It's a long one, but it was a long weekend too!

What is it that makes you laugh?  What is it that makes you cry?  I ask because I had a weekend full of both.  First let me say, that the past 4 days went by like a flash of light a camera gives when you’re least expecting it.  It also left me feeling the same way that camera flash does, blinking a lot and wondering if you’re missing something good while trying to get your sight back. 

Thursday was Thanksgiving and we hosted my mom’s side of the family (the Williams).  I baked my first Turkey and it was fantastic.  The secret is to wrap it bacon.  (See previous post to read about my feelings on bacon.)  Everyone showed up except for one cousin and her husband, but she’s expecting child number 2 and wasn’t feeling well so I’ll excuse her for that reason alone.  Everyone brought something good to eat and we decided not to draw names for Christmas but to bring a $10 gift and play a game.  Although nothing really funny happened on Thursday, it was a lovely day with great food and good company.  After everyone left my husband ran out and rented a couple of movies.  He got Toy Story 3 for the kids, but we all sat together and watched it.  And this started my crying fest 2010.  If you haven’t seen this movie and you have kids, make sure you have tissues nearby cause I haven’t spoken to anyone who has seen it and didn’t cry.  I actually wasn’t doing to badly until my son said, “mom, are you crying?”  Then I lost it.  And he was laughing at me.  Sometimes I think Disney films are just mean to parents. 

Friday was only my favorite day of the year.  My neighbor and I go shopping on this day every year.  Now, it is important to lay out some kind of a plan or you can easily get lost in the crowd and not get anything on your list.  It’s also important to stay calm, you never know when you might get shot over a 42” flat screen, so be sure to have 911 pre-programmed into your phone, just in case.  I have a secret that I will only share with my closest friends and a few family members about my plan and therefore will not be posting it on any blog.  But let me just say, we started at 3:00am and were done by 9:30am.  We even stopped for a few minutes to eat some breakfast.  I got the kids some things on their lists and got myself a pair of boots and a sweater.  It was a very productive morning.  My husband had to work Friday night so I took the kids to my aunts for a second Thanksgiving dinner (the Lee family).  Once again it’s about 30 people and just another good evening of good food and conversation.  Nothing exciting happened there either.  Although I did have a very interesting conversation with my cousin who is having her first baby and is using a mid-wife.  She’s thinking of doing a water birth because "that’s what feels most natural to her".  This also means she will be using no pain meds at all.  And therefore, I believe she’s crazy.  I must say that I am quite surprised that I don’t have some fascinating story about either of my Thanksgiving dinners.  Usually someone is arguing over something stupid or one of the kids does something that has us laughing for days, but no such luck this year.  I suppose this means that I won’t remember much about Thanksgiving 2010, as I tend to only remember things that are funny or tragic.  And although I’m sad nothing funny happened, I am glad nothing tragic happened as that would be, well, tragic. 

Saturday was nice because I slept in and then played cards all day.  I played Texas Hold’em at the bar at 2:00pm where I met my friends and discussed events that had happened the night before that had a lot to do with me and yet nothing really to do with me at all.  I know, that doesn’t make much sense, but nothing with this particular situation makes much since and so I won’t be going into any detail about it.  It’s not anything of importance anyway and would probably just bore you.  Also, I would have to start at the very beginning and I’m not sure one blog carries enough characters to tell the whole story.   Anyway, those same friends, along with a few other friends, then came back to my house for some Tripley and dealer’s choice.  Ahhh….the fun begins.  We had a fantastic time, except for when my husband got a little upset about the max bet I put on every hand.  He’d had a few shots and a few beers by then and wasn’t really thinking about the feelings of others.  But he quickly got over it and the fun resumed.  One of my friends was telling us how at her Thanksgiving dinner, her family plays this game where they end every sentence with “That’s what she said”.  It sounds dumb, but we started doing it while playing cards and it was quite funny indeed.  I’m sure it’s even funnier to hear your father using such a term at a family gathering.  Anyway, it was a great time and I can’t wait to do it again (that's what she said).  The best part is, we still have some Jager left and no one left pissed off! 

I got up early Sunday to work on cleaning up the loft.  It was a mess, I’m not gonna lie.  It is my art studio/spare bedroom and I had a lot of crap just thrown on my drafting table, under my drafting table, on the futon and the floor.  It took me about 2 hours to go through everything and get it somewhat cleaned up.  I still need some kind of cabinet or something to organize it all, but it’s much better than before.  Then I took my daughter to see Tangled.  Once again, another Disney movie that makes parents get choked up and has our kids laughing at us.  Those big old meanies at Disney!  How dare they put some twist into every cartoon that makes a mom feel the need to wipe her eyes with her sleeve.  Also, it’s very difficult to watch a 3D movie and cry while wearing those stupid glasses. 

