Happy Birthday Husband!

We are starting the birthday weekend!!!  Game tonight.  Please, please win!!!  This would definitely help the mood of the weekend.  Then Lavar is going out with a teammate tonight to Lyon.  Tomorrow is family day all day starting at McDo's then to Centre Dieu for some shopping and Christmas festivities.  Then home to clean and cook.  We are having some guys on the team over, so you all know that means I need to make some food!  Then Sunday we are off to church, home to nap and then family day complete with a movie all cuddled together in Mommy and Daddy's bed. 

I never knew I could love Lavar so much.  I am so blessed to have him as my husband.  Even in his imperfections he is wonderful becuase he is always working to be a better dad, a better husband, and a better man.  What more could you ask for?  I think that sums it up.  So Happy Birthday Husband!  I can't wait to make him feel as special as he is to us. 

Pictures and a little bit of Christmas

{Warning: Picture Overload!!}

He loves bathtime!

Can't wait to get in, but can't figure it out

Got a hand in!

Tae doesn't have a bath so he likes to sit in with Eli

Such a good brother, trying to help his brother

My crazy boy!

My other crazy boy

What the heck, mom?



Daddy gettin the tree out!



Tae thinks he is hilarious...



Daddy and Tae putting snow on the window



We had to tie strings onto each one



Haven't they heard of ornament hooks??



There's always a little basketball practice involved

We have our little place decorated for Christmas and Tae loves it!  Now we just need to get Christmas presents!!  I love this time of year!

Different

I got to thinking about this the other day.  We are probably as different as they come.  Black guy, from the Bahamas, different background and upbringing.  White girl, from Simi Valley, pretty sheltered, you get the picture.  Our boys are obviously mixed.  Most people would say this isn't a big deal, and I don't think it is, but the reality of the situation is that some people still don't fully accept black people or interracial couples.  {Mostly in America, France is a lot better with it.}  So I was thinking how lucky our boys will be.  Not only are they sooo handsome, they are intercultural, interracial, and speak another language (I was thinking about the future when we move back to the States).  I would immediately be attracted to that boy, if there was someone like that when I was growing up.  I love different.  I think it is attractive and interesting.  So why wouldn't people be interested in my boys? 

But then a thought hit me.  Not everyone is like me...  Some people don't find different intriguing, they find it strange and intimidating.  Not to mention we will probably be going back to Simi Valley to live, with all of like 3 other black families in the city.  All the little white kids at church and school might not find it attractive or interesting or someone they would like to get to know.  Heck, they might have never even seen a black kid!  They might think they were a little scary and intimidating. (After all, they will both be huge!)  They might not want to bother with them when they already have their comfort zone of friends. 

I guess who really knows.  Maybe it won't be like that at all and they will be completely accepted.  Just another thing that we have to think about that most people don't.  Not bad, just different.  Something to be aware of and careful for but also we shouldn't assume this will be the way it will go.

Brothers

I was cooking and looked over to see this... so sweet

Eli looks a little worried...

Aren't they cute!

{I know the Grandparents won't argue with that!!}

Allez Verts!!

Lavar plays tonight somewhere about 2 hours north of Paris.  We need a win!  Allez Verts!!

{GO GREEN!!}

Daddy, doing work

My boys

Tae and his friend Etienne

Our Waffle Thanksgiving

So I usually do pretty good with the missing home thing.  I miss my family and friends, but I love my life here.  But this Thanksgiving has been a bit of a bummer.  Just beacuse Lavar had a road trip and is gone until tomorrow morning and it is just me and the boys and I don't have too many friends here.  I wanted to do something with just me and the boys and Tae's favorite thing to eat is waffles.  So we had waffles for dinner!  {I happen to enjoy waffles myself}

Tae of course, is always my helper in the kitchen and I just let him stir it up because the waffle maker gets so hot.  I could see that ending badly.  Here are some pictures of our evening and some things I am thankful for. 

My boys 'helping'

1.} I am thankful for my hard-working, reponsible husband who always puts us first and makes sure we are always taken care of.  Love him.

Little E man following me around helping

2.} My two strong, healthy boys.  I couldn't have asked for anything more.  And to top it off Tae's teachers told me that he is doing well in school and that he is a nice boy, no problems.  Good boy Tae!

My helper, not too sure what's with the face

 3.}  My extended family.  Cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sister-in-law, niece, grandparents, etc.  I am soooo blessed to have such an amazing extended family who all happen to live close together. 

Where Eli tries to spend most of his time.

 4.}  That we have food on our table.  I caught myself the other day, coming out of a grocery store thing 'I don't want to have to worry about money anymore! I am done counting pennies.'  I was getting a little annoyed and then thought, 'there are people in the world with nothing to eat and I am complaining about the budget being tight?  Let's get it together!'

