December 31, 2008

May 2009 be the best year you've ever lived, filled with loads of love, much happiness and more blessings than you can contain! Best wishes to all my blog friends and family for the new year!!

A Play Date with Mary Jean!

We had our much anticipated play date with Mary Jean, Charity's bestest buddy from preschool, today. So it was all good, right? Right, all except I wanted to bring my camera in and Charity rather verbally objected and said I had to leave my camera in the car. Ut-oh, has blogging ruined my daughter? . . . hummm . . . . so here's the another lousy picture with my cell phone I managed to snap.

A Dentist Day

I am so proud of my little girl today!! She made her mommy so happy. (Definitely will need to refer back to this blog on a day she does just the opposite, but that's never going to happen. . . ha!)

Today was her 2nd cleaning at the dentist, Snodgrass & King. And very unlike her previous visit 6 months ago, she boldly walked back with the dental assistant lady by herself and from what I was told continued her visit with the same cooperation and braveness!! I am so proud! They even let her take 2 prizes, which made her whole night! I told the dental hygienist that let her take the two prizes, "Oh you must have been the one holding her down on the chair with me for her last visit." She didn't recall . . . but said she had made a note on her chart from that first visit that she was "very" nervous and upset . . . to say the least!! She screaming her head off and wouldn't cooperate at all, no x-rays, nothing. Today she did it all! Yay!

I do credit this success to Sophie, who as a 4 year-old, bravely took on having 4 (I believe) baby teeth pulled. Sophie paved the way for young girls everywhere, especially Charity, to overcome the fear of the dentist chair. That and 6 months of hype to prepare her for this one day!! Thank you Sophie for your bravery! :)

Charity was so excited about showing Gramma her clean, shiny teeth that when we went to go eat, she didn't want to because she didn't want to dirty her teeth before Gramma got to see them. So I told Charity we would sent Gramma a picture from my phone. Here's Charity showing Gramma her "new" shiny smile!!

It was such an awesome night. And I'm glad Daddy was able to go with us. That helped alot too. We had to do a return at the mall and we strolled along holding hands as a family, Charity proclaimed, "This is the bestest dentist day ever!!"

For You, Jesus

Today our Asian pastor, Pastor Nhotshiri, taught about giving. He encouraged everyone to participate, even the youngest child. Though it seemed Charity was hardly paying attention, she wanted to be included. I love how she wrote out the envelope herself. Touched my heart!

I Survived

Wow! What a Christmas Season. I don't know what happened. Thought I had everything under control, decorating, gifts, cards, etc . . . I mean I had the first tree up on November 23rd, before Thanksgiving. But then, it all began to spin out of control, I guess. Monday I went to bed at 5:30 am on Tuesday morning, and then Christmas Eve it was somewhere around 4:30 am. I think I put the last tote of Christmas decorations back out in the garage on Tuesday, Christmas Eve Eve! But I did it, had it all up in time for Christmas! My, my!

So anyway, I'm glad it's over as fun as it was and get back to life as usual and finding a job. I will also try and "back blog" so of the memorable moments of the season . . . eventually! Maybe!!

Today was very relaxing. Mostly hung out, playing with toys. I don't know how many naps I took sitting on the sofa, vegging, but it was niceeeee! Charity and I worked on downloading songs on her "Ipod", actually a MP3 player, but she doesn't know it. Aren't we mean parents? But does a 5 year-old really need an Ipod? She been listening to it pretty much nonstop. Quite a mix, she's got on there, The Wiggles to TobyMac and Hannah Montana.

Then this evening we went around and checked out some of the light winners of Nashville. The weather was beautiful, mid 60's. So it was the perfect night for getting out and getting close to them. Didn't get too many pictures, my memory card had 1023 pictures on it. Yes I don't delete them, never know when this computer will crash and I'll lose them all. Here's a couple!

I can laugh about it now . . .

So this is the story of my life. (And yes, I'm pouting.) But I think blogging this, may be the therapy I'm needing. Oh and Mom! I love her! She always listens when I go on about my crazy happenings and reads my blogs too! Yes, she deserves a very large gold, crown!! I bet she can't wait until her hearing starts to go, so she can just turn down her hearing aid to tune me out!! LOL!! Love you, Mom!

I have been right, straight out busy with this crazy holiday. Not a second to breath, hardly a chance to get sleep. Yesterday was no exception, Charity's Christmas Party in the morning, which was a blast (and I'll post pics later) and then I was supposed to get my packages to Maine out and help out a neighbor in the afternoon.

