Wrapping Up ...

the year 2006 !

2006 is coming to a close on Sunday. I think back to all that has happened this year ... and I can't really complain ... it's been a good year.

List of things I am grateful for in the year 2006:

• Going to Boston to meet my Enclavian Bitches.
• FENWAY PARK !
• Paying off my car.
• Redneck Reunion - great time with some great friends from home.
• SBGS bowling tourney ... Hollywood (me) got LOADED !!!! I also got us a good table at the restaurant due to the fact that Peppermint P cut open my shirt !!! LOL !
• Seeing Johnny in action (even though he was in a MFY uniform)
• The MFY's NOT making it to the World Series
• Bonding with some great work friends ... ('Niffer & Conway)
• My passion for Scrapbooking !
• My family. They are all wonderful (Mom, Dad, DS!)

The list could keep going ... but I am just sticking to some:

"FANTASTIC NOVY MOMENTS OF 2006 !"

Wishing each of you happiness in 2007 !

Movies ...

being that I am a movie junkie, it's no surprise that I received quiet a few DVD's for Christmas.

I have updated my list with the following:

• Apollo 13
• Doc Hollywood
• Kiss the Girls
• Devil Wears Prada
• Urban Legend
• Invincible
• How to Eat Fried Worms - for the ds
• Monster House - for the ds
• Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest
• Step Up
• Lady In the Water
• Free Willy Trilogy - for the ds

Scrooge ?

Now that Christmas is over, I am beginning to wonder if I am Scrooge?

I am such a wicked awful crab today. I don't want to talk to anyone, and I am a talker - TRUST ME !

I just want to go home ... and relax ... I am just coming off of a 12 day vacation, and trying to adjust back to the real world again. *sigh*

Home ...

we made it ... safe and sound. It is such a long trip ... 6 hours ...

I unloaded the car last night, and set up some of the stuff for the ds because he wanted to play with his new toys ...

I took a shower, watched a movie, and went to sleep !!!

~ such a boring life ~

Merry Christmas !

The morning is now over !

I awoke to the ds shouting that

had come ... such a sweet child he is ...



We spent 2 hours opening gifts and laughing and taking pictures ... in the back of my mind I know that my vacation is coming to an end. I don't want to leave my mom.



The ds got a TON of stuff. WOW. He has already tried out about 4 of his new PS2 games. LOL !



I am thinking of putting in one of the many new DVD's that I received.



Here's to wishing everyone an enjoyable rest of the day ...

Merry Christmas (Eve)

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, love filled holiday with your family and friends ...

My mother is upstairs, baking away for a wonderful dinner tonight, and preparing for tomorrow's meal ... I should probably go help clean up some more ... :)

Have a great holiday !

up in the air ...

so ... i am seriously contemplating deleting this entire blog ... and starting new ...

sometimes i want a change in my life and i am not in the mood for anything drastic ... so i am going to think on this for a short while ...

I'm back ...

I need a vacation from my mini vacation to my cousins !!! LOL !

Oh ... what a great time ... my little sweetheart was spoiled rotten, and everyone knew it !

We baked cookies, and read stories - and I would change the names in the stories to be about us and others in her (our family), and we colored pictures ... and opened presents .... and went shopping ... and told secrets ... and played "kitchen" ... and watched a movie ... and had bath time ... and played and played and PLAYED !!

A little girl is MUCH more than I am used to ... my ds is very low maintenance compared to this little girl ... but what a treasure she is ...

We went to someone's house to view their Christmas lights ... they have 3 acres of ALL LIGHTS ! It's BEAUTIFUL ... I will post pics at some point .... they had free smores ... and free hot cider & coffee with cookies ... and the kids saw Santa ... and they got a free winter hat w/ a commemorative patch.

WOW.

I wrapped some presents after a quick-mini, last-minute shopping trip this afternoon ... we just ordered some pizza ... so I have to go and pick that up ... will my day ever end ????

I'm not complaining !

another day of travel ...

I am going away with the ds for a couple of days to spend time with my cousin, his wife, and their 2 daughters.

Growing up as an only child, I bonded really close with him. We are only a year apart, and we are the best of friends ... I actually named my son after him ! LOL !

So, I am going to go and take care of their oldest daughter tomorrow - so we can have some good 'ol quality time together ... I just adore her and we are going to have a fun time.

I picked her and the ds up some new crayons and Christmas coloring books and some special snacks ... it's OUR DAY tomorrow ... and anything goes !!! Ice cream for breakfast ? Why Not !!! Cookies for lunch ? OK !!!! I don't get many opportunites to spoil her, so when I do get them I take advantage!!!

