Random Updates

With only 18 hours left until the kids will have unwrapped all of their presents in less than 2.0 seconds, I realize that it has taken me an entire year to plan, budget, shop and wrap for their gifts. How is it possible to measure the ROI (return on investment) on these items? In squeals, laughs, hugs, grins and countless hours of play with toys following the unwrapping frenzy. Before we get caught up in the craziness of the morning, I want to take a moment to reflect and relish on some events that have popped up in our life recently.

1. I had the flu last week that I thought was a touch of pregnancy. Since I am on medication for my newly diagnosed ADHD, my doctor gave me a pregnancy test; drawing blood is 100% accurate as opposed to peeing on a stick apparently. While I waited, I started getting the happy flutters thinking I might be pregnant. I started telling a couple close friends about it. I even picked out a possible boy's name. I got the call from the nurse and excitedly answered, confident of hearing that I was pregnant. She said, "The result from your test came back negative." Negative. That is how I felt that evening.

2. Since Halloween, I have kicked my sugar habits. Admittedly, I have cheated from time to time. When I have cheated, I have felt the effects of sugar. I get moody, tired, and fuzzies in my brain. Today, I measured my waistline. I have lost 6 inches in my waist line alone! I am trying to do my wiiFit about 3 - 5 nights a week, for about 30 minutes. It still says, "That's obese." I know, so rude, right! But, I have lost over 10 pounds since going on the sugar free diet!

3. One of the first Christmas cards we received in the mail was from my step dad. The card was preprinted and as non-personal as a Holiday Greeting from an insurance company. I haven't talked to my step dad since last Christmas when he treated my daughters and I like thieves when we were looking over my mom's jewelry. You may recall in previous posts that jewelry was the ONLY thing my mom left me, her only child. Yet my elderly step father, with no children of his own did not want me to have anything. I believe in my heart that I have been good to him and that I was entitled to more from my mother's estate. However, he has shown little to zero compassion for me or my children. We left after visiting him last Christmas on not the best terms. I sent him a card with a personal note any how. The day I dropped that in the mail, I received a package from him with a nice note and gifts for my kids. I love Christmas when things like this happen!

4. I am realizing that in grieving my mother and great aunt Midge, I am also having to grieve the friends and family that they were close with. That has made me a little sad, however, I am learning to cope with that by reaching out to them in special ways. There is one family who was very close with her. I sent them a box with some jewelry items and scarves that I thought my mother would have wanted them to have. I also wanted to pass along something special to my cousins from my mother's side. One of the traditions that my mom did for us is that she would buy us the tackiest most obnoxious electronic Christmas decoration. She'd give it to us after Christmas which ALWAYS annoyed me. But, we'd put it in our Christmas decoration storage and save it until November. Then, we'd get to open it when it was time to decorate and we'd ALWAYS giggle. You know the laughs that you get when you just might have tinkled a bit... I miss getting those gifts from her. So, in the spirit of her memory, I am starting a new tradition with my cousin's kids. I sent them some bang bang jingle jingle Fa La La La La blinking blanking, batteries required electronic Christmas decor. I hope they will retaliate and send my girls some obnoxious gifts back! I will keep you posted with photos when I get their gift!

I am really settling in to our new home and enjoying my in-laws. Also, I am loving getting reconnected to old friends through Face Boook! These are a few of my favorite holiday memories I am making right now!

More on random updates soon!