December 26, 2008

• “RELAX” – a New Word

  I tried that “Relax” thing . . . and it worked well . . . and, still IS working!

  Wednesday, I took it easy.  Made NO MORE cookies, cleaned the kitchen after making the next day’s potato salad and boiled eggs.  It wasn’t half bad!  I could get used to this “relax thing” and relaxed way of life.  Of course, I’d probably gain 100 more excess pounds . . . but, “relax” really isn’t all that bad!!!

  We dressed up (church-type clothes) and went for Chinese food with Stephanie and JanaLyn; and, invited Rob, last minute.  It was nice.  The food was a wonderful change from traditional foods eaten this time of year.  Rob and Stephanie (in two vehicles) took all of the children to look at lights and Jesse and I went home.  I wasn’t feeling great (female stuff) and needed to get off of my feet.  When Stephanie came home with the girls, I was in bed . . . asleep . . . and, it was early!  Stephanie woke me up by saying, “Awwww!  Chirper, you’re sleeping in Mom’s arms exactly like Jesse-boy used to sleep.  How cuuuuuute”  I drifted back to sleep. 

  Stephanie tried to wake me up twice so I’d pull gifts from my closets and put bows on them.  I finally got up the third time when she said, “Mom!  Do you want me to do it?!!!”  This is the same person at the restaurant who had said, “I need you to wrap my gifts, Mom.  I don’t wrap packages as pretty as you do.”  Rolling my eyes and shooting the ugliest look her way, I mumbled, “NO WAY!”  (female stuff, remember???!!!)  I explained I had wrapped early so I didn’t HAVE last minute wrapping to do, and I didn’t intend to do HERS.  She needled and cajoled me and I finally agreed to “TEACH” her to wrap by letting her see me wrap ONE GIFT of hers, and the job would then be up to her!  Of course, I was asleep when she came home and I didn’t even have to wrap one thing (ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!).  I mechanically put peel and stick bows on my family’s gifts and carried things to the den and went back to sleep.

  We had bought the 3 girls big-girl bikes.  Jesse put them in their rooms after they were asleep.  Two in Annamarie & Luci’s room and Rissy’s bike in her room.  Luci woke us up early yesterday morning.  She came to our room and told us,  “Someone got into the house and left their bikes in our room!”  Jesse replied, “You wet the bed?!”  “Nooooo, Dad!!!  There are bikes in our room!  Come see.  Someone got into our house and left their bikes!!!!”  He said, “Well go to the bathroom before you have an accident.”  By now, the volume of the conversation had awakened the other two who were jumping up and down thanking Jesse for the bikes.  I rolled over and mumbled, “They’re from me, too!”

  Before
  
  This looks like a lot, but, considering it was for seven people, it really wasn’t.  

  After
   

  More “after”                                                                         And, MORE “after”
   

  We did well this year with mainly tissue paper to throw away.  Lots of boxes were used and refolded for re-gifting (the boxes, not our gifts!).  And people were pleased with everything, meaning no exchanges or returns!  A miracle with so many people!

  Stephanie and Rissy read names and handed out gifts in a frenzied blur!
                         

  JanaLyn looks covered up by gifts bigger than her!  I bought giant coloring books for the girls.
  
  The girls got “B”ikes, “B”athrobes (like new from the thrift store), “B”ibles, Annamarie a “B”oom “B”ox, Luci a “B”ig “B”lanket and watch, and Rissy a digital camera.  We realized, later, we seemed to be on a “B” theme this year!

  Rissy (in shock) after opening her REAL digital camera!
   

  Although we don’t believe in Santa Claus, we DO give stockings because it’s an easy way to slip small things into a pretty “gift bag” sort of thing.  Clementines were in the toes of the stockings this year – exactly what my mom used to do every year when I was a little girl.  Luci thought I had tried to trick them by putting fruit in the toe.  Remember when fruit and nuts were what people put in stockings and they were actually excited to receive those things?????  Well . . . they put fruit and nuts AND coal or sticks in stockings (which had crossed my mind regarding one child!!!).