*********************************************************************************

Today - well tonight actually ... my home away from home ... The Enclave is one year old ! I don't know whether it's Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary ... but ... to all of my EB's ... it's been a great year ... we have so many memories together ... and I look forward to another year ... Ok ... I REALLY look forward to a summer trip to Boston with you all again, but that's neither here nor there !!!!

Just another day of ...

doing nothing !

It is 3:00 pm and I am still in my jammies !

My parents, the ds, and I played a round of Red Sox Monopoly (my mother whooped us !) and then we played a couple of games of cribbage. Cribbage is good for the ds so he can work on his math skills and not even realize he's doing it !

I am bringing him over to his paternal grandparents for a couple hours here shortly ... and then we are going to my gramma's restaurant for dinner.

*sigh* I love not having to do anything ...

It's a nice day today - I did bring the dog out to his kennel ... so I have done SOMETHING today!

Tomorrow we are heading out to my cousins so I can see his daughters ... I will have them open their Christmas gifts early since I heard through the grapevine that my aunt & uncle are going out of town for the holiday. They don't tell their kids anything so I am bringing my gifts with as I fear they don't know not to come home for Christmas. How sad is that !

~ I'm off to get dressed now ... I can't be a bum all day !

Early Christmas gift ...

OOOOOH !

I just had to share ... I am so excited to have gotten this !!!

~ Safe Journey ~

I arrived ... safe and sound ... it was a long 6 hour drive ... but worth it to spend the next 2 weeks with my parents.

Out Of Office ...

I love being able to put my out of office reply on !!!

I am ready to leave ... a couple more hours and I will be on the road ...

Never fear ... I will be checking in periodically !

holiday stress ...

*sigh* I am stressed today.

I am going on vacation tomorrow and keep thinking maybe I shouldn't go - of course I am going to ... but I hate leaving my co-workers in the lurch. I can't help but think about it. I'm sorry (if you are reading this ...) I know that once I leave tomorrow, I will be fine. It's just today is the day I feel bad.

I have 1.5 million things to accomplish before I head out today. I need more time ! Wait ... maybe I just need to relax ... it will be fine. It can always wait until I return.

ok ... now my stomach hurts.

FINALLY !

Thank Goodness ! I have something good in Red Sox news to talk about !!! I can FINALLY say Matsuzaka's Heading to Boston

Pre-Holiday Gift Giving !

We had our holiday party at work today - and exchanged our "secret santa style" gifts ...

The recipient of my gifts was very happy ... so I am pleased with that.

I - oooh ... am very happy as well with the wonderful gift I received. A friend of mine - Conway Twitty - was my "secret santa" ... and she fooled me good ... I asked for:

• Scrapbooking Stuff
• Red Sox Stuff
• Hinder's CD

So ... I opened my card ... and got a great gift card to a scrapbook store ... and then my wrapped present ... held this:

IMAGINE MY EXCITEMENT ! 12 months of wonderful men in uniform !!!!

On a sad note ... Trot Nixon is February ...

Baseball on my mind ...

I talked to a friend of mine late last week. She lives out in Washington State, about an hour or so outside of Seattle. She is coming home for an extended visit this Spring (March/April-ish). I have been talking about going out there for about ... OH ... the past 3 years !

I have decided (at least for now) that if I go ... I would like to go for a long weekend in May. Well, I had the idea of checking the Mariners schedule ... and the MFY's will be in town when I want to go.

We all know I am not a MFY fan ... but in my heart I am forever a Johnny fan ... in addition to loving the Red Sox.

How perfect would it be to see him play another game ?

So ... at this point in time ... I am thinking about going out for the Mariner/MFY series ... it could be a good time. At this point, I would also like to extend an invite to any of my EB's ... if they would care to join me ... for some reason ... a flight to Seattle ... is pretty damn cheap !

Today

It's Monday.

I have nothing to say.

Have a wonderful day !

Get to know me list ...

~ ~ the Holiday version ~ ~

I stole this idea from BonnieRose !!

1.Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate – HMMM !

2.Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? The Elves wrap them of course …

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored Lights. Can’t you tell I love color ?

4.Do you hang mistletoe? No …

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the day AFTER Thanksgiving.. this year I was late and we did it this week !

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? The Cookie Plate ! Oh, wait … you mean like meal ? Prime Rib …

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: going out to the shack and cutting down a MINI tree for me with my grampa …

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don’t get it … is he hiding something?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No, Christmas Day …

10. How do you decorate your tree ? With old and new ornaments. I have all the ornaments my mom bought me from my first Christmas through current and all the ornaments for my ds … it is a collection of beautiful memories …

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? None of the above – I have lived with it my entire life – so I can take it or leave it !

