My Christmas present to myself was a Garmin GPS. I used to like to get lost when I was younger. I'd drive in a neighborhood and find my way out, and then into bigger cities and finding alternate routes. It used to be exciting and different! Now that I'm older, I don't enjoy getting lost. With the invention of mapquest, I am a printing queen! I will print directions just in case. What sealed my choice this season on a guiltless gift I can splurge on, was trying to get from point A to point B (and mapquest didn't help.) I read over those directions and couldn't find my way out of a subdivision to a wedding (and didn't want to be late.) I had to eventually follow someone to the location. On the way back to the subdivision, I followed a car (whose occupants lived far away) and their gps took them directly where they needed to be. What a lifesaver!!

I have been without an electric can opener for years (I don't use many cans and it didn't seem to be a priority.) Last week, I cooked three recipes that required at least two or three cans (of stuff) each. Well, I definitely found the time and made it a priority to buy one. I was glad it was under $10 and figured I should have gotten one a long time ago. Aaaww!

I love gadgets that make my life easier!!

Crack! Pop! It seems that I feel like the tin man sometimes (from the Wizard of Oz!) Maybe I need a little oil, lol! My knees, elbows and ankles pop when I get up from somewhere or move positions. I guess it's just part of getting older. I would rather my bones not pop while I'm sneaking out of a room (after putting my kid to sleep though.)

"Thanks for being a Mom." That's what was said to me at the end of a conversation I was dreading. An incident occurred this past weekend with my daughter and her friend. My daughter drives and her friend used that to her advantage. Her friend left and got into another guy's car while having my daughter wait for her to return. As it turned out, the girl took a long time and ignored her phone calls and texts, wanting to spend more time with her 'friend.' They were at a nearby dark park... My daughter ended up leaving her and the friend's parents came and got her. I became concerned when my daughter hadn't called to let me know they arrived at their destination so I called her. She was upset and said she was coming home. She said she didn't know what to do (when it was happening.) The girl's stuff was still in the car too. I told my daughter that she knows what she needs to do...(hoping her moral compass would let her know what to do.) I don't really think she wanted to know what to do...she just wanted her friend to be nice to her and do that anymore (without having to say 'no' to her.)

I wasn't sure what story was told to the friend's parents but I needed to let them know what really happened. I knew the friend's address and used that info to get their last name and then their phone number (I love the internet that way.) I explained what had happened (as I knew it from what my daughter had said.) Fortunately, her parents were already alerted by cues from the friend beforehand and were already thinking she was planning something. We exchanged lots of phone numbers and vowed to call each other in the event they spend the night with each other in the future. The friend will, of course, not allowed to hang out with her friends like my daughter for a while, and has already had her cellphone taken away.

Ahh..teenagers. This is what keeps me young, lol!

My 'lil Santa!

I had a very merry Christmas and ate way too much! I should finally get some sleep after staying up late for days leading up to the much anticipated holiday! Now, the clean-up begins....tomorrow.

Today is my favorite day of the year! It's Christmas Eve...I make wassail, play Christmas music, watch Christmas shows on tv, leave the Christmas lights on all day, read Christmas stories to the kids, finish up wrapping presents, and bake cookies...lots and lots of Christmas cookies!

I found a local radio station that plays Christmas songs all day every day. I think it has been doing that for several years but I had forgotten. I find myself turning it on each day now...and this afternoon, finally realized why. While driving around returning from an errand with my boys in the car, I found myself singing out loud and loving it! I think I love Christmas songs because I know most of the words! And what words I don't know, I make them up, lol! I tried explaining that drummer boy song to my preschooler today...and making the sound, pppprrrumpapumpum! It brings me back to the cartoon that came on at night when I was a kid...I looked forward to it and the other ones that came on every year at night (when there was no such thing as cable!)

Everybody's sick around here! I've been fighting off the 'gunk' for over a week. My youngest daughter has missed most of school this week. Now, the little boys are sick. Actually, they've been having symptoms of a cold for a week or two but yesterday, my preschooler's cough took a turn for the worse and his ear started hurting. And the baby seems to always have a runny nose (probably due to teething, but not necessarily because of his wheezing.) Nevertheless, all three kids went in to to two different doctors today and were seen. I'm not feeling bad enough to go see a doctor but just enough to feel tired and under the weather all day long, ugh!

This afternoon, my preschooler said, "Mom, can you stand up and carry me while you walk around?" ....so I did.

I was SO excited when our city got a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream store (after not having one for over 7 years!) I am a huge fan of their ice cream and blame it on my childhood. LOL! I loved going to our local store and sitting on pink chairs while spending time with my family. Later, I'd drive through the drive-through and the worker knew immediately upon seeing me what I was going to order. After a long and hard day cleaning out our huge shed and organizing the entire inventory (that took over 9 hours of hard work), I ended it by sending my daughter to get some ice cream for me. Unfortunately, when she returned, she handed it to me while I was holding my youngest son who had a taste of it and REALLY liked it!!! I guess I had better write this in his baby book that this was his first food. I had to fight to a bite as he'd dunk his whole face in the cup. I guess he's gonna love ice cream as much as I do.

