All Is Quiet

Christmas night and all is calm here in the house once again.  I am knitting, the dogs are sleeping at my feet and everyone else is in bed.  I like it.

I gave myself the gift of sleep this year.  Eldest was up at 3:30am to tell us his headache report, can't remember if it was better or worse, but he said something to us and I sent him back to bed.  Then Daughter came in at 5:30am to thank us for the great presents that she sneaked down and opened.   She had to say that she didn't even awaken the dogs who were asleep in their beds.  How wonderful.  I didn't get after her too much be said it was too early for her to get up and stay up, so we sent her back to bed.  I am not sure what time the boys came down and the three of them finished opening their stash.  They were all quite pleased and my husband came down tonight to say that he overheard them saying this was the best Christmas ever.  Well, I have succeeded once again.

This year was a little slimmer on gifts than usual for us, but it is for most people with the economy the way it has been.  The sale of the last two puppies helped us to make our children's holiday more enjoyable.  I must say I do enjoy more when I have given something homemade than bought.  I have enjoyed sewing for years and have done my share of home sewn items as gifts to the young and old in the family.  I am looking forward to the day when I can do more of that and not feel like I should be elsewhere doing something more necessary.  I have taken up knitting too in the last couple of years and have made a few hats and scarves.  I am now venturing into some new things there, like socks.  I will have to dig out my books on knitting before I cast on stitches for that though.  Luckily, I have a friend ( my piano teacher, actually) who is an avid knitter and I get tips from her.  I wish some of my friends enjoyed more of those things like I do, but it seems I am an oddball in the crowd there.  I am hoping that I can sit down and teach the kids in our 4-H club some of these crafts.

Right now I am working on a hat for my mother-in-law.  Actually, I used to have two of them.  No, I am not divorced or widowed, my husband was adopted and we found his biological mother about 6 1/2-years ago.  She is a wonderful person and a very hard worker.  She loves hats and is always sporting a different one just about every time we see her.  So, I am knitting one just for her.  I also took some of my over-production of eggs from this fall and blew them out to make some ornaments.  Two of them went to my knitting piano teacher, one of Santa and one that had a hat, mittens, ball of yarn and knitting needles on it.  We got a great laugh and she added the knitting one to her little knitting tree.  Then to my surprise, she also had almost all Santa ornaments on her big tree, so they both fit in perfectly.  The best part was making them though, it was real fun.  I just wish I would have take pictures of them before I gave them to her.  Silly me.
But I do have others....

This was such a fun thing to try that I am going to keep blowing out eggs to do more for Easter time.  As you can see, not all of them are Christmas ornaments, there are some with butterflies and one with shiny gold lizards on it.  My kids had a good time doing this too, but theirs are quite complete, still needing the end pieces glued on and the ribbons put on too.  Maybe they will get Grandma's done before we go to see her this coming week.

The holidays don't mean what they used to for me, but that isn't such a bad thing.  I have resolved to somewhat eliminate some of the stress.  For instance, even though I want to try, I haven't sent out cards in a couple of years now.  With the price of stamps, it is no cheap thing to do when you have as many family members as I do, and then our friends list has grown too.  It is just one more thing to make the holiday stress peak, so why make yourself do it?  I opted out.  Heck, I even opted out of a tree this year, and we have a fake one up in the attic.  Sad, isn't it?  Not really.  Our house is not exactly in order to have a tree up, and up until two days ago, I still had a puppy running around her who would have loved to taste some of the ornaments and tinsel.  The kids still had the best holiday ever - or so they said.  So, maybe all the trimmings and trappings aren't always as important as they may seem.   Maybe next year it will be a year for more of the cheer and decorations.  We will see

2 Days Left

It's the countdown to the biggest holiday of the year.  Am I ready?  Heck NO!
It is going to be a small gift pile under the tree this year.  My youngest has already determined the source of the gifts and is no longer fooled.  It makes it a little easier to explain that there just isn't a whole lot of money for buying things we don't need.  It is hard to go out and waste on unnecessary items when so many are struggling and have nothing.  Hopefully, our children can understand that.  We won't leave them with nothing, but the superfluous items are off the list.  They seem to be happy with gum and a little candy in their stockings, which is probably good enough - it always was for me as a kid.
My husband and I went to a musical in the Cities last night and out to an expensive dinner, and that is enough of a gift for us to each other.  Of course, just going out for a burger would have sufficed, but once in a while we have to treat ourselves to a little more.
The show we saw was Billy Elliot.  It came out as a movie a few years ago and we really liked it and got some laughs, but the musical OMG!  was AMAZING!!!!!  The young boy of about 12 or 13 was the lead, and he could perform!  It just took my breath away.  And it was hilarious to boot.
We have enjoyed some other shows in the past, we have seen Cats twice, Defending the Caveman for my 40th birthday, and I took my husbands mother to Spamalot after hubby became ill just before showtime.  We must do more of that, it is so worth it to see.  Our kids would have loved the show last night and wish we could have taken them too.  They would have been rolling from the humor - and the cussing.  I am not easily offended by that sort of stuff, so I think we could have let it slide with the kids so long as there was no repeating it.

