Friday, December 28, 2007

It's my party and I will cry if I want to

Hi, my name is onthegomom and I am addicted to Rock Band. *Hi, onthegomom and welcome*

No pictures yet... haven't downloaded them.

My house looks like a hurricane hit it. Seriously, there is stuff everywhere!!!!! Since I have had to work everyday, but Christmas day itself, the kids have drug their crap everywhere and LEFT IT! I have news for those little hoodlums... they are helping me clean on Saturday.

I didn't play Rock Band last night. I spent my time pouting in my bedroom, watching Sex and the City and eating McDonalds and chocolate (not necessarily at the same time). 4 episodes. The last 4 episodes. So I spent my time pouting in my bedroom, watching Sex and the City and crying. I cannot watch that show enough. It makes me smile, laugh, and cry ALL AT ONCE!

So, you ask... why am I pouting? Oh nothing new there. Just my no good, terrible, crappy job. I had a serious heart to heart talk with my husband last night (after the pouting, SATC and crying). I won't go on and on about it, because frankly, it's rather boring. But let's just say it has to do with .3 (as in 1/3 of an hour) hours of PTO, holidays and a b*tchy boss.

More importantly, there are some big changes comin' around the bin in '08! My husbands supports my decision of leaving this place. Of course right now he wants me to get another job. My goal here: to cut back enough that I can either work part time or none at all and show him we can make it. I feel like this, the kids won't be kids forever and I want to be home with them. There is plenty of time to work and make money and move up in the world or whatever...after they are grown. Right now, I just want to be their mom. Quite honestly, I have never had that opportunity before him and I am practically craving it.

So, this weekend will be busy, busy, busy for us. Saturday- clean the house, take down the tree, do 945 loads of laundry (fold and put away). Of course, my sister (the same one that asked when I was going to put the *expletive* tree up) asked when I was going to take mine down - hers was down the 26th. (I pretty much hate her) I told her it might not come down until February, since it took me so long to get it up. She didn't even laugh. She said "Probably". WOW, she is hard core.

Lastly, Sunday we are going to see the Rockettes! I am sooooooooooooo excited. (might as well end this downer of a blog on a high note, right?) I have heard the show is incredible and it is going to be so much fun. My daughter was invited to go dance at a Rockettes clinic yesterday. It was suppose to be ages 12 and above, but she was asked to go. She said she had a lot of fun. My best friend took her with her own daughter. So the way I see it, my weekend is filled with laundry and Rockettes. It ain't half bad!

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

The Christmas Book

WOW, it feels like forever since I have had a chance to have a real post. Not just type something as I am running out the door or falling asleep. I love Christmas but wow am I glad when it's over! I feel like I can breathe again :)

My daughter got an early Christmas present. On Christmas Eve we found out that she was cast in Peter Pan!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!! She is a Lost Boy. Her response, "I am going to be a BOY?!?!" LOL Quite cute. She dances March 9th. I am very proud of her.

Last Saturday I spent the day shopping in a blizzard. It was F.U.N.!! Thankfully my husband drove me around :) I do love him, I really do! We got almost everything done that day. I went to the grocery store Sunday morning and the store wasn't that packed. I couldn't believe it.

Sunday night, Christmas with my family. We had such a great time!!!!!! The guys sat and talked and had a few beers, my sisters (I have 2 sisters, no brothers), my mom and myself spent all night catching up, chit chatting, and just had such a great time. I wasn't really looking forward to going, to be honest, sometimes my sisters can be bitchy and my mom can be all crabby and well, sometimes it's just not fun. But this year, wow, even the guys all had a great time. It was really the highlight of my Christmas, I have to say. PLUS, my mom got all of us adults scratch off Lottery tickets (It's kind of a tradition in our stockings, not that we are big gamblers cuz we are not) and I won the MOST (I mean, not that I was keeping track or anything, because I totally wasn't), I won $6!!!!!!!! My one sister won $1 and the other $3. So clearly, I was the WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo hoo.

Monday, I had to work until noon. I was the only one in my entire family that had to. Again, not that I was keeping track or anything, because I am so not like that! So, since it was Christmas eve and I didn't have much for stocking stuffers, I had to go shopping at the LAST minute! I went to Target and the only people in the store were men... in the women's section, in the pajama section, in the women's shoe section. I was chuckling to myself. But then again, I was there at the last minute, too. HA! I bought each of the boys a few more gifts, as looking at my daughters pile compared to the boys' pile... well it was sad. So, I bought even more stuff. My poor husband ended up with socks, underwear and coffee for Christmas. Is it any wonder why he loves me so much?!?!?!?

