2010

I'm sitting here on New Year's Eve watching the Gamecocks vs. Seminoles in the Chik-fil-A Bowl, (I love it when I can yell GO COCKS and no one gets offended. Heh.), listening to my 9 year old snore on the couch next to me. I'm reading many of your 2010 recaps and Facebook statuses and thinking back on my own year that was and thinking ahead to the year that will be.

2010 was by all accounts a pretty damn good year. I may complain a lot (do I?,)(Isn't that what a blog is for?) but I think that 2010 was the year that I came into my own as a mother. This is the year that I have noticeably NOT yelled as much, and it shows in the peace around my house. We have created some pretty awesome human beings and I really started to enjoy them a lot more this year. Let's not get too carried away...yes, we had our share of bad moments, but I think that I was a better mom this year. And that is a very good thing.

My marriage is arguably the best one that I know of, and that is pretty damn cool. Headless Dad and I have had a year of excellent communication and that makes all the difference. We've made time for each other and it shows. We're best friends. We make a great team. Like when we had the flood in November? We did a great job of tag-teaming to keep our cool and take care of business. It's nice to know that I have a partner that can take over when I'm getting overwhelmed, and that I can overcome my fears to be the partner that he needs me to be. That's not to say that we're perfect. We're not. (Paper towel bombs, anyone?) I'm certainly not, (Dust? Huh? Sshhh!), but an all together pretty perfect pair, if I do say so myself.

In 2010 I have found my blogging tribe, (you know who you all are-Muah!,) if not necessarily the voice that I've so desperately wanted. I know who my friends are and that is comforting. If anything, 2010 has helped me to see a little more clearly where I want to go in the future. I guess we'll see where it takes me!

As usual, I've been blessed with a great family. The ones in Colorado, the ones in the south, and the ones here are all top notch, and I really hope to spend more time with all of them in the coming year. Having a supportive family is so important and I can't thank them enough for being here for me when I've needed them and laughing with me when we needed that, too!

This year has also been a good year for my friendships locally. We stumbled upon a group of families a few years ago and this year has showed me that they really are my friends. In 2011 I hope to be the one hosting a little more often, as we seem to get together a lot and I need to do more of my share!

Speaking of those friends? One of the families called yesterday and is hosting a (second annual!) New Year's Eve party for all of us-kids included. We're expected in an hour so I'd better boogie. A huge thank you to all of you for coming over and reading my words, here and elsewhere. It means so much to me that you're here, week in and week out. I don't really think I can say how much it means to me, so I'll just say Thanks a million!

I wish you all the best in 2011; the kind of year that I've had this year, minus the flood!

Rocky Road Candy

My mom started making this for us when we were in high school, I think. Anymore, it's not the holidays without it.

Combine in sauce pan:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Heat over med-low until chips are melted, stirring constantly.

Stir in:

2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups mini-marshmallows

Spread in 8x8 pan. Cool in refrigerator until firm. Cut into small squares to serve.

It's the ONLY regular thing that I got to before Christmas this year. Now you can make it for New Year's, and start counting the days until next Christmas so you can make it again!

Next Year Will Be Better

HD and I had the conversation last week about it "not feeling like Christmas." It was cold, yes, but with the chaos around here we hadn't been able to do the usual decorating, lights, baking, you know, the stuff that makes it "feel" like Christmas. He wants Christmas to feel like it did when we were kids: all full of excitement and wonder. Did our parents feel like we do now when we were the children? Was it easier then to create the feeling of Christmas before consumerism was the name of the game? I'd love to have that feeling back too. What's your secret?

Even the 9 year old said it didn't feel like Christmas. Ouch.

My inside decorations consisted of a 4 foot tall tree, pre-lit, with only the ornaments that were given as gifts for decoration. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care....care to not knock the video game sensors off of the mantle. There is snow dust everywhere; so much so that if I had a bokeh lens it might actually look like snow. For Real.

Two days before Christmas while I was shopping I began to feel it settling in my eyes and throat. It tried to snuggle into my chest but mucinex chased it away, so instead it is trying to make my eyes pop out of my head by playing in my sinuses. #2 has it also, but I think he's a day ahead of me so he feels a little better. That or he's so hypnotized by the XBox360 that Santa brought that he no longer can feel anything.

