Christmas Countdown!!!

My Boys

Can I just take a minute to brag a bit about my boys. They have made me so proud this week!

Anthony is a freshmen in high school this year. He is a very good student but with him being my third, I knew to expect the first semester, freshmen transition period grade drop. New school, new routine, more difficult work, etc. Well I'm happy to tell you that apparently Anthony didn't need the transition period. LOL He's got a 4.0 with straight A's and is exempt from all of his final exams!! Which means while the rest of the students have to attend school until 12/18 for exam reviews and taking the exams, my young man will be having a half a day today and be out for the winter break 2 days early!

WTG, Anthony!!! I'm proud of you!!







Michael has been at his job for about a month and all of his managers can't seem to say enough terrific things about him. They are saying that he doesn't mind hard work, he's respectful, dependable, good with the customers, willing to learn, does what he's told, quick to pick up new tasks and takes on jobs without being asked. They said he's their "ace in the hole" and if they could clone 3 or 4 more of him, they could let go of the rest of the crew! They have called him in so much that he didn't even have a day off all week because they like how he works. And he's just loving all the hours he's getting!

Great job, Mikey!!! I'm proud of you!!


See ya next time! :o)

The Season For Miracles

Hi all,

I just have to share this with you all. During the rush to get things done for the holiday with buying and planning and baking and wrapping and cooking and more buying and more wrapping, sometimes we get lost in all the running around and don't realize what a special time of year it is. Something happened to me today and I wanted to share it with you. It was special and well.....miraculous.

I was home by myself. Steve and Mike were at work and Anthony was at school. It was rainy out. Really pouring. I stayed home all day because it was just so yucky outside and I was doing laundry. I was sitting on the couch, folding a load of colors and getting to the bottom of the basket and that's when it happened.............

















ALL THE SOCKS HAD A MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!

See ya next time! :o)

Decorating done!

Well, our decorating was done on Saturday and I thought I'd share some pics with you all

Here's Topper (remember the little penguin from "Santa Claus is Coming To Town"? We named him after that little guy. LOL) He has lights in him so you can see him at night and he was only 18 bucks at Ollie's.



And this is my very favorite indoor piece:



And here are some other pieces...most of them, including the above piece were handmade by Mom.



The three bear kids are for my three kids and were even painted with the same color eyes as each of my kids so we could tell who was who. LOL (green, blue and brown)






Our Advent Calendar, made by me - my kids still love this. You put up one ornament each day and by Christmas you have a fully decorated tree!



And finally the tree!



Hope your holiday is coming together!!

See ya next time!! :o)

Six Months and Still a Thrill

Well, it's six months today since I quit smoking and it's still a thrill for me to go into a restaurant and answer the question, "Smoking or Non-smoking?" with "NON-smoking, please!"

It's still a thrill to realize that I can go to a function or visit a friend and not have to figure out how and when I'm going to get my next smoke break.

It's still a thrill to know that I will be able to stay with my mom to support her in the hospital during her next surgery without stressing about where the smoking area is and if it's going to be cold out when I need to have a smoke.

It's still a thrill to hear my kids say, "WTG, Mom! I'm so proud of you!"

It's still a thrill to add another butterfly to my message board signature for each smoke free month.

It's still a thrill not to have to crack the car window open in the rain or the cold.

It's still a thrill to look at my QuitKeeper once in a while to see my progress.

Today it says:

Quote:

I have been quit for 6 Months, 12 minutes and 2 seconds (184 days). I have saved $460.02 by not smoking 3,680 cigarettes. I have saved 1 Week, 5 Days, 18 hours and 40 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 5/25/2008 7:00 AM


This is such a feeling of accomplishment and it just keeps getting better and better!!

See ya next time!

My Birthday Day

You may be wondering about the title of this blog. My birthday day? What is that? In our home, when it's your birthday it is tradition that you are waited hand and foot and pampered all day. You do no work and whatever you need someone will get it or do it for you. You choose your birthday dinner and cake and you are pretty much the king or queen for the day.

That being said, sometimes the actual birthday falls on a day when it's impossible to do this for the birthday person, like during the work week when everyone is out working or at school. So on a weekend day when everyone is home, we celebrate the person's birthday and call it their birthday day when they will be pampered all day by the rest of the family.

