Traditions

This year (especially - and I don't know why) I am really thinking a lot about traditions. 

Just at lunch today I was sharing a very fond memory of when we were little I remember making sugar cookies with my sister and my dad.  We made tons (it seemed like).  The hours spent just rolling dough and over flouring our kitchen table.  Using all of the cookie cutters (mostly metal - back then).  Then the fun and the mess we would make as we iced each cookie.  I think by the time we were done - we were all way ready to be done.  Cleaning up our mess didn't even seem like a chore because of the fun that we had had. 

Another one of our traditions was decorating for Christmas.  It would take a whole evening - After school my sister, dad, and I would meet in the back yard and go through the shed to pull out all of the Christmas stuff.  The stand for the tree was this huge wood thing.  (My dad had built it and attached train tracks to run around the tree).  It was so heavy.  Then there was the tree.  It seems so massive but actually only about 6 or 6 1/2 feet tall.  That tree was so full.  Then the boxes of nic nacs and ornaments and candy dishes and wreaths and candle holders.  There was so much.  My mom would fix an easy dinner. We either ate while we decorated or sometimes before.  My dad and I would do the tree setup and the lights.  Oh the lights.  My mom like a lot of lights on her trees.  We would go all the way around and up the middel of the tree then.  That followed by all the way down looping lights around EVERY branch.  And then to top it off we would WRAP lights back up around each and every 3 braches off of the main branches.  Needless to say that took the most time but there definately were lights when we were done. 

There were a few ornaments that went on the tree first and some of them had to be hung by certain people.  My dad always put his black bird in the tree (I don't know if it was a crow or blackbird).  And I had my 1979 angel and my sister had her bell with her picture (I think it was a bell).  Anyways, those went first.  Then hours were spent with my mom on the floor making sure each ornament had a hook as my sister and I put each ornament on the tree.  Of course my mom looked for bare spots (I don't know how she saw them with all of the lights - ha ha) and would direct us if something needed to be moved. 

The candy dishes were filled with Hershey miniatures and red and green M&M's.  Then followed the nic-nacs and all of the candles. 

We had the cutest little Christmas mice, Christmas bears, and of course the nativity scene.  The whole while these things were being set up we listened and sang to our Christmas cd's. 

I am very blessed by these memories.  As a grown - up I am glad to realize that some of these traditions I carry on but more importantly how special and warm these memories are to me. 

I have to run to work but I want to share with you some of the traditions that I am embracing now so I will blog more soon. 

The Gift of Giving

So, I had a wonderful time with family over thanksgiving.  I got back on Saturday and spent that evening browsing around town with Amber and her mom.  I absolutely love shopping for GIFTS!!!!!  This is the time of year when I get to go to town (usually by myself) (sometimes preferred) and just look.  When I find something that just SCREAMS out the name of a loved one then I have to get it.  I can't get it out of my mind until I do. 

This is where the thinking part comes in though - are GIFT CARDS really better?  Many people in my life say yea because then the recipient can purchase what they want or something they like hassle free.  But then it really takes away from the joy I get in picking out "that perfect gift".  I love finding just the right things.....but some people always tell me, "what if they don't use it"  or "what if they really don't like it".  I think that I know the people I love well enough to know if it is something they will like or not.  Now using it is a completely different story.  But if after searching all year - I can't come up with any ideas I am not opposed to purchasing the gift card, but........it does make me pretty sad. 

So, if you ever receive a gift from me please know that it is well thought out and bought with so much love.  When I receive a gift I love knowing that someone thought about me enough to spend time picking out something that reminded them of me or something they thought I would love.  Now, don't get me wrong....I will enjoy gift cards too. 

So, as I do some more Christmas shopping this week I just wanted to share with you what was on my heart.  I am about half way done with my shopping - Yea!!!!!!!

Just a little note

I promised myself and my sister that I would try to BLOG more often....the only problems are that I don't want to talk about work and I don't want to talk about depressing stuff.

So, here it is for today - Last Tuesday I woke with a horrible headache...I had it all week long.  On Thursday I tried to see my doctor but they were in Lake Arthur.  On Friday again I tried to see my doctor but he was not in the office.  I suffered on until Saturday morning about 10:30am I could not stand it any longer and it was making me dizzy and sick to my stomache! A trip to the ER is where I went.  YUCK!!!!  Anyways, 2 shots and 3 prescriptions later and my headache is down to a 3 from a 9 (on a pain scale).  Again, today I tried to see the doctor because it still is not gone and I am getting worried about it - But guess what -----still out of town.  UGH!

Anyway, on a lighter note.  Here is what I got to see at work this afternoon - breathtaking beauty!