The girl stayed with us this year because "we always have decorations and lights up and it's more fun with my little brothers." Oops. Not that it was entirely anyone's fault but for her it didn't feel like Christmas since we didn't/weren't able to do all the little things that make it more of a holiday. Me neither, girl. (She's off tomorrow to go see her mother. No matter how many years it's been, I still hate to see her go.)

HD and I have already decided that we're starting early next year so it feels like Christmas by December 1st. Inside and outside decorations galore, maybe even a Christmas party! But we're definitely determined to make next Christmas much more festive than this one ever thought about being. I failed Christmas 2010, but come hell or high water (not again!) Christmas 2011 will be loads of awesome!

This post brought to you by guilt, (I haven't posted in a week!), and snot. You're welcome.

Fear Overcome

Have you heard about the rain in our parts? Last I heard, the rainfall totals since Friday are over 7 inches, with DAYS more to come. I honestly don't remember a storm system like this ever, in all of the years that I've lived in Southern California.

Have you checked out the satellite picture of this baby? Go here to see the latest 24 hour loop. Crazy wet, this one. What you can't see on this is the tail that extends out to HAWAII. That's over 2,000 miles more of rain in our forecast.

I'm not complaining. Nosirree. I hate the heat way more that I might dislike any amount of rain/snow, so in essence, I'm good.

However.

Saturday morning we woke up to a leaky roof, that was draining down into the wall that our front door is on. Luckily it wasn't raining too hard and Headless Dad and I grabbed our camping tarps and some sandbags and got it covered in about 30 minutes or so. We thought that was going to be the end of that.

Ha! Mother Nature had other ideas, and by Sunday morning the leak was going again. So off to Home Depot he went for more plastic and more sand.

"Up on the rooftop" has never held so much meaning. We spent 2 1/2 + hours ON THE ROOF laying plastic, taping plastic, and positioning sandbags, all the while bracing ourselves against the wind and rain. By the end I was soaked from head to toe, literally. My shoes are *still* soaked over 24 hours later. We endured periods of light drizzle and heavy downpours.

And I was petrified.

One of my biggest fears is falling. You know the sensation of falling that you have in nightmares? That. I won't go on the Tower of Fear-type rides at amusement parks because I fear that feeling. Bungee jumping or sky-diving? I can't even think about those without having a panic attack, so roof-walking is not really in my repertoire.

But I did it. I got up there, and helped my husband, and overcame any fear that I had. I did it and it didn't kill me. I won, dammit. I beat the fear.

What a REAL Blogger Looks Like

OK, well, maybe not actual looks....

Here's the thing. I read a stupendous post by Jim of the Busy Dad Blog, titled My Middle Name. (There are about a dozen things that I could say about the post, and some day I might. I put it in the folder that I put articles that I want to write a response to.) I shared it on Facebook. I left a comment. At current count there are 81 comments on that post.

Go read that post. You will be blown away, 18 ways from Sunday. Go.

Back?

81? Really? I think it takes me a full 2 or 3 months to get to 81 comments total.

Jim is a stand up guy. I met him once, at BlogHer Chicago '09, I think. I'm certain that he doesn't remember me.

Oh. Back to that comment that I left? He emailed me a response. I've never left him a comment before. I don't read him regularly. We're not friends that email back and forth. I'm not Dooce, for crying out loud.

He responded to me. That's what a REAL blogger looks like.

At the risk of sounding like a nut-job, yes, I'm gushing. Busy Dad guy emailed me.

Note to other big-name bloggers that don't have "time" to respond to people? You can suck it. Jim just made my reader and you're getting dropped.

Thanks, Jim. You just made my day, and considering the day I've had? That's somethin'.

A (Minor) Christmas Miracle

They finished all that they could yesterday. (The baseboards will be done after the first of the year with the staircase. Both of those things could not be procured this week. Oh well!) I was able to move the furniture back into place (mostly) and start the dusting/cleaning process. I've got a long way to go but we're getting close and the basics are back to 'almost' normal.

