Just some irreplaceable things that occurred to me today that I should be grateful for:
I have family and friends. They may not be nearby and they may not even be talking to me but I have them and they have me and no matter what, I am not alone.
I can read. I may not always read to learn but I read fiction for the fun of it and humor for the laughs, and I can read to my children. Nothing beats the smile on their faces when I read a book well.
I can relate. I am aware. I empathize. I observe. I interact. I accept. I care.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas
My kids enjoyed Christmas this year more than any other year before. Rhetta's awareness level for the holiday is very much the same as Willon's this year. Christmas Eve was especially magical.
It started with me setting up farolitos (a New Mexico tradition) for the first time in Colorado. We used to call them luminarias but that is apparently not what they are called so take your pick. I will no doubt always call them luminarias. Anyway... I had enough supplies to do about 4 dozen. I didn't use the traditional brown bag but some printed bags with Christmas trees on them. They turned out prettier than I thought they would. I kinda thought they'd be tacky.
After lighting the farolitos we got in the car and went to see the biggest display in the county.
Here is everyone's favorite part of it. Double decker trains. Click on the video link if you're interested in seeing the whole thing. Kinda fun to hear the kids' reactions. It is a driving tour of sorts. We went through three times. All I can say is how would you like to be that guy's neighbor?
We continued to drive around looking at lessor light displays that were beautiful in their own right. Then we came home, ate brownies and marshmallows, watched Polar Express, and went to bed. Well... the kids did. Rob and I stayed up another few hours getting everything out and wrapped. It was a nice time for us to be alone in the quiet of the house. We went to bed tired but it was worth the end result.
Kit Kat and Lola (not pictured) helped...
The kids got many things they love this year but their favorites are hands-down the Dance Cam and the wind-up train. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa respectively.
I'll leave you with a chorus of noise. No, I do not regret getting these. This turned out to be MY favorite part of our day.
It started with me setting up farolitos (a New Mexico tradition) for the first time in Colorado. We used to call them luminarias but that is apparently not what they are called so take your pick. I will no doubt always call them luminarias. Anyway... I had enough supplies to do about 4 dozen. I didn't use the traditional brown bag but some printed bags with Christmas trees on them. They turned out prettier than I thought they would. I kinda thought they'd be tacky.
After lighting the farolitos we got in the car and went to see the biggest display in the county.
Here is everyone's favorite part of it. Double decker trains. Click on the video link if you're interested in seeing the whole thing. Kinda fun to hear the kids' reactions. It is a driving tour of sorts. We went through three times. All I can say is how would you like to be that guy's neighbor?
We continued to drive around looking at lessor light displays that were beautiful in their own right. Then we came home, ate brownies and marshmallows, watched Polar Express, and went to bed. Well... the kids did. Rob and I stayed up another few hours getting everything out and wrapped. It was a nice time for us to be alone in the quiet of the house. We went to bed tired but it was worth the end result.
Kit Kat and Lola (not pictured) helped...
The kids got many things they love this year but their favorites are hands-down the Dance Cam and the wind-up train. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa respectively.
I'll leave you with a chorus of noise. No, I do not regret getting these. This turned out to be MY favorite part of our day.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Gratitude ~ Day 24 Jokes
I really appreciate a good joke. They cheer me up despite myself. If it weren't for my sense of humor I would surely perish.
Here are some of my favorites:
A horse walks into a bar and orders a drink. The bartender says, "Why the long face?"
(Duh-dum Tsh!)
----------------------------
This guy gives up his whole life to climb a mountain in search of a guru who can tell him the meaning of life. He reaches the cave and sees the guru and asks, "Oh great and wise guru, I have traveled thousands of miles and climbed many mountains to find you. Please tell me, what is the meaning of life?" The guru scratches his beard, thinking, then says, "Life? Life is a fountain." The guy exclaims, "That's it? I gave up my whole life, traveled thousands of miles, climbed many mountains to find you to ask you the meaning of life, and all you have to say is, "Life is a fountain"? And the guru says, "What? Life's not a fountain?"
----------------------------
Scene from Night at the Opera starring the Marx Brothers:
(After much revision of the contract...)
Fiorello (Chico): Hey, wait, wait. What does this say here, this thing here?
