How pathetic I am...

I visit my OWN blog so that I can listen to my top 2 songs on my playlist! I LOVE EM! Happy New Year Everyone. I've got 3 hours before people show up -- food's not ready, house isnt' clean and I DON'T CARE! ha ha ha ha ha!

and when it rains...

it just keeps on raining, doesn't it? I feel that way sometimes... and generally I TRY to be a glass-half-full kinda girl. But I'm an optimistic pessimist. :) At least that way I'm not shocked either way. But the plumbing at my house has gone from bad to worse... my toilet... has had the flap replaced (not by a professional) but now instead of just flushing and walking away.. you have to HOLD the handle down to make sure the flush "takes." It's beyond annoying.

The guest bath downstairs... if you don't stay by it when you flush to "jiggle" the handle, the toilet will just run.

Then both toilets upstairs appear to have a leak somewhere because they BOTH flush on their own. So, I need ALL FOUR toilets in my home completely gutted and overhauled.

Couple that with the outdoor spigot outside in the front of the house that I can't seem to get to shut off completely.... the dishwasher that one out of every four washes doesn't drain all the way...

and I feel like a call to Roto Rooter is in order! :( I hate the thought of that though.... I just hear "ka ching" just saying it.

Three things

I received this in my e-mail box and it's too good not to share. :) Enjoy


Three things that in life, once gone, never come back:

• Time
• Words
• Opportunity

Three things in life that one should always have:

• Hope
• Peace
• Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable:

• Love
• Friends
• Self-Confidence

Three things in life that are never certain:

• Success
• Dreams
• Fortune

Three things in life that make a good person:

• Sincerity
• Hard Work
• Compassion

Three things in life that can destroy a person:

• Pride
• Greed
• Anger

Three things in life that are truly constant:

• Father
• Son
• Holy Spirit

It's 8:40 p.m. and I'm still in my pajamas

I feel like today is the FIRST DAY that I have actually RESTED in about three weeks. Holy cow Batman where in the world did the month go?

Today my mom took J to the airport to go to Iowa to have Christmas with his dad. So, as soon as I woke up this morning, I went to his room and basically started the whole "new year organizational movement" :) I went through his closet and cleaned out... cleaned out drawers... cleaned out bathroom cabinets and drawers... clean out under the bed... cleaned out his bookshelves.

D and I put together his GeoTrax world (with his two airplane sets that he got for Christmas). It was fun. :) We sat up there running things like crazy people. We came downstairs and watched Man vs. Wild for a bit. Oh... and D is now the Wii Master. :) He played on the new Wii with his dad and seriously kicked his butt at bowling. It's too funny. He's laying on the couch right now... watching Sponge Bob (don't know why) but... we're just chilling until it's time for him to go to bed and then I'm going to go to bed early tonight.

Since relaxing today for a while I was able to see a lot of commercials (something you actually have to sit through when watching live television (it really sucks, by the way). There are a LOT of new movies coming out that I'd like to see -- not that I'd remember them but Hotel for Dogs looks absolutely cute! There is a new creepy one called Born or something like that... looks just downright creepy... One with Will Smith... that looked good. Tom Cruise... he's just too damn freaky for me to even appreciate him as an actor anymore so the movie about Hitler... no thanks. Josh wants to see the next Chronicles of Narnia...but I told him we needed to read the books for THEN go see the movie. :) I wanted him FOR ONCE to have read the book FIRST before he sees a movie.... just to have that comparison in his brain. We'll see if he can hold up that request of mine while he's up there for 2 weeks (thanks to homeschooling).

Oh... and please say some prayers for my sister's mother-in-law. She passed on today. It was a prolonged illness(es) but the death itself was rather sudden... she did get to die at home which was one of her last wishes...and my sister (who lives in Hawaii) got to talk to her this morning. My brother in law is serving in Iraq and I really HOPE they allow him to come home for the memorial. Her MIL is donating her body to science so they won't have a funeral...but my sister is waiting to see how the whole Red Cross plane fare / Robert's wishes / time-line thing works out... I'm SO thankful she didn't pass on Christmas (what a memory for the kids to think about)... but if anyone know anything to send little kiddos to help them grieve (ages like 8, 6 and 3) I'd be interested. But anyway, please keep them in your prayers... They went by Memere and Pepere (French pronunciations)... I don't even know their real names... but please just pray for the entire Jean family.

