Day 142, Crunchy nuggets of protein

Today I took Raechel to the airport, and she is now safely nestled back home in the blizzards of Utah. It was fun to have her here for a few days. Don't know when she'll be able to come home again,,, but I am looking forward to flying up for her graduation in April.

Had lunch with the girls today....and bit into something very interesting. It tasted exactly like the lady bug I ate nearly 30 years ago (yes, it left that much of an impression.) Needless to say, I lost my appetite after that. But hey, I got a free "meal" out of it because the manager took it off my bill. Yum yum!

I am looking forward to a New Year's Eve date with Ron tomorrow.... JUST the two of us together all day tomorrow and tomorrow night. I can't wait to ring in the new year with him. I believe RAKs are in order (wink wink.)

Day 141, ...And Counting...

Ah. You see? This is why I live here. January in Temecula. Palm trees, sunshine, and citrus trees. Amazing. This is one view from our balcony.

Beautiful, eh?

And here is part of our gang on Christmas Eve....donned in our "Night Before Christmas" pajamas....while visions of sugar plums (and eggnog) dance in our heads.

...And I in my jeans, and Ron on the couch, hoping there's something left in our money pouch.
Sigh. The holidays. Aren't they great? Moments like this one...with Ron and I together, relaxing, are rare and far between the hustle and bustle of the holiday madness. They are treasured moments for sure.

Countdown to New Year's Resolutions. ... Are you ready?

Day 140, And a partridge in a pear tree

Before I begin... let's have a big "Ahhhhhhh" moment with baby Jane. Here she is snug as a little bug...getting ready to ring in a new year. Little baby has no clue what the new year will have in store for her.... But then, none of us do, really, if you think about it.

Took down the tree today---interestingly enough, my husband was far more motivated in the "UN-decorating" than he was in the decorating. Hmmm. We didn't stop with the tree .... Nope.... We took it all down! Some say that it's bad luck to do this before New Year's.... but last year I decided to make this my new tradition. There is something very satisfying about beginning the New Year with a clean house, the Christmas clutter tucked safely away, and the knowledge that the daunting task of putting away the decorations no longer hangs over your head. Next, will be convincing my Mom to allow me to do her decorations before New Year's too. She's a bit of a tough cookie to crack. I suppose she has that right...she is 85 years old.

I already heard back from the publisher who requested my full manuscript. That is a little scary. In her e-mail, she states that several of them have read my book.... that is either very cool, or very suspicious. I mailed the hard copy last Monday. Anyhow, the Editor-in-Chief sent me an e-mail asking about the sequel. She didn't mention if they liked the book, so obviously I'm now on pins and needles. Please say a little prayer on behalf of my book. I need all the divine intervention I can get. :) How exciting would that be, huh? Imagine beginning the new year with a publishing contract! Wow! I can handle that!

Are you still thinking about your New Year's resolutions?

Oh yeah... Had my first mammogram today. What a joke. Here I've been putting it off for nearly ten years because of all the horror stories about how horrible they are, and it was nothing. Seriously. Nothing. I wasn't even the least bit uncomfortable. What in the heck is all the hype? Either I have amazingly tough boobies, or there are a lot of whiney women out there. Jeepers, my boobs see more action during...... hmmm.... never mind. I'll keep that thought to myself (wink wink.) Besides, don't want anyone throwing up in their mouth.

Day 139, No rest for the weary

Nothing to write tonight. Not that there isn't anything to say, just that I am tired....and don't feel like expending the effort to think of something clever to say. I have been thinking about my blog, however,... and wondering how I might make it more interesting for readers. I plan to get back to the daily quotes soon, the RAKs, and Planet M.... but I feel like there is more that I should do. So, if you have any requests, let me know. Joke of the day? That would be interesting.....especially since I cannot tell a joke to save my life!

Have you been thinking about your New Year's Resolutions? Please share them with me, I'd love to read them.

Got another rejection from an agent today. Same ole same ole.

Guess what? I am getting my first mammogram tomorrow. Whoo hoo!! Can't wait! Squish Squash, oh my gosh!

Day 138, There's Got to be a Morning After

One minute till midnight.... one minute to go.... Better post now, and better not be slow.

The day after Christmas is always an interesting day for me....I sort of feel lost. The decorations still light up and glisten....but the magic is gone.

And my pants fit tighter. Why is that?

