Picture This

(This picture might work... it is only a year old and somewhat festive.)

(I have also debated just sending this picture out because almost all of us are in it, it is current and mostly not blurry.)

It's official: I am a total Christmas card slacker this year.

I can't even blame it on the fact that we don't have a picture (although we don't) since our amazing picture-taking friend has mentioned more than once that he's ready and willing to do a photo shoot.

I had completely decided to bypass the whole tradition this year but the guilt (and inquiring children: When are we getting family pictures done, Mom?) is making me do it anyway.

I think I have come up with something of a solution.

I am going to call our amazing picture-taking friend and ask when (or, at this point: if?) he's available for a photo shoot.

I am not going to try to coordinate outfits. I am going to either:

a) tell each of the kids to wear whatever they want, including princess crowns, jedi robes, velvety elf pants and superman capes if they so desire

b) have everyone wear something resembling a sweater

or

c) just put winter coats and beanies on everyone (no hair to do! GENIUS!).

As for the letter, I am thinking of just inserting a little card with the photo which reads:

Our theme for this year was SIMPLIFY. It was awesome. Merry Christmas!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Cookies For Santa

Awesome.

Secret Santa

As I stepped outside to grab my shoes last week I found this hanging on my doorknob.


When I opened it up, I found an envelope with my name written across the front and a cute holiday card inside.


And then the best part of all...


A whole new set of socks!! Someone knows me well.

The card was simply signed, "From Someone Who Loves You".

Surprise socks? Even better. A big, huge thank you from my feet and I to the mystery sock-giver.

Now I just need to find a skirt or some elf-ish capris to really show off those stripey fur-topped holiday socks. You think I could pull it off?


Without the monkey pajamas, I mean.

To whoever you are, you mysterious bearer of fantastical footwear, thank you. You made my day - and you are awesome.



Want to read more? Well, alrighty! If you'd like to read about a Christmas tradition in my family, click over to 4P today.

Stocking Is Underrated

Last month my eldest daughter, ElemenoB, turned the magical age of 16. The magic has nothing to do with becoming the age for acquiring a driver's license (no, we had to force her into finally getting her driving permit last week). The magic has everything to do with reaching the age that we allow our children to date.

Well, ElemenoB jumped right on that. She hasn't been asked out yet (unless you count already being asked to next year's homecoming dance) but she has taken matters into her own hands.

The school hosts a 'girl's choice' Christmas dance in December. She and some friends brainstormed unique ways to ask someone to this dance using a Christmasy-type theme. She decided to load up a Christmas stocking full of treats and attach the following note:

I promise I'm not
STOCKING you,
I just wanted to ask you
to the Christmas dance.
From ElemenoB

ElemenoB then sent the stocking with a friend who is on a school trip to California (along with the guy she is asking) so that he could find it outside of his hotel room door one morning.

As one who basically stalked my husband across state lines to get him to notice me (and, eventually, marry me), this form of asking is close to my heart as well as - in my humble opinion - pure genius.

The answer is pending... but really, how could he say no?

Holiday Cheer

As a general rule, last minute Christmas shopping = misery.

Except for one small moment on Saturday.

We have a tradition of letting the kids buy gifts for each others' stockings so Allen and I each took a portion of the kids shopping. I had Coolister, Thumbelina, Princess, Hubba and Little O with me as we looked for fun items to stuff stockings with. At each store Coolister would hoist Little O up on his shoulders and my little trail of duckilings would follow me in.

When we came to a bookstore a gentleman and his wife held the doors open for us - me at the front and Coolister with Little O at the back of our entourage. As Coolister thanked him for holding the door the man responded, "My pleasure. You two have a good-looking family!"

Coolister looked to me, rolled his eyes, and thanked the guy... even though I know that he was probably disgusted that someone would think he was married to his mom.

It's the little things like this that make my holidays awesome.

Season's Readings

Every year at Christmas our family likes to read a holiday story together. These are my two favorites and I often recommend them to others whether it is the holiday season or not.

Let me tell you why.

Christmas Jars is the story of Hope, a reporter who is grieving the recent loss of her adoptive mother when her apartment is robbed. Soon after someone leaves a small jar full of money anonymously on her doorstep. Eager to learn the source of this unexpected generosity, Hope uses her skills as an investigative journalist to find other recipients of 'Christmas jars'. Her search eventually leads her to the family who first began the tradition of saving a year's worth of spare change to give to someone in need at the holiday... but that's all I'm going to tell you.

It is a wonderful story which teaches the power which lies in giving of yourself... and may inspire a new Christmas tradition for you.


