New Year's Eve...for just a bit longer...

It is just one hour until the New Year is upon us in the Eastern time zone and as I ponder what I hope to accomplish this coming year, I am reminded of a quote known as the serenity prayer.

Lately, I tend to focus too much on the roadblocks in my life. I am prone to give in to feelings of hopelessness much too often. I never used to be this way. I don’t WANT to be this way. And I think I need to tattoo this prayer in my mind as a constant reminder of where my focus needs to be.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Acceptance, courage and wisdom -- three pretty good things to strive for I think.

Here's wishing all of you a wonderful 2008!

Last Post For A Bit...

Well, I think it's time I say "Happy Holidays" and focus on what needs to be done the next two weeks. I may try to keep up with your blogs a bit, but for the most part, I won't be around. So, have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas with your families!!!

Be safe -- stay healthy -- and I'll "see" you soon!

Shooting Christmas Card Photos -- Take Two

Well, that's it -- the kids win! I give up -- and today I just completely cheated and picked two of my favorite pictures from earlier in the year (one of Nick -- one of Ryan & Rachel together) and put them on a photo card and will be picking them up tomorrow.

But I still wanted to show you my latest moments captured on film. Not funny at the time -- but they sure crack me up now. Be sure you click on them to see the wonderful facial expressions (and the lovely red eyes!)

Night of the Prehistoric Sea Monster

Have you seen these before? Have you had them living in your home?

If you click on the pictures you can read the description of these Prehistoric Sea Monsters (also known as Triops) and get a look at one of ours. (And sorry about the dirty-ish water -- I have no idea how to clean it out!) Let me start by saying, my son received these as a gift last Christmas. (Yes – last Christmas.) It took me 11 months to get them out of the box and set them up. But the weekend after Thanksgiving, we decided to try them out.

I had no hope of anything happening – especially since we waited so long to actually open the box. But lo and behold – we followed the directions and guess what? Living, swimming, itty bitty little triops appeared. Maybe 11 of them to start. And now, for the past three weeks (or however long it has been since Thanksgiving) – two fully-grown triops are living in my house.

My husband was immediately freaked out by these creatures. He kept asking me, “Really – what exactly are those things?” All I know is what I read on the box and instructions. I laughed at him – the kids and I think they’re fun to watch and Nick thinks they are our fish.

But even though I laughed at my husband...I have to be honest….

Each evening as I pull their little tank out of the window to shut the blinds, they really do seem somewhat freaky. They started out as a packet of what looked like dirt – and now they swim. For a split second each night I start to envision my family as the unwilling stars of the next direct-to-video Sci Fi thriller. You know which type of movie I’m talking about. Where the pet crustacean turns out to be something from another world – it starts out small and then takes on a life of its own – growing to gargantuan size and eating or destroying anything or anyone in its path.

It could happen.

So if you don’t hear from me for awhile….you may want to send help.

Why I haven't even STARTED my Christmas cards

Alright -- I am seriously envious of all of you that can get perfect pictures of your kids together. Because look at what I get...

Not that I don't like this picture at all. It's very much what I'm used to getting when I try to get the three of my kids to pose together. Nick looks like he's making a pirate face -- their clothes are not ideal for Christmas cards -- Rachel only has a half smile on her face. These three do not make it easy on me. But in a way, I am thinking I SHOULD put this photo on a card because in 20 years, they would probably think it's really funny with Nick's silly face. And it IS a true representation of what happens when I pull the camera out.

If I get Christmas cards out at all this year, it will be a miracle!

And yes, I know you're wondering if that's a Stormtrooper on my tree -- it is. Because you know, nothing says Christmas like characters from Star Wars. (Ha!) If you look closely, you will also see Foghorn Leghorn, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger...we also have Harry Potter, Homer Simpson (my hubby's ornament), and many, many other character ornaments. Someday, I will have a tree that has all my pretty ornaments -- right now I have to settle for 10% pretty -- 90% crazy! But it makes my kids happy -- and you can't beat that. Plus some of my ornaments, although not elegant are very sentimental -- one from my grandma that is really beat up, but a treasured possession. One my husband made when he was little. Ornaments the kids have made. I really do love our tree.

I hope your holiday planning and preparation is going well and you are enjoying the season. I have started wrapping presents and I think my shopping is pretty well finished except for a few odds and ends. We may bake cookies this weekend -- we have a new bucket of holiday cookie cutters just waiting to be used. Does anyone have a fantastic sugar cookie recipe for cut-out cookies??? I need one.

Alright -- I best be going. Happy Monday -- have a good week -- and hopefully, I'll be catching up with all of you soon!

What is Wrong With Me???

December 6th and my Christmas spirit is just not what it should be. I am pretty sure I went through this last year as well. And I don't like it.

All week I have been stressing about how much I need to get done in the next two weeks and then the days pass and at the end of each day I wonder -- did I accomplish anything today?? I know I did -- I've been very busy. Still, my to do list seems to grow instead of diminish. I guess it's just that time of year.

I know you get sick of me saying it, but seriously -- have these past four or five months FLOWN by, or is it just me?? Where in the world did September, October and November go? It's like life is moving at the speed of light and you can get so caught up in the "busy-ness" of getting things done, that you have no time to enjoy them! Plus, my family has been sick for several weeks now -- nothing major, but we keep passing some darn cold/sinus bug around and it's just enough to be completely annoying. And it makes us all run down and tired which means at the end of the day when I hope to be wrapping presents or making Christmas cards -- I'm spent and just want to call it a day.

To top it all off, we are not going to be spending Christmas Eve or Day at our own home and I'm not too happy about it. I actually have mixed feelings about it -- but I have to say, it gets under my skin that nobody seems to really understand that it is important to me for my children to have memories of Christmas in THEIR OWN home. Is that too much to ask??

Gosh, as I reread my post I sound like a complete SCROOGE -- I think I needed to get this off my chest! LOL And please don't get me wrong. I do love Christmas -- for its TRUE meaning. It's my favorite holiday. I think I'm just a little down -- feeling like I can't enjoy it as I would like.

This is why I haven't posted this week...I don't mean to be a downer. I am trying to just clear my head and remind myself each day that this too shall pass and hopefully, hopefully, hopefully I can get past my frustrations and just enjoy this time of year for what it's all about.

I think it's time for my annual viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life".... maybe that will set me straight. What do you think??