I guess it is FALL



fall colored leaves

And I just want to share one more picture with you and I close this so that Amber and I can pack for our concert!  We leave in the morning!



Upcoming Events

I have several things coming up that I am SO excited about.

1. I received my tickets for the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert in the mail today.  FINALLY.  I have been waiting YEARS to go.  I plan to go every year but something always happens where I can not attend or even purchase the tickets.  So, I purchased them on 10-31-11 and received them in the mail yesterday.  I am so excited.  (Wish I would have taken a picture of them).  Amber and I will be leaving the morning of the 15th and going to Las Cruces.  The concert is that night and then we will be returning the next day.


2.  Then the following week I will be going to my Mamaw's for Thanksgiving.  I have had to adjust my plans a little for this trip but luckily my mom and Scotty were remarkable and said that I could travel with them both up there and back.  So we will leave on Wednesday and come back on Saturday.  I can not wait to spend time with my family. I miss them so much! 

So, I guess that's all of the exciting news I have today.  Hope everyone has a great week. 

My Fall Festivities

Guess what I have been doing lately.....


I have really been looking for a wreath.  A FALL wreath for my front door.  I can't find hardly any that I like and the ones that I do like are priced between $50 and $95.  That is simply outrageous!  So, I found a solution -
I made one!

 My wreath hanging on my front door!

 And a little closer shot.  

I made this wreath for about $15!!!!!!

I am very proud of this wreath - can you tell?

This weekend I carved a JACK - O - LANTERN!  This was important for several reasons - the smaller kids in my house hadn't really seen a REAL one.  They usually are just helped by their dad to draw the faces on the pumpkins but MOST IMPORTANTLY - just because it was something I wanted to do myself to get me in the mood for fall (since the weather is not helping out any)! 

So, without further delay.....                                                 JACKY

Isn't he just the cutest!

As for Jacky, I don't have him outside - he is in my bedroom on the dresser so that I can enjoy him since I am not outside in the night time and I am not treating trick or treaters (wow - that was a fun sentence).

I also got the pleasure of watching the kids try on about 3 different costumes for Halloween each!  They are so cute - here is one (not very good) picture:

 Zeta (6); Nakomus (5); Kyli (4); and Liah (3)

They have been extremely excited this weekend - all weekend!  Hope everyone has a very SAFE and FUN Halloween.

Thank you Notes and Yard Work

Recently (actually - last weekend) I MADE my son sit down and write thank you notes for the things ($$) he had received for his birthday.  I even let him cheat and gave him the blank thank you cards...all he had to do was fill in 1 side of the card - I was not asking for a 3 page report mind you! - He managed to write 2 very incomplete sentences.  UGH! What gratitude.  I can not handle this laziness!  So, I pulled out the old note book paper and instructed him to write a full page letter.  I told him from the top to the bottom must be complete and he could NOT use the same sentence more than once.  I did not care what the topic was or to whom he wrote.  Low and Behold - my son wrote a whole page letter to my sister.  (Sorry, for you to find out this way Carla - we will get it in the mail as soon as I remember to go get stamps!)  I had not been prouder in some time with him. 

Speaking of laziness - the thank you notes were preceded with yard work - oh my gosh - I have NEVER seen someone NEEEEEEED so many water breaks.  So, guess what we are doing next weekend......THE BACKYARD!!!!!

I VOW TO BREAK THIS LAZINESS!  EVEN IF IT BREAKS ME - HA HA HA!

FOOTBALL...

Ok.  So, You want more blogs...well then I can't warn you enough about what the subject of them will be.  Take today for example.  I was simply trying to make some sort of order out of my photobucket account when I ran across all of my pictures of:

 and MARION BARBER!!!!!

I thought I would share a little about these two things. 

1. THE COWBOYS - wow!  I have been told stories of being in a high chair and watching football (the COWBOYS of course) with my dad while I ate my pizza upside down.  All I ever remember is about my dad rooting for them and my mom (in her own once a season way) rooting for the stinkin REDSKINS - YUCK!  I grew up liking them 'Boys and guess I will go out that way. I LOVE to watch the games and get loud and yell at them as well as cheer them on.  I admit that I don't understand everything about football but have learned a lot just from paying attention and watching.  I am even glad to admit that I have taught others - by others I mean Karen - about the game.  I love to watch especially with people cheering for the opposing team. It is just good ole fun!  They are just one twinkle in my eye:

2. I love Marion Barber!  I remember watching him the season I was in Fort Stanton (2005).  I watched him (when we had the NFL network thanks to the Summer boys) when they would only let this running back play the last half of the last quarter.  I said that season - this guy is gonna be big.  No one believed me - ok; more like NO ONE CARED.  I was alone in the cheering section for the COWBOYS and for Marion the Barbarian Barber.  Bless Karen's heart sometimes she would sit and cheer with me. It was more just because she is my best friend rather than because she liked football.  But none the less; her cheers where very heartfelt and welcomed.  I constantly told her I wanted to see him play more. 