Christmas Cards for the Demented

I got this several years ago and it still cracks me up every time!

1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?
2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are
3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas
4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me
5. Manic - Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and.....
6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me
7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire
8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why
9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy ooh look at the Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?
10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder -- - Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle, Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells...........

Christmas Eve...

The posts are going to be out of order as I play catch up for the last month over the next two weeks while Josh is in Iowa visiting his father (he leaves the 26th). That will give me the opportunity to download many photos - upload them to Photobucket - and make my entries. I've actually started a new habit of carrying my dictaphone around with me.. in the car... in my pocket to just record tid bits of information as I go on about my day since I know that I don't have as much time before the computer as I usually did now that I'm homeschooling Joshua (and, honestly, I don't mind a bit!)

This day started out great -- up early with a family breakfast casserole... baked some homemade chocolate chip cookies... sugar cookies... wrapped some gifts... dad showed up and wrapped some of his gifts and THANK GOD the UPS driver made it here with the grandparent photo books I do every year! I can't say enough good things about Snapfish for their excellent shipping this time of year! I'm DELIGHTED... and WHEW! ha ha! Talk about cutting it close!

Today is Christmas Eve... this is the evening that Mary and Joseph ceased their travels... no room for them in the inn and so she took up in a stable... amid animals... and proceeded to give birth to the King of the World. What humble beginnings. For any day when you think that you've got it bad... just imagine from where He began... and know that you, too, can do great things.

Tonight just before coming down here, I gave Little D a dose of over-the-counter flu meds (which probably means he'll be waking up early when they wear off)... because he's had a pretty nasty cough and small fever today... I let them both open their only present they get to open on Christmas Eve at OUR house (jammies). Matching red plaid Christmas jammies. They loved them and immediately put them on. :) Little D had to have safety pins placed on both sides since he's such a skinny little toot. Big J's were a tad long so they were cuffed at the bottom but they both get SO excited for their new Christmas jammies. At first, when I was going to let them open this ONE present... Little D was SO excited at the though... he started to go get the one present he made for his dad and give it to him (he handpainted a wooden plaque with an orange Christmas tree). He really is SO very proud of it.. and he just wants so badly to give someone else something that HE DID all by himself! I just love the fact that EVEN AT FOUR he truly delights in the joy of giving. I need to be sure to continue to feed that spirit of giving always. Since his Christmas party at school, he's been going around the house finding all kinds of things to stick in gift bags to give to people -- never mind you that it didn't always belong to him, nor was it always new -- but I am proud of the fact that he is looking for opportunities to gift people because it makes him happy inside. :) Proud momma moment.

I am so thankful for so many things this season. I'm thankful for employment and income that keeps our family housed, warm, fed and entertained. I'm thankful that I and those that I love are healthy. I'm so thankful for my wonderful family that love me despite my MANY faults. I am thankful for my friends... especially the ones in cyberspace that I truly haven't even "met" but without them... would really feel lost... you know who you are. I'm thankful for those who reach out to help others... for our police and firemen and doctors and nurses that are away from their families on nights like this being in service to others.

I'm so thankful that Big J still believes in Santa this year. I was sure that last year was the last one and especially as much as he's been SO doubtful this year... he checks out EVERY ONE of their beards to see if it's real or not... it was getting to the point that I ACTUALLY considered spilling the beans just because I figured... man, he's going to be SO PISSED OFF when he finds out the "truth"... but... I thought... I don't want him to not believe.

The tradition in my family on Christmas Eve is to spend it with my dad's side of the family (my folks are divorced) and so every Christmas Eve I always looked forward to this special time with the Wesson clan. It's never been about presents but about family... games...food... fellowship.

