December 15th 2007

Can't believe Christmas is 10 days away. This year Christmas has come so fast. I haven't even yet got the out side decorations up, I did however get done with my shopping and caught up with wrapping, and got my Christmas cards sent out but a few. Today wasn't just any ordinary day... Today was an awesome day. Angie my dear friend invited my kids over to play so that I could have time to wrap, just the younger two went to Angie's. and the older two had plans with my nephew Jake and his girl friend Holly to go sledding and to a movie... So I got a quite house for about 3 hours! I kept so busy wrapping that the time just flew by. I love my kids but boy ooh boy it is certainly a treat to have some time alone. so thank you Angie, Jake and Holly, may not seem like a big deal to you, but it was awesome and huge for me!

We put another sheet of ice on the rink tonight, it is looking really nice... all's we need is some pretty lights and a couple goalie nets... Wish I knew how to skate.

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day. Nicholas has a hockey game and Michlyn has another dance recital, unfortunately they are at the same time... Rick and Brooke will go watch Nicholas and me and Erica will go watch Mike.

Erica is doing so much better with the anxiety by Friday she hadn't had one complaint or crying before school, I really do believe she was sick with a virus and made her anxiety all the worse. Well, she is doing better now, but I am a little worried because in a week the kids will be off for another 12 days of school, I hope she doesn't go back to not wanting to go to school after being home with mom and dad for that long. Christmas vacation is going to be so nice... starting December 21 at 4:40 p.m. I will have off until January 2nd at 6:00 A.M. Rick also has that time off. Not sure what we will do, I know I would love to go visit mom and dad.. I don't think we will though we are going to take that time off all together to just be together, I don't want to have any BIG projects planned, just spend time as a family. We will probably go sliding and ice skating 1 of those days at the pit, watch movies, sleep in, and I know Rick and I love to go shopping, that's when you find the super deals! You know, stores getting rid of winter stuff getting ready for spring already, I usually like to buy a couple new Christmas decorations..

I have been listening to alot of cool 108. they have great Christmas music that reminds me so much of when I was younger, with mom and dad. Mom and dad made such a big deal of Christmas it was so awesome. Mom always made ton's of food, and we would get dressed up in our finest and spend 1/2 the night picking the spot we were each going to sit to open all our presents.. I tried that a couple years ago with my kids, talking to them about where they were going to sit.. it was such big deal for me when I was little... but they seemed to not care, just looked at me funny.. when I was little Christmas Eve at midnight we would eat oyster stew a tradition I remember Grandma and Grandpa Branstner started. Mom and dad didn't just buy us a couple gifts, we got gifts galore! a kids dream!! then we would go to bed and get to open more from Santa in the morning... and spend all day and night checking out and playing with all our new stuff, we would eat left overs all day... ooh I loved my childhood Christmas... I like to think about how excited I was as a kid and to think my own kids are that excited. But then I think maybe their not that excited. well, not as excited as I was... my mom didn't just do things simply, she went all out... it was like that for any holiday. O.k. well, it's getting to be 11:30, and I am so tired.. all the kids are lying on the living room floor watching hockey with Rick.. and Rick is sitting at my feet waiting patiently for a back rub...
until I write again.