Gifts Before Christmas

Sigh, it's the last day of December.  I'm very sentimental but I am ready for a new year.  So ready that I gathered all the Christmas knick knacks and placed them on the living room floor to be packed away tomorrow or the next day.

I bought almost everything for the boys from Amazon.  At the beginning of December I told the older two to pick out what they wanted from Amazon and to put it in the cart for my perusal later.  They know the price range.  One of my middle son's gifts was an acoustic guitar.

I'm totally amazed that the large box arrived with a huge sticker on the front showing exactly what the gift was.  Our UPS guy arrives at 5:00 p.m. and everyone is home and saw the gift.  Good thing it was not a surprise gift.  I do lament how gift giving was a little more exciting when they were younger but they assure me they do not mind there are no surprises as long as they get some things they covet.

So the huge guitar box went un-wrapped under the tree and it was the first item.

I should complain on Amazon as a reviewer and warn future recipients.

My husband received a $100 gift card to Home Depot from his students, which is so nice.  The day before Christmas here is what he bought:

On Christmas Eve he installed a new garbage disposal as ours bit the dust a few days into winter break.

Tonight on New Year's Eve we are home watching dvds after turning down a neighbor's party.  We are exhausted --although there is always the chance that Hubs gets a second wind late at night doing house stuff.  Yes, you heard me -- usually he finds something to fix or something to clean at 11:00 p.m. or so (I have started a photo journal of this habit).  Last night's chore, however, is a very ugly, horrendous project that is taking place in the basement.

The oldest two sons have been invited to spend the night at different friends' houses and we are here with our 5th grade son.  Talk about gifts before Christmas.  I was just reminding Hubs how eleven years ago when we lived in a different house (that was not a Money Pit) we had a few friends over ringing in the year 2000.

We had been trying for baby number 3 and I would later find out in January that our Christmas gift was arriving in September, 2000 (a year 2000 in the Year of the Dragon is a Golden Dragon.  He loves that).

He is a wonderful gift and my buddy.  With flexible eyebrows:

And as much as my Hubs annoys me with his constant need to clean and do chores just when I am relaxing, I do treasure that he still drives the boys to three different restaurants -- even this year -- to get me restaurant gift cards  for our one-on-one dates.  He started this tradition when they were very little.  And they make cards to this day out of my former-life-scrapbook materials.  They put them actually on the tree.  And I peek ahead of time. 

What they write makes tears drop from my eyes, makes me smile and gives me strength.


It's almost time to ring in the New Year and I am seriously hearing Moonshiners on the TV--better go change the channel.  Happy New Year!

Santa and the Boys Meet Again

The Sunday before Christmas has become for years our tradition of taking the boys to the mall to visit Santa.  And yes, our boys are in 10th grade, 8th grade and 5th grade.  And yes, the two oldest are not thrilled but they no there is no negotiation.  They may utter some words of dissent in November but don't say much as the day gets closer and I remind them how on that particular Sunday we leave the house at 8:45 a.m.

 Plus, the boys know that after Santa we walk the mall and buy them new clothes as Christmas gifts (that have to get wrapped and then opened on Christmas day).


We were first in line at about 9:20 a.m. which is what we accomplish every year.  I sat on the floor and the boys and Hubs walk around a little bit and meet back just before 10:00 a.m.  When we arrived a worker for the company that takes and sells you the photos arrived and I asked her if Santa was coming at 10:00 and wihout even looking up from her table she answered yes with a grunt.  Why don't I ever say out loud what I thin such as, "Does someone need a hug?" (from Elf).

Santa arrived via a nearby escalator and we were happy to see it is the same Santa for the past five or six years we've gone to this mall.  He greets everyone in line and I know he does a mental double take when he sees the two oldest standing there who are about 5'7" and 5'8" this year.  I told Santa it's been a 5 year tradition seeing him.

Hubs told Santa that our family rule is to make a visit to him for as long as they live at home.  Santa thought it was a great rule.  He is the most personable Santa ever, and we love him because he takes a lot of time and asked again this year if they clean their rooms.  They struck out on that and then he asked if they fight with each other.  They struck out on that too.

At the end of their visit he had them put their hands in for a "Goooo Santa cheer".  It all makes me very happy inside.

And then we found some great sales on clothes for the boys and a baseball mitt for Oldest (very little surprises under the tree when they get older but it does not bother them).

