I know I know

It's been like three weeks. Aside from helping my neighbor get ready for out of state family, coaching a couple of people through needing an drink, picking up the pieces of a friend's broken heart; I have also been having my own yuletide nightmare, and trying to fit more crap in my house, and homeschooling a three year old, and trying to get ready for my own family's appearance. There has been a little lapse in the posting. I promise to be more astute. As for now, I am off again, because I think I actually did real damage to my left arm/hand/shoulder with the baking of a million cookies, caramel corn, and fudge for all the neighbors. Merry, happy a couple few days after Christmas.

Phoenix is the big 3 today!

Happy, happy birthday son. We had to have your grandparents over on Sunday for presents and cupcakes because grandpa is in the hospital today. But that's okay because we know he is going to come out ok, right? Anyway it's just the three of us today. There will be finger paints, temporary tattoos, fruit leather, and probably lot's of toys and mess. We also have to make thank you cards for Nana and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa, Chris, Jenny and Cassady, and, Nicole and Louie for all the awesome stuff that they brought you. It was a series of small get-togethers instead of one big bash, but ultimately I think it worked out better that way. You got to spend individual time with everybody. Every day we love you more, and every day you astound us with how much you've learned just since the day before. You are my everything Phoenix, and I just hope that you never forget that.

And yes mom, I will post the skate boarding video sometime in the relative future.

Green Beer

Happy Saint Patrick's Day. I used to drink green beer on Saint Patty's Day. Now I have a two-and-a-half year old tornado. Today, the only way I'm getting green beer, is if I go buy a six pack and drop some food coloring into it!

The New Year

All I really hope to accomplish in 2009 really, is to make it in tact, and accompanied by everyone I love, to New Year's Eve of 2010. I wish you all the best. Good Luck, and God Bless.

The parentals came up from California to celebrate Christmas last week. The trip had to be cut short as the snow was about to come in. Here are a couple of pictures and who knows, there may even be a video post in the near future.




Yeah I know, my hair looks awesome, but you can kind of see my tree in this picture. I don't think I like it. It needs more ornaments. Definitely, definitely more ornaments.

Nana and Papa bought him a coonskin cap! I know, the picture seems to be awfully blurry.

Phoenix opening his new uber drum pad. *smile*

Happy December

My parents are safely home and the snow has begun to fall. Yesterday it was snowy when I woke up, but it all melted off by mid-morning. Today is the big day that all the weather channels have been talking about. Honestly, I expected to wake up and find the ground already covered in white. Not yet, but it is snowing out there. For some reason, just the thought of the impending cold snap, has left me wanting to sit around and be lethargic.
This time the house wasn't as insane as it usually is after company. So it was nice to be able to relax relatively quickly after all the excitement. There were cookies and laughing and a gift wrap tornado before all was said and done. Dad didn't manage to get his haircut from Susan, but we survived. *smile* Phoenix was pleasantly surprised with a new drum pad. (I think Mike was also pretty excited about the new drum pad. To my utter delight, was a new Guitar Hero game. I have played quite a lot in the last few days. Hmm maybe that has something to do with the lethargy regarding everything else. *Smile* There was ton of other things too. A new mixer, a new travel mug coffee pot thingy, clothes. You get the picture. *Grin*
The Christmas cookie plates did manage to make it to the neighbors the night before my parents arrival, I am happy to report. In other awesomeness, someone liked my cookies so much that she bought me a plant! I was excited, because I really wanted a poinsettia and wasn't planning on being able to get one. Attached to the bow was a little toy jeep for Phoenix. I thought that was really nice of her. Anyway, off to wait for the snow to stick.

Merry Christmas to Me!

Mom and Dad are almost here! We are celebrating with them over the next couple days. We are even slated to have snow! It sucks that I cannot be home for the holidays, but home coming to me is going to be good too. I am so happy to be seeing my family, since I won't be coming home for a while.

Holy Cookies, Batman!

Today is the day I am going to make cookies for my Christmas plates for the neighbors. I may end up doing this again as I have two more gifts that I haven't got. They are both for men, so I figure if I have no luck shopping this next time, then cookies should be good. Who doesn't love home made cookies? Yesterday was obviously a bust in the shopping department, I hope it goes better this afternoon. Merry almost Christmas!!!