Oh, and of note: My daughter, who is almost 10, and totally knows the truth about Santa has digressed into acting like she believes again. She came up to me and wanted to know if we could call Santa? I was like, "What?!?" Seriously, her cousin, who is her best friend and the same age, totally knows the scoop. I have gone shopping with my daughter this season and have bought things for the boys that I have told her are from Santa and don't tell. SHE KNOWS, she has told ME she knows. But now she wants to believe again, so I let her and played along. We emailed Santa from this website I had, she played on that website all afternoon on Monday. We decorated Sugar Cookies for Santa, she wrote him a letter and left it on the table for him, by the sugar cookies. We left carrots out for the reindeer... all this being her idea. I figure, what's one more year and if it makes it more special for her to believe, then so be it!

Monday night, I spent all night wrapping.... until 2 AM to be exact. Again, another direct reflection of being a procrastinator. I have my Master's in Procrastination! It's a gift, really.... My oldest son and step-son spent the night entertaining me while I wrapped. I have never laughed so much in my life. Seriously, they should take their act on the road, it is FUNNY stuff. I was so delirious by the end of the night though, I can't remember half of what they said, I just know it was hysterical. The kids also plotted against my husband and myself, about what time they were to get up and celebrate Christmas. They wanted 4 AM. I said I would KILL THEM if they did that. So then they wanted to go with 5:30 AM, again, I vetoed that with as much power as I could muster up. So they ended up going with 7 AM. (The two older boys had a pretty good idea we were getting Rock Band... or should I say, hoping A LOT that they were and wanted to get an early start playing it Christmas morning.) I set out all the Santa gifts (or if you are my son, Satna... he misspelled Santa on my daughter's paper she left for him... seriously funny stuff). Then I went and collapsed in bed. I left the two oldest ones up.... first mistake right there.

The kids woke us up at 7 AM, like planned. I was SO TIRED but we all got up. I went out to the living room and in the place of my 14 y.o.'s presents... was the cat tower I had gotten the cat for Christmas. It had a sign taped to it that said, "Dear {son's name}, You have been a very bad boy this year. P.S. Too bad for even coal. From, Santa". Those boys HID all of his presents and his stocking and put that there in it's place. We were all laughing so hard. They are something else. So, we got the presents out of hiding and went to town. I hadn't put out Rock Band, as I wanted to make them think we hadn't gotten it. We opened up everything and then my husband made coffee and we were all talking and then.... my husband came out carrying the big box all wrapped up. The 4 kids DOVE ON IT and frantically ripped off all the paper and were more excited than I have ever seen them. Then that was the end of the day... they have been playing it ever since. I told my husband, that game is worth every single penny (18,000 pennies to be exact) it entertained FIVE teenage boys and ONE 10 year old girl (of course, our boys had to have their friends come over last night to enjoy it even more) for HOURS AND HOURS on end and not hear a peep out of them (except the tap, tap, tapping on the drums and the singing...but that's minimal), that game is priceless in my book! Of course, I have played it some too (um about 4 hours worth... time seems to stand still when playing that game) and OMG... IS. IT. FUN!!!! If anyone is even considering this game and contemplating if it is worth it or not, it SO is.... especially if you have older kids and they like video games.

Christmas afternoon we went to my husband's family. It sucked. I don't mean to sound mean, as we usually enjoy ourselves, but after riding high from my family's GREAT get together and then ROCK BAND, it was just a downer. But we are survivors, and we stayed, opened presents (I got a new crock pot that I LOVED!!!!!!!), ate a little (the food wasn't that great, PLUS they were smoking in the house - we don't smoke but most of my husband's family does and well... it was just gross no offense to the smokers out there.) We left as soon as we possibly could, came home and I collapsed. But the kids played... well you know already.

Now today, back to reality. Up early - back to work. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and after I get my pictures downloaded off my camera, I will post pictures :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas to All

I am utterly exhausted but absolutely content and so happy. I will have a real post tomorrow, however for now, I just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!!! God Bless!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Busy, Busy, Busy

I have been making lists, shopping and running around like a mad women. This is what happens when you procrastinate people!

I still have a couple things left to get. I am going out Saturday. We are set to get some sort of winter storm on Saturday... of course, because I have to shop. My husband is taking the 2 younger kids shopping tomorrow for me! I gave him a list and they are simple items but things I just wouldn't go buy myself.

