I spent most of Saturday heading back and forth to Wal-Mart and heading up and down the ladder to accomplish what you see here — I’m actually quite proud of it, though I did end up using nearly every extension cord we have in the house that wasn’t already in use (and a few that were).  Timothy was desperate to get up on the roof with me.   I told him he could when he was 10–we’ll see how he likes that one :)   Nearly fell off about 4 different times–but it was mostly a “wooooaaaaoaoaaaaoooooooah…. okay.. keep it together… all better” kind of feeling.   Shhhh–don’t tell Andrea.

We decorated inside too.   We finally cleaned up and straightend a fair amount of our living space (don’t look in our bedroom, though!).  The kiddos had a great time in decorating the Christmas tree and we really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere after that.   This year is definitely the most fun we’ve had as a family during the holiday time.   I think the kids will be really into it.   I hope that they remember the Reason for the Season and that we communicate that well to them.

It’s about having stuff and getting things, right?

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My brother-in-law’s favorite film of all time.

Step 1: Put your music player on shuffle.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 22 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: Strike through the songs when someone guesses both artist and track correctly.
Step 4: For those who are guessing — looking the lyrics up on a search engine is CHEATING!
Step 5: If you like the game post your own

1. We were standing on a cliff above the ocean
2. Come on baby leave some change behind
3. Are you gonna live your life wondering, standing in the back, looking around?
4. El viento de la noche gira en el cielo
5. And to love a god and to fear the flame…
6. Reluctantly crouched at the starting line, engines pumping and thumping in time
7. In the morning I was losing my head and reading too much and losing my head and I was…
8. The queen of light took her bow and then she turned to gold
9. War is overdue, the time has come for you
10. Can’t believe that I did it again, wake me up from this nightmare
11. Some say now suffer all the children and walk away a savior
12. Goodnight, to every little hour that you sleep tight, may it hold you through the winter…
13. Somebody’s Heine is crowding my icebox
14. What’s a matter Mary Jane?
15. G****mn this dusty room, this hazy afternoon
16. What if this day lasts forever, is tomorrow all I want?
17. If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s gonna break…
18. There gonna clean up your looks with all the lies in the books to make a citizen out of you
19. I wanna be by myself, sometimes I do.  I don’t wanna be left behind, but sometimes I’m left by you.
20. I get home from work and you’re still standing in your dressing gown, Well what am I to do?
21. It’s not yet 6, the sun’s not up, father take away this cup.
22. I stand on the bloodfield, shell shocked and guilty.

I confess that I had to look up the spelling on #4 and I had to skip the original #8 because it was “The Holly and the Ivy” (an instrumental) from Behold! The Lamb of God which is a TRULY excellent album if you have not heard it.  It is beautiful musically and incredible as a story.

Thanks to Emily DeLoach for posting hers.   Very cool idea.

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OK Computer was one of my favorite albums of the 90s.   This documentary was shown in pieces back in 1999 when I was in college and I just found it again.   It still fascinates me.

So, I’m not a big sports guy, but I absolutly love sports movies.   When I watch sports, it is *always* more interesting when you know about the story behind the team.   The record they’re trying to break, the kid that’s trying to make it, the team that’s the underdog.

Yeah, most of them are cliche and predictable.  But the good ones still tug at your heartstrings as you watch men actually bonding with one another… like women seem to over Sense and Sensibility and Steel Magnolias.

My favorites are Hoosiers and Rudy.  They are classic.   When I think of Gene Hackman’s character saying “I love you guys” to the team after a year when he pushed every one of them–it gives me chills.   They had to be questioning him left and right, he was showing them love.   When I see all of the guys drop their jerseys toward the end of Rudy, I tear up a little.

Gotta love a good sports movie.    Rudy is available online for free at hulu now.   Go check it out.  Make sure you are good at pretending there’s something in your eye at about an hour and a half in.

Chris Johnson is my favorite programming buddy.   The first reason is because he is really *stinkin* smart.   The second reason, though is because he tells funny little stories about his life.

This one cracked me up.

He said his dad used to say a certain string of words when he was frustrated that sounded like they could be bad, but weren’t.   He realized how bad they sounded when Chris said it in front of him one day.

