Happy New Year's

Well,
Can you believe it? It's almost 2006. That is just a crazy thought. So much has happened in 2005 and I thought I'd share my top ten moments/events of 2005. Here's to a great 2006!!!!

10. My amazing vacation in the desert. It was so romantic and adventurous. I can't wait to go back.

9. This is harder than I thought. I'll go with my bachelorette party. It's been ages since I've had the chance to gather up my closest friends for a night out on the town. The lap dance my mom recieved was the highlight of this particular evening.

8. Our camping trip in May. It was fun to "rough" it for a long weekend.

7. My baby girl's 3rd birthday. It was nice to have everyone here in honor of her.

6. My bridal shower. It was at such a nice place and we recieved so many wonderful gifts.

7. O.K. getting harder as I go on.......let's see...umm....I'll have to go with our poker night in July. So funny because I kept winning with BS hands. Great times.

6. Our Christmas this year. It was such a nice day. Everyone came over here and exchanged gifts. My brother's suprised their neice with a Barbie Jeep Wrangler 4x4.

5. Getting to meet up with one of my online friends. Now, she isn't considered an "online" friend...but a real friend.

4. The night before my wedding. Never in my life have I been so many different emotions at once. It was awesome.

3. Halloween this year. MY daughter was so into it and had a great time trick-or-treating. It was the first year she really "got" the whole idea of halloween so it was fun to watch her getting excited by the candy and other goodies.

2. Chey's Christmas program at school. It was so cute even though she freaked out and wouldn't participate. It was still my first "parent" function at school and I enjoyed it.

1. MY WEDDING...of course. Never in my life did I feel more beautiful or more special. The day was magical and I will NEVER EVER forget it.

Well, I know some of those are lame but hey, I'm tried. I'm hoping 2006 will be a little more eventful than this year was.

Happy New Years and please be safe!!!!!!!

OK...I just re-read my post and I just now realized that I numbered everything all wrong. No wonder it was so rough for me to come up with stuff......I'll just keep it up cause they are all good moments...regardless of how they're numbered.....

Enjoy the pics. One was taken on the day of Chey's Christmas program and the other is a lovely self-portrait.......

Thinking

I've been doing a lot of thinking these days. It seems that the holiday season does this to me. Reflecting on things that have happened in the past. Today, I was thinking about how being an adult is both depressing and exciting at the same time.

I personally don't really get much for Christmas. My husband very rarely acknowledges that I do in fact deserve presents too at Christmas time. He makes half ass attempts to get me things but they are usually things that *he* likes but still considers a gift for me. IE: He will bring home Lingere and call it a gift for me. Uh, hello? I don't like wearing itchy, frilly crap to bed. So, it in fact is a gift for HIM. This year, he did do a bit of shopping for me at a store called "Chica's Secret" Um, this isn't some cultural version of "Victoria's Secret" is it? If so, dear John please take it back and go to Express. You can't go wrong in there. I love everything from that store. And, I'd much rather have a pair of jeans than a pair of thongs.

My family really doesn't get me much either. I already know what I'm getting from my mom and dad. I was with my mom when she bought it. So, no suprises for me this year from the family. I won't even get into hubby's family. They dislike me and have no problem showing me that with the gifts I get from them. That's all I'm going to say. I don't get birthday cards or mothers day cards....or Valentine's day cards....I try to tell myself that it's just a "card" but truth is...it's not *just* a card. It's something nice, that acknowledges you and whatever special occasion it may be. I like cards. Just wish I got them every once in a while.

I'm not saying that my hubby is a bum. He's not; he just grew up differently than I did. He's still learning and I'm sure I'll have him trained in a few short years. I still love him just the same.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that for me anyways, holidays are nothing for me to personally enjoy. I don't get anything and I don't get suprised. But....here is why it is also exciting for me.

