It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas somewhere

Here's some of this year's Christmas pictures. I think it's totally ridiculous to use a sled as a prop considering where we live, but I didn't have the heart to tell the lady to "put that stinkin thing away." And it was the exact same "snowy background" as last year. At least they didn't put him in front of the wrinkled hearth again. Ugh. The pics are not as good as last year's (I don't know if we'll ever top those) but they'll make the grandmas happy!

We went to see "Australia" last night. I expected it to be a bit "different" considering Baz Lurhmann ("Strictly Ballroom", Leo Dicaprio-Romeo and Juliet, and "Moulin Rouge".)

It wasn't different, but it was quite violent. It made me sad, but it didn't make me cry. It made me a bit happy, but I didn't experience a post movie high.

I liked it, but then again, I liked Twilight (and other useless movies), so consider that your fair warning.

Aah, Final Exams

NO, no final exams for me. I am sooo done with that part of my education...

Ben has been teaching another psych class this semester and today was the final exam. When he walked in, most of his students (~70) were already in place and had heads down doing last minute studying. When it was time, Ben instructed the students to put away their things and he handed out the finals. As he was looking around, he noticed a few students that didn't look too familiar. No big deal, lots of students come out of the woodwork for finals, right?

A few minutes after he had handed out the test, a girl walked up to the front of the room to ask him something: "Um, is this the computer science final?" Ben smiled and told her it was a psychology final. She handed in her exam (she had completed the first page) and sheepishly walked out.

For the record: None of her answers were correct. Good thing it was the wrong final.

James has insisted on taking one of his favorite things to bed with him for some time. Last week I snapped these pics of two of his recent choices. His "Bob the Builder" CD and the keyboard we gave him.

The wisdom of 2 year olds

James has been killing us lately with the things that come out of his mouth. He was in trouble the other night and I told him, "You have two choices, you can pick up your toys or you can brush your teeth." He looked at me and said, "I want choice number 3."

He woke up and asked if it was Christmas for the millionth time. Exasperated, I told him that Christmas was not here yet. He thought for a minute and said, "It's already Christmas at Walmart. I want to go to Walmart for Christmas."

I already told you about Jesus and his band.

He wasn't eating his green beans the other night and when I asked him why he told me, "These green beans are dangerous." Huh?

We were at Walgreens and he saw a giant M&M bank. He started the "I want I want I want" drama and I told him, "We'll have to tell Santa you want this." We turned the corner and we were face to face with an old man with white hair. James of course says, "Santa, I want the big M&M!" Thank heavens for faulty hearing aids! The man asked me what he said, and I truthfully answered, "he was just telling you that he wants that M&M."

He crawled under the bench at church yesterday to retrieve a stray crayon. He came up, pointed under the bench and said, "They can hear me." No one was sitting there and I have no idea who they were. It was kinda weird.

He HATES when we pick him up from nursery at church. He'll cry and wail until we get out into the hallway and then he'll stop crying and take off for the clerk's office because they keep candy in there. He will dodge people all the way across the building while I get stuck behind people having conversations or whatever. By the time I made it to the office yesterday I heard him say to one of the leaders in there, "I need Bubbles and a candy. Where are they?"

Say what?

A conversation I wish I had never been a part of:

Lady in scrubs: Hi, my name is __________ and I'm a student phlebotomist. Is it ok if I practice, oh I mean draw your blood today?

Me: (looking around for someone else) Um, ok.

Lady in scrubs: Great, 'cause I need all the practice I can get!

Me: (thinking to myself) OH CRAP!

Time passes as she ties up my arm and jabs the inside of my elbow.

Real Phlebotomist: Did you find anything?

Lady in scrubs: I think so. Is this it?

Me: (thinking) OH CRAP!

Real Phlebotomist: I don't know, feel around for it.

Lady in scrubs: I think this is it. Oh wait, maybe it's right here.

Me: (thinking) OH CRAP! Maybe I don't really need this test.

Real Phlebotomist: Did you find it? She does have two arms, you know.

Student starts over on other arm, and repeats the phrase, "Is this it?" no less than 15 times. I am NOT exagerrating.

Me: (thinking) This is for the good of science. Someone else will suffer less because of me. You have friends in nursing school, they have to practice on people, too. At least it wasn't a 'practice' epidural or a 'practice' cathether or a 'practice' surgery or a 'practice' root canal, etc.