Aha!!!  My button finally came back!!!  Had no “new weblog entry” button to push, and could not blog…so sad.  Even had time to yesterday, ’cause HUBBY WENT BACK TO WORK!!!!  Can I have a WOOHOO?!  Don’t get me wrong, you know I love ‘im.  And it was nice getting to hang with him so much and totally reconnect (and gettin’ some action any time of day!)…BUT – paychecks are nice, number one, number two-benefits are nice to have (thank God we have health insurance again!), but, number three, and I say this with love in my typing….I have room to breathe again.  Seriously.  I can clean my house when I want, do whatever I want and not feel guilty I’m abandoning him.  Nice.  My house is the grossest ever right now, ’cause when I start cleaning, it’s “come on honey, let’s watch a movie, come on, snuggle right in here”.  Which is nice, but I’m really tired of just having to wash even a spoon when I need it.  Ya’ll thought I was joking about the gross-ocity here, dint’cha?  Nope, it’s just that bad. 

Yeah, he’s employed again.  It’s actually a job he wanted when he was in the military, and one he wanted when he separated, but it just didn’t work out.  However, since he’s had time to re-evaluate his life a little bit, we’re not sure if he’s still quite excited about it. Takes alot of travel time…at least 1-2 weeks a month out.   However, it’s a paycheck right now, and we’ll be keeping it for the time being, thank you very much.  He HAS gotten a job offer from University of Oklahoma…they’re flying him down for an interview next Tuesday.  Oklahoma.  (Does anyone else see (oh heck, now I can’t remember his name, for gosh sake) think Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)  Not so excited about that.  He is, kids are, I’m not.  Oklahoma would be on my least 3 favorite states to EVER live in…sorry if you live there.  I have this tornado thing.  And that’s just not the state to be in if you go psycho every spring with weather. And it’s not even on the right side of the city we’d be living on, so not even getting any protection from city effect.  Nope, the town we’d be living in is on the southwest side.  And has been hit by 2 F5′s in the past 10 years.  That does not sound like fun to me.  BUT I’m trying not to be selfish…this would be a career move for him…a forever job, if you will.  Guaranteed 9-5er, pay is good, he gets tuition assistance…I told him he needs to go into his interview demanding guaranteed tuition assistance for the family too…and if they say yes, THEN I’ll go. Dragging my feet and chugging Prozac, but I’ll go. 

Well, kids are home, and I need to help Jason get done with his homework…but hey, I can post again tomorrow!!!  I’m having girl issues, anyway, can’t go into extreme detail, but would love advice for this….go into it tomorrow…have a great Thursday, ya’ll!!! 

And in honor of dh being back in the computer business…I bring you poetry…

If computer errors were written as haikus

Three things are certain:
Death, taxes and lost data.
Guess which has occurred.

The file you need
might be very useful.
But now it is gone

Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.

Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, reboot.
Order shall return.

Wind catches lily,
scattering petals to the ground.
Segmentation fault.

With searching comes loss
and the presence of absence:
File not found.

The Web site you seek
cannot be located but
endless others exist.

You step in the stream,
but the water has moved on.
This page is not here.

Stay the patient course.
Of little worth is your ire.
The network is down.

No keyboard present.
Press F1 to continue.
Zen engineering.

This site has moved.
We’d tell you where, but then
we’d have to delete you.

First snow, then silence.
This thousand dollar screen dies
so beautifully.

Printer not ready.
Could be a fatal error.
Have a pen handy?

I know it’s been awhile…sorry…missed my daughter’s birthday post with all the poop that was going on…usually I do a picture post to honor the b-days…and I missed our anniversary post…hubby’s a little needy right now, and misses me alot when I’m not sitting by him, or available for a reassurance hug.  Poor guy.  I still wanna kick that hag’s butt.  BUT…it’s a blessing.  Except for the damage it’s done to his ego (even though we all need humbled sometime), and his self-confidence it’s been a blessing.  Thankfully we still have enough to get by for another month or so, to include paying all bills.  Alot of people aren’t so fortunate…we’re OK.  And we’ll find out if he gets that military contract by the middle of March.  If that doesn’t pan, THEN I might start freaking out a little bit.  I DO have faith that we’ll be alright, really.  There’s a Plan for us in there somewhere, ya know? 

