Xeko Pals~ Giveaway!

My son loves the card game Xeko! He gets to learn about endangered species, play a strategic game, and collect valuable cards gaining education while playing! I have reviewed the Xeko game a few times (see here, & here). Xeko Mission is a 2 player card game that he can learn about conservation and the environment while he plays.A new line of eco-friendly plush, the Xeko Pals, also debuted this fall. Each plush is based on the most popular characters from the Xeko eco-adventure game. The plush are made with soy and certified organic cotton “fur” and filled with soy-based stuffing. These new toys feature “mission codes” that allow kids to join the fun at xeko.com, where the Xeko adventure comes to life on the web. The most popular character from Mission: China is the Giant Panda.
Xeko Pals, “Hairy,” is the newest little Xeko critter. "Hairy" is a dwarf lemur from Madagascar—the toy is life-sized (these lemurs are about the size of a softball in real life). He is so cute, and his eyes are so big! He has a really long tail, and my son loves playing with him!
As you can see, Nathaniel has a great time playing with the Xeko Pals! Not a dull moment! Each animal comes with a Mission Code, which gives unlimited play of the “Hairy the Nibbler” game at xeko.com. It is a fun game!
Nathaniel now has a companion to help him complete his mission while playing the Xeko game.
Xeko has offered to give you a discount on their products (games, cards, or stuffed animals):
Just go to the Xeko Store, select your items, and you can get 15% off your entire order by entering the code: gogreen
Expires: 10/31/09

Since Earth Day is quickly approaching (April 22), Xeko has offered to give a Lemur away to one of my readers! This contest is open to USA, and will end on April 22nd~ Earth Day! Go to Xeco.com and find out a few facts, or something you find interesting...then come back and comment on it.
You may comment on as many other posts (that I have written in the past) as you want to for an additional entry, just leave the url in your additional comment! You have many chances to enter this contest! In order to qualify, you must do what is required. You may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just tweet about this giveaway and leave the url in your comment AND/OR Click here to see how you can earn even more extra credits to win!! Click here to see guidelines and the official rules.

Christmas Cheer~ and funny times!

We had a fun last couple of days. Terry's Mom came down on Sunday afternoon. It was a very snowy day, and I was a little concerned about the roads. I know the visibility was decreasing, too. She did make it, and she was safe. Monday morning, Caleb, Grandma, Maddie and I were up. We were in the main floor playing on the floor and Lena (our dog) was playing, too. Well, since Terry was still in bed, I thought it was time for him to get up. So, I said, "Lena, go get Dad!" I was kidding with her, and I didn't really think she would do it, or understand. But, she bolted upstairs. Later, when Terry came downstairs, he asked me if I knew what Lena did. I said no. Then he said that she jumped up on our bed (which she never does, nor is allowed to) and walked across Terry's chest. Then, she stood on his nightstand! Can you believe it? What a smart dog! She is so funny! She knew I said to get Dad, and darn-tootin' she was on a mission! Oh, it was so funny. Well, the funnies didn't stop there. At Lunch, Caleb said the funniest thing to his grandma (just out of the blue). Let me re-cap:

Caleb: "Grandma?"
Grandma: "Yes, Caleb?"
Caleb: "You look like Chewbacca!"

It was so funny, and we have no idea where he got it from, or why he said it! Boy did it give us the giggles!
Terry and I got to go shopping (BY OURSELVES) and finish up the last few gifts. Terry's Dad sent us some Christmas money to buy some things for the kids. It was fun picking out some things. We had dinner at Denny's and the food was super. It was so good to eat REAL Ranch dressing with my salad. It has been so long since I had real ranch. (I started Weight Watchers in September). Then, we were off to get Nathaniel back from his visit with his Dad.
When we picked up Nathaniel that night we told him what Caleb said. His response was, "Well, that wasn't very nice. Not nice at all. At least he didn't say Yoda. Great Grandma looks like Yoda with all her wrinkles!"

Oh my goodness~ Kids are so super funny!!

