Merry Christmas!!!

I probably won't have a lot of time to write this week. We will be very busy finishing shopping, wrapping, eating, eating and visiting... My dad arrives today!!!! So Happy!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

In Just 2 Days....

My dad will be here!!!!

I'm a HUGE Daddy's girl and can not wait for my dad to arrive on Saturday. He lives in Oklahoma and flies out every year for Christmas. I'm so fortunate to have such wonderful parents. Even though they divorced when I was 8, they have become really good friends over the years. He even stays at my moms when he visits - in separate rooms of course! But how lucky am I that I don't have to split up my holidays between my mom and dad?

My Dad, Brother and "Buddy"

My Brother arrived yesterday from Austin, Texas. He's actually my step brother from my dad but chooses to spend Christmas out here with us. He also stays at my mom's house.

So this year we will have a full house - combining my family with J's family (mom, brother and sister-in-law) for our usual Christmas morning. All together we should have 12 of us in our Christmas Eve pajamas enjoying our time together. I'm really looking forward to it.

Pictures from Christmas 2006

Christmas morning last year at my house

My sister and brother



It only takes a minute to create memories that last a lifetime.

"Meaningful family traditions provide parents with an invaluable tool for carrying out their divine responsibility to rear children in love and righteousness. As families establish and follow traditions, each family member is strengthened and the family as a whole grows in unity and love."

I know I'm a Dork....

But I love my Duncan dog.

He didn't enjoy my "photo shoot" has much as I did....

A Gingerbread House for Santa

A few weekends ago Buddy saw this at Michael's and thought it would be so much fun to make.... I really tried to "direct" his attention elsewhere but he had his heart on making this - for Santa.

That's all he had to say and my heart melted.

This past weekend he wanted to make it. We had to do it in stages 1) so the icing can dry and 2) because mama was tired!

First step was to put the sides up with icing. The directions said to make it thick like toothpaste.... It so didn't look pretty.

Next day we put all the goodies on the house to make it look like a real gingerbread house. I amazed my son with my decorating skills - I made the icing how I wanted to not like toothpaste. Put it in a Ziploc bag and cut a hole and piped it on. Thank you Sandra Lee.

We both worked so hard on his house - he was so pleased. He just knew Santa would really like the house.

And he added his finishing touches - his little Mighty Bean toys. "perfect"!

Christmas Traditions

We have so many wonderful Christmas traditions. Our tree ornaments, Christmas Star, Christmas Eve mouse gifts, Stocking Stuffers, Santa's gifts and Christmas morning breakfast all are a huge part of our Christmas celebration.

When we were little (I can't remember when this started) my mom would let us open a present on Christmas Eve and it was signed Christmas Eve Mouse. It was always new pajamas. So on Christmas morning we were always sporting our new p.j.s. That tradition has continued on through the years. We buy our own Christmas Eve Mouse gifts but it is still fun to have new p.j.s for Christmas morning. My kids look forward to their Mouse gifts. I love my mom for all her fun little traditions.

Stocking Stuffers are a huge part of our Christmas morning. My mom, sister and I always go way overboard on the stockings but they are a highlight of the morning. Each of us will pick up little things here and there that will make it into the stockings - by the time Christmas rolls around we have HUGE stockings. It takes us all easily an hour to go through our stockings. We put in fun stuff, necessary stuff and totally off the wall stuff. Always saying "Santa knew....." as we open gift after gift.

When daughter was little she'd spend the morning with us and then have to go to her dads house by 10 or 11. This made it difficult to get everything done unless we woke up really early. So we still do the same. My family will come over to the house usually by 6:00am (yes, we are crazy) and the adults will wake up the kids. My mom will usually go outside the windows with sleigh bells and wake them. And then they come down the hall to find all the goodies Santa has left for them. Quite the production - quite the memories!