The kids and I both are loving having Daddy back.  They have gotten so much quality time with him over the last month, I sincerely hope that he doesn’t go back to old work habits.  It’ll break their (and mine) hearts.  Jason has decided to add inventor to his list of “when I grow up”, though he’s working at it really hard now. He and Dad have made several toys lately…recycling old things and making them into pull caterpillars, semi-truck (made out of an old binder, lego wheels, and pencils-really cute, actually).  I’m loving it.  School pics are today…I really need to post some pics on here…oh…and Jason has his kindergarten musical tomorrow night…it’s gonna be SOOOO cute!!!!  And I wish I could put my own audio on here somehow…Jess had her solo and ensemble competition on Saturday…she sang “The Water is Wide” and it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL.  That girl has such a pretty voice.  She wound up getting 1st, with one place being higher at 1st superior.  Not because of voice, but because of twitching and eye contact.  Boo to the judge!   

Did I mention that at Jason’s last conference the teacher said he could definitely move to 1st grade?  WOOHOO!  Said he has no problem with the skills, just worried about his attention level getting the better of him.  I said OK, look.  I know you’re not allowed to actually use the words your kid has ADD.  Here’s what I know.  I think he has possible a little over the borderline ADD, my sis thinks he most definitely has ADD, and my dr. thinks he’s just an active, intelligent boy.  She says, “maybe you should go talk to your dr. again”.  OK.  When we get insurance, I’ll do that.  Or should we start something before school ends, so we can test it before 1st grade?  How does this work???

OK…I’ve got some phone calls to make, and then I need to go into the Y and teach swim lessons….ya’ll have a great week!!!

Well, well, well.  Well. When it rains, it pours.  And that’s OK…if it never rained, flowers couldn’t grow, right?

I think I told ya’ll I quit that job, right?  My husband saying it’s OK, we make enough for me to find a job I enjoy and all that?  Guess what?  My hubby got canned last Thursday.  My old position got filled, and they’re not hiring anymore.  Ouch.  Can’t blame ‘em. I wouldn’t hire me either, if I quit after 2 weeks of working somewhere.  SO, for now, we have what’s left in the bank (not a whole lot, but we can survive for a month, with all bills paid, so long as no one gets really sick and requires a visit to the dr, ’cause we have no insurance either!!!!)  and what I make teaching swim lessons at the Y.  Which isn’t alot, let me tell you.  Right now he’s out selling meat door to door with my BIL…hopefully he does well…talk about a huge ego pop.  Poor guy…he was defining himself by his job something fierce.  He’s trying to get a contract opened up on base come April 1….so we just need to survive until then and pray to God that contract gets awarded. The scariest thing is the no insurance bit.  What if something happens to the kids?  Jason’s already sick…had a fever off and on for 2 weeks now, and missing 2 weeks of school.  Doc wants to do lab work today, I’m waiting for a phone call so I can explain our situation right now, and see if we can get any help with it, if it’s major bucks.  Never operated without insurance before…scary stuff. 

 Did I mention this happened on my daughters 13th birthday?  We still lived it up for her…that’s a special one, becoming a teenager.  Thankfully, we had already spent all the money that was going to get spent on her before the big firing.  We redid her room, painting it soft pink, with lime green dots on the 2 major walls.  The biggest dots being green corkboard, so she can pin in pics of buddies.  Found a green fabric shower curtain with hot pink holders at Target…looks WAY cool in there…need to somehow get a pic…we also got her a cell phone.  Yes, this is something we swore we wouldn’t do until she was much older.  However, with crap happening, and her having to make a few emergency phone calls from other people’s phones, we got her one.  It is one of those where you have to buy your own minutes, however.  We bought the first 166 minutes.  She has to keep 30 on for emergency only, when she gets down to 30, she’s to consider it dead, and then she has to BUY HER OWN MINUTES.  I love that.  I was afraid with a planned phone that she couldn’t make the payments herself and it would turn to good ol’ mom and dad to pay or pay the huge cancellation fee.  SO, this way she learns the power of paying her own bills.  Very cool. She had a great birthday…my little baby is 13.  Sigh.  2 years and we teach her to drive, 8 years and she’s free.  13 years ago, I would have said I”D be free…now I”m not quite so looking forward to it. 

