Ten for 2010

As 2010 ends, I'm sharing ten things I've learned this year so you'll already be smarter than me.

1. The best traditions aren't planned-and so I'll hang the ugliest stockings on the planet again next year-and try to snap as many pictures of kids with their hands in the air while the countdown goes on.
2. I won't die if I get thrown from a horse-I'll be in pain for days, but I won't die.
3. Just because kids are grown, doesn't mean they don't need their mommy-they still do (a little less frequently).
4. It is possible to make edible biscuits and gravy from scratch.
5. My husband can eat a lot of bad things, but sushi isn't one of them(God bless his little tummy).
6. Horses are a lot like dogs-they like to be fed at a certain time, they love to be petted, they play, they respond to a certain voice, they love treats, and will run others away from the food bowl. They also come if you yell "here doggie".
7. Some people will always cry to movies and songs on the radio-I'm one of them so don't even ask if I switch the station.
8. Learning is fun and it doesn't ever get old-I shot my first deer, made jerky for the first time, caught trout, jumped a creek on a horse.
9.Laughter really is the best medicine.
10.Just because you say goodbye, doesn't mean you forget (RIP Daddy-o)

Christmas Eve

I'm watching the weather-hoping the snow will hold off so we can make a trip to Little Rock to see my family. Tonight I'll spend some time with my new father and sister-in-law and I wonder what kind of new traditions will spring.
Lauren and Chris have already gone through their stockings. Poor Heath hasn't stirred just yet.
I've decided the tree will stay up at least til New Year's.
Time to go drink some Bailey's and coffee.

Not three-Please

An old superstition is that bad things happen in threes. I'm hoping it's wrong. There was this kid that worked at FedEx for a little while that took his life Monday night. His older sister is 24. I don't know what pushed him over the edge-all I can think about is his mother. She's one of the moms that would move a mountain for her child. Then, Tuesday night, my step son's friend lost his battle with cancer. That young man never saw thirty. Two deaths of very young people.
That's enough. Remember every day is a gift-not a given. Kinda reminds me of something that a very old, wise nun made me recite in Chemistry

I have only just a minute
Only sixty seconds in it
Cast upon me
Didn't see it
Didn't choose it
But it's up to me to use it
I must suffer if I lose it
Give account if I abuse it
I have only just a minute
But eternity is in it

Computer gliches

For some unknown reason, I can't post pictures to my blog. This is horrible to me.I have so many cute pictures to post and it's not even Christmas yet. This SUCKS. Bigtime.
Other than not being able to post pictures on my blog, I've been keeping busy. The horses have their winter fur and are very fat. I rode for two hours the other day and have another ride planned tomorrow.
The chickens are still laying eggs and have learned to use the nesting bins inside the coop.
All of Christmas is bought. Not wrapped, but bought.
School is out for the winter break. Beth made all A's(and in her senior year too). Secretly, I'm hoping that we don't have a repeat of her high school-she was less than one tenth of a point from graduating as an honor student-right now she is less than one-tenth of a point from being an honor student. Paul was close-he made one B, but he's working hard in nursing school. Have no idea of Lauren's grades, but she never really wanted to go this semester anyway so anything is better than not going at all.
I made fudge and Dwight said it was too sweet. Honey, no such thing as too sweet when it comes to fudge. Tried to make divinity and it was a complete disaster as are my biscuits lately. On the positive side, my jerky rocks.

Love Christmas

As you may have noticed, I'm counting down the days to Christmas. Why? Because I love Christmas. I love knowing that I'll get to spend some time with my family-it's a given. I love wrapping. I love the parties, the songs on the radio, the lights, the possibility of snow, eggnog and cookies.
I like waking up a little bit cool and snuggling under the covers for a couple of more minutes. I like hot cocoa with marshmellows. I love thinking about Hopper and all that my sister is explaining to him. I love thinking about my kids when they were little. I love thinking about my neices and nephews and how crazy it gets.
I love that at this time of year people are not afraid to let others know how much they are loved. I wish that it would happen all year long.

15 days

That's right fifteen days til Christmas. Yikes, how do you wrap a basketball so that it doesn't look like a ball? Just a few things to get. Less than ten really.Then it's time to make CHRISTMAS COOKIES. Green ones shaped like trees, gingerbread men (and women), glittering stars, snickerdoodles, and I may even go for pinwheels-multiple colors that swirl.
Interview yesterday was great.
Gun is loaded-waiting for some help to get here so I can hunt mistletoe.

Here's Hoping Third Time is the Charm

Today I go for yet another job interview. I'm not complaining-finally, I'm getting calls to come in for interviews, but I really want this job. So wish me luck and I've only got an hour to get ready which means I won't overdo the makeup.

Trying to Understand... Baby Boxes

Yesterday, I noticed that my daughter's eyemakeup was a little smudged and asked her if anything was wrong. She replied nothing was wrong. She had just gotten a little teary eyed going through her baby box. She obviously didn't want to talk about it so I let the matter drop and vowed to investigate.
Early this morning, after she left for exams, I got out her baby box. I don't know how many mothers have created baby boxes, but I got the idea from my mother-in-law. It's just a box with things thrown in-with hopes of organizing it one day. My kids are 22, 20, and 18 and I've never organized these boxes. They have scrap books and baby books that are somewhat organized, but the baby boxes remain unorganized chaos. I've tried.I haven't worked in three months, but nothing in those boxes will ever hit the trash with me doing the organizing.
There's finger prints courtesy of boy scout and girl scout safety days. There are report cards and progress reports. There are birthday cards. Some team pictures for basketball and softball. It holds uniforms for girl scouts, softball, and dance.
What made her cry? Was it the pictures-taken at Christmas time? She probably didn't realize those were her very first Christmas pictures. Maybe it was the baby outfit, but she wouldn't know that was what she wore home from the hospital. She was too young to remember the Baptismal candle or most of the artwork saved in the box. She might remember the stuffed fox that she held during a beauty pageant(she refused to give it up and no bribing would work).
I really don't know what made her cry, but it made me cry too. I miss my "little" babies, but part of my tears were for joy. I'm so glad that there are so many happy memories tucked away in those three boxes. I'm so glad that I was too busy living life to organize it. Let chaos reign.

21 days and Counting

OK Sandy Claws-only three weeks until the big day. Are you ready? I get a little bit more ready everyday. I've even started making candy(rum balls need to sit for at least three weeks). My kids ask what I want. Well.. let me tell you and good luck on the wrapping. I want to know that all five of my kids are happy and healthy and looking forward to the upcoming year. I want my husband to enjoy good health and a little less work time. I want to hug all four of my parents. I want to kiss underneath the mistletoe. Peace on Earth would be nice too.

24 and counting

24 days to Christmas and 24 things I need to do
1. finish addressing Christmas cards
2. wrap presents
3.put light on portch
4. make cocoa
5. do laundry
6.feed chickens
7.gather eggs
8. bring in wood
9.wash more dishes
10. put up the dry ones
11. hide the mesquite jerky from the kids
12. give Chalupa a bath
13.go over recipes
14. look for jobs
15.take a nap
16. redo list after nap
17.bring in mail
18.burn junk mail
19. think about cleaning car (it's 30 outside now-must warm up to wash it)
20.remind Beth about Cd
21.take vitamins
22.read email (maybe I got a job)
23. vacuum
24. fix dinner (actually it's deer and taters)