Christmas Shopping

I'm making my lists

Checking them twice

Doesn't matter if you've been naughty or nice

I mean seriously.  I'm a mom of three.  I've caught my kids being naughty more than I'd like to think.  If they were really going to get strikes against their Christmas lists for that then I'd have to move a little closer to a coal mine to stock up. 

Today I checked my Christmas shopping list and I'm just about done!  I'm super excited about that.  I won't be stressed out searching for gifts at the last minute.  The ones I have left I know what I need so its just a matter of getting out.  Time to get the wrapping paper out and get started!

The one person on my list who isn't done?  My husband.  He is such a pain to buy for.  He doesn't like stuff.  He always swears he'd be happy with nothing under the tree.  I don't quite buy that and what he doesn't understand is he has 3 kids who want to get him something.  It would be so much easier if he'd just drop a few hints once in a while! 

I thought I'd get some inspiration browsing around on the internet today.  It is Cyber Monday after all I figured I'd be able to find a good deal or two.  Not seeing anything that is jumping out at me though.  I hope some of you were able to take advantage of some good bargains!

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a busy day of preparation for tomorrow's yummy dinner.  There are certainly some good smells going on in this house!  The stuffing, pumpkin bread and pecan pie are done, the apple pie is in the oven.  Yumm....I'm not even going to worry about my diet and counting points tomorrow. 

So, as I'm running around today, as I'm sure you all will be, I leave you with this parting thought:

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

 
(I'd give credit to whomever wrote that if I knew!)

Who Stuffs Your Stocking?

My friend Chrissy over at Life as a CEO and Melissa from Getting All My Ducks in a Row are hosting a Stuff Your Stocking Blog Party.  Today they prompted us to write about Who Stuffs Your Stocking?
Who stuffs my stocking?  Santa of course!  Okay, well its actually my husband.  I stuff the other 4 so I figure he can handle one.  I have to admit, he usually does a pretty good job too.  He sticks in all of the requisite toiletries and those type items and then he picks up some fun things like a new book.  Almost always I find a really nice treat in the toe...a gift certificate to a favorite store or the spa. 

The stocking is my FAVORITE part of Christmas presents.  I always save it for last and sit and savor each little doodad and present.  I LOVE stuffing my kids stockings and our stockings are HUGE, allowing lots of room to stuff.  I always look for little trinkets but try to put in something a little larger as well so the kids feel like they got that "extra" gift from Santa.  I even take the time to wrap each and every little item.

This year my daughter reminded me we now have a dog and Sebastian needs his own stocking this year.  So, off to the dollar store I'll go to get him a stocking of his own and I'll stuff it with treats and toys.  I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with it all....it will be fun having a dog be part of the mayhem this year!

So....who stuffs your stocking?  Go visit the gals above to link up and enter their contest!

Terrific Tuesday!

Woohoo!  The scale brought me another 2.8 pounds down!!  Now, that news made me nearly fall off the scale.  But trust me I'll take it!  I look at it as a big Thanksgiving gift.  That brings me to 19.8 pounds total lost and I'm not too far off from goal.  Yippee!

Today was my son's Thanksgiving play and Feast.  The entire second grade dresses up as Pilgrims and Indians and sings festive songs (some of which are hysterical).  They each get a speaking part and a few lucky ones get an announcing part as well.  My son was one of those lucky few and he did wonderful.  It was nice to see him actually participating in the singing.  We've come a loooooooooooong way since kindergarten where he stood with his arms across his chest and kept giving the thumbs down sign.  In first grade he must have feared what I'd do because we finally got rid of the thumbs down sign but he still didn't sing a word.  This year he sang all the songs and delivered his lines well.  After the play we joined the kids in the cafeteria for a "feast".  Whoever decided to serve a feast of sweets right before their lunch period obviously didn't think that through all that well.  But my man sat with me the entire time instead of running off with his friends which made me super happy. 

To top my afternoon off I had to go to the grocery store to get some items for Thanksgiving dinner.  I hate grocery shopping to begin with and the thought of heading there during a holiday week is enough to turn my mood foul.  I decided to be cautiously optimistic that the old folks were done and home for their naps and the majority of the other folks will go tonight or tomorrow so I could get in and out quickly.  The store was busy but I was able to manage to get in and out pretty quick and was pleasantly surprised the lines were not long.

