Hurray For SabrinaT!!!!!

This is the beautiful Christmas Care Package that SabrinaT sent my family from Japan!

Isn't it awesome?

It has a 2009 calendar, lots of chopsticks, an assortment of Japanese candies, and a Japanese Obama T-shirt. Mom #2, Baby Boy and I were jumping up and down with giddiness while we were opening it!

Of course, I'm torn between trying every single thing in there and saving some as mementos of an awesome homeschooling-blogging buddy-friend who thought of our little family during the holidays.

Thanks, SabrinaT, so much! I know you're a busy woman and it almost makes me want to cry to know that you thought of us this way. I'm amazed at your generosity.




Until next time . . .

Hope You All Had A Fabulous Holiday . . .

. . . Filled with FAMILY, FRIENDS and lots of FUN!!!

Until next time . . .

The Most AMAZING Christmas Gift EVER!!!

Over the past 6 or 7 months our family has been somewhat quietly enduring a crisis situation.


Baby Boy has several health conditions that affect his life daily; however, we do not dwell on the negative - we remain positive and encourage him and ourselves to live our lives to the fullest.

We've made several trips to the doctor's office, to various lab facilities and finally a couple of weeks ago, as you know, Baby Boy had to have a little bit of surgery. I guess I can tell you now, he had a series of three biopsies.


* * * I'll take this moment and just mention right here and now that I am the kind of parent who leaves . . . shall we say . . . an impression. For better or for worse, once medical staff has met me, I'm rarely forgotten. I'm not pushy or rude, just a tireless advocate for Baby Boy, if you know what I mean. I have an extremely strong Mama Bear complex. * * *


So . . . we've had to endure I don't know how many series of blood tests, another series of fairly invasive tests that Baby Boy won't let me tell you about, a probe test (don't ask), and finally the three biopsies. Every test was more stressful than the last AND we kept getting inconclusive results. It's been frustrating and somewhat paralyzing as we've just been sort of "marking time" in a daze waiting to hear some real results of all of this hard work.

Well . . . on Christmas Eve, while everyone else was at home with their families cooking and shopping and enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season, a very sweet nurse took time out of her day to give me a phone call.


These were her words:

"I was on my way home and we're going to be closed for a few days over the Christmas break, but I noticed that Baby Boy's results came back and I remembered how concerned you and Mom #2 were, so I thought I'd go ahead and call you. All of his biopsies came back crystal clear. He's fine. You don't need a follow up appointment. Come back in for a check-up in 6 months, and you don't have to put it on your calender, I'll give you a call. Have a Merry Christmas."


*SIGH*


It's finally over.


Merry Christmas!




Until next time . . .

Reality Bites!

IF

someone you love (the ever-generous Mom #2) is wonderful enough to give you an early Christmas gift

AND

that early Christmas gift is two tickets for yourself and your best friend/sister to see an actual professional performance of The Nutcracker

AND

that performance of The Nutcracker is so magical and beautiful that you come home with an eternal song in your heart and start wondering why you didn't become a prima ballerina yourself (after all you KNOW you have what it takes)

AND

the song in your heart is so big and bountiful that it spills right out into the open and you start singing and dancing instead of walking around the house

THEN

it is very important that while you do the above mentioned singing and dancing . . . you avoid all mirrors

BECAUSE

they will just remind you that you look absolutely nothing like that beautiful ballerina who does The Dance of the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker.

*SIGH*


If I'm too lazy busy to get back on before Christmas, then have a wonderful holiday!



Until next time . . .

She Likes To Move It - Move It!

. . . But usually only if there's a doggie toy involved, LOL!

Until next time . . .

Woo Hoo!

Thanks to you all for the well wishes, prayers, positive vibes and such . . . we don't have the complete definite results yet, but all preliminary information leads us to believe that everything is fine with Baby Boy.

Hurray!!!

Mom #2 and I were sitting in the waiting room waiting for the surgeon to come out and when he delivered the great news to us, we burst into great big happy tears. I think he may have thought we were insane, but since we're a crazy looking couple pretty much everywhere we go . . . we're used to it, LOL.


I hope everyone had a great weekend and will have a fantastic week ahead.



Until next time . . .

Well Wishes Needed!

I'm extremely emotional today, because Baby Boy has to have surgery , so I'm going to keep it short and sweet.


This is how we got to this point:

• Routine blood work

• Interesting results

• More detailed and specific blood work
  

• Even more interesting results

• Extremely invasive and no-fun-at-all test

• The most interesting (and not in a good way) results to date

• Surgeon says "Well, Let's go in and take a look."
  

• This is where y'all start praying . . . . . . HARD!

It's supposed to be outpatient, and hopefully there will be no overly interesting results. I'll try to get back to update later - but no promises.


Thanks in advance!


Until next time . . .

Doo - Doo - Doo - Doo - - The Twilight Zone ;-)

I'll start from the beginning . . . I recently commented to my sister how I wish we could have a little snow around here because Baby Boy and my Baby Niece have never seen any.


In fact I even commented on both Michelle's and :)De's blogs that I was extra jealous of the beautiful pictures of their children playing in the snow.


So . . . I get up yesterday morning with errands to run and because it was already 85 degrees at 8:30 in the morning, I left the house wearing these shoes, a wardrobe staple here in the South.



Baby Boy and I ran errands, went to tae kwon do, had lunch, did some school work and picked up Mom #2 from work. We had dinner and settled in for a night of family fun. A regular old day in the neighborhood . . .


. . . or was it?


Suddenly in the middle of the night, the phone rings. Mom #2's brother calls us up and screams into the phone, "Wake up Baby Boy and go outside . . . IT'S SNOWING!"