My French waffle maker.

 5.} The opportunity to live in France.  Some people never get to see Europe, let along live there.  I get to live here!  Experience the culture, learn another language, meet new people.  It is fun, and it is hard at times, I still wouldn't change it!

Tae gettin' ready to chow down!

 6.}  The church family I found out here.  It has helped me integrate more and the people are so nice and inviting.  It is great to have all God's people all over the world!

Tae's meal

 7.}  My church family at home.  I have been having a hard time with Eli lately and it is so encouraging to get little notes, words of encouragement, and advice from my church family back home.  I don't have a lot of that here, so it is definitely refreshing!

Eli's meal

 8.} My Salvation. 'nuf said.

He had to have some waffles too!

 9.}  Packages!  My aunt sent me a package with French study materials and some christmas presents for the boys.  Love it!  Always fun and encouraging to get!

There are no words...

 10.}  Christmas season is going to be in full effect soon!  I can't wait for the music and decorations and food!  And this year I am sure I will get a white Christmas!  First ever for me!!

In case you were wondering, Tae did finish his mountain

 11.}  Christmas vacation coming soon! Tae gets two weeks off of school coming up December 18th.  And LAVAR gets 10 days off!  Lavar has never had more than two days off any of the seasons we have been out here together.  I can't wait!

It snowed!!

12.}  We woke up to snow this morning.  First time ever for me to be living in the snow.  Beautiful.

Please Eli, pretty, pretty PLEASE!!

Okay Ladies this is serious.  My cute little 7 month old booger WILL NOT sleep.  I am at a loss.  My first son was/is an excellent sleeper.  In fact, he is such a good sleeper that we are having the opposite problem with him, trying to get him to wake up to go to the bathroom in the night.  Eli on the other hand is ridiculous. He wakes up at least twice a night and then in the morning at around 6:30 or 7:00.  I know some kids just do that, but the thing is, I know he is tired.  I know he needs to sleep more.  I just don't know how to get him to do it. 

I have always been a fan of scheduling babies.  It worked for me and it worked for a lot of other mothers I know.  It helps them sleep and frees you up a lot.  However, I do understand it doesn't fit every parenting type, and people should do what works for them.  All that to say I started with Eli from week 2 or 3 and he was excellent.  Slept through the night at 8 weeks old, totally on his own.  After that, NO problem with him.  Then we moved to France.  It took him two nights to sleep through the night again.  It was excellent.  After that, he was fine.  Then a month or so later, he started having problems.  He just wakes up in the middle of the night or very early morning.  And now to add to that, he now will not take good naps.  Like literally an hour total per day.  Which I know is not enough. 

So I am ruling out time change and adjusting.  We have been here too long.  I am ruling out light sleeper, because serisouly, no one else ever wakes up until he is crying!  I haven't entirely ruled out teething.  He isn't drooling a ton like Tae did and he still has no teeth.  He is always biting his gums.  I got some gel to rub on his teeth and some French non-medical calmer thing and I am just not sure it helps.  Poor little guy.  Poor Daddy, poor Mommy!  I would say poor brother, but I am pretty sure he sleeps through most of it!!

I would love any suggestions any other parents have for teething or sleeping or both.  I don't want to get in the habit of rocking him back to sleep or have him get used to things that aren't possible to keep up.  I just want him to SLEEP!!  Looking forward to comments!!

Missing Home

I think this is to be expected around the holidays.  I think I knew it would come.  I have been doing my best not to let anything bother me and so far I have been golden.  I am an 'enjoy life where you are at' kinda gal.  But Thanksgiving is coming up, then Christmas just around the corner from that.  And this is the first year of my life that I won't be spending it with my family. 

Brother and Husband Christmas Morning

Don't get my wrong, I love it here.  I love our lifestyle and I love living in different country, learning a new language, and trying to understand a new culture.  I like trying to integrate myself here and make new friends.  But it is hard because when I look on facebook, and I see all the friendships back home that are so effortless. {I don't have to translate everything in my head before I talk!}  Friendships I have had forever.  I miss my parents.  They are just awesome people to be around.  I miss my home church, although I am thankful to have found one here.  I miss all the other moms I know in the area and the support they offer.  I miss my cousins and their kids (Tae's friends).

Other brother and his wife Christmas Morning

But this is my life.  Some people never even get to see Europe, let alone live there.  (Granted, people probably don't care to live here, either).  I am learning another language, which is a huge, huge feet.  I have so much respect for people who know multiple languages.  I am giving my kids a broader view of the world, and allowing them to understand what other cultures are like.  I am getting a broader view of the world.  It is easy to be a closed minded American because America is so huge and does so many things well.  But other cultures and ways of life have things to offer too. 

