2002 Review

A few others have posted memorable posts - I picked my favorite ten. Some including work, family, friends and MK moments:

10) Makin a little extra Holiday Cash

9) "Are You Bloggin On Me?" - Just how do you react when you think your husband has found your blog?

8) Leaving a Bad Job for a Good One - then finding out that the good one isn't so hot either!

7) With this New Contract Job - your duties will entail: copy, cut, paste, copy, cut, paste.

6) My 1st Post - give her some Cheerios.. this isn't a post!

5) Talking to a 4 year old long distance can make your phone bill go up!

4) A tribute to Remembering Dad

3) What defines a Best Friend?

2) Best Friends 2.0 who laugh at that photographer.

1) Miss Go-Give 2002

SNOWBALL FIGHT

I've been HIT!

Not by a Bus -



Dang it... I was wearing my good shoes and trying to stay out of this mess! :)

As ole Yosemite Sam says.... "them fightin words!"

Thanks DJ!

Hit Me!

For almost 2 months since the bus accident, I have been in constant pain. I saw a doctor right away and he said it should go away and I left it at that. There are days it just feels like someone is putting pressure on my shoulder, others - it feels like someone is pinching the hell out of me and I just want to scream. I now take 25 minute showers with the nozzle turned on to that direct spay to pound on the shoulder, I have turned up the heat on our waterbed to heat my shoulder up at night. Up till a few days ago, the kids couldn't come up and put their arms around me for a hug.. well, yes they could, but D likes to pull and hug at the same time and that puts pressure on the shoulder.

Christmas Eve when we were at my mother-in-law's, J had me sit in my MIL's chair that has this "massager" on it. Some kind of mobile thin padding that vibrates the areas you want. I did about 15 minutes on my shoulder that night and though it wasn't healed, it had made a dent in the pain and I thought I need to take this one step further.

I went and treated myself to a body massage this afternoon. Back in August when I was working contract for this company, they brought in a massage therapist to relax us while we worked on the Lower Manhattan project. I kept the woman's business card and today I went over for a 30 minute massage. What they didn't tell me the 1st time I did a massage, was the pain I would feel if I didn't drink enough water before and after the massage. What they didn't tell me this time, was that I wouldn't be sitting in the chair that they did the 1st time, but I would be partial undressed and on a table. HELLO?!? WEIGHT ISSUES!! OH well, it was the best and now I'm so light headed, I doubt I'll get any work done for the afternoon. Have decided that I will work this in 2 times a month and if at all possible, get my medical to cover it. Hoooo - boy. Then while on the table I thought.. with the 14 Days of Love.. I'll offer in a subsitute of a bottle of wine with glasses, but they (hubbies) pay for a gift certificate for the body massage to give those hard lovin wifes of theirs a special treat!

Done with it?

Onesome: Merry: Merry times? Hey, did you have a Merry Christmas? How did things turn out for you and yours after all the work and time you put in preparing for the big day? Pretty big and great. Recieved my year doage of Coca-Cola collectiables, new country to add this year - Greece. Turned out great, I figured for sure that we would let the cat out of the bag with the jolly man to our children, but I think we can possibly go one more year.

Twosome: Christmas: Christmas presents? Did you get what you wanted from Santa? ...or are you headed back to the stores with the rejects on 'Reverse Shopping Day'? Recieved alot of great items. A coca machine, coca-cola items, pictures, sweater, "pink" lunchbox, pasta dishes from Italy... only 1 item needs to be returned and only because of size and color. The style is just adorable so I hope to find the same thing in the store.

Threesome: Everyone! Is everyone back to the normal routine today, like work and homemaking and such. ...or are you still entertaining? ...or maybe just taking a well deserved break from it all? Somewhat back to normal. Hubby and I are back to work, but the kids flew out this morning with a 9 day visit to Grandma. They arrived 30 minutes ago.. a big thing for them.. they flew by themselves for a 1st!

How about you? Play along and post your answers in your own space, and leave a comment here so we can find you!

the simple things

Yesterday on the way home from work, I realized that after the crappy year I have had with money woes - I have been blessed with a few Christmas gift's all year long -

The friends who have supported me, and believed in me - Julie, Jennifer, Maryann, Kim, Stephanie

The job that has seen me through this year - I may not have been "happy" employed, but I was for the year and I know there are many out there that have been out of work longer.

The house I'm in - I grumble that we rent. But for many who are homeless, I'm blessed.

I said at the begining of the year that 2002 was my year for new and great things. I guess it was - my year to find my strength, my will, my growth, my friends.

I'm humbled by the love that surrounds me.

Ho Ho Ho

Santa arrived bright and early this morning. The kids asked that I wake them before I leave for work this morning, and so we scrambled downstairs to see what goodies were under the tree. D was so happy that he recieved "moustrap". Such a simple game and that's all he wished for. J was a little nervous when there was a yellow volkswagon beetle for her Barbie under the tree and no train...but golly gee, another letter, this time from Mrs. C telling J that she sent Santa to the wrong house with her gift (how can he do that when D's arrived ok?) and to call grandma and see if it was there. AMAZING that when we did call Grandma, she was wondering why she had a travel train under her tree this morning. (snicker snicker snicker).

They opened thier stockings with goodies and then I dragged B to the garage to find his toolbox, totally not assembled, it was kicking my butt at 2am this morning. So I had to at least put it out of the box and tell him him the rest was in side the toolbox. I then said they all needed something to play with while I worked and they opened the race cars. I'm now way more upset with Radio Shack then before. The lady failed to tell me that they were all on one circuit. There's no racing each other. I'm really pissed. She cheated me out of a 40% discount now they can't race. "oh, we test them out, we all want to race them when they come in to the store". Sure you do tramp. Ditto my letter to Radio Shack using Trish's words.