The house is again down to just 2 dogs.  The last of our puppies left today.  I say puppies loosely since Naldo was about 40-pounds.  He is going to be a big boy like his daddy who is about 70-pounds and is still not fully mature.  It will be quieter here, that is for sure, but welcome.  My daughter is having a tough time today in accepting the pups being gone.  Her favorite left on Sunday.  All of the puppies have gone to wonderful homes, most of them being previous owners of Standard Poodles.  I am sure that they will all be as happy in their new homes and they were with us, and that makes me feel like I did what was needed.  It is tough though, you just fall in love with those little hairballs so easily, and then let them go.  The longer they are with you the tougher it gets too.

Well, it is time to get back to holiday prep and getting my house in order (that never-ending saga).

Happy Holidays to all!!!
CC 

The Weather Outside

IS FRIGHTFUL!!!

We have probably gotten more snow in the three times it has fallen this year than we have had in the last 3 years!!  What gives?  My kids are loving the time off from school ending early today, and they will probably be out tomorrow.  WHY?  It is only a few days until Christmas and I have a bazillion things on my list to do.  I get very little done when they are all here.  Sadly, it is not just at the holidays that this happens.  Why is it that I get so little done when the kids are all here?  I know I am not in the boat alone on this one.  I often hear this from my friends.

I don't think this weather is all bad though, I have missed a 'good old fashioned' winter.  This is reminescent of when I was a child, all those years ago.  We would go sledding down on the hill in the pasture.  At the bottom of this hill was a pond.  On the sides of the run were old, overgrown apple trees that were growing their winter spikes, so we needed to avoid those on the way down.  We had sleds with the runners on them, and then we had some that were homemade.  One of these homemade wonders was a Huckleberry Hound ride-on toy that I think once had wheels on it.  The wheels were removed and it was attached to boards and a piece of linoleum.  I don't believe there was any way to steer that thing, and I don't think it would have passed any safety regs in today's market.  Then we received a toboggan one Christmas and that changed everything for us.  We could fit about 6 of us on that thing and it was a blast.  Of course, we had to wax that bugger up good before we took it out, but that was all part of the fun.  It made for hours of fun for us kids.  That was a time when kids could go out and have fun without motor operated or electronics to buy.  I don't know of too many kids these days who would even have just a ride on toy that you sit on and push with your feet.  It seems all their toys have batteries or motors, and you can't but anything under $40 any more unless you just want to buy junk.  This is not the way our childhoods were over 4 decades ago.  Then again, what is? 

I Had To Laugh

This morning my eldest came down stairs mad at his brother.  Why?  Because HE woke up with a song playing in HIS head that brother had been singing repeatedly the day before.  So, I had to laugh.  It happens to us all.  Middle child has a way of irritating Eldest because he likes to go around singing, just certain bits and pieces of a song or songs, and after a while it really can grate on someone's nerve.  Being that they are 12 and 14, it doesn't take long for one to get on the other's last nerve.  It is very trying as a parent, as all parents of children this age know.  My mother had eleven of us, oh, how I pity her.  I don't know how she didn't manage to crack a skull somewhere along the line.  Who could have blamed her if she had?

As the holidays are close, I am feeling at a loss for time to accomplish all that I want to.  Isn't that everyone's story though?  Really, every year, like so many other people, I say to myself "Next year I am going to start doing stuff ahead of time", and life gets in the way and I never get it done.  It is always on to the next big thing to take care of.  But, you know, it isn't so bad.  I think about people who spend  hours a day sitting in front of a television, and can't imagine my life not having things to do, or wanting to have it that way.  Maybe a day here or there where I don't feel guilty if I take a break from it, but to have every day to have to find things to do.  That will never be me.  I would rather have  a list a mile long that nothing to do.  Of course, I can always find something to do with all the hobbies I undertake.

