Wednesday, November 25, 2009

being thankful


As Thanksgiving is upon us (like tomorrow) I decided to reflect on what I am thankful for...

Top of my list of course my family & friends. I am very thankful that I have everyone home this Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for God - I am also thankful that he does not always answer my prayers in the way I think they should be answered.

I am thankful for my husband Jeff, he is my rock, my partner, my everything. I cannot imagine my life without him in it.

I am thankful for each of my children. Jenny, Stefanie & J.J. bring me such joy even while they sometimes drive me crazy. They are all growing up to be unique interesting individuals who I am very proud of.

I am thankful for my health and the health of my family- We all take our health for granted because there are many people who are living with debilitating diseases for whom seeing another Thanksgiving is truly a miracle.

I am thankful for my home, because there are many who do not have homes or who are losing their homes due to the economy.

I am thankful to have a job- not that I love my job, but I am happy I have a paycheck coming in...

I am thankful for my pets- my two dogs give me such joy- I take them for granted too- Buffy is a gentle soul and even though Cali can be a handful and is still in her "puppy stage" chewing things up & having the occasional "accident".

I am thankful that our family is economically "ok" we're not rich, but we have enough.

Some other stuff which are favorites and I am thankful for:

  • flowers- there is something nice about having fresh flowers in your home
  • chocolate -  needs no explanation.
  • summer = NO SCHOOL!
  • my swimming pool- my favorite place to hang out during the summer
  • when my kids just hug me for no reason
  • my orthopedic pillow
  • massages
  • Christmas morning
  • facebook and the games I play there
  • microwaves
  • for parents who told me “NO” sometimes
  • blogging 
  • sunglasses
  • coming home right after my cleaning lady cleaned and my house looks and smells good
  • wine
  • a good book
  • Starbucks white chocolate lattes
  • ice cream
  • pedicures
  • my cell phone and the ability to text with it - my life is so much easier with it
  • when I can sleep all night without waking up - not a frequent phenomenon
  • remote controls
  • hearing my husband and kids tell me they love me
  • snow days
  • going to the movies
  • that sound you hear when you open a Snapple bottle
  • my laptop- even though my employer actually owns it-

    Wednesday, November 18, 2009

    Christmas on crack

     
    This house  is not the guy up the street from me but it might as well be...

    The guy three doors up from me has begun putting out his Christmas display. Now really "display" in reference to his yard is somewhat of an understatement I guess I should say extravaganza.

    This guy has so many Christmas decorations in his yard and on his house that it looks like the North Pole on crack. His decorations can no longer be contained to just his front yard, but also his side and back yard as well. (Thank God I don't live next door to him)


    The light his decorations put off is bright enough to look like a small town, really... It's like when he flips the switch to turn everything on- the rest of the neighborhoods lights probably flicker in and out....due to the power surge.

    So honestly, what is with these people who go so over the top? I don't get it... I decorate every year, but my house looks sad modest by comparison... does this guy believe in the whole bigger is better mentality?


    This house  is also not  up the street from me but it might as well be...


    My daughter said she one overheard one of his kids say that their dads display extravaganza mortified embarrassed them. Duhhhhhhhh......
    Don't get me wrong... I LOVE Christmas... love decorating my home both inside & out, but I guess just not to this extreme. So how much money does one of these extravaganza's (I just love that word don't you?) cost??? Enough to probably feed a third world country for a week at least.... When you figure out the cost of each decoration (and those things aren't cheap) then the wiring necessary, the electricity... holy cow your racking up big bucks!

    I was driving by their house a couple of weeks ago and he happened to have his garage doors up and his Christmas stuff took up half of a two car garage.... he was walking around with a clip board- (maybe he was itemizing his stuff)... I'll give the guy credit, he does spend an inordinate a lot of time and effort on his display extravaganza. Each night I know I will see him outside...adding to...checking his decorations. He usually has it finished by the beginning of December.

    So what is it that drives someone to go so over the top to such lengths? What was is lacking in their lives that they have to make this kind of statement?

    This house  is not the guy up the street from me but it might as well be... 
     
    Do these people really love Christmas that much or is it a challenge to see just how god awful  nice they can make their home look each year? Do they want to spread the joy of the holiday season or just show everyone else up? Are these guys (and it is usually a guy) like those guys who buy a corvette cuz they have small dicks are lacking and feel the need to compensate? I just don't get it...

    This house  is not the guy up the street from me but it might as well be...
    I am feeling the pressure...*sigh*
     
    I am afraid my home extravaganza display is going to be inadequate yet again this year...


    *Foot note* These pics were found when I googled "tacky Christmas lights" ( I feel somewhat vindicated by the term "tacky" :)


    Monday, November 2, 2009

    I'm on a need to know basis



    My son JJ is a sophomore in high school and almost 16 (Dec. 3rd) and is "talking to" a very nice girl who is a year younger than him.
    (I guess I should add that the young lady is VERY attractive and could pass for 20- but I digress)

    I was finally able to pin him down as to what he meant by "talking to".... I had asked him if he was "dating" her and he was quick to tell me that NO he was not DATING her.  It seems the term "dating" now means the couple is exclusive- and are not seeing anyone else..... if you are "talking" it means you could be "talking " to any number of people.. 2, 3, 5, ....

    When I was a teenager back in the dark ages of the 1970's "dating" meant that you went out with multiple people on dates. If you were "going together" it meant you were exclusive- you were in a relationship  & monogamous to one person.

    So when did "dating" turn into "talking to"?

    It is interesting that with a teen aged son you have to really pry to get any kind of information when it comes to social relationships with the opposite sex. Boys are sooooooo different from girls! They are not giving away ANY info..... My girls were very different- they would often tell me about boys they liked etc. and would even on occasion ask me for advice.

    You would think when I asked JJ who he was "dating" (yes I know I used the wrong lingo) I had asked for classified information. I have come to realize that I am now on a "need to know basis"and in his opinion I don't need to know.

    So what is a mother to do? Short of having him followed? How are we supposed find find out what's going on unless we ask???

    Trust me -I don't want to know specifics- (unless of course he would like to share that with me) I'd just like to have a general idea of what's going on in his social life. I know that he has been hurt in the past so maybe this is why he is so closed mouthed? Actually no- he was like this before...

    It was so much easier when he was 5 and I was the most important woman in his life - his biggest concern was if we were going to bake cookies and could he lick the spoon?  Now my little J Man is almost a man and is pushing 6'1.... where did the time go?