ahhhhh

Been running all day long to get ready for our party tonight. Whew just barely made it. Guest set to arrive any moment.

Well gotta go enjoy my family now!

Jeff's foot is feeling a little better but he has been walking around too much today. feeling pretty sore.

I will post about the party tomorrow.
Gotta go drink some spiked hot cider now.
Joyce

Unbelievable!

Truly unbelievable. My honey broke his toe last night!!!!!! Can you believe it?

He was sprinting (okay not sprinting...walking fast) across the living room to bring Savanah supplies to finish her homework. At 9:15 last night, which was 45 minutes past her bedtime. Yes we procrastinated and forgot she had homework. Then he wacked his little toe on the couch. It swelled up like....hmmm...like a plum. Not sure how this will affect our Christmas party at our house on Saturday as he does ALL of the cooking for it. It will all work out as it always does. He had his foot up all night long moaning. uuuggghhh men are such wimps. Try giving birth! Just kidding, it was hurting bad. This morning he became a little frisky so I knew he was feeling better.

Savanah has a holiday sing a long today at school. She is so excited. Me too. It should be fun. The kids have been working very hard. Savanah and her best friend McKenna have been practicing for two weeks. They are sooooo cute trying to sing "The Twelve Days of Christmas". They make up most of the words.

Speaking of her singing. She loves to sing the theme song to Hannah Montana. It is so dang funny. I'll post Savanah's version of this song at a later date.

Well, gotta go so........
Have a non-eventful, non-bone breaking day!
Joyce

thinking through the mind of a child

I am always just amazed at how children think. Everything is so literal. Until they become teenagers then they master the art of sarcasm. uuuggghhh

Anyways this post is about how my five year old darling girl thinks. She poses this question to my husband the other night after watching my favorite movie, "It's a Wonderful Life".

She asks, "Daddy was TV in black and white when you were a kid?" Jeff answers, "No, but it was when Grammy and Papa were younger."

Her eyes widened with astonishment, her jaw dropped open, "You mean everything was in black and white?"

Jeff answered, "yes"

She replied, "You mean there was no color?"

At about this time Jeff and I simultaneously figured out that she actually thought life was just in black and white back then. No color not just on TV but everywhere. Try explaining all of that to a five year old. Needless to say she still doesn't understand. Probably because I don't understand the technology that suddenly allowed things to be filmed in color versus black and white. To be honest, I don't want to know. But the mother that I am....if she expresses a need to better understand, I suppose we will look it up on the internet.

I love that she always questions things. Why? Why? why? I tell her keep finding out the answers in life. But at about the 4th "Why?" I'm about why-ed out!

This is when I take one of two actions. If Jeff is home I say, "Go ask Daddy." If not well then I take my mother-in-laws example to heart. When Jeff was little and would ask Why for the tenth time. she would just say, "Z". The end, You're done....for now.

Of course we could call Papa too cause according to Savanah he knows everything!

Have an inquisitive day!
Joyce

On your mark, get set, GO!!!

Okey dokey,

By 11:00 a.m. I had gone to six different destinations! six, yep count em. Now I am exhausted. I still have much to do. Where did it all go wrong this year? Feeling pretty frazzled!
I am just beginning to address my Christmas cards which I just picked up today!

I need to just stop and breath! What I really need to do is stop using exclamation points. It's getting me more anxious! oops I meant "."

That may be my New Year's resolution. Let's see....... oh yeah my standard on-going resolution! Be more organized! How unoriginal! I'll have to think on it to come up with something better.
(more exclamation points...sorry I can't seem to stop)

Billy leaves to tomorrow to go to Connecticut. Christmas is not quite the same the years (every other) he is gone.

ahhhhhh breath in for the count of one, two, three, four , five. breath out...one, two, three, four, five. breath in Oh Hell It's not working I'm still hyperventilating.

