List Check

It is 8:30 and I've been in bed a good thirty minutes already.

But I had to check in and tell you guys something AMAZING. I just ordered our Christmas cards!!!! GAH! I've always wanted to get those handled before the hustle and bustle of the holidays and this year it happened. Will my children look completely different by December? Probably, but who cares? lol I'm going to have amazing dreams tonight knowing IT IS FINISHED.

And a little PSA for you, the sale on holiday cards at Minted goes for a few more days. Doooo it. :p

My birthday is coming up and this year I am ready to celebrate. It most likely has to do with the fact that this entire year I thought I was 36 and then Josh blew my mind recently when he told me I was 35. GUYS. I JUST GAINED AN ENTIRE YEAR. Give me all the birthday candles, gifts, trips of a lifetime, massages, mani pedis, the works!

A Chronic Condition

Landon has some funny nuances. For instance, his favorite animal is a gorilla, or I suppose any primate really. He always requests this one catalog that has lots of pictures of gorillas. He acts like a gorilla, makes noises like a gorilla. He is serious about his gorillas. 

But the weirdest thing about Landon is that he sneezes every time he goes from a dark room to a bright one. Never fails. Every morning when you open the door to his room, he sneezes. Yesterday coming out of Small World, sneeze. After Tiki Room, sneeze. Isn't that just the most bizarre thing?

Guys, it's a real thing! Not surprising, but also hilariously, it is called the ACHOO Syndrome, and it's genetic. This blurb got me, "some consequences of PSR include danger to automobile drivers when emerging from dim light, such as a tunnel, into full sunlight, and disruption of outdoor group photos.'

disruption of outdoor group photos

I'm laughing so hard tears are streaming down my face right now.

The Crazy Parent Beginning

Josh took off work yesterday so we could take the kids to Disneyland. My sisters family joined us as well. Aimee and I had forgotten how eeeeeeasy Dland is with husbands. I mean, we even took a selfie  of us carrying ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Also, has anyone been to Dland for the morning rope drop with the sole purpose of riding Peter Pan? It is a whole new game people and takes some serious strategizing and pre workout sessions. Basically you've got to arrive before the park opens so you can be one of the first into the park. Then once they let you on Main Street you get to the front of the rope drop. As soon as the clock strikes OPEN they drop the rope and you then high tail it to Peter Pan. There's a lot of "please no running" statements right before but something comes over the crowd and one second in hordes of people are making a MAD DASH for good ole Peter. If you want to get on the ride without a 45-hour wait, like get on with absolutely no wait at all, this is what you have to commit to.

Aimee and I do it every so often. Yesterday we decided to try since we hadn't been on the ride in a while and we had the guys to help us. Also, my brother in law gets super into it and is competitive so it was hilarious to see him running so hard carrying his youngest son. No really, have you seen someone try to all out run while carrying a child? It is ridiculous and wonderfully hilarious. His efforts paid off though. We were all second in line!

The other benefit of getting there so early is the park isn't as crowded so the kids got to go on 5 rides within the first hour.

I know one day I'm going to look back and read this post and roll my eyes at myself. Running through Disneyland for a ride?! Ridiculous. But also I have a hunch that I'll also look back and realize that was just the beginning of 'JJ, Crazy Parent'.

Waiting for rope drop

Second in line! LOL

This was the best picture of the day. Landon with Noe's purse and stranger kid face down. 

Imperfections

Last Thursday Landon had his hernia operation. I told my sister that the experience was not for the weak of heart. I was so anxious and fearful the night before that I woke up with two cold sores, a pimple, and a headache.

I'll save you the suspense, Landon is just fine. He was awakened early and unable to eat or drink until after his surgery. Hungry, thirsty, and thrown into an unfamiliar situation is usually a recipe for disaster for any adult, let alone a kid, but he handled it well. Smiling and friendly. Waving hello to everyone and saying bye too. He didn't even cry when I put him on the gurney to be wheeled away to the OR.

I learned a lot about him through this. He is resilient and capable. Calm and good natured.

I also learned a lot about me through this. Anxious and fearful.

I don't want my kids to inherit the same anxiousness and fearfulness I struggle with but they will if that is all they see from me. And it is easy to beat myself up as a mom for falling short but I'm not taking the easy path tonight. Instead I put on the armor of God and lay my children at the Throne of Grace asking Him, as always, to fill in for my imperfections.

'Lord, open the eyes and ears of my kids that they might know your presence, see you working, and hear your voice! As they grow, compel them Lord, to follow the leading of your Spirit in every part of their lives.' -pp

And Jesus, may you continue to work in me so that my children will not just see a mom blotted with imperfections but an imperfect mom who desires to grow closer to you, who submits to your authority and leading in my life. Please let that be what they take away from my life.