“Funky chicken dog bucket holes!”

Chris said that when he was trying to “cut back” he’d leave off “holes.”

It’s been a rough year for the Simoneau household.  It started off okay, got great around March and then in April, Andrea started having trouble sleeping because of what we would find out later ws a pinched nerve.   By the time she came close to coming out of it, we were pregnant.   Andrea has now been mostly sick for the last 9 weeks.   Our wonderful small group made our lives much easier by bringing meals for 3 weeks(!) it was amazing and really helpful.

Andrea gets sick when she is in our room.   She is also very uncomfortable on our bed.   Put those two things together and you can see why we haven’t been able to sleep in the same bed for about 3 months.  It’s not anger, or a broken relationship, but it does contribute to some problems.   What ends up happening is that Andrea has very vivid dreams (now), wakes up after each one, and then has a harder time falling back asleep.   When the kids wake up she’s so tired that she cannot function and only then can she sleep.    Insomnia + Pregnancy + Kids = a really sick & tired wife + some stir-crazy kids.

Everything worth doing is hard.

Would we continue on this path, or even have wanted to get on it if it weren’t worth doing?   Absolutely not.  Why would anyone put themselves through the pains of pregancy if there weren’t a beautiful baby on the other end of it.

Of course, that baby grows up, and they can become little stinkers.  Parenting can drive you crazy–tired or not!  Our children have foolishness in their hearts and they will take every opportunity to let you see it.  They say cute things, but they also yell and scream and bite and hit and do-all-the-things-you-tell-them-not-to.  Parenting is hard.

Everything worth doing is hard.

I wrote about marriage being hard and beautiful a few years back.  Marriage with 2 kids and a pregnant wife is even harder.   It’s hard to stay engaged and not check out.   It’s hard to keep your compassion.  It’s hard to prevent your emotions from overtaking you in the midst of a problem that seems unsolvable.   It’s hard to keep doing the things that need to get done, but ignore them when the time comes.  It’s way easier to wash the dishes than be patient and understanding.   It’s way easier to put the kids to bed than be loving and attentive to your wife.   Marriage is hard.

Everything worth doing is hard.

Think of that which is easy.   Think of the ultimate value of it.   It’s almost never there.   What is valuable is hard to attain.  The next time you think something is hard… think of its value.  Everything worth doing is hard.

So, I watched “What Would Jesus Buy” a few days ago and while it is certainly easy to look at “Reverend Billy” as an over-the-edge nutjob, I have to say that there are some serious points that the movie makes.

Basically, why can’t we show each other love without giving expensive gifts during the holidays?    I know we can!  But this is what we’ve been taught to do.  Let’s challenge this convention this year, shall we?

In these “tough economic times,” I ask one thing of everyone this year:  Feel no obligation to get anyone in my family a present.  If you come across something that strikes you and you think “my goodness, Andrea would love that!” or “I know that Timothy would really enjoy playing with that.”  then by all means, feel free to purchase it.  We will receive it with joy.   If, however, you can’t think of anything–please don’t feel bad!  We want for nothing (save a new car that will safely seat 5–but that’s ours to buy ).   Timothy has as much fun playing with a piece of yarn and BROKEN toys in the back yard as he does the brand new toys that he got for his birthday.   Bethany can still have fun with an empty soda bottle.  I might be the worst off and I still can’t think of anything that I especially want–and CERTAINLY nothing I need this year.

So, save yourself the trouble.   I am ASKING anyone that would feel the need to buy a gift for me (or a member of my family) to NOT feel that obligation.  We are not doing this to save money since we will still gladly find a gift of some sort or another to give to our friends and next of kin–and I’m not asking for reciprocation either.  I simply want you to imagine that we would be JUST as happy to sit and visit with you (anyone reading this) and have a nice meal as we would receive some tangible gift.  If you decide that you simply cannot accept my request to feel no obligation, but you can’t come up with something, then take a card and write in it : “One Nice Visit.”   It is possibly my favorite gift.   And all it costs is a little of your time.

Americans will, out of necessity, be curbing their shopping this year.   Maybe it will help us get back to things that matter more.