That’s what Isaac calls the microphone.

He’s got his own gig…singing in the family room. He has set up a “stage” in front of our curtains…complete with a (no longer functional) mike-a-pone….just like Daddy.

My goofy red head has Doug’s show at Disney all figured out….he practices their “bit’ and sings songs that Doug’s group sings in the park.

He’s even got some vocal percussion going….very weird to hear from a three year old…but hilarious.

Isaac’s favorite thing is when Daddy joins him “on stage” and sings with him.

Who needs a television around here? I’ve got my own entertainment committee.

O.k….so I dragged our tree out of the garage and put it together on Saturday.

Added lights Monday.

Hung one container of ornaments with Doug and the boys last night.

I have 3 more containers….about 75% of our ornaments….. left to put up.

Is life so busy that I can’t finish decorating the tree?

Yup.

Yesterday was a kamikaze day of radio editing for Pastor Gib’s Calvary Orlando broadcast.  I love editing…it gives me a chance to hear the messages that Pastor Gib is bringing to our sending church…and they are wonderful.  This month is 2 Peter.  Awesome stuff….and I truly enjoy doing it…..it just takes a lot longer to complete the work when I’ve got the whole mommy gig going at the same time.  So that was pretty much all I did yesterday.

Today Noah and I are off to Melbourne for a visit with his DAN doctor.   I enjoy my trips over there with Noah….it’s just our fun little mommy/Noah time together.  That will be about four hours of our day today.  Fun….but time consuming.

When I get home, I will throw dinner together and head out to a leadership meeting for a ministry that our church is starting in January.  Doug will have a night alone with the boys. 

I’ll be home around 10:00 tonight.

I love all the activity….it’s just kinda crazy right now. 

I guess the tree is gonna have to wait.

Finally!  Since we first learned over two years ago that we were getting an IKEA in Orlando, Doug and I have talked about how great it would be to go there for date night.

Well…tonight was our first IKEA date night.

It. was. da. bomb.

First up…dinner in the cafe.  Swedish meatballs & wild rice, ligonberries, drinks…a stylish and quiet setting….$12.  I’m such a cheap date.

After dinner, we spent almost two hours strolling slowly through the store.  We dissed each other’s taste in sofas and found out what we both like in computer desks.  We  dreamed of how organized our house will be when we get some new wall units and storage bins.  We reminisced when we saw a groovy little sofa that unfolded to a bed….both of us owned one like it in our college days. 

Now that’s a fun date, ya’ll.

Cheap food….lots of pretty colors….laughing and planning…..who needs expensive restaurants and overpriced movies?

We grabbed a cinnamon roll on the way out and shared it on the drive home, as I recounted some goofy nonsense to Doug about my experience trying out for a dance squad in high school.  (Didn’t make it, by the way.  You had to be able to do Rockette type kicks.  Me?….not so much.)  It was great to be out together….sans children….just relaxing and talking. 

Date night at IKEA….yep….it was everything we thought it would be. 

Surely you’ve seen this Mary Tyler Moore episode….Mary gets uncontrollable giggles during the funeral for Chuckles the Clown…it’s a hoot.

Anywho…

I had a major fight with myself during church this morning to beat down some uncontrollable giggles that threatened to completely take over. 

I sang with the worship team this morning….something I do when one of the regular girls is out.  During the first song, our drummer let us know that he was having issues with his electronic drums.  We finished the first and second song without incident, and paused for our usual prayer break.  Just as our prayer person was starting the prayer, the drums went off on a wild riff….and it was hysterical.  Everyone laughed…the prayer and the worship service went on….but I had the HARDEST time getting it back together.  It took me two complete songs and every ounce of focus left in my cranium to keep from losing it.

What didn’t help is that flashes of other times that I’ve had uncontrollable giggles kept running through my head….and all of them at the MOST inappropriate times….

I once got uncontrollable giggles while breaking up with a guy.

I got uncontrollable giggles in a tiny little church that my family was visiting once while on vacation in Vancouver.  We took communion….in front of the church….at the kneeling bench….and my sister Michelle took a huge swig out of the common cup….her first taste of wine.  (We were raised in a Southern Baptist church…nothing but Welch’s grape juice in those cups.)  As she about fell over backwards coughing and gagging, I could not stop laughing to save my life.

I once got the uncontrollable giggles during jury duty.  As the attorney for the prosecution was questioning me as a potential juror, I just started laughing.  I can not for the life of me explain why I was laughing, but I couldn’t stop.  I was not seated on that jury.

I once got the uncontrollable giggles during someone’s solo.  This was awful.  I NEVER laugh at people who have enough guts to get up and sing.  It’s just plain mean.  BUT….when I was still teaching, I went to our staff Christmas party.  One of the teachers sang “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and bless her heart….could not find the pitch to save her life.  I was just sitting there feeling bad for her until my aide muttered under her breath, “you keep singin’ like that, he’s not gonna want you to come home”…and that was it.  I had to get up and leave the room before that poor teacher saw me laughing. 

Oh. my.

So….I made it through this morning.  I hope the drums are fixed before next week, though….I might not be able to beat down the giggles if it happens again.

May I please have a dollop of whipped cream to go with that humble pie that I now need to consume after predicting that my Seminoles actually had a chance of defeating the Gators tonight?! 

Except for our field goal kicker nailing that 60 yarder, that was just. plain. sad.

Go ahead and airmail the Heisman trophy to Tim Tebow.

That kid is a freak.