Merry Christmas

Wow where did November and December go??? I am amazed that Christmas is 3 days away...I am all ready and quite relaxed. I don't buy into the busy, crazy overbooked Christmas time stuff. I like to kick back, what gets done get done and what doesn't didn't really need to.

This attitude didn't come easy, 7 years ago on December 21, 2001, my mum passed away very suddenly. She was the most amazing woman ever!!! I was very close to her and this was such a shock to all of us...she had a heart attack. 2 years ago today, December 22, 2006, Ron was diagnosed with a brain tumor...no one ever expects this.

Now, while I still love Christmas I realize that it isn't about the perfect this or that. It is about Christ's birth, and celebrating it. I love decorating and spending time with my family. I love giving gifts that I've either made or bought (I actually made quite a few this year...hopefully more next year). It is spending time with my family and friends, having fun playing with my daughter and making memories.

This year Michaela and I have overloaded on Christmas movies and tv shows, we've had hot chocolate and drove around looking at Christmas lights...we've just relaxed and enjoyed the wonders of the season...it has been awesome!!

Organizing Round-up

So in November my pal Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie had her regular monthly round-up and this time it was the laundry room...oh my word it was the direct kick in the pants that I needed!!

I've never actually had a laundry room until we moved into this house 2 1/2 years ago...and only until a few months ago it was used as an entry into our basement suite which was rented out. Well now I have no renters and have combined the suite in with the house...so my idea was to have a "mud" room and laundry room.

BEFORE PICTURES...WARNING!!

This is the door way into the room..doesn't it look inviting...yeah I wouldn't want to come in there every day either!

And as if laundry wasn't enough of a chore I had to come here to do it...notice the plastic drawers between the washer and dryer this was an attempt at organizing last year. Yeah I'm glad I have a friend like Laura as well.

Sorry for the quality of this picture...I guess even the camera is afraid to work in such a mess as well. This is my deep freeze...or place to pile things on.

AFTER PICTURES!!

I moved the shoe rack (haven't gotten all the shoes moved yet) and the plastic drawer that wasn't being used between the washer and dryer here, now we can store our winter hats, scarfs and gloves...much handier.

Here I have the washer and dryer...now it is a much neater place. I've organized the shelves above to hold the things that I need for laundry (pretreater, dryer sheets, bleach and soap). I also picked up this laundry sorter basket thingy, it fits perfectly between the washer and dryer.

Now I was able to move the deep freeze into the kitchen part of the old suite and it created room for these shelves. I can now store some painting supplies (because this room is in desperate need of a paint job...maybe in the new year), overstock things (like the Charmin) and my fall decorations...I'm sure I'll find several other items to store there as well.

I'm loving this room now, while it may need a bit (and by bit I mean a ton) of paint and a new floor...that will get done eventually. For now this is working great...I'm just so glad that I was able to get it done!!

Christmas Meme

Michaela and I have been sick the last little while, we are both on antibiotics. She is doing much better...I'm getting there!

But we're still in the Christmas spirit...I found this meme on My Life as Annie's blog...and I really enjoyed it.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? both! I love wrapping presents, using nice paper and ribbon and bows...but some really need to be in bags.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree? Mid November...I know very early.

4. When do you take the tree down? January 2nd.

5. Do you like eggnog? No...gross!!!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Commodore Vic20...yes my first computer had 20kbs of memory....wow I'm old. I was 14 and I actually cried with joy when I opened it...it was such a surprise.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we got a porcelain one from Costco...gorgeous. Of course now Michaela plays with it so the pieces are slowing breaking...most have been glued together several times.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Ron's dad.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Michaela...which is probably why I've already gotten her too much!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A dream catcher.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas with the Kranks.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? All year.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Garlic sausage, cheddar cheese and Ritz crackers (all together)...this was always our Christmas day lunch.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, I got a prelit tree last year with all clear...I'm kind of wishing I'd gotten coloured lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, Prancer, Vixon.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Pajama's Christmas Eve, the rest Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Greed.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Singing, giving gifts, decorating, baking...pretty much everything.

Things I have done...

Saw this on Annie's blog and thought it looked interesting~
The things I have done are in italics and highlighted:

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (school band)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching - I've seen whales from a boat...does that count??
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check - not on purpose...banking error
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited to Mt. Rushmore
101. Learned to play a musical instrument - learned and have forgotten

My Day at Emerg.

Michaela has been sick this week, cold, cough...general winter stuff. This morning we went to church and she was feeling okay...her voice was still pretty raspy but she was doing fine. Then a few minutes into worship she comes to me crying so hard...her neck hurt. I thought that maybe she had twisted it and pulled the muscle or something so we sat for a bit and then I decided to take her home.

While I was in the church parking lot I called my sister (she is my go to gal when I need advice). So we decided that I should take her to emerg to have her checked out.

Apparently her glands are swollen and she has an infection, we were in there for 3 hours...it was a busy place for a Sunday morning. But now she is on her medicine and hopefully now she is on the road to recovery!!

I Can't Sleep

Oh my goodness I can't sleep!!!

It is 3am and here I am typing, reading and watching the news....

I should have known that this would happen, I had a little nap today...not a normal thing for me to do. Michaela was sick today so we both stayed home from school and well we cuddled on the couch and there I was napping...never a good thing!

Things have been pretty busy around here, we actually got our Christmas stuff up this weekend...yes that is right!! Outside and inside are all decked out for the season!

I love Christmas, although it is a bit of a bitter sweet holiday for me. In 2001 my mum suddenly passed away from a heart attack on December 21st, it was such a shock to my family because she hadn't even been sick. Then 5 years later on December 22nd Ron was diagnosed with a brain tumor...you'd kind of think that I would avoid this holiday.

It has such amazing meaning to me, the birth of our Saviour means that I will see both of them again. It means that I can assure my daughter that her daddy isn't too far away because he accepted Jesus as his saviour...we will all be together again. How can I not celebrate that. It is a great way to share this with Michaela, we have started traditions that keeps Ron a part of our celebration. Oh yeah and family, friends, food and shopping!!!

Getting in Control

Now for the last little while my life has been in total upheaval, I was learning how to be a single mother, dealing with a daughter who desperately missed her daddy and trying to keep it all together.

For a time with Michaela I was letting her get away with things, spoiling her with gifts, basically I was creating a brat! I would threaten her with consequences that weren't going to happen...she realized that.

I have a wonderful close friend who took me aside and told me that I'd better start reining her in because if I let it go too much longer I wouldn't be able to ever gain control. I love friends who can in love tell you the truth, she told me things that were the absolute truth...and I knew it. But not only that she helped me, she let me know what I was doing wrong...also what I was doing right.

Things have really changed, Michaela was longing for boundaries, she needed rules...she is flourishing with her new found limits. I'm so thankful that God has given me friends who can tell me the truth in a loving and kind manner. I'm so thankful that even though it isn't always easy I've been able to keep up with consequences for bad behaviour, and reward for good (who doesn't love being told that they are doing a great job).

While I still don't have it all together (and probably never will), I'm really starting to feel like my life is so much more manageable. I'm getting in my prayer time and studying God's word...that is always such a benefit!!!

Oh yeah and we didn't win the cruise, but that is okay...Tam and I are going to Breakforth in Edmonton...and meeting up with Jen there!!!