Middle child is doing a country report on the Philippine Islands.  I have been helping him look up information to add to the report and his map.  It is always interesting to me to learn about countries like that.  Middle child just loves learning about foreign cultures, and he is really getting into this one in particular.  We have been talking about foods you might find in the PI.  I have had the opportunity to eat some of them since I had been in the Navy and worked with a number of Philippino nationals, or with other Navy personnel who were married to them.  We have looked at a few items that would be easy enough to make in an electric skillet and prepare and share at school.  Middle really likes that idea and is anxious to try the foods out.  He is such a fussy eater, but when you come to him with something completely different from our normal diet, he just chows down.  I don't understand it?  My husband is a very adventurous eater and always has been, and Middle takes right after him.  Make a homemade stew or soup and he scoffs at it because of the vegetables, but offer him squid or some other odd seafood and he pops it right in his mouth.  Of all things, one of his favorite foods is smoke salmon.  The day he came home and begged for me to buy some I almost flipped.  So, now that is one of those special items I buy just for him.

Well, I have new carpeting arriving this afternoon, so back to cleaning up the room in preparation.

CC

Songs In My Head

We all are cursed at one time or another with a song that keeps playing in our heads, no matter what we do to get it to stop.  While I have had my children in my life, those songs are often something from a movie that they watch.  Well, this morning it is a song from one of the Winnie the Pooh Christmas DVDs we have.  They have watched it only once this year (because I got so sick of the stupid TV shows they watch a million times through Netflix instant downloads), and it was a few days-maybe a week-ago.  Pooh sings it and it is a funn little ditty "Snow blows, in my ears my eyes my nose, snow blows everywhere I go"  or something like that because those are the words that keep playing over and over and over and over in my head.  BAH!  Usually, the only way I can get it to stop is to turn on the song or movie or whatever it comes from.  Now isn't that insane, to stop the song, I need to play the song?  I don't understand why, but it works.  However, this morning, I am not watching Winnie the Pooh.   I do admit though, sometimes I turn on a movie just to hear something in the house while I am here by myself.  Sometimes it is just to have the sound of another voice.  I love to have the day to myself when the kids are gone and I can do whatever I need to without interruption, but it is comforting at times to hear some other voices around me.  And yes, there are times when I am feeling all sentimental and I put in a kids' movie because I miss those days when my kids were little enough to watch and enjoy them AND I won't feel badly or foolish because of it.

This morning brought more snow with it.  We were supposed to get 3-6 inches more, but I think we fell short.  That is okay though, we didn't need a whole lot more.  It is lovely though, like a soft, downy blanket out there.  For now, at least, the wind is not blowing and that is a good thing because when it does it gets ugly in a hurry.

I better get back to trying to get things more presentable for the holidays.  No time for a long-winded entry today :)

CC

Diggin' Out

My husband is finishing up his 3-weeks of training the company sent him to this weekend.  I sent him pictures today of the snow we got since he has been gone.  Did I mention, he is in L.A.?  He is lucky I reminded him to take his winter jacket to leave in his truck at the airport.  He is definitely going to need it when he returns.  Since he has been gone, we have had two major snowfalls, one with 12-inches and one with about 16-inches, though it is hard to tell just how much we got the second time with the wind blowing like crazy.  Where there was a foot of snow one day, the ground is bare the next from wind moving it all around.   Thank goodness we have a good snowblower that we bought last year.  Usually, my hubby puts this huge, heavy thrower on the front of the lawn tractor.  It is a pain in the rear for him to hook up and it is cumbersome and difficult to actually put to use.  The tires need weights and it ends up getting stuck in snow like we have out here now, the grainy stuff.  But this little red unit sure cut right through the drifts almost like butter.

My biggest concern these days with the cold and snow is my poor feathered friends.  Their new coop has yet to be delivered and they are not liking this white stuff.  They just started coming out the day before we got this blizzard over the weekend.  They were scratching and pecking and sitting in the sun.  Now they just want to huddle inside and don't even want to walk on the snow.  I can't say as I blame them with bare feet and all.  Some of the little breeds just fly everywhere they need to go.

Our dogs are happy with the snow, you would think they were born in a snowbank. 

