You know those days that you are so tired you are tempted to use toothpicks to hold your eyelids open?
The days that not even a pumpkin spice latte, with whip (oh yea baby, if I'm gonna be naughty... I'm gonna go all the way) will work it's magic over you?
Well, that was what Halloween was like for me this year. Tuesday night I couldn't sleep. I had "THE LIST" going on in my brain and it would not shut off. Have you seen I Don't Know How She Does It with Sarah Jessica Parker yet? If you have, you are familiar with "The List", if not GO WATCH IT NOW!! Oh my this movie, I want to marry this movie! I want to sit down with this movie and tell it that we could be Best Friends. This movie makes me feel normal. I'm thinking it would make most moms feel normal. And basically, what I'm trying to say without being overly dramatic is that I can identify with this movie and "The List"
Needless to say I was functioning off of about 2.5 consecutive hours of sleep when I woke on Wednesday morning at around 5:45a.m.
Now, for some of you 2.5 would be enough. Like if you are a momma of a newborn and got a SOLID 2.5 last night you are probably good. Because as all mom's of newborns know that .5 where you slept even a half hour longer then the next feeding session was to begin, is ENOUGH. Give a mom, to a newborn a SOLID 3 hours, and she could probably take over a small country, or at least feel energetic enough to take a shower and get dressed that day.
Or if you are young college student who was up studying for an exam all amped up on Red Bull and you got a SOLID 2.5, I'm sure you are calling that good. Because as we all know when you are of college age.. ahem... in your 20's 2.5 is a decent amount of sleep.
But for Me and My almost 40 something year OLD Brain 2.5 just dudint cut it folks!!
But, the show must go on right?
Right well, and it did.
Without further ado I give you
THE LIST...
MY LIST....
MAYBE EVEN WHAT YOUR LIST LOOKED LIKE.... * the list will look like this * my reality will look like this
5:45- Wake fresh and ready to have the best Halloween 2012 can bring - stumble out of bed
6:00 Shower - did I get a shower yesterday? I honestly can't remember.
6:15- Pick up kitchen make pot of coffee - CAFFIENE!!
6:20 - Pick out a great outfit, spend time even on your hair, ya know really look sharp
try to start getting ready, don't forget to wear something festive so you look like your remembered what day it is.
6:30 Feed Dogs and Read your bible, spend precious time with Jesus-
Hurry quick, you know you need some bible quick(ok wait.. right there... by "some bible" I mean the desk top calendar of scripture that I have by my bed, which is right on top of my bible of which I have every intention of reading tomorrow but today "Jesus take the wheel" cause I'm going rouge)
Then you need to ....
6:45- wake Sol for band practice- make sure he showers, puts on deodorant(yes in 5th grade you have to monitor these things, and trust me NO I am NOT a SMOTHER MOTHER, but if someone doesn't remind him... well, we all suffer, I know his teachers thank me)eats breakfast, packs costume and snack for class party, packs lunch, and remembers a hoody cause it's not cold enough for a jacket. - shit! I forgot to help Chloe make the cupcake ring that we bought all the stuff for at the craft store last night, break out glue gun and make Halloween rings, nothing like waiting til the last minute.
6:50- Make sure to wish Em and Rio a Happy Halloween and send them off with some warm pumpkin spice coffee say good bye to Em faifs and Rio the resident High Schoolers, make sure Em has everything she needs... no wait... whew... thank God for Emmers, and yay for Emfaifs who is so good at self management she makes her mother look like a slacker!
7:00- Clean up High Schoolers dishes-
More CAFFIENE
7:20- Make Sure Sol has costume and snacks for party -
Bring Sol to band practice, make sure he has lunch, costume, snacks, and homework √√√ and√.
7:20 Make Sure Chloe has lunch, she's been only packing snacks
Bring Chloe to school, you forgot to check on lunch items because (there's that having to be in two places at one time thing again)make sure she has ... wait... Whew Thank God for a Chloe and yay pro-independence again!!