Best way to deal with the let down is to go out to lunch with the girls and do some after Christmas shopping---assuming of course, that there is any money left in the account. Right now, my bank account is---as Bing Crosby so eloquently put it---"somewhere between ouch and boing!"

Ya gotta love Christmas :)

Day 137, Oh there's no place like home for the holidays...

Another Christmas has come and gone...  our family tradition in tact... no blood spilled... nobody's feelings hurt... and everyone pleased with their gifts. The M&M mugs were a smash...and provoked precisely the reaction hoped for. Mom and Dad genuinely seem to love the painting we got them, and the kids were pleased with their Christmas loot. The turkey was tender and juicy, the ham tasty, the dressing undercooked, the potatoes creamy and the gravy free of lumps (after a little elbow grease and a wire whisk.) The Rejection Queen felt anything BUT rejected... indeed, she was welcomed with open arms and hearts and put to work just like the rest of the family.

So now, I shall remove my elf cap and retire it to the closet for the next eleven months. In a few days, I will put away all the decorations, and prepare to face the incoming year with a clean house, a clean slate, and a newly-refined list of resolutions.

Did I mention the pie? Pumpkin pie, apple pie, cherry pie, pecan pie.... my stomach lurches at the mere mention of them. As customary, I ate too much.

Best part of my day? Hearing my son's voice for the first time in 7 months. His was the voice of an angel... and the highlight of Christmas. This year, I was able to speak to Andrew for about 2 1/2 hours. That was great. Next year, he'll be home for the holidays.... and that will be awesome.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Day 136, O Holy Night

As promised, my list of "O Holy Night" do's and don'ts. ... or rather, should's and should not's. Those who should be banned from performing "O Holy Night":--- Mariah Carey, Gloria Estephan, Marie Osmond (sorry... I love most songs that she does, but did not care for her version of this song,) Barbara Streisand (I know, this one shocked me too...she has such an amazing voice...but she murdered the song,) Faith Hill, and NSync, to name a few. Best versions out there? Gaither Vocal Band does a beautiful harmony arrangement that is not overdone, Celine Dion does a great job, but gets a little animated in my opinion, Josh Grobin does a splendid job. Mormon Tabernacle Choir is angelic in their arrangement. Finally, Andy Williams is probably my #1 choice for a solo arrangement---nothing tricky or distracting---he lets the melody speak for itself. If you have a suggestion for a singer or group that should be banned from performing this amazing piece of music, please send it to me and I will judge it. Likewise, send your choice for the number one performer, and I will give it a listen...and decide if it is worthy to make my "Permission to Perform" list.

Now for my favorite Christmas songs: White Christmas, Silver Bells, Blue Christmas, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Away in a Manger, Silent Night (MTC version), Still, Still, Still (Afterglow,) What Child is This, O Holy Night, The First Noel (MTC version), Jingle Bell Rock (Chet Atkins), For Unto Us a Child is Born (MTC version,) Do You Hear What I Hear?, and Little Drummer Boy (Bing and Bowie.) I realize I already posted a list a few days ago.... I doubt it has changed since then. Guess it all depends on my mood at the moment. Most amazing female voice on the planet? Sissel. Hands down. After her is Sarah Brightman, Julie Andrews, and Barabara Streisand. Most amazing male voice of all time? That's a tough one....Jury is out on that. Bing Crosby is definitely in the running for top honors. Others at or near the top? Andre Bocceli, Frank Sinatra, Micael Buble', Andy Williams, and of course, Luciano Pavarotti,,, there will never be another voice like his. Wait a minute... RON MORGAN is my favorite male vocalist of all time---let's make sure that is duly noted! Wink wink ;)

Had fun with Ryan and Jen and baby Jane tonight. We all got our Christmas pajamas, so we are officially ready for Santa's visit. I love Christmas Eve. We always have a formal dinner at our house with just our immediate family and we use our best china and place settings. The table is beautiful. I will post a picture as soon as Raechel puts them on my computer. Tomorrow it's Christmas dinner at my parent's house...and opening presents. There will be a few people at that party. It's tradition, what can I say?

The Rejection Queen will join us tomorrow, yeah :) She finished reading my manuscript and gave me an A+ on it. Let's hope a publisher agrees. Better yet, an agent!