And then for our traditional lunch out on the Day We Visit Santa, I heard about a place where you pick out your own "protein" and spices and veggies and sauces like a Mongolian BBQ or stir fry and they cook it and bring it to you in a big bowl and then you can go back for all you can eat.  It was really yummy and not crowded until we left--a great choice and a wonderful day.

And then after we read the Sunday paper back at home (yes, we are old fashioned and get the paper once a week)  and relaxed for about an hour, it was more cleaning and painting and fixing back at home for us adults.

My Last School Winter Party Attendance Was Today

Phewwww.  I am already tearing up whenever I think of my youngest son finishing 5th grade this May where I will see him on the stage of the high school, receiving accolades for his hard work in grades, attendance and safety patrol.  Also, this month I am really tickled at still being able to pick out "toys" that are surprises for him from Amazon (unlike the other two whom I tell to pick out what they want on Amazon and put it in the cart).

But today was the last winter party and I am not verklempt.

I do not know why I am the one parent who is the one to put together stuff for a craft.  They really didn't even need it--I think they were just thrilled to have lots of treats to eat and the last hour and 20 minutes of the day spent having a party.  Sidenote: my husband traditionally asks the room mom to do a craft (such as a fleece scarf) that his 5th grade students will make and give to their Kindegarten buddies who will remember the gift long after one the students would make for themselves.

So I find out last week or so that there is no craft and last year I had the 4th grade class do rice sock snowmen which ended up costing me about $75 for supplies and I certainly didn't want to do that.  The next thing I knew I was telling the room mom that maybe I could figure out a candle craft.  (Note: the craft cannot be an ornament or anything pertaining a particular culture or religion--it is so interesting how my older boys have made ornaments in early grades and none for my 5th grader.  Not that there is anything wrong with that).

This is how you come up with a candle craft and make yourself not even worry about it in advance: Go to the Dollar Store the day before the party with no plan, to the candle aisle and see what is available for 22 of the same candle (got a green one bigger than a votive).  Wander around the aisles and buy decorative small paper plates, a styrofoam snowflake, some glitter glue and some shiny red or gold wire ribbon stuff and voila.  A little centerpiece with the candle on top of the snowflake which sits on the place, a little glitter glue on the plate, and the shiny wired wreath piece wrapped around the candle.

On the way driving back home I got a call from my grandmother who was advised by her doc to go to the hospital because the big sore on her leg from a cut is not getting better.  Today is day two and she gets very little info and may get an MRI.  I know this is why I am also distracted today.

So, so thankful that I have a job that lets me work from home so that I can take the hour to go to the Dollar Store yesterday and then today take the hour to be with my son at his winter party.  And an hour to make cookies for it.

Having lunch with him last week was much more enjoyable than today so I will make sure to do this several more times because moms at middle school lunch does not happen.  Girl fights do.  There have been slug-fest, hair-pulling fights during lunch at middle school (and high school too) and both my older boys tell me they involve only girls several times a year.

So for this year that I have one in high, one in middle and one in elem school, we are still going to see Santa this Sunday--it's tradition.  We'll be first in line as usual to get it done (I bet Santa is surprised when they turn the corner and see him, especially this year that two are taller than me).  We then walk around the mall and the oldest two find clothes they want so it is a trade off I suppose.  They are just glad that none of their friends are there on a Sunday at 9:30 - 10:00 a.m.  I'll miss that tradition one year soon but not the winter class party.

Hope everyone has a good class party, or party soon.

December's Long Night Moon

It is also known as the Cold Moon or the Moon Before Yule and it looks full tonight although it is technically full on December 10th.  AND there will be a total Lunar Eclipse with this full moon.  Except we can't see it on the east side of the US.  Maybe I will get to see the next one which won't happen until April 2014.  Not that I would be up at dawn tomorrow anyway!

It has gotten cold here and I actually welcome that (boo hiss to hot flashes).  We usually go "find our tree" at Home Dept the Sunday after Thanksgiving but we waited a few days after that.  Last weekend I flew to Fort Myers, FL to visit my 90 year old grandmother.  I usually go for a Sat-Mon weekend in December to bring her some company, although I dread leaving home.

I refer to our Christmas Tree's angel as the Angel of Air Traffic Controller -- doesn't she look like it?

She does not "go with" our tree but now that I have started visiting Grandma these past few years in December just after we set up the tree, that is what the angel means to me.

I stayed with my grandmother for five days this past July and now five months later it's really apparent how she is moving slower and slower with her walker and her highlight is usually going to the Red Lobster where she ignores and strolls past the hostess, calling back over her shoulder, "I know where I want to sit."