Well, as it turns out, my neighbor's plans had changed and she needed my assistance immediately. As I arrived home from school, I had to run over to her house and watch as her carpets were cleaned? OK. Charity was upset as she wanted to tear into her gifts she received from school. So I let her come with me and we opened and played with her gifts as we froze in the house, because the door was open from the hoses, while they cleaned the carpets for nearly 2 hours.

Finally finished, I came home and started to wrap up my Christmas projects. Not finishing, but knowing I had to grocery shopping for this same friend, I stopped my work to complete her task. It was task-ing for sure. 2 hours in the store shopping for stuff I never buy and Charity was with me! Recipe for disaster, but we made it home. And since my neighbor wasn't due home until later she asked me to put the groceries away in her house for her. So me trying to remain in the Christmas spirit (though very stressed about much stuff still to do) decided I would leave them a little gift. Charity and I picked out some things we thought they'd enjoy as a family, which wasn't easy . . . like 6 stores later and 4 calls to other stores to find if they had what I was looking for. And after neatly putting away the groceries, we left their little gift on the bar. (Sorry I thought he was so cute, I had to snap a picture of him with my phone!)

I was hoping when they came home that the little gift would brighten up their day, but didn't here anything until this morning when I had received a text: "Where you here when they cleaned the carpets? A doesn't even look or smell like it's been cleaned." Well, I had explained that I was there and enjoyed meeting the carper cleaner guys (saints from Goodlettsville and we knew a lot of the same people) , in a previous text, and a text that I was there and another text that they were done and I was out of there. Guess she kinda' had a bad day. OK?

Well, that's fine. So this morning I realized I didn't give her the receipts for the groceries I purchased and some returns I had done for her, so after the mail arrived today, I brought them over to their mailbox. And you wouldn't believe what was in there . . . one of the gifts I had purchased for them!!

I'm assuming she was leaving it as a gift for the carrier!!! Ha!! All I can say is, I'm glad she got some use out of the gift I gave!! :-P

So for those that do it, I've found some rules for regifting so you don't get caught under these circumstances:

Rule No. 1
Please, whatever you do, make sure you don't give the present back to the person you got it from. That would be bad. Very bad! Simma Lieberman, a leadership coach from Albany, Calif., still remembers the time her son got the same LEGO toy she had once purchased for the friend who regifted it. It even had the original card attached to it! So, avoid embarrassing yourself and always keep track of who gave you what.

Rule No. 2
The previous anecdote illustrates how important it is to remove any cards or distinctive marks before you send the gift off to another home. Many gift receivers have tales of presents that came with cute notes addressed to someone else.

Rule No. 3
Don't regift something that is very distinctive, especially if you live in a tight-knit community, and don't give it to someone within your usual social circle. Surely your friends and neighbors will remember the polka-dot punch bowl you got last year from a distant relative.

Rule No. 4
Wrap the present in new paper, or place it in a new bag. This will cost only a couple of dollars, or even less, and will make the item look like new. A small detail can make a big difference -- don't be lazy.

Rule No. 5
The advice above brings us to the next rule. Even if you get the glossiest, most eye-catching wrapping paper, it won't make a wee bit of a difference unless what's inside is in good condition. If something has been worn or looks shabby, don't even think of regifting it, says professional organizer Elaine Bloom.

Rule No. 6
Unless you care to do some sheepish explaining, don't give something that clearly comes from abroad (when you haven't taken a trip in 18 months), or that's from a discontinued brand or defunct store. You're just going to have to keep that gift, or take it to a goodwill store. Sorry.

Rule No. 7
Avoid items that scream REGIFT! The list includes, but is not limited to, a box of small scented soaps, the proverbial scarf (unless it's pure silk and made by Hermés), random CDs (like "karaoke versions of hits from the 80s"), socks (nobody likes to get socks!) or small home appliances the gift receiver clearly doesn't need (remember the bread maker Will Ferrell kept trying to get rid of in the movie Old School?).

Rule No. 8
It's perfectly acceptable to regift a good bottle of wine, champagne or liquor, like an aged Scotch. Make sure to buy an appropriate bag for the wine, and to keep the original box for the liquor.
If the person is a wine or whiskey connoisseur, you might want to be a little more careful about the choice.

Oh, and I've added Rule No. 9:
Maybe the next day is a little too soon to regift a present!!

Lesson learned: The joy in giving does not come from what the receiver has done with the gift once received, but comes from the giver secretly leaving it in one's home as a surprise!!