At some point I would love to go get my hideous gray hair covered (I hate premature graying and why am I the lucky recipient in my family to get IT?!?) but have no time.... no time until after this holiday that is sucking the life out of me but suppose to be festive and happy and all that crap..... I mean, well, whatever....

It will get better, I just feel overwhelmed right now. So many things, so little time!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Let There Be Light


Finally! The tree is up! The full tree and all it's wonderful decorations. We do colorful, blinking lights, garland and a TON (repeat...TON) of various decorations. Almost all are made by one of the children through the years (and with my oldest almost 18, that's a lot of years), gifts given to one of us, ones that I have bought, ones that I made when I was pregnant with one of them, etc. etc. etc. We have a hodgepodge of decorations and I love it. My 14 yo son and (almost) 10 yo daughter are decorating it, their favorite part. Oh and sorry for the picture quality, it was taken with my phone...but you all get the gist, right?
Yup, my daughter is in her leotard and tights still...LOL. She had her Peter Pan Ballet auditions today. We could actually watch the audition, which is unusual. Not everyone will be cast, so, it's kind of exciting. There were 41 children her age there, I think 30 max will be cast. She was one of 6 that were asked to stay after auditions and show them a tumbling trick. So, that was neat.
We were suppose to go to my company's christmas party last night. It snowed all day yesterday (surprise, surprise) and all the kids were here last night, my oldest didn't have to work and my step-son was here, plus one of their friends. We had a full house. It was such a fun, cozy night, I didn't feel like leaving. My daughter and I watched movies, my husband played his computer game (SHOCKER!) and the boys played Halo3 and had a great time. We ordered in chinese and stayed all snug as bug in a rug last night and it was worth it!
And tomorrow, back to work and start the week all over again...

Friday, December 14, 2007

No tree, More snow & Freezing temps

My sister was over tonight. She yelled at me. "When are you going to put up your f*&%ing tree" (She is a rebel like that, very naughty... bad language and all, and a loud mouth to boot...but gawd she is family so I have to love her.) So, yes, I do not have my tree up. I suck. And believe it or not, my daughter, the only one that gives a rats behind about the tree, hasn't asked in like 3 days about it. I have to get my tree up this weekend. And we are so busy this weekend, I am honestly not sure how that is going to happen but I have to work my mom magic and MAKE it happen! But what I really want to do is bury my head in the sand!

In more weather related news: (which I know your are all dying to hear) it was 9 degrees when I got in my car this morning and 17 on my home... yep down 20 degrees. With new ice spots all over. THEN.... we are expected to get even more snow tomorrow. YEA ME! Seriously folks, its *only* December. We have gone many Decembers recently with no snow or very little snow. Then we get some snow in January, some in February, a little in March and a couple times, small amounts in April. But this December has taken the cake of the crappiest month in a very long time. I think this is part of my problem this year, dealing with a stressful job, the holidays are always stressful and then all this snow and ice is freaking nuts and pushing me right over top. Believe me, I didn't have far to go.

My son went to the movies with his friend that is a girl, he's not home yet. Little Brat. He BETTER be at the late movie, which I suspect he is since they didn't decide to go to the movie until a little after 7 and they had to drive there. I just hate him out this late and I want to go to bed. Long are the days when they were toddlers running around my house like mad men and I knew who they were with and where they were at all times!

My oldest son has 5 days left of school. I told my husband to not be surprised if I spent my day on Friday crying. He didn't get it, so I had to spell it out for him. My OLDEST son is DONE WITH SCHOOL. It's kind of a big accomplishment and it makes me a little nostalgic, very proud and frankly, shocking that I am the mother of a high school graduate. That's some big things right there. He says, "I will never understand women". No honey, you never will!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Let us Rejoice...

Today was an excellent day... it got above freezing and all (yes I said ALL) of the ice is off of my car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah and praise God! Oh and I didn't cry once today :)

As I was driving down the interstate today, CHUNKS of ice is flying off my car. You first hear a little crack and then a whoosh. At first, I thought an alien had landed on my roof or something… but I thought… NO, that can’t be. Then I figured it out (when I looked in my rearview mirror and saw flying chunks of ice). What a fun day!

The temperature gauge I have in my car read 37 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!! I was ready to get my shorts and flip flops back out. Tomorrow’s high - 20. *sigh* Which means, we will have ‘black ice’. Where stuff has melted but you can’t tell it’s melted and then froze back over… fun stuff! But that doesn’t matter because today it was 37.