A newer tradition that we have started is carrying over from J's family. His late father used to make a huge Christmas morning breakfast (chorizo, eggs, potatoes, the works). Last Christmas J treated us all to a wonderful breakfast just like his dad used to cook. We will keep this tradition as it is so special to him and so good to eat!!!

Another tradition carried over from J is the Christmas tree topper. His late father's birthday is December 11th. His family used to wait to decorate the tree on his birthday because everyone was usually around on that day. We use this day as the day we put the tree topper - a star on the top of our tree. It's a great way to remember his dad.

I know we have other little things we do every year but those are the big ones that we are sure to do every year. I'm so blessed with my family and our traditions and blessed with the addition of J's family and their traditions.

Christmas Cards

I ordered our Christmas cards and should have them by tomorrow. I love how they turned out. I wanted an overview of all the good things that happened this year.

Engagement, Wedding, Buddy turned 8, Daughter turned 16 and got a new truck.

I heart Shutterfly.

Ketchup....

A daddy tomato, momma tomato, & baby tomato were walking down the road. Baby tomato kept falling behind. Momma tomato turned around, smacked him, & said, “ketchup!”

Which is what I need to do. Catch Up!!!

It's been a long times since I've posted anything. Mainly because I've been busy with work and life and also because I don't really have anything exciting to write about. I was just going through my camera downloading pictures and realized I hadn't shared these....

Phone call from Daughter

Daughter: Uh, mom - I was making some hot chocolate in the microwave and it started to smoke and stinks really bad.

Me: Why, honey? Did you accidentally leave a spoon in the cup???(thinking - please say "No")

Daughter: No, there was a little metal on the cup and I didn't think it would do anything.

Me: (thinking) What cup do we have that has a little metal....

I got home and checked out the microwave... yea, it's messed up (but thankfully still works)... check trash to see what cup she was talking about....

a little metal????? oh daughter....

This past weekend I went to a little Christmas Craft thing my ex-mother in law does every year. I'm still very very close to this side of the family. I've known them for over 20 years now and they have always been so good to me and still consider me part of the family. I'm very very blessed to have them in my life. This party started off many years ago to be a get together and finish our Christmas cards and any crafts we might be working on and need help. Some of the sisters are extremely talented and crafty. Now the party has turned into more of a get together to eat and chit chat. And also to get craft help if we need it. One of the cousins brought some of her work to sell.

This is a thumb print with little antlers. Cute way to make a card.

On a whim we decided to paint the wall in our dining room red. I've been wanting to do this for so long. I found this color as my inspiration -

J mixed the color at work and in a couple hours the wall was red. I love it!

Before

During

After - I love it.

Buddy is getting to the age where he's questioned Santa a couple times. Kids at camp and school sometimes bring up the fact that there is no Santa - but he defends Santa's existence every time. This year he received a letter from Santa and he was thrilled!! He wanted to send him a Thank You card so he worked hard on this.

I've done some Christmas shopping but really need to finish. I'm having a hard time figuring out what to get J.

I need to get running - the Gas Co. just left (they were here lighting the pilot light in the heaters) Yay for warmth!!!! Maybe I'll sneak some shopping time in before I head to work. ; )

Bad Missy

I was so busy last week that I didn't have a chance to add anything to my little blog. Our work computers finally were fixed so I'm trying to make up for the time lost. Thank Goodness we are up and running.


I'll have to post an update to our weekend later. Busy, Busy!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

I love, love, LOVE decorating our Christmas tree. Every year it's a walk down memory lane for me. My mom started a wonderful tradition for my sister and me when we were very little. Every year she would buy us an ornament, one that signified the events of that year. When I moved out my mom had all my ornaments nicely boxed and ready for me to put on my tree. Keeping with this tradition I've started a box of ornaments for Daughter and Buddy. Both have quite a set accumulating. Every ornament on our tree means something to us.