A Return to Christmas is a heartwarming Christmas story which follows the lives of two young boys living in different worlds; Artemus and Chess. I don't want to give away too much of what happens, but through a simple twist of fate these boys are thrown into unexpected circumstances which teach them both much of who they really are. It is a story of Christmas miracles and family ties and enduring love. This book is written by Chris Heimerdinger, who is one of my favorite authors because of his ability to write in such a way that his stories are brought to life.

Both books are great to read aloud with your family or all by yourself, wrapped in your favorite quilt with something chocolate nearby.

Celebrate the season with a little bit of readin'!

Christmas Letter 2009

I finally got around to writing our family Christmas letter. I try to make it fun every year - a bit more than the typical "our family is awesome" (although, we ARE awesome, make no mistake about that!). Parts of this poem may not rhyme or fit well because I had to switch out the kids' real names for their blog names. But either way, you're all on my Christmas card list, so here you go. Enjoy! And happy holidays everyone.

p.s. If you would like an actual hard-copy of the picture and poem, I'd love to send you one. Really. All of you. Even if it's just so that you can have more Christmas photos on your fridge than your roommate or neighbor. I'm all about competition. Just tell me so in the comments or send me an email at gerbdonna at gmail dot com.

This year was exciting, fantastic and fun!

Let me tell you some of the great things we have done.

Allen & Coolister came back, all ranting and raving

From scout trips with rafting and camping and caving,

And biking and hiking and canyoneering, too.

There is nothing that these two scouters can’t do!

The oldest 3 kids are involved in all sorts

Of reading and writing and singing and sports.

Cross country was great for Coolister(16) and ElemenoB(15)

And basketball’s in the equation as well.

Thumbelina’s(13) in “Annie” and an all-girl choir,

All-a-Boy’s(10) a Webelo who loves a good fire,

He, Thumbelina and Cowgirl are writers of prose

They always impress us with what they compose.

Cowgirl(8) was baptized because she turned 8,

She, All-a-Boy and Princess think choir is great!

Princess(6) loves the first grade and lunchtime at school

She always says ‘awesome’, thinks reading is cool.

Hubba(5) loves trains, dirt and video games,

(And he thinks that Hubba is really his name).

Curly(3) enjoys singing and drawing with colors.

She loves to drink milk and play with her brothers.

Can you believe our happy Little O turned one?

He thinks that destroying and biting are fun.

But we’re always a sucker for when he will come

And snuggle up to us while sucking his thumb.

Allen’s year (in numbers) has been mighty fine.

He’s been alive for 40 and at his current job for 9.

Want to know what’s happening with me; Gerb, the mom?

Go visit gerbsrandomthoughts.blogspot.com.

For you in our lives, we count ourselves blessed.

We wish you all peace, love and much happiness!

It's Finally Here

This morning we looked out the window and saw this:


Which resulted in Princess' prayer this morning:

Heavenly Father,

We thank thee for finally covering everything with so much snow 'cuz it sure is sweet to look at! We know we can't play in it yet because we are good kids who hafta go to church in this morning but when we do get to play in it later we'll be thankful all over again.

We're thankful for the food we get to eat for breaftist because we can eat it while seeing all that sweet snow outside! And right now when we woked up it was still snowing so thanks for letting us really see the snow fall and make even more snow stick on the earth, too. It's pretty awesome.

I want to ask thee to bless lots of things but I can't remember them because I'm too excited about the snow. But bless all those things. You know what they are.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We're ROCKIN' !!

In a very uncharacteristic move, Allen and I decided to purchase a Wii for the kids for Christmas.

Only so we could also purchase RockBand - the most fun I have ever had in my living room!

It is so much fun to invite our friends over to play...

(I wish I could be pictured above, but someone had to be photographer)

I mean... the kids invite their friends over.

OK, they will. Eventually.

Because we totally bought it for the kids.

Totally.

Who Knew?

One thing I love about Christmas is getting treats from the neighbors. It is no secret that I have quite the sweet tooth and I love eating holiday sweets... except for Peeps. These disgusting lumps of marshmallow coated with sugar crystals are an Easter candy that has been exploited to fit every possible holiday.

Hey, you can like them. I'll still be your friend.

...back to the Peeps.

Last Sunday a well-intentioning neighbor brought over EIGHT! packages of Peeps Christmas trees for our family to enjoy. "They were left over from what I gave to the kids in nursery at church today," she explained. "And you have all those kids, so I knew they'd get eaten."

The thought was very... sweet. But just imagining the sugar-induced high that my kids would be experiencing made my stomach feel sickly.