Here is my advice for grocery shopping during a holiday week for those folks who just don't get it:
*Plan ahead!  Stock up on the toilet paper the WEEK before, not 2 days before.  Seriously, this is the marathon for the cooks...step out of their way.
*Learn how to stop and look at something on the shelves WITHOUT blocking the ENTIRE aisle.
*Turn up your hearing aide so you can hear the people around you saying "excuse me" when they are trying to get around you (see above).  Really, be aware of those around you!
*Do NOT stop in the produce section and block an entire refrigerated section to talk to your neighbor who you can see when you get home.  And don't act so oblivious that people are actually reaching behind you to get into the case....MOVE!
*Have your coupons and club card ready to give to the cashier, times a wasting while you are rummaging through your purse and wallet. 
*Help bag to make things move along a little quicker. 

That said, I hope everyone has a painless trip to the grocery store and a yummy meal on the table!

The holidays must be coming

The only excuse I can think of for my bout of craftiness and time in the kitchen is that the holidays are fast approaching.  We are only days away from Thanksgiving and then Christmas is right around the corner. 

Yesterday I spent my day crafting my ornaments for the upcoming ornament exhchange party I'll be attending.  I made triangle snowmen and I found the idea on Kaboodle.com.

Here is a closer look of one of them away from all of his friends:

The kids helped me stuff my snowman friends.  Then they wanted their own thing to work on so I suggested they make place cards for Thanksgiving dinner.  Here is what they came up with:

Then today I made my first patch of of pumpkin bread for my son's Thanksgiving Feast at school tomorrow.

There will be many more loaves of pumpkin bread to come. 

This is a particularly yummy recipe that all of my kids made in preschool and has become my favorite pumpkin bread recipe.

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 2/3 cups flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves-optional (I don't use them)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup water

1 cup canne pumpkin puree

1/2 c chopped walnuts-optional

Cream sugar and shortening.  Add eggs one at a time.  Stir in dry ingredient.  Add water and pumkin.  Bake 1 hour at 350 in 2 greased loaf pans (7 3/4" size).

Today is going to be....one of those days

I couldn't wait to be a mom.  Really, I couldn't wait.  I wanted a house full of kids.  I also wanted a dog.  In fact I, and I alone, am responsible for bringing the dog into the house.  I keep trying to remind myself of these things as I Breathe In Breathe Out, slowly, and count to 10.  Not helping.

How is it that before 8am 2 of my kids can get themselves grounded and the dog can crap on the floor despite the fact that he was walked an hour before?  How is it they have something to whine about and can be so loud when they haven't even been out of bed for that long?  Why is it that at 8:30 I'm now screaming for them to get dressed for school?  My daughter was already dressed, she doesn't come down in the morning without getting dressed.  But now I'm fighting with her that she doesn't need to change, again.  And the husband has mysteriously disappeared somewhere in this house.

My  5 minute mommy time out is over or the kids will be late for school.

Sigh.

Writers Workshop

When I was a kid I used to love to write.  I remember writing a story about my Cabbage Patch Kids, I had a series about 2 sisters named Angela and Denise, and I wrote poems.  I loved keeping diaries.  My very first one was given to me in second grade by my aunt and it was purple with a unicorn on the front.  In 7th grade my Language Arts teacher was thinking of creating a publication of his students writing and so I gave him a collection of my poems.   Somewhere along the line I lost that desire to write.  I never fostered the creative writing gene.  I'm afraid I seem to have lost it all together.  (luckily I can still pull out a school paper in no time and get an A which came in handy when I was going back to school!).  I think spending so much time with the kids and not enough time with adult interaction should have helped my imagination and creative writing gene.  It doesn't seem to have helped but I can tell you with certainty that it has affected my vocabulary.  In a very bad way.  I don't think I even use words that contain more than 4 letters, definately no more than 5 max.  What's even worse is that sometimes when I'm talking I can't even remember words!  My brain has turned to mush.  But anyway, last week I participated in Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop for the first time and I'm going to give it another whirl this week. 

