WELCOME 2008

Hope everyone's Christmas was merry and bright! Ours went really well. The boys loved, loved most of their toys and electronics. Liam freaked over his new phone. I'm really jealous and I keep threatening to take it away so we can trade and I can use it. It's waaay to cool for a 12 year old. It has a touch screen, plays movies, music, emails, and basically does everything but wipes your ass. He was totally not expecting that or his new bmx bike so he was pretty stoked about his stuff. Ian freaked over the Wii and PSP's and this Army tank that Santa broke down and got for him anyway. He loved the fusion board and when Brent tried to do it he almost broke his neck, so no more fusion board for daddy! Way too much crap. But then again I guess that's what it's all about. Any big plans for the New Year? We've got some stuff planned around our neighborhood and the kids are going to do a big bonfire out in the back field so I guess that's what they consider fun. It's going to be messy and sloppy so I guess I'll have to hose them down before they come in the house. Brent has two WHOLE weeks off so the whole family is home, staring at me with those freakishly large eyes, like "What are we doing NOW?" Sometimes I think the "WTF?" and then other times I really enjoy being home with them. Guess what! This isn't one of them. LOL Anywho, just doing the regular weekend stuff and I have some things to return and planning on taking the boys and some friends to the movies. They are all out hunting birds or ducks or some kind of fowl as we speak so it's pretty quiet around here. Oh yeah, and their daddy decided Ian needed his own pellet rifle so he bought one exactly like the one Brent had when he turned 7 that he gave to Liam when Liam turned 7 so Ian was soooo excited and happy that he now has one and he's 7. It's a Family Tradition. He's been hunting/killing/maiming birds and fish with it since Christmas. I swear that boy is tough as nails. He puts it in the gun rack on the 4-wheeler and takes off around the pond pretending he's hunting deer. We were cracking up but really I guess it's kind of sad ... there are no deer around here. But about two blocks down the road there was a dead bobcat in the road so now he's really hoping to kill a bobcat so he can get it stuffed. Even if he did kill anything and get it stuffed I don't know where in the hell he'd put it because it wouldn't come in this house, but I don't have the heart to break it to him just yet. I'm sure his daddy will.

For all my sisters and friends who read this, post some comments so I can see what you think. Anything you want me to post about old family secrets, or who said what about whom? Just let me know and it's a done deal. Don't know how to tell someone they have B.O. or bad breath, just let me know and I'll take care of it. I'm here when you need me. I'm turning over a new leaf in 2008: I'm going to be less condescending, less critical, and try to be nicer, sweeter, .... oh god OK, you got me I can't go on. Yeah, right! And then we'd all go to hell in a hand basket if you didn't have me to point out the truth and really hit that nerve that keeps you on your toes! Oh well, at least I THOUGHT about it for 2008. Maybe it will come to fruition in 2009 but don't hold your breath on that!

Class Parties and Mice and Knives OH MY!

OK, now it's getting too exciting. Finished up the boys shopping today and I managed to get some really cool stuff I think they are going to like, no LOVE. I get more excited thinking about what they are going to say and do when they open up stuff than anything I could ever get. I just have a few loose ends and then I'm all done, and a whole three days early by the time we finish tomorrow night! Well, that's slow progress from last year, but it's still progress. Ian's class party is tomorrow so we spent all evening making goodie bags, making the labels for the tags on the goodie bags, filling them, tying them up with raffia and let's not forget making our Christmas mice that we make every year for the last 7 years. I wrapped all the teacher's gifts and Liam has a special friend that happens to be a girl so I picked her up a monogrammed notepad and wrapped that up for him and all my sister's gifts are now wrapped. I really feel like I've made a lot of progress today. I cannot wait until all the school parties are over with tomorrow at 1:00pm. Hopefully I can come home and relax before Brent gets off and he wants to go out shopping.

Still debating on what to get him. We bought the furniture so technically that is our Christmas present but then I said we needed to get each other at least something to open on Christmas morning. He's so silly. He wants a meat slicer. No, I'm serious. A great big, huge, ugly, prehistoric looking meat slicer. He said there's all kinds of things he wants to do with it. So I guess over the weekend I'll try and scout out a friggin meat slicer. He's also been wanting the complete DVD series of The Young Ones. It was a British sitcom on BBC from the 80's and he loved it. So I think I'll see if I can order it online and get it here. In fact, I think I'm going to go and check on that now and see how much it would be to overnight it. I sure would like the new Kid Rock CD hint, hint.... Liam's Naruto knives and throwing stars arrived via UPS yesterday or the day before, can't remember what day it is today much less something in the past. Anywho, Brent could not believe I ordered the real daggers, throwing knives and throwing stars. They are really cool but in no way child-friendly. We're going to have to lock them up so they don't fall into the hands of Ian. That child could do a lot of damage. Liam's ready for things like that and is really responsible but Ian, oh my gosh that child has no fear at all. I could just imagine walking outside to find Liam tied to a pinwheel while Ian tries out the throwing stars and knives. AAAHHH I can see it in my head now. I told Brent he'll have to lock them up with the guns and Liam can only show them to people and when he gets a little older and I find some kind of locked, see through case, then maybe he could actually be able to stare at them in the future. Ian's just too rambunctious and nosey to do that now. I did not think they would actually be sharp or even real for that matter. Tricia just died laughing when I told her what I did. Typical. Bought stuff to make cookies, a pumpkin roll and planning on doing our gingerbread house sometime this weekend. I really, really want to make some Chex Mix so we'll see how that works out.

