Hockey teeth...

Uncle Lee & Uncle Phil gave the kids two cute little table top games - ping pong & air hockey. The girls played forever last night - mostly because I was tired of watching the Wii games and missed my news...

Anyhow, somehow Alyx got hit in the mouth with the hockey puck. Blood, tears, ice were all involved. And five minutes later, the top front tooth is out. She looked like an actual hockey player.

Five hours later, the other top front tooth was out. I guess it was knocked loose too - and Alyx wanted it out.

Yes, they were baby teeth - and yes, she will be ecstatic when the tooth fairy comes.

Back to work...

I think most of the Christmas craziness is over... Decorations will be up until New Years however...

Santa brought a Wii this year. And wow - my family is competitive. There was trash talking - duels - wicked team play - very sore shoulders - but everyone stayed in the same room almost the entire weekend. This never happens. Usually, the older kids scatter to their rooms. It was so nice. And I guess if it takes some competition to keep the family together - then so be it!!

Nothing out of the ordinary this year. Everyone was on their best behavior. Dull - but peacefull.

And yes, once again, my chocolate fudge flopped. One day, I will do it. 25 years I have tried - and failed - miserably. But I will try and try again...

Stake out

Chris and I sometimes do the craziest things...

Our hairdresser for the family is getting a divorce. A very nasty, ugly divorce. Huge custody battle. She was devastated for awhile but now she is angry.

Our poor little Holly is being made out to be a terrible mom - which she is not. Her hubby works at the 'Farm' and makes plenty of money and Holly works part time as a hairdresser and part time at another little job so we can work around the husband's schedule and still make money. They have a little girl about a year old and a son that is in kindergarten now I think.

Anyhow, interracial marriage. So, I gave her some advice and tried to prepare her for all of the horrible things that were going to be thrown at her - based on my lovely experience.

Chris is a good man and will do just about anything that I ask him to. So, we went on a stakeout last night. Holly and her kids went to her mom's for the holiday. We are trying to find something incriminating on this guy to try and help her. Chris and I made a little picnic with blankies and parked outside of the house (since he refuses to leave the house and lives upstairs in a spare bedroom) and watched it. We were on a public street and moved our van frequently. We did have some activity but it turned out to just be his mom. We ran by this morning - only his car there now. We will try again for awhile tonite.

I like stakeouts. I ate the entire time. We had nice conversation. It was a fun night. I had to keep reminding myself that we were there for something very serious. Too bad we didn't get any goods on him...

Part II

And I should have mentioned - wow, can't believe I didn't remember - but Chris got a one year extension on his contract!!! We were only expecting a three month - so woohoo!!!

AJ was so funny. He is calling it our Christmas miracle and started quoting from A Christmas Carol...

Go Kiel!

Half day today at work - I get to pick Kiel up from school FINALLY! The school actually closed last week but the team stayed in the dorms since they are still playing games...

Kiel had a great game last night....
http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x1145288481/Area-Colleges-Men-s-basketball-Turpin-boosts-Lynx-in-mens-hoops

Can't wait for one of my Kiel hugs...

Ahhhh....the holidays...

Well, the tree is up - thanks to Meesie and the girls (and my exemplary management skills).

I am trying a new medication that is just exhausting me. At some point, I developed this need to severely hurt idiots - mainly those at work but also drivers that can't follow the rules of the road, shoppers that can't seem to count to 20 - you get the idea. I am not sure if it is the lovely menopause symptoms or the age or the fact that I am just beat down, but my cheery outlook on life (ha) has gone the wayside of fits of rage. So, rather than end up in one of our finer incarceration facilities, we are trying a new medication. So far, I am tired and my tongue feels huge. I swear I can feel every little bump on it - it's the strangest thing. I told a couple of my good friends to judge my progress as I am not sure I will notice a change.

Chris still does not have a contract for the following year. He was told he was getting a 3 month extension - but we haven't seen a thing. Just a little bit of stress going on in his - and my - life right now. We have been here before - we made it through. It was ugly - but we did it. We can do it again.

I tried to explain to the older three that Christmas might be a bit lean this year. Of course, I had to text Kiel this info. Kiel can be the sweetest kid. He told me that as long as the girls have a good Christmas - that will make him the happiest - he mostly just wants to come home. I think they understand. They remember when we were basically homeless or had to shower at the Y when money was so tight that I was afraid I couldn't pay water bill! They have been there before - and they will get through it again.

