This week's Catch up

Christmas has been wonderful! I really hate that the season is almost over because it's kinda like losing the season where people are happier, smile more and good spirited. It's back to business after the New Year. Well to me, it almost felt like it was back to business after the presents were opened!

The Christmas lights on my street were not on on December 26th. I guess folks are in a recession! LOL!

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Okay, let's back track to Christmas Day.

The kids had a ball! They made out like Phat Kats and got plenty of loot! LOL! Santa was good to them, but family was better!

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CJ's (Runnin' Man)one of those unfortunate kids that has a birthday right around Christmas. His birthday was yesterday, on the 30th. He hasn't gotten anything for his birthday yet because, well mom and dads funds were wiped out this Christmas. But it's PAYDAY and we have a bowling party planned for him on Sunday. All he really wanted was a bike. The thing is, he already has a perfectly good bike. He just doesn't like to ride it because he says Cam's (Sir-Talks-A-Lot) is bigger. They are both 20inch bikes. He's quite the shorty and is not yet ready for a 22inch yet. Well, I have tried to convince him to get something else and at this point he wants a Wii remote and Legos to substitute for the bike.

I guess this December birthday thing has ups and downs because everyone tries to give kill two birds with one stone and give him one of the Christmas presents he would have gotten anyway as a birthday present. On the other hand, he is on Christmas vacation on his birthday and is able to have a sleepover ANYTIME and have a birthday party to maybe get the gifts that Santa missed on Christmas!

What a deal!

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Okay, the best part of Christmas is that my dad bought the kids Super Mario Bros. Wii! Okay, now, this game is just like the old-school Mario, only better. My brother was here and we played and got HOOKED! He didn't go home until we defeated Bowser. He ended up staying two extra nights just to do that! It was so much fun. I love taking over the Wii from the kids. Okay, all I need now is a Wii Fit and I'm sure to be in heaven!

Well, Happy New Year, Y'all! I'm gonna be brining in 2009 playing games with my kids and drinking sparkling grape juice. Hope all of y'all stay safe!

Not so Bah Humbug-ish

You know what I find amazing?

Here we are 3 days till Christmas (2days, 1hour, 15mins according to my kids) and I have not once used my most use saying this year.

Every year I have taken a dislike to the holidays. Every year for as long as I can remember in my adult life Ive dreaded the holidays. This year I have not said it ONCE!

I have not said Bah Humbug to ANYONE!

I have not said Bah Humbug about ANYTHING!

I have not even thought about using the phrase for ANY REASON.

This year I am looking forward to the day.

This year, it's about the love of family more so than what I have been able to give.

Amazing Revelation.

Kid of the Day Contest

There are only four days left till Christmas. Is it me or did December sprint by us? I'm not ready for it to end. The holidays are a time of the yer when everyone loves each other and shows it. Why can't it las a little longer.

Okay, I don't know about you guys, but I'm not exactly finished with my Christmas stuff yet. I have to get one more present. For my dad. Now I won't go into saying what it is for the slim to none chance that he might actually read my blog, but better safe than sorry. It's from all of us this year. My brother, sister and I. We're in a recession!

I'm gonna be dragging the rugrats around again today. Yesterday they were being absolute twerps on our outing. Our first stop was Walmart and I was two seconds away from leaving all three of them there. I was planning to run out screaming at the top of my lungs

STRANGER DANGER!

STRANGER DANGER!

THESE AREN'T MY KIDS!

So, instead, like the strategic mommy that I am, I told them that we were going to have a contest.

It was the KIDS OF THE DAY contest.

For the remainder of the day, whoever could be the best kid would get something special.

That really worked!

The boys were perfect ANGELS while I dragged them around Cato to find me a pair of jeans! (not so much Miss Missy, but two outta 3 ain't bad) They were like church mice in the car on the way to the grocery store! And they walked like soldiers with out one MAAAAAA! He's called me a name, hit me, LOOKED AT ME!!!!! Didn't realize this favorite child thing would work! uhh, I mean best kids... whatever.

At the end of the day, the Kid of the Day was Runnin' Man. But I did give Honorable Mention to Cam, for his great behavior as well. So both kids, and even Miss Missy gets a prize. What's the prize, you say? A McDonald's lunch on the first day back to school. Little price to pay for just a little sanity!

Okay, so maybe that's not Supernanny's way of handling things. I'm sure there's a psychological hindrance somewhere in there, but WHO CARES! It worked! I'll deal with that when they end up in therapy!

What's your Favorite part of the Holidays?

The deeper it gets into the holidays the harder it get to be separated by deployment.

Driving home from dropping Miss Missy off at Pre-K today, I had a moment of weakness. I mean I'm very good at hiding my feelings about things and usually don't express feelings a lot. I teared up at the thought of this being the first Christmas that Hubs isn't going to be home for the holidays. I have Chritmas music playing in my car all the time now and the blasted station played "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays" and I got that stinging feeling in my eyes. LOL! I have to admit that the holidays just aren't the same without him here.