Daughter's "Baby's First Christmas"


Buddy's "Baby's First Christmas"

This weekend was time to decorate the tree. We put on a Christmas movie - this year was the Elf. Daughter has never seen it so we enjoyed watching the movie and decorating the tree together. Well, she sat there while I reminisced about every ornament... "awww I remember this one"... "oh, I got this when I was pregnant with you"... "Baby's First Christmas... oh how cute!". I've been collecting the Hallmark's Mary's Angels before she was born.

Her collection

This is the first one I bought back in 1990.

The tree turned out very pretty - it looks much better at night all lit up.


It's more than a Christmas tree - it's more like a memory tree.

Looking Forward to the Weekend

This week seemed to have gone by so quickly! I can not believe it's Friday - Yay!!! I love fast weeks.

Today I went to the DMV and finally got my name changed. I feel so responsible and legal! Also I made the change at the bank AND ordered my new checks!! Woo Hoo!

Tonight we are going to see Enchanted. It seems like our usual Friday night "date" with Buddy. It's cold and rainy so the movies will be nice. mmmm popcorn and M&M's.

Tomorrow I have to work all day with Buddy on his book report. I feel like such a bad mom sometimes. He was given this book report over a month ago and it's not done. I should have been making him read every night. I wonder how other moms/wives do it. I get home - cook dinner - clean up. And in there some where is homework time. I feel like I'm failing him by not pushing him harder to read more, do his flash cards, etc. I was really sad last night thinking of all this. I definitely need to help him have better study habits. No more Mrs. Nice Mom. Damn!

Sunday I'm taking Daughter to see Ragtime at a local community theater. One of the lovely Knotties that I have met on the wedding board is in the play and there are a few of us that are going. I'm looking forward to seeing the play but really looking forward to meeting these ladies that I enjoy so much.

There is not a lot planned - and I love that!!!!

I Finally Did It!!!

After writing yesterday about how I needed to get my lazy behind to the DMV and finally get my name changed - it made me even more determined to do it. So I did it!!!

I was totally dreading it after my attempt last month - I walked in to find a line that lasted for days (I left because I did not feel like waiting). So I was fully prepared this morning for an hour or even two hour wait. I decided I'd try a different DMV in the next little town over - only about a 10 minute drive (the same DMV that Daughter took her drivers license test). It was TOTALLY worth it. I arrived with only one person in front of me - took my number at 8:29am.

Was called about 10 minutes later - got my picture taken, they handed me my temporary license and I walked out of there at 8:50! Why did I put that off for so long!!!! Now I can mark that off my list.

Now I just need to get my name changed at the bank so I can order checks.....

******Update on our work computers*****

Although the IT guy has done wonders I still don't have e-mail - BUT I don't have to wait 20 minutes after opening a file in Word....

Things I HAVE to do

1) Get myself to the DMV and get my new license with my name changed!!! Today marks our 5 month anniversary since the wedding. And I have yet to change me name with the DMV. I have changed it with SSN but I need to quit procrastinating and just do it!!!!

2) Order new checks. I've been living on temporary checks since June - Why? See above.

**no these aren't my real checks - but they are oh so cute!**

3) Bathe Duncan - my poor dog stinks!!!

4) Take my test for my on-line traffic school to clear a ticket I got for speeding.... I've finished the course - just need to take the test at the UPS store. Something else I've been putting off. I wonder if there is a time limit - I hope not....

S-L-O-W

That's how fast our computers at work are running right now. We live in a fast paced world, everything is so rush rush. When the things we rely on such as computers run at an extra slow pace it makes you really realize how quickly we are used to doing things. Something is definitely wrong with our server so e-mails are taking - I kid you not - 1 to 2 to even 3 hours to reach it's destination.

How sad is that?

We have become so dependent on just hitting "send" it seems like such a chore to get up and go talk to another department or to make a call to check on a shipment. It's just not e-mail it's every thing. It's taking us 20 minutes to do something that normally takes 1 - 2 minutes. It does make me realize how much we take technology for granted.

Our poor server is very very sick and I hope the doctor comes to fix it very quickly.