I found this quote a few days ago and it struck me, and stuck with me. And why do they take up so much room, they add up. The way your friends can always make you smile, or just be there when you need a shoulder to lean on. That flutter you get in the middle of your chest when you think about your significant other, or the memory of walking on the beach, that movie you saw 10 years ago. The way your kids run up and hug your legs when you walk through the door, or when you ask them what they want the Easter Bunny to bring and they say "you." It really isn't how big your bank account is, how many square feet your home has, or how much gas your Hummer can guzzle, all they do is take up the room around you, its the space within that can only be filled with others, which is what really brings joy!

DC yesterday

It's always so nice seeing 1 of my siblings, and always so sad to have to say "good-bye." The people in the Smithsonian probably wondered why in the world this girl was walking through crying! Now, just to wait until we can see them all together again, we're going to make it out to the island next year no matter what! Just hope JJ will be old enough to remember some of the trip!

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a great holiday, we're so glad that we've been able to spend time with each of you, now, and the rest of the past year! We're looking forward to what 2009 will bring!

Oh, what a great teenager!

A few days ago John took the boys to the mall. Bran showed me a shirt he had gotten, I teased him about how big it was. Last night I put it in his room and told him not to forget about packing it, he told me that was for his Dad. He used some of his $ to get John a shirt, and he had already gotten him presents! Then, when he realized last night there wasn't a gift for me, he said they'd have one, I told him no, it was ok b/c his mom and I had agreed not to exchange this year, he had a stunned look on his face, then said no, he asked Foster to get me something. I told him it was ok, not to worry about it.

It's just nice to know that in all the teenage "mess" he can look outside himself so easily! He's really been surprising me the last few months, asking how John's classes were going or how JJ was feeling. Hope it sticks through the next 3 years!

Frazzled?

I keep remembering things I need to do and its really bothering me! I didn't even get to make any of my ornaments or any Xmas candy. Still not done shopping for the boys either, and there's some other little things that need to get done. I'm always so on the ball, this year is not usual for me, and I'm not liking it. Teach me not wait like I did this year, not starting in June as I have every other year! Sheesh, the way I feel right now, I'm starting January 1st!

A nice weekend with family

Oh, I'm so drained! But we had a blast this weekend, enough that Dallas losing is I guess ok (if it were to anyone else but the Ravens I couldn't stomach it.) I won the prize fair & square Tommy, not my fault if certain people didn't listen to the rules! And anyway, you should thank me for taking that purse off your hands, lol. Thanks Ginny for hosting us all, coordinating everything, and having my bunch for the night! Looking forward to seeing you next month in warmer weather! Love you all! Thanks for everything as well for us and the boys!

I can find no sympathy....

...for what Caylee's mom is going to face. What she did to her little girl is inexcusable! if she did not want her why would she think taking the child's life was the only option? As many of you know, we want to adopt at some point, and I know there are too many people out there than I can count who want to do the same. Why not find another home for the little girl? Sheesh, she probably had family members that would've taken her in a heartbeat! Murder is always senseless, but when it involves a child, its SO much worse! And she seemed to have no remorse, partying during the time frame when the child was last seen and before she reported her missing? And yes, I know, anyone to do that cannot be mentally sound, but she bought supplies beforehand, she KNEW what she was doing!

All I can think about is the poor little girl.

Oh, and I wonder if its crossed the mom's mind, she's in FLORIDA, they don't mess around!

Secret Santa, shhhhhh

We pulled names at work to do Secret Santa. I got my person, who gave me no ideas, I even sent her a list, through someone else, of questions trying to get an idea. Oh, well, guess that just makes it interesting. I decided to play the Secret Santa in the traditional sense, so she got a little something this morning. It was so much fun b/c I had someone deliver it for me, so she automatically went back to that office, asking questions, assuming it was the other person in that office who was her Secret Santa. This is going to be fun the next couple of days!

Ahh, feel like a child again.....

I joke (full of love of course) about how my 2 favorite cousins treated me like the little sister, the good and the bad. And I look back on everything with fond memories (yeah, even the "swamp monster.")

So, I got a laugh last night when there was a text message on my phone asking who I was going to cheer for on Saturday. The next line told me that if I wear my Ravens jersey I would be going home with a rash.

And what can I say to that? I was stumped for a witty come back. Guess I'm out of practice.

Dragging....

Oh, its getting harder and harder to wake up! I can't wait til the days get longer again, I need some sun light! It doesn't help that JJ didn't sleep worth anything last night, he got too much rest on the car ride to take Brandon up, and on the way back home. But, we had a fun weekend and got a little shopping done. Just not enough, there's so much to do this week, and I'm sure that isn't helping the way I am feeling either!

100 things

I stole this from Erin's blog, but thought it would be fun, the things I have done are in color:
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to DisneyWorld
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Climbed a mountain
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped - Does the swing one count?
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - Wedding Crashers
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating - does a fish or frog count?
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Online tracking...