The Prompts: (which I thought were very good this week)
1.) A Thanksgiving to be remembered... (I have several to be remembered...though I'm trying to forget!)
2.)Describe the most destructive thing your pet has done.
3.) Describe in 1000 words or less a time when something happened and you knew that life would never be the same. (Instead of writing about this one I'll sum it up with one simple sentence:  THE DAY THE STICK TURNED PINK!)
4.)Share a diary entry from when you were 13...feel free to make one up! (I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't keep it because I'm sure we'd all get a good laugh.  Then again, I'm probaly relievd not to have it to share)
5.)Describe a moment you felt embarrassed by your parents. (doesn't that describe every day from late childhood through teenage years??)

So....the prompt I chose is a Thanksgiving to be remembered. 

Thanksgiving is an odd time of year for me.  I've been trying to boycott it for the past few but my family has been ganging up on me.  Last year I BEGGED my husband to make plans to go away and he just wouldn't have it.  I knew I should have volunteered to work on Thanksgiving day! 

So there are actually several Thanksgivings to be remembered in my life.  I'll start with the Thanksgiving of 1997.  All of my life we ate Thanksgiving dinner at my grandmother's house (Nanny).  We always had a feast fit for a king....we could feed several families for several days there was so much food.  It always starts with a course of lasagna before we move on to turkey.  This particular Thanksgiving we knew was going to be Nanny's last.  She had lung cancer and things were getting worse.  We still gathered in her house as usual and my mom and aunt prepared dinner that year.  I had to work that evening and since Nanny had a thing about nurses wearing white, I made sure I brought a white skirt and blouse for work so she could remember me as a vision in white before heading off.  We always eat early so I should have had plenty of time to eat before scurrying off to work.  But the power kept going out that day.  Making it very difficult to cook in an electric oven/range.  And every time it came back on....it kept going out.  By the time they were able to get dinner ready it was time for me to leave.  I shoved something little down as quick as I could and took a plate with me for dinner that night.  I said goodbye to my grandmother and left for work in tears.  And we were right, it was her very last Thanksgiving with us....she passed away on December 13.

After Nanny passed away my brother bought her house.  So we continued to have our Thanksgiving dinners there so as not to break tradition.  My brother was very adament about this.  The funny part is that he is a bachelor and doesn't cook.  So even though we ate at his house my mom did all the cooking.

Thanksgiving 2006 we were cleaning up dinner dishes so we could prepare for dessert.  Well my other grandmother had different plans.  She fell down the stairs while on her way back from the bathroom and broke her hip.  She was carted off in an ambulance and Thanksgiving ended with bang.

In 2007 my brother had a bad flood in his home and much of it had to be gutted.  So for the first time in my life and his life we had to move Thanksgiving dinner.  This was very weired to us.  We moved it to my mom's house and still packed in the people.  Well, this year my grandfather was in the hospital and very ill.  Over dinner I found out that they had placed a feeding tube in him and I got very angry at my grandmother and uncle.  I left the table and refused to speak with them.  I was very upset and angry, I felt they were just prolonging his misery.  I left with my husband to go visit him at the hospital.  When I left I made it clear that my uncle and grandmother were to wait until I left the hospital to go because I would not be in the same room with them.  I got there and things were bad, very bad.  My cousins arrived a few minutes after I did.  Luckily the doctor was there making rounds and I was able to talk with her.  My assessment was correct, he was not going to make it through the night.  I called my mom and told her everyone needed to come in as quick as they could.  Everyone arrived within 45 minutes and my grandfather passed away minutes later with all of us around his bedside.  I still can't get it out of my head.  As a nurse I've been at the bedside many times, but this was my grandfather and so very different. 

So, last year I decided that Thanksgiving had become a jinxed holiday for us.  Since things happen in 3s I really didn't want to be around to see what the "big finale" would be.  As I stated above, I begged my husband to go away.  He felt that family needs to be together and my mom would probably need us there.  So begrudgingly I went and it was just a very odd day.  However, nothing extrodinary happened. 

This year my mom is layed up from surgery and can't walk.  I was all set to use that as an excuse not to have dinner again but my brother bamboozled me with a plan and I thought it was so sweet and uncharacteritic of him that I had to agree.  So, this year we will be returning to my parents house and my brother will be in charge of the turkey, appetizers and drinks and I will be preparing the rest.  Wish us luck! 

If you have mad it to the end of this incredibly long post then here is where I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you all have a feast fit for kings and many blessings to count.

Terrific Tuesday Is Back!