That incredible hag.  I’m referring to the wench who fired my husband.  He had worked at the hospital for 2 years as a contractor, then got hired on in November as the IT lead man.  New director got hired on Jan. 2.  He had heard her m.o. was to come in, fire the heavy highest paid power players, and bring in her own guys.  He went to her the day after she came in, asked if this was true, and if it was, please let him know, he’d start looking now…he’s got a family to support and all.  She said, no, of course not, that’s just silly…I don’t fire anyone, they just usually quit, ’cause I make life hard.  Well, she sure did.  A was working easily 80 hours a week and longer, doing these f’ed up tasks she’d assign.  On his 90 day eval day, where they can still fire him without notice or benefits…she did.  Bitch.  Oops.  Sorry. I do try not to curse whenever possible, but I really just want to kind of want to run her down with my car.  Oh, did I type that out loud?

BUT, it isn’t all bad.  A was killing himself working that job.  He was hating it…miserable every day, when we got to see him, anyway.  Kids were missing him horribly, Jason acting up in school.  We didn’t save money very well, spending it like water.  This is going to be a training program for us.  Dad gets to learn how NOT to work himself to the bone (he’s a workaholic), kids automatically benefit, and also learn that money does NOT grow from trees, and we learn how to budget.  Kind of like learning to swim by being thrown into the ocean.  Forget the nice calm pool…we’re swimming with sharks. 

OH WELL….on to the Queen’s writing challenge:

Our favorite romantic movies:

1.  Say Anything:  LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie…so romantic, and one of my feller’s is in it…can’t beat it.  I think this must be the number one.

2.  Phantom of the Opera:  Come on…who doesn’t love the “Point of no Return” scene?  That’s just hot.

3.  For Keeps:  When he goes running looking for her at the end, with the ring in the flowers, I just sob every time.

4.  She’s Having a Baby:  comedy, tears, and reality…awesome movie

5.  Fever Pitch:  I like Drew Barrymore…even though she’s a tad annoying with the same pitch of her voice every time…her movies are sappy just like I like ‘em.

6.  Ever After:  Yup, another Barrymore production…let’s just say all of her movies. 

Ya know, I pretty much like ALL the romances, ‘specially if there’s comedy thrown in…the only ones I DON’T like is when they decide it shouldn’t end happily…case in point, My Best Friend’s Wedding…yes, he married the girl, and good for them, but let’s face it, we wanted Julia to get him back.  Unsatisfying ending.  Oh, Far and Away also an awesome flick with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman…very good. 

So that’s it…if you want to take a look at the challenge and who participated go to Kween_of_the_Kweens…also in my sub list to the left…Have a great weekend folks!

Just a quickie post.

You guys are my buddies, right?  I feel I can share this with you.  We’re tight like that.

It’s time for a boob job.  That’s all there is to it.

I’m sitting on the potty, haven’t gotten fully dressed yet from waking up (this may be TMI for a few of you, sorry), so sitting there upper half totally bare.  My son walks in (remember he is just 5…unfortunatley quite used to mom partially naked at least, though that apparently needs to start changing).  Now, I”m also kind of leaned over reading a book. Boobs adangling. My son says to me…”Wow…those things are LONG”…then says “they look like they’re gonna fall off!!”  “Seriously, mom, they’re just so LONG”

Ouch.  Forget the tummy tuck.  Out of the mouths of babes, right?

4 more days there.  Just 4 more days.  3, actually.  I already told them I need to take Monday off to help my sis to and from foot surgery.   And then it’s sub work.  Put in for subbing in our district, (aide only of course, ’til I get that little sheet of paper…), preschool teacher sub at Jas’ old preschool, and subbing at the new place I just quit.  Guess that’s how I’m gonna have to earn money ’til I get Kidz @ Play up and running!  Oh yeah, and teaching swim at the Y.  But that doesn’t really make a whole lot, it’s just fun.  I think my last paycheck from there ALMOST paid for my gas.  Woohoo!! 