The next season he got a little more action and before you knew it a few season's later he was part of a HUGE 3 man offensive strategy. One of the best seen by the COWBOYS in years.  But things happen and sadly last year was one of his career lows; he still had lots of room to hold his head high; but still did not do as well as hoped.  I am VERY SAD to say that Marion Barber III was cut from the COWBOYS this year.  He is now a backup running back for the Chicago Bears. 

I am even sadder to regret that he is not doing well this season and will be out for his 2nd consecutive game this coming week due to a calf injury.  (I am tearlessly crying).  I wish to think that he is on a downward slope because I haven't been watching and cheering him on (not that I would take that responsibility - but is nice to think my cheers mean that much).  But since I don't watch tv and have no need for cable EXCEPT during football season I really don't have any way to watch the games.  BOO HOO.  I wish they would just give me the NFL network for football season (for free) and that was it.  No other channels required!  But they won't so I will try to keep up with him other ways.  (So, I guess now I have 2 teams to keep up with).

Now I am 32

Wow!  What a great time I had for my birthday.  I am having some serious problems uploading pictures right now and I don't know why.  But here is the post and maybe some pictures will come a little later.  I really cheated this year!  I have been celebrating my birthday for an entire month I think (or at least the last couple of weeks). 

But over the last few days especially.......
WEDNESDAY
I took off from work on Thurs and Fri.  I did have a mandatory mtng on Fri but that only lasted 20 minutes or so.  So, yea!!!!!! Rest and Relaxation for me.  On Wed when I got off we went to Hastings and rented 2 movies that I wanted to see.  When we got home we watched The Chameleon.  Well, I should say, that it played while I slept.  (Being up at 4:30am and not starting the movie till after 9:30pm was not the brightest idea!)
THURSDAY
On Thurs morning I woke and took my time getting ready.  Then to Carlsbad I went for a doctor's appt (nothing serious-just routine medicine management stuff).  The appt took all of 23 minutes (that includes the waiting.....WISH THEY ALL COULD BE LIKE THAT!).  Then to have fun...We went to Hasting's in Carlsbad.  Found tons and I do mean tons of stuff on sale.  So, after checking out at over $100 (big sale, remember) we ended up with tons of stuff!  Lots of new CD's of MY choice (and a few for the others), a new biography (that I have to borrow from "Mama"), a couple of TV series, a movie (for me), and the last season of the Original Star Trek - remastered, Collector's Edition (a $90 - item bought for $20).  Guess who that last one was for - Amber.  We had such fun in there though.  I would just like to say that the Carlsbad Hasting's is WAY BETTER than the one in Roswell. 

After that I went and splurged on my some make-up (which I have been waiting about 2 months to do). 

Hurried back to Roswell to pick up Shiela from work.  Headed to Wal-Mart where we picked up our pictures that we had taken.  They turned out so cute.  I will have to see how to post them soon. 

Luinner (that's the combination of Lunch and Dinner in the late afternoon) at the Past Cafe.  I was really disappointed in the food.  Mine was pretty good but I really expected EXCELLENT food from such a place of prestige. 

After returning home we took our time relaxing and then watched "Thor".  Well, they watched the movie while I slept on the couch, again!

FRIDAY

MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

Starting at Midnight, I got sang to and given presents........I truly do feel so special and loved and can't thank those who love me enough. 

When I woke in the morning I watched "The Chameleon". It was a good movie, based on true events.  But it was so sad and I really felt for the main character.  He was a boy from France' who would "impersonate" missing children and return to the families who had lost them.  He had done this to over 100 families including 1 in Baton Rouge (or somewhere close) - which is the case the movie was made from.  Just so happens the family he picked had actually killed their "missing child" and kinda had to play along with "their boy" returning so not to be caught.  It was SO sad on both accounts. 

Then I dressed for the day and went to work for a bit.  Ran errands and then some more errands.  Paid bills. (This is really fun birthday stuff).  Just kidding.  About 8:00pm I FINALLY got home where we had a cake of my choice (STRAWBERRY AND WHIP CREAM COVERED POUND CAKE).   It was absolutely delish!  Then my family showered me with song and gifts and HUGS and KISSES.  I went to sleep watching my new "Gabriel Iglesias" DVD that Dorian got me. 