I love seeing the looks on other people's faces when I give them a gift or a card on whatever given holiday it may be. But, I LOVE even more being a mother. I love getting to do all the cool stuff that I miss for my daughter. Read: I love being the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and eventually I'll love being the tooth fairy as well. It's just so fun to get to do all that. And, the reason I actually love being an adult come this time of year is because even though I don't get much.....Chey gets TONS and I love getting to see the look on her face when she tears into her stuff. I love tucking her in at night and hearing her ask if Santa's coming tonight. It's just all so fun.

SO, yes, I miss getting to be a kid and tear into my stuff. But, I am glad that I am able to do that stuff for my daughter. It's nice to sit back and see the look of pure joy in her eyes. And, when I see that look I realize that the best gifts don't come wrapped with pretty paper and a bow.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

'Tis the Seaon To Be......SICK????

I'm beginning to feel like a hypochondriac. It seems that every week, something else ails me. I'm really starting to get irritated. Last week it was the ever-so-painful bladder/kidney infection and this week it is some sort of combination stomach/flu garbage. I spent a good amount of my day with my head hung in the crapper. YUK. To make it worse...Chey has a touch of whatever the hell this is.

Thursday is the little boogers Christmas Program. I'm so very excited about it. I even bought her a special outfit to wear for the big day. I'll get some use out of it as she'll be wearing it on Christmas Eve as well.

Since I'm feeling like crotch today I wasn't able to go and pick up Chey's portraits. Which means, Christmas Cards will be late this year. We're getting another 3-6 inches of the fluffy white stuff and I'm not driving in that garbage. No thanks, I'd like to keep my tires this year. I'll just wait 'til Thursday to get them , when, they'll hopefully have all the roads cleared.

Tonight, Hubby and I are wrapping "Santa" gifts. I'll put on some Holiday Tunes and get into the spirit and get it all done. I love Christmas time.

I'll close with my memoirs of Christmas' Past:

I was 13 before I realized that my parent's were the force behind Santa. Yes, you read that right: 13!!!!! Here's how it happened and WHY I never figured it out.

My parents were methodical. I know now all of their tricks. I'm just hoping Cheyenne will spare herself the teasing and taunting I went through by not beleiving til' she's a teenager.

My parents would have us write letters to Santa. We'd go and "drop them at the post office" Little did I know; she hung onto them. She was slick. The wrapping paper was stuff that wasn't used on the other gifts in the house. It was different; unique even. Even the bows and the nametags were "special" ones that she put aside. The writing was even different. Found out later that she had a lady that worked with my dad handwrite out sheets of nametags so we "know" by the writing. Slick I tell ya. Now, here is why it was so hard to figure out.

When I was in the 6th grade I got into an arguement with a girl in school who insisted Santa was a "fake" a "hoax" I fought tooth and nail that indeed he was the real thing. She said to me "Santa, is your Mom and Dad" Impossible I thought....and I remembered Christmas' Past. We would leave around 6pm. We'd gather in the car singing Carols the whole ride to Aunt Gloria's house. I always looked forward to gatherings at her house because it was the only time of year I got to see my cousins. We'd all have a blast, eating goodies and exchanging gifts. We'd leave about 11:30 and we'd have butterflies for the entire car ride home. We knew that when we'd walk through that front door we'd be greeted by LOADS AND LOADS of the goodstuff. This is where I'd had a problem believing the girl in 6th grade. We ALL were in the car to go to Big G's.....nobody ever left...not even for a minute. If it WERE my mom and dad how in the hell did the gifts get there???? I pondered all the way through 7th grade...then came christmas of 8th grade. The defining moment in my teenage years. It was Xmas eve and I came down with a horrible case of the flu. So horrible that I was told I wasn't going to Aunt G's house this year. I needed to rest. Get better. I put up a fight, and lost. I stayed home.