So I’m trying a new tact with my son.  He just keeps getting in trouble EVERY day for talking talking talking, and more talking.  We were trying the whole positive reinforcement deal…we’re done with that.  You know, 10 stickers for 10 green lights, new Transformer or whatever…just doesn’t fly…especially when the greens just don’t happen any more at all.  So NOW we’re just beating him.  NO!!!!  JUST KIDDING!!!!    Yellow light = no computer time (he LOVES kidpix), red light=no computer time + no TV, blue light = all that +15 minutes sitting on his bed NO toys, NO playing whatsoever.  And if he does play, then he’s grounded from EVERYTHING for a week.  How’s that sound?  Is it still too soft?  He got a red today, and went over to his cousin’s house after school (I was still at work)…she wanted to watch TV, so he had to come home as soon as I got off.  Which made him a little sad, I hope.  I dunno.  Just talked with his father on the phone, and while I was telling him about him getting a red light, Jason pipes up with “I don’t really like computer and TV anyway”.  He really doesn’t care about TV, but he does love one show.  Popular Mechanics for Kids.  Loves it.  Maybe if I threaten to delete one by one off the TiVo.  So anyway, Dad says let’s spank ‘im, I told Jason that, and he seems to care a little bit about that one.  So maybe we SHOULD beat ‘im. My thing is, what if he IS  ADD…I don’t really think it’s fair to punish him for something he can’t control…but if it’s just a case of “I don’t wanna” then that’s a whole nother thing.  Durn kids.

I’ll have to check on everyone later…my neice’s b-day dinner is tonight…she’s 13!!!  Jess turns 13 in 2 weeks.  I’m so not ready to be the mother of a teenager.  At least she’s a good one SO FAR.  I know things can change at any second!!  Girls…teenage…hormones…shudder shudder….

I should so be going to bed.  What the heck am I doiing awake and typing on xanga for?  Crazy, just crazy.  I got up at 4:30 a.m. this morning to work out.  And plan on doing the same thing tomorrow morning.  Gotta fit it in somewhere, and it’s not going to happen after I get off work.  Ugh.  Stupid gym.  Stupid fat.  And stupid work. I’m a little grumpy. 

So I gave my 2 weeks notice today to said work.  Yup, I know, I”ve only worked there since last Wednesday.  So sad.  I went in thinking I was teaching at a preschool.  Nope, assisting as a daycare assistant in a 2 year old room.  Now, 2, 3, even 8 2 year olds, totally handleable.  15 not my cup of tea.  And I can’t really do anything.  Here I am, a fountain of knowledge on kids, and the 23 year old lead teacher won’t let me help at all with the curriculum, take charge one iota, even lead the kids in a song.  It was killing me.  I’m a 34 year old woman, director of my own preschool thing in the summer, raised 2 kids for gosh sake, owned my own kid gym for 6 years, and I can’t lead kids in a song without offending someone’s “teacher-ness”?  Good Lord.  So, basically, I’m already a little peeved at work…though, of course, already falling in love with some of these kids…they’re just too cute, and some of ‘em have those big sloppy hugs with a smooch on my cheek for me….big sweeties.  ANYWAY…to take this job I had to give up all of my volunteer work at Jason’s school…(which Jason is VERY sad about) (oh family doesn’t want me to work there, either, including hubby…says he doesn’t want me in a dead-ender, says if we can afford for me to wait it out for a job I love, then do so…I think we’re gonna focus on getting my business up and running, however)  ANYWAY.  So I get a call this morning from the person I got to do my son’s Art class for me…her son is sick, she can’t do the class.  Well, if I want my son to have Art for the month of January, I’ve got to go in.  So I call work (1 hr before my shift), and let them know I need to be out for an hour, due to a scheduling conflict.  Please remember I just started working here, and am still trying to cut off loose ends of being a SAHM for 5 years, available at everyone’s fingertips.  They told me I needed to figure out my priorities and I need to make a choice…work or his Art class.  Hunh.  Duh.   So, after I got back from Art…I gave them my two weeks…very amicably, actually…they are really nice, and pretty understanding.  Unless I’m getting it behind my back…whatever.  Don’t care.  I did tell them they can put me on a substitute list, as they don’t have one yet…and they seemed good with that, so we’ll see what happens there.  Definitely a record for short hire, I think.   