Okay, but the holidays have also gotten the kids into a different kind of spirit. They are more aware of the situations of others and are more sensitive to understanding that some people can't get much for Christmas.

I try to keep them humble. When they make out their lists, ask to choose 2 or three things that the REALLY want and that may be all that they get this year. Of course the list never stayed below ten, but most of the requests were the "Just in case" items. LOL!

Sir Talks-A-Lot said that it's okay if he doesn't get much (not yet willing to give it all up) for Christmas. He said he understands that there are people whose parents can't get them anything and that Santa has to have enough to give those kids more. He's so sweet.

Both boys' are.

Sitting at the dinner table the other night, I asked them what was their favorite part of the holidays. Runnin' Man, as usual, responded with being able to spend the holidays with his family. He says that he likes when we all get together.

Sir Talks-A-Lot agreed and added that he just wishes that his Grandma didn't live so far away and that she could come for Christmas. And of course, that he really misses his daddy.

They are really sweet kids.

Later that night, Miss Missy came to me and said, "Mommy? Do you know what my favorite part of the holidays is?"

At this point, I'm so filled with joy that all of my children are starting to understand the meaning of Christmas, that it's not about the "things" you get.

Me: "What's your favorite part of the holidays, Sweetie?"

Miss Missy: That Santa is gonna bring me lots of presents, Silly!

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So what's your favorite part of the holidays?

Believing in Santa for another year

Mommy Fabulous has certainly been missing in action in the blog world. Truthfully, I have had all these great posts in my head, but have not taken the time to write about them.

But today I just wanna talk about how wonderful my family is. My kids are so special.

Running Man is about to turn 10. Now with so many kids losing their belief in Santa so early, I was sure that THIS year was his year. This was that year that he was finally over the Santa thing. Now, that made me sad because when you stop believing you lose something magical within yourself that takes away from this whole season. I mean, for a few years now, about 3, his best friend has been telling him that there is no Santa Claus. 7 years old is way too soon to stop believing and I'm so glad that he has still held out hope this long.

Well, I overheard him mumble one day a few months ago that there was no Santa and it broke my heart. So I knew that this was the year. But he's so kind hearted that he would never tell the other two that Santa's not real.

This year, I was on the planning committee for two Christmas parties back to back. Our Brigade party was on Friday night and Santa Breakfast for the boys' school was on Saturday.

Now let me tell you, last year's Santa Breakfast Santa would have made any child lose their belief! I mean he was fake from head to toe. Scraggly fake beard. And he and his photographer (his son) were actually arguing in front of the kids! Like something out of a comedy Christmas scene! So this year, one of the coordinators for the Brigade party told me that the Santa they were using was "The real Santa"! His name is Chris, for heaven's sake. And I booked him for our Santa Breakfast without even a thought. Without seeing him. ANYTHING had to be better with the one from last year.

OMG! When I saw Santa, I WANTED TO SIT ON HIS LAP! He was just that great! He has a Deutsche accent. He had a white beard, abroad face and a round little belly! He was Santa! When asked what he wanted for compensation, he said absolutely nothing!! He said he doesn't do it for money but because he loves the kids. He does ton's of charity work and attends a lot of the military Christmas parties especially for companies with deployed soldiers!

OMG! It really was Santa!

Okay, so back to my point. After two days of spending so much time with the real Santa (I mean, he and I worked closely and spoke a lot both nights) the kids were amazed that I knew Santa so well.

Later Saturday evening, after all of the excitement had died down and the kids and I were home relaxing, Runnin' Man comes to me and says, "Mom, you don't have to worry about buying me a bike now. I asked Santa for one."

I smiled.

It was all I could do to keep the tears from falling. My baby has another year of believing. Thanks to Santa!

Our Family Spreading a little Holiday Cheer

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas Q&A

Here's a little question and answer post that I thought was cute for the holidays. Yonca posted her answer to these questions over on her blog and I decided to borrow them for my own blog. I hope she doesn't mind.

*Have you started your Christmas shopping? Yes, but mostly for Miss Missy and not much for the boys. I'm ashamed of this. Does this mean that I love Miss Missy more because she is the only girl? Those boys are just a little harder to shop for!

*Tell me about one of your special traditions. I haven't started any real traditions. The tradition of Santa is sure to only last a few more years as my 9 year old has stopped believing(for this I am heartbroken) and is sure to break the news to the others and crush their hearts.

*Are you a Black Friday Shopper? I DO NOT like Black Friday. I think I might have gotten up with my mother ONCE to do Black Friday, but I just can't see giving up my sleep to go out and fight a crowd of freakish shoppers. I enjoy my beauty sleep way too much for that.

*When do you put up your Tree? Okay, as a kids, we put the tree up maybe two weeks before Christmas, sometimes later, (of course it didn't ever come down to right before my birthday - January 28th! LOL) but I have been trying to get in the spirit earlier and we got the trees up on the 2nd. Well one anyway. The real one had to be immediately put in water and that's probably the only reason it's not still laying in the garage!