7:30 Drive home peacefully and have a nice time of prayer with the Lover of your soul
-rush home where at the end of our street there is some road construction that's been going on all week making it so that when I want to turn left I HAVE TO turn right and flip a U wayyyyy further down the road. Oh Joy! Oh Rapture! Praise God for road construction. No. No, that is not what I said. *Ok this is where I get lazy and I stop writing out the preconceived beautiful list in my head and let you figure out what was probably in my mind of expectations, hope, and dreams for my life and the lives of my children.
7:45- Finally home, only one more kiddo to get out the door, wake Isaiah get him in the shower, breakfast, dressed, lunch, (basically same routine as above- See Solomon's schedule- minus the band and the deodorant)
7:51 MORE CAFFIENE
8:00 breathe- read some more words of life- breathe.
Somewhere in here I SHOULD be eating breakfast
I SHOULD be cleaning dishes that are already piling up.
I SHOULD be well, you get it, I SHOULD be doing a lot of other stuff, but what I usually do is check in on you all ;) and on a good day I get all that other stuff done too, I just want ya to know you are in my "List." And I love you.
8:15 make sure dogs get let out one more time before we go, put Bella in box so we don't come home to a very unpleasant surprise.
8:30 ish drive in to school with Isaiah.
9:00- 10:30 Volunteering in the Library with Mrs. Sandbo whom I love and want to be when I grow up.
10:30-11- Breathe and MORE CAFFIENE
11:00 Go to grocery store and get grapes, because you forgot to double check the email reminder said grapes, NOT celery of which you bought and had ready to go, but because you didn't double check you now have to go back to your home away from home, aka the grocery store for GRAPES!
Also pick up last minute items that a certain ahem... Chloe girl needed for her cupcake costume.
11:30 Get -more-caffiene!! Certainly a Pumpkin Spice should keep my eyelids open, right?
12:00 Go Back to boys school eat lunch with Sol and then Isaiah.
12:45 help set up for Isaiah's party
1:00 Isaiah's party
1:20 Hop over to Solomon's party upstairs, stand around because 5th grade boys who are too cool for school, and their moms, don't like to talk to their moms and so you quickly realize you are not needed here as much anymore :( and you move on. But not without a piece of your heart that just got broken.
1:30 Go back to Isaiahs party where he's happy to see you, yay for 8 YEAR OLDS!! Yay, for children who are not in double digits yet!! Yay, for parties where kids are being kids, and having FUN!!
1:50- Party is over help with the clean up
2:00 school is out gather my chics, I mean my growing young men head home to pick up chics, I mean girls for the next event
2:30- Leave for party in West Seattle that doesn't start until 4'o clock and it only takes a half hour to get to, but somehow you know in your knower you should leave early because ...
3:00- TRAFFIC good thing I brought CAFFEINE
3:30 ish- arrive at destination and start helping set up for the next party.
4-6- Country Hoe Down in West Seattle - Yee hah!!
6:00- leave to get back for church event in our town
6:30 - TRAFFIC
6:45- back to house because someone forgot a costume and we all transform from cowgirls and cowboys into a 30's retro beautiful Emmers, Chloe Cupcake, Solomon wearing the mask he has so lovingly named Dirk, and Isaiah who was bought a Wizard costume and now has decided that he doesn't want to be a wizard, and shall remain a cowboy. Try to overlook $20 bucks out the door on that one, and Try to overlook that ... we are RUNNING LATE!!
(I have more pics of these, but My Maccy is not working with me this morning so ya get what get)
7:30- Drop off Em to go with friend
7:35- Finally at our final destination ... and what's that you say? It ended at 7:30? Wait, no my sources told me it ended at 9? Wait we walked all the way in here can they just jump one time, look see the tears are welling up in my 8 year olds eyes, and mine?
NOPE.
BREATHE.