I guess that's what we will need to focus on the most - being together. There aren't going to be many of those opportunities left as my babies get older and go their own way. Sigh...

Birthday...

If I had a zillion dollars, I would open my own florist/nursery business. I absolutely love to play in dirt - and love the smell of fresh flowers.

My lovely husband once again came thru for me and sent me a festive Poinsettia for my desk. I have a favorite florist in town - they take the simple and add bling - with fun results. You might be able to see the cute pot - and the red filler - and the little silver glitter.

Then my Godson, Dylan (aka mom Angie) sent me the most beautiful arrangement with huge lilies and pink roses. The smell is wonderful. I tried to take good pics - but it is my camera phone. Same florist - not sure if you can see inside the vase - but they stuck a giant leaf and a some sort of tiger stripe leaf to hide the stems. Very clever...

I about cried over that delivery. Poor Angie's grandmother passed away on my birthday. So with all of that going on - she still remembered my silly birthday. Angie is a great friend.... Her grandmother was just a hoot. Tiny German woman (heavy accent) that spoke her mind about everything and so was full of love for her family. She was at every family function - and helped Angie out all of the time without any complaining. Angie is really going to miss her... That visitation is tonite...

And I also rec'd wonderful candles and lotions - just a great birthday event this year!!!

Hanukkah birthday tradition continues..

I can't quite remember when this started - quite possibly before Chris and I married - my birthday fell during Hanukkah.

So - poor, poor Christopher thought it would be fun to give me 7 days of birthday presents.

Yea - that was one giant can of tradition that I think he has regretted ever since!!

For the 6 days before my birthday, I traditionally receive a little gift - with a special gift on my birthday.

Yes, I am indeed a spoiled, spoiled girl.

And - I am worth it!!

: )

The Tree?

My horrible, horrible office in Rock City, IL is done!!! I will never have to talk to that crazy agent again - or at least I hope not! I put in enough OT this week to take off my Friday. So, I think I will do that!

Usually, we put our Christmas decorations up the day of my birthday - or the weekend - sometime around that. We have been doing that ever since I can remember. I am guessing that Mom & Dad started that so I would feel like my birthday was it's own day - and not just lumped into Christmas. So maybe I will just spend a leisurely day decorating.

Slight problem. I hate our Christmas tree. I have had this same artificial tree since 1994. It is at least that old since Mom helped me pick it out at the after Christmas sales. It has lost needles and everything else - it's almost a Charlie Brown tree.

I am hoping that I can talk Chris into a real tree this year.

I remember when I was little - our family would get all bundled up and squish in the volare station wagon (or was it the blue bomb then?) and drive out to Short's farm. They had a nice Christmas tree farm somewhere out by Wapella. We would cut the tree down (after a good hour of traipsing thru the snow up to our knees and freezing) - strap it to the roof - and drive home. Then it would sit in a bucket of water on the front porch for a couple of days (Dad acted like it was something scientific). At some point, Dad would cut off the end - bring it in - and it would begin to loose needles until Christmas. The ones left on the tree would stab you as you walked past - almost jumping off the tree like javelins. Post Christmas - the kids would spend a good hour picking the needles out of carpet so they wouldn't ruin mom's vacuum. It was tradition - it smelled good - and I miss that.

I tried to recreate that for the three older kids. Now, Mel was NO dad like my dad. He couldn't do a thing - so it was all me. I don't think Mel even went with us when we picked out the tree. I am sure he had some wonderful excuse. Anyhow - EVERY single time I picked out a tree - the stupid trunk was crooked. It would fall over every year - spewing water all over the carpet. So - every year - we would have rope tying it to my curtain rods or whatever else else I could find to prop it up. But, it was the thought that counted? Don't ask the kids that - I don't think they appreciated the effort at all...

At some point, I decided enough was enough. I also believe that Grandmother finally scolded and warned me enough about fires and Christmas trees that I caved. And I talked Mom into shopping with me.

So that's the history of the tree. And for some ridiculous reason, I think I am ready to try again with the real tree. The two little girls certainly need to experience Mom's expertise of tree picking...

Poor Chris...