We had a nice Christmas and as usual, the best part are the memories.

When we got home CHristmas Eve, Spanky sounded like he was talking to us about how terrible it was to be home alone when Santa arrived to fill the stockings.

Breanna really liked her Skillet shirts and Twilight calendar. Santa got her and American Girl stationary set. Luke got her a bracelet....pretty. He picks out great gifts. Both kids do....

Pete was really surprised with the Blizzard season tickets.

Luke told me last night he just KNEW Santa was going to get him the Legos Mars Mission Base since it was to expensive for Mom and Dad to purchase.

I got two necklaces from the kids, a golden retriever angel ornament from Bree, a book and pajamas from Pete and I yoga dvd.

We went to mom's Christmas Eve and forgot her main gift! Poor mom....We told her not to buy anything that comes in a box, could be plugged in or makes a funny noise when you use it because it was our way of telling her what we got her without telling her what we got her!

With all the snow we have been having, it is forcing us to stay home. We got lucky because we have all out Christmas shopping done. (Still have to wrap, though).

The kids and I made gingerbread cookies this weekend. I have never made them before because I do not like gingerbread but Breanna wanted to and whatever Breanna wants, she gets. We did not have a gingerbread cookie cutter but we did have a snowman and several easter cookie cutters. So we have a couple snowmen, several gingerbread bunnies and a couple eggs. It was fun. Luke helped and I kept hearing Breanna telling him to stop eating the dough!

I finally got the Christmas cards done and Pete will be mailing them out today. He picked out the cards...they are from the movie, " A Christmas Story", one of his favorite holiday movies. I like it, too. Around here, they show the movie over and over for 24 hours!

We are going to my mom's Christmas Eve which is always nice. (First we go to church). We also drive around and look at the lights. Santa fills the stockings while we are gone...with the dog I hope he does not leave too much chocolate around!

I borrowed this from Dr. John with a few revisions.

Favorite Christmas Song? The Little Drummer Boy

Real tree or artificial? Both! We always get a real, tall tree for the living room, there's an artificial tree up year round in the basement.

Favorite Christmas food? Fondue with steak.

Homemade cookies or store bought? Depends on the year...so far this year, neither.

Stay home or travel? Both.

Hardest person to buy for? My dad.

Easiest person to buy for? My mom.

Open gifts Christmas Eve or Christmas day? We come home to filled stockings on Christmas Eve and open presents under the tree Christmas day.

Favorite gift as a child? Barbie camper.

Favorite memory? Cross country skiing to church for Christmas Eve services.

Favorite memory as a mom? Watching my four year old son walk carefully up to his stocking to see if he got toys or coal. He reached in and pulled out a toy and turned around and said, "Mom, I HAVE been good!"

Do you decorate the whole house or just one room? We decorate the living room with the tree, stockings, garland on the banister and a nativity set. Pete does the outside lights...one year he made it in the paper!

Clear lights or colored? Usually clear. We also like all blue.

Most annoying thing about the holiday? The really bad songs that are played over and over.

Do you send cards or e-mails? Usually cards but I haven't got them yet this year!!

Strange holiday quirks? When I was a kid, I would look out the front window and see the red light flashing on top of the radio tower and pretend it was Rudolph.

Do you tell people what to get you or do you like to be surprised? Surprised...definetly.

When do you usually finish your shopping? I start around October and end Christmas Eve which is usually done at the local drugstore.

What are some other memories? My brother and I would put the lights on the tree. I was usually on the ladder stuck behind the tree and he would leave.

When we were little, we would go to church, look at lights and go home and peek in the window to see if Santa had been there and put presents around the tree.

Our poodle liked to open gifts.

When I was single and in my 20's, I went to church with my mom. All the children were up at the altar for the placing of the baby Jesus in the manger. Afterwards, all the kids went back to their parents except for one little girl, about three, who stayed and stared at the nativity scene oblivious to what was going on around. We all waited until she was done.

Oops

I spoke too soon, the tree fell over about a minute after I posted the last entry.

Today I told my daughter we need to come up with a holiday family tradition. Her answer was "Sleep..."

Later I asked if she would help me put up the garland on the loft and hang up the stockings. She asked, "Do we HAVE to listen to Christmas music????"

Can you tell she is a teenager?

We did get a nice tall tree...it was the second one we saw. I think it is the tallest tree we ever had (I say that every year) but this one is at least 12 feet tall. It was nice because since it is skinny, it was easy to carry into the house and fit through the door.Plus it hasn't fallen over yet.

I went shopping this weekend with my friend Geri. I got some gifts but not all and I forgot to pick up Christmas cards. I don't think I am going to send any out this year. I have nothing to write about...maybe my top ten list which I do every year could be about why I don't want to send out cards.

I lost two pounds last week....not Biggest Loser numbers but it is better than gaining or not losing any.

We got a bunch of snow...the kids had a snow day. I was going to make them go out and make a snowman or snowfort but it was the kind of snow that was too fluffy and wouldn't pack.

I watched the Biggest Loser last night...we want Michelle to win because she is the underdog and I think the one who has learned the most and come the farthest.

Last night I dreamt Bob from the Biggest Loser was yelling at me to get moving. I think that was a sign....that and the fact that none of my clothes fit. So I started to eat better...this is my second day. Whoo...hoo...happy...happy....joy.........joy....blah...blah......blahhhhh.

An Early Lesson

It seems like from an early age, I learned a valuable lesson...'be thankful for what you have'. Maybe I learned it early because my mother always said there was always someone worse off than me, maybe I learned it early because of my hearing loss or maybe it was because of a relationship that ended and I was grateful to get out of when I was in my early twenties. I probably learned it because it keeps coming up in my life as reminder.

But, because I have learned it and it is a part of my daily life, I am frustrated with those who just do not get it. I have two friends, very good and wonderful people, both my age, both women but man, they just do not get it. For instance, I lead a rather uneventful life but I like it that way...no stess because I run the household like a smooth running machine. I pick and choose my battles knowing not everyone or everything is perfect all the time. My friends however, seem to think chaos is a way to live life but then wonder why their lives are so stressed. They never seem to be happy even though they both have a roof over their heads, a good job, great kids and food to eat. They both have everything they need, but yet it is not enough.

I have tried to tell them but they do not hear me. I feel sorry for them...they have everything they need but they don't know it.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. First I made the family help me clean the family room so rather than taking the usual three hours it got done in less than an hour. We went to my mom's who made EVERYTHING and it was good. I got to visit with my sister-in-law and see my nephews and their cute dog. The next day we went to my brother-on-law's house and he made EVERYTHING and it was good. I visited with my father-in-law, saw my nephews and held a cute snake.

Over the weekend, Pete went to the Packer game, I painted panels for the Christmas program at church (in my kithen!!!!) and when we picked the dog up from the kennel and grooming place he had blue bows in his ears! That's just not right.

Today I spoke to my daughter's eighth grade class about the articles I have been writing for the paper. I told them to look for the articles on Mondays about once a month and it turns out no one in the class gets the paper (perhaps they were pulling my leg?) I got to walk home with my daughter on the snowy, slippery sidewalk with her very talkative friends. They are a funny, good group of girls. I felt like an old lady walking with them.

Tonight we watched Chuck. We love that show. Tomorrow the water guy comes to replace the water meter in the house. Pete will stay home in case he has any questions. I am not functional when utility people come to the house because I don't know where anything is. However, the toilet handle broke and I lifted up the tank cover and figured out how to fix it. (Pete went and got the part and fixed it but at least I knew what to fix!)