I've been struggling with having any at all...so a little is better than none.

We watched Christmas with the Kranks on Sunday night...it wasn't that great. Not really that funny...basically all the previews that you see show you the only funny parts of it. Not one I will buy for my own any time soon.

Then we watched Elf tonight (Sorry I don't do all those linkies). We saw it last year, but we had forgotten most of it...and it was a hoot. We all just laughed and laughed. We go in for that ignorant kind of humor. We binged on all kinds of junk food and washed it down with double chocolate Yoohoo.

I also dug out all of my Christmas books. A little late, but again...better than not at all I guess. I had meant to read our advent book, but never got around to it. I meant, after being asked by *A*, to do a Jesse Tree...or some other Christmas study honoring our Lord, but I didn't. I really let the guys down this year...but I'm going to try to make it just a little better in this last week. We didn't even turn on the Christmas tree lights for 3-4 days.

This morning my boys were begging me to take them Christmas shopping.  I had thought to type up an entry about how proud I was of my children for being so excited about giving to others...then I took them shopping.

*A* does really well, no complaints about him. He's considerate, and really it was *his* idea for us to go today. He wanted to buy things for Pap L, Granny, Mamaw, and Daddy L. He has the best of intentions, but his money doesn't go quite as far as he wishes it would...awful young to be learning that lesson.

Older J gets sidetracked so easily. He was all for shopping for others but it seemed that things that interested him kept jumping in his face...oh no, it was actually HE who was jumping toward the things that he liked. I can't really say that it's his fault though...it's just his way. He did pick out things for everyone on his list (Daddy L takes them "mama shoppin" for my gifts).

Young J was just NOT into this whole "spend my money on others" thing. I tried to shame him into the Christmas spirit...should'a known that wouldn't work. Oh well, I did give it my best effort...maybe I'm getting weak as I get older.

So, young J ended up buying himself a pair of fuzzy polar bear PJ's...and I ended up buying a gift *from him* for Pap L. Didn't get much accomplished really.

When we got home they quickly changed into play clothes and went back to the barn to play their *King of the Mountain* game. I didn't see them for quite some time.

I spent my afternoon searching the internet for foster adoption links and email groups. I know that we are not ready to start the process yet, but I am so very excited about it. I am trying not to be too optimistic (and my family would tell you that I am not EVER optimistic...EVER) because I don't want to be hurt. I just have to pray that it works out...

The boys came in a few hours later and practiced their instruments. Fuss, fuss, fuss...Young J wanted to goof off and *A* just doesn't deal well with that at all. He's a serious sort...

We are trying to formulate a new plan to help them practice and actually accomplish something. They are supposed to return to lessons in March (hopefully) and Daddy L really does NOT want them to be behind where they were when we stopped lessons. They seem to do fine practicing alone but not together...and the whole point of this is to have a family group that can play in church together (which they have done a few times). What do you do with a child who loves to play music but detest practice..and cannot see that one cannot happen without the other?

It's raining here today , and we live in a verrry small home. Normally that would mean that my three rowdy boys would be driving me and each other absolutely nuts. That's not the case though...because after we had school and lunch they went to the barn to play.

They have *invented* this new game called "King of the Mountain". They take turns getting on the top of the hay stack and trying to knock each other off. It's so funny that they think this is some neat game they invented and only share between the three of them. I guess they didn't know that goats have been doing this for many ages..or maybe that is where they learned it and don't realize it.

They sent young J up earlier to *find sustenance*. I packed a bag with some goodies, put terribly unhealthy sweetened fruit drink in some empty pop bottles, and sent him back on his way. Haven't seen them since. Not sure at the moment if that is good or bad...

Daddy L won't be home until 7:30pm, and sometime between now and then the boys need to finish their chores and practice their instruments. Daddy L is getting a wee bit frustrated with young J because he whines about playing his fiddle...but he whines if you tell him to forget about playing it also. Can't win there...

I keep saying that we should just forget it, but Daddy L would be really disappointed if he just dropped it. His great-grandfather played the fiddle, and it means the world to Pap L (Daddy L's daddy). Pap L even gave young J (who is only 8yo) his daddy's fiddle that came from Germany. I feel for young J...no pressure there huh?

At least the other boys don't give Daddy L in problems about practicing. In fact they'll get on your nerves trying to pick while you are trying to have a conversation. It's important to Daddy L though, and he is very proud of them, so I am working on tolerating it....