In other non-weather related news: (which these days are few and far between, believe me. The kids wake up everyday now asking if school is cancelled. Um, ONE day doesn’t constitute everyday folks.) My son gave his senior presentation yesterday and got an A. YIPEE!!! I think he just might pull this off and graduate. (Really he’s a good student I just like to joke like that.)

I have my yearly meeting with my middle son’s teachers tomorrow to discuss the plan for the next year. He has problems reading and we plot an action plan each year. He has blown away his goals for this year, so I am hoping we can up the ante a bit.

My daughter was hysterical today after school. She got reprimanded by her teacher today (which this teacher is a GREAT teacher, my middle son had her and loved her and my daughter loves her too), she didn’t get a piece of homework done, which is not like her, and she was just devastated that she got in trouble and I had to sign the paper that stated she got in trouble and you would of thought the world was coming to an end. I guess this is better than when my middle son did this and he was like, “whatever”. At least she cares…. But a bit too much!

In Ballet News: (seriously who else could write that…lol). My daughter is trying out for another professional ballet on Sunday. This is with the other professional dance company in town, I am nervous for her but she is really excited… cuz I don’t let on I am nervous, I just keep it all bundled tightly up inside and then spill it on my blog! So, she never knows :)

And that’s all folks……

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Let it Ice, Let it Ice, Let it Ice...

Today we woke up to over a half inch of ice on the ground, on the cars, on trees, on the driveway (this covers up the last ice storm we got on the 1st of December and snow we got on the 6th of December). It continued to rain/sleet/sludge all day today and keep re-icing what you de-iced earlier. My kids didn't have school. And believe it or not, they were good all day.

I had to be at work today. I had a training class. I cried all the way to work. My husband and I drove together, partially due to the weather (although I could of driven in it) and we were on the same side of town, so it just made sense. All the way there, riding down the Interstate, there I am, crying. Now I am NOT sobbing or anything but silent tears streaming down my face. I was dreading work. I do not know what is wrong with me. I am having some sort of revelation or break down. One or the other...

I am including pictures my sister took while she was at home today (why I didn't take any, as I was NOT at home today). One is of the trees and the other is of a tree branch up close, completely covered in ice.



Monday, December 10, 2007

Things to do for Christmas

I am so behind this year for the Holidays. I do not have my tree up yet, only a few decorations, a few presents bought. And I haven't started my cards yet. I have to get to this stuff this weekend, no ifs, ands or butts.

BUT...the one thing I have bought for our family gift is..... Rock Band!!!!! My kids wanted this game. Let me give you some background. My kids really like video games. We have had several different Nintendos (back to the original one), Sega, Playstation 1, Playstation 2, X-box, X-box 360 and the Game Cube. We do NOT have the WII.... yet. Now, I haven't bought all of these things, their dad has bought some, they have bought some and I have succumbed and bought a few things. Okay, I CANNOT, let me repeat... CANNOT play any friggin' game whatsoever, I don't care how 'easy' it is. I cannot do it. Until..... Guitar Hero. I heart Guitar Hero. So, as a family game we WILL be rockin' out to Rock Band in 15 days. And did I mention I bought this for the kids... no really. If they ask, it's for THEM!

And if they are real good... they just might find this, too, under the tree. Guitar Hero III But they are gunna have to be really, really good... or I might have to keep it for myself. WAHHHH WAHHHHHHHHHHH ::evil laugh::

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Nutcracker Review



Here she is in all her "Flower Waltz" glory. We went to see the Nutcracker last night and it was wonderful. The costuming was amazing. The dancers (pre-professional and professional) were BEAUTIFUL. But the most amazing, beautiful, wonderful, fantastic dancer of them all, was my lil' flower. She has such a God given talent for dance and I thank Him everyday for her (and my sons, too). She was elegant and graceful. She danced with kids 3 years older than she is and you would of never known, other than she was the shortest. She was just as graceful as the others, if not more so. (She was placed well above her age due to her talent... I am not just exaggerating the talent stuff, she amazes me completely.) My two nieces also danced and they did a great job and were absolutely adorable. I am already looking forward to next year!

Friday, December 7, 2007

A little bit of this... A little bit of that...

Some updates in my life:

daughter is better. YIPEE! She went to school today and all is well. I am going to have my husband stay home with all the kids when they are sick. He must have some magic potion or something. She is having a new friend spend the night tonight. It always makes me nervous when new friends come over. You never know how they are going to act or behave or think of to do, etc. I am pleasantly surprised. They have been playing nicely in my daughter's room. Playing school, dancing and just giggling hysterically.