Once again - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I'm wrapping up the work day and going home to unwrap some presents!!

mission control.. it's a go

While J was running to get me a soda from the fridge this evening, I quickly opened the letter from Santa and left it open to catch her eye. D was out getting a hair cut at the time with Dad. She gasped when she saw the image of santa and where it was from and started reading aloud. She was just so blown away. Am I good or what? I'm in so much trouble when she finds out the truth. I'll deal with it. D then arrived shortly after and with his reading of the letter, and B looking over my shoulder it was just too much. B said I did a great job. J made a joke later in the evening about D's burping and he just started crying, huge wails. When we asked what was up, he thought that because he burped, Santa wouldn't arrive. Had to explain..that the reindeer get no sleep, but doesn't stop Santa from arriving. Geeesh. So the presents are under the tree.. we are on our way...

Happy Holidays - our fun begins tomorrow.

sneaky

I'm so sneaky, I scare myself. We decided that with me working a half day tomorrow, and B working a full day on Christmas, then a 9am flight out to NM the day after, that it would really be wise to have Christmas tomorrow morning. J was so concerned that with Santa getting everything ready for Christmas eve, he won't have time to get over here the day before. I said I wrote him a letter and explained our problem, and had heard in the past of other kids asking of this small favor and sometimes if they are good he will deliver a day early. I said I'm still waiting on his reply via email. Isn't it so cool that Santa is up to snuff with technology??

Then for about 15 minutes this afternoon at work, I found a cool graphic, found a few festive fonts and I composed a letter to the kids. I'm so baad! The letter had this to say:

From Mr. & Mrs. C
North Pole

To: J & D -
Colorado

I was checking my list, and checking it twice, have seen
that you have been a little naughty and a lot of nice.

I know that you have big travel plans - and with your
daddy working so hard - a little early christmas for
you all, will soon bring you some cheer.

J - what a darling young lady, please do get better
so that you can enjoy a visit with your grandmother in
gallup, new mexico. My elves do have pointed ears - you
watch the wrong shows my darling dear.

D - such a fine young lad. mind your manners and
say "pardon me" when you burp. For every chld who burps
so loud and doesn't excuse themselves, they wake up my
reindeer, and they are such in need of a long spring nap!

enjoy your christmas - an early one at that. I only visit
good little girls and boys -and you have shown that!

Dorky, corny, but fun. We shall see if I pass the test tonight... :) I'm now done with the shopping. Picked up a few more things this afternoon while at lunch. I'm complete. Finished. Done. Ovah. Will be a grand Christmas this year. Not bragging.. just feeling good that after a crappy year, we are coming back out of it.

Yes Susan - there is a Santa

After all these years, my mom is still the Santa that rules. After 4 more visits to stores (super wal-marts, all nighters) not getting home till 1a.m. this morning, calling my mother-in-law and she scouted her area of Colorado looking for the train, I called my mother this morning and told her my situation. Within 30 minutes she called me back and said "you owe me". Travel Train Barbie pulled into the Grandma New Mexico station at 10 a.m. this morning. Not sure how we'll explain that to J, that somehow it arrived at Grandma's.. but we'll make do. I feel so like "Ahnold" in that silly Christmas movie he did with Tom Arnold. My shopping is almost done. A few stocking stuffers and it's a ho ho ho over for me. :) That's a wrap. Bad pun. bad bad pun.

Yes - I "believe" that I will make my daughter's Christmas -

Tell yourself you will succeed at whatever you’re doing at the moment. Troiani suggests setting your mind to predict success. “Convince yourself good things will happen today and they will. If you tell yourself you can’t possibly achieve your goals, you won’t,” she says.

It's a Christmas Special

Never. I repeat NEVER will I wait this long to buy Christmas gifts. N.E.V.E.R. I have been to 5 Wal-Marts, 3 Targets and 1 Toys R' Us looking for a "Barbie Train". Barbie is taking a train ride and the train pulled out of the station a looonng time ago.


BUT - they do have have reservations at $130 for Barbie's Dream Hotel.


But I did get the best present ever. B always gets me great presents on the holidays, and when I'm trying to pinch corners, he does something nice. Since Oct. I have been putting a little here and a little there a side and then with my holiday sales I was able to buy him something real nice. Julie helped me with her truck, go pick him up one of those red craftsman wheel-able 3 foot tool sets. Oh here - the picture is here. It's in a box and hidden in the garage (along with mine I found this morning) and on Christmas day, while he's working at the corrections, I'm going to assemble it in the garage, we bought this huge bow to put on it and I found wide white ribbon to wrap around it. Then I headed over to Radio Shack with a huge prayer that the zip zaps would be still around. 160 people are on the wait list to get one of those things! They (RS) must have seen me coming... I told them I had my heart set on getting one for each of my kids. She asked how old are they - "33, 7 and 8". She just laughed. Sold me on some expensive race car and now that I'm looking at their website, I think the chic cheated me and I'm going to have to go back and ask for some cash back. Have yet to figure out how I'm going to let them open that gift set up yet. Wrap all three together and make it one big package or single gifts and open at the same time? Dunno know.

I'm now ready for Christmas.

movin on up

Fish don't fry in the kitchen,
Beans don't burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin'
Just to get up that hill.
Now we're up in the big leagues,
Gettin' our turn at bat!
As long as we live,
It's you and me, baby!
There ain't nothin' wrong with that!

Hooray, We're Movin' on Up!
Movin' on Up!
To the east side!
Movin' on Up!
To a dee-luxe apartment in the sky! We're Movin' on Up!
Movin' on Up!
To the east side!
Movin' on Up!
We've finally got a piece of the pie!

New web space purchased, now the slow transformation of the move. Details more this week. YEAH!!!!! Care to guess the domain name??? :)