I am thankful for...

My preschooler answered that in his class. He had three answers: mom and dad; playing tractors; and snacks, food and milk.

Here are a few things I am thankful for. First and foremost, I am thankful for my loving and considerate family, my health, and my hubby's job that allows us to live comfortably. In the last year, I have redone the house I grew up in, moved into it, had a baby, had a trip to California and now am getting ready for the holidays. I am very blessed that nothing really bad has happened. My family and I are in great health and I move into this Thanksgiving holiday looking forward to spending it with my immediate and extended family (along with a few friends.) I am thankful for my husband's family with whom I have been close to for many years. His sisters are incredibly nice and thoughtful. I love his mother too and am thankful she's nearing 86 years old. She has been very loving to my children and very nice to us. I am thankful for my bf Janet who stays awake with me when I drive long distances via phone. I don't know what I would do without her and her friendship. She's been a shoulder for me and I hope vice versa in good times and bad. I am thankful for my other friends that I would like to spend more time with and think about often like Cathy and other friends from high school. Now that we both have kids, there is so much more to talk about. I am thankful for my friend Pam with whom I have shared many stories about my kids with her whose kids are near the same age over the last 20 years or so. I am thankful for my online 'sweet potato' friends with whom I have made lasting friendships over the last four years and hope to continue them. I have learned so much from them. I am thankful for my brother Mike who calls just to check on me (and he lives across the street.) We have become very close in the last decade and it's a nice feeling. I'm very blessed.

Tonight, my preschooler said...

Mom, I really like you.

This is during our quiet settling down time before going to bed. We were just laying on his bed talking about what he'll be doing tomorrow (and how he should already be asleep.) It was completely unexpected...and sweet.

He then added, I really like Curious George too.

He acquired a stuffed Curious George at Kohls yesterday and they've been inseparable ever since.

Monsters! Last night, my preschooler tip-toed into my room and I immediately woke up. He rarely leaves his room but last night was an exception. Apparently, 'a monster made out of scooby snacks' came into his room and scared him. He was actually shaking. I suggested he have scooby eat it! He wanted to 'stand guard' in the living room and I said, sure. As you've probably guessed, he watched a lot of Scooby Doo. It was too cute...although, not at 5am.

It's amazing how much someone can change in five years. It seems like just yesterday... Five years ago, I was working as a dedicated employee in a career I loved (in the public sector), had two teenagers and a large (and messy) home. Fast forward five years and I now have four children, am a stay-at-home mom and a smaller home that I keep cleaner (notice, I didn't say 'clean.') I made huge life-changing decisions that have hugely impacted my life (to the better) and have spent more time with my family (and extended family.) If someone were to have told me (five years ago) that I'd be in this position I am right now, I'd would have laughed at them. I really loved my career and those coworkers with whom I had worked with for...12 plus years. Sure, I'm a lot poorer than I was at that time, but I have learned that money isn't everything. It's amazing that with the addition of my last two children, I have gained many more friends and I continue to learn so much from them. I'm truly happy at this stage in my life.

My Sister-in-law has breast cancer again. She had it in one breast years ago (maybe eight years ago?) She's one of two sisters-in-law who have had it so far. Now, it's in the other breast. She's scared. She's gonna just have a mastectomy this week and remove the whole thing so it won't return. I wasn't in the picture a lot when she went through radiation previously...perhaps I didn't want to accept that it was happening, or that it was so serious. I plan on doing more this time. I will be there to listen, will offer to come clean/cook/help out around the house while her husband is at work and/or do whatever she requests of me. I feel very blessed to be healthy and have a wonderful family and great friends. I don't know what I'd do in that kind of situation and would rather not even think about it. For now, I'll send some extra positive thoughts to Judy on Thursday.

I just got back from San Diego. It's incredible how different that city is from the one I live in right now. San Diego has at least a million more people. My city is flat, not along the ocean, and has lots of mosquitoes. I was in awe when we flew directly into downtown. I'm used to airports being further away from those kinds of areas. I don't fly often. In the suburb where I stayed, there were houses all up and down the hills and sometimes the streets stopped in the middle of the hill...makes me glad that my rent car was not standard! I love going to new places and seeing wonderful different views...and then I especially love returning home. While driving, here are a couple of picture I snapped along the way.

Leaving the airport, I was glued to the Pacific Ocean and all the splendor.





And, of course, there was a lot of traffic.



Here's a sign showing how close it was to the border.

At the same birthday party last weekend, my preschooler also received a little stamper. It was a circle shaped stamp that was orange in color. Yesterday, while we were running errands in the car, he decided he needed to stamp his arms, hands, legs and forehead. If that's not enough, he needed to also stamp his baby brother who was in the carseat next to him as well...all over too. It was a kodak moment (but I didn't have my camera.) He was so proud of himself.