TRY NOT TO CRY.
YOU ARE THE GROWN UP.
Ok moving on, Dad was there to save the day with plan B.
This top one is still a shocker to me every time I look at it, I think to myself... Self "I can't believe you let your boy do that?"
BUT Before you go thinking I have gone off the deep end by letting my 10 year old get all painted up like a zombie so he could participate in the Michael Jackson Thriller act that he had been taught at school, and practicing all week, and begging, begging to be allowed to be scary and gory for just one night at the Redmond Town Center... just think to yourself... It's Michael Jackson for crying out loud AND DON'T JUDGE!
Well I did let him go and you can see as I have now once again used you my reader as my therapist, that I still have a little guilt over that one.
Moving on, this year I could not stop taking pictures of the autumn taking place all around me. If you have ever read my blog before, and IF you are indeed my friend you know that this is the time of year that I love most. I know shocking, being that my name is NOEL and all, you would think that it would Winter and that I should be a true blue Christmas Elf, but alas the time of year that makes my heart sing is Fall. I must have a bout a ba-zillion photos of trees and leaves from this year alone.
This year Halloween was quite different than in years past. It marked the beginning of an end for the Scofield clan. We were all fragmented and went our own ways on Halloween night. For this sentimental heart it was a rough night. And the picture below marked another big day in my house. Sigh. That's all I have to say about that.
My kids are getting older as children often do. You feed them, they grow. This momma is trying to hold on for what lies ahead is what the picture below captures. My younger brother Jeremy is now on his own. In his own place. Paying his own rent. Making his own dinners. Working a job. Going to school.
WOW!! Seriously, when did that happen? He is an amazing human being. Success number 5 for my mom and dad.
I can only hope to do half the amazing job these two have done with 5, with my 4.
Solomon turned 10 this year. We now have 3 in double digits, SAY WHAT??
Yes, this 10 year old boy still much like his namesake is so wise beyond his years. He makes me think, "They'll learn much more, than I'll ever know. And I think to myself what a wonderful world" You know, I just can't help myself sometimes with the song quotes. It's in my DNA.
The captured moment above was a memory I will treasure forever. When I went home to NV in November for my dad's 70th B-day, my sister Gina's baby shower, my brother Greg's birthday and my mom's birthday, I got the pleasure of having a pedicure done with my 4 year old niece right by my side. She was so precious and wanted only what Auntie Noel wanted for "pol-nailish" and this moment was just so fantastic to me!
For Thanksgiving this year we had the absolute Joy of having Momma Nash here with little Izzy, Auntie Eileen, and Uncle Jeremy. We also had our wonderful friends the Days over. Needles to say with 17 of us in our little cabin it was a true Scofield, Jam em in, Get real cozy, and Enjoy the Ride kind of event!
I loved strolling the Market with the family and having us all together was really so special to me.
For Christmas we headed down to NV because that was THE FAB 4's Christmas wish. To be with family and friends in NV. More than gadgets. More than money. More than toys. They wanted people. Hmmm.... imagine that?
It was a wonderful memory that will hold us all over until we meet again.
We also had our first of what I hope to be many viewings of the movie Elf with some great friends, we brought in the Christmas season eating the Elf diet of Candy, Candy Corns, Candy Canes and Syrup. We came. We saw. We laughed. We quoted all while we went into diabetic shock(JK) and we remembered the Joy of Christmas Spirit, comes truly from LOVE.
Well friends this concludes my favorite captured moments for 2011. It's hard to capture a whole year on film and then narrow it down to your most favorite but I enjoyed doing it, and I hope you enjoy looking at it.
If you are reading this and you took the time to see our life lived out in pictures then know that you are loved and YOU ARE PATIENT :)
Well, last night while strolling the neighborhood with my trick-or-treaters I started to ponder the thought of this Holiday Halloween, and what it must look like to foreigners.?!?