Great pic, I know!

Over all, I wouldn't change anything about my life.  I love the experience that this is offering me right now.  I don't ever want to miss home so much I am not enjoying what is infront of me.  So I am embracing the new things of this year.  Being with my family, my boys, and my husband.  Creating new traditions for the Simmons family.  It is all very exciting and I am looking forward to it.  I just have to train myself to live in the now, enjoying what the Lord has given me for now.  And I do.  Thank you, Lord!

Tae and Daddy Christmas Morning

With my brother at Christmas Dinner

Christmas Blogger Challege: Day 3!

Today I am going to talk about tips and tricks for keeping a budget friendly holiday.  This is something I try to do every year.  I kow Christmas is huge, but we try to keep it within reason for us (which is probably small for others).  It is just a holiday and we don't want to overlook the real reason we are celebrating, Jesus' birth.  I also don't want my son to be the kid that opens a gift that isn't 'as cool' as something else some one else bought him and throw it to the side.  I want him to be appreciative for every gift he gets.  So far so good because he doesn't get very many gifts, but I am proud of his attitude.  Anyway, here are my tips:

1.) Have a limit for each person.  Mine is usually 20 euros per person.  (More for the boys and Lavar) DO NOT go over the limit, no matter how cute or good that present it.

2.)  Be specific.  I used to like to spend a ton of money on presents because I thought it showed I loved that person more.  But since money has been tight for us, I realized I can be just as thoughtful with something simple that the person really needs or wants.  My dad and younger brother always like a good book.  My sister-in-law, something organizing or cute.  I get them a specific gift within my budget.

3.)  Use your change.  I know this sounds funny, but most people when they get change from a purchase, put it in their purse and don't think about it again.  I try to pay everything exact if I can.  I think you spend less money using up the change!

4.)  Be creative.  Without being cheap or unthoughtful, make some gifts.  I have made little girl headbands for my neice and cousins.  If you have a talent, use it!  Not like 'one coupon for a free hug' or something like that though.

5.)  Coupons!  I have never done black Friday, so I am not good at that, but there are always good coupons out there for different things.  20% off Bed Bath and Beyond or Borders.  You can always google coupons for whatever deals you want to find.  If you get the gift for cheaper, don't buy more to supplement to get the gift up to the allotted amount.  Take the deal and you saved money!

I am very frugal and planned during the holiday season.  I think it can be enjoyed and at the same time not break the bank.  After all, how can you enjoy the holiday if you are stressing over money issues!!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!

Okay, so I missed day 1 of the blogger challege over at Aly's blog, but I thought I would join anyway, because I LOVE CHRISTMAS!  I think I am ambracing Christmas more this year because we are away from all my family and friends back home and in the Bahamas, and it is the first time we are having Christmas as a family, just us 4.  I am doing my best to make traditions and make sure it is super enjoyable for Tae, I know he misses family too.  So the topic I chose to write about is Holiday Traditions!!

I chose this because as my family has many of our own, my family being my parents and brothers, our family, Lavar, me, Tae, and Eli have to start some new ones.  I going to post some of my ideas and we will see how much of them I actually do this season.  I have a tendency not to follow through...




1.)  December 1st is decoration day!  I am getting everything ready this week and next Wednesday we are going to wake up late, have a ymmy breakfast, listen to Christmas music, drink hot coco, and decorate the house!  It won't take much time, but I want to do it as a family and have fun doing it!  {We chose Dec. 1st because Lavar doesn't have practice til late and Tae doesn't have school.  It just happened to be the first day of December!}

2.) Christmas Movie.  Lavar doesn't really like my family's Christmas movie {A Christmas Story} Boo!  So we have to find a new one.  Lavar suggested Chronciles on Narnia I was thinking the Grinch.  We haven't decided the movie, but we are going to put it on the lap top and cuddle in mommy and daddy's bed with lots of pillows and watch our Christmas movie!  Can't wait!!

3.) Christmas Lights.  This year it happens to be in Lyon where they have this huge lights display.  But I figure that is something you can do every year, no matter what country you are in!

4.) Gift on Christmas Eve.  Perhaps pajamas?  Maybe a cool pair of Spiderman Socks (just saw some today) Something to get us in the Christmas spirit!

5.) Christmas dinner with friends.

6.)  Christmas Breakfast.  Probably one of my favorite traditions.  After we open up all our presents, my parents went in the kitchen and made everyone breakfast.  Yummy eggs over easy with toast and bacon.  I want to continue that tradition and I am pretty sure I won't get an argument from Lavar!  We will just have to change up the breakfast a little bit.