Magic Jelly Beans~

Scott was invited to his first kid birthday party of someone he knows as a friend (someone from his pre k class.) He received a little thing of jelly beans shaped like a fish. On the way home, he discussed throwing them in the yard. I asked him why he'd do that, and he explained. He wanted to throw them in the yard and after he went to sleep, they'd grow into a beanstalk and go up into the sky.

Smiling, I reassured him that he could do that and that it was ok. He did...Fortunately, he didn't go outside the next morning and check to see if there were a beanstalk! Whew!

I just love childhood.

It's interesting...there are some things I've never done and aren't sure why.

For instance, I have a friend whom I never visit. I met her when I was 13 and we've lived within 10 miles from each other all of this time. She and my brother dated once and we started talking. We've followed each other's lives for about 30 years via phone (and email in the last few years.) It works for us and we've had a great friendship this way. I saw her once when I was 13, again in a library the same year (didn't realize it was her until later) and then again at her father's funeral several months ago. Thanks for being my friend, Pam.

Also, I haven't eaten at my brother's home (until tonight.) He has lived across from me for many years (and eats at my home all the time.) I'm not sure why, but the fact that he just started cooking probably has something to do with it. I enjoyed the chicken and dumplings, Mike. Thank you.

Years ago, I mentioned something about skydiving. For my birthday, my husband bought me two tickets to go skydiving. I procrastinated and procrastinated as I am quite the acrophobic. I just couldn't bring myself to throw myself out of a plane. Eventually, after a year, the tickets expired and I never went. I now choose not to mention this to my husband as I hope he has forgotten that his thoughtful gift went unused and was wasted. I probably could have done it if I had worked on my fear throughout the year...but I'm not sure why I didn't.

Finally, I love wearing socks. Around the house, I always take off my shoes and walk around in socks, usually nice fluffy white ones. I wear them until they are no longer white and have holes...then I throw them away and buy more while doing the same thing, over and over. I even sleep in socks. I have no idea why.

Yesterday, my husband dropped something in the kitchen and said uh-oh! My preschooler immediately sang, "Der Kommissar is in town." That's what happens when he listens to '80s music with my husband, lol! Today, he was singing, "I love rock and roll...put another dime in the judebox, baby." His all time favorite is, "I hate myself for loving you..."

Last week, when we returned from evacuating, my preschooler started sleeping in his own room at night. He just went in there (probably because he wanted to watch his dvd on his portable dvd player, which we allow sometimes.) I'm not sure why, but we just ...went with it. He sleeps in his own room during his naptime. But for almost three years now, he has been sharing the bed with us. His departure was unexpected and we weren't weaned, so to speak. I miss him at night with us. It's nice to have more room in our bed, but sad nonetheless. He's growing up...

My youngest brother is getting married next month. I haven't been to a wedding of a sibling yet. This brother was previously married but for only a couple of years and his wife wanted out (she found someone else.) I figure that it ended because they didn't invite the family and, in particular, me. It was a quick wedding because he was being deployed. This time, our family (and extended family) received an invitation and I have already bought my ticket to fly out to San Diego (for me and my baby.) It would have been nice if it were convenient for all of us to go witness such a celebration, but it was not to be.

When I think of this upcoming wedding, I smile. I love seeing people plan and enter into these lifetime arrangements called weddings. They plan the details (flowers, food, photography and music) and look forward to honeymoons. My brother and his fiance are going through premarital counseling. I think that is a very wise decision as many things aren't discussed until they come up. I've had friends who went through the same thing and weren't disappointed. I like feeling happy that his whole life is ahead of him. The joy of being married, having children, becoming mature with his spouse, and growing old together. My husband and I haven't really fought over anything significant in many many years. Occasionally, we disagree over very minor things, but overall, we've grown very mature with each other and have learned great techniques to get along. Marriage isn't easy, it's a work in progress with both parties doing their best to make the other one happy. I hope my brother's marriage goes as smoothly as mine has.

When you live in an area where hurricanes are prevalent, you cross your fingers that they go somewhere else. We evacuated recently from Hurricane Gustov (our city was one that had a mandatory evacuation.)While I had many of my important documents still together from the last evacuation a few years ago, I made a list of the things I thought were important and needed to be packed. It's interesting how you have to choose those things based on how much room you have in your vehicle. While I love taking pictures, I didn't have room for my photo albums. But then, pictures don't seem as important when you consider having to leave to protect your family, real people. Lo and behold, my daughter showed up the morning on the day we evacuated. I woke up to find her asleep in her car outside in the yard. She made it back home and we took her along with us. We also took our preschooler's bicycle (his favorite possession), my husband's golf clubs, my other daughter's cellphone and ipod and my baby's pack-and-play. We needed a place for him to sleep as naps are very important to him. For me, I grabbed a box of genealogy information and baby books from my children as well as my siblings. As long as we were all together as a family, nothing else seemed very important. We were safe and far away from the impending storm.