As a Christmas gift, GG (great grandma) gave us all show tickets to see the Rockettes Christmas Show. At first I wondered what kind of a show it would be. I mean…it’s the Rockettes. All I knew about them was that it would be a bunch of ladies dancing and kicking up their heels. I wondered if the show would be appropriate for the kids. I did not know what to expect.
From the moment the stage lights came on to the time of the live nativity at the end, the children and adults were memorized. It was more than dancing leggy women. It was a child’s dream come true. There was a lot of colors and activity and people dancing and singing. Then at the end there was a beautiful live nativity that was absolutely stunning.
If ever you get a chance to go see the Rockettes, go and see them. The show will not only knock your socks off but trigger your imagination. (and in a good way!)

Some people get depressed by the end of the year. Others get inspired. I personally fall on the inspiration side. It’s like a clean slate to me.
I do not make New Year’s Resolutions I make New Year’s goals. If I don’t accomplish the goals I look back and re-evaluate where I went off track. This year I am making an amendment to this system. I want to evaluate my goals each month. I think that will help me keep on track.
I had mixed emotions when Hula Girl told me her goal. Her goal was to do our workout video together 5 times a week. I got a 3 DVD Leslie Sansone Walk the Walk for Christmas. We have done the DVD 1 time since Christmas! I really enjoy the workout because it is walking and at my pace. I can work up to the “run like a crazy woman.”
So my goal this year is to make that happen. I generally last until the end of March and then I get too busy. This year I have to make it a priority. Not just for me but for her. This is my first goal. To make it past March with working out!
Next goal is to get the basement done and keep up with it. I know that sounds crazy but we remodeled our basement and it looks great. Now I need to finish it. While HH is out of town I want to paint it all. (including the doors and the stairwell) Then I want to finish the painting upstairs. After that I want to touch up my cabinets. I have painted cabinets. Better than the dark brown that they were!
I accomplished most of my goals from last year. Meaning I was able to do Fly Lady and keep up with the house better. I reorganized the kid’s room once a month. I set up a schedule and followed it with cleaning and upkeep. Now I have to keep up the laundry.
My next goal for this year is to keep up a little better with the laundry. Laundry is a strange monkey on my back. I hate it. I just need to face it and conquer it! I go for about a month being very good and then get busy and behind. This year will be different. It has to be.
In light of the terrible tsunami that hit Sri Lanka, Thailand…etc. my goal for this year is to find a project that can make a difference. Meaning if I need to knock on doors and organize our community to get more involed whether it be here or in another country I want to do it. Sometimes I get frustrated because I am one small voice in a sea of many voices wanting to be heard. After seeing the devastation from the tsunami and feeling like I can’t help or make a difference I want to change my view. I will find something that will take my small voice and love for people beyond my voice. I don’t know what that will be yet. Hula Girl and I put our heads together last night and she thinks she could make snow cones to raise money to send. (it’s frozen winter here!!) I don’t want to discourage her. If she feels that is her calling I want her to answer it and take charge.
Basically I want to give CPR to my resolution this year. It is not a resolution…these are goals. I generally say…I want to lose weight, I want to be a better mom…etc. This year it’s different. Four changes is all I want to do. I’ll do them one at a time. I feel it will impact not just our lives but those around us. Who knows?

Almost sixteen years ago I was given my first gift and responsibility in a child’s life. It does not sound like much but at 19 years old it was a lot. I took it on and loved every moment.
Fifteen and a half years ago my god daughter was born. Lakota Sue was a miracle and the first birth that I was suppose to attend. Her mom and I were close and we had decided that I would be there for the birth. Lakota being her normal self decided to hurry up, hurry up and then when we would get to the hospital she would relax and go back into hibernation! I was so frustrated.
I was going on vacation with my church to Arizona and sure enough I got on the plane and labor started. I called as soon as I got off the plane and of course she had started labor and it was going fast. I was so upset that I was going to miss it.
As soon as I got back I spent countless hours at their house holding her and playing with her. When her mom married again, I spent a lot of time in the home playing with the kids. I didn’t realize it until I had children what a relief it is to be able to have someone there to tag team with.
Both her and her mom were in my wedding. Lakota was cute as the little ring bearer. She did a great job. During the wedding they were to sit on the step of the platform which she did. When it came time to sit like a lady she decided that she would sit with her legs apart. She was wearing a dress that was long but still she refused to sit like a little lady. It was quite comical.
After her mom got divorced and then remarried again I was starting a family of my own. The husband that she had chosen this time was not only a keeper but a wonderful man. He was good to her, both of the children and he had children. It was like a crazy Brady Bunch. I finally felt that Lakota was getting into a time in her life that she needed to bond with her new father and I would take a back seat. So I did.
We still kept in contact but it was not as often. Still Lakota made sure that I did not lose contact with her.
Time has marched on and now she is 15 almost 16 years old. She spent a lot of the summer at our home and with our children. The relief that I gave her mother she now bestows on me.
She spends a lot of her breaks here and I love it. It is so strange to me that after all of these years she still likes to come over to our home and spend time with us. Even if that means spending an hour watching James Bond with me to make me happy!! *giggle Personally, I think she loves it when the kids go to bed and it’s just her and I. We sit around giving back rubs, fighting pillow wars, and giggling like a bunch of teenagers.
I love you sweetie. Thank you for being the first gift in my life.

If you have a moment…please whisper a prayer for Genuine Nephew. He’s in the hospital today with the creeping crud. He was having difficulty breathing last night and is still having some problems.