Guess what? With all the hype over Christmas, I neglected to mention a huge milestone in my daughter's life. Raechel finished college! She has now earned her Bachelor's Degree from Brigham Young University. I am so proud of her! It was not easy for her, but she stayed with it and worked through her challenges...and now she has graduated! Go Raechel! The world is hers now... Go get them daughter! You can do anything you set your heart on. (Yes, English major, I know I hung a preposition there. Sorry. Author's perrogative.)

To all my readers, and to those kind enough to sign on as a follower---I wish you all the most glorious of Christmases...and a healthy, happy, and properous New Year. May your fondest dreams come true in the year that's ahead of you.... May you win in 2010.... May you enjoy the best and conquer the rest.... Yeah, I've got a million of these (hyperbole---English major again.)

Almost time for Santa to arrive so I'll shut it down for the night. Merry Christmas everyone....and "God bless us....everyone."                                                                     

Day 135, Are you freakin' kidding me?

No time to blog...I'm getting my butt kicked in Dominoes. It's embarrassing. I think I just hit the world's record for high point earner. That's bad.

Guess what? I finished wrapping. HoooRah!
Made my fudge.... Double HooooRah!

Chocolate pie, pumpkin pie, cherry pie,,, all on the agenda for tomorrow.

Dominoes is a stupid game.

Tomorrow...I will share my top 10 favorite Christmas songs... I know you are excited about that...
I will also give you my list of who should NOT sing "O Holy Night." That's an important list!

RAK?  Ha! Brought Eggnog to my honey. Treated my girls to pedicures and lunch. Random and kind :) I'm on a roll.

Day 134, Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus....right down Morgan Lane!

Well, look at our little granddaughter now . Doesn't she look happy? What a cutie! We are excited to celebrate Jane's first Christmas in a couple more days. She definitely brings a smile to everyone's face.

Ask me again if I'm done wrapping presents..... Go on,,,, ask. Nope. Sigh!!! BUT, only five more gifts to go, and then I am officially done with the wrapping. Then on to fudge and pies.... yum, yum. Once the baking is done, we deliver goodies to our neighbors and friends. I always look forward to the baking, even though it is time consuming. I really only get to bake a few times a year, and Christmas is one of those times. It's especially fun now that my daughters are there to help me.

Wow... only two more days to go ... it's coming fast! Christmas Eve is always a favorite day for me... Especially Christmas Eve night.... And really, Christmas night is a favorite of mine too. By then, all the work is done....The big meal is over, and the Christmas elf can retire for another year. I love Christmas!

Day 133, Four more days 'till meltdown

Go ahead... ask me if I'm done wrapping my presents yet. Nope. Not even close. Pathetic. I'm too busy turning circles around myself trying to figure out what to do next. Ah, but the end is in sight....after all there's a deadline to all this madness, isn't there? At least I'm finally done with the shopping part of it....Now it's the wrapping and the baking... in that order. It's all good and fun, but consumes all my time in the days preceding Christmas...when I know my husband wishes I would relax more and spend some of my time with him...enjoying the season. Maybe that will be my New Year's resolution for next year....along with revisiting my goals for this year, which have not been realized...just in case you're wondering. Heck, I don't even remember what they were.... I think they were to spend more time with Ron.... excercise, and get my book published. So, that would be a definite "nope" for the year. Looks like I'm as bad at resolutions as I am RAKs. Maybe I'm too old to change. Hmm.

Know what I'm looking forward to most this Christmas? Andrew's phone call. It has been so long since I've heard the sound of his voice... I just can't wait for his call. That is the best gift of all. I often wonder if I will ever have all my little ducklings home for Christmas again....together. How I wish I would have treasured those years we were together more. They grow up so fast....and then scatter. Sigh. 'Tis why we always need to live in the moment.

Better get back to the wrapping. Deadlines to meet, ya know.

Day 132, All wrapped up and no place to go

Well, the title may be  deceiving... I am far from having things wrapped up for Christmas, but I feel like I'm wrapped up in so many "things" that I don't know where to turn next. I'm certain I'm not alone. They write self-help books for people like me. Problem is, we are too busy to read them.

Thanks to some encouragement and help from Raechel, I finally started wrapping presents today. Hey,,, there is something under my tree! Yeah! I love having Raechel home. Christmas is always great with her here.

Speaking of Christmas....if you ever take a trip over to the rejection queen's blog, then you may have heard that she has been uncordially "un-invited" to her family's Christmas this year. I can't even begin to understand or relate to family dynamics of that type, but I suppose it takes all kinds. She has been invited to spend Christmas with our family.... dysfunctional as we may be at times. Funny how things happen sometimes. Hmm.

