Coming Soon to a Book Shelf Near You....

I like to read...a lot. I mean, really, if I could spend the rest of my life curled up with a good book I would never want for anything. Except maybe a bathroom and the occasional cup of coffee. One can not live with out coffee. And coffee creates need for a bathroom...I mean really, we all know what I mean. I have had the privilege of reading a variety of good books as of late. Some fiction, some self-help, some cookbooks (yes, you can indeed read a cookbook, I just don't recommend it when you're hungry or on a diet), some serious, some cheesy. I have decided to share my picks with you, my faithful readers. I will even recommend WHO should read it (this will require a bit of stereo-typing so please take all recommendations with a grain of salt and merely as my opinion) although don't let my recommendation stop you if you aren't, say, a teenage girl. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was an enjoyable read. Even if I haven't been a teenager in over a decade. Wow, I'm really old. Regardless, I will share what I'm reading or have read, and how I feel about it. I would love your feedback if you have read the same book or suggestions for books I should lay my hands on and read. My first review will surface soon....

Looking Back

A college roommate of mine (and fellow blogger) wrote a post recently that inspired me to write one of my own. When I look back on the previous decade, I am amazed at how much has gone on in my meager little life. And so, for a recap, I present the following:

I.....

graduated college
got a job
got married
changed careers
had a baby
got divorced
moved across the state
moved to Houston
met the most wonderful man in the world
moved back across the state
got married
gave up my career (that I was beginning to not like anyway)
had twins
watched my husband go off to war
raised infant twins and a 4 year old by myself
watched my husband come back from war (safely)
moved to Missouri and
had my fourth (count 'em folks...there are four) child.

My best friend has invested time and money in schooling for counseling and therapy. There is a stress assessment test that they use to determine when one's life has handed them too much. Each major change in a person's life adds points to that person's stress level...the higher the points the higher your stress and subsequent craziness. This said...please read the above list in reference to why I'm crazy as a bedbug. Just sayin'. It is an excuse...but a valid one.

Happy New Year!! And may the next decade be just as stressful!!!!!!!!!!

All I want for Christmas

*Singing in a Chipmunk voice* Christmas, Christmas time is here, time for toys and time for cheer..."

I'll save the Alvin and the Chipmunks reunion tour for later...for now I will instead just ramble on about whatever comes flying into my brain...cause that usually how I operate...

Seriously, it is now officially Christmas time at the Hawthorne house. Now there has been long a debate in our home over the family Christmas tree. Many of you will laugh, but it is a serious conversation that comes up several times a year and usually results in one of us saying to the other "you're a retard". (In the most loving manner possible, I assure you) My husband INSISTS on having a live Christmas tree every year. He claims that an artificial tree is fake and that he will not have "fake Christmas" because then we would be required to have fake presents, fake Christmas dinner and the like. I prefer the "fake" tree because it doesn't require constant attention to ensure our house doesn't burn to the ground (and that's the way I've always done it). The argument usually includes testimonies to the benefits of each person's preferred tree as well as insults to the other person's preferred tree. Including my favorite, the artificial tree always looks good from any angle, but a real one always has a "bad side" and there have been years when the bad side has been all the way around. I'm all for lookin' good. We have, however, come to an understanding that if Mr. Smartypants is here to retrieve and help decorate the tree, we will have a real one. If he is deployed I will put up the artificial one.
This year, the argument took a new turn. We are getting to go to Texas for Christmas (yee haw!!!) and will be gone for a couple of weeks (thank you Uncle Sam for inventing Christmas Exodus at TRADOC bases all over the Armed Forces). This created a problem. Being gone so long meant that a real tree would not survive our vacation and our house might burn down while we were gone. My husband's solution? Don't put one up at all. Huh??? Can we say "Bah Humbug". A tree must go up. We argued (nicely, I promise) about the tree for several days, debating the reasons we needed a tree up even though we were gonna be gone as well as the reasons we shouldn't bother. If you look at the picture, you can tell who won. He even gave in and let me put up the artificial tree (probably because I made the point we would have to take down the real one the night before we left town). Please know that I gave him the option of having his "real" tree.
Now some of you might argue that Mr. Smartypants was right all along and we shouldn't even bother. But let me leave you with this thought:

Christmas isn't just about one day. Christmas is a season where we prepare ourselves for one day. The one day is to celebrate. Not a day of food and presents and Santa Claus, but one day to celebrate a Birthday. THE birthday. HIS birthday. The Christmas season is another word for Advent, or a time to prepare for a coming of a King. Whether you celebrate HIS birthday or celebrate a chance to feast with family and friends, each symbol of the holiday gives us that warm fuzzy that only comes this time of year. Each warm fuzzy puts us in a better spirit, and makes us want to give and share with others. This is one time of year when we, without thinking, put others before ourselves. Is this not the spirit of Christ in us, as much as the spirit of Christmas? So take time to stare at your Christmas tree for that warm fuzzy, then use the warm fuzzy to remember why we have Christmas in the first place, and then put that warm fuzzy to action by giving (your time, your money or your talents) to spread not just Christmas cheer, but Christ Himself.

I would have pictures but who wants pictures of drool...

Moose is the last planned baby for the Herd. I say planned because I'm a firm believer that if God wants you to have more children, he's gonna give 'em to ya. Ask some of my friends who were surprised to find themselves pregnant when they shouldn't have been. So, he's the last PLANNED baby, and I'm, of course, spoiling him rotten and hoping he will stay little forever.

But, alas, they must grow up. And moms must be sad about this. My sweet tiny baby Moose is no longer tiny. He's still sweet as chocolate and biscuits, but he's not tiny. Matter of fact, he's getting so big that he has already sprouted his first tooth. It broke through yesterday. I cried. My baby's growing up fast. He's packing his car for college tomorrow in case anyone wants to say goodbye.

I would have posted pictures of our new tooth, but all you would have seen was my finger in his mouth and a WHOLE LOT of drool. And no one wants to look at puddles of drool...especially from someone else's kid.

Change is good

Maybe you've noticed a little change around here. Maybe you've noticed a new catch-phrase if you will. Maybe you've noticed A NEW TITLE. Yes, you are no longer visiting The Mommy Diaries; you are now visiting the blog Stirring Up Dust. I decided it was time for a change, time for something a little more original. There are other blogs out there with "The Mommy Diaries" as a title and I really wanted a catchy title to go with my subtitle. If you have ever been witness to anything close to a stampede, you know that the dust gets stirred up quickly. I felt it was appropriate. Everywhere we go, we stir up dust. So, going forward, this place, this blog will simply be called "Stirring Up Dust". I would ask that you continue to follow the Hawthorne Herd as we go Stampeding through life. Stick around, it promises to be entertaining.

Silly Saturdays

Having four children, three of which are three and under, makes for interesting attempts at family photos. My husband and I recently took the herd off into the woods for the ever-coveted Fall foliage family picture. We were gonna use them on our Christmas cards. Let's just say I'm working on plan B. Please note that it was raining that day and we had to run between the van and the photo-op spot during periods of let-up. Here are the resulting photos. The Hawthorne Herd is entertaining at least.

This was one of the better ones.



This was me trying to figure out the timer on the camera.



Not bad, if I hadn't been off in left field by myself, and if Scratchy had smiled.




Cheesey grins and a frown, not to mention Sean was really distracted.




Itchy had put her hand up in her face and we were moaning because we just knew she had been caught in the picture....looks like we were the ones caught.

There is still candy corn in the bowl...

And if there is still candy corn in the bowl, then it must still be Halloween, right? Well, maybe not, but I thought I'd share some of our pictures from this year's trick or treat fest.