And Then....

I have a real treat for you all this morning.  Trust me on this Tuesday morning you are going to want to watch this lil video it will give you a good chuckle.  And then.... see what we have been up to over here at MoNoSco head quarters. See, I told you it was funny. Ok so... Is it just me or did the month of October just fly right by us without even stopping to say hello? How RUDE you are October!! I think that's kinda how this time of year goes for everyone, but let me just explain how crazy busy it's gets over here once October comes we have nothing but, Birthdays, Parties, and Holiday right through until January when My Giant kinda seals the deal with his birthday on January 23rd. But until we get to that finish line it goes something like this; Seems like two seconds ago I was celebrating this dashing young man turning twelve on October 4th...

And then... 

We had company come from Seattle and L.A.

And then...

We were off to the Fall Ball Baseball tournaments

And then...

I had a whirlwind week of getting ready for the first Craft show of the season.

And then...

The Bo Sox won the World Series

And Then...

It was the play dress up and eat lots of candy day.

Which was an awesome day for me and my clan.

How was your dress up, eat lots of candy day?

And Then .... We had a pie party

And Then... Yesterday was my parents birthday 

And Then.... Today is my brother Greg's birthday Happy BIRTHDAY GREGIE!! And Then... We will celebrate their beautiful lives this weekend. And Then... We have more company coming in all the way from Gulfport Alabama. Woot Woot!! And Then... Thanksgiving And Then... My Sister Beans Bday  And Then... Tanya's Bday And Then... MY BIRTHDAY.... (stay tuned for a giveaway around December 17th) And Then... Christmas And Then... Niece Sophia's birthday And Then.... New Year's Eve And Then.... You can stop me anytime ;) "NO and Then!!!" Happy Tuesday Friends 

Holidays,Costumes,and Making Faces

We love the holidays around here. Well, let me rephrase that, My Fab 4 and I love the holidays. My Giant just kind of tolerates them. He's never been a big fan, but I think I have begun to grow on him(ya know it's only been like 19 years).  He got all excited about the "Pumpkin Spice Candle Season"coming like all the way back in September.  Picture this...  A Big, Grown, Giant man named Moses ... giddy over a candle.  Giddy. It was a sight to behold people, and I beheld it long and hard.

My favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving, but I really love them all. Starting with Halloween and ending with what I call, Happy LOVE day or Valentines Day as some other people like to call it. My Giant calls it "Hallmark Makes A lot of Money Day"- to which I say Bah Hum Bug! Clearly, I still have more work to do there.

So with Halloween approaching this year I have very mixed emotions. 

For one, my Fab 4 are so much bigger now and the holiday just doesn't seem the same without little ones running a muck, in cute little costumes that make your heart go pitter patter.

And then, 

In the past I have always had help in the costume making department. Thank you Momma Nash and Gram Ellen. But, recently I find myself on my own throwing stuff together for these creative Fab 4 kids who don't want just your average every day costume.

This year my oldest Em, doesn't want to dress up. 

Do you even know how sad this makes me? 

SO so Sad.

But I'm trying real hard to let this young lady be her own person so I'm not going to force the issue, but this is what my face looks like; 

OO

^

So sad.

Ok, but Chloe is going to dress up as a cupcake and that makes my face look like this;

OO

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Ha, ha sometimes I just crack myself up.

And then Solomon the one who is dressed as the giraffe up there, he wants to be Count Olaf from the Movie Lemony Snickets, Series of Unfortunate Events.

 Which makes my face look like this;

OO

o

Did I ever tell you He was Charlie Chaplin one year and sadly I only have one fuzzy dark picture because,  My Maccy took a crapper last year and with that BIG CRAP he took all my pictures that weren't backed up. To which I say, CRAP FOR CRAP!!

And then Isaiah wants to be A Ninja 

or

Nacho Libre

or

A Wrestler Strong Man

or ....

Which makes my face look like this;

OO

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Help me out people any ideas for Cupcakes, Count Olaf, and Ninja/Nacho/Strong Men??

Faith, Hope, And LOVE

I'm really proud of myself, do you want to know why?
(Pat on Back ensued)

Because, this past Valentine's Day I was told by My Giant that he wouldn't be home on that particular day. Ya know that particular day that you really want your sweetie to be home, so you can tell them how much you love them. Well, he told me well in advance that He had a job that was out of town, and would be several hours up north. Now normally, this is the kind of thing that would have really upset me because I love Valentine's Day.

Any girl who says that she doesn't love Valentine's day is either, bitter, lying, jealous, or all of the above.
I understand why some would not really appreciate a day that celebrates love.
Those are the people who haven't maybe really known true LOVE in their lives, and so they are forever the cynic on Valentines day.

But cynic I am not!
Nor am I one who gets into the commercialism of every holiday.


Because like all holidays, Valentines' day has become it's own beast.
But I have always felt, holiday's are what you make 'em.

In this house;
Easter is not about a bunny.
Christmas is not about the Fat man in the Red suit.
Halloween is not about Satanic, Witchy business.
And Valentines day is not about chocolate, roses, and sex to me.
(Although, My Giant if you are reading this I don't mind getting any of those)

To me it's a day that celebrates the greatest of these;

Faith

Hope

And LOVE.

LOVE crosses over cultures.
LOVE conquers all cynics.
LOVE is unconditional.
LOVE is beautiful.
LOVE crosses borders.
LOVE never fails.

And it should be celebrated with whoever, whenever, however.

Stepping off the soap box now....

Back to my Valentines day without My Giant.
SO yeah, this year marks the first Valentines day that MoNoSco has been apart on V-day.
I didn't mope though.
I didn't complain.
I helped in my kids classes all day.
How can you be sad or mopey when with lil kids?
And then, I took my Fab 4 out for Sushi.

Have I told you lately how much I love those 4 gems God has given me?
Well, I do LOVE them so very, very much. I have awesome... really awesome kids.
I have been told, and I quote; "They are the kind of kids that make me want to have kids"
And they really are. Ok enough blaggin about My Fab 4.

Well, then after they were in bed, and it was time to snuggle, and My Giant wasn't here

** I may or may not have finished half a box of chocolates, half a bottle of red wine, and ordered 3 new books on Amazon.

BUT, I didn't pout!
Cause I know I am loved everyday.
I know My Giant is coming home and we will celebrate the rest of our lives, the gift of LOVE that God has given us.

And well.... It was a Happy Valentine's day even without him.

** I am not admitting to anything. I said, "may have".

Ignorance is Bliss

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;

Happy Halloween!!
and
Happy Diwali!!

Holidays and a Tribute to Jen

As the bigger holidays are approaching this year I am more aware than ever that my sister is half-way across the globe and it makes me miss her something fierce.
I have been fortunate all these years to have all 4 of my siblings close enough to share all the big holidays together, and this is the first year that we won't be all together. I know that might seem like something silly to be bummed about, but I adore my big sister Jenny and she lights up the room like no other. So this is a tribute to her and to her namesake who will also be missed this holiday season.

Halloween

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