Being able to track packages online is not really helpful at all. If the package gets lost what good does it really do? It doesn't make the package get her any sooner, in fact, with me its like "a watched pot never boils." I'll sit and check and wonder why a package hasn't left WV since 2 mornings ago, or how come the package made it to my hometown days ago but hasn't made it the other 2 miles to my front door. All it does is make me stew on why I don't have it already, and totally lowers the cuteness factor of the UPS guys.

(Yeah, can you tell I ordered something for Xmas.....)

And again.....

This morning JJ woke up to a green Power Ranger, but unfortunately he wasn't nearly as thrilled as yesterday morning, but we think he has an ear infection. Poor boy has to have another doctor's appointment this afternoon :(

The 1st time ever!

JJ fell asleep in his own bed. Now, there's many of nights (ok, all of them) that he will fall asleep in our bed and then we'll transfer him, for him to only crawl back in sometime in the morning. But last night he fell asleep in his own bed for the 1st time ever (no, I don't count the couple times we tried the "cry it out." Those times were horrific, a child should not cry for almost 2 hours!) But last night I started out laying on the floor next to his bed then before he fell asleep I moved to our bed and held his hand (his mattress is next to my side of the bed, yeah, we cosleep, no, we're not crunchy.)

And do you know what motivated him to even try?

The promise of a Power Ranger, which was waiting for him on the night stand when he woke up.

Our Xmas "card"

Xmas cards are only going out to those that do not have internet access, to everyone else that I talk to so frequently here and on other sites, we wanted to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season! We love you all, you all mean so much to us! Hope the new year begins and stays wonderful for us all!

And now the update version of the pic

I LOVE these ladies

Look at all the hot mommas! I had a blast out with all you ladies last night, I really needed that, thanks to everyone for making it a wonderful night and blessing me with your company, but Angie, thanks for coordinating everything, and Trish (aka Secret Santa) thanks for such special gifts!

Looking forward to tonight & tomorrow!

I miss my JM friends! I haven't been able to see you all nearly enough this past year and I'm really looking forward to a girls night out (along with the goodies) and I'm also looking forward to getting the kids together tomorrow. I'm in serious need of time out! Can't wait, this day will probably go by so slow. Now, off to get my stuff together and get myself ready for work!

I was in a crafty mood last night...

I saw initial paintings on a site and fell in love and decided to try 1 since I felt there was no way I would personally pay $20+ for a 5x5. I went back and retouched the letter on this 1 some, its trickier than it looks. I think next time I will get the paint markers to have more control. Now to get a few more canvases, but remind myself that I still have some other craft & cooking things to do....

And then I did the digi scrap page, putting off doing JJ's "3 Years Old" page b/c when I started on it last week and got almost 75% done the program closed on me, so I'm taking a break on that one, I wasn't fully satisfied with with the layout anyway....

It's Mr. Chris Moose....

http://www.elfontheshelf.com/
Ok, so I stole a tradition. I'm going to cut myself a break, it's being hocked for $ anyway (such a cute idea, I would too had it been my own!) But, I looked and looked for an elf with no luck. And decided why not make the tradition more our own. So, we have a moose, or maybe he's a reindeer, I can't tell. But, JJ named him Chris Moose last night. Now, each night after we all go to bed Chris Moose makes a trip up to the North Pole to report to Santa about us all. Last night JJ said he was only going to talk about Brandon with Santa. This morning when we woke up Chris Moose had decided to sit down in a different spot after his long trip North and back. JJ's face was priceless, the "ooohhhh" look, his little mouth in a perfect "O", then the smile, wish I could have captured that moment!
So, if you manage to make it over before Xmas, and if you happen to spy Chris Moose, go ahead and say "hi" to him, and keep in mind, he's watching you ;)

Magical.......

Is there anything more magical that watching a child look at a Christmas tree being lit up? There's no way those tiny little lights can put THAT much spark in their eyes! What makes it so much more special, it continues to happen each and every night when they are turned on!

DECEMBER!

Where did 2008 go? And how did it manage to fly by so quickly? But, there's so much to look forward to this month! JJ will be writing his letter to Santa and taking it to Macy's to help make wishes come true, not just his own (http://www.abc15.com/content/news/webxtra/story.aspx?content_id=acf2ff6c-0f9b-47c9-ba52-2599e65d8b64). We have our mommy group's kids' party Saturday, and the night before I get an evening out with those same mommy friends for our own adult party. I get an excuse to go shopping, and its more fun shopping for others anyway. Of course there's the daily excitement with JJ with the advent calendar (I've picked up a couple extra things, a book or Xmas themes toy to add to the candy as a special treat for a couple nights.) Bran will be bringing a friend down next weekend and we're going to "Swim with Santa" at the hotel we stayed at a couple weekends ago. This is the 1st year JJ will sorta get the cookies & milk for Santa, and waking up Xmas morning! I get time with family and friends, which is priceless, and right now I'm very excited that after Xmas I will be seeing my middle sister who will be visiting from HI. And then, after the New Year, while everyone else here is shivering, we'll be enjoying sunny FL! All in all, thanks to friends and family, we will go out with a bang, and bring in the new year the same.