When I got home my husband had put together the Christmas tree.  Only the lights on the middle of the tree would light up though, so I put new lights on the bottom and top and started hanging the beads.  My son helped me from start to end.  This got me choked up again.  Mostly because he said “mom, do we really need to put these Blue’s Clues and Winnie the Pooh ornaments on the tree, aren’t we a little old for these.”  But I also was holding back tears because neither of my kids has ever helped me with all of the Christmas décor before.  They usually start and then run off to play something else, somewhere else in the house.  But not this year, this year my son helped the whole time without me asking.  As a matter of fact, he was asking what he could do next and where to put items that don’t hang from the tree.  I loved it and it makes me sad to think that it might not happen again.  I really hope he does this with me every year.  It really does make great memories. I also really hope he helps me take it all down!

So, in closing for this extremely long blog, I only hope your 4 day Thanksgiving weekend was as joyful as mine.  I find myself feeling very thankful and very lucky for everything in my life.  I have great friends, a large extended family I enjoy spending time with (even if they aren’t very funny), a great husband who makes me happy and two of the best children anyone can ask for.  And those things make the camera flash to the eye well worth the blinking. 

Greatful, greatful and thankful!

Well, I did it!  I'm very proud of myself because I did something I've never done before and I feel great about it.  I'd like to say that I did it without any real gratification, but I can't say that because I just feel so good about the choice I made.  I know, you want to know what I did, don't you?  Well, I donated $150 to the Make a Wish Foundation the other day.  I listen to this request-a-thon that my local morning radio show host every year and I've never donated.  Mostly because I didn't have the money before.  They always do it on an off pay week, which means my account was always to low to really spare anything.  I do always throw extra $$ into the can at Panera Bread when I have dinner there before class.  But that's not really a huge committment, now is it?  But this year has been very good to my husband and me.  I was in the car listening on my way to work, thinking about the fact that I was leaving for VA to see yet another Dave Matthews Band concert (2 actually), and I started crying because I've spent quite a bit of money on DMB this year.  Not to meantion the money spent on going to the Brickyard for both Indy races, taking my kids to Florida (including theme parks and all) and the countless weekends and $$ spent out with my friends over the past year.  I just thought, wow, I really have had it good this year.  And here I am being selfish with all my money, spending it as it comes in and thinking about what to get my family for Christmas and such.  So, I called and did the Wishmakers club.  This is where you give a certain amount of money each month, it comes out automatically to make it easy on you.  Best part is, the full amount goes to the board and a kids wish can be granted.  I do believe that the kid my money went to (in a round about way) wanted a John Deer riding lawn mower because mowing the lawn is his favorite thing to do.  I thought that was great!  I know we really shouldn't gloat about these things, but I want others to feel as good as I do right now and I thought I would spread the word that helping others, no matter how you choose to do so, really makes you feel good.  And it makes the person you're helping feel good too.  Two rights can't be wrong...
By the way, my husband and I had a fabulous time in VA with our favorite band.  We made new friends and had some nice time just the two of us.  All in all, this has been a fantastic couple of weeks for me... I hope it last for a while before it comes crashing down.

Not in my 20's anymore...

     Last weekend my husband and I partied like rock stars.  OK, maybe not rock stars as there were no drugs involved (unless you consider alcohol a drug), but we did party like we were 21 again.  Let me just tell you, we are not 21 anymore.  Or 22, 23, 24, 25…  And our bodies do NOT recover from a weekend of Jager Bombs, beer and wine like they did when we were in our 20s.  They also do not respond well to lack of sleep.  I do believe that I got a total of 8 hours of sleep from Friday night/Saturday morning to Monday morning.  It’s Thursday and I’m just now fully recovered.  I thought I was completely up to par yesterday, but then I found myself falling asleep at my desk around 10am.  This is when I came to the realization that, although the weekend was super fun, maybe I should keep the partying to one week night instead of three consecutive nights.  Usually, I keep the drinking to a minimum unless it’s a special occasion, like New Year’s Eve, Birthday’s and Tuesday’s.  Just kidding about the Tuesday’s, I do keep the drinking at a minimum on most Tuesday’s.  But this past weekend there were many special occasions (a battle of the bands and a couple of birthdays), and we had someone to watch the kids both Friday and Saturday nights so we took full advantage of the situation.  What I need to ask myself, is “is going out with great friends and partying for 3 days worth 3 days of feeling tired and groggy”.  After thinking about this for quite some time, 3 days to be exact, I say “YES, yes it is totally worth it!”  And, although we won’t be with friends this weekend, we will be partying Friday and Saturday night as we are going to the last two Dave Matthews Band shows of the year.  We always make new friends at the shows and since the band is not touring next year (and could quite possibly not tour anymore at all) we will definitely be having a good time.   So, raise your drink, here’s to NOT being in your 20’s anymore and still having a great time!  Here’s to great friends that buy you drinks and allow you to return the favor!  Here’s to Thursday’s, the day of the week when you finally feel better from the weekend, and are ready to do it all again on Friday!  Here's to hoping everyone has a great weekend!