Still To Do

I know how Santa feels. I keep making my list, and checking it twice and it's not getting any shorter. Seems as soon as I get one thing crossed off another thing pops up. Oh well, a few more days and it will all be over. Trying to stay positive, as things did not happen the way I intended them to. I still have boxes of decorations sitting on the floor, crafts that aren't done, presents still to be made, greenery to be made into centerpieces, but frankly life's just been too busy. And I'm supposed to be applying for jobs too! I'm almost at a breaking point!! But I did have my blood pressure checked at the Doctor's on Friday and it's good. Well, at least I only think I'm stressed out!! :P

Guess I Could Probably Use the Exercise

The morning started perfect. Charity clothes were all set out for the special Christmas presentation the Sunday School puts on. Brand-new shoes, her momma-made skirt, a special pin for her sweater and a new barrette for her hair. And her mood was great to compliant her new threads, which is unusual for this special Sunday because last year she wouldn't get up to sing with the other children. I even knew what I was going to wear. Just perfect.

All was good, we also had successfully completed our little Hugs & Kisses gifts for all 6 of the teachers that help out in Charity's class. All prepared and ready for distribution. It may not be, but I feel like this is earlier than I usually have this task done, maybe not. Either way it felt good, to have them behind me.













But you would know that Ms. Charity would slam the door shut on this morning! The morning that she's supposed to be singing, the morning that she had brand-new shoes and a new outfit . . . and thank God! The morning that it was near 50 degrees out, because my purse: containing my keys and cell phone were on the other side of the door she just slammed shut!! Uggggg!!

So what's a mom to do? We both started stressing out big time. Our closest neighbors who would have helped us were out of town, some others we know were still sleeping, so we just started on our hike, Charity pitifully crying how sorry she was for her mistake and me trying to quiet her as I process all of what has happened. Smart us, we bought our house not to far from the church . . . almost knowing stuff like this happens to us way too frequently!!

I can't thank God enough how fair the weather was, for we made it and had enough time for me to take Gramma's car back to pick up the last few things that were left behind at home, mainly my camera.

It was a morning both of us will forget none too soon. And I was very upset and frazzled, but how could I stay upset with this smiling face for long. She felt so bad, but I told her over and over it was OK. Poor thing!! I felt so bad for her little feet.

Charity and her pal, Isabella

This afternoon we took a much needed nap from our morning's journey and to refresh ourselves before tonight's choir performance, which was absolutely awesome!! Check it out:

Sunday Evening, December 14, 2008-CHRISTMAS Choir Presentation

In the end, our day didn't turn out too bad!! Allison kindly snapped some pictures for us so we wouldn't forget this day. (Rather this is the brushed up, cleaned up "us" at this evening. Nevertheless . . .) Thanks Allison!

A Bad Case of Matching P.J.'s

Because I've created a monster. Because I love my little monster . . . and Christmas comes but once a year, I do crazy things for this insanely crazy holiday.

And because we've been wanting to head to Opryland and look at the lights, but just haven't had the time . . . soo Dave and I made an agreement, if I finished sewing Charity's outfit (skirt) for tomorrow's Christmas production, we would head out that way this evening: 1. to pick up our matching jammies (a Christmas Eve tradition) and 2. Check out the lights at Opryland. It was a deal . . . so I got right to work.

Actually finished Charity's little skirt in good time. So off we trucked . . . or car'ed in our case. Gramma came along to enjoy. And Wow! Was it ever crazy?!? No economic slow-down in those parts!! :) The traffic was horrific. The mall was packed. I went in, got what I needed and got out of there.

The hotel was nice, but like the mall very busy. Guess I don't remember it being this congested, maybe we went earlier or later in the season. Can't remember. Oh well, we got to see it. And it was certainly pretty and festive!

Christmas Greetings to You

Hallelujah! Got most of the cards in the mail this morning. Have a bunch of church ones to hand out tomorrow, but for the most part, this task is done!

Here they are. We opted for 2 this year, one formal one more casual (for family). Besides being a bit large, I would recommend Costco cards. They do the trick and their super fast printing.

So if you haven't received your's yet, here's a sneak peak!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Finally, help is on the way!!

I finally found a doctor to give me some drugs!! Hallelujah!! I have had this nasty allergy stuff for way tooooo long now. Went to a Minute Clinic where they said I had Bronchitis, that's been at least a month. And the stuffy nose stuff hasn't gone away. Tuesday night/Wednesday morning I got real sick, puke-y, fever, chills, etc. . . then it broke and I felt a little better, but very congested.