That's it!!  I hope I get to them all.  I love Christmas, but my biggest wish this year is for my son to have a wonderful time full of memories that will last him a lifetime.  I want him to feel loved through the times we spend together more than the gifts.  {Quite frankly, there won't be that many!}

I look forward to reading everyone else's traditions!!  Maybe I will steel a few!

Eli's Crawling! Or scooting, or whatever you would call this...

Eli is crawling!!! Sort of.


I am going to take more video of him crawling from above so you can see how he does it.  It is like a froggy hop-scoot.  It is cute and funny.  Enjoy!

Okay, I gotta do something about this...

Okay, so I am not an organized person.  I don't have a lot of things together.  The problem with me is that I want to have it all together, perfectly, and be organized, but it just isn't in me!  Here is the schedule I would like to keep:



What I would like to look like...

 6:15 ~ Wake up & Bible study
7:15 ~ Shower (yes, I have to schedule my showers, otherwise I don't get them!)
7:30 ~ Get the boys up, breakfast, and get Tae ready
8:15 ~ Begin the walk to school
8:45 ~ Get home, feed Eli solids, and put him down for a nap
9:00 ~ Study French
11:15 ~ Leave to get Tae from school
11:30 ~ Lunch
1:15 ~ Back to school

1:30 ~ grocery shopping, cleaning, or other odd jobs I need to do

3:00 ~ Eli's second nap

4:15 ~ Get Tae from school

4:30 ~ play with the boys a bit
5:15ish ~ start dinner
6:00 ~ Have Tae clean up
6:30 ~ Bed time ritual
7:30 ~ Boys in bed!!  My RELAX time
9:30 ~ Bedtime for mommy!



Probably a little more accurate. {Including the hair}



But instead, my day looks like a mess of those things.  I know there can be a balance, but for some reason, I feel like I function better with a schedule.  I hardly ever get up when I want to, like maybe 3 times a week, if I'm lucky.  Most of the time, I hit the snooze which Lavar hates.  I am lucky to get up before Eli, who seems to have an alarm clock built in. 

I just don't know what to do.  I am always tired.  I cannot get up in the mornings!!  I try to go to bed at a decent hour, which usually ends up to be about 10 {enough plenty for normal people}, but it is never enough for me.  UGH.  What can I do to feel less tired?  I don't drink sodas, I never eat out, I am a realtively healthy person, although I could stand for some more excersize in my life.  I am just so frustrated, but I function so much better when I can be on a schedule and not tired.  I get so much more done.  I just don't know what to do.

So, I don't really know who reads my blogs, but I would love some suggestions!! What do you guys do?  Any suggestions on how to not be as tired?  Maybe I need to start jogging or something.  I would love to hear from you!

Karaoke Night!

So the other night was family night in the Simmons house. Basically mommy had been trapped in the house all day and decided we needed a break. So we went out to get some pizza and drove around town for a bit waiting for it to be done. Then when we got back home, that is where the fun began... Karaoke!! (Tae loves it and yet, Lavar did get into it. You'll see.)

Told you! :)

DJ Daddy

So handsome

Even Eli chimed in!  (not really)

Tae is a natural star!  haha

yep, had to get on the chair. (might have been mommy's suggestion...)

And I take the pictures.  So no pictures of mommy being silly or hitting Mariah Carey high notes.  Lavar sang to Celine Dion and Bob Marley, Tae sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow, a house favorite, and mommy sang Killing Me Softly.  We all sang eachother's songs too.  Overall, it was a fun night!  I love my family!

Faux-Thanksgiving Weekend

Oh my goodness, so handsome!

This weekend was Thanksgiving weekend at the church that we are attending. We were able to find this church through GBIM (Grace Brethren International Missions) who connected us with a church in Lyon (a little too far) and they connected us with a church here. It is funny because the few other basketball players that we know who are believers and lived in St Etienne have attended this church. I didn't even talk to them before trying it, so I thought it was a pretty funny coincident!
Anyway, it was great. I made two pumpkin pies, which turned out okay, but the crust was a bummer because I bought it premade and I think it is supposed to be used for tarts or quiches. (I know, I know, Dad) But they still tasted good and I didn't get any leftovers, so that must have been a good sign. The sweet potato casserole was a huge hit. I think because it is so sweet. I didn't use my grandma's recipe, which is one of my favorites, because I couldn't find it, but this one was good too.

It was really nice fellowship and fun. I didn't get to use a lot of French because I was sat at a table with all English speaking people. Which is good for Lavar. But my friend Lydie was there and she told me in French to always speak in French! I got a little scolding... Overall it was fun. I just have a few pictures, not many, I have got to get used to taking more pictures!!

Tae grubbin

Eli in a big boy high chair!

Eli just couldn't hang



Handsome



Handsome!