The kids were already bouncing off walls. Continuous strains of "Can I have a Peep? Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I, Mom?" were reverberating through my ears as I deliberated a possible solution to the overabundance of Peeps.

"Let's sleep on it," I responded. "I'll have an answer in the morning."

It turns out someone else took care of the Peeps for me.

Cowgirl had lost one of her front teeth that very afternoon and set it in the usual place, on top of the microwave, in anticipation of some cold, hard cash from the tooth fairy. As we headed for bed I placed the Peeps on top of the microwave as well, in 2 stacks of 4 boxes each.

In the morning we found this note:


The speculation among the kids is now that the tooth fairy collects teeth to replace her own.

Tooth fairy, wherever you are, thank you.

That's What It's All About

One of my favorite Christian musicians, Kenneth Cope, produced this short video.

Forget the hustle and bustle of the season for a moment...this is what Christmas is all about.

The Blue Sweater

Christmas! The season is here. I have so many reasons to love this holiday, but the most prominent are the memories of the years that we had the least - monetarily, anyway.

Our first few years in California were tough. After my Dad lost his job in Iowa we moved to California to live with my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Dick. They were generous enough to not only offer my father employment but to also welcome us into their home. We lived with them for quite a while until Mom and Dad felt like we could try to make a go of things on our own and we moved into a nearby apartment. Mom and Dad told us that there would not be much for Christmas that year, but we would all be receiving a little something.

I remember well a trip to the mall a few days before Christmas to see the holiday displays and do some window shopping, something we did often. As I passed one particular window I caught sight of a beautiful blue sweater. Oh, how I wanted that sweater! I was at one of the most awkward social stages of my life. I had difficulty making friends and I was sure this sweater could help me in that department. With this sweater? Instant popularity! Friends galore! I slipped into the store, waving my family ahead.

I found my size and held it in front of me. It was so soft and warm. I looked into a mirror and could see how its blue color brought out the color of my eyes. I didn't dare try it on for fear that it would be a perfect fit, cementing the thought in my mind that we were made for each other, this sweater and I. I looked at the price tag... there was no way. I couldn't even ask.

I folded the sweater up and placed it back with the others in shades of red, purple and green. After one last, longing look, I hurried to catch up with my family.

Over the next couple of days we enjoyed some simple holiday traditions together - making cookies and decorating the tree. On Christmas Eve we delivered cookies to a few of our neighbors and friends then came back home to enjoy some Christmas treats. As we watched some holiday programs on the T.V. a loud knock sounded at our door. We ran to find who was coming to visit on Christmas Eve, throwing the door open eagerly. There was no one there. We were excited when we looked down and noticed a large box, filled with canned food, a ham and a gift for each of us! Christmas morning could not come quickly enough.

After a long, restless night, Christmas morning dawned. We gathered around the tree, eagerly anticipating the opening of gifts. There were a few things for each of us and we (im)patiently sat as each person took turns opening their presents one at a time, the way Mom liked to have us do it. Why we weren't allowed to just tear into the paper like wild banshees and get to what was inside was beyond me, but Mom made the rules.

I don't recall what my other gifts were but when it finally came my turn to open the mysterious gift left anonymously, I said a little prayer in my mind... "Please, Heavenly Father, let it be the blue sweater..." then I stopped. I felt a bit embarrassed. Who was I to ask God for a silly sweater? And why get my hopes up? The chances were slim to none. I slowly opened the gift and could not believe my eyes.

There it was. My sweater. The right size, the right color. We were made for each other.

Some may chalk it up to coincidence, but I choose to believe that God knows us personally and He knows what our needs are. And I think He works through others to bless us in simple ways when He knows we need it most.

This may sound over dramatic to you, but to a young pre-teen girl in need of a boost in the self-esteem department?

It was my own Christmas miracle.

We Still Have Thanksgiving

First of all, let me just say that I LOVE Christmas. I especially love how it brings out the best in so many people. But you know what? I also love Thanksgiving. And I wish people would stop acting like it doesn't exist.

Have I mentioned that I don't want to hear Christmas music until after Thanksgiving? Well, I don't. You can listen now. That's all fine and good, and I'll still be your friend. But I don't want to.

So, in the spirit of my desire to recognize Thanksgiving for the fabulous holiday that it is, I am creating a compilation CD with Thanksgiving music. But here's where I need your help.

I only have one song in mind so far.

Thankful by Josh Groban

Do you know of any other great songs that talk about being thankful? Please, enlighten me, and I'll share my final playlist later.



Save me from the Christmas music.

A Homemade Christmas

It is Christmas day, and I am happily eating Chocolate Crinkle Cookies & Egg Nog Bread (thanks, Mom!) with a tall, cold glass of milk as I sit at my computer.