I have a scout holiday party to prepare for this afternoon after I have my annual girly-bits dr. appointment. (Who was the scheduling wizard for that one? Oh right. Me.) Tomorrow is the birthday party for Mr. #1. Then? I may finally be able to focus on Christmas.

Could someone send an elf?

Wordless Wednesday: Progress

No more tile.

I wasn't kidding.

Wet sealant.

Freak Out Moment

Just because I seem to be keeping it all together doesn't mean that I am. Oh no.

On Sunday afternoon I lost it. Well, kinda. See, if you haven't noticed, Christmas is in less than 2 weeks. My house is a literal disaster area. The dust is beginning to have a life of it's own. I haven't decorated beyond one little 4 ft. tree. I haven't done any of my usual holiday baking, and we have no idea what we're doing for Christmas. (Yeah, that would include wondering where the presents are going to come from because I haven't done ANY shopping. I really do believe in Santa, but I have a feeling that he won't be taking care of my entire list.)

Whine? I've got some. Bring me the cheese and crackers.

In the middle of my sob fest, (there's so much to do!, the dust!, Waahhhhh!), Headless Dad got on my case about making a mountain out of a mole hill. I said, "I know that these are first-world problems, I get that, but that doesn't mean that it's easy, or that there isn't any stress involved."

He got caught up on the phrase "first-world problems." (Really? That's what he hears? Not anything else?) He had never heard it before and wanted to know what it meant.

First-world problem: Having a construction crew in your house, to replace floors that were damaged by your washing machine, during the holidays.

Third-world problem: Having no floors. What's a washing machine?

So I get it. For the most part I've even been pretty good about it. I don't want to whine, I really don't, but can I get a pass on feeling overwhelmed? Have I earned that at least?

So We Have Something to Compare The After Pictures to

(I failed turning pictures. Sorry.) This is the entry way of our house,  from the family room toward the front door. Tack strip included at no charge. Monday the foreman is coming to demo this tile and, I assume, give me a plan for the week and what to expect.

Hey, Keetha! Do you see my school desk? Told you I had one too. This one is usually over by the front door (the right side of the two in the picture above.) This is our 'formal' living room. There isn't much living going on in there right now. All of those boxes that you see piled up back there? Those are full of my Christmas decorations that I can't put up yet. Maybe never. Well, I'll for sure get to the stockings but that may be it. Clean up will be easy, right? Second tack strip (covered with cardboard and tape,) included at no extra charge.

So this is my kitchen. Again with the tack strip!!! This is the cabinet that we stripped over the weekend. (Wow, in pictures it looks really awful. I swear it doesn't look that bad in person.) For all you neat freaks out there, unfortunately my counter usually looks like this: papers, purse, all kinds of crap. It's a sickness. You are welcome to visit anytime, just be sure to take your little blue pill before you get here.

Now you'll be able to appropriately Ooh and Aah when it's all done!

Weekend Work

A Rough Day for the Kid

Today was a hard day for my Headless boy #1. It's hard to see your kids go through stuff, ya know?


Upon arriving home he said that he had a good day at school and got his snack. Luckily he got right to work on his homework. (He has taken to doing his homework in his room. Why? Not sure, but it has worked so far.) I was sitting with HB#2 while he was doing his work and we started to hear something coming from upstairs.

Thus began the wailing. Oh my goodness the wailing.

When I went up I found him crying about his homework. 53 problems assigned tonight, and he had only done about 12 of them. Oy. (Yes, this is the most math that he's ever had assigned for one night.) I really tried to talk him off of the ledge. I tried reasoning with him. I tried being ultra sympathetic, but nothing worked. I tried to get him to come down and work at the table, which lasted all of about 3 minutes.

And still with the crying. By now his eyes were red and swollen and he could hardly concentrate any more. I even tried to get him to take a break but he wouldn't. (Stubborn? Wonder where he gets it? Hmmmmm???)

Luckily HD came home just about then. Honestly, the way that we are able to co-parent in these situations is so lucky. HD is so good. He was able to talk him down and get him to push through and finish just as I was putting dinner on the table (at about 7:10.)

Dinner was nice, but not foreshadowing for what was to come unfortunately.

