things that bring us joy.  Thank you for a tasty lunch.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Tonight, my mother-in-law was gracious enough to watch the kids for me for a bit so that I could go to the grocery store. I cannot tell you how thankful I am to be able to have food and supplies in my house again. I am actually looking forward to my lunch tomorrow because it has been pretty lame for so long. I can clean my toilets because I now have cleaning supplies. I can make cookies because I stuff to bake with. It's awesome. I am so grateful for the opportunity to get out for just a couple of hours in order to take care of this stressful, but important task. Thank God for some groceries! Lord, thank you for the chance to do some shopping tonight so that we are better equipped to face the week.  In your name I pray, Amen.