OK….enough of this silliness…I need to go to bed…I’lll post about New Years Eve next time.  Ya’ll have a good Wednesday!!!!

oh my gosh….2 posts in a row…the world may end!!!    Nah…looked back at last years resolutions…let me go find them and I’ll bring them on here…

1.  not stay so long on the computer, neglecting everything else
2.  clean out garage…AGAIN
3.  budget budget budget
4.  more sex
5.  work with Jason more
6.  keep in touch with friends a little better
7.  send more pics and video up to his family in Alaska
8.  less drug use  (JUST KIDDING!!!)
9.  get fence fixed, office painted, hallway painted, paint over ugly marble in bathroom, redo cabinets in bathroom, paint all outside trim on house….(or find someone to do all this for me!)
10.  and to go with the diet, gym time!!!

Now, those were last years.  No numbers 2, 4 (sigh), 7, or 9.  So, here’s this year’s resolutions…

1.  clean out garage.  This is disgusting.  This is Dh’s room and it is NASTY.  His room, so he should clean it, right?  No thank you…I’d like it done in one day, not in a year.  In the time it takes for him to clean it, he’s already tossed 5 more packs of cigarette butts on the ground and drunk 3 more cases of beer to leave his bottles all over the place…not to mention, gone through every box of computer crap he has out there (about 20 boxes of papers and info he’s collected through the years)…which of course, leaves more mess.  So I’ll just do it.  Ugh.

2.  Budget budget budget…took a decrease in his paycheck, plus legal fees to get the b-tard who stole money from him…

3.  more pics and video up to his family in Alaska…poor grandparents…they usually only get stuff at Christmastime…I really need to get better at that.  Probably seems like they’re soap children…you know how they go off screen to some school for 3 weeks and come back grown adults?  That’s probably how they seem them!

4.  What number 9 above says.  Only do it yourself if possible.  I’m tired of being embarassed to have people in our home.  And I am.  And I’m not a superficial kind of person…I just want it to look nice for once…and to get all these yucky carpets out…I’m sure that would help Jason’s allergies 100fold, ya know? 

5.  I’m going to become a recycle nut.  No, haven’t seen Al Gore’s movie yet, but it just makes sense to do it…used to be a total tree hugger when I was younger, why’d I quit?  Now that I probably have personally killed a whole rainforest, I think I will take some responsibility and start doing this again…and brainwash my children to do it too…

6.  Help more.  People in general.  Volunteer at Good Samaritan House down in E. St. Louis…drag kids in, teach them to do it now.  Get GS troop in to adopt a grandparent at the local nursing home…have GS troop hold fundraiser to buy chicks for starving families in South America…let kids know (mine and GS girls) that all is not peaches and sunshine, and people NEED their help.  I don’t think they really get that. 

7.  Lose 25 more pounds.  Just 25.  The LAST 25.  And keep it off.  Continue going to the gym, even if it means I have to go at 5:30 before I get Jess off to school, and then go to work.  I am going to stay healthy if it kills me.   No, I like having the energy I do now to go out with the kids, not feel lazy all the time, and not scared of a heart attack, stroke, or blood clots, bad knees, shot arches…good to be healthy, and around for awhile.

8.  If God wills it, get my 6 and under activity gym started…get business plan made, and ducks in a row. 

Wow…sounds like I’m going to be a little busy this year.  Yikes.    Should make a number 9…make sure you don’t forget you have a family…pay attention to them too!!!!  What with having a preschool job, teaching swim lessons, and camp in summer, and HOPEFULLY starting my business (which will make preschool job go away), and volunteering, it may get a little hectic.  Remember where your backbone is…your family.  They are your shelter, your home, your heart.  Be there. 

So, how about YOUR resolutions, people?  Got any good ones?  Let’s hear ‘em!!!

           HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

 need a new song…but I’m braindead on music right now…needs to be a New Years party type of song, of course…any suggestions? 

Life is good.  Recovered from the lovely flu bug…Jess has yet to get it, Jason had a short version of it on Saturday, and DH hasn’t gotten it yet.  And hopefully won’t. Kids went over to their Aunt’s house on Wednesday, so I could stay in bed all day and get better…Wednesday night sis calls and says S (12 year old cousin) and little A (7yr old cousin) are now throwing up, too.  Ugh.  So I fully expect Jess to come down with it sooner or later…better now, than when school starts back up…And maybe she’ll get lucky and pull a Jason on this one.  Saturday evening he started feeling a little yucky…couple hours later, he says he has to throw up, and does, 5 times in a row.  Then he goes to bed, and wakes up all better.  Nice.  Was even ready to eat normally by lunch time.  Me, I got pukey sick on Tuesday evening, and still don’t feel like eating normally.  Blech.  BUT I”m out of bed, and my body doesn’t ache.  So that is a good thing.