Why? Why? Why????

Why is it that every year about this time I get that sinking, panicked feeling in the pit of my stomach??? We've been extra busy. Brent's grandfather died several days ago and that was really emotional for him and the boys. Brent always said his Papaw was his HERO, and I think he really felt like he has lost someone very dear to him. I relented at the last minute and let Liam stay home and go to the funeral. For one reason he had not missed any school up until this point but on the other hand, Brent said he needed to see the effect this man had not only on his grandchildren, but on other people whose lives he touched on a daily basis and loved him too. Not counting the money grubbing step-grandmother's family. Brent said that now he never has to see them again. He wouldn't even speak to them at the funeral. Things just spiraled out of control after the wicked old witch entered the picture. Another long story...

I meant to do a lot of Christmas shopping over the weekend but I went out with my sister on Sunday and did a little. Got the boys a few books (which I'm sure they'll throw across the room on Christmas morning) and made a good dent in the stocking stuffers I needed for them. Liam loves all the candy and chocolates at World Market so I went and stocked up on some English candies and chocolates that he's fond of. Other than that and a few things here and there to pick up, I guess we're pretty much finished. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. I bought a gingerbread house for us to do; well, I guess me and Ian but it will still be fun. And I want to make a pumpkin roll this weekend but I've never made one before so that should be fun. Looks like we're doing Christmas on Sunday when my sister comes to town. So I have to make sure their gifts are ready and I may as well give everyone else their gifts because I don't know if I'll see them on Christmas Day. They may be scattered all over by then. I just always get so anxious and keep adding to the boys list and buying more crap every day. I keep trying to stop but it's not to be. I thought of three other things Liam should really get to be able to go online with xbox 360 but I'll have to run that past their daddy to see what he thinks. Ian is sooooo easy. He's so content with whatever Santa brings. I guess as they get older they get picky and so you might as well relent and get what they want or you have to listen to it for the rest of your life. "Remember that Christmas that really sucked!!!" AAAAHHHH... I would die. I guess because when we were all little my Christmases were really pretty good, especially when it's a family of seven kids. I was always pretty happy and those were the happy memories I want my children to have.

It'll probably be really busy and crazy the next several days so I'll try to post as I get the time, but that may not be until after the holiday. I have to be up at the school on Thurs. & Friday. What the hell did I get myself into?? But I know the little one will be happy I'm there, just can't say the same for myself! And for all the people in mid-county who want to see some great lights, there's a house on Avenue D and 4th St. that have the dancing/singing lights when you tune your radio to 88.5. It's not as big as the light display in Lumberton last year, but there's no traffic and we went this weekend and watched the lights for about 20 minutes. It's really cute. Hope you can find it and enjoy some Christmas spirit!!

Gettin' Down to Bizness

Things have been pretty busy the last several days. Accomplished a lot this week in the form of getting the biggest gifts and hiding them away. I'm going to do a gingerbread house with the boys tonight. We're taking them to two live church nativities this weekend. One is a huge production at Calvary in Beaumont and the other one is an outside live nativity here in town, but they love going and drinking the hot chocolate and doing the other activities. Liam is our little beastmaster but Ian's coming around. Everyone knows I am NOT an animal person and I think Ian takes a lot after me but he has been great with Ivy ever since she got hit. I guess that comes with his age too. It's hard to be in the Christmas spirit when my list is still a mile long and it's like freakin 80 degrees outside! This is ridiculous. OH well, get it over now so it can at least be crisp and cool on Christmas. I was going to tell all that we did the other day but my nosy 12 year old seems to like getting his little eyes on my blog and reading it so now I have to be careful until after Christmas. We took Brent's mom down the street to see the lights last night. I wanted to go all around looking at Christmas lights but having the air on in the car and drinking cold tea is not the same as having it chilly and drinking hot chocolate while driving them all around to see the lights. Where is winter in southeast Texas??? ARRRAAAARRR... Trying to plan a trip to take the boys on the train for Christmas but I'll have to see how we can work it in with everything else planned for the next several weekends.

