Happy to be ALIVE

You know how it is, we all can get bogged down with our tasks & responsibilities. Especially at this time of year, it can be overwhelming and life can seem a little bit too full of the daily drudge. But...it is important to stop and realize what you have right now and that basically life is full and you have what you need and usually what you want as well. I had an opportunity to ponder this rather intently today.

We were traveling down our road today heading for the main road and there was a small amount of snow on the road. We approached the intersection and Uncle Paddy applied the brakes which had no affect AT ALL. He then tried turning the car into the snow bank on the side of the road NOTHING. So there we were headed into the intersection and we could both see the gravel truck headed our way. Apparently I was saying "we're gonna, we're gonna" as it was dawning on me what was about to happen to us. We slid into the road(which was clear of snow) and Paddy turned hard and stepped on the gas. Somehow we did not get hit. The truck whizzed past us as we came into the road. Maybe he sped up and Paddy maneuvered and well nothing happened and I lived to tell this little tale. It was super scary and I am still not quite sure how we left unscathed but I am glad!

Glad to be ALIVE!

I'm Dreaming of a Wierd Christmas...

Oh no wait, that was real! I do not know what was up yesterday but I am glad it is now over. Maybe next year we will go to Colorado and have Christmas with Mom, and then the following day go skiing. I think that is a very good plan. (I hope you are up for having us Mom)

This is the one thing that turned out perfect this year. Cinnamon Buns! Yum! I must figure out how to make a GOOD gluten free version of them for Uncle Paddy. I did feel guilty enjoying this as much as I did, I was a bit too vocal about them.

Christmas Eve At My House

Here we are eating our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of bratwurst, mashed potatoes, & broccoli. I do mean traditional, we have been eating this the night before Christmas since the kids were very small and I was desperate one Christmas Eve because I felt like I needed to prepare a special dinner and I was very busy (which is generally the case on Christmas Eve) and at that time bratwurst was considered a treat in my family and so this tradition was born. It has served me quite well through the years as it did this year. (I am not in the photo, I must find the timer on the camera). I just love this picture!

Here is Leif tearing into the one present he gets to open on Christmas Eve. A small gift dropped off by his Aunt, Uncle & cousins on there way out of town. A small gift but he loved it!

Here is our tree with presents. Not as many this year but no one seems to care and it made getting ready easier too. As I was getting ready to take this picture Pippin walked up and sat down by the tree.

Happy Christmas to all!

Got Work?

So tonight I came home from a party all relaxed and happy. It felt good as I have been stressing the last several days. As soon as I walked in the door Uncle Paddy called me over to the computer to view this: http://knox.villagesoup.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=139836 this is where he has been working this week and last, where he was supposed to be working for a few more weeks. Ugh.

Update: Uncle Paddy's Hat

It is done! Finally. This hat should never have taken me months to finish, and I know Paddy would agree with me! See here http://auntkirstie.blogspot.com/2008/03/uncle-paddys-hat.html and here http://auntkirstie.blogspot.com/2008/04/whos-hat-is-that.html for more details. I could make this hat in a day or two. Anyway, it is now complete and he likes it! I didn't intend on having a white circle right at the top of the hat but I was running out of black yarn so I put it there. I thought it looked a little weird but of course that made him like it more. So it stayed. He put it on right away and started wearing it before I could even sew the ends in, I did take it back and finish it.

I have another little project in the works which will be revealed after Christmas. I hope!

Tree

We found the perfect tree last weekend and hauled it home.


We put it up that day and it patiently waited until Wednesday for us to decorate. It is a great tree, we seem to have found the perfect one. It was just Uncle Paddy, Leif & myself decorating this year. I saved a few ornaments for Cor, he was out working. I found myself prodding Leif along and Paddy sat down and relaxed and I finished it up while they watched and talked to me. So different from previous years. But still nice. I do miss Hayley's enthusiasm at these times, I think next year I will try and plan ahead so that she will come over and help us!

What a difference a day makes!

I dragged myself out the door yesterday for a 40 minute hike. I have been so resistant to going out into the cold, but I broke thru the malaise. It was great. I had such a nice hike, and not only is it one of my favorite ways to exercise it also clears my head and puts me in a calm place. Oh, and it warmed me up! I have been plagued with a chill that won't quit but this cured it for quite awhile.

So I went back out today into the snow and it was even nicer than yesterday! It is just beautiful out there in the snow and peaceful as well. I took a 60 minute hike and I feel great. I think I will keep going with this, I started to think about snow shoeing...

Mid-December

It is hard to believe that it is the middle of December. I don't have much done for Christmas and yet I feel surprisingly calm about it. It has been a month of ups and downs and I am OK with that. I am happy that I can walk out my door and see the beauty of the moon shining. My instinct is to stay inside on the couch when it is cold and dark and this is most definitely the dark time of the year. I am looking forward to the solistice and the official start of winter so that everyday from then on it will stay light a little longer

Tree Lighting on the Common

One of Those Days

Okay, so when you get up in the morning a few minutes later than you intend and you pick up your son's backpack off the floor to look for his lunchbox and you find that the cat has peed inside A LOT, it is not such a good start. As I saw it covering the top of his lunchbox, also his homework folder and then felt it drip on my foot through my crocs I just knew that this is not a good start to the day. Ugh. The next 35 minutes were met with some more struggle & some yelling on my part. I will not elaborate except to say that my son is an eccentric person an usually this is something I accept with good humor but sometimes...well you get the idea. So off he went to school.

Then, I decided to exercise and I could only find one exercise DVD and it is kind of a weird one! I went for it for a while then decided I had had enough of that weirdness and got out my exercise ball to do my own thing. Well it is a bit compromised due to getting to close to the fire but what the heck I thought I would use it anyway. It needed air and the pump was missing a part but With some assistance I got it filled. Whatever.

I took a shower and realized it was way later than I thought so I would not be going to the grocery store as is much needed.

I am off to work now and I hope that the rest of my day goes a bit smoother. At any rate I will sit & relax at knitting group tonight.