Great Grandma is in town. To most that would mean that they sit around and quietly visit about the old days. I must admit that GG has a ton of energy and spirit for an 80 year old lady. To us it means making good on our birthday gift to her every year which is taking pictures with the kids. So Mrs. G and I round up the troops and take them to our local picture place. Now we have a ton of personalities and little people to manage to make this picture work.
When I started this tradition Hula Girl was the only great grandchild. It was easy! Then along came Genuine Girl (to me Genuine Niece) and it still was a breeze. A few years later came Genuine Boy (Genuine Nephew to me) and it was easy for the first 9 months. Then a year went by and we didn’t take a picture. Then Hula Boy joined the gang and it was starting to get complicated!! Genuine Baby had his first picture with GG this year!
So needless to say we could write a comedy on picture taking with GG. Yesterday we had Hula Girl that couldn’t figure out how to smile without looking like she was saying cheese. Genuine Girl was not feeling that great so she just played along. Now then there’s Genuine Boy who is camera phobic! LOL The first year we took pictures with him he kept screaming and climbing off the platform. This year he did 100% better. He still did not want to be there and did not want his picture taken. For the first few he was patient and then he was done. Nana and Mrs. G convinced him to at least stand up there. He did it for a minute but not very willing. So auntie (me) pulled a rabbit out of the hat and started bribing with candy. (bad bad auntie) We at least got a few more shots that way! Unfortunately, all the kids look like they are kissing the camera because they’re all sucking on Skittles! Then Hula Boy started to get impatient and sat there like a bump on a log. He had been taking gorgeous pictures before. AACHCHHH! Baby Genuine was of course a great picture taker until the very end when it was his nap time and he was done. So between sucks on the bottle we would have to quickly take it out of his mouth and then take the picture.
Still this experience was better than last year. I think Mrs. G would agree. The kiddos looked adorable and of course added their own little personality that is now captured on film! (or on disk in this case!)

MORE PICTURES IN THE EXTENDED ENTRY

GG with all the gang

MORE PICTURES IN THE EXTENDED ENTRY!

Hula Girl and Hula Boy

AND JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT THERE ARE MORE PICTURES IN THE EXTENDED ENTRY!! REALLY CUTE ONES TOO!
(more…)

After reading the entries of 125 people the nominations for the Most Inspirational Blog has been posted. I must admit it was a job to read over 80 blogs but I found that I enjoyed reading ones I hadn’t read before. Since I was the judge in this catagory I felt inspired every time I opened up another blog!
Go over and check out the list. I had to be impartial which was very difficult because some of the nominees were on my blogroll. I still have my favorites that personally inspire me on a daily basis. Some just make me laugh…others just inspire me to be a better parent…and then there are some that lift me up. It was TOUGH TOUGH TOUGH.
So…hop on over and check it out if ya have a chance!

After the craziness of the holidays….we’re sending the kids to church with Sashoo and Happy!
SSSHHHH we’re ditching this morning. *slinking back to bed now.

The secret is out!!!! I’M GOING TO BE AN AUNTIE AGAIN!!! WOOHOO!! Genuine and Mrs. G are going to have baby number 4 sometime in August! AJ is now 5 months old and sometime in August right after he is 1 he will be joined by another little blessing. YAYAYAYAYAY!!
Tra-la-la since I won’t be having any more myself it just makes another one to love on!
Merry Christmas to all! HUGS!

IT’S BEAUTIFUL! There’s still snow but the sun is shining. The mountain behind us has a beautiful skiff of fresh snow and no one has hike up it yet. It’s freaking freezing and for me to say that you know it has to be. It was around what 0 last night. I’m generally hot natured but this weather had me shivering in my boots!
I am looking forward to the standing rib roast I’m making for lunch and the playing of the movie, “The Christmas Story”!!!!!!!!!!!! It is my all time favorite Christmas movie and it’s playing all day. I should just go out and buy the crazy thing, but you know how it is….it’s all about the kids after kids!
Anyway for those of you celebrating other holidays I want to wish you a Happy Holidays. For those of you celebrating Christmas, from our family to yours….MERRY CHRISTMAS.

IT’S SNOWING IT’S SNOWING! We have about 6-7 inches of snow this morning! We’ll have a white Christmas.
Growing up we were always in Arizona for Christmas. It wasn’t until I was 19 that we stopped going. I still am amazed by the white stuff on Christmas. I love the feeling of it being cold outside and being toasty warm inside. (just don’t stand by the windows or the back door because you’ll freeze!!)
Of course our children are looking forward to going in the back yard and sledding down our hill. They love that. The other day Hula Girl put Hula boy in the sled and sent him down the hill. That was fine except we now have retaining walls. 4 foot high retaining walls. I let out a caution warning as HB sledded closer to the wall. It was amazing how fast my body ran. He went off the wall and I caught him just in time. Scared the crap out of me. HE LAUGHED. I couldn’t believe it. He thought it was fun and wanted to do it again! Of course HG was horrified and afraid that she would get in trouble for aiming him that direction but I don’t know that she did it on purpose. I just explained that Fly Boy wouldn’t be good so next time aim him down the middle of the hill. They did that the rest of the afternoon!
Did I mention that I love snow??!! I love the cold??!! After living in Florida (if you live there I am so sorry for my next comment) I couldn’t wait to get back to the cold and an environment that didn’t have more bugs than people. Especially roaches. *shudder An environment where most insects don’t survive is just great with me! (I know I know they always come back in the spring and summer)
Anyway I don’t know if I will have time to post tomorrow because the whole family is coming for dinner!!! (14 of us!!)
Have a very Merry Christmas!