LOOKY WHAT I FOUND!!!

Ok. SO my new years plans include a baby shower for Halie some time in April. She has a TON of family on both sides, so this is going to take a little bit of planning. I have been checking things out, trying to figure out exactly what we are going to do, and where. I found these baby shower thank you cards, which also have matching address labels and birth announcements to go with them - toooo cute!! That's a start. It's been so long since my own baby showers, that I am going to have to get suggestions on games. The only one I can really remember was using toilet paper to guestimate the "roundness of the belly". Then there is the cake, the little minty-peanut mix - which thankfully I can make myself, and party favors. I hope to give her a great shower, but I am really not sure where to have it. My house is entirely tooo small, and I think there will be at least 30 to 40 people there. I wonder if it would be too tacky to have it at the Pizza Hut? LOL! On the other hand though - free pizza always brings in a crowd right?

NO RESOLUTIONS

I have decided to resolve not to resolve to do anything new this year. I do it every year, only to go back on it all later. Soooo, this coming new years I am just going to do things backwards, and maybe it will take me forwards?? ;P
I paid off all my payday advance loans, canceled my membership to the YMCA, and bought another pack of smokes. That should get the ball rolling! I did refill my diabetic meds, but threw out the blood pressure pills, because really - they give me a horrific headache. I might go back to the doctor at some point for something different, but right now I just think it will have to wait. Oh and I chewed off all my fingernails. Gross.
Last year I swore I wouldn't watch the news anymore, but I can't help it so today I watched CNN for a solid hour. I'm ready for a drink. A big drink.

So.

That is that.

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!!!!!

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy I am so excited!! The kids are excited! I have pies to make and a turkey to prepare and I think this Christmas is going to be full of HAPPY!!!!! I can not wait to be finished with work today, and get to come home and get started! And Santa - if you are reading this - I would like a trip to North Carolina please! I have some people to hug! (And some North Carolina health insurance to pay for the heart attacks and general feelings of giddyness and..... ) And when I am done there I need tickets to Florida. More hugs, more heart attacks, and lots of love!!

I hope everyone out there has a beautiful holiday, a Merry Christmas, and a very very Happy New Year!! It sure is full of good things to come, and I can hardly wait! It has been a rough year all the way around, and I am so ready for a new beginning. Even if it is just on a calendar, there is nothing like a fresh start. I have my first Grandbaby on the way, and the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. Complete with the new title - "Grandma"!! Now what can top that!? I wish everyone Peace and Love in their lives, and a fantabulous Holiday Weekend!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

OFF TO WORK......

I am not looking forward to these next two days at work. Not at all. It's going to be insane, and busy beyond belief, and I have too much stuff to do at home yet. I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve either!! Someone stop time please! Just for a minute or two. I still have to bake sugar cookies for our traditional family cookie decorating, still have to get some pie baking done.... I need little kitchen elves!! LOL! Work just gets in the way. Geesh! And it's supposed to start icing and snowing this afternoon too, which could make driving a whole lot harder. I hate driving on ice. And I hate it being this cold. But it is what it is I guess. Too many good things going on to worry about it all that much. I want a pair of marine binoculars. Random. I do though. It would be cool. So next year, for Christmas, I will have a high chair at my table with a little pudgy baby stuffed in it. I can't wait!! It's been so long since we have had a baby in this house, and Rye has never even held a real baby before. She's very excited about it too! I never thought I would be a gramma while still being a mommy to little ones. I always thought I would be old and wrinkly first! Overall, I am so happy. It's odd to feel so happy while still having little gripes here and there. I almost just don't know what to do with myself! The kids are out of school for the next couple of weeks, which means no fighting in the mornings for a while, no getting up cuz I have to so early, and lots of quality time after work! Which I should go get ready for..... yuck!!

CHRISTMAS SMELLS

I don't know if many folks bake much anymore, but if you do make your own cinnamon rolls - you have to try these!!! They were seriously the best batch I ever made in my entire life, and all because of a few cups of vanilla pudding!! You just add it to your dough. Simple! Mmmmm! I have been baking and baking, trying to get everyone their goodies before Christmas. The house is warm, and it smells like the holidays for sure! I have the day off work today, so after house cleaning I think I might try a batch of peanut brittle. I have never ever made a batch that actually worked right, but I figure after a couple of years I should hit the jackpot eventually!
The one thing I miss about Christmas this year, besides the obvious - the smell of a real tree. This little fake one just isn't cuttin' it. I mean it looks pretty and all, but there's no bark! I'm ready to go snag the neighbors cypress tree and stick little branches of it all into this fake thing! LOL! I don't think my parents ever had a fake tree until us kids were older. The smell is just something you can't replicate. Oh to be a kid again. When things were so much simpler.....

UM WHA?

