Thursday, December 27, 2012

In Which I Am A Horrible Santa's Helper

I'm actually pretty proud of myself.  I toned it down this year.  Last year I will admit that I went a little nuts.  I got caught up in the giving of stuff.  That was also when Clover started her dress up phase so there was lots of princess stuff to be bought.

This year I knew I wanted the focus to be different.  Not only for Clover, but also for myself.  I just wanted time.  I wanted to spend time with all the people that I loved and I wanted to enjoy it.  And I have been.  It's been wonderful.

Last year Clover was not very into Santa or the whole Santa concept.  This year everyone from her dance teacher to the baggers at the supermarket have been asking her what she asked Santa for.  For the record she asked for a real crocodile family and a real turtle family.  We talked about the logistics of having those types of animals for pets and came to the conclusion that maybe we should adopt one from the local zoo.  She did receive several stuffed crocodiles and turtles which she was very happy about.

Since she wasn't that into Santa, this year I didn't really focus too much on it.  I'm also kind of selfish in the fact that I don't really want Santa getting credit for the stuff I searched for.  Well, I got myself into a bit of a pickle on the Santa front.  I wrapped up Clover's presents and put them under the tree.  She has an excellent memory.  So she knew that Santa hadn't been by because those were the same presents under the tree that were there last night.  She got bummed out that Santa hadn't been by.  Especially since the night before her cousin had been telling her that Santa wasn't going to bring her anything.

I had to think quick.

She didn't know that her stocking had been filled so I told her that Santa knew that Mommy and Daddy had her covered on presents but that he left her a stocking.  She opened it up and was thrilled.  And how did Santa know that she wanted square lollipops and Leroy and Stitch?  She seemed content with the answer I gave her.  I guess next year I will have to make sure that I stash a couple.

I'm pretty sure someone from the North Pole will be coming to confiscate my elf hat.

What's In A Dream

So my dreams lately...I have no idea what is going on!  I mean, I guess it's a good thing that I am dreaming.  This time last year I wasn't and I was exhausted after a nights rest.  This year, the dreams are so full of crazy.  They are crazy but they seem as if they could for a minute be completely real and then I wake up with a head full of WTF!

So the other night I had a dream that Alton Brown from Good Eats would take time off once a year and fly to the west coast to go out with me to eat mexican food.  And I mean, if you wanted super fantastic mexican food, I know where to go so that's not the weird part.  It was super secret, like I was cheating on the Hubs.  Maybe I felt guilty because Hubby is the one I go to mexican food with?  I have no idea. I woke up thinking that it was cool that I was running around town with Alton Brown.

A couple nights later I had a dream that I was thrift store hunting with Ariel Tweedo from Flying Wild. Hubby loves the Alaska shows so every now and then we watch them before bed.  We were both really sad when they ended the show.  So I had this dream that we were hanging out and decided to go on a hunt.  A thrift store hunt.  So we were hitting up all the thrift stores in town looking for vintage treasures.

This morning I woke up from a dream that left me with more questions than answers.  I had a dream that I won a singing contest.  Which is a hoot because I do not sing.   Let me rephrase that...I sing...just not very well and it's usually while I am doing dishes or in the shower.  So I start the dream with me and Clover and we are being driven to this house.  Darren Hayes opens the door!  And I totally played it cool in the dream which is where I knew that something was going on because I probably would have fainted in real life.  But like I said I played it cool and we chatted it up like we were old friends and at no time did my knees get weak.  Totally knew it was a dream there.  So we went for a walk and there was Star Wars stuff everywhere.  Like dogs that looked like Chewbacca and cars that looked like cruisers.  So after our visit he was supposed to drive us to the airport.  Instead we ended up at a Country  Club.  Apparently I was also in an all girl Country Band.  Although the girls and I were only there to serve soup.  The chef was really mean to us though and we wanted to leave but it was supposed to be a gig so we didn't want to leave and make anyone upset just in case we made it big we didn't want any bad stories about us.  I woke up right around the time we were supposed to serve the soup.

Can any of you dream interpreters jump on this and let me know what is going on in my head?        

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Finding Inspiration In The People I Know

Reading through my blog list tonight.  I call it "catching up on my stories".  Since I do not have cable or satellite anymore (and it's been over a year) most of my entertainment comes from the internet.  I do a lot of reading via my monitor.