What? Snow? In Central Texas?


But sure enough . . . we went outside and this is what we saw . . .


I know it isn't much to some of you . . . but it's the most I've seen in years.


So, in celebration, Mom #2 made us some of these . . .



. . . And we all sat up and watched The Weather Channel so that we could see what the heck was going on. Sure enough, the last time we had this much snow in December in Central Texas was in 1996 . . . over 10 years ago!


Sadly, when we got up this morning . . .it was all gone.


But we sure had fun last night . . . you know . . . looking out the window . . . because I forgot that when it snows outside . . . it gets COLD.


Brrrrr! How do y'all do it?


Until next time . . .

Hiding Behind A Long Stream of Storm Clouds . . . Oh Look . . . A Rainbow!

I know I've been whining and bellyaching a lot lately . . . so here's a great big batch of positivity!


Today we found out for absolute certain that we GOT THE HOUSE!


I know, what house? I don't do well with stress or anxiety and once I start obsessing, it can be very hard for me to stop, so I haven't mentioned it. Believe me, this is the best strategy for all involved. We'll have 3 times the space for a bunch less money. A bunch less money!


On a side note . . . this weekend my Mother announced that she is going out of town for Christmas . . . so it will be very quiet around here. I haven't decided how I feel about that. I don't know why anyone would want to be away from their children and grandchildren for the holidays, but que sera sera. I'm not even remotely in the mood to argue with her about her own life. I'm taking a deep breath and I'm going to let her live it.


I'm just in too good a mood! Thanks for letting me share.


Until next time . . .

Well, Well, Well . . . Will You Look Who's Almost Legal

As one final attempt to win Baby Boy into my favor, as I will be needing him to take good care of me when I have my tooth pulled later today, I made the executive decision that he was finally ready to take the driver's test to get his learner's permit today.


And guess what . . .

HE PASSED!!!!!!!

This is his excited face after the big event.

Ha! Fooled ya!

Didn't you know teen boys don't get excited unless there's massive amounts of food involved.

I guess you can also see that we don't like cold weather down here in the Big Tex. Once it gets below 60 degrees . . . the natives run for cover.


That's all. I'm so happy for him.


I don't know who's supposed to teach him how to drive. I used up all my patience teaching him the rules of the road, LOL.



Until next time . . .

It's All About ME ME ME ME ME!

I know I've been MIA for a few days . . . but I'm trying to get a lot of things squared away because tomorrow is THE day that I am finally having my tooth extracted. I've put it off as long as I possibly could, so now I just have to do it. At least waiting a couple of weeks has really let me get used to the idea so now I'm a little less terrified. Y'all may want to come by and check on Baby Boy and Mom #2 next week to see how life is REALLY going around here. I'll try to post a little bit, but frankly, no promises. I'm lucky if I get in a post every week when I'm feeling just fine.


Anyway . . . I thought I'd put up this little holiday meme, courtesy of Ami, to keep you busy while I'm letting some grizzly bear of a dentist put his big hairy hands in my mouth and cut out my wisdom tooth with a switchblade . . . breathe in . . . breathe out . . . everything will be all right . . . sorry I'm working on my positive thinking. It's not really working, but I am working at it.


*SIGH*


Luckily for all of you, I'm not tagging anyone for this meme; so If you've already done it . . . HURRAY; if not, feel free, but don't feel obligated.


So without further ado . . .


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, hundreds and hundreds of rolls of wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, pre-lit, and only two pieces. Easy like Sunday Morning.

3. When do you put up the tree? On Black Friday, while all the psychos are shopping.

4. When do you take the tree down? January 2nd.

5. Do you like eggnog? Naturally, but Mom #2 makes a homemade Mexican hot cocoa to DIE FOR. That's what we usually drink around here, with plenty of whipped cream and a candy cane to stir it with. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My pink strawberry bicycle. It was to DIE for! (Yes, I was THAT girl.)

7. Hardest person to buy for? Mom #2, all she wants is Best Buy gift cards, tools from Home Depot, and Dallas Cowboys paraphernalia. I mean really, how unoriginally lesbo-ie can she be?

8. Easiest person to buy for? Myself. I KNOW what I like ;-)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither . . . did I forget to mention . . . Happy Holidays to you and yours. There. Christmas cards . . . done.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A very scary Santa Clause trinket from my poor grandmother. It looked like the Devil himself had made it in ceramics class. Tragic.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Diva's Christmas Carol . . . I know . . . typical; but it's really good and Vanessa Williams looks delicious.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I gather things all year long so when December comes I just have to start wrapping.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh, yes. 'Nuff said.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My Mom's dressing. She may be crazy, but that woman can cook!

16. What decorations are on your tree? Every year since the three of us (Mom #2, Baby Boy, and myself) have been a family, we get a new original personalized Christmas ornament and add it to our tree. They're beautiful! If I feel like getting off my butt later, I'll post photos.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I can't pick, I like them all. I am one of those sickos who can listen to Christmas music all year round.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? STAY HOME! Did you hear that, Mom? I LIKE TO STAY HOME!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes . . . but you can google them for yourself. ;-)

20. Angel on top of tree or star? An African American Angel, of course, she's wearing a white dress to honor Mom #2. He he he . . . I mean ho ho ho.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning, have patience, good things come to those who wait.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? TRAFFIC!

23 What theme or color are you using when you decorate? Blue and silver . . . not traditional . . . but beautiful (you know, if I do say so myself . . . and I do)

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? The one where I just show up and eat.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A new house . . . everyone start praying RIGHT NOW!



Now you all know way too much about my Holiday Habits. Hope you had fun!



Until next time . . .