So our PCP squeezed me into their already behind schedule, and gave me the Z Pack and some other allergy drugs, for which I am eternally grateful. I'm looking forward to not being so tired and run down, not having to blow my nose every ten minutes, sleeping with my mouth closed, being able to sing in choir without a cough drop in my mouth . . . my, it's been sooo long that I've been feeling "not myself". I can't wait and just in time for Christmas. Maybe I'll get the shopping and decorating done this weekend? Ha! Probably not, unless they lined this stuff with some sort of speed!! :-P

The First Snow Day!

See all the snow!! And our snowman and the snow angels we made! Oh, so fun!! Wait a minute . . . there's no snow!! I know these southerners aren't too used to the white stuff, but this is a little bit much!! Oh well, can't knock a day you get to sleep in . . . snow or not!

Silver and Gold

Can you believe it? We actually finished tree #2!!!! Thank God for Charity!! Had she not kept at me until we completed it, I probably would have never got around to it! Kids really do help keep the Christmas spirit alive!

Ding-dong!!

Way up high!! Yikes!

Unfortunately the rest of the Christmas decorating in no way interests Charity, so I'm not sure it will ever get done . . .

Yum, yum . . . too many cookies for my tum!!

Today: worked on my cookies for tonight's Cookie Party. Knew I didn't have any award winning cookies, but it was a good time. More festive fun!

Check out all the details here: The Cookie Party.

Thank you, Tammy, for hosting such a scrumptious party!

And the next day . . . Look who I caught sneaking a cookie from the cookie jar!?! Looks like "Rudolf" is hungry!!

Care Group Christmas Party

Tonight was the Bellevue Care Group Christmas Party, my first party of the season. Last year we had it at my house, this year we opted for Cheesecake Factory. Am I happy about that!! :D Only bad thing, it made me have all my decorating done by this time last year. This year, not so good, decorations and totes spilling with lights, ribbon and Christmas florals ALL OVER THE PLACE!! Uuggg! Oh well, maybe I'll get it done this weekend. Won't be happening this week, way to much going on. Fa la la la la la la la laaaaa!

A shot of Mom and I












Lynn, Our Care Group Leader and Mindy













Peyton, Erica and Pam

Lori, Chauntay and Lanita

The Whole Group . . . me taking the picture.

The Whole Group . . . with me running to join the shot!










A fun time and I believe all of us women went home with a full belly and a big piece of cheesecake. I decided on the White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake. So now that my dinner has settled a little bit, I'm going to go indulge!

Holiday Cheer to you!

Today's Thoughts

I'm thinking of my (birth) mom today on what would have been her 53rd birthday. Sadly her life on earth was less than half those years, now leaving her gone longer than she was here with us. Life! It's not easy. I ponder today and think of things and how they could have been, until my thoughts interrupted by my Heavenly Father who knows all, orchestrates all, and has ordered all my steps in His perfect plan and from that I would not want to defer. I do fondly think of her today, the day her life began. For without this day in 1955, they would be no me.

Sparkly & Shiny

The Christmas Spirit is getting to all of us. Even we teachers of the 3 year-olds at First Church. It has to be . . . it's the only explanation to why we would do a glitter craft with 12 3 year-olds!!! Wow!

We put the green table cloth down so we could roll it all up for what we thought would be a neat clean-up. Never in my life have I seen them want the table so clean, when they ALL starting brushing the glitter off the table onto the floor!! The real mass hysteria is not pictured. That's when they decided they liked it when it "snowed" glitter everywhere and they repeatedly kept lifting the table cloth way up, like you would shake out a blanket!! At that point I had put my little camera/phone away and was trying to regain control of the little hooligans!! Needless to say our classroom is very . . . well, should we say festive!!

Mysty's Christmas Party

Charity has been so excited awaiting the arrival of this event, that only she, without Mommy and Daddy got to attend: Mysty's Christmas Party. Kid's Only. How fun!! Mysty was so sweet to host this party for the little ones while the parents got a chance to go out and get some Santa shopping done. And I believe when she mentioned the thought, us moms took her up on the offer so fast she didn't have time to change her mind! But she is amazing and when we arrived to pick up Charity, she was still in her right mind! Thank you, Mysty! Charity had so much fun and I hope you did too!

Charity with her gift for the Hostess. The Hostess, Mysty, and Charity A little fun with Daddy before the other kids arrived. Charity and Sophie

Sophie, Jaden and Charity ~ They'll all so festive . . . oh, Charity's sweater from Goodwill for $1.25!! Perfect for the party! Trying to get them all to look and cooperate after way too much sugar . . . not happening! But they had fun! Jerry and Allison were getting lots of Christmas stuff done, so we picked up Sophie and Jaden and brought them to their grandparents. Charity liked having the company in the back seat!