I know...I'll go clean something!
Keep on keeping on,
Joyce

perfectionism and last year's Christmas tree

I was recently reading something Flylady wrote about perfectionism. (yes I am a flybaby, don't know what it is? check out Flylady. com) I suffer from this most unfortunate affliction, perfectionism that is. If nothing else, Flylady has helped me curb this monstrous beast. I was recently stressing out thinking about the task of picking out the PERFECT Christmas tree. Then I remembered last year!

Every year I have walked and walked around the Christmas tree lots looking at different trees. My family saying, "How bout this one?" over and over. I was always the final decision maker. I tortured my family in the cold looking for the perfect tree. Then when I finally picked one I would become quiet on the way home. Wondering if I picked the wrong tree. What if there was a bare spot I had missed on my inspection? Oh the stress! Then as we decorated the tree I would supervise the hanging of the ornaments, often moving them after my children hung them.

Then last year something changed, perhaps the fly washing I have received.

As I started stressing and walking around the tree lot in the brutal cold, I let go. I just looked at my husband and said, "that one" as I pointed. My husband thought I had gone off my rocker. I picked a tree that was still wrapped in netting. I couldn't see all the branches or see if there was a bare spot. You see it didn't matter.

When we got home I let everyone decorate the tree. I had one moment of relapse when my son hung five balls all bunched together on one branch. I was thinking of moving them but I held my breath and waited. Thinking I would move them after the kids went to bed that night. My son then with excitement in his voice explained that the balls were our family. One ball for each family member including the dog. That the balls had to be together because we are happy together.

Well needless to say that was the most beautiful tree I had ever seen. Every time I looked at the tree and the clump of balls hanging there I smiled and my heart melted with joy.

Cheers to being imperfect. Life would be so boring if it were perfect.
Joyce

Oh Christmas tree Oh Christmas tree

Good morning,

Last night we got our tree and decorated it.

This morning I sat in the dark with the tree lights on reveling in the beauty. I have many memories of waking as a child seeing my mother sitting in the dark drinking coffee looking at the tree. At first I thought she was sad then changed my mind, she was peaceful, thoughtful. Now as an adult I see the true beauty of this ritual.

You see a tree is not just a tree. It is a scrapbook of our life. I could tell you where and when and how we came to own 99% of the ornaments on our tree. They all mean something to me. The tree is a reminder of where we have been, where we are. Many of our ornaments are handmade (the best ones). There is this little bird made out of pine cones spray painted gold that I made as a child. It is falling apart but well loved. Many were made by my mother and my children. Jeff and I cherish our first Christmas together ornament.

As for the future, that is the tree's true purpose. As I stare at the tree I dream. I don't worry about the future while looking at the tree. And all things truly are possible. I dream with the innocence and trust of a child. What a beautiful way to start the day. I wish I had that big beautiful glowing tree in the middle of my living room all year round.

Have a happy day!
Joyce

my purpose

well,

I think I have figured out my purpose. for today at least! I want to create a blog for Mom's, stay at home ones and working ones. On how to survive parenting with humor and grace. The humor part is the most important. Learning to laugh at yourself and teaching your children to laugh at themselves may be one of the most important gifts you can bestow on your children. The grace part I have yet to conquer but I get a little closer every day!

With Christmas just around the corner all I have to say is "OH Sh**!!" I have so much to do. It snuck up on me again! How does this happen? I swear the month of December goes into hyper mode, a different alternate dimension takes over and time travels at 2.6 times the speed of January. Although if you asked a child they would say the exact opposite happens with time slowly moving until the exciting moment of December 25th.

But I will not forget the words that describe what this is all about to me. Family, magic, love, joy, gratefulness, holiness. gemutlikeit- a German word that is difficult to translate. a magical feeling, ambiance, good cheer. Think of Christmas Eve with a light snow falling, the smell of hot cider and pine trees, waiting for Santa to come. Think chestnuts roasting over an open fire. That is gemutlikeit! And this is what I feel now. Along with a little good ole anxious not-done-shopping-feeling thrown in for good measure!

Keep your chin up! Keep shopping- supposedly it helps the economy. Above all else love your God, yourself, your family and your neighbor!

Now I have to go bake cookies.
Joyce