Yippee!  Terrific Tuesday is back!  I dragged myself to weight watchers today.  I wasn't really in the mood to go but I haven't been there in 2 weeks.  I was afraid to go because I've been using surgery as excuse to not count points and eat whatever I want.  But Thanksgiving and holiday parties are right around the corner so I knew I needed to get back on track.  Now.  Not later.  Now.  I need to be in control before heading into the food frenzy that await. 

And you know what?  I'm glad I did!  I was down 2.8 pounds and I made my 10% weight loss so I got my keychain!  I'm very very happy.  A little surprised but very happy.  I'm back to writing down my food choices and counting my points and I WILL lost those last 9 pound to hit my goal.  My birthday is at the end of January and I want to hit my goal by then and go out shopping for some new clothes!

You know what else made today pretty terrific?  Parent-teacher conferences.  I love conferences.  I know my kids are pretty terrific and I love hearing that someone else thinks so too!  I'm very happy with the teachers my kids have this year and I love any face to face time I can get with them.  Having 15 minutes alone to go over their report cards, here about what they are doing right, even hearing about the things they need to improve on makes me happy.  I know, I'm weird.  And no, I don't think my kids are the end all and be all.  I just love getting feedback and knowing they are doing well when I'm not hanging over their shoulders reminding them and prompting them and helping them along the way.  And I have to say, for the most part their grades were pretty good.  There is always room for improvement but I was happy. 

And one more thing that made today terrific....someone else ran my Cub Scout meeting tonight! I had conferences and can't be in 2 places at once.  I didn't want to cancel because we haven't been meeting the past few weeks. So one of my dad's ran the meeting for me!  That too made me happy. 

Did anything terrific happen to any of you today??

Tranquility... and Turmoil (MAIN BLOG): A 'Last-Chance' Christmas Gift Exchange!

So, I've just decided to participate in a Secret Santa Gift Exchange.  I think it sounds intriguing and fun!  I also think its a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Visit Tranquility... and Turmoil (MAIN BLOG): A 'Last-Chance' Christmas Gift Exchange! if you'd like to participate too!  You need to sign up by the 15th.

Now I have to write a bit about me so when my partner is assigned they can come to this post and learn a little something to help them choose a gift.  Hmmm....that is harder than it sounds!  My husband seems to think that my Christmas Wish List is out of this world this year...and not in a good way, in a way that is unattainable.  Is it really too much to ask that I have a new flat screen tv for ALL of us to enjoy in the family room?  Or a kitchen remodel to make our kitchen more functional and thus more liveable?  Or a kindle and blackberry to enter the times of this century?  I never said he had to get ALL of them.  Just pick one, I'd be happy with any.  I'll even wave my birthday present in January if you choose right (like the TV!) Okay, off topic...this is supposed to be helping my Secret Santa Partner!!!

Okay...hmmm...I've been married for 10 years, have 3 kids and a dog.  I like to read.  Anything non fiction will do but I prefer a good romance or suspenseful mystery.  I enjoy flipping through magazines but have let all of my subscriptions expire.  I should probably do something about that.  I enjoy me time and love to escape out with the gals once in a while or dare I say...to the spa for a massage.  The spa happens about 2x a year if I'm lucky, usually as a result of my hubby getting me a g.c. for a gift giving occasion.  If I'm in need of an above stated time out but can't work it into the schedule I'll take a time out here....I'll grab a glass of wine and give myself a pedicure (even if its not as good as the spa) or curl up with a good book.  I LOVE to curl up.  Be it with a book, the TV, the dog or one of the kids.  The comfier I can be while curling up the better.  I love a nice warm fuzzy blanket and a fuzzy pillow and I'm a pajama freak...can't have too many.  I sometimes declare pajama days just so I don't have to get out of them and not feel guilty about it (my kids love this!).  I'm always on the run and am always in search of trying to make this part of my life easier.  I'm a cub scout leader, about to be a girl scout leader, team mom, and vice president of a mom's group in addition to carting my kids all over the planet to dance, sports, CCD, etc.  I'm a Registered Nurse but this part of my life seems to be on hold for now.  I LOVE Christmas.  My husband refers to me as one of Santa's elves.  I decorate every nook and cranny, love ornaments and collect them on our vacations, begin my shopping early and usually volunteer to help others out with their shopping lists.  I'm not much of a cook and am always looking for simple recipes for non-cooks like me to feed the mouths of all the picky eaters around here.  I hate to clean...in fact I really lack the domestic gene all together.  I think this pretty much sums me up in a nut shell.  Key word being nut as many of my friends an family insist I am for leading such a crazy busy life! 