Christmas was great.  Nice and low key…kids all got along…Christmas miracle in and of itself right there….nothing was stressful.  So nice.  DH and I decided to leave most of the kids gifts and ours to each other at our house, rather than bringing them to my mom and dads…gets to be kind of a mad scramble to open gifts there…and with so many opening at once, it’s hard to see who got what from whom, no thank you’s, just crazy.  So when we got back here Tuesday morning, we took turns opening gifts, and oohed and aahed appropriately.  That was great.  I think next year will be severely downsized however.  I think more focus needs to be put on the reason for the season, ya know?  I was getting a little irritated every time I heard someone ask “so are you ready for Christmas, yet?” And the response from people was always a grunted “ugh, no way…I can’t wait for this to be over”.   I was guilty of it too, at first, until I got to thinking about it.  That’s just messed up.  We get so caught up in finding the perfect gift, or what we think would be the perfect gift…media trying to get us to stand in line at God awful hours to accomplish this (thank you Wii people!!! And no, I never got one before Christmas…I gave up.  He can get one for Fathers Day )  when really, if we don’t set ourselves up to begin with, these same people we are trying to please with monetary gifts would be just as happy with something from the heart.  Now, I’m TOTALLY guilty of overspending on my kids this year.  Next year is a different story.  Please remind me of this next year…I may need it.    Jess’s big gift this year was the DS Lite with the Nintendogs game…she had been saving up for it to buy herself…Jason’s was getting his Robby Robot from last year fixed by Santa (new one, ka-ching), and a Robobug.  (build your own robot bug).  Then, of course, alot of smaller gifts from mom and dad.  My wonderful family got me quite a few new Willow Tree figurines.  I love those…they are so pretty.  DH got me the one where the couple is dancing together…made me choke up a little bit with that one….that’s how we spent more than  half of our dating….dancing at the NCO club.  He was such a hot dancer.  Mmmm…  Ahem…anyway…Jason got me the little boy holding a gold heart, his mom gave me the woman with arms outstretched with bluebirds landing on her arms, and SIL gave DH one with a dad holding a little bald baby in his lap.  So sweet.  But yeah, Christmas was fantastic.  DH was so loving and really feeling sweet the whole 2-3 weeks even leading up to Christmas.  It was so nice.  When he took Jess out shopping, he even wore a Santa Claus cap the WHOLE TIME.  Now, how awesome is that?  And when they came home, Jess tells me that this lady in front of them in line at Wal-Mart was asking for help out to her car, they didn’t have time, so DH and Jess jump out of line to help this lady out with her groceries.  Now, THAT’S Christmas spirit, folks, may it last all year round.   

OH, I got that Preschool job.  Took an assistant teaching position…in the 2 year old room.  Ugh.  Sorry, not my favorite age group.  Out of the preschool set, that would be my last one I’d pick. Heck, that’s not even preschool, that’s daycare.   BUT they met my requested hours, and I can’t find anyone else who’ll do that.  Hours will be 9:00-3:30.  Perfect.  Sigh.  Not quite sure how summer will work out, yet.  Told them my summer camp comes right after my kids in priority, they seemed not to have a problem with that…but I also don’t want to spend all day away from my kids, either.  We’ll see how it goes.  Still hoping to raise money for the rent for that building I want…there’s a story that goes to that…very long, will get to that in another post.  I am nervous about it, though.  Not the job thing.  But the whole how do I keep my diet and work at the same time?  Sounds easy to people who’ve never had eating problems.  I liken it to a recovering smoker who hasn’t really had to mix with their old smoking routines while they were in recovery.  Well, I’m mixing again…will this work?  I only have 27 more pounds to go until I reach my military weight…DH is so happy with how I look now, and so am I.  Right now, I’m used to eating nuts whenever I get the snackums, lunch is usually hot and gooey (cheesy), and a sugar free soda mid-day for a sugary treat.  I won’t be able to snack, and only time for a packed lunch…probably cold cuts.  Which will get really old really fast.  And lunch time with the kiddos is supposed to be family style…we’re supposed to eat with them.  I’m going to tell admin that I’m diabetic, and just can’t eat it.  I’m scared, folks.  Is that silly? 