Fast forward to bed time and the kids were jacking around as usual, not getting ready for bed, ignoring me, you know the drill. (Please tell me that I'm not the only one that is ignored by her kid? Or just lie. I don't want to know.) I went up to crack the whip (figuratively, people) and threatened to take away the new Nerf guns and became the Worst! Mother! Ever! and by the time that I was tucking in and dispensing with kisses it happened.

(If I ever did this to my parents, I am SO SORRY. For real.)

He told me that I don't really love him, and that no matter what I say he'll never believe that I love him.

Ouch.

I told him that he could say that if he wanted but it wouldn't change how much I loved him and that if I didn't really love him I wouldn't be there, giving him goodnight kisses, nor would I be doing every other thing that I do. I wouldn't wash, scrub, cook for someone that I didn't care about.

Ugh. My heart hurts.

It's hard being a mom.

And bad days suck.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

What is it about boy-children that makes them completely averse to taking a shower? Take this evening for instance. At dinner I reminded the boys that they had to take showers tonight. Immediately both of them commenced with the reasons why they didn't need to, it wasn't their day, yada yada yada.

Really? The rule-of-thumb around here for the children is a shower every other day whether you need it or not. Exceptions include sports practice days, days of excessive heat that leads to excessive sweating, and accidents of all kinds. 48 hours isn't a stretch, right?

And while were on the subject, what's up with not being able to smell your own pits? Once that stink hits, BOY does it hit. How can you not smell that? Why must they insist on NOT using deodorant? (OK, well, only one of them, but in the interest of anonymity...)

Once upon a time a sniff of their heads was enough to know for sure, but now sometimes you just need to be in the vicinity....

I think that I read on a blog somewhere that boys of this age do this but Holy Toledo I never thought that it would be my own. Do you have boys? Do they fight you on taking showers? What was your solution?

 

I'm honestly thinking that having them smell like Axe would be better than this. Oy.

30 Days of Truth: Day 7

Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for. (omg, who put this list together? the grammar is going to kill me.)

Life is worth living, period. That said, I'll try to answer the prompt in the spirit in which it was intended.

I am so lucky and blessed beyond belief. My family of origin, (parents, brother,) are a pretty great bunch of people. They're definitely worth being around for. My s-i-l and nieces are pretty rad, too.

The family that I have created with my husband is what keeps me going from day to day right now. My relationship with Headless Dad is beyond great. We have three awesome kids that I enjoy immensely and want to be around for as they continue to grow up. They are all worth it.

I have a great extended family on my husband's side too. My B-I-L and 2 S-I-L's and 2 nieces are lovely people, too. They're all fun to have around.

I have built a pretty cool group of friends, online and in our area. I have a loyal group of longtime friends scattered through Colorado and throughout the US. In all honesty, I could get in a car and drive in just about any direction and be able to see someone that I love. Friendships can be hard to build and even harder to maintain, and I am thankful that I can truthfully say that I have a solid group of even solid-er friendships.

In short, I have dozens of someones that make life worth living, and I am beyond grateful and thankful.

Party Time

My husband's company always throws a Christmas party. Which is great! Fun! A night out with out kids! Getting dressed up!

We always try to stay the night at the hotel so we don't have to drive and yet it's never been in the cards until this year. So yes, we're staying the night at the Queen Mary. Yay!

Anyway, all of this to ask, do you go buy new fancy clothes for the company Christmas party every year? Or do you just recycle the old stuff? Does anyone really remember what I wore last year, 2 years ago, 3 years ago? If I just mix and match my pieces will that work?

I have a beautiful dress that I think I look good in. I could totally wear it again and have no problem wearing it again but HD wants to send me out shopping. For something that will inevitably be expensive and I will only wear once, since he'll want to send me out again next year for yet another expensive dress/outfit to wear only once. It's a vicious cycle, y'all. (Yes, I am thankful that I have a husband that TELLS ME to go shopping. I know they're few and far between. But still.)

And? I've gained a few pounds and don't want to go buy something that I don't like because I'm "too fat." Who likes shopping when you feel fat? I don't. I loathe it. (No comments about how I'm not fat. I know that but a few pounds makes shopping torture and I 'feel' fat. You can relate, right?)

I need your responses quick, with really good arguments, because he's coming home to make me go shopping pretty soon and I don't have much time!