All in all I had a wonderful few days.  Thank you for all of the cards and calls, and posts and blogs I recieved telling me everyone remembered me on this day!  I love you all...

Bad Aura????

Ok...I was really trying NOT to blog about work...but when that is what you do about two thirds of your time it is hard not to.  Hopefully I can say what I need to say in a positive (okay minor negative) way.  Please remember, I DO NOT MAKE THIS STUFF UP!!!!!!

A few weeks ago, actually on Aug 19, 2011 @ 5:34pm I received a call from my supervisor.   (Please note this was a Friday and a day that I had stayed home with a terrible headache - mind you).  She said, " I don't know how to put this".  I told to just spit it out.  After apologizing several times and saying it was not her doing more than a couple of times - she informed me that I had been removed from my work duties for a week.  Of course, my response was - "like suspended???" No, just removed from the position.  "Ummm.....ok.  WHY?" 
She didn't know - she "wasn't in the meeting" - apparently neither was I (hmph). 
"Did I do something WRONG?"
"No. Oh No! You just have too many complaints."
Ok.  "Complaints on me or my duties?"
Again, "No."  (long pause) 
"Complaints from the other staff or the individuals we service?" "No.  Complaints you have made about the vans breaking down...(another long pause)...Ok. Here's the thing."  (Finally, cause I was getting worried).  "They" (the President of the Company and a Supervisor [not mine]) "think you have a bad aura.  The vans keep breaking and well, they only break when you drive".  "Are you kidding ME?!?!" "No, and I believe that all of your complaints are real." "Do THEY think I am making up these problems with the vans?" "Well, they only happen to break down when you drive is what they are saying.  They want to try someone else driving and see what happens for a week". 

Needless to say the van broke down 3 different times that week.  And after telling me a few times that I had a bad aura - each sentence either began or ended with.....blah, blah,....bad aura.....blah.  We haven't ordered the right parts......but your aura......   or Van broke down with so and so.........but only your aura.....blah, blah.

Anyway, I am back to driving and have been for 2 weeks now. And the van continues to break down about every other day.........UGH!

Sorry the ending of this was weird but I really ran out of time.  Thanks for listening.

Side Note

I have learned that if you have a google account you can sign in and comment......If not, where it says "comment as"  just choose anonymous.  Then write your comment (be sure to sign your name so I know it is you) and then click preview.  Put in that little code it shows you and you are good to go.  Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you.  If you have questions PLEASE let me know.

Tomorrow...A day of both sadness and joy

Tomorrow is Brennen's 12th birthday.  Two years ago Brennen advised me that he did not want to celebrate his birthday (or any other holiday for that matter).  Talk about a mother's heart breaking!  How can a person that I love so much NOT WANT to celebrate the very day that they were given to me.  To celebrate the anniversary of our bonding.  To celebrate WHO HE IS and WILL BECOME.  I learned at that moment, in the Dollar Tree party section, that birthdays are not about how old you are or about anything other than celebrating you as a person.  Someone whom I care very deeply for told me about 4 years ago.....
 -I want to celebrate you for your birthday
My response - No, I don't want a party
-Fine but can we just make the week about you
What????
-Just to celebrate who you are

Needless to say I did not get it and just looked at them like they were crazy.  Now I get it. 
Last year on this day I CELEBRATED.  I bought a purple cake and celebrated becoming a mom 11 years ago.  This year has been easier (which I am sure it will continue being as time goes on) but still it lingers....Celebrate for myself, or just let it go with a warm feeling in my heart and a tear in my eye. 
I know this sounds depressing and it is really not.  Just wishing he would see what a wonderful person he is and want to acknowledge that. 

Speaking of Brennen......
This past weekend he asked to attend his first dance.  It was a dance for all of the middle schools.  It was so cute watching him watch the clock.  When the time came for him to get dressed....he actually asked HIS MOM which shirt he should wear!  I was floored.  I never thought I would see the day.  Do you know he actually put gel in what little hair he has.
Then the downer came.  He had the wrong day.  As we got out of the car and could hear the music we both looked at each other because the music was in Spanish.  As we got closer we see people dancing.....in wedding attire!  Once back in the car Brenn declared......."I am despaired!"  Yeah, I had to buy him some ice cream and then all was well again.  It was so much fun watching him go through these emotions.  It still brings a smile to my face.

I have been INSPIRED!

After reading my sister's blog for the past few months I have decided to start one.  I am going to think about this as a journal.  I guess it is not really for anyone to read (although that is okay if you do).  I think about things I just want to put out a lot.  So, here is my cheap shot at it.  We will see how it goes. 

Thanks for the Idea.  I love you Sister.

HERE GOES NOTHING....