Aw, F*ck It.

Yesterday I went Christmas shopping. I've been saving money up to move, for a few months now. Couldn't take it anymore. The year has been bad all around, and damn it my kid is going to have an awesome Christmas, come hell or high water. I bought him a recliner. It's so fricken cute. I also found the cutest "God's Little Princess Bible" for Layla. I was actually about to buy her a velor track suit, but I wasn't sure what her mommy would think about that. I don't know, I may end up getting it anyway, lol. The little bible was way too cute to pass up though. It has a little crown on the front. I am glad she had a girl so that I have one to buy for. Now all I have to do is get some gift boxes, stocking stuffers, and tape.

Cocky Is As Cocky Does

There was no way my Thanksgiving was going to be anything but good for my son. Therefore I set off on a mission to be "nice" come hell or high water. Almost immediately upon the arrival of Mike's parents I found myself reprising a former "emotional armor" role. The next thing I knew, I was projecting an air of overconfidence, bubbly little house wifey, and lame joke teller extraordinaire. I was going to have a good holiday damn it. I made every dish I could think of. I made an extra pie for her to take home. I made three pies for 5 people, and twenty-four, yes twenty-four deviled eggs. There were attempts to find the weak spot in the chain mail, but they were thwarted. I made a few comments that would dare not be uttered by any one but EvilLynn in a Santa hat. At one point she was commenting on how advanced Phoenix is. Without a moments hesitation, I quipped "Well his parents ARE geniuses", I almost pissed myself. But here it is people. The lamest joke I have ever uttered.

Shrek, Angelina Jolie, and Brad Pitt are sitting around talking. Shrek says "I wonder if I am the strongest man in the world". Brad says, " I wonder if I am the sexiest man alive". Angelina says "I wonder if I am the most beautiful woman in the world". The three decide to consult the famous magic mirror of fairytales. The next day Shrek comes in smiling and says "I AM the strongest man in the world". Brad follows with "I AM the sexiset man alive"! But Angelina comes in with a sad look on her face. All she says is "Who the hell is Lynn M___"?

Yes, I said that out loud. And then had to keep myself from collapsing in fits of laughter at my own absurdity and utter lack of disregard for my own appearance to the people around me. Believe me I was a total jackass with a capital ASS. But eventually she had to crack. You can't be mean to the court jester with an ego who baked you a pie. LOL

Turkey Day, The Aftermath

Thanksgiving here was hectic. Yes, only five people were here, but two of them were Mike's parents. I did dishes until 11:00 p.m., they are still not even down to fitting all in the sink. What really sucks though, is that I did dishes all day long, and had deluded myself into thinking I had any kind of a grasp on the situation. Mike's parental units arrived at around 2:00 p.m., and they didn't leave until 7:00 p.m. last night. At first my potatoes went soupy, but thankfully they dried up. Then I over estimated the amount of stuffing I made. Basically it looked like I had more ingredients than I actually did. Ironically, I swore that was not going to be enough, and it was the only dish that I didn't grossly overdo. I probably made everything else as if I was feeding 15 people. Oh well, I'm not the only one. Mike's only task was the turkey. OH MY GOD, when he brought home a 22 pound turkey on Monday, I could only marvel at the way-to-big-for-ten-let alone-five-people behemoth. "I wanted to make sure we had enough to make turkey sandwiches tomorrow" he says. Oh boy howdy do I have some leftover turkey. I have enough bleeping turkey to last me until Christmas! By then he'll have bought a gigantic Christams ham to last us until Easter no doubt.

Just thought you might want to know...

I CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

Hiatus

Thanksgiving is around the corner and I'm going a million miles a minute. The entries will be a bit few and far between for a couple of days, but everyone is busy right about now. I'm sure the day after will be back to normal, right up until Christmas, where I'll have to take another break. *smiles*

In full swing

Thanksgiving preparation is in full swing around here. The menu is all planned, I think. The breakdown list of each dish and it's ingredients is being worked on, and a shopping trip is in the planning. There is only two other people coming, but I am making place cards anyway damn it! This is after all the first year that we are hosting. Wish me luck. I am off to go work on making a new cookie.

