Merry Christmas!

All is wrapped, the stockings are filled, the fridge is finally stocked with the turkey and all the fixings.

My husband and I spent all Christmas eve running those last minute errands that should have only taken a few hours but as we are finally climbing into I realize those errands and chores took almost 8 hours! Every year I tell myself I will be much more organized... much more on top of the festivities, no more of this last minute hustle and bustle and running around. More like I was before I had kids! Or Fibro... Or R/A... "

My Christmas cards (with letter) were written and mailed by Dec. 1, decorations were up the first week and baking was done all month as needed for different school or church activities. Shopping was finished before the snow flew! (it was almost a dare between me & mother nature! Ha!) sigh... What happened to that me?



Now after the presents have been opened, all the food has been cooked and eaten and the kids have scattered around to their friends to compare loot, I now have a chance to take 'stock' of the past month. How well did we do even though there weren't cookies made(Yikes! Store bought!), or no cards mailed (sorry if you got an email or I call you personally this week instead!). Even the crazy Christmas eve shopping was fun. I enjoyed spending the time with my hubby with the challenges of those last minute ideas.

I am so grateful for everyone in my house. Over time our family has grown and we now have an 'adopted' son who has moved in with us(a friend of our middle son) and there are girlfriends and of course the furry family members. Every one in my house gets into the spirit of the season and helps out.




From decorating, cooking, cleaning and of course....


EATING! Yummmmm!

So, at the end of the end of this wonderful Christmas day, after all the hustle and bustle and running around. After realizing that I am definitely not the organized woman I was in years past I have come to the conclusion that I love my family very much, and I love my husband even more. He is a very remarkable guy! I am extremely glad to know that my family loves just being together and that the other stuff that I was stressing about just isn't that important. And I guess that means I have some super awesome boys under my roof.

My Boys, Alex, Matt, Will & Jeff

 

Merry Christmas to all my friends & family! Hope you are enjoying the season with all your heart's desires and may love & laughter fill your homes!

Count Down Is On!

Wow! Hard to believe a month today is Christmas day! Where I live we are definitely having a white one as we have had several large snow falls and I am very grateful I have strong, generous young men who push the snow blower and shovels for me.




It's been a crazy month while my husband (and the rest of us!) have been adjusting to his new job and schedule. Going from a 9-5 job to a hmmm... gone 2 days? Maybe 10? has definitely been a different way of life for all of us.

It seems like 2013 has definitely been a year of huge changes for our family. Medical ones, jobs, family & friends moving, additions to our family (furry & people). All of them have shaped and changed our little world into a different entity than it was 11 months ago, that's for sure!

I know that this time of year is hectic for everyone. My American friends are bustling around getting ready for their Thanksgiving weekend, and on top of that we are all shopping & baking and decorating for next month.

I'm very grateful for the Internet when it comes to doing my shopping! Never knowing how my cranky body is going to behave it is a relief to be able to click and order. Ha! Also, with all the snow we have received it's really nice not to worry about trying to park at the Mall or stand in busy lines.

Well hopefully most of you are more organized than I am and have at least started your shopping and baking. Like I said before, it's a month away people! I can't believe I haven't even started! But with all the craziness this past month time seems to have slipped through my fingers.

But now that I have a week to myself while my hubby is working, and I have realized how little time I have until Christmas, I plan on using this time to get caught up on some of my holiday 'jobs'.

Hope your count down is exciting and stress free!

Whats Outside Your Window?

Good evening everyone! Hoping you are all well and enjoying a warm cup of cider or hot chocolate. As I sit in my room looking out my bedroom window, I'm amazed at the picture perfect view I have. I've been stuck in bed this past month with my fibromyalgia deciding to flare so I have had a lot of time to enjoy my view.

I guess I should back up a little bit so you all understand the irony of the situation of 'enjoying' the view from my room. Our family does not live in a fancy home nor do we live out in the country where we can see deer feeding in the meadow and cardinals dancing in the trees.

 No...we live in a small  but comfortable home in town. I have 4 huge pine trees in my backyard that my husband and his buddy keep teasing me should come down so that they can build a garage. A couple of sheds,  a wonderful deck  and a fire pit finish off our small piece of 'heaven'.

So, now you are all up to speed on my little backyard view. I spend a lot of time sitting here watching days pass by. I can see little chickadees flitting between all my bird feeders and hear the occasional  annoyed squirrel chattering at the birds that are 'stealing' the bird seed and berries in the trees. I watch as snow gently falls and paints the branches with a sparkling white fluff. As my day drifts to late afternoon, the golden sun shine sparkles behind my trees and just lights them up.

Here it is, Dec 18, and I think I've been able to attend to my 'Christmas events & chores' list about 5 times this month. I remember baking batches of cookies and shopping endlessly. Attending children's pageants, work parties, mailing Christmas cards and hardly breaking a sweat! Now, all I have accomplished is 2 batches of cookies and lots of online shopping. I was also privileged to be invited to and able to attend 2 parties. And the 'icing on my Christmas cookie' was being able to help my husband host an evening with some friends.

So here I am...a week before Christmas...stuck in bed staring out my window. Crossing my fingers that UPS will bring my parcels here on time. I can't stress because it's out of my control. But I do realize how very blessed I am as my boys help me with out complaint and my husband curls upstairs with me and keeps me company even though he has other things to do. And I am very grateful for the very beautiful view out my bedroom window.


Hoping you are all having a healthy and stress free week before Santa makes his big arrival!! Enjoy your hot chocolate and take time to enjoy the view out your window.

No Way!!

Good Gravy!! Everyone put that mug down and make sure you are seated! I have breaking news for you!! Are you ready for it?? Are you?! I saw the scariest thing last night...and this was even before my boys were back home from trick or treating....I saw it! I saw my first Christmas commercial of the season! Nooooooooo!!!! Are you KIDDING me??

This is not right!! I mean...I KNOW Christmas is right around the corner...but to throw us right into the frenzie before our kids have even come down off their sugar high?! Thats just not right!! I even noticed this past week the scary Halloween costumes and decorations stacked up next to the pretty angels and sparkly Christmas paper. The sensory confusion was mind blowing!

 What a weird time of year! One week we are decorating with gourds and brightly coloured leaves and turkeys for Thanksgiving, and then a couple weeks later we hang scary ghosts and goblins and hand out free candy to kids we've never met before. And the grand finale to the year? We stand on icy roof tops and string lights, stick a tree in our homes and bake pretty little cookies.

Ok Ok!!  I know I'm sounding kinda Scrougish...sorry...not meaning too. Actually kind of giggling to myself! I keep thinking to myself....wouldn't life be just abit easier if we just came up with some generic kind of decoration that covered at least a few of the holidays? Personally, I think I'm going to look for this Frankenstein Santa for my house! heehee!!

Oh...FYI...as I write this...

Countdown toHallow... ehm Christmas!!!

53

days

12

hours

10

minutes

0

seconds

Hallow... ehm Christmas!!!: December 25, 2011