12. Can you ice skate? Yes …

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Too many to remember …

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? My Family. It’s that simple.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love the frosted cut out cookies !

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The excitement we have when we open our stockings !

17. What tops your tree? An angel this year.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving, that's a no brainer.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? There are too many to chose from … but I love Joy to the World – and not the version by 3 Dog Night, though I like that one too …

20. Candy Canes? Yummm ...

I got ...

Nothing !

I have nothing to say today !

or at least - I have nothing to share YET today !

Middle of the week ...

I am so grateful ... I have a break from hockey for the next 2 days ! WOO HOO !

It's Wednesday ... and tonight I am going to work on my Christmas cards a little more ... I need to get them done and mailed ... but I am not yet halfway there ... so any time I have to spare, will benefit the cause !

The ds and I put up the tree last night ... I let him put up all the ornaments ... I haven't been into all of the holiday decorating the past couple of years ... it's so much work ... I have to take down all my "regular" stuff ... to put up the holiday stuff ... I just don't have the time. My mother takes about 2 weeks to decorate ... 4 days to do the tree alone !

I would like to start wrapping some presents to put under the tree ... but the problem is ... I haven't bought much for the ds ... I just do NOT know what to get him. He wants a PS3 ... but I am not getting that this year. I want them to work out the bugs first ... for that amount of money, I want to feel comfortable with my purchase.

*sigh* I am ready for my holiday vacation ...

Whew ...

Today is the first day in about 2 weeks that I have woken up WITHOUT a headache. I slept so sound and well last night, usually I turn over in the night, but I woke up in the same spot I fell asleep. I needed a good nights rest, and I got it.

We had a late hockey practice last night ... but the kids had a good time - they scrimmaged and it went by fast. We have practice again tonight ... and then again Friday. Not to shabby !

Tonight I am going to have to work on Christmas cards again ... I need to get these done, and out in the mail ...

Kristi called last night ... to confirm those that have "rsvp'd" for the Redneck Reunion Take 2 ... it may be quieter this time ... apparently we are planning on ice fishing ... whatever ... as long as I can drink, I will be fine. I need to cut loose, and relax, and "bond" with some friends. I need to take it easy ... I need a day for me !

GEE WHIZ !!!!

I was totally stressing today because I wasn't able to add the usual color to my blog ... the option to add this wonderful feature was missing ...

I have corrected the problem and am once again happy with all things blogged ...

So ... uh ... I really have nothing to say ... except that I am back in color !

falling ...

Snow ... Today ... on my way to work. *sigh* I'm so not ready for this !

We had a busy weekend ... 2 hockey games for the ds ... and shopping for me ...

Last night I talked to my friend Kristi ... we are planning a party back home the week before Christmas ... Redneck Reunion Take 2 ! We had so much fun in September, that we decided to do it again.

A bunch of friends are going to head North for a weekend of drinking, talking, shooting, and fishing ... we may pull the tractor out for a midnight spin ! It's a great time, time to catch up and talk about the days gone by ... play a few time honored drinking games ... and pretend we are young ... like when we all met !

I will need to print out the pictures I took from the September party to handout ... there are a couple of really funny ones ...

Am I being punished ?

*sigh*

Last night was a night from hell. I'm not kidding.

I was talking to my aunt last night ... yesterday was the 2 year anniversary of my cousins death and my aunt is still taking it very hard. I try to be there for her, so she can vent whatever she needs to so she can feel better without others judging her. I believe it is healthy for her to have those feelings and she needs a way to get through them, and that's me. She has come a long way.

My step-mom called last night to let me know that my father had a heart attack on Monday. He is now home from the hospital as of last night. He needed 3 stints put in.

I feel like everytime I talk to them all I get is bad news. My fathers has cancer. It's in the liver, lung, and kidney. He has a cancer nodule in his chest too. I just don't know how much more I can take. He is still active, and working to treat his cancer, so we hope that this heart attack was a blessing of sorts to get more blood flow and make him stronger.

I am not that close to my father, which was his doing. His life choices made it that way. When I was 15 we started getting together for a week or two in the summer. I feel anger towards him for denying me of a father as a child ... and I am working on getting over my anger and resentment, so I am not ready to lose him.

Then to top off the night, I called my mother because I was so upset. She too was at the doctor yesterday for the pain she has in her back. It turns out she is going to need a new hip eventually ... She is going to try whatever she needs to to put off getting this surgery.

My mother is my everything. I can't stand the thought of anything happening to her.

So ... my life sucks ... but I will get through it ... it's who I am.

** Rant Over **