Enjoyed the Christmas program at church today...and enjoyed having Ron with me.

RAK? Can't think of anything. Sad, eh? And it's Christmas for Heaven's sake.... I should be RAKing every day!! Happy Holiday greetings, drop-by visits and goodies.... anything to put a smile on someone else's face. Well, I made cookies tonight, and shared them with Ron...He smiled. Truth is, the cookies will be for sharing with others... so in a round-about way, they count as an RAK.
After careful analysis, we've (Raechel,  Ron and I) decided there are no true RAKs without a reward attached. The simple act of doing something kind for someone else, no matter how seemingly insignificant or small, benefits the giver and makes them feel good inside. That's a reward, true, but it is also a high motivator, which makes RAK's seem almost selfish because we get so much out of them ourselves. Interesting, eh?

Five days till Christmas!

Day 130 and 131, Oh there's no place like home for the holidays

Hey,,, Rejection Queen... I put that in my title just for you :)

Merry Christmas to me... I took day 130 off from posting on the blog. I'm allowed. It's Christmas. I just spent a couple days at Harrah's Rincon, and while you may be thinking the worst, be it known that it was all for my brother. Sure sure. You see, I am trying to build up comps on my husband's card, so we can get my brother a room in Vegas for his 50th birthday. My room is already covered. It's a sacrifice... I do it for my brother...honest.
Er go another set of blank pages for the Book of Life when I get to the Pearly Gates of Heaven ;)

Nothing new to report today--just happy to be off, happy to have my daughter home, and happy there are still five  more days to get ready for Christmas, I need them after playing hooky the past 2 days.

Only 5 more days, and there is not even ONE present wrapped or under our tree. That is bad.
Ah, Christmas! Don't ya love it?

Day 129. Freedom Land

A quick note to say.... I'M ON VACATION!!! YIPEEEEEE!
Off to Harrahs for some true R & R.... No phones, no mail, no pets...no telling!
I might not get to post tomorrow... and if that happens, so fricken what? I can live with that... but I'll still try... gotta keep the integrity of my blog high.
Thank you to my readers, following or not, for keeping me going.
Can't wait to get out of Dodge for a couple nights!!!

Day 128, 'Twas the morning before break....

So.... I have my arms full, computer bag, lunch, secret Santa gift, my manuscript.... you know how it goes....
I carefully open the laundry room door..knowing that the wild tigers are waiting to pounce..... I crack the door, and see a set of golden eyes peering up at me .... just waiting to slip past my foot.....  Ah, but anticipating such a move, I jam my foot in the door and snap, "Scat!" But what to my surprised amazement..... but cat #2 was on the washer. And with a loud MEOW!!!, she flew from the washer into the hallway, and took off in a dash. And I heard her exclaim 'ere she scampered from view..... Ha ha ha bitch, the joke is on you!
Naturally,,, the commotion caused such a clatter, that when cat #1 scurried threw, it no longer mattered.
I rounded them up, a task done with dread...
And finally settled them, tucked in their bed.
Then hunting the canine, was a completely new game...
He runs and hides, then pretends to be lame.
I dragged his butt down each stair with a plop...
Then opened the slider, and pushed him out with a pop!
Then... what to my wondering eyes did appear?
A pile of poop in the living room....how dear!

And. while visualizing this scene may make you smile....
I didn't have time to clean up the pile.

So there you go. Happy Wednesday :)

Los ANIMALS!!!!

PS... I guess the dog repellent didn't work. Better get our money back.

Pss... I won't be home for the next 3 nights.... so keeping my blog-a-day goal might get a bit tricky. Can she do it?

Mailing my manuscript tomorrow...Please wish me luck.
Then I'm buying an enema for my dad. Whew!!! Good times!

Day 127, Give me an "E"! Give me an "R"! "E", "R", "E", "R", Goooooo Sleepless!

Sure sure... lame title, but I don't care. I spent all night sitting in the ER with my 85 year-old mother and my 89 year-old father....Waiting... Waiting..... and Waiting. And my  better half made cozy in the waiting room, cuz there was no room for him in the inn. Sigh.