Since we have lived here, now 11-1/2 years, this is about the 3rd snowy December we have had.  Last year we had snow for Christmas, but it was a little at a time.  This is just funny to see how much all at once, pretty much.  It is nice that I have a son who is ambitious enough to go out and shovel and run the snowblower too.  Our neighbor actually cleared the end of the driveway though where the snow plows just piled it in.  He had his big tractor with the 5-foot blower on the back and zipped it right open.  I will have to share a chicken from the freezer with them for being so nice.  You gotta like a neighbor like that.

Well, even though it was only about -5 or so when I was out there, I am sweaty and need a shower.  I bought a new down-filled parka from LLBean, and it is only good for when it is really cold like this, otherwise I sweat like crazy.  Today it was perfect, but walking all that time in the sun, I got a good work out.  I am sure the mail lady got a good laugh at the sight of me when she made her delivery to the house with packages to unload.

Well, that shower is calling.

CC

Another day gone by

So, I got up with the kids this morning, got them fed and on the bus and all was quiet.  Well, not all quiet, but a lot quieter.  The puppies are always pretty spun up in the mornings and need some play time, so, after the kiddos are on the bus, I let them out to play.  Mind you, my puppies range in size from 30-pounds to 70-pounds.  Two of them are the mom and dad and the others are their pups from a litter in July.  Mom and dad go at the wrestling and growling and doing their general doggy thing.  The puppies look at them a second and then do the same thing.  It was hilarious.  It reminded me of the scene in Bambi when his mother takes him to the meadow the first time and he sees the others for the first time.  Then after meeting Faline, the young bucks start rutting and the little deer starting mimicking them.  The puppies seemed to do the same thing, and it made me chuckle.  They are big enough that the fence I put up this fall to keep them contained is now just part of their obstacle course.  The run out, go around the corner, jump the fence and go running out on the two sides that the in-ground fence allows them to go in and that is where they run and jump and play until I call them back.  Then they are like a herd of deer, first mom jumps the fence like it is barely there, then dad who has finally gotten the courage to just jump it and not sit and hesitate, then the little girl is like her mommy and clears it with ease, then the 'little'(38-pound) boy comes bringing up the rear.  Puppies are a lot of work, but this litter has been so much fun.  I only have one left to find a home for, the little girl.  We love them and it is fun, but 4 big dogs in the house right now is not my idea of a perfect situation.  One day when I have a facility for raising puppies in and have a house that is more adapted to having the dogs in here like that, then I will look at having more of them.

I love to sleep.  I probably love sleep more than most people.  My husband says I would sleep my life away if he let me.  I don't know if that is true though.  Maybe it isn't that I love sleep so much but I stay up so late at night.  I love the peace and quiet.  I have always been a night owl.  I had to wonder before my children were born how I would ever wake up with them in the night to feed and change them, but I guess some things nature just has a way of taking care of.  I don't mean I left it up to nature to feed and change them and night, and since I was breastfeeding them for most or all of their first years, I didn't leave it up to my husband either.  Although, he would do as much as he could.  I got up, though sometimes in a stupor, and I did what I had to do.  It is funny what being a mother can make you do.  I heard once that when women have been carrying their babies in plane crashes that when their bodies were found that the mother was still clutching the child to her even though she was dead.  Now, that is a strong maternal instinct!

So, the kids were gone at 7:20.  I thought I would just go to tackling chores around the house.  I switched the laundry did a little clean-up in the kitchen, started the dishwasher.  Dogs were fed and let out and then brought back in (gladly, since the ice and snow were pretty cold this morning on their feet).  I looked around and what to do next and thought I should get at the bills that were on the desk.  I grabbed some juice, popped in a couple of toaster waffles and set to work.  I swear, I wasn't in the desk chair for 5 minutes and I couldn't keep my eyes open.  I don't know what the heck came over me.  I finally gave up after a few more and trying to stretch and wake myself up.  I said, "Okay, a little nap on the couch and I will get back at it."  When I woke up, it was 12:15!!!!  Oh, my, God!  Half my day was gone!  But, I no longer felt tired and I was ready to hit the ground running.  I threw on a pot of coffee and got to work.  I got the bills caught up and did some more laundry and tended animals and such until the kids came home again.

Every now and then I have those days where I just need to go back and get some sleep.  I don't know if it my body telling me I haven't been getting enough sleep at night or if my hormones do something to me that I just get zapped and need a recharge?  Whatever it is, when it hits, it hits HARD.

Here it is, late again.  I sure hope I don't have a repeat of this morning  when 6:30 rolls around, I have too many things to do.
I better get to bed.
CC