Ridiculous Christmas Decor

I said it before, it's way too early to put up Christmas decorations.  But does anyone listen to me?  No, no they don't.  I was driving home from my son's guitar lessons last night, and thanks to the time change it was pitch black outside at 6:45pm.  The blackness of the night allowed the massive candy cane and Santa Clause set up at the house on the corner of Troy and Arlington to shine like a wild fire in summer.  The yard is not small and every inch of it was covered in old school light up figures.  There were large light up candy canes lining the entire yard with large light up Santa Clauses in between.  My daughter even said, "mom, now that's ridiculous".  In the center of the yard there were light up reign deer and a sleigh.  I think there were lights on the house, there was so much going on that I honestly can't remember. (Note to self, take camera everywhere from now on so I can take pictures of these things). I really wanted to knock on these people door and tell them two things: 1.  It's way to early to put out any decorations, let alone decorations that look like they're from 1985.  And 2.  This is not National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, you are not going to get on TV just because you can see your house from space.  If you're decorations are blinding the people at the stop light, maybe it's too much.  I'm sure that these people are very nice, and probably think their yard looks great.  I wish I was their friend so I can tell them it doesn't look as fabulous as they think.  That's what friends do right, tell you when you need to take it down a notch? 

I will be putting lights on my house, but not until the weekend after Thanksgiving.  And they will be all blue lights lining the front of my house.  There will be no light up candy canes, no light up Santa Clauses, and they will come down the weekend after New Year's.  Unless my roof is covered with ice, then I will wait for the ice to melt before I venture out onto my roof.  Safety first. 

I don't mean to be mean and bash people, but sometimes, some people just need some help.  These poor people, who think it's alright to collect Christmas decoration for 20 years and then put them all in their front yard at the same time, well, they need some help.  I wonder what their electric bill will look like for the next 2 months.  Electricity isn't cheap, and they are using enough to run a small airport.  I hope no plane mistakes it for a runway and tries to land on top of these people's house. 

If you find that you're in a position where the only time you can put your Christmas/Holiday decorations up is before Thanksgiving, then please, for the sake of your neighbors, don't turn them on until Thanksgiving.  This has been a national blogged announcement to the holiday decorating impaired.  Thank you for your time.

Days off and the weather

Tomorrow is Veterans Day and I have it off.  The joy of government jobs!  I had last Tuesday off for election day as well.  And then of course I get Thanksgiving and Black Friday off too.  So, what am I doing with all these days off?  Well, mostly the dentist.  Haha, get your mind out of the gutter you silly readers... I meant going to the dentist.  Last week after I voted (republican ticket by the way), I got my teeth cleaned.  I hate having my teeth cleaned, but I love the way they feel after they've been cleaned.  This week I'm taking Hannah to the orthodontist and Dylan to the dentist.  It's easiest for me to schedule these appointments on days off so I don't have to use my PTO to take care of our teeth.  That will be most of my day tomorrow, but I do need to stop by the mall and get new tips put on my black and white heels.  And while I'm at the mall I might as well feed my shopping addiction and look for some new boots.  Yes, I do need new boots.  I'm torn between brown knee highs or black ankle boots, I need them both but unless I find a stellar deal, I'll just get one pair and wait on the other.  I may have a shopping addiction, but at least I have it under control.  And now that you know of my shopping addiction, it'll be no surprise that I will be shopping on Black Friday.  Yes, this day does deserve to be capitalized.  It is a holiday in my book.  The whole day is blacked out on my calendar and I start at 5am or so.  The nice thing about starting that early isn't just the deals, it's also that I'm done by noon and get to come home and take a nap.  Shopping is so exhausting it should be a sport.  And if it were a sport, I'd not only play, I'd win.  There are few things I'm good at in this world...I'm a great wife, good mom, hard worker, an OK artist, and I'm not too shabby of a poker player.  But the thing I probably do best is shop.  So, if you ever need a shopping partner just give me a call!
On another note, what's up with the weather?  Since when did November become "early Autumn"?  The high today is 74 degrees.  This is tank and sandal weather.  It's very depressing to want to wear a sweater and boots but know that if you do you'll probably feel like your going through menopause by 2:00 in the afternoon.  Humm...layers of clothing is my suggestion.  The hotter the day gets, the more you take off. 
And to those of you who have already put up your Christmas decorations...it's too early!  And if you think I'm wrong about this, just check your thermometer.  This is Indiana and Christmas decor should not go up until the temp stays below 50, or it's after Thanksgiving.  But if you really need to do something to get you in the Holiday spirit, it's never to early to Christmas shop!

