I went out with a friend last night and had a very enjoyable time and a much needed break!
Anyhoo, when I got home V. was already asleep so I gave her a kiss then talked with Steve about what they did while I was gone. He said they went fishing then came home and had Mac & Cheese{V. would live off that if she could!}. He said that later in the evening she came into our room and had a downcast face and was humphing. He asked her what was wrong. She said{in a very serious tone}," I just don't understand. Almost all my toys are made in China. Why? Why is everything from China?"
At this point Steve is thinking that she's being all political or something and he was very surprised!
She then continued," All my toys from Santa say 'made in China' on them. I don't understand. Aren't they made in Santa's workshop? Does he HAVE a workshop? Why are they from China?"
Steve said he probably had the deer-in-headlights look at this point. He was like, "Where is this coming from? When did she get old enough to start asking questions like this?"
So he turned to joking and told her that maybe Santa made a stop in China on the way to our house for her toys or something.
 Then the next morning she approached me with the same questions. So I told her something like maybe Santa gets parts from China, or has workshops all over the world and has one in China, or something like that.
Anyway, he said she was very serious and seemed genuinely upset by all this.
It has us wondering if this is the year she stops believing in Santa. It's sad to think about her growing up. I have a friend who says in their house they say ,"If you don't believe you don't receive." She says none of her kids have ever asked about Santa{not even the teens}. If they start, they are just told,"If you don't believe you don't receive."
But I've always told V. that she can ask us anything and we'd always be truthful with her. I was thinking more along the lines of talking about life and such. I didn't think about Santa. So do I break her heart when she asks about Santa by telling her the truth or do I just say that I believe in the magic myself, because if you don't believe you don't receive. Or is that too cryptic for a child?
I guess we need to do some serious thinking about how to answer her when she asks....
p.s.
I have found a few ideas on Pinterest of ways to talk to our child about Santa. I think I might take a couple of those and change them to fit us and they way we talk with V.

Charlotte Fire

This is from last Summer. There was a HUGE fire in the MinkCreek area. So many homes were destroyed. It was really sad to see all the devastation. They had a clean up day where people from all different denominations came together to clean up. Trees had to be chopped down and cleared away, rubble cleared away, just lots of hard work. This is the group from our Ward that went down to help. Steve is in the back, 4th from the left. The men had soot all over from head to toe. We ended up just throwing Steve's clothes away afterwards. There was no way we'd get them clean! It was hard work, Steve was sore and tired when he got home. But he said is was an awesome experience. The lady whose property they were cleaning up bought them all pizza for lunch. She helped in any way she could. Her house was gone, she had lost everything, but Steve said her spirits were high and she was planning on rebuilding.
I'm grateful that we live in a community where strangers come together in times of need and help each other out! {I was also happy to see a few young men in the group! How awesome that they took a Saturday to do service! And I'm happy their fathers brought them along to show them the goodness of helping another!}

Santa in the Summer

Our neighbor across the street is out mowing his lawn. He's a bigger guy. Since he retired, he's grown his beard out. His hair is white with a little gray.
He totally looks like Santa out there riding around on his lawn mower!

Steve's early Birthday present

Steve's birthday isn't until later this month. However, a friend of ours,Nate, called me a couple of months ago and suggested  we mount Steve's Pope and Young record making antlers from this deer for his birthday. He said he could do the work and everything. So I said okay.

Now, Steve is very proud of these antlers. He had them hanging in the garage so that he could see them every time he pulled in. So I told Nate he had to wait until the last possible moment before taking the antlers. Because I knew he would notice them missing. He called me a couple of Saturdays ago and told me he was ready for them. So, while Steve was napping I had Nate come over to get them. He had brought another pair of antlers to trade for Steve's, in the hopes he wouldn't notice them missing. So for the next few days I kept waiting for Steve to come in and tell me his antlers were missing. But so far, he hadn't noticed we had switched them out! Finally, Nate said the deer was done, so we set up a a time to go out to dinner with him and his wife and son, with the plan to go to their house later to make the grand reveal! So we get in the car, and was almost ready to pull out of the garage when I see Steve staring at the antlers that were hanging up in the garage. I was like,"Oh Crap! He's noticed!" But I said to him,"What are you looking at? Let's go, or we'll be late!" I was trying to distract him but it didn't work. He gets out of the car and walks up to the antlers. Then he turns around to me and mouths,"What the..!" He then looks around a little bit. Then gets in the car. I asked him what was wrong and he says," Someone stole my antlers and replaced them with a different set!" I acted all innocent and played along, rather well, I might add. Finally, after we'd been in the car for a little bit driving to dinner, he turned to me and asked if I had anything to do with his antlers missing. if not, he was going to call the police. So I told him I knew where they were and that they were safe. He was so relieved! He tried to get more details from me, but I wouldn't tell him anything. So we had dinner with our friends and then went to their house. They had a bunch of heads hanging on their walls. Nate told Steve to pick one out and take it home. At first Steve didn't understand. Then he looked at the far wall and said,"There are my antlers!" He was so surprised and pleased!

 

Steve and Nate talking about the deer and antlers.

Steve said this is the best birthday present he has ever gotten! Score! I'm the best wife ever!

[Now I just gotta find somewhere I'm comfortable having this deer head hanging!}

Help Jaquee!

Help Jaquee
A friend of mine has a sister who is going thru a horrible divorce and her 'husband' is trying to take her girls away from her permanently.
Jaquee is a couple years older than I, but I remember her from High School. She was always so nice and sweet to everyone. And she had an amazing voice! Such talent!
It breaks my heart to read her story of what she has gone thru the last few years. Her family has put in all they can financially to help her get her little girls back. But it's not enough.
SO, in desperation, they have made her story public and are asking for donations to help with the legal costs. Please check out the site they have made and if you can't help financially, please keep Jaquee and her girls in your prayers!
Read Jaquee's story or donate here~ Help Jaquee website

Summer friends

So the other day I'm in the house and Steve and V. are out playing in the backyard. They both start shouting at me to come out and look at something. I come out and see that they are standing in front of the lilac bushes looking at it. I come over and they point out a nest with a little bird in it sitting in the bush. Steve said that V. found it first. What good eyes! The nest is hidden and hard to see at first. I went out today and the bird is still in there. Hopefully he'll stay all summer! I'll have to take a picture to post...

Nursing covers

Hey everyone! I have a friend who makes nursing covers and hooded towel/sets. I've added her blog address to 'other sites I enjoy'.( Jill's crafty covers) If you or someone you know is having a baby, check it out! They make great gifts! Or buy some towels for yourselves!