We had the 6 oldest kids draw names and make gifts for each other this year, and it turned out awesome. Do you want to see what they made for each other? Of course you do, or you wouldn't still be reading!

The Pokemon-Obsessed Kid custom made I'm Taller Than You a ping-pong paddle and carry case, along with an IOU for some ping-pong balls.
The Little Lady Who Refers To Herself In The Third Person made a beautiful skirt for One Of The Letters Of The Alphabet.
Little Cowgirl Who Speaks Cowboy made The Girl Whose Name Rhymes With Nothing some froggy pajama pants.
The Girl Whose Name Rhymes With Nothing created a Pokemon case for the Pokemon-Obsessed Kid to carry all his cards in. Don't you love Mod-Podge? The pillowcase was a bargain-find.
I'm Taller Than You & One Of The Letters Of The Alphabet made Little Cowgirl Who Speaks Cowboy & The Little Lady Who Refers To Herself In The Third Person a quilt, pillowcases, and throw pillows to go on their new bed. Mr. Precocious got a Thomas bed set (the blanket used to be a sleeping bag with a broken zipper, so don't be too impressed) by Mom.
The Curly Headed Cutie got a "happy hands" quilt from Grandma.
Allen got to fix the window wipers on the suburban.

I got time to write a post.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

For those of you who I know read my blog, here is your annual Christmas newsletter. If you want me to mail you the hard copy with actual kid names and photo, leave me a comment or send me an email. Otherwise, less mail for you to go through! I put way too much work into writing our update every year, so this year I had everyone write their own. I think you'll enjoy having a new perspective!

I hope everyone finds time this season to think about what they're giving instead of what they're getting. And I'm not just talking presents - there are so many other ways to give!

And now, for your reading pleasure, I present...

BLACK FAMILY NEWSLETTER 2007

Everyone is going to tell you about the highlights of this year from their own perspective!

Allen- Gerberta and I celebrated 15 years of married bliss in August. I attribute this longevity to Gerberta's agreeing that I'm right so she can fall asleep while I talk to myself about the merits of my brilliant arguments. I remain employed at Wavetronix, which has grown remarkably in its 7-year existence. It is still a wonderful place to work. Church service is an ever-increasing occupation. I particularly enjoy the opportunities this affords to go on high adventure scout trips with the young men. Above all, family life is the most interesting, challenging, and rewarding aspect of my good life. Gerb and I are as excited for the arrival of our ninth child as we were for the first. Call us crazy, and doubtless we are, but the insanity is priceless.

Gerb- The most exciting news this year is that we are expecting another baby! Allen & I celebrated our 15^th anniversary with a 14-mile hike and a river run - something I never thought I would do. I was also thrilled to spend a week camping this summer with a dynamic group of 12-17 year old young women. What fun! I continue to enjoy life as a wife and mother and all of the craziness that comes with it.

A.M.- I turned 14 this year & I went on to Venturing Scouts where we do more challenging and fun campouts. I also started high school, which is much harder than middle school was. I have developed new talents in ping-pong and tennis, which, along with friends, eating & sleeping, are my passions in life (according to my mom).

E.M.- This year I was able to fly in an airplane for the 1^st time to go to Texas for the Family reunion! I was also able to go to Girls Camp with my mom & had a blast! In November I turned 13 & am now officially a teenager. I am excited to be in my school play, Guys & Dolls.

J.C.- This summer I enjoyed catching frogs, swimming and singing with my family at our reunion in Texas. I have also been making new friends and working constantly in Mr.Z’s mind stretching, fun 6^th grade class! (check it out at www.classroomofchaos.com)

K.C.- I turned 8 this year and got baptized on May 5th. In the summer we had a family reunion in Texas. We went to the beach, the water was cold but I got used to it. It was a fun year. I love Cub Scouts, playing with Isaac, Pokemon, swimming, and school.

E.G.- I went to 1^st grade at school. I went to the beach at Texas. At Texas I got to practice talking like a cowboy. I like to write letters and draw.

G.A.- I playded with the dollhouse. I playded with HH. I rided on the tractor in Texas because it was so much fun! I sawded fire bugs & went to the beach.

H.H.- I like my trains. I love peanut butter, toast & milk. I love nursery at church and do NOT want to leave next year. Just try to make me. My little potty training toilet seat makes a cool cowboy hat.

C.D.- I learned to walk, then run, then climb. I can climb anywhere and get into anything. I can get away with this because I am so adorable.

New Addition- I am busy growing bigger. See you in May 2008!

May God bless each of you in the upcoming year!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!