My middle son is at his friend's house spending the night. They are going snowboarding tomorrow. With my oldest son at work, it's just the girls and the house is QUIET and ENJOYABLE. Life is good :)

My floor is still pink. But what the heck! I am guessing it will have the pink tint for another month. I am just not up to re-doing the kitchen before Christmas.

We are out of food again. Since I haven't been back to the store since this post, it's understandable. I get to go grocery shopping tomorrow morning and run to the dance supply shop because my daughter needs new pink tights for her performance in the Nutcracker tomorrow. Nothing like good ol' fashion procrastination!

My oldest got his acceptance letter to the Junior College he is going to this fall. That was exciting news. He is going to go to 2 years at the Junior College and live at home and then transfer to a 4 year college. I am sure he will stay around here. In his words, "I am going to mooch off of you for as long as I can". Well... at least he's honest. Right?? Right?!?!? He has 10 days left to go to school. He is graduating early. He will still graduate with his class in May, but he will be done with school December 21st. I think I am still in shock about this. I mean, I am old enough to have a son that is GRADUATING. WTF happened there? It is true, they grow up so fast. In my head he is still 8... but with a drivers license. I am making no sense, so I should probably stop now.

Last but not least, I would like to give a shout out to my blog friend Valerie who informed me that it was 82 degrees today in Florida where she lives and she wore shorts. It was 17 degrees here and I wore my winter coat, sweater, scarf, gloves and boots and still froze and prayed I didn't fall on any ice or get snow in my boot. Thank God for seat warmers... my tush was toasty warm while I was driving!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Is This Normal?!?

Is it normal to be trying to fall asleep at night and thinking about all sorts of funny things you can blog about? Then wake up the next day and not remember ONE of them???? I sure hope so, because that is me.

We are expecting more snow today. YIPEE! It will now cover the driveway a.k.a. the ice rink and make it walkable. Good deal. The bad deal... it is 15 degrees out.

My daughter is sick. Sore throat, cough and frog voice. She has to dance on Saturday night. Why does Murphy love me so much? I mean what have I ever done to that man (and we ALL know he is a man!)? He is constantly dropping his 'law' all over my life?!!?! The really great news is... my husband stayed home with her and is working from home. My gawd, I did not want to use anymore PTO. I barely have enough to get me through the Holidays... with all this d*mn illness roaring through my house. Soon the state will be at my door, wanting to quarantine it off.

My mind is still racing with ideas on how to stay home... then I need not worry about PTO time and such nuances like that!

Stay warm everyone! (for those of you in Florida :-\~ ...sticking my tongue out at you ... in a friendly, I really do like you still kind of way!)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Nothing but bad bad bad luck...

So far in my life, there has been one concurrent theme going on.... bad luck. Now, I know I should count my blessings as all my kids are healthy, I am healthy, my husband is healthy. I know I should be thankful that my husband and I have good, decent jobs and not out delivering pizzas (not that there is anything wrong with that!) like the young gal that just brought ours to us (while walking on a sheet of ice called my driveway). I know this whole routine. But after today... I am rethinking this whole life thing. My previous post has me depressed anyway, no need to further add to it! I come home and my oldest son tells me that I really don't care about him (his ploy to make me feel guilty and help him with his huge senior project due next week). I told him of course I really do care and you don't have to try guilting me into helping him, asking would work just fine. Then, my daughter is losing her voice (she isn't really sick...yet) and she has her Nutcracker performance this week and dress rehearsals all this week. Now for the big finish....

We have a couple gallons of paint sitting off of our kitchen, these are for projects we haven't gotten to yet... but plan on as soon as we have a nice day on a weekend. My cat likes to sit on top of the cans. Tonight, he jumped off the top can. The top can of PINK paint for my daughters room came tumbling down and ...wait for it... SPILLED ALL OVER MY KITCHEN FLOOR. Yes, the whole can. Is it disturbing that my first thought was to just walk away, go out of the door and never come back? Luckily for my family... my husband walked in the door exactly 2 seconds after this occurred. This was precisely the moment an unfavorable F word came seething out of my mouth and I was standing there with my jaw to the floor.

How does one clean up an entire can of spilled paint off of a vinyl floor? With a lid and a dust pan. Oh and about 10 old towels and sheets. Luckily my husband is wonderful (don't believe all those other stories I told you labeled dumb husbands...) and he cleaned the whole thing up!

