Finally!

Heck Yeah!  (MSW) - it's another word for h-e double hockey sticks.  In this case, it is supposed to be the better phrase for he__ yeah!

About 2 weeks ago, something disastrous happened at our house.  It was horrible.  The world as we know it was crumbling around me.  I had lost all meaning of life.  I cried and wept for days on end.  I couldn't eat.  I couldn't sleep.  I had lost everything.  You see, the worst thing ever had happened.  My laptop broke.  I know.... horrendous, right?

But by Christmas, all was made right.  Oscar had gotten me a "new" laptop for the holiday!  So my days are brighter and all is right with the world again. It is "new" because it is actually refurbished by the manufacturer.  But, hey, it's new to me.  Wow, I am such a princess!

Christmas Eve was spent with Oscar's family.  My sister-in-law who lives down the street had us all over for the holiday.  We ate a wonderful dinner and then acted out the Nativity.   All the kids got involved.  Macaroni, since he is 16, didn't want to, so he and the other older cousins were the narrators.  It's so cute to see them dressed up.  The girls love to be the angels; the boys, the wise guys.

Next was present time.  All of the kids got hats and gloves from Grandma and Grandpa (Momma and Papa Bear).  Then they had picked names and exchanged gifts with the cousins.  The adults do that as well.  Oscar got a nice new tie and I received body spray and lotion.  It was a wonderful evening.  Unfortunately, Papa Bear couldn't be there.  He was recently released from the hospital and is recovering from pneumonia.  We didn't want a relapse!!  We missed him, but want him to be healthy!

I talked with my parents back in Wisconsin using Skype.  I tried talking to my sisters as well, but couldn't get a hold of them.  The Kiwi Princess was probably at her beach house in New Zealand.  Rocky Mountain High I think was snowmobiling.  Fun for both of them!!  My brothers are all well too.  My one brother, Mr. Neat Guy, had some surgery right before the holiday and is recovering nicely.  The other 2 spent the day with my parents and their significant others.  I miss the family of course, but knowing that they are safe and healthy makes the holiday better.

Heck Yeah!  We had a good holiday and are looking forward to a fun and happy new year!

Elf on a Shelf

Scrooge (MSW) - very similar to Grinch.  Use the  same expletive!

My friend sent this to me this morning.  Yep, this is something I would've done when the kids were younger. 

This is what happens when the naughty TOY STORY bear takes charge of the Lego People!

See, I'm not the only Grinch or scrooge around!

Mack and the Mo Tabs!

Another spiritual Sunday is upon us.  It was a great day but I'm a little sad.  You see, I am no longer the nursery leader at church.  I love those cute 18 month old to 3 year old kids.  They have been so fun.  Their smiles and hugs gave gotten me through so many weeks.  So I'm a little sad.  My new calling though will be to work with the older kids.  Not much older though!  I'll have the 3-4 year old kids.  Still adorable and cute.  They just are more vocal.  That could be bad!  But I'm sure it'll be great.

This has been a hard week.  I've been trying to get everything finished before Christmas.  The problem is, once I think I've taken care of a loose end, the other end comes loose!  And really, why in the world do the elementary schools have to have a Christmas program for the parents?  I'd rather have a Halloween program or a Thanksgiving/Christmas program.  But no! They have to do a special program for the parents to come and "enjoy."  The week that all heck is breaking loose and the family is crazy stressed and busy.  Cheese did his this week.  And it was cute and he was cute.  But honestly, that's an hour of my life I'll never get back!  Whine's is this week.  Calgon.....take me away!

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The good news is that I may have found a piece of light and joy among the Christmas craziness.  My sister in law got last minute tickets to "Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir."  I call the choir, Mack and the Mo Tabs.  Mack Wilberg was a choir director at Brigham Young University when I was a student.  He is so talented and I love watching him conduct.  I loved it when I got to sing with him in college.  It was a great treat.  So, now that he conducts the tabernacle choir, I re-named them, Mack and the Mo Tabs.  This year the Christmas concert featured Jane Seymour and Nathan Gunn.    

Nathan Gunn

Jane Seymour

It was awesome!  There is nothing like beautiful music and wonderful stories of the true meaning of Christmas.  Jane Seymour was a narrator of sorts and told the stories, not only of Christ's birth, but of the song Good King Wenceslas.  Of course the choir and Nathan Gunn sang beautiful music that went along with the stories.  It lifted my grinch-y spirit quite a bit.  So much that I actually baked cookies today.  It's a Christmas miracle!!

Life is good.  So good that I have to share this video.  You have to watch it to the very end!

Total and complete Grinch!

Grinch (MSW) - a bi**h.  Or someone who hates the holidays.  Unfortunately, I'm a little of both.

I told you about my holiday shopping already.  But I have to tell you I'm a bit of a grinch.  Sadly, in both ways.  Quite frankly, I hate the holidays.  People always ask me why.  Hmm....let me think. 

First, I'm a mother.  What does that have to do with it?  Hello?!  I do the cooking.  I do the cleaning.  I do the shopping and wrapping.  I have to think of what to even get the monsters before I do the shopping.  On top of that, I pay for it all.  Then after the "beautiful Christmas morning" is over, I get to hear the complaints that they didn't get what they wanted!  And inevitably, someone is always telling me they got the wrong thing, the wrong size or something.  So I am a grinch.  I am crabby and don't look forward to it much.

But I do love seeing the lights and singing along with the music.  I love seeing the joy on kids faces (just maybe not my kids!).  So maybe I'm not a total grinch after all.

Has to be done.

No word or oddity today.  I just have to post this link.

WARNING:  The following video may be offensive to some ears.  It contains language that some may deem inappropriate.  It is not necessarily the views of this blogger.

Oh, who am I kidding?!  It's hilarious!