Christmas Decorating on the Sly

I love to decorate for Christmas. I believe it should begin the day after Halloween. But then there is every single male I know saying, "What about Thanksgiving"? I don't have a single Thanksgiving decoration. I wouldn't even know where to begin. It's been rainy and dark, and family has been messy, and I just want to try to lift my spirits with a little Christmas cheer. So Tuesday I bought some snowflake decals to put on the windows. Okay so I feel a little better I suppose. Wednesday I wrote the Christmas card list. And as of yesterday I only have 3 more addresses to locate. On Thursday I dug out my box of bows,(which happens to be painted like a Christmas present), and happened to forget it on top of the entertainment center. I believe it was yesterday that I cleaned the hall closet and "found" the Nutcracker that I forgot Mike's dad gave me last year. It is next to the box of bows now. I don't own many decorations, but I'm sneaking out what I can, damn it!

I can't wait!

I can't wait for Christmas time. I can't wait to spend insane hours in the kitchen baking cookies and cakes and candies. I can't wait to deliver plates of goodies to the neighbors. I can't wait to drink white hot chocolate in my Christmas cups and watch Charlie Brown. I can't wait to hang my stockings. I can't wait to decorate. Well I'm not waiting as I put snowflakes on my windows yesterday. I also made my Christmas card list, or started to. This leaves less of a chance for me to forget any one. Don't get me wrong. I am excited about Thanksgiving. But for me, it's like the kick off to Christmas time. They just go together in my brain. On Thanksgiving you have a big grand dinner. Ending the evening with stuffed bellies, plates of left overs to take home, and contented sighs. My Thanksgiving has a short period in between eating and leaving that always turns to planning for Christmas. Every one decides what their respective plans are, and how they wish they could decorate if it was affordable. Thanksgiving will be here this year with his parents. I have already strategically placed my Christmas decorations box where I can get to it the second they leave.

Mom let me have candy

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween. Here are a few pictures from our night.

Getting ready to go Trick-or-Treating with Daddy, Chris, and Cassady.


Trying to get to the candy while it's being sorted.


No Mom, I did not shove that whole candy in my mouth.

Trick or Treat

Our parents would let us keep going until we were ready to drop. our grandmother hand made each of us our own pillow case sized trick-or-treat bags. Mine was green with a plastic lining sewn on the inside. Every year, (at least my elementary school ones), my mom and aunts would break out the sewing machines and think up our costumes. The five of us, our parents, and one aunt who was short enough to trick or treat, loaded up in the back of my dad's truck, exited to the point of bursting. Trick-or-Treating here we come! back to the truck we'd clamor, neighborhood after neighborhood. Our parents probably took bets on how long we would last. But patiently they'd wait, no matter how many times we came back saying, "just one more block!" *smile* Then to the house for the painstaking waiting. Waiting for mom to complete the meticulous inspection of the loot. *grins* I bet it didn't take the hours that I remember.

Now it's my turn to inspect the candy. Last year Phoenix got dressed up only to go to the neighbor's houses and come home. This year Daddy and Chris are taking him out and Mommy is passing out candy at Jenny's. He's still a little small for the marathons, so I'll join them next year. I hope he grows up to have as many happy Halloween memories as I do.

Happy Almost Halloween!

There has been a ton of talk about Christmas lately, but Halloween is only a week away! So I wanted to wish every one a safe and happy one. Last year Phoenix was a pirate for Halloween. It's way cold here in October, and when it's time to Trick-or-Treat there is always a 50/50 chance of rain. This year my parents came up for a visit and bought him an Elmo costume. I will take pictures on the crappy phone as I still have not replaced the camera that blew up.

My Favorite Ornament

Wow, this is going to be sort of strange. I only just began having my own tree to decorate in 2005. Money has been tight and so the decorations I bought then, are still the decorations I have now. They consist of sparkly snowflakes, blue and white swirly Christmas balls, and some clear ones. I would have said my favorite was the iridescent angle tree topper, but it broke beyond all repair last year. So my favorite ornament is one I have yet to get. This year I am really excited to hopefully be changing it up a bit. Who knows, maybe I'll meet a crazy Christmas decorator who wants to downsize their collection, *smiles*.

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