I had planned to blame my broken mirror on the suspciously negative haps lately, but then I thought about it, and what I've actually had is a streak of GOOD luck. My son was miraculously not seriously hurt in the wreck that could easily have killed him....or someone else, and my dad has a case of double-pneumonia....not heart failure. See? Good luck! So, break a mirror everyone! My husband, the superstitious soul that he is, actually broke a mirror himself, but he doesn't know it. You see, he ran over (and obliterated) my rotating reflector mirror. So the way I see it, between us, we have 14 years of good luck to look forward to now ;) Yes, it's nice to live in my little world.

In Vegas, I can stay up all night, and never notice. But that's Vegas. Tonight, all I want is my pillow and my blanket.

Dare I say it? Only two more days until Christmas vacation! Yeah??? I think.

Day 126, Still, Still, Still

Very cool... I bought cables that connect my IPOD to our sound system downstairs. Know what that means? 544 Christmas songs all with the quality of stereo speakers to penetrate the walls of our entire home. Go elf! The cables were supposed to give me a visual as well, but haven't figured that out yet.

For some reason I can barely keep my eyes open tonight. Think I'm going to call it an early night.... Alka Selzer, fish oil, vitamin C and bed. Gosh, an irresistable combination.

RAK? I scooped dog poop for my dad. Trust me,,, THAT is an RAK.

Planet "M"? We are watching the Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol. Students love it. What a great story.

Day 125, O Tannebaum, O Tannebaum, How Lovely are Thy Branches!

Finally! Christmas has arrived at my house. Finally got the tree decorated tonight... Deck the Halls, Rumpabumbum, Fa la la la la, and all that stuff! And to top it all off, only four more days until Christmas vacation! Good times a comin' for sure@!!

Hey, guess what? I have an RAK to report.... I made pumpkin break and fudge for my hubby tonight. Granted, I get to eat them too...and I can take some to work to share with my fellow teachers... but the important thing to note is that I did not plan to bake tonight... until I realized my poor honey had nothing to satisfy his sweet tooth.
Love you honey :)

12 more days 'till Christmas!!!

Day 124, Oh the weather outside is frightful!

Had the fire going all day as we labored to work on the holiday decorations. To get in the spirit, I started my Christmas playlist (yeah I-TUNES) around 9am this morning,,, and it is now nearly midnight and I haven't gotten through them all. I don't know if that's a good thing, or just pathetic. Even after all the hours I spent decorating, it's still not finished. But it's getting close. Just have to put the ornaments on the tree and finish the outside lights. I have to admit, the ambience was super. It poured rain all day today...so the weather outside was truly frightful. I loved it. Had cookies baking in the oven, Christmas music playing, a fire glowing in the fireplace, and decorations scattered all over the house. Ah, I love Saturdays like this. We topped it off with the evening performance of the Nativity Festival Youth Choir, and homemade chili--compliments of hubby.

My kind of day :)

Day 123, Countdown

Another one bites the dust... Today I had the lovely duty of signing what's left of my son's car over to the salvage company. As I was signing on the dotted line, I thought about what it must be like for people who have to do this while their child is lying in a hospital bed somewhere, or worse, in a morgue. It makes me shudder to think of the millions of teenagers behind the wheel of a vehicle, having no concept of what a death trap a car can be. When you're young, you think you are immortal----while that may seem true to my over zealous son, I fear his days of tempting fate are numbered.  He has walked away from two potentially fatal accidents.... It makes me sick to my stomach to think what will happen if there is a third brush with fate.

Okay... enough is enough... somebody pull the plug on the I-Tunes "Buy Now" app. I mean, really... I now have 544 songs in my Christmas playlist. .... and an I-Tunes bill that makes me blush with embarrassment. I think my daughter has created an I-Tunes monster! What SHALL I do when Christmas is over? Guess I'll have to work on my "Work Out" playlist... only 82 songs in there :) I now have a total of 1385 songs downloaded on my I-Pod... Who'd've thunk it? And all that just since Thanksgiving! Nothing obsessive here :)

Got our Christmas tree today.... Christmas is definitely on it's way! I'm starting to get excited. Okay... I've been excited since Halloween,,, but who's counting? (My husband, that's who!) I think he is very happy that I have earphones and an IPOD this year.....Hmmmmm. ... maybe that's why he bought me the IPOD for Christmas last year! HAH! That sly devil!!! Now he doesn't have to listen to Christmas music 24/7.... Ah, the gig is up! Tomorrow... I start blaring holiday tunes in every room :)

He doesn't call me the Christmas Elf for nothing!

Day 122, It's baaaack!

