Happy New Year!

Dave and I have had four Christmas' together now and I've enjoyed this one the most. We did not have to travel, we decorated sugar cookies, watched Scrooge, ate candy cane hot fudges, exchanged poems and played lots of games with family. There were a few hiccups in the holiday, like TK had a cold, Dave bit off more than he could chew in the kitchen and my daughter stayed an extra day with my sick grandson. My oldest (drama queen) got a free, last minute trip to Hawaii, so it was a drama free FUN Christmas!

I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas and here's to you in 2007...CHEERS! May this year bring you and your family's many blessings :) I'll be out of town for New Year's weekend so I'll be by to catch up with you next week.

Poetry Thursday- Two Hearts

This year Dave and I are not exchanging gifts but instead putting what we would have spent on Christmas into the new house. We are writing each other poems this year and because Dave is restricted from reading my blog until after Christmas I'm posting my first draft for Poetry Thursday.

TWO HEARTS

I have given you my heart freely as
it beats inside your own, happily,
knowing it’s safe
beating in rhyme
with your own–
though it has been a gift
our blood flows fast
in currents of time.
Your heart never wavered.
You knew what you needed,
though your mind flashed
caution, with a red
neon sign, you ignored its plea.
You took my heart
captive, and with abandon,
and shed its tattered cover
with warmth and care.
As I stood bare,
my fears were silenced,
the sun began to rise
blinding all the grey,
and there you stood
covering me with light,
taking my heart to yours.

Two Memes and a Christmas Dog

1. Apple cider, Eggnog, or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate but I'm a white hot chocolate gal.
2. Turkey or Ham? Turkey is my favorite because I love turkey sandwiches and turkey & rice soup the next day.
3. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? We always wrap but the big things are set out with bows.
4. Colored lights or white on the tree? I like white lights because it looks elegant and white outside lights looks like snow. Dave says we are doing large colored lights and tinsel next year because he wants his childhood tree.
5. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree? I love the smell of a real tree and once we move to the mountains that would seem sacrilegious to use a fake one. LOL I heard they cut trees from the tops so it doesn't kill the trees.
6. Favorite Christmas song? "The Christmas Song" Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...
7. How do you feel about Christmas movies? I'm not a fan of Christmas comedy movies but I love musicals. "White Christmas," "Meet me in St. Louis," "Scrooge" with Albert Finney.
8. What is your favorite holiday dish? Frosted sugar cookies and REAL mashed potatoes. A great yam recipe and Candy cane ice cream with hot fudge on Christmas Eve during Scrooge ;)
9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Before the tree and lights are up.
10. What is your favorite holiday smell? The Christmas Tree
11. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was around 9 or 10 and found the presents hidden in mom's closet. I pretended from then on just in case it would all stop. LOL
12. What kind of decorations are on your Christmas Tree? Every Christmas we buy a few ornaments that represent the year we've had, so when we decorate we remember all our blessings. This years ornaments are on my blog's slideshow
13. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas Day? One present Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas morning, including stockings.
14. Go to someone elseÂ’s house or they come to you? I hate traveling at Christmas and prefer to be home in my jammies with my hubby, goodies, tree and movies.
15. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I would much rather give presents but it's even better to give to those who appreciate them. Like my hubby ;)

MEME #2

"The Rules:The player of this game starts with "3 things he/ she would love to get for Christmas" and also has to list "3 things he/ she definitely does not want to get for Christmas".

Then he/she tags 5 friends and list their names. The ones who get tagged need to write on their blogs about their Christmas wishes, as well as state this rule clearly, then tag 5 more victims. And the one who tags need to leave a comment that says "you've been Christmas tagged!" in their comments and tell them to read your blog."

THINGS I WOULD LIKE FOR CHRISTMAS:
1.A cure for ALS!!!
2.My children to get along and think of others.
3.Everyone to work together to preserve our planet and GET ALONG!

THINGS I DON'T WANT FOR CHRISTMAS:
1.Stress
2.An extra ten pounds
3.To stay in Iraq

I'm tagging Pam, Helen, Potato Print, Nancy and Chris. You don't have to but it's fun!

This last picture is my of my dog Nikki who has been really upset over the loss of our lab Manny. The vet had us bring her to Manny after he was gone so she would not search for him. It did not help her from being very sad and lost. Manny watched over her everyday for 9yrs. She even hikes one leg when she pees. She is scared to go outside without someone with her and she has been grieving. I got her groomed for Christmas and the groomer put a Christmas collar on her. Funny how a hair cut can cheer up a girl :) She is perking up for Christmas.

One Deep Breath - "Storm" Haiku

Making snow angels
tasting snowflakes from the sky
powdered sugar days

Winters veil falls
landscape blurred in natures wrath
flurries of silence

Sunday Scribbling - "Anticipation"

I have been full of anticipation to move to the mountains from the foothills. We will have a lovely home near a lake with the wonderful aroma of pine trees. We will have land for Dave to garden and I will have my own cozy den. We will enjoy snow covered trees at Christmas and fishing in the summer with the sun glistening on the lake. Sounds like heaven to me.

Funny thing about anticipation of a upcoming event is that you can think about it too much. I have taken a dream and in preparing for it I have developed fear. I realized I 'm going to be leaving my first home that I bought on my own. Knowing every wall and piece of furniture to assist me in moving safely around on my own. My back up support system is here with friends and family. There is no one to check on my animal's if I travel, or cut my hair the way I like it. I will have to find a new house cleaner that can handle my anal cleanliness. Will there be caregivers available when needed out there? Can Dave handle being retired and around me 24/7, or me him? You hear the stories about too much of a good thing ;) I found myself anticipating all the needs I have and got freaked !

I'm happy to say that I'm back to anticipating the adventure and change. I still have my moments but I keep reminding myself that I did it before, as a single mom with ALS, and I can do it again with Dave. I'm outgoing and will make new friends plus I'll be 3hrs away from my drama queen daughter's. No stress zone! Dave will have a workshop with a bathroom to escape to and we will have neighbors ;) Anticipating my needs turned out to be a good thing and it's forcing me to start preparing now.

Catching up from November

I literally did nothing but write in November and just when I thought I could return to my blog, December jumped up and slapped me upside the head. The lights are now up and the halls are completely decked (see slideshow). TK was my helper but as you can see he pooped out. LOL I have been creating picture calendars for my family this week and choosing my yearly ornaments for them (see slideshow). It consumed more time than I had set aside and I have sadly neglected my blog. I was also hit with a huge surprise in the middle of it all.


My long lost, only sibling has returned to our lives. This is my brother Pat and he is my baby brother at 43. He never could really handle my preteens and the ALS so he quietly slipped away from my family. I was saddened, but I was close enough to him to understand and accept it. Him and my dad make up my family and dad is not usually around. Imagine the shock he received to find all three of us married with an added baby. He is doing really well and he spent a couple days with me. An early gift that has brought my Christmas spirit out of the rafters. I got my brother back for Christmas ;)

Tomorrow is " back to blog day" and I can't wait to read about what everyone's up to. I will continue my novel in January and get it edited after I'm finished. I promise I will let you read it when it's done. Hope you're enjoying the holiday so far.

One Deep Breath - "close up"" Haiku

Softness in a touch
hands of time go by quickly
new friendship begins