My 11 year old son was tasked with writing a letter to a kindergarten student at his school, as if HE were Santa Clause, answering her letter. She wrote to Santa, and asked for the following items: an iPod, a psp, an X-box 360, and a cell phone. REALLY?? A 6 year old really expects Santa Clause to bring her all this stuff? What I want to know - is where do her parents work? Would they really even consider this? And WHY would a 6 year old want a CELL PHONE?? I don't get it! What happened to a good old fashioned baby doll or tea set? GAH!! So my poor son is like "What am I supposed to tell her?" If I were that child's mother, I would hope to shout that "Santa" would say noooooo way - but then I guess some parents would be totally fine with it. Good gravy!

JUST WHY REALLY??

I just found out that PPHead has to work on Christmas. He won't be here until after 9 O'clock in the morning on Christmas morning. So that means he has to go to work at midnight on Christmas Eve, and I will have to make the kids wait to see what Santa brought until then. WHAT a bummer. Then of course he has to turn around and go BACK to work at midnight on Christmas night. Really? Can a company this big NOT afford to close for ONE stinkin day? He had to go to work on Thanksgiving night too, had to work on Black Friday and he will have to work on New Years Eve as well. Ok fine. But CHRISTMAS?? Why? Just Why? It's not like he's a policeman or firefighter - he makes SALT for crying out loud! Grr. He says he's thankful to just have a job. I get it. But it's Christmas.

Then he tells me, "I know, and I know the kids don't understand it, but just think about the guys clear across the world right now, fighting a war so we can even have a Christmas."

So. I think I won't complain. At least he gets to be here with his children. Man.

OH I NEED ONE....

I feel icky. Really really really icky. I woke up this morning with a horrible migraine headache, and it's been a fight all day long just to keep moving. I totally need one of these custom laptops for my bathroom, just so I can get some work done today. I did step out for a while to go to my out-of-the-house job, but ended up coming home early after all. I think I must have a bug of some kind, or my medicines might be messing with me. The blood pressure meds are the worst, but I haven't had this kind of trouble with them for a while. I think it might be time to ask for something without so many side effects. Yuck. Thankfully the children still seem to be healthy (knock on wood) so I dunno what's up with me. I suppose it is the season for the yucks to go around.... ewwww.

JUST A GOOD DAY

I wish it were Saturday today, but other than that it's been an awesome day! Just when you think that most of the people in this world just don't care about each other anymore, something happens to make you think again.... It started for me at 5 in the morning! Then it just kept coming!
At work we keep a little change cup hidden away so that if someone is a dime or so short - we can help them out a bit. It's been happening a lot more than usual, and today our cup was empty. A lady came in and was 7 cents short - I couldn't help her. The lady behind her gave her the change. That NEVER happens. I know it's not a lot, but for the majority of my customers, it is.
Then I get home to find a gift card has come for Riley - for $25!! She won an art contest sponsored by her Daddy's job. I told her to hang on to it because after Christmas - all the toys would be on sale and she could probably pick up a few things she wanted. She said "MOM - I have to go Christmas shopping for Bubby and Halie!!" I love it!! She amazes me that kid!
Oh yeah - and - I lost an entire size in pants again. I am now down further than I have been since before getting prego with my first kid. Still just eating differently, and I have tried a sample of Lipofuze, and the carnation breakfast shakes. I like those best because I don't have a lot of time in the mornings, but I know I am getting all my vitamins in. And anything chocolate is always good too!
So today has just been awesome, and instead of whining, I just wanted to say that! I don't understand a lot of things in this life, but sometimes people are just amazing. In a good way!!

$70,000 WHA? REALLY?

OMG. My landlord came by last week and let me know that an appraiser was coming over to the house. Landlord wants to buy more property, and is using my house as collateral. Ok. So the appraiser and my landlord came over, looked in EVERY room of my house, EVERY CLOSET, every nook and cranny. (Feeling a little raped like....) I'm a pretty good housekeeper so not too big a deal - but still. So afterward, the landlord offers to sell me the house if I want it. I have been here going on the 6th year now so I guess he figures I like it enough. He said he just wanted the fair value of it - not trying to rip anyone off - just wants to make a living ya know. They appraised it at $70,000. Because the homes all around me are worth $125,000 for the most part. Um. The central heat and air is broken. All of it. It needs a whole new bathroom/water heater. It needs a new roof and guttering. It needs a new kitchen. Did the guy seriously NOT SEE the bathroom floor caving in? Or the sides of the bathtub FALLING OFF??? DID he NOT SEE that the only thing heating my house was TWO SPACE HEATERS???? REALLY??? I am scared for the snow and rain to start up this winter - I am seriously going to need a pair of redfeather snowshoes just to trollop through my kitchen if the roof patch doesn't hold. And he wants to sell me the house for $70,000 as is. In this economy. I am no contractor, but I think the needed repairs for this place are going to cost at LEAST $40,000. Oh yeah - it also needs new plumbing. And geesh the list goes on. I'm really glad that he's not trying to rip me off though - totally restores my faith in humanity.....