On the bright side, we are planning on replacing our kitchen floor in the very near future. So THANK GOD that it didn't spill after the upgrade or I would be writing this from the loony bin right now. (Do they have Internet access and allow a laptop?!? HMMMMMMMMMMMM)

You know what, writing this all out has been kind of therapeutic for me.... because if I looked at the bright side of things I could say 1. It dumped on an old yucky needing replaced floor. 2. My husband was so sincere and cleaned it all up, the whole time saying "It's okay honey... It will be alright... NO I DIDN'T get paint on my jeans..." Oh you get the picture. 3. My daughter doesn't have to sing in the Nutcracker just dance, so the voice loss isn't that huge. 4. Pink is my favorite color.

Kid 4 Sale

So, I am sitting here at work... um, working really hard... and running some numbers. Trying to figure out what we can give up or sell (NO... the children are not an option. No, I mean it... don't try to talk me into it, they are not for sale. No means NO...) anway, what the h*ll I can possibly do to try and stay home. Well, it doesn't look good. I mean there is only so much one can go without... food, clothes, a home, a vehicle and gas are not one of those things. Geesh.... I am going to go be depressed now and cruise the Internet for awhile, to waste time at this prime good paying job I have.....

Back to the drawing board of coming up with Plan B.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Unlike Fine Wine, Somethings Do NOT Get Better With Age

So I had to go get my 14 yo son today from school. He woke up in the middle of the night and felt sick and his stomach hurt. He took some Maalox and said he went back to sleep. He didn't wake me up to tell me any of this, he told me this morning when he got up to go to school. I gave him another dose of Maalox before school and off he went. I got called at 12:30 pm and he had a fever and needed to come home. Yep, I get to miss another half day of work due to illness. Seriously, I do not need a vacation in 2008, I would much rather spend my PTO time on sick leave!!!!! Oh yes I would, absolutely.

Anyway back to the purpose of this blog... I pick him up and see some marks on his hand. I say, "what is on your hand?" He says, "Sharpie" I say, "WHY?" He says, "I got bored waiting for you to come get me." So for all you people out there that have those toddlers and preschoolers that doodle all over themselves (and I know you are out there as I have read the stories in your blogs) and think they will out grow it. THEY. DO. NOT. Sorry to burst your bubbles, but they don't. And here is living proof that 14 year old boys still DOODLE ON THEMSELVES!



Sunday, December 2, 2007

Christmas Tag

Bia over at La DolceVita was kind enough to include me in a fun Christmas tag. It's an easy one ... list a favorite gift you received as a child, one you received as an adult, and one you would like to receive in the future. So, here goes:

1. My favorite gift as a child was this dance outfit I really, really wanted. I was about 15 and took a lot of dance classes, was on our high school drill team and I also was a student teacher. We did not have a lot of money and it was tight for my mom to pay for dance AND drill team. I taught dance because I loved it but also to help pay for my lessons and costumes. This particular year the dance teacher had several dance outfits, sweatsuits and other extra items for sale during the holiday season. There was this sweat suit I wanted so bad, it was baby blue with pink writing on it... something about dance with dance shoes. I knew we couldn't afford it, it was $40 for both the sweatshirt and sweatpants (and this was 22 years ago!). Well Christmas morning I knew what was in most of my boxes...or at least I thought I did, because my mom let me pick out the clothes I wanted so it would ensure I would like them. I opened up the last box and couldn't for the life of me remember what else I had picked out. Lo and behold in the box was my dance outfit I wanted. My mom bought it for me and hide it so I wouldn't know. I loved that outfit and in fact I still have it in a box downstairs. I can't wear it anymore... 22 years and 3 kids adds just a tad bit of weight, but I love it to this day.

2. My favorite gift as an adult was last years gifts. My husband (fiance last year at Christmas) took my kids shopping for me. My ex-husband had never taken the kids out for me and I had also been single for quite awhile in between. It meant so much to me that he took them to Target and gave them all some money and let them pick up whatever they wanted for me. My oldest bought me a candle set and shower gel and lotion. My middle son bought me a really soft blanket and a necklace. My daughter bought me a candle, a bracelet (which I really liked), and earrings. Although these items weren't pricey or from a fancy store, it meant more to me than any other gifts I have ever received.

3. This year for Christmas I want a day spa package. I have neglected my hair, my feet, my hands and everything else this year. It has been a hectic year with my job, getting married, daily kid stuff and I just haven't taken care of myself much and that is what I want most. Of course in addition to a healthy New Year for my family, a down fall of wealth for us, and World Peace.

I hate tagging specific people on these things, so if you thought this was fun to read and would like to do it yourself, consider yourself tagged! :)