Babies

I love other people's babies!  I loved my kids when they were babies too.  Ok, I still love them bunches even though they aren't babies anymore.  But I have a nephew that just had his first birthday party and he was so funny.  We sat him on the table and put the cake in front of him.  Once he figured out that he could actually eat what was put in front of him without someone telling him "no", he went to town.  And when he started to get fussy, it didn't take him long to realize his hands were covered in icing and he didn't need to be crying, he just needed to stick his hand in his mouth again.  My son wanted to get him some Hot Wheels, but since my nephew puts everything in his mouth and Hot Wheels are a choking hazzard, we got him some small monster trucks instead.  He got lots of presents, but he just wanted to play with the trucks we got him.  He would have one in each hand, rolling them around on the ground saying "vroom vroom".  Super cute. And super smart for a 1 year old.
My sister is pregnant with twins and my other sister is also having baby.  So, by this time next year there will be a 2 year old, 2 five month old babies, and 1 nine month old.  Christmas 2011 is going to be so much fun.  Or...it could just be a bunch of babies crying.  I hope it's not the later.  I, for one, think it's incredibly funny that my parents are going to have 10 grand kids ranging from ages 12 - 0 in less than one year.  They are in they're early 50's and I think that is young to have 10 grand kids.  One thing's for sure, they aren't getting anymore from me.  I love my kids more than anything, but some women were made to do nothing but have kids and raise them, and some are not.  I was not.  I got lucky, I had my kids young and got a girl and a boy.  They will both be of adult age when I'm 40.  I say this like I can't wait until that happens, but truth is, although I don't want anymore kids, I don't really want the ones I have to grow up either.  I will be that mom that goes through the empty nest syndrome.  I will have to travel the world or something to get over the fact that they aren't upstairs in their beds.  It makes me sad to think about it so I'm going to stop right now.
On another note, we have a lot going on over the next few weeks so my post should be quite good.  I just jinxed it by saying that though, so I'm sure they will be rather crappy and dull.  You'll have to check back to see how they turn out...

Not funny...

Well, it's Friday and nothing funny has happened to me all week long that I could blog about.  It's been a very boring week.  Except for Monday.  Lot's happened on Monday but none of it funny.  Colts won!  That's always good because my husband is in a bad mood when they loose, and since they won he's been in a good mood all week.  My nephews 1st birthday is tonight so I'm sure something funny will happen there.  I hope so anyway because although this hasn't been a bad week it hasn't been a great week either.  One of those indifferent weeks where you get up and do everything you should do and then go to bed.  Nothing exciting, nothing spectacular, just a get through each day week. 

On another note, my mom is doing much better!  The treatment to kill the vicious tumors is working.  She cracks me up sometimes.  We went out to eat a few weeks ago and she says "I'm smoking in your car, I know you don't allow that but I need a cigarette and I'll roll down the window."  Then she asked me if my tan was airbrushed.  I said "no, tanning bed, it's cheaper and last longer."  Then she proceeds to lecture me about how I shouldn't go to the tanning bed because they cause cancer and I don't want cancer cause it really sucks and she knows.  I started laughing because she has cancer and is smoking in my non-smoking car but she getting after me like I'm 10 years old for going to the tanning bed.  I'm so glad she's doing better right now.  I say right now because this is a very aggressive cancer and it spreads quickly, so she has to be tested often to make sure there are no new tumors.  But she's feeling so much better and that's great.