After we got home from picking up Nathaniel, we had the kids go downstairs so Terry could get the Train in the house. Then, we played with the kids awhile before bedtime. Terry wanted me to play some Christmas music on the piano. It was fun, but it reminded me that I really need to brush up on my practicing. After the kids were in bed we wrapped all the gifts and put them under the tree. I filled the stockings. We don't "do" Santa, the gifts in there are from us, but I think the stocking filling is fun. Terry put the train around the tree, and it looked great. Finally, at almost 1 AM, I made it to bed.

Christmas morning was fun and special. Caleb, Maddie and Nathaniel loved to see the train. Maddie kept wanting to touch it. We had the kids open their gifts, and all was appreciated. Caleb only wanted a Rocket Fishing Pole for Christmas, so when he opened that gift, he pulled it out and said, "A shooting fishing pole~ I GOT IT!" I really wish I had that on camera. Where is that camcorder when you need it. It was so funny!

After gifts we had breakfast, then we headed over to my brother and sister-n-law's house for my side of the family. It was great to see everyone again. Our family doesn't get together enough. My sister and family was here from IL, and I haven't seen them since Easter, and that time was a brief visit. My other sister (who is a single mom of 4) didn't come. I was really upset about that, and I will post that in another post later. All in all, it was a great day. I will try to get a picture of all 18 Grandchildren up maybe tomorrow.

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Something to giggle at~

Terry came down stairs and Nathaniel was standing there. Terry said, "What is that smell? It smells like perfume, or something?" Nathaniel said, "My arm pits!"

It was very comical. We started having Nathaniel use deodorant. I think he seems young to use it, but he needs it. I think kids are getting younger with the time they are hitting puberty. It is pretty sad, I think.

Happy Birthday Nathaniel! ~

Wow! I can't believe it was 9 years tonight that my first baby was put in my arms. He really changed my life! I couldn't believe that I was a mom! I was 23 years old when I became his momma~ and I was going to be a single mom. I grew up in a Christian home, and my parents raised me with strong morals. If you told me that I would have been a single mom at age 23, I would have told you that was crazy!
Well, after Bible College, I decided to live life how I wanted to. Out of my selfishness God really blessed me way above what I deserved. Aren't we all glad we don't get what we really deserve? God's grace is so amazing. Nathaniel's Dad isn't a Christian. This has been hard for Nathaniel (and me). God has put such a missionary heart in Nathaniel, and he worries for his Dad. He has cried over him with knowing that he is lost without Jesus. I pray that Nathaniel will keep that missionary heart, and pour the prayer over his Dad. When Nathaniel was littler he always asked the clerks in the stores if they knew Jesus. It used to make me embarrassed. Why should I be embarrassed of our Lord? Isn't amazing what children teach us? Through the mouths of babes....I think children faith is so big and pure...and they see things more clearly sometimes. They are truly wonderful! We can learn so much from them!
Nathaniel means "Gift from God." That is why I named him that. At age 2, he would tell people that he was a gift from God. It was pure precious! He was such a happy, and easy going baby. For that, I was really blessed, too! One really funny thing that Nathaniel said when he was a toddler was that he called his knee his leg elbow. When he was about 2 1/2, he said Jesus was in his heart. This is one of my favorite stories of Nathaniel's. We were driving and Nathaniel said Jesus was here. I said where, and he said he was on the seat next to him. I said that was good. Then, Nathaniel said he is in my heart, too. OH...talk about an instant avalanche of tears! Wow~ heart gripping. After that he always buckled Jesus in next to him.
Nathaniel has such a tender heart. He is a great cuddler, and snuggler. He really knows how to make people feel good. He somehow knows right when I need that hug, or a compliment. God has truly blessed me with a wonderful little man. I love you Nathaniel! I pray that you will honor God with all you do, and that you will Follow HIM your whole life! Thank you for being my sweet son!

"I see you!"

What do you want to be when you grow up

We make it a topic of conversation to ask our kids what they want to be when they grow up. A few years ago, I think Nathaniel was 5, I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He told me a pizza delivery boy. I think he just really liked pizza. Well, this just got his thinking cap motorized, because over the next year after that he told us what he wanted to be when he was all grown up. One of my favorite memories of this was when we were out for a drive. I noticed Nathaniel kept looking out the window at signs and as they passed by, he would turn around in his seat and keep looking at the signs. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was looking at how signs were made, so he could be a sign maker someday. :) Isn't it fun when you get a peek into your children's thoughts and imaginations?






