25 Random Things About Me!

Well, I posted this on Facebook but thought I'd add it here, too. ENJOY!

1. I am doing this to see if I can actually come up with 25 things!

2. I never, ever skipped a full day of school. Periods (like biology in 10th grade), yes, but not the full day.

3. I wish I had been a little more together in high school. I regret how immature I was at times.

4. I played softball from 3rd - 6th grades and my dad was my coach.

5. I once sang backup for an Elvis impersonator.

6. I am a TV addict! Favorite shows: 24, Greys (until this season), Friday Night Lights, Brothers & Sisters, and TV news shows like Dateline & 20/20, which my husband thinks I need to stop watching.

7. My mom worked, and my dad was my babysitter during the day for the first 4 years of my life.

8. My favorite nail polish color: "You're A Pisa Work" by OPI.

9. Best trip ever: Joe took me to the Golden Globe awards for our 10th anniversary! We stayed at the Beverly Hilton and saw all the stars walk the red carpet! Unbelievable!

10. If I could spend the day with one person, it would be my sister. She's the best! :)

11. I hate to cook and feed my kids frozen food, takeout, or anything out of a can that can be microwaved. Sometimes they get fresh fruit. Mother of the year.

12. I believe that, despite the chaos I sometimes feel, God is still on His throne! :)

13. LaFon Bailey gives me the best highlights and haircuts! I love her!!

14. Nothing is more important to me than my sweet family - Joe, Ross, Chloe & Emmy bring me more joy (and, at times, frustration and angst) than I thought possible!

15. One of my best memories of growing up on Buckeye Lane is Pizza Inn on Friday nights followed by neighborhood hide-and-seek with all the kids while the parents sat in the Armstrong's driveway.

16. My first concert was Duran Duran in 8th grade. I was in love with Simon LeBon!

17. I had an enormous crush on Jon, the blonde guy from CHiPS! Cheryl Armstrong & I used to pretend we were married to Ponch & Jon!

18. Large Diet Coke with extra ice from the Sonic at Legacy & Lebanon makes me very, very happy. My need to stop there in the morning often makes my children late for school!!

19. I hate clutter.

20. I love snow days (even though it leads to the thing I hate in #19).

21. We are moving to Connecticut this summer, and I am looking forward to more of #20!

22. My sister & I once peeked at my Christmas presents at the infamous house on Buckeye Lane. They were hidden in my parents' bathroom in the cabinets above the sink. In the process, we managed to break off a tile from the sink and had to make a mad dash to Perry's Office supply for some Super Glue, using the change we "borrowed" from my dad's dresser. I don't think my parents ever found out!

23. If I could interview one person, it would be Steven Speilberg. Can you imagine what that would be like?

24. I wish I knew where Shari Fox was & what she is up to!

25. I had my first kiss at a party in Houston while visiting my cousin, Peggy. It was at a girl named Christy's house, and the lucky guy was Adrian! :)

In My Place!

I hit new parenting low today. Here is the replay of that conversation:

Mom: Emmy, what would you like to drink with your dinner?
Emmy: (no response)
Mom: Emmy, did you hear me?
Emmy: Yes, mommy, but my name is “Your Highness.”
Mom: I’m pretty (insert your own favorite word muttered under your breath) sure your name is Emmy.
Emmy: No, it’s not. I’m “Your Highness,” Chloe is “Ma’am,” Ross is the "Prince", and you are the servant girl.
Mom: Actually, I am the MOMMY and you are the GIRL.
Emmy: (Laughing, hysterically) I AM YOUR HIGHNESS.
Mom: (giving up) Okay, Your Highness, what would you like to drink with your dinner?
Emmy: I’ll have what Ma’am is having, but I want mine in the Princess cup, servant girl.
Mom: Are you playing “Cinderella”?
Emmy: No, I’m eating my real dinner with Ma’am and servant girl is cooking again.
Mom: (inaudibly) How true.

At this point, I just sighed and walked away. Your Highness and Ma’am enjoyed their dinner. The servant girl cleaned up the kitchen, “drew” the baths, and washed a couple princesses.
Your Highness is now tucked away in the Royal Bedroom. Ma’am is sleeping in the Prince’s quarters tonight. The servant girl has ironing to do before school tomorrow, so she better shake a leg!

New Year, New Beginnings

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to 2009! Our family has celebrated like no other time I can remember. Things that made Christmas 2008 special:
1. Joe was in town for two full weeks, and he worked from home for a few hours on a few days, but other than that, he was just "dad." It was great!
2. Chloe had no gym workouts for the entire break! Thank you, Jesus.
3. Watching Emmy's face Christmas morning. There is nothing like the awestruck wonder of a 3 year old who absolutely believes. I loved it. After changing her wish list as she sat on Santa's lap at the mall, she was thrilled to find the originally requested items under the tree. Again, props to Jesus for that little blessing!
4. Ross read 2 instruction manuals, cover to cover, and was able to build the entire Lego Star Destroyer BY HIMSELF.
5. Celebrating with family at the Gaylord Texan the Saturday night before Christmas. Fun, fun, fun. Yummy food, lots to do, and beautiful surroundings. LOVED it.
6. Celebrating in Temple with Ginger & her family the weekend after Christmas. The kids had a great time together, and so did the grownups!