Well, I think I  probably have a long enough post in now…catch ya’ll up?  Oh yeah…we have a 3rd kitty…we wound up fully adopting Noel…and she’s finally starting to mix with the kitties…they’re starting to tolerate her now!  Key word, tolerate. 

Ya’ll have a Happy New Year and don’t drink and drive!!!!!!!!!!

Heh heh heh…this sounds pretty good too…

I’ll post in a bit…spending family time…in the meantime, have yourself a little chuckle…or just nod in agreement…whichever and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! (or the holiday you choose to celebrate!!!!)

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks.  Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows
nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go
next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2.  Drink as much eggnog as you can, and quickly.  Like fine single-malt scotch,
it’s rare. In fact, it’s even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can’t find it any
other time of year but now.  So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in
every sip?  It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something.
It’s a treat. Enjoy it.  Have one for me.  Have two.  It’s later than you think.
It’s Christmas!

3.  If something comes with gravy, use it.  That’s the whole point of gravy.  Gravy
does not stand alone.  Pour it on.  Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes.
Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano.  Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk.
If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic
transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating.
The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for
free.  Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do
that in January when you have nothing else to do.  This is the time for long naps,
which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of
food and that vat of eggnog.

7.  If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted
Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and
don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention.
They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes.  If you leave them behind, you’re never
going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple.  Pumpkin.  Mincemeat.  Have a slice of each. Or, if you
don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else
do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory
celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost.  I mean, have SOME standards.

10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up
from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but
hurry, January is just around the corner.

OK……Christmas cards to be mailed away, DONE.  Christmas shopping…DONE.  Picked out pictures for MIL and FIL’s scrapbook calendar…DONE.  Now all I have to do is assemble said calendar, bake all Christmas goodies (and yes, I bake ALOT), mail off packages, and wrap presents.  That’s all.  OH…and possibly throw in cleaning the house from top to bottom in the next week…we may be getting new flooring throughout the house!!! WOOHOO…Merry Christmas to me!  So I have to actually clean out stuff from under the beds, behind the dressers, put away laundry that I just shamefully toss in on the closet floor ’cause I don’t wanna hang it up right then, and so on.  Basically make it look like I”m not as bad a housecleaner as I really am.  ‘Cause frankly I am not.  Poor family.  Poor family, my butt.  I’m pretty sure they can clean too.  So, anyway, hopefully, if we can get the home loan we’re going to have stone finish in the kitchen, laundry room, and pantry; all wood floors downstairs (besides aforementioned kitchen area), and new carpeting on stairs and all upstairs.  YEAGH! It will feel so nice and beautiful in here.  Our floors are so gross.  The kitchen tile is from the 70′s…the yellow octagon pattern with flowers in the middle…anyone remember that?  The carpets are hopeless…they’re also original from the house being built…no padding under the major traffic areas anymore, and stains no longer steam clean up.  It’s just plain disgusting.  Always looks filthy no matter what I do.  So Yippee, new flooring!!!!

Am currently making a cherry cobbler crisp for “sing for your supper” tonight at my church…we’re going caroling, too….sounds like SO much fun!!!  This morning went to my sis’ church…neice had a great little Christmas performance…so sweet…wish our church was doing something kiddie for Christmas, but that’s OK…I love it all!!!!  I just especially love the kids’ stuff…they’re just so cute and innocent with everything they do…

OH….hmmm…change in job options…well, not really a change…got called for an interview for preschool teacher tomorrow at 2.  Since I don’t have the moolah for first and last month’s rent at that beautiful building, I’m going to do this until I can raise it…I say that, but I know I’ll sink my heart into preschool again, fall in love with the kids, and not be able to leave.  What should I do?  I need to raise the funds…maybe work a job I hate for a few months?  But preschool kids are my heart.  I dunno….any ideas? 

Well, cobbler’s done, and need to get ready to leave…ya’ll have a great rest of the weekend, and talk atcha all later!!!