Driftwood (Groucho): Oh, that? Oh, that's the usual clause that's in every contract. That just says, uh, it says, uh, if any of the parties participating in this contract are shown not to be in their right mind, the entire agreement is automatically nullified.
Fiorello: Well, I don't know...
Driftwood: It's all right. That's, that's in every contract. That's, that's what they call a sanity clause.
Fiorello: Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You can't fool me. There ain't no Sanity Clause!
---------------------------
And my all-time favorite:
(excerpt)
Ernie: (Loudly) What was that, Bert?
Bert: I said, you have a banana in your ear, Ernie.
Bananas are food, they are to eat, but not to put in your ear, Ernie.
Ernie: (Very loud) Whaddya say, Bert?
Bert: (Yelling) WILL YOU JUST TAKE THAT BANANA OUTTA YOUR EAR!
Ernie: (Yelling back) I’M SORRY, BERT, BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER!
I CAN’T HEAR YOU! I HAVE A BANANA IN MY EAR! (whole transcript)
Here are some of my favorites:
A horse walks into a bar and orders a drink. The bartender says, "Why the long face?"
(Duh-dum Tsh!)
----------------------------
This guy gives up his whole life to climb a mountain in search of a guru who can tell him the meaning of life. He reaches the cave and sees the guru and asks, "Oh great and wise guru, I have traveled thousands of miles and climbed many mountains to find you. Please tell me, what is the meaning of life?" The guru scratches his beard, thinking, then says, "Life? Life is a fountain." The guy exclaims, "That's it? I gave up my whole life, traveled thousands of miles, climbed many mountains to find you to ask you the meaning of life, and all you have to say is, "Life is a fountain"? And the guru says, "What? Life's not a fountain?"
----------------------------
Scene from Night at the Opera starring the Marx Brothers:
(After much revision of the contract...)
Fiorello (Chico): Hey, wait, wait. What does this say here, this thing here?
Driftwood (Groucho): Oh, that? Oh, that's the usual clause that's in every contract. That just says, uh, it says, uh, if any of the parties participating in this contract are shown not to be in their right mind, the entire agreement is automatically nullified.
Fiorello: Well, I don't know...
Driftwood: It's all right. That's, that's in every contract. That's, that's what they call a sanity clause.
Fiorello: Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You can't fool me. There ain't no Sanity Clause!
---------------------------
And my all-time favorite:
(excerpt)
Ernie: (Loudly) What was that, Bert?
Bert: I said, you have a banana in your ear, Ernie.
Bananas are food, they are to eat, but not to put in your ear, Ernie.
Ernie: (Very loud) Whaddya say, Bert?
Bert: (Yelling) WILL YOU JUST TAKE THAT BANANA OUTTA YOUR EAR!
Ernie: (Yelling back) I’M SORRY, BERT, BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER!
I CAN’T HEAR YOU! I HAVE A BANANA IN MY EAR! (whole transcript)
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Gratitude ~ Day 20 Time Together
We didn't always have it so good, you know. Rob worked 7 days a week. He never had any major holidays off. Even when he was home he was sleeping like the dead. A couple of years ago he landed a job with weekends off that paid enough he could quit his second job. This was a little iffy for us because we weren't sure it was going to work. It did, barely, but to such a wonderful end. Every weekend is like a vacation for us! We get stuff done or we pretend we're lazy and don't. Today we took advantage of our day together and went off exploring a town we frequent (Ridgeway, CO). There was still lots to see we had not seen before (all free!) It was fun and relaxing and definitely something for which we are very grateful. Time together is, well, priceless.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Gratitude ~ Day 19 Friends
I have one amazing best friend who never fails to inspire me. She is so strong. She faces life with the strength of her faith and the love of her family. She counts her blessings as a matter of course, no need for campy blog entries. We are strikingly different in so many ways despite a 35 year history of friendship. I wish I could emulate her in so many ways. She has many more trials and tribulations than any one person should have to face yet meets it all with such patience and grace it would make you weep tears of admiration. I love you, Jo.
I also have a group of friends I don't know what I would do without. You all know who you are, mommas. ♥
The other friends I have are all worth their own blog entries, too, but for now I will just say I have been blessed 100 times over. Thank you, friends.
I also have a group of friends I don't know what I would do without. You all know who you are, mommas. ♥
The other friends I have are all worth their own blog entries, too, but for now I will just say I have been blessed 100 times over. Thank you, friends.
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