Friday is but a few short  moments away.. and you know what that means???  My La-Z-Boy chair, movies, and no obligations for the evening but to update my blog and call my daughter to tell her I'm sorry I didn't call her back tonight. Bad Mom! I had a nice visit tonight with a couple good friends, a warm fire, and Christmas music. That was a nice way to settle down for the evening... because I had a blankety blank bleepen bleep of a day. Whew! Glad it's over. Almost.

One more week until Christmas break. Smile :)

RAK? Not feeling too kind today.... more like an RAV day----random act of violence (snicker snicker.)

I'm not a grumpy person. Really. No, really! Just ask my Dad :)

Day 121, Surprise in my In Box

Got home after a very long day. When I say long, I mean I did not get home until after 10:30pm. Now I'm having La-Z-Boy withdrawals. When I opened my e-mail, there was a request from a small publisher to review my full  manuscript. That doesn't mean anything .... other than I got past first base with them... but in the wake of so many rejections, it put a smile on my face. I don't have anything to lose by sending them my book, so what the heck.

RAK? I think tonight qualifies....and if it doesn't, then I will resort to my NOEL garland that now hangs in my AP's office window. I did that with no alterior motive in mind (at least none that came to my mind at the moment... now that I think about it,,,, I guess whenever you do something for your superior... there's an alterior motive involved.) Darn. Thought I had one there.

Going to bed! Yaaaawwwwwnnnnn!

Day 120, Hey..Almost 1/3 of the way thru!

Adding insult to injury, I discovered today that Taylor's car was not insured for collision. Oops. I had no idea that "minimum required coverage" excluded all collision claims. So,,, no settlement for the car. Another total loss. Sigh!!! And YES, DUH,,,, OF COURSE... I know that the MOST IMPORTANT thing is the safety of my son. I understand how tragic this could have been....and I am so very grateful that he is alive and that no one else was involved. I thank God for keeping him safe from real harm. BUT... if one more person feels inclined to remind me of how truly blessed I am,,,, I shall ask them to please send their reminder via a cashier's check in the amount of about $8,000.

I do love my son. I have always been in his corner, and yet will remain there until the day I die.....and.... God willing.... even beyond that. He's my boy. He is also the source of most of my gray hairs :)

Just about done with all my Christmas shopping. Well... to be honest... I don't know if I am done with my shopping, or just out of money. If I had more to spend,,,, I would most certainly NOT be done with my shopping ;) Ahhhh, Christmas!

RAK? As per my good friend Judi.... I am covered on my RAK for today. Thanks Judi :)

Only a week and 2 days until vacation... ah, but who's counting, eh?

Day 119, Crash and Burn

Don't feel like writing tonight. Just want to end the day without having something else to do... or say... or think. So I'll just say goodnight. Oh wait, there is more for me to do.... I have a headless snowman to take care of, and apparently, some broken lights to fix. Cats and Christmas decorations do not mix@!

Day 118, HO HO HO!

I'm going in! It's time to drag all the boxes out and start decorating the inside of the house. Sigh... DEEP Sigh! I'm putting it off .... obviously.... or I wouldn't be posting a message while the sun is still shining. Hmmm. I might as well just swallow the pill and dig in. I'll let you know how it goes. If you don't hear from me, you might want to call my husband and make sure I'm not buried under a mountain of boxes somewhere. Ah Christmas!

Don't even talk to me about RAKs today! Today I will settle for not being mean. ;)
That's all I've got.

Day 117, Girls Day Out :)

Here I am.... it's 11:53 as I begin today's post. I have almost missed the deadline again. I sense a pattern developing here... ahem.
I spent today with the Rejection Queen---it made me remember times in the past when my mom and I would spend a day out together..... and it made me wish my Raechel lived closer to me. I love my girls! I wish we could have more days together like the one I had today with Jen. It was fun to just hang out, relax, and talk about our books. She is going to make it as an author... mark my words.
I lost .... yet another... pair of sunglasses today. Sad part is, I had them in my hand, and I made a conscious effort to put them in my purse... I don't know how they escaped... but most likely I had to pull them out to get to my wallet... and.... there you go. They are probably sitting on the counter in one of the mall stores.

Hmmm. Hey Raechel,,, I wonder where I might get another pair of sunglasses???? Any ideas????? Hmmm????

Missed the deadline.... dang it! Hey guess what? You'll never believe what my fortune cookie said:  "Your random act of kindness today will spread quickly to others."  Gasp! How did the fortune cookie gods know that I am on a personal quest for improving my 'RAKs? It's a sign, I tell ya.... a sign!