This year we drove the hour to my cousin's in McKinney. Their new house is beautiful. She's SUCH a great decorator. She needs to come do my house! I think I will MAKE her do my house! ha ha! I'll trade her... I'll scrapbook her pages...she decorates my house! Sounds like a fair trade right? Ha! We got there... let the boys reacquaint themselves as cousins/friends... ate... played a game called "Battle of the Sexes" let the kids each open a present... They got a board game together... Big J got a chemistry set (he loves it) and Little D got some shake n go race cars... They all got to try out the Wii bowling game... seemed fun. I didn't play... I talked with my cuz! I miss her living closer... She's such a great person!

The greatness came upon leaving... as we were walking out the door, we saw what was obviously a plane...and then, in the sky... what do my wondering eyes should appear... but ... a light... with a red one before it... it really DID look like Santa's sleigh. The boys BOTH saw it and Josh was SO excited to get home... HURRY HURRY so we don't miss Santa! He stared at the sky just trying to either find a way to DISprove it OR to just let it soak in that THIS IS THE REAL DEAL! It was so cool. Then he got in the car and just leaned over next to me and wrapped an arm around my arm and said, "I'm so happy." Then Drew leaned over on the other side and quietly said, "I love you." THAT moment, completed my entire day in bliss.

We get home... the boys bring in their loot -- dad is upstairs in Josh's room and Josh is in the playroom (I'm sure NOT sleeping yet -- who can sleep when they're so excited?) I went in Drew's room to read them Jan Brett's beautifully illustrated version of The Night Before Christmas... and Drew asked for two extra hugs. Then by the glow of his little starlight Christmas tree, he said with much anticipation in his voice, "Santa's coming tonight... and he's bringing me lots of toys." I just smiled and tucked him in a little tighter and said, "he sure is, but you have to get to sleep first." I love how they both believe... I love the innocence of youth. I love that they don't NEED proof to really, REALLY believe.

It's like... Jesus... you can't "see" him... you can't scientifically "prove" him... you just have faith in your heart that He IS and so He is. As youth, with pure hearts... your word IS good enough for them... and I'm happy to let them delight in the fun of this annual event. I look forward to their faces in the morning... are they over-indulged -- absolutely! Do I care? Absolutely not? Why? Because it fills me with SO MUCH JOY just watching them have a blast opening gifts and wnating to play with everything all at once... I just love it! I love having a chance to be excited about Christmas again for the childlike reasons...

Being a grown-up you get to think about the OTHER reasons behind such a day... it's a beautiful story... but having BEEN a woman in labor -- I certainly can't even imagine! Wow. I don't know if it's just the hormones in me since having children or just that as you get older, you really do understand things so much clearer -- but there aren't many truly spiritual Christmas songs that I can sing, or even hear without completely tearing up... My God moves me THAT MUCH! To me THAT is a wonderful thing.

I've got some last minute wrapping to do .... some cookies to leave out and then eat... (darn)... some carrots to leave out as well... but I want to take this time... to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

Never tell a secret to a 4 year old

SOMEone decided to bring in the boxes that contain my gifts... and Little D was so obsessed to see what was in it so he could come running around the corner to tell me I had pajamas with snowflakes on it... So the cat is out of the bag... BUT it's something I ALWAYS love to get -- NEW PJ's! :)

Then Josh just passes by with a "newsflash"...

"Mom", he says smiling to hide a laugh, "we have no idea how to wrap. Part of the box is showing."

Then he hits the gift wrap center of the house... and takes scissors, three rolls of paper, tape and a big ole grin back to the closet and shuts the door.

Amazingly Drew hasn't come in here eager to spill more beans. :) (darn)

Checking in

Thanks everyone for dropping notes by to see how and where I am. No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, it's just more like 'tis the season to be super busy. :) I'm missing on recording all kinds of crazy things! I am getting it down... just not on the blog!