I went from reading blogs to dropping in on Facebook and scrolling through.  One thought led to another and I felt inspired.  I know a lot of time after I get on Facebook I feel a case of the jealousies or part of me starts to feel bad for humanity based on what I just read but tonight for some reason is different.

I feel inspired by the people I know.

I know a lot of kick ass people.  Bright, caring, smart, funny, strong people.  It makes me want to be a better person.  Not just because New Years is coming up and I should have a resolution but because I want to be more like the people I know.  They all have qualities I want to copy.  I had this whole thought about absorbing coolness through osmosis like a super hero power but then that thought sounded a little on the creepy side.

I'm not sure what to do with my new found inspiration but I feel like I should do something.  Sooo, that's a lot of words to tell you guys that you rock!  And, I'm really glad I know you all!    

It Was Just One Night

So we finally did it.  We left Clover for the night.  We haven't left her overnight since we brought her home from the hospital.  She had already been away from us for six nights at that point.  I will admit that it took me awhile to get used to the idea of leaving her.  But once I had accepted it I was able to relax and enjoy myself.

Hubby and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary and decided that it was finally time to get away for ourselves.  We went up to the mountains and got a honeymoon suite just for the two of us.  It was quiet and cold and lovely.

Clover stayed at home with her grown up best friend.  I am hesitant to call her our babysitter because she does so much more than that.  She had a full science day planned out.  She kept Clover so busy that I don't think she had time to miss us.

It's funny how everyone asks how it went.  We were in a cabin all to ourselves with a jacuzzi tub and a king size bed.  It was just the two of us!  How do you think it went?  So needless to say...I TOOK A NAP!  and it was everything I hoped it would be.  Except for that part where because of the nap I didn't fall asleep until 2am.   

I have to give props to the Hubs.  He willingly left his electronics at home so he could spend the night with me.  Awwww how sweet!  I thought he might start twitching but it was only for one night  He did very well!

 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

It Wasn't Really The Time

Being the non-confrontational person I am, I debated about posting about such a sensitive subject.  I guess I have reached my limit of being bombarded with what seems to be lack of empathy or sympathy and it has gotten to me.  I think I might give up Facebook for awhile.  I thought about doing that during the election just to avoid the spam and hatred.  Instead I just hid everyone and kept using.  Last week after the tragic events in Connecticut, Facebook blew up and I unfriended some people.  I'm still on the fence on if there will be more.

It wasn't really the time for you to promote your gun politics, or time for you to throw around infographics on God in schools, or for you to complain about us "spamming condolences", or your conspiracy theories.

That was just plain tacky.

I, myself am having a hard time processing what has happened but even I knew that it wasn't the time.  These conversations may or may not need to take place, but the day of or even the day after is just too soon.  People are trying to process what has happened.  People are grieving.  Even if this happened all the way across the country it still effects us here at home.  Why?  Because it pulls us out of our normal.  It makes us think.  And yes, it makes us hug our little ones tighter.  Because we can.  Because other's can't and that makes us sad.  Very, very sad.  

   

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Swirling Ideas

Someone mentioned the other day that I should write about Clover's adventures.  I do write about them here and a lot of Facebook.  But she was talking about writing a children's book.  I had thought about this several times and brainstormed some ideas, but in the end lost confidence in my writing abilities and gave up.  But the last couple of days the idea hasn't left my head.  I've even tried to come up with a story line.  With self publishing and Amazon these days I really don't need to get picked up by a publisher so that opens the field a little bit more.  But then I have questions.  Is this something I can really do?  Do I have ideas that others would be interested in reading?  I have really questionable taste in literature.  One of our favorite books is called Chicken Butt so I'm not sure if I'm qualified.

Does it matter?

I can write...and I want too.

So there is that.        

Keeper of Stuff

After trying to make a dent in Clover's room I have come to the conclusion that she is THE keeper of stuff.  She has baskets filled with her treasures that she collects from just about everywhere she goes.  This includes on Thanksgiving where she came home with a heavy haul of trinkets from Granny and Grandpa's coffee table.

This is her collection of "fluff" that she had to have after helping me with a project today.  

She wont specify why she needs it just that she needs it.  


This basket contains the treasures from her Grandparent's house along with some beading supplies she jacked when we had crafty time the other night.  

As you can tell there is a lot of random stuff in there.  They are all her treasures and if you even nudge the basket she freaks out.  Odds are if you are missing some stuff she has it in her basket.  I'm really anticipating what she is going to do with all that stuff.