You see, I live in a neighborhood that is made up of the Nations. I absolutely love this about where I live, but when it comes to American holidays I wonder what they must think about this one.
You see, we teach our children all year long to not talk to strangers, not to eat too much sugar, don't walk out in the middle of the street and on and on... and on this one night we abandon all for the sake of a bag full of m&m's and tootsie rolls.!!! ???
When we first moved here I didn't realize that we live in an area that many have migrated to from India. In India a holiday that is a lot like our Christmas is one called Diwali. Well, this is our third season of Diwali and so when I see the lights go up I no longer think "Oh come on, we haven't even had Halloween yet?" I used to think we just had a bunch of overly excited Christmas Elfs that got started on the outside lights in October. I am embarrassed to say, this goes to show you how small my world view was. Now I know that when the lights start going up it is not Christmas Elves(I enjoy the lights all the same) but those that celebrate this Festival of Lights, Diwali.
Now that I have a bit more understanding about their holiday I wonder how would I explain this Holiday Halloween.
I am not sure I can explain it just yet, but I would say I have made it what I want it to be. A day when little kids get to use their imaginations to the fullest degree, wear that creativity on their bodies, and then be rewarded for it :)
I know this is a very simple minded look at it, but ignorance is bliss;
(Cabin in the woods where we are making new memories)
After my last pity-party post I felt I should quickly post a rebuttal.
I am thankful for my new neighbors here in Washington.
(Favorite row of trees this fall, but the picture doesn't quite do it justice)
Tonight we went trick or treating with our neighbors.
Neighbors from Russia, Brazil, Mexico, India, and L.A.
(Pea Patch Preschool class on Orange Day!)
It has taken some time to find our niche here in Redmond, but tonight actually made me feel like it is starting to happen.
Definition of Niche- " a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted b : a habitat supplying the factors necessary for the existence of an organism or species c : the ecological role of an organism in a community especially in regard to food consumption d : a specialized market"
It is an interesting thing meeting new people. We have been here in Washington a whole year now and this is just now starting to happen. There is just a glimmer of the beginnings of finding a niche here.
I am thankful for people who share their gift of hospitality with me and my family. There have been all kinds of gestures to welcome my family and I and for everyone of them I am thankful.
Whether it's a walk up my hill, a pie brought over, a free week pass at the gym, a birthday party, a night out , a night in, a book club, an invitation to anything cannot be overlooked when you are the new comer.
(Sol the cowboy, Friend Irene the Witch, and Isaiah The Hulk)
More now than ever I have realized that I want to cultivate my gifts of hospitality and make my home one that welcomes strangers.
Funny side-note, tonight while trick-or-treating I saw a welcome matt that said "GO- AWAY" it made me LOL :)
That matt would be the opposite of what I am trying to convey... still it is pretty dang funny!
(Pic of some branches on the Big Daddy Tree in our yard with some moss and just a speckle of sun)
I am thankful for new neighbors, second chances, new friends, new jobs, a new home, and a new lease on life.
For a first time experience of a place that I have heard about and even been invited to go to for many years, I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. These are just a few of the several photogenic moments this spot on the planet provided. I am now enjoying not only my apples but the tool I bought to peel and cut them. I will post more Halloween pics later but just so you know this year our theme was Wizard of Oz. Emma went as Dorothy, Chloe was Glenda the good witch, Sol the Scarecrow, and Isaiah was a perfect Lollipop kid. Jordan Lear is also in one of the pics here he would have made a great Tin Man but alas, better than that he was a Baseball player, because you know he is.
Every stop we made they got freebies left and right and I am thinking that if we make Apple Hill a traditional spot for the Scofield's we might have to go in full costume mode every time.
Here is the fall photo of our little ones minus the elephant aka Isaiah or Izillia as Joey so nicely deemed him. Solomon won the costume contest this year which was pretty great. The expresion on his face is priceless to me in the photo of him with his prized puppy. Not too many more years of this fun dressing up stuff so I am fully enjoying thier creativity and imaginations right now.
