Not THAT'S a fine looking bird!

Thanksgiving came & went and it seems that the new tradition is that we host for Don's family. The cooking thing isn't a big deal - he takes care of the big stuff. But the cleaning of the house really sucks. Hate it. And it's not like we live in a sty or anything but still...it's work. Don did his magic and smoked the turkey & cooked the stuffing and sweet potatoes on the grill.

It's kind of funny because his family doesn't get together very often - just for the major holidays. So, it's often months & months between visits. And he longest stretch is from Easter to Thanksgiving. It's amazing how much the kids grow/change in this timeframe each year. His nephew is 13-ish and this time around he had a voice change...plus there's the definite difference in appearance. He's hairier. I've been around the family for 11 years now so I've seen all of them grow up. It's pretty cool.

Seriously?!

I can't believe that it's been 2 years of non-blogging. I set up this page with the best of intentions. Then Twitter and Facebook stole my attention. I swear that is what happened.

I will be better and do better going forward.

Today is filled with house cleaning and getting things ready for Thursday. Don's family is coming over. I think this is the 4th year we've hosted??? No sure but I guess it doesn't matter. I am kinda bummed that the kids will be with Harry in San Diego for Thanksgiving. It's always a little bummer when they aren't around for a holiday...but it sucks more the festivities are at our house.

Add to that the sentimentality that comes with this time of year. I swear that I am crying at everything these days. Everything. Watched Oprah's Favorite Things episode and I was bawling. Could not stop it. What is it with the holidays?!!

Who doesn't love giveaways?!

TodaysMama and Gamestop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I'm sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? I wish for togetherness, joy, good health and appreciation of family.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition? We go through our stockings and Santa gifts first - then we open the presents from the rest of the family. Afterwards, we get ready & go to my in-law's for Christmas dinner and more present opening.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? It would be for him to bring me the perfect for me job/career that pays enough that I don't have to worry about finances!

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money? It think the thing that makes it special is continuing with the traditions. Even though my kids are now teenagers, I know they look forward to them each year.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up? We played cards - mostly 'spades.'

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood? We let the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip? I'd love to go to Northern California (Carmel/Monterrey/SFO) for Christmas.

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
Our wish list includes an Xbox 360 + Kinect, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows for Xbox and Zumba for the Wii.

Another one down...

So I found out on Friday that a gal from high school (LeAnn) passed away. That's 2 classmates that have died from cancer within 2 months. That scares the hell out of me; and then I wonder why them and not me. It just makes no sense. LeAnn had been fighting breast cancer for almost 4 years. She was featured in an October article in the Register as she had a big group supporting her and participating in the Race for the Cure. Here's a quote from LeAnn:

"God knows when you've got to go," Stefani said then, "but that doesn't say how you have to get there. I plan to skid on in at the last minute, hooting and hollering."

I sure hope to hell she was able to do just that.

New Year - New Beginning

I created our New Year's cards online today (too unorganized to do Christmas cards). The pictures above were taken the same day as the ones we (I) used in our card. I look at them and just can't believe that the kids are as old as they are...young adults really. I don't know how much longer I can keep calling them "kids." I know I need to work on being present when I am with them...soak in all that is happening. There are days when I just want to have a moment's peace and hesitate to stop and tuck them in at night when they ask. I've realized that those are the moments that calm me - they give me my peace. I need to take advantage of those moments before they stop asking me to tuck them in.