Day 116, It's still Friday... Really!

Ahhhggrrrrrr@!!

Missed the deadline again! What the freak? Obviously I am a bit distracted of late. Better get myself together before I do something really stupid.... like pull out in front of a speeding train.

Went to lunch with the girls today,,, with the exception of the toilet sheet protector and the coffee filter on my head, it was a good time . Don't ask!

I now have 1272 songs on my IPOD. That sounds like nothing to you technowizards.... but for me, it is quite an accomplishment.

I'm off to bed now... got a nice day tomorrow with the Rejection Queen . Here is a daily dose of Jane for my parting words....

One day they are born and having open heart surgery the next day they're having their 1st glass of wine...they grow up so fast! ;)

Day 115, Eating crow

Looks like my "post-a-day for 365 days" perfect record has gone into the pooper.
Day 114, may it rest in peace. Moment of silent please.
I shall blame it on being one year older, and instead of beating myself up for missing a day, I will just consider it my birthday gift to myself.
Tonight we drove down to visit Jane Ellen (yeah yeah, and Ryan and Jen too....) Jane is such a doll. It is difficult to think of the battle she faces... but man, is she ever a trooper! It is so nice to have her home.

Last night we had our Christmas dinner for the ladies at church. We created our own version of  "My Favorite Things," and sang our top 5 holiday songs. It was such a relaxing evening, and a great opportunity to fellowship with the girls. Lots of food, lots of goodies, lots of music, and a room full of "sisters" all out to welcome in the yuletide season. It was amazing to look out over the room and think about the many lives that those sisters have touched over the years. I truly love them.

RAK? I made cookies and took them to my team at work. I know, campy, huh? Well, I gotta start somewhere.

I haven't heard from you yet on your top 10 worst holiday songs. I'm waiting. I have one to add to my list...."Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." I don't 'know about you.... but I loved my grandma... and everytime I hear this song, I get mad. Everyone should have a grandma like I did. She was the most amazing woman I have ever known.

Day 113, Happy Birthday to me ;)

One year older and wiser too.... Happy Birthday.... to you! I received an amazing number of birthday greetings and wishes this year! Wow.. that was super cool! Thank you everyone! Ron and I actually celebrated on Sunday...with the king crab boil (YUM!) and chocolate cake..... then tonight Ron made another one of  my faavorite dinners. What a guy!
Today I discovered that I can attach my IPOD to my home theatre surround sound system in my classroom. That was waaaay awesome! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I even learned (thanks to RaeLo) how to download music onto my IPOD... I've only had it a year... it was time :) So.... either you CAN teach an old dog new tricks... or I'm really not that old! Either way.... I win :)
I see where Raechel did her top ten worst Christmas songs ever.... so I thought I'd include a few of my own here.... I apologize in advance if I am about to ick someone's wow. Here we go (No particular order):
1) Feliz Navidad (it was fun the first 5 million times I heard it....now it's just annoying.)
2) Ave Maria...(I mean, really..... it's a beautiful piece of music.... but some people just should NOT try to sing it! Why does every  Tom, Dick and Jane think they need to include it on their CD?)
3) Santa Baby.... GRRRR The worst part is, even though I hate it, I find myself singing along! AAAHHHRRRR
4) Baby It's Cold Outside.... not bad when Dean Martin does it... but no one else should try.
5) Sleigh Ride.... Sorry, I know it's a holiday favorite... but sooooooo over done. I can almost tolerate Henry Mancini's version.
6) All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.... Oh come on! You must be joking! I don't know a person a live who is missing their front teeth that doesn't want something else for Christmas!
7) The 12 Days of Christmas..... do I need to justify this one?
8) The Chipmunk Song..... Okay... If I want to listen to them, I'll rent the cartoon.

That's it for now... If I think of a couple more, I'll add them tomorrow. How about you? What are your least favorite Christmas songs?

Here are some of my favorites:  White Christmas, Silver Bells, The Little Drummer Boy, Winter Wonderland, Blue Christmas, Jingle Bell  Rock, What Child is This?, O Holy Night, Silent Night, Do You Hear What I Hear? For Unto Us a Child is Born.....
That's just the beginning ;)
Time for bed..... Hmmmm I'm sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace,,, and I am 98% certain that I smell cat pee somewhere in the room. Great!