But she wasn't up to it this time and it was a good thing I visited when I did because she had a cut on her leg bound tightly which was ignoring doc's directions of letting it "air out".  I was there for her doctor's appt and so fortunately she is listening to him now.  It was all very depressing and I come from a line of dysfunction of which I have broken the chain.  And instead of Red Lobster or Longhorn I cooked and froze about eight homemade meals.

I can't lie--I was so glad to get back to my guys.  You know, living here is like being at a frat house.  There's never pretty music playing.  In fact the joke is that when I decorate the tree I never listen to holiday music--instead I have to listen to crazy TV shows like "The Top 20 Most Shocking" Cop Car Chases Gone Bad or Girl Fights or something..  This year a new show was on the Discovery Channel called Moonshiners.

Hubs was putting back together his closet and made a box of items to take to Goodwill.  I said, "You know, the boys are big now so maybe they should take a look at some of these belts and jeans and shirts you don't want.  And I showed Middle Son some overalls that were in the box (I think Hubs wore them to do yard work many, many years ago.  I used to like it when he wore these one-piece coveralls when working under a car but that is a different story) and he got pretty excited about them saying the guy he was just watching on Moonshiners was wearing overalls with no shirt.  So he quickly puts on the overalls with no shirt and we all got a kick out of it.  He even asked me if I was going to get the camera.

Right now they are all watching some comedian even though I told Hubs we needed to watch Crazy Stupid Love together alone.  Keep warm during the Full Cold Moon, wear a shirt, go outside and tell me if you can see the moon and or the Lunar Eclipse.

Some Before, During or After Photos

I had my whirlwind trip to Idaho and back and it has taken me a week to get over feeling so spaced and worn out.  I now have a cold and go through 50 tissues a day--I must have caught it from the four planes I had to take to get there and back.  I won't ever rush the trip again like I did but I am glad I did this time to get home before the airports turned Thanksgiving crazy.  Plus I managed to go and not get stuck in a snow drift (although at the Utah/Idaho state line the temp dropped and snow flurries began and I almost freaked out except the roads are nicely salted).  This past week my head has been full of memories of gorgeous scenery.

North of Salt Lake City I saw an In 'n Out Burger place and I had never been but heard so much about it so I pulled over.  I did like how the menu was very simple.  I have to say though that I was not in love with the burger.  However, I was blown away by the super friendly service of the young people working there.  I would return for service like that.

OK, onto some before and after photos..........of my hair.  I realized that my hair lady has been going a little crazy and rushing when doing my highlights.  Instead of highlighting thin pieces, she highlights chunks of hair.  She also loves to use low lights which is good, but also very dark lights, darker than my own hair.  I had become a lady with frosted hair.  Not good.  Check it out:

Take a look at the hair above my right eyebrow  That first color is not a shadow.  It is very dark hair next to a light chunk.  And at my left temple was a big highlighted piece which I hated.  In fact, right after I paid for this in mid-October, I texted my hair lady to tell her I needed to come back in to darken my temple areas.  Then I was going to counsel her on how we can no longer have such light and dark contrasts any longer.  But I couldn't get in to see her during the times she suggested and my so-called frosted life went on.  Then it became 5 weeks later so I made another appt and I told her about the issues.  What I wanted was not such blonde, thick highlights.  What did she do?  Gave me dark brown hair with an auburn look in the sun.  I think it is darker than my actual hair.  And she still managed to put in highlights, which she even had to tone down while my head was in the sink.

There is light shining on my hair here--I think it is actually darker.  Of course she still managed to get in some chunky highlights on top.  I picked up my youngest from school and he said all in one sentence, "Well, I liked it better lighter, but you look sophisticated and it goes well with your (brown) jacket)."
I am going to see if I can wait till spring before spending any money on my hair again.

Our master bath remodel began on October 31 and it is still going on.  The demolition took place by Hubs and the boys all during October so for two months we have been sleeping on our guest bed which is a queen and not a king.  Gah!  I still hang on to nine inches on the side because my other half gets in the middle.  I think the remodel would have been done by now except a couple weeks ago our worker only worked Mon and Tues as he got sick and then last week he only worked Mon and Tues.  But since he is paid by the day we are not mad.  But ready for him to get done and get the hell out. Lucky for us, this past week Hubs has been able to do some things we would have paid him to do.

Remember this photo of Oldest sweeping where an old garden tub was?  Well, that is my new closet now where he is standing.  Hubs taped up that big mirror which was above a garden tub which I never used.  The mirror is in our garage and will go above new tub). On the right, near his left foot is a vanity.  So popular in the '80's.  It got ripped out.