I'm It!

My friend ChrissyMacCEO over at Life as a CEO tagged me in a Photo Tag game. 

Here's how the game works - The person who is tagged goes to the first photo file on his/her computer and then goes to the tenth photo in that file. The tagged person posts the picture on his/her blog and tells the story behind it. The tagged person then tags a few people from the blogs he/she reads.

 
This picture was taken back in June.  My husband and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary and wanted to celebrate by doing something special.  My parents agreed to watch the kids and he and I took off for Vegas.  I had never been there and we had the BEST time ever!  This picture was taken on our first night there and my first stroll down the strip. 
 
I enjoy Felicia's blog and photo's over at Living Just Like Grandma so guess what....YOU'RE IT!

Ornament Exchange

Some of you perked up at my mention of an ornament exchange in my post yesterday.  I was going to wait until the party actually happened to talk about it some more.  But for those of you who are interested I'll tell you how we do it.  Its very similar to doing a cookie exchange, only with handmade ornaments.

I met this particular friend who is the hostess a few years back when our kids were in preschool together.  When she told me about her ornament exchange party I gushed about what a great idea it was.  The next year our kids were in class together again and we had become better friends and I got invited for the first time.  I was so excited!  This will be my fourth year going now and I'm looking forward to it this year just as much as the past three.

We must bring a handmade ornament for each person in attendance.  When you send out your invite you must specify how many ornaments to make.  This year we were asked to bring 15.  We display these in a decorative container....sometimes people use baskets, hatboxes, or anything else pretty and fun.  This is given to someone else.  We all sit around in the living room around the Christmas tree, we've placed our baskets of ornaments under the tree.  Our hostess chooses a basket of ornamets and holds one up for everyone to see.  She asks who made it and everyone oohs and ahhs.   Then we pass the basket around and everyone chooses an ornament for themselves.  The person to the right of the person whose basket it was gets to keep that basket to collect their new ornaments in.  (so you are going home with a different decorative container than you came with).  She continues to do this until all have been passed out.  We go home with 15 different ornaments.  The best part is...some people are incredibly talented and make the most beautiful ornaments.  However, not everyone is crafty but they still find an easy ornament to fit their skill level.  (hint:  search easy handmade holiday ornaments on the web...you will get an amazing amount of ideas). 

Have you caught on that the idea is HANDMADE and not store bought ornaments?  This is key and make sure your guest know that!

We always do it in the evening time and our hostess asks us each to bring a hot or cold dish for our pot luck dinner.  The dinner is always FABULOUS!!!!!  Somehow, everyone seems to bring something different and we have quite a spread before us. 

We also do a grab bag.  We are asked to bring a wrapped gift $15-20 in value.  We also place these under the tree and when we are done with the ornament exchange portion we each pick a number.  Then according to our numbers we pick a gift.  Once you open your gift you can choose to keep it or steal someone elses gift.  Some years there is a hot gift and a lot of stealing.  Other years everyone is content with what they picked. 

Of course you can customize this event to your liking.  If you don't want to do a dinner than do it in the afternoon and serve christmas cookies and hot beverages.  If you think money is tight among your friends and family than omit the grab bag or lower the price value.  The point is to come together and enjoy your day with your guests and get into the holiday spirit.

Weekly Walk

If you've been visiting my blog for a while you may have caught on that my husband and I usually take a walk somewhere fun every Friday.  They seem to be getting derailed a lot lately thanks to the awful weather and for the past two weeks, my surgery. 

Yesterday I was feeling so cooped up I couldn't stand it anymore.  I still can't drive and I looked at hubby and told him he had to get me out of this house.  It was POURING outside and the wind was something out of the Wizard of Oz.  But I didn't care.  I had to get out.  His response was "well, I don't think we can go for our walk!"

So friends, this week our weekly walk was through the craft store.  Yes, you heard me right. 

My girlfriend holds an Ornament Exchange Party every year.  We really have a blast, we bring a pot luck dinner, a grab bag gift and a home made ornament for every person there.  We go home with 15 different ornaments, a fun gift and a holiday spirit from having fun with friends and enjoying good food.  Not everyone is super crafty but everyone gets into the spirit and finds SOMETHING to come up with that they can make, no matter their craftiness ability.  My invitation came right before I was going into the hospital for my surgery.  I figured I could research ornaments on the computer during my recovery.  Which is exactly what I did.

