One year makes a huge difference

Christmas 2012 has come and gone (well not if you look at my living room) and I had to reflect on how different this Christmas was verses last Christmas. Christmas 2011 we were home recovering and trying to figure each other out. This year she was all over the place with wonder and exploration. I can only imagine what Christmas 2013 will be like.

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2012

Wishing you and yours a very happy and safe new year!

My bad!!!!!!!

So I know it has been over a months since I have posted anything so MY BAD! Things get a big crazy for me around this time of year (yes all the way back since November - it actually starts in October) so I opt for sleep and or actually doing my job (damn day job gets in the way every time) instead of posting. I promise next year I'll be better.

That leads me to start thinking of my 2013 resolutions. Maybe if I actually write them down and post them then I can be held accountable for them over the year and maybe just maybe if I check in every months to post how I'm doing I might actually stick to them . . . well some of them . . . maybe one or two . . . OK OK at least 1.

OK should I put down as my first resolution . . . hum maybe world peace, nah Miss America has that one down pat. Um um maybe I could keep us from going over that fiscal cliff, yea right I'm lucky if I balance my checkbook anymore. OK OK seriously here are my 2013 resolutions:

1. Learn at least 12 words in German and to be able to use them in a conversation properly. That's one a month so that should be doable provided that JR is willing to teach me and work with me.

2. Bring my lunch to work 4 days a week. That gives me the opportunity to treat myself at least once a week to something yummy. . . Whole Paycheck anyone?

3. Play for 60 minutes a day. Oh sure I'm ripping off the NFL with all their creative commercials - love the one with Cam Newton and the kid. ("Be drafted first," "Become Quarterback for the Panthers," "Be your mom's favorite player," and the best one "I'm just warming up my arm"). Maybe if I strive to do that everyday both Smiley and I will benefit from the exercise.

4. Drink water every day. OMG that is gonna be the hardest one. I know I know most people are shaking their heads at me but I don't like water. I never have, even when I was playing softball and volleyball - I don't like water. It takes an effort for me to drink it. Blah. I know it is good for me and blah blah blah, I just don't like it. The only time you will probably willingly catch me drinking water is when I sing.

5. Buy a plant and keep it alive all year long. My mother was gracious enough to pass along to me in my DNA the ability to kill a plant. I love plants and flowers yet I can't keep them alive. My FIL has a gift when it comes to plants that B-man seems to have inherited so between the 3 of us maybe I can do that. Now I just have to figure out what I am going to get. I have to keep in mind a curious 1 year old, a nose 4 year old cat (he's the most destructive) and well my black thumb. I'll take suggestions.

6. Try one new recipe a week. I love to cook but haven't really had the time or energy over the last year. So I'll make something brand new once a week and even try to get pictures up on my blog with a review.

7. Try one new food a month. B-man loves to tease me when I see something that I don't want to try that I say "I'm not eating that" (picture a 4 year old with her arms crossed - yep it looks and sounds like that).

8. Find a way to bring in more cha-ching for my family. Gotta find a way to get more money into my bank account (legally that is) than in the last year. Kids are expensive!!!

9. Save more money. I need to go back to putting X amount from each paycheck into my savings and not touching it. On top of that - need to stop using the credit cards. Been so bad about that this past year.

10. Be a better wifey. I love my B-man so much and I don't show him/tell him enough I think. Need to find the time and energy to spend more one on one time with him.

11. De-crap my house. Oh sure I could say De-Clutter but De-Crap I think is more accurate. Now a hoarder I am not, a pack rat I am. I have things that just need to go to the trash that I keep saying "oh this needs to go and that needs to go" but damn it, it never goes.

12. Let my inner Martha Stewart shine. I love crafty things but I don't do enough of them. I just got this great counted cross-stitch dragon that I am excited to get started on. Need to make that a priority. Then I'll find another project to work on.

OK so that is 12 resolutions or more like goals for the year of 2013. Maybe I'll come up with more before the year is out but I truthfully wouldn't hold your breath on that one. Feel free to share your resolutions if you want and maybe we can keep each other on task for the new year. Buddy system right?

It's the most wonderful time of the year . . .

So driving into work this morning I heard on the radio that one of the local radio stations will begin their "All Holiday Music" on the 15th of November. OMG! I love love LOVE me some Christmas but it isn't even Thanksgiving! Heck I still have my Halloween Pumpkin on my front porch and the skeleton hanging in my tree outside (don't judge - they will go this weekend).