I asked Caleb what he wanted to be when he grows up, and he said, "I want to be a Super Hero!" I wasn't expecting that comment! It was really funny!

I am sure our kids will constantly change their minds over the years on what they want to be when they are adults. I just hope whatever venue they take, that it will be something that honors God and that makes them happy!

ADD...or just being alert??

We were driving yesterday, and Nathaniel said, "When I was at Grandma's, we were watching Funniest Home Videos, and...hey look, baby calves!"

Past weekend of camping; etc.

We took our kids camping this weekend and it really didn't go that great. Terry asks me why we do camping when the kids are little. We came to the conclusion that we will probably just go to our destinations and do the motel thing while they are little. I think that is an easier way...even as much as I love to camp.
We did have a pop-up camper loaned to us for the trip, and I was thankful for that. It really doesn't get away from the feeling of sleeping on rocks, though, so if we ever owned one, I would supplement an air mattress. Terry and Caleb had fun cranking up the camper together, and that is the only picture I have from our whole trip! Oh well, can't win them all. Here are some things that started the camping excursion off to a bad start:

*Terry and I were snippy with each other, and I am still not sure why...

*I was trying to get Caleb to take a very much needed nap, and so he was super crabby...

*Caleb wouldn't let anyone help him with anything...he wanted Grandma (I love you C, but it was very frustrating)

*Maddie fell off the picnic table out of her car seat...It wasn't where I kept her, and I know that it was an accident, but it was awful! I was crying horribly and shaking like a bobble around toy!

*Caleb wouldn't take a nap for nothing!

*Caleb fell off the bed...

*Someone was very negative, and it is hard to shake once in the mode...you know?

*I was very emotional after all that, so I wasn't myself

Fortunately, after all this drama, we did have some fun. My brother- in- law and family came to the site, and it was great to see all of them. Caleb did FINALLY take a nap with Grandma's help. And...We had a great laugh that night!

Nathaniel loves to hunt for frogs, toads, salamanders, and anything that creeps the ground. Well, he had collected quite a few toads that day and had them in his habitat. He had them in his tent (he was going to sleep in his own tent, which is a small 1 person tent). Well, after he came back from the bathrooms, he went into his tent. Terry and I were in the camper right next to the tent, when all of a sudden we hear, "Oh Great!" Terry and I said, "What?" To which Nathaniel replied, "All of my toads got out and they are all over the place!" Well, we couldn't contain our giggles...and we told him to pick them all up, and put them back in the habitat. After a few minutes he said, "They got out again!" Terry then told him to let them all out. Then Nathaniel said, "Well, I am not sleeping in here." We asked him why, and he said, "Because, I am sure they peed all over my sleeping bag!" That just brought more giggles, as you can imagine. So, he brought his pillow in the camper and settled in on the bed. After a few minutes, he said, "Oh great! Another toad, and it's in my pillowcase!" This was so hilarious! It is really something you only see in a movie or on the Little Rascals! It was a hoot!
Earlier that evening, Maddie initiated playing peek-a-boo, too, and it was so cute! She was sitting on the bed and she put her head down to her feet and came back up. I said peek-a-boo, and she smiled and went back down. She did this over and over. It was precious! Then, that night after all the toad fiasco's she played peek-a-boo with Nathaniel again! Cutie!

Open House

When I got home with the kids today, I had to show them my toe. Caleb came over and looked. Then he said,"Oh owie. Maybe put some butt cream on it, and make it feel all better!" (We call A&D ointment, "butt cream") It was so funny!

Tonight we had Nathaniel's open house for school. As I said, we will bring your school stuff in your back pack, Caleb quickly ran down stairs saying get back pack. He looked in his toy box, grabbed his back pack, and came back on. While he was trotting up the stairs he whipped the pack over his shoulders pretty fast. Then he said, "Time to go to school with my pack pack."



Last year, at Christmas time, Nathaniel and I were singing Christmas songs with the radio. Then Nathaniel sang, "Floppin' around the Christmas tree...."

Tonight, after the open house, we decided to go look at houses in the outskirts of town. Nathaniel started singing, "Floppin' around, the neighborhood...just looking at the houses." A bit later, Caleb said, "We're just floppin' around."