When hubby pointed out our weekly walk was out of the question I asked him if he would take me to the craft store so I could get my supplies.  I knew this wouldn't be his first choice of destinations but I also knew that he understood how closed in I was beginning to feel.  So he took me.  And we walked down almost every aisle...thus turning it into our weekly walk.  He even held the basket for me.  Wasn't that sweet?

I could not believe what I was hearing...

Today I've decided to participate in the Writer's Workshop for the first time.  We pick a prompt from Mama Kat's website and write about.  Easy right?  Well, we'll see!

The prompt I chose is....I picked up the phone and I could not believe what I was hearing.

Approximately two years ago I was sitting in the recliner in my living room on a Saturday morning going through some magazines that had piled up when the phone rang.  I did not recognize the phone number.  Normally when I don't recognize the phone number I let the machine pick up....that is what I invested in Caller ID for in the first place, so I don't have to get stuck talking to who I refer to as "stupid people" (aka tele marketers trying to sell me stuff!).  But today I decided to be brave....there was a name on there, not just some foreign number with no identification so I braved it and answered.

The guy on the other end mispronounced my name.  This is usually the first giveaway that the person on the other end doesn't know you and is calling for something you don't want to be bothered with.  I replied..."call back when you learn to say my name right".  I went to hang up but he was too quick...he apologized and I hesitated long enough to hear what he had to say.  Really, I just should have stuck with my theory of letting the machine pick up when I don't recognize the caller!

I could not believe what I was hearing....

He told me he had just spent the past hour picking up my garbage from in front of his house.  What?  Did I hear you correctly?  What are you talking about? 

He accused me of dumping my garbage on the main street in front of his house.  This conversation wasn't making any sense to me.  I told him I would never do such a thing.  He asked me how it got there then?  I replied that since its garbage day my theory would be that the bag fell out of the garbage truck.  He asked me "four bags?"  WHAT?!?!  This conversation was really making me uncomfortable and not making sense.  I handed the phone to my husband stating I had some whack job on the phone that is accusing us of dumping our garbage in front of his house.

My husband patiently listened to him.  He apologized and then hung up the phone.  I asked my hubby what else this whack job had to say.  He said things like someone in our house must have been really sick because there were a lot of tissues and some other stuff that he found in the trash.  My husband told me he didn't want to be too gruff with this guy because obviously he was able to track us down.

Afterwards I had a few thoughts:
1.This guy obviously doesn't know me...I'm too lazy to take the garbage from the kitchen to the garbage cans outside...that is a job of hubby or one of the kids.
2.  It makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE that this guy would think I'd dump my garbage in front of his house.  We live in a suburban area with garbage pick up...no need to do anything with my garbage other than put it to the curb. 
3.  If I were to dump it somewhere, why would I choose less than a mile from my own house?
4.  Ok, I'd be pissed if I was this poor guy picking up someone elses garbage for an hour.
5.  Hmmm...he was able to tell a lot about us by going through our trash.
6.  HOLY CRAP!!!!  I must not be very good about monitoring what I put in my trash if he was able to track me down!!!  THAT IS SCARY!!! 

So while the whole conversation was one of confusion and frustration a very good lesson came out of it.  Always check what you are discarding for personal information.  Tear it off and put it through the shredder.  This was a guy who was pissed off he had to clean up after the garbage truck but he could have been someone purposefully routing through looking for info to steal. 

For more writer's workshop stories check out Mama Kat at http://www.mamaslosinit.com/

Happy Veterans Day

I'd like to start my post by thanking all of the men and women who have bravely served our country and made this the land of the FREE.  You have given me the freedom to choose where I live, choose what I'd like to do for a living and say what I'd like to say.   Because of you I get to be me!  THANK YOU!

For Veteran's Day our school asks our kids to wear red, white and blue to school to be patriotic.  I don't mind this because it teaches the kids awareness of the day.  However, when my kids return from school and I ask them what they have learned I can almost guarantee you that Veteran's Day will not have been discussed.  They will not learn about who veterans are or why we set aside the day to honor them.  They will only have known they were supposed to wear red, white and blue today.