Okay , I am going to attempt to communicate my thoughts about this holiday and all others in a way that is very encouraging and correct. Things I do not approve of about this holiday are as follows; intentions to frighten, tricks instead of treats, the gory over the top decorations, the witches,ghosts, and other monsters that are supposed to be ok for kids to be exposed to. These are the evil sides of this holiday that I am opposed to. I am sadened that there will be another side of this holiday that is about death and fear . Because of these traditions that the world promotes I will choose to do things differently with my kids. I do not however want to confuse my kids by telling them that cannot do something that I believe is perfectly fine for them to do. When I asked my 4year old son what he thinks Jesus thinks about Halloween he said "He thinks we should dress up in only good things , he likes good things, not bad things cause we don't believe in the bad things." Just today in my 5 year old daughter Chloe's class a boy wanted to play a game about ghosts and witches and she said, " I don't believe in witches, cause they like the devil." She told me she didn't play his game. WOW!! A light be it ever so small?? I don't think that everything about this holiday is bad and evil though. Things I love about this holiday; imaginations,creativity,meeting new people and children, neighbors that are no longer strangers, the colors, the costumes,and of course the candy. I truly do wonder what Jesus would do in this situation, and I have asked Him several times almost every year around this time, and if I ever get a different answer I will certainly obey. Now, this brings me to one last point, and that is the calendar that Georgia had listed below her post. It also had alot of other holidays on there besides just Halloween(Christmas, Easter) in which the church of satan chooses to have an opposite celebration . If they choose to celebrate death, dying, and fear on that night why can't we as the church of the Living God celebrate life and life abundant. There is no greater joy or life abundant sound than that of children having fun and enjoying life. All the holidays are to me a time to celebrate the blessings and gifts that God abundantly gives. To remember on those days, as on everyday, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and to be truly thankful, and grateful for each one. I understand completely why other families choose to celebrate differently and I think that is what makes the body of Christ so amazing. We all have different roles to play and choices to make. I hope my heart was communicated correctly. history of halloween http://wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm satanic ritual calendar http://www.care1.org/articles/a23_calendar.htm
We had alot of fun this year in make believe. Here are our costumes, hope you enjoy!!
For a first time experience of a place that I have heard about and even been invited to go to for many years, I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. These are just a few of the several photogenic moments this spot on the planet provided. I am now enjoying not only my apples but the tool I bought to peel and cut them. I will post more Halloween pics later but just so you know this year our theme was Wizard of Oz. Emma went as Dorothy, Chloe was Glenda the good witch, Sol the Scarecrow, and Isaiah was a perfect Lollipop kid. Jordan Lear is also in one of the pics here he would have made a great Tin Man but alas, better than that he was a Baseball player, because you know he is.
Here is the fall photo of our little ones minus the elephant aka Isaiah or Izillia as Joey so nicely deemed him.
Okay , I am going to attempt to communicate my thoughts about this holiday and all others in a way that is very encouraging and correct. Things I do not approve of about this holiday are as follows; intentions to frighten, tricks instead of treats, the gory over the top decorations, the witches,ghosts, and other monsters that are supposed to be ok for kids to be exposed to. These are the evil sides of this holiday that I am opposed to. I am sadened that there will be another side of this holiday that is about death and fear . Because of these traditions that the world promotes I will choose to do things differently with my kids. I do not however want to confuse my kids by telling them that cannot do something that I believe is perfectly fine for them to do. When I asked my 4year old son what he thinks Jesus thinks about Halloween he said "He thinks we should dress up in only good things , he likes good things, not bad things cause we don't believe in the bad things." Just today in my 5 year old daughter Chloe's class a boy wanted to play a game about ghosts and witches and she said, " I don't believe in witches, cause they like the devil." She told me she didn't play his game. WOW!! A light be it ever so small??