The new bathtub is along the wall where that vanity was.  Oh, and lots of insulation went into the wall--the other side of the wall is hallway to the kids' rooms.  I don't want to hear their loud noises when I do my future soaking.

Ignore that toilet in my closet.  That is just sitting there out of the way.  The bathtub is completely tiled now (more photos to come).

And now above is a shot of my closet--the floor is interlocking bamboo.  Hubs has since put in white floorboard molding.  Hubs painted the closets plain white.  That back white wall is where the mirror above the old tub was.  And there will be a pocket door to save room on that new wall between the closet and tub.  My closet is not big but I am still going to have a party in there.  There's a skylight toward the right inside.

One of the biggest changes is we have a large bedroom and then this funky shaped large bathroom but we had a little doorway going from the bedroom to the bathroom.  To the right of this doorway is the closet we shared and just inside this closet was a linen-shelved area which used seems like 10 trees worth of wood for the shelves.  It had to go since we widened the doorway to allow for French doors.

If you look at the ceiling you can see where the old hallway was vs. how it is widened.  It makes a huge difference.  And I don't know how we have remained sane for five years but we lived with that striped wallpaper in our cavernous bathroom.  The walls are now a taupe color:

The sink will go under that taped-up mirror and everything should be wrapped up soon.

In the meantime I have not yet bought one Christmas present, I didn't shop Black Friday for the first time in years, am very grateful we did not have to travel to Florida for Thanksgiving this year, and another change is that we usually buy our Christmas tree at Home Depot the weekend that just passed but we did not.  It was 71 degrees on Sunday!  Now it is 39 degrees so maybe tonight we'll get it.

Driving in Idaho

Have I mentioned there is occasional travel for my new job?  I have to visit Idaho in a week!  I think it will be an awesome place to visit in the summer, and that will probably happen, but since I have to go in November, you can best believe I have been consulting weather.com on a daily basis.  It indicates that there are snow showers going on.  I don't do snow in a vehicle.  Maybe I'll have to.

Do you see that town called Pocatello in the southeastern part of Idaho?  Once I land in Salt Lake City, Utah (where I have never been either) on my second flight of the day, I have to rent a car and get on I-15 and drive 2.5 hours north to Pocatello.  The client says it is an easy drive on I-15.  I bet the client has lived in Idaho his whole life.  Whereas here in Atlanta the entire state I think owns three snow plows so if it ices or snows families stay home and watch the news clips of cars slipping and sliding.

So, anyone ever been to Salt Lake City and had to drive on I-15 north to Idaho?  Please tell me.

The day I arrive there will have been snow showers for two days with a morning low of 12 degrees.  But it should get up to 36 degrees and be sunny when I'm there so at least it is above freezing, right?

On the bright side, I am coat and boot shopping this week.

Go Look at the Full Beaver Moon

A couple of nights ago I saw the moon almost full with a bright star just to the left of it.  Turns out that was Jupiter.  I was just now driving to the grocery store and the moon was so bright in the dusk sky I almost drove off the road looking at it.  Tonight that bright star to to the right of the moon is Jupiter.

Why was I heading to the store at 5:45 p.m.?  Because my oldest son just pointed out we were almost out of milk and there were no juices or anything else to drink (I just drink water about 80% of the time).  We go through 4 to 5 gallons of milk a week and oldest son alone would drink one bottle of cranberry juice a day if I let him.

Me: "Wha???  I have already been to the store twice this week!"

Him: "We are growing teen-age boys, Mom."

Well.

I've written about the Full Beaver Moon before.  This is when the Native Americans saw the beavers getting ready for winter. And then the fur traders expanded the West big time in pursuit of the beaver.  Did you know they are the largest rodent in North America?  We have a small one living in our house (a Russian Dwarf hamster).

Tomorrow is 11/11/11.  I know of someone getting married tomorrow for the date 11/11/11.  I would do that in a heartbeat.  One of my oldest friends and I will be chatting tomorrow on 11/11/11.  Ever since high school when we were together on 7/7/77 and talked about it then, we've made it a point to always remind each other of how we talked about the future and would we talk on 8/8/88 or 9/9/99 or 10/10/10.  There have also been conversations or messages left on 01/01/01, 02/02/02, etc. Can't really do it after 12/12/12.  Well, there is always 01/03/13.

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods under this November Full Beaver Moon.