BUT one of the topics of conversation lately is what to do with Christmas cards. How to reuse or recycle them. While I can't say that I've ever recycled a Christmas card, I've certainly reused them. Mostly, these days, we receive photo cards. How can you possibly reuse or recycle these? Simple!

What I did was go to Joann's when they were having 50% off their frames. I bought two HUGE matching frames. I removed the glass and the cardboard that is usually inside them as padding. In their place, I cut to size a huge piece of black foam core board. Then as I got photos of loved ones and Christmas photocards, I would trim them and then just pin them up to the foamboard. When I walk by I get to be surrounded by those that we love and hold dear every day. It also remindes me to continually pray for my friends and family. So, here are a couple of photos so you can actually SEE what I'm talking about.





and because I use just regular pins and not quilter's pins, they're virtually invisible...here's a side view so you can see what the pins look like

I love Lowes!

Well, I don't LOVE them...but I love how they have their Build and Grow workshops every month and I get ot take my kids into build something cute and fun and FREE! We did a gingerbread house this time. It's quite fun.

Later in the evening we went to ride the Polar Express in Grapevine! Originally the boys were dressed up to see Santa at Bass Pro before we went to the train but after waiting in line about 15 minutes, I was approached by an elf that said I wasn't allowed to be in line that I had to go pick up a ticket to be in line. The next available time frame was 7:30 (it was just now 5:20). So, they lost our business and we headed to the Grapevine Railroad to catch the train! :)

First you start out in a tent and they do a little pre-show song selection... have some "local celebrity kid" (that means a girl that was on Barney as a child) sing songs like Rudolph and such... all the kids sing Jingle Bells, that sort of thing. Then you get lined up and board the train. It's neat to ride the train but once it goes a little fast, Josh is concerned about how much it sways. Frankly, so was I. ha ha!

A little further down the track, a conductor makes his way through the cars punching everyone's ticket. Josh is expecting him to be like Tom Hanks in The Polar Express and punch out a word in everyone's ticket. When the conductor hands Josh back his ticket and he's just punched 3 random holes in it... he says, "he punched three holes? Three holes? What's that?" I wanted to laugh but I just explained to him that this experience is more for the little kids that just believe with all their heart because they're just along to have fun and not question everything.

Then a little further down the track, Santa makes his way through the train cars greeting every child on board. Josh's only point in life at that purpose was to know whether or not it was the REAL Santa. His obsession with it has started to annoy me.... instead of just having fun he has to question everything. He boards our car and Josh immediately turns to me and says very "I told ya so-ish", "He's a fake." And just turns around and sits down. HOWEVER, I will say, that I'm proud that he's taking it upon himself to question everything... because I don't want him to believe something just because people say so... SO, this, for me, will be the last Christmas with Santa. Next year before the time comes, I will take Josh out on a date and let him in on a secret since he'll be TEN by then (YIKES - - in double digits!) and let him know about Santa... about how St. Nicholas WAS real... and how the spirit is kept alive in the spirit of him and in how Jesus loves us and gave EVERYTHING for us... not just "toys"... And, I'll tell him how as long as he continues to help spread that Christmas / Santa spirit.... "Santa" will continue to visit him too. :) And then I'll let him help me shop for Drew's Santa gifts... and we can play Santa to a less fortunate family. I think by giving him a project, letting him on a "grown up" secret... I think all those things combined will not leave him feeling crushed at the truth. He'll probably say "I TOLD YA SO" or something like that but I'd hate for him to find out from a friend and then be upset. So, for me, ten, is time. :( He's not a little boy anymore. It seems like just yesterday he was flying down the stairs screaming "HE CAME HE CAME HE CAME!!!" and I was thrilled to get that on video. THRILLED. Those little memories I'll have to hold onto forever. As they get bigger... you get to look forward to what will be and live for today but hold onto tomorrow.

Making little men

Thank GOD for the little men in a package or we wouldn't have had cookies this year. I had NO TIME it seems to make cookies but when we went to Target, they had a gingerbread man decorating kit and voila -- instant fun!