*Do you Travel at Christmas or Stay home? That's my one "RULE" at Christmas. I DO NOT like to be outside the house on Christmas morning. There's something magical about the kids waking up out of their own beds and sneaking into the living room to see if Santa has already come. Now I don't mind going to someone's house for dinner, but I've gotta be home on Christmas morning.

*What is your funniest Christmas memory?
The funniest memory I have of Christmas goes back to my childhood when I use to wake up in the middle of the night to see what Santa had brought. Apparently this particular year, my parents got wise and LOCKED the hallway door that was in between the bedrooms and the living room. I got up and pulled and pulled on that door. I got up like 3 or four times and it just wouldn't open. It took one of those skeleton keys so I remember peeking through the keyhole but all I could see was the glow from the lights on the Christmas tree. I went back to my bed and started to cry. I seriously thought that we all were stuck in that part of our house forever. They'd never locked that door before so I didn't even know they had a key to it. My parents seem to think that was funny.

*What is your favorite Christmas Movie of All time? I have so many. I love The year without a Santa Claus with Heat Miser and Snow Miser. Me and my mom always watch that together (even now we do it over the phone) and sing the entire "I'm Mr. Heat Miser! I'm Mr. HOT!" song.

*Do you do your own Christmas Baking. Pilsbury!

*Fake or Real Tree? I love a real tree. Funny thing is Hubs had never had a real tree and when I told him I wanted a real one he said that was "ghetto". He grew up poor and if you ask me if anything is more ghetto it's a fake tree because most po-folks ain't about to buy a tree every year! This year I have one of each.

*What day (as a mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done? Panic sets in about a week before. I'm starting to feel it now actually. I'm already going nuts because I know I'm not going to be able to cover everyone like I hoped and will have to make cut backs.

*Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? YEP!

*What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? Watching the Christmas shows that I use to watch when I was a kid with my kids.

*What Christmas craft do you like the best? I really don't do the craft thing at home, but I think the reindeer food thing that the kids do at school is adorable!

*Christmas music. Yes or No, and if yes What is your favorite song? OMG YES! I mean I can walk around saying bah humbug the entire season, but you can't keep me from singing christmas songs at the top of my lungs. I LOVE "This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway, or Chris Brown or whoever else has tried to remake it. Um Um Um! That is the one song that I KNOW I can sang! Can't nobody tell me no different!

*When do you plan to finish all your shopping? Next Week. The kids get out next Friday and if I'm not finished by then they aren't getting anything because it's just me here this year and I don't have anyone to babysit. This Friday is the LAST DAY I plan on shopping. We shall see........

O Christmas Trees!

Okay, so it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in my house. I feel like I have a leap on things. This is kinda early for me. I seem to remember my husband asking a time or two last year, "Umm, when are you gonna put up the tree?"

Okay, so this year I have not one, but TWO trees up.

I know it seems crazy and it's not about trying to flaunt my riches or anything. (ain't got none to flaunt) There is actually sentimental reasoning behind why we have two trees. There is one in out living room, of course. The main one. That room is on the back of the house. The second one is in my compute room/game room/exercise room place. There's a big arched window in there that faces the front of the house. The tree looks so nice there from the outside. But that wasn't the reason I put up a second one. The computer is in that room (as I have yet to get my own laptop, in case anyone is looking for that perfect Christmas slash birthday slash next Christmas gift for me) and so is the web cam. So with a deployed Husband, that was the perfect spot for the tree as we can open gift over Skype together.

I know! I know! Sniff Sniff, right? Yeah well, even I've been a little eyed this Christmas with the thought of him being gone for the holidays. Every time he's gone away before, he has always come home for Christmas. This will be our first year not all being together.

Soooooooo, there! Two trees. One for when the family arrives and one specifically for our family.

That oven ain't gonna clean itself!

Does anyone know how to use a self cleaning oven?

I'm too lazy to spray it down with Easy Off and wipe it down and honestly it has gotten way dirtier than I have ever let it get. Back in the day, Hubs use to clean it. That was back in the days though, when he was a clean freak and couldn't stand the sight of dirt.

I think now he has gotten to the point where he figures that if everyone else ain't gonna come up to his standards, then he gotta come down to ours.

So guess who does all of the cleaning now? Guess who does all the fussing about it?

He still does the laundry though, so I guess I can't complain. Then again, he only does it because he doesn't like me washi'g his clothes. Never has. He doesn't dry any of his outfits and he's afraid that in my careless, cluttered brain I might forget and dry something. So he does the laundry often. Great! He doesn't exactly do it the way I'd like. He doesn't wash towels seperately or all of the jeans together, but HE WASHES THEM? Who am I to complain? I mean, those that complain end up later complainin' that their husband doesn't help with anything. Stop naggin' him. Stop being a perfectionist and let him do it. Right or wrong he'll eventually get it right after havin' to replace a couple of load of socks!

Anywho, that wasn't my point. My point was, I have become too lazy to clean the oven. There is a self cleaning mechanism on this thing and I've never used it. I'm afraid that I may burn something up or forget it's on and leave.

So, my question is do you use your self cleaning oven?

Do you clean it the old fashioned way?

Came I get some instructions????