This year my birthday falls on a Wednesday so yesterday was my birthday day! I chose raviolis, Italian sausage and garlic bread for my birthday dinner which was prepared by my husband and chocolate cake with vanilla icing for my birthday cake which was made by my youngest son. Both were DELICIOUS...even more so because I didn't have to make them, I'm sure.

All the kids were home and my mom and brother came over for the day. I got some lovely gifts...a special hat from my sons, mug that I wanted from my brother, a beautiful hand-made glass container with butterflies on it from my daughter. a new cell phone from my husband and some really pretty shirts from my mom. I didn't lift a finger all day and it was just wonderful!

I'm so grateful that I have such a terrific family who makes me feel special and loved and appreciated. I am truly blessed.

See ya next time!

Sometimes I Forget....

In the local paper recently, there was an article about the new rules at all local high school sporting events. There would be no smoking. Now, of course, it has always been this way for indoor events like basketball and volleyball but NOW they were saying there would be no smoking in the bleachers OUTSIDE at football games! And while reading this, I was immediately put out and angry.

Then I remembered that this won't affect me at all! LOL I forgot that I was now a non-smoker. Silly but true, sometimes I forget. LOL

See ya next time! :o)

Me and My Foe

Anthony had to write a poem for English and chose our dog, Taco's, adventure with the turtle as his subject. LOL

He got an A!

Enjoy!!

Me and My Foe

by Anthony, age 14

The fence was the barrier

between me and my foe.

I could barely reach him

with only a toe.

He stood mocking me

just beyond my reach.

I couldn't get to him.

My bark became a screech.

Then my foe, the turtle, left,

leaving not much behind.

Every dog has his day

but this was not mine.

See ya next time!

Trick or Treat!!

Most of you know that we moved into town from out in the country in April. One of the biggest deals for us is that we would finally get to hand out candy to trick or treaters. Living so far out, of course no one would come to our house on Halloween but THIS year would be our first so we were excited. We didn't even know if our street got many..or any trick or treaters but we got prepared anyway, hoping for the best. Steve brought home a bag of mini chocolate bars and I got out my friendly witch costume to dress up in while I greeted the children who came to our door.





The other big deal for us was that we have always wanted to have those inflatable decorations on our lawn. But living out in the country and back off the road, no one would really see them. Yesterday, Sam's Club marked down their last goulish inflatable from $179.99 to $29.99 and Steve snatched that baby up in a heartbeat!!!

Now we were REALLY set!! We were all ridiculously excited to have our first trick or treaters and we sat outside together as a family to hand out candy. Michael dressed up to scare the bigger kids on their way to the friendly witch to get their treat and Anthony and Steve hung out while we all watched for trick or treaters.

Michael pretending to be fake until the kids got close enough to scare.

Smilin' Steve

Anthony on the swing.

We used to spend our Halloween trick or treating as a family. And now, we stay at home handing out the candy to other trick or treaters....and I'm happy to say, still as a family.

I hope you have these types of cherished family times too.

See ya next time! :o)

Halloween - Young Adult Style

When my kids were little, I had such fun dressing them up for trick or treating. We did all the usual cute and adorable costumes, pumpkins, kitty cats, fire fighters, fairy princesses, all the great ones. This year my oldest children, Kristi and Michael, are too old for trick or treating but now they are into Halloween parties. Let me just say that as young adults, left to their own devices, "cute and adorable" turns into something else entirely!!! They decided to go as a pimp and his...errr...lady of the evening. Here are some pics I can't wait to show THEIR kids someday!! LOL

Michael and Kristi

Pimp Kristi - not to be messed with!


Pretty Woman Michael - Work it, baby, work it!!


Holding that purse with ATTITUDE!

I told Michael that women would KILL for a figure like that!!! He and Kristi went to the party and were a hit! The guys were hitting on Michael and he would refer him to Kristi for the price list. LOL Meanwhile, he was strutting his stuff up to the girls and telling them he was hotter than they were. LOL

Where did my little fairy princess and firefighter go?

Happy Halloween all!

See ya next time! :o)