Josh is my artist trying his best to do it ALL all by himself.


This little guy liked playing in the frosting... see?


and this big guy liked eating it


These are the little products of my little men.

Trying for the perfect photo...

with two wiggly, giggly, silly boys. Yes, it's Christmas card time and I was TRYING to make the perfect photo of them sleeping in my bed. I am going to then edit the photo with text that says "...while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads." on the top. So I had to try several tricks to get "the shot."

See if you can picture this now, I have little Drew -- that as soon as he looks to see his brother attempting to pretend to sleep -- decides to whack him with his stuffed animal square in the head and they start an all out, no-holds-barred stuffed animal war...

or just the trying-to-be-so-serious-it-makes-me-giggle fit phase.

Check out some of these...



But this one is almost too real... I love this shot


:) So sweet...


and after a while... it was just fun to get some cute close ups of them both. :) Such cuties!



I don't know if he knows how photogenic he is! Crazy kid...

Decorating for the season

I love to decorate my house for Christmas. :) This year was no exception though I didn't do as much as I normally do, I just concentrated on what mattered most to me and what was just in good taste. :) Couple that with the fact that while putting garland on the chandlier in my formal dining room I broke it and now we have no light in there... I drew the limits in some areas. (ha)

Here are some of my favorite rooms.

Family room mantle


My santa collection on the marble topped sofa table in the formal living room


My little mini tree (like 18" high) in the downstairs guest bath


One of my little houses that is set up on the hutch


One of my favorite ornaments, from Hawaii.


One of my santa ornaments (I collect them)


And the tree... and I swear it's not leaning -- I was... LOL

Remember to wear red

Today is the big day -- Drew's Christmas musical. :) I so look forward to this every year. And every year, some how, Drew and his buddy Austin (seen here in plaid - isn't he a cutie?)



...wind up next to one another and make some sort of scene (silly and adorable, but albeit a scene). :) This year was no exception. :) I don't have a digital video camera so I can't share it with you but... it was still adorable. :) Josh, since he's now being homeschooled was there. Andy came as well as his parents and my father came as well. And, as always, we sit in the balcony with Austin's parents... I just adore this family! Just adore them! My pictures didn't come out too well. I need new batteries for my camera and the lighting from the balcony stinks when you're trying to get a crisp shot WITHOUT a flash.... I really need to learn to use the darn thing!

Here is Drew and one of his teachers before their big moment.


and I was shooting video so I have none of the event itself -- relying on my friend Heather for those (hopefully) but here is a shot as he's leaving the sanctuary.



After that, I headed over to MonArt to let Joshua try out an art class there. The Basic Elements of Drawing or something like that. He came out of there with an awesome shadowed dragon's foot... and a desire to go back. I think it's pretty cool and I love to foster whatever he's interested in. If it's drawing, I'll sign him up for drawing. So, we'll see how it goes! I'll scan in the foot at a later time and post it here.

Later that night was out to eat at the Red Lobster, which Drew affectionally refers to as the "Crusty Crab" (gotta love how Sponge Bob just squishes into every element of your life SOME HOW! And then today's finale... Drew's first Maverick's game! He had a BLAST! Josh had his binoculars and was staring at Shaq's feet but Drew was more blown away by the halftime show, Quick Change, than anything. This is it... way cool. I would LOVE to know how the heck they do this!

Scoliosis

I dropped Drew off at mom's and went to meet with the PA at the Baylor Scoliosis Center. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age but never did anything about it. Lately my back is really bothering me more and my purse, while I can only carry it on my left shoulder because of the uneven-ness between the two shoulders... I haven't been able to carry anything on it b/c it just slides off... After x-rays and the like... I have seen my neck is like an "s" and my back is as well... there's quite a difference in my shoulders and also in my hips. Crazy the body can do things like this BUT I'm not "severe" so no requirement or suggestion of surgery (thank goodness!). I have to do some PT and core strengthening exercises and hopefully that will do it for me. :) So that's the deal on that! :)