  

  Chirper in the middle of things.  Stormy was lurking around.  She’s always there when there is the potential of discarded paper!
  
  No presents for kitty kitty.

  So, Chirper found his own makeshift present!
    

  As you will notice, I am missing from all pictures (and this was about all the pictures I took).  I had decided to really kick back and relax this year.  I wasn’t going to bustle around making a fancy breakfast (we had muffins and scrambled eggs), or try to get a 5 star restaurant fancy dinner on the table at a specific time, or worry about cleaning up messes, or become “Photographer of the Year” by documenting the event with tons of pictures.  In fact, I never got dressed yesterday.  I am still in the same nightgown I woke up wearing yesterday!  Now THAT is relaxed!

  The girls are outside playing.  It’s almost 70° at 11am.  I hope they don’t catch some dumb allergy before tomorrow’s cold air moves in.  We aren’t used to being outdoors because of all the cold we’ve had for the past few weeks.  They even rode their bikes in the house yesterday.  I “thought” about taking pictures of that to prove we are really just a laid back family – despite the fancy look of our house and surroundings!!! LOL!!  Like I said, I “thought” about it and thought that it would have made some great pictures, but I remained seated.  It was hard, but I did it (stayed down) and enjoyed the company of Stephanie and all of the children.

  Rob took JanaLyn to his house around noon and we invited him to come back for dinner.  We ate around 4pm – hickory smoked brisket with barbecue sauce on the side, potato salad, deviled eggs (the only thing I “made” yesterday), baked beans, sliced sour dough bread with butter, and lots of different pickles, olives, pickled okra, etc.  Our recently baked goodies were dessert.  Easy to put together.

  Even though we don’t “style” our hair and are simple in appearance, I had to take some pictures of JanaLyn.  Remember, her mother works at a hair styling school and is into the “latest fads” and the newest thing (apparently) is called “peek-a-boo color” – what JanaLyn got from Stephanie as a children’s kit gift.

  JanaLyn was SO PROUD of her “peek-a-boo color” and here she is in all her pink & blue glory!
   

  Today we have the girls’  therapy appointment, but Luci will be sitting in the reception area with me.  She has thrown some doozy fits daily – one horrible (with a capital “H”) fit in the Chinese food restaurant.  I had to take her to the restroom and wet her face down with handfuls of cold water to get her to calm down.  And of course, the acoustics in a restroom only magnify the sound.  I’m SO glad we were the only ones in there! 

  I need to run to the store (female items) – but NOT Wal-Mart!!!!  I can’t imagine what it would be like to go there today!!!

  Today’s To Do List:
  *  Bath (yeah! that would be wise!)
  *  Girls’ appointment
  *  Quick drug store trip
  *  Think about cleaning the large hand washable dishes/pans
  *  Decide what to do about dinner.

  Jesse was going to invite his mother and her sisters one evening for dinner.   He doesn’t get off work until 7pm, and I told him that seems a little late for “older” people to be getting out to go visit and eat.  He said he may just run by to say hello and take the girls.  Sounds good to me!

  I started a book last night.  I haven’t read much in a long time and I think I would like my new plan to be – quickly do chores and school in the first half of the day, and then spend the end of the day reading before starting dinner.  We’ll see if that happens . . . but . . . I’m hoping!

  Oh!  One more thing.  The home study gal faxed something to the girls’ therapist last week for her to fill out and return, but she hasn’t done that yet.  I’ll have to ask her about it today.  Maybe that’s how she should spend our therapy time!!!  AND, the home study gal hasn’t called one of our references (a pastor friend) to get a home school reference.  We continue to wait!!!!   (REALLY rolling my eyes, now!)

  I’m listening to “Quiet Beauty” by James Todd.  My friend, Shanda, stumbled on it first and I loved the music at her site.  It’s a delightfully relaxing CD with only piano and cello.

  Yes . . . I’m, relaxed!

  Be blessed  ~

  • 12:22 pm
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