We lived in a 3 flat in the city. My "aunt" lived upstairs from us. She was my aunt through marriage and when she and my uncle divorced, we continued to call her Aunt. That Christmas I was forced to stay at home. I'd be fine because "Aunt Terri" lived upstairs. All would be fine. It wasn't fine. She came though the back door and started loading pressies around the tree. THIS is Santa??? What the ......I was crushed. I'd looked like an idiot in school for still believing, I was almost beat up for it. How in the world did I not ever stop to think that "Aunt Terri" was Santa??? Maybe I knew deep down, and just wanted to continue to believe. Believing in Santa is pure Magic. Something to look forward to and something that keeps us innocent. I'm so glad that I have a child which in turn keeps the magic alive. I'm just glad that I had 2 excellent teachers; I'm sneaky I tell ya. Thanks Mom and Dad!!!!!

Let it snow

I awoke this morning to find that we have a GREAT amount of snow on the ground. I can't wait for Cheyenne to get up to see it all. Yes, that's right: Cheyenne is a snowbunny!!!! She loves the stuff. I myself, don't mind it too much, except when I have to drive in it. You'd think that after 26 years of experience with it that I'd be a pro at driving in the fluffy white stuff. I have to admit, I'm not. Every year it's the same ole' thing: I slip, swerve and occassionally run into curbs. So far this year, I haven't hit anything and I'm knocking on wood that my poor tires will get a break from the curbs.

Christmas is coming and it's a time I usually look forward to. I'm still like a little kid. I can't wait to bake cookies, wrap gifts and celebrate. This year however, I'm dreading the whole thing. Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to Cheyenne's experience with everything, I am not looking forward to the family b.s. that seems to come with it. Last year, my mother in law called me up the Day after Christmas to let me know that we were expected to be at her house every other year. She explained to me that X-mas Eve is "her thing" and she's tired of having to share us with other family. She wants us at her house and she "expects" us to be at mid-night mass with her. At the time, I agreed, thinking that I had a whole year to worry about Christmas again. I agreed in haste. I admit, I also wanted to shut her up. I was at work and didn't feel that arguing with her about the subject was going to do any good. I spoke with John about it and we drafted an email explaining why we do not want to go there this year. I've yet to hear a response. I don't understand why this woman feels it is o.k. to demand things of her *almost* 30 year old son who has a 3 year old daughter and a wife. She called me a few days ago and for some reason ( the email regarding us not going there for xmas eve had not yet been sent) started laying on a huge sob story, about how Christmas isn't the same since her kids are grown and how since her mom died the holiday's aren't what they used to be. I didn't know how to respond; I just lent an ear and let it go.

I know some people would say" Just invite her to your place" This may seem like a reasonable compromise but let me tell you what happend 2 years ago when John's entire family came her to "celebrate" with us. Everyone of them arrived late. Their little way of controlling the festivities. They came in and sat down in the kitchen while everyone else was in the living room. They didn't go in to say hello to anyone and before we even ate they decided to exchange gifts in the kitchen amongst themselves. I was shocked and appalled and vowed to never have them over again. It was MY x-mas celebration and they took control of the evening by doing things "their way" John really didn't see the problem in all of this, which pissed me off as well. They were totally out of line and anti-social. I must add as well, that they are under the impression that my family is wealthy. My parent's spoil Cheyenne rotten during the holidays and recieved dirty looks from the "in-laws" as they gave Cheyenne her stack of gifts from them. John's mother is ANTI-toys. Doesn't beleive in them, thinks they are a waste of money. She doesn't believe in DVD's or TV either. Thinks they rot brains. I'm guessing she's talking from experience because I believe her brain is toast.

So, I'm waiting for a response and am guessing that whatever the response will be it will not be pretty. She's a control freak and will probably try to manipulate the situation to try to get her way. I'm dreading the email. I'm dreading even more, the phone call she will place to my husband. I'm dreading even more than that, his response to her. He's still a momma's boy and my feelings will be ignored so that her's will be spared. Merry Christmas to me.

Who knows when I will post again. I find that I forget that I even have a blog. It comes to me every once in a while and even though I vow to be more consistent with it, it just doesn't happen.