That is pretty much the wrap-up of Widner Christmas 2008. We look forward to the blessings of the New Year!!!

OPEN HOUSE 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008! WELCOME TO OUR HOME!!!

We have a large Christmas tree in our dining room... I joke that the room looks full only at Christmas time because we don't have any furniture in that room, other than the piano!!!

Our entryway table has my two favorite holiday decorations on it. I got the first one at Sample House a couple years ago. You might not be able to read it, but it has John 3:16 down the front of Mary's robe. How appropriate as we celebrate this season!

This next one, the Liberty Angel, was given to me by a friend the Christmas after 9/11. I used it as my tree topper for several years, but recently retired her so that we could see her up close!

Our downstairs living area has another tree - the "kid tree" - with all the colored lights and every decoration they have made over the years in preschool , Sunday school, and elementary school. It is amazing that an entire second tree could be filled with such treasures!!!

Our mantle, in the same room with the kids tree, is decorated with more of my favorites - crosses (they stay out all year), an angel, and this really cool Christmas tree I found on clearance last year at a specialty store here in Frisco. The stockinge are hung with Mom & Dad first, and then the 3 munchkins.

This is a music box from Macy's in New York. It is hard to see the detail, but it has several of the floats from the Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2003 in it. And, of course, the snow globe does actually "snow." LOVE it!

I am not much of a "collector," but at Christmas, I love decorating with snowflakes (probably because you NEVER see them in Texas!!) and manger scenes. Joe made a trip to Israel earlier this year, and he brought this beautiful olive wood manger scene back for us to enjoy.


The year Emmy was born, I decided I wanted something to commemorate the first Christmas with all three of our sweet children. So, I took them to a paint your own pottery place and stamped thier hands on a plate. I am not crafty, but I did manage to turn their handprints into Santas!!! I can't believe that was 3 years ago... my, how they've grown!!!


2005

Ross: 2008

Chloe 2008

Emmy 2008
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Moms earn their angel wings during the Christmas season, I am sure. The Christmas card photo and letter, presents for everyone, decorating the house and the yard, cookie exchanges, school parties, church parties, neighborhood parties, parties for hubby's work, old friends parties, etc., definitely require an element of organization and prioritization that other seasons just don't demand.

One thing that really puts me in the holiday spirit is watching school aged kids perform at their Christmas concerts. There is nothing more nostalgic to me than hearing old favorite songs being sung by children! This season, I was privileged enough to attend two. Our 11 year old, Ross, sang with the 6th grade choir at this week's chapel at school. Ross is our child of few words, so he mentioned this casually to me on the night before the performance (thankfully, his choir teacher had already sent an email). He requested that I go and video the whole shebang for his dad, who was in NYC this week. They did a beautiful job! Here is one song for you:

Our 3 year old, Emmy, had a "Christmas show" at her preschool last night. Now, when you watch this video, you will very clearly see the difference in the 3 enthusiastic year olds and the calm, cool, collected 6th graders!! You just can't help but smile when you watch and hear this old favorite!!!

Happy holidays!!!

Disneyworld

Wow! So much to say about Disneyworld! We arrived the Saturday after Thanksgiving and settled in at the Polynesian. You walk in the doors to this amazing place and a sweet lady hands you a lei! Here are the Widner girls in our Hawaiian accessories!

Disney has this fabulous habit of "underpromising" and "overdelivering," which we experienced when our room was upgraded to waterfront, complete with a (small) view of Cinderella's Castle!

We got on the monorail and headed for the Magic Kingdom, where we watched a parade, caught a show, did several rides, got our faces painted, and met some princesses - a good "warm up" for the next evening when we sat down for dinner with all the princesses!

The best parade view is on daddy's shoulders!!!

Here are a few of my favorites :

Emmy, all ready for her one-on-one with Cinderella!!!

The "bibbity, bobbity, boo!"

Last night at Magic Kingdom was a bit chilly!!!

Chloe & Emmy with the mouse who started it all!!!




On our way into It's a Small World!!



Great trip, great memories! We highly recommend this family experience for everyone!!!

Chloe's December Meet

It has been awhile since I posted. Not exactly sure what happened to November, but I am very aware that Christmas is almost here!! I need more time!! We just got back from Disneyworld, so look for a post about that trip, complete with pictures of our princess Emmy meeting her favorite princesses!

Saturday was the Carol Hillenberg Invitational meet at Trevino's Gym in Lancaster. It had been a pretty long time between meets, and Chloe missed several days of gymnastics because of prior commitments, Thanksgiving, and being sick. I had no idea what to prepare for as her scores were coming in! Once again, she amazed me! Here they are:

VAULT: 8.6
BARS: 9.55
BEAM: 9.6
FLOOR: 9.4
ALL AROUND: 37.15

Here she is competing on bars & beam:

It has been such fun to watch her improve each week, and such a great lesson for her that hard work and perseverance pays off! We are fortunate that Chloe has found something she enjoys so much!