I bought Ian the cutest pajama set yesterday at Gaudie & Co. and he HATED it. I thought it was adorable and everyone in the store said he'd look so cute in it (all women) yet every male says it's girly and no way. Ian just about threw-up when he got a look at it. He said he'd wear it on Christmas Eve at "HOME," but he was not wearing it to school to be "ridiculed." Yeah, I know, I taught him the word and now he uses it all the time. So it's off to Target and Penneys today to see if I can get one of the approved pajama sets for his Polar Express Pajama Party at school on the 20th. So I have to hunt down "monster trucks, camouflage, dirt bikes, Cars, or something scary." That's what is on his list of approved pajama attire. Don't forget "any Bulldog pajamas." Do you know how hard it was to find Liam's Bulldog pajamas and that was like four years ago and Ian is now wearing them (out). We have to take our Christmas card picture this weekend so I can get those in the mail and we have no idea what we're going yet. Last year it was fun and the card was hilarious, at least to us, so we're trying to think of a good one this year too. We have a very wicked, dry sense of humor so it's getting a little hard to come up with ideas. Not to mention corralling them long enough to get it all done. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. But I'm running out of time. Any ideas?? Better go help Brent ... we've been putting up our decorations here and there so today it's Nascar Santa and the lights on the shop and I am the official ladder holder. I cannot believe he trusts me to hold his ladder but ... whatever... !!!

It Truly Is A Wonderful Life

Merry Christmas! Haven't had much time to post. Finally started getting some answers from the doctor about what's going on with me and why I decided to pass out and lie there unconscious for about half an hour. We were convinced it was toxic shock syndrome but there are no specific tests for it, so I have to wait to see if I start peeling where the red rash covered my body. In the meantime I found out that I'm anemic, and a rare form of anemia runs in our family because of our Mediterranean heritage. I think my daddy had it and I guess I always thought I was a carrier but in my old age, it may come to fruition. I'm half-Italian so I guess I did inherit some genes along the way, although they aren't the genes for the olive skin that tans great. I inherited my mom's pasty whiteness and her cold British attitude. mmmm. Maybe that's why I feel tired all the time? mmmm. Anywho, more tests to be done but that will have to wait until AFTER Christmas. Makes you really think about the future, your blessings and what's truly important -- a wonderful life.

I felt like crapola Friday and went to the doctor but Saturday I woke up feeling great. I don't know if it's the medicine they put me on or just getting some much needed rest. We took the boys to a Christmas tree farm so they could cut down a tree they picked out and then we had a whole Christmas day, except for the fact that I had to go to Target and buy all new lights for the tree because the ugly ass ones I picked out last year were HIDEOUS! Anyway, we also ended up at Sam's getting all new lights for the outside because by some big ole coinkydink, not one, not ONE, lit up. It was freaky and we weren't about to test strands and strands. So after another couple of hundred dollars just on decorations, we were ready. Then as it got dark we decided to walk down the street and see a house that lights up every year with thousands and thousands of lights. It's really something to see. Mainly we just like walking down there with the kids and they like to put money in his donation can for the electricity bill! I guess it's more of a tradition. My little one said "If I have to walk down here and look at these same lights one more time!" I thought it was pretty funny ... I guess he takes after me and has no sentimentality whatsoever!!!

I bought two strangers from the GameStop lunch today for doing something very nice for me so my 7 year old could have a really great Christmas. I almost started crying when I got my hands on the coveted gaming system, so I told them I wanted to buy them lunch. I took their orders and went to a drive-thru. It took a long time because it was right at lunch and when I went back to drop off their food one guy said "I just told him we''ll never see here again." I was like "so little faith in mankind. Have a little faith, boys and you'll go far!" They laughed and grabbed for the lunches. They truly looked like starving college kids but they were overly nice to put up with me for an hour and didn't seem at all bothered by me "staring" at them while they went about their work. You know, just when I think I have no more faith in people and they are all truly the dregs of society, somebody does something nice for me out of the blue. I guess I felt like I wanted to pay it forward. Don't get me wrong, I paid full price for the system, it was just their demeanor and how much fun I had sitting there talking to them. I'm doing some major damage in the shopping area tomorrow. Brent's going to leave early so we can make some major decisions and get business taken care of. I'm never good at decision-making so he seems to have the upper hand in that area. Boom-Boom. Decision made. I can never make it that easy. I have to over analyze everything. We've picked up a few things here and there but tomorrow it's NOW or NEVER. I guess I want to get everything done early, I feel the urgency in case I get really sick or anything. I want it all to be done. Poor Brent. He's been an angel since the other night when I was feeling horrible and my temp was really high. My little sister seems to think it was scarlet fever and that's why my body turned red. Hopefully after the new year we'll tackle that issue.

We're in love with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and their Christmas songs. They have two that I just LOVE, so I bought one CD and guess what, neither one of the songs I like are on that one, so while I'm out tomorrow I'm going to have to be a mini-search to figure out the name of one of the songs and then locate the CD. I would have never thought I'd like music like that but it seems Christmasy to me. Hope your week goes well and your shopping gets done. Ciao!