It bothers me that my children had off from school for an ENTIRE week last week but yet are in school today NOT learning about Veteran's Day.  They always get 2 days off for the teachers convention which for the life of me I can't understand why it isn't held in the summer.  Or if it is to be held during the school year why it isn't MANDATORY for the teachers to go.  Know where my kids teachers were?  Mexico and Disney...not the convention.  This year they decided to close for election day as well...which I haven't seen since I started sending my kids to school.  Which also bothers me because such a low percentage of peopl actually turned out to vote!  Why?  Probably because they were all in Disney with the above mentioned teacher!  (don't get me wrong...I actually LOVE my kids teachers this year...its just the point of it all!).  So instead of having the kids only go to school on Monday or Wednesday or having low attendance because of the parents who pulled their kids out for those 2 days to go away for the week....they closed school for the entire week.  But today they are in school... not writing letters to veterans, not being spoken to by a veteran, not attending a ceremony, not honoring our veteran's.  To me this just seems a little crazy after justifying the week off last week. 

Sorry, I guess I should have labeled this post Whiny Wedneday! 

Terrific Tuesday...not quite

Today is the 2nd Terrific Tuesday weigh in I've missed.  Last week I had surgery and this week, well I'm still on the mend.  I have to admit, I've used surgery as an excuse to not care about what I'm eating and not count my points.  Which really wouldn't be so bad if I was still sticking to decent choices and not using it as a good excuse to raid my kids Halloween candy!  I came home from the hospital pounds heavier thanks to all the IV fluids pumped in. With all my not so great choices (which actually started a few days BEFORE surgery!) I know I'm not going to be so happy with myself when I do get back on that scale.  I've worked hard the past few months and I don't want this to completely undo all that hard work. 

I'm not feeling as good as I hoped I would a week later.  Yes, I know its only been a week but I'm a busy mom and don't have time to be layed up for weeks on end.  Yesterday I decided that if I just pushed myself a little bit I'd start feeling a little better and be closer to getting back into the swing of things.  Well, yesterday kicked my a$$.  And I feel really bad because I think as a result it kicked my husband's too.

I just wasn't feeling well yesterday and it led to frustration and tears and feeling sorry for myself.  Our busy life is hard for 2 parents to handle and with me on the mend it leaves it all to hubby.  So on top of our usual running he had to deal with a wife having a melt down and a nail in the tire that needed to be taken care of.  The poor guy never sat down until 9pm last night.  And when he did he looked at me and asked if there was anything else I needed.  I didn't have the heart to make any more requests.  I just started crying some more.

However, today is a new day.  I opened my eyes and treated it as such.  So far I'm having a much better day than yesterday and for that I'm thankful. 

Missing in Action

I've been missing in action this week.  I have to admit it was for a good reason.  You see, on Tuesday when I normally post my Terrific Tuesday success at Weight Watchers, I was on the operating table instead.  Told you it was a good reason.

Surgery kind of sucks.  Besides the pain afterwards your whole life is kind of topsy turvy for a while.  I can't do stairs, I can't drive, forget about the 3 kids and the dog....they need to fend for themselves.   Luckily I have a husband who just picks up the slack (after I was able to kick him out of my hospital room!) but unfortunately he had to return to work this morning.  Lets just say this morning is NOT going as well as I had hoped. 

I was in a panic about having surgery this past week.  It was scheduled very quickly, I only had one weeks notice to get myself together.  My kids have been off from school this past week, my mom is recovering from her own surgery and one of my best friends who would have taken the kids is away!  So my first thought was who is going to watch my kids so I don't have to go to the hospital by myself?!?  But since I do have the best parents in the world (don't tell them I admitted that out loud!) they offered for the kids to come stay with them....the kids are self sufficient enough for my dad to be the one in charge (sorry dad!) while my mom could still help entertain them (and them her!).  Okay...now I just have to worry about the dog.  Again, luckily I have a friend who has a soft spot for animals and was willing to come walk the little furball for me. 

When I arrived home I was surprised by 2 nights of dinner waiting for me on my front porch and a message that 2 more nights were arranged.  I was very touched by the thoughtfulness of these ladies in my life and hope they realize how much this gesture meant to me.  I met this group of women years ago through a mom's group.  Through that group I've met some of the most amazing people who don't think twice about doing something like this for one another. 

Only 5 more hours until hubby gets home from work....hopefully the house will still be standing and my kids will be in one piece....