I wasn't even affected by practicing Christmas music in choir but I guess the fact that I was in Target on Tuesday and heard that announcement on the radio this morning, it really hit me that Christmas is coming. OK let me do a quick Internet check as to how many days are left until Christmas (hold please) . . . (insert hold music - "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose; and if you ever saw it you would even say it glows"). OOOOH only 46 days according to the countdown clock. http://www.xmasclock.com/


OK now that I have some of you crawling out of your skin in excitement or anxiety, I have to share that it just dawned on me that I need to buy all new decorations for my Christmas tree. We already had to pick a new place to put the tree because Smiley's pack n' play is currently in the trees location and I don't feel like trying to find a new home for that. But now I have to get all new decorations because a large portion are breakable. Oh sure I did get some shatter proof balls over the last 4 years since Jasper joined our family. For some reason he gets a wild oat up his furry butt every year and climbs the tree. I think it reminds him of his days out in the wild before we rescued him.

Every day when we get home (we could be gone for 15 minutes or 3 hours) we have to check to see what ornaments are on the floor and put them back on. Every now and then you will hear a bell ring. No it doesn't mean an angel just got it's wings - it means that Jasper is in the tree again. Well now I have to deal with Jasper and Smiley. I'm sure she will fall into the tree at least a half a dozen times before I take it down.

I began picking up a few new things for the tree at Target (they had really cute baby and cat proof decorations) but right now only 2 branches will be covered. Ugh need to keep on the look out for more fun and little one proof. Thankfully Tope just likes to look at the tree and smell the presents.

OH speaking of presents, if you get on and you find tons of tape on it this year it won't be because the tape bandit has struck again (although I still might pick one lucky soul this year to torment - bwahhhh hahhh hahhh) it means that Jasper and Smiley have struck and I've had to redo the wrapping. Smiley helped me un do some wrapping to my birthday presents earlier this week and she was very excited to do that. Hummm - maybe I can get her some bubble wrap and see what happens (oooh bubble wrap - love it!).

How many?

Random thought of the day: "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?"

Halloween spirits

Today while the baby was taking a nap I discovered a new show (well new for me) on The Travel Channel. It is called The Dead Files. The synopsis of the show is that medium Amy Allan and retired NYPD homicide detective Steve Di Schiavi, work together to try and solve unexplained paranormal phenomena in haunted locations across America.The detective does a full on investigation of the location, events/history and then interviews people. The medium is taken to the location at separate time (always night) to do a walk through and she has someone recording her the whole time (that person goes to the location prior to remove items that might give hints and such about the location). Then the detective and the medium get together with the people who called them there to reveal the findings and compare what they found. It is uncanny how many of the things overlap as they revel things. The medium tends to have at least one sketch done and it is revealed and pretty much there is a picture of someone from the past that is revealed and it looks a lot like that person. I found it interesting and I'll be looking for this show again to watch.


So I have a question. Why do all these ghost adventure/ghost hunting/ghost adventures thingys at night? If there are spirits they don't just wait until night to contact you. Night allows for more times that one person being freaked out over nothing out of the ordinary and then the person(s) next to them react too. Annoying!

So we are well into the Halloween season (we went and got Smiley's 1st pumpkin today) and I've noticed more and more ghost based works so that got me to thinking. How many of you actually believe in spirits/ghost/angels/demons/entities? How many of you are willing to admit it without worrying what others think? How many of you are complete skeptics? How many of you would go on a ghost adventure? What is your "ghost story"?

I find it interesting that more people (at least in my findings) are open to talk about politics but they won't talk about the paranormal. So what is your stance? Mine? I openly admit that I strongly believe in ghosts, angels and demons. Have I ever experienced them at any time in my life? Most certainly. Would I go on a ghost adventure? Sure if I felt it was going to be a real thing and not something staged like "Scare Tactics".

Ah ha, best you didn't know that about me?

Fall is here!

I love fall. It is my favorite time of year. There are so  many reasons I love fall. I love having to throw that extra blanket on the bed (although B-man will say that despite the fact that there is another blanket on the bed, he still doesn't get any because I hog them all). I love wearing sweatshirts and light jackets. I love love love the way fall smells in the air. I love the colors of the leaves changing and the sound of wind blowing through the trees. I love the smell and taste of warm cider. Fall makes me think of baking. I find myself wanting to make anything and everything with pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, cider and apples in it. I get a big giddy when I walk into the local Target or Walmart and see them starting to put Christmas decorations out (eeeeeeeee!!!).

I'm so happy it is fall. Sure I might get a big chilled and need that extra layer but boy oh boy do I love fall. I remember a conversation I was having with 2 other people many years ago at the station. One person asked me "Why are you in such a good mood?" and the other person responded on my behalf with "It's the weather. This is her favorite time of year so she's in a good mood." She was right - so happy it is fall. Might have to run down to Starbucks and get a Caramel Apple Cider/Spice for my ride home tonight. Yum.

Laughter is contagious!

Laughter is contagious! Last night B-man and I were watching 2 different stand up comedian specials via Netflix (the Debate was one and I loathe politics so I needed something funny). Well I found out that laughter really is contagious. . . . yep. B-man and I were laughing really hard at some of the jokes and then I noticed that Smiley was watching us laugh and in turn was laughing too. Too cute and funny.