No Boxes or Bows

 My Christmas present this year didn't come in a box or a bag. There were no bows, no ribbons. Not even fun sparkly  paper! So what did I get that was so huge that it couldn't possibly be wrapped? (you'll have to wait for the answer)

 Most people would be upset that their hubby didn't buy them anything for Christmas, or even more frustrated that he forget their Birthday too! I have to be honest, I was at first just a bit. But NOW my eyes are open to the bigger picture here.......
 See it was while I was on the phone with my sister in law, we were discussing our day, exchanging what everybody had received and talking about family and plans for the rest of the day. My sister in law is on the west coast and we are here in the Midwest by choice.
 Anyways she asked me what I had received, I went to tell her my 3 gifts. She then said wait a minute what did Ray give you?? I answered , "Nothing". She was instantly hot!! She started spewing right from the get go, she called out to her DH which is my DH Brother and told him and he got all hot too!! I told both of them to calm down & listen to me for a second (also told them to not interrupt me too!!)........

 This is what I said to them,"Please understand that I am not upset or hurt by not receiving a gift under the tree. Because I have already received it. See when I was younger before I even met my love, my husband. I would literally dream about the day that I could stay home, raise my children, have a loving husband, live in a beautiful home full of smiles, giggles, hugs, laughter and most of all love. Well I have that dream~my Ray has made that possible, he gave me this gift when he said 'I Do'. Yes it's nice to see a package under the tree from him, however it is not necessary. He has given me my dream, my secret dream that not even my Mother knew about. I always said when I was younger that I never wanted children, never wanted to be married~that was all a lie........I am truly blessed to have my family, live in my home without the worry of losing of it and the freedom to live life & love deeply. He has made it possible for me to do what I want when I want, talk openly, spend freely and in other words what more could a person want? I don't want for anything, nor do my children. Well now that's not entirely true. I do want for one thing; that would be to move back home. So when you ask me what did I get for Christmas? Well guys I got my family, my health, and most of all LOVE."

    BTW they both were speechless...........

                                                   

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,



  I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my own doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out -- over several Christmases.

  Since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles; and who knows when I'll find any more free time in the next 9 years, so now - -

*** Here are my Christmas wishes ***

* I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (-in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

* I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
* If you're hauling big-ticket items this year, I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
* On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, 'Yes, Mommy' to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

* I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, 'Don't eat in the l iving room' and 'Take your hands off your brother,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dogs.

* If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

*If you don't mind, I could also use a few miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

*It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.
   Well, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing, and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his red crayon back. Have a safe trip Santa, and remember to leave your wet boots by the door, and come in and dry off, so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours always with love and appreciation,
     Wendy
P.S. One more thing . . You can cancel all my requests, if you can keep my children 'young' enough to believe in Santa.    
                                                                                     

                                                          

In the Spirit of Giving

  This past Monday I was thinking about how I could make somebodies Christmas better. You know do something from my heart, something that would bring a smile to somebody, anybody.
  Well the whole day I was working with my group of kids, still this thought  plagued  my mind. The kids were into doing their craft projects and making cards to send out to the men and  women serving our country. This is something we do every year as a way of saying "Thank you". Then it hit me!! Why not send out a care package to one of our  'family members'. See I always think of the kids in my care as part of my family, therefor making their parents part of my extended family. I know that I always have a hard time during the holidays being so far away from my parents and knowing first hand how hard it was on me growing up to have my father over seas for months and months at a time; even during the holidays and birthdays.
  So this is what I did:

     Dear Parents,


   One of our friends here in the daycare has a Daddy that is serving our country. He has sacrificed for his family and ours. He won’t be home for Christmas. He won’t have the pleasure of waking up to see his son’s smiling face on Christmas morning.
  I am hoping that we can make his time in Iraq a little less unhappy during this time. I would like to be able to send him a care package from all of us here at the daycare. This is a way we can also teach our children about the spirit of Christmas and  the gift of giving.
  If everyone would please donate or give a few items to go in the Christmas Box to Iraq I will pay for the postage. The more items we can put in the box the better. My hope is that we can surprise this Dad and show him just how much we care and appreciate his sacrifices.
***Attached you will see a listing of items that all of our soldiers need and would like to have. Anything is better than nothing.
  Thank you,


  Wendy Ray-Jorgensen
  Lil’ Tikes Family Daycare

So as this Christmas Season approaches may you find yourself blessed and loved enough to give from the heart instead of from the pocketbook.
    




                

Restless

  Some days I wake up and think it would be so nice to move back home to California. Then there are those days that I think it would be nice to live anywhere but where I do live. Then I have have those wonderful thoughts of living my life on a tropical island!! But for some strange reason I come back to reality!!! Darn it!!
  My life is good, I really have no complaints. So then why is it that I feel restless? Could it be that I'm bored? How can I be bored....I work full time at home as a daycare provider with 12 kids daily, work at night as a book keeper, try to get in my workouts 3x a wk, am a mother of 2 very active boys, a wife and keep up with my friends and go out every Tues. One would think that I can't possibly be bored! Maybe I'm wanting more out of life....who knows.
  As the holiday approaches I am getting more and more antsy, not because I am excited to see the joy on my boys faces or the excitement in them. I am feeling lost this year, don't know what it is yet. I will of course be happy and cheerful and keep up with all levels of joy and excitement for my family. Just somewhere inside I feel empty, like there is something missing. Is this how it is when you start aging? Like there is something being left out, or lacking, maybe hopeful of what is to come yet bothered by it at the same time. Oh I just wish my mind would stop spinning and I could enjoy my family and my thoughts...........ugh!
  I think my problem is knowing all too well what is to come, having accepted it and already mentally moved on. Maybe it's not a good idea to think or look into the future. Maybe it's better to go blindly on. Then again that wouldn't be me at all, that would be like following your nose through life without any direction. I admit that not having plans or direction can be fun and spontaneous at times. However when one is facing life without another it is wise to make the plans than go blindly into the dark. I seem to question everything I do, yet I don't answer. Instead I move forward and don't bother to look back. I know deep down inside I am crying. Crying to be loved and appreciated but I don't have the time to stop and enjoy the little moments. The moments where I know I can find happiness and solitude...peace. Instead I make my plans, take care of what needs to be taken care of, do what I must to continue on, do what needs to be done to ensure a life of comfort and go on without want or desire for my boys. After all they are the reason I never quit, never give up or throw in the towel....They are my reason to smile.

9 Words Women Use and Their REAL Meaning

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' . that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a women's way of saying F**K YOU!

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

Christmas Traditions

  Several years ago I can remember a discussion that my DH and I had in regards to Christmas Traditions and what we wanted to bring to our family and pass down to our boys. You know all the experiences we remembered as a young kid at Christmas time.

  My hubby said that he would like it if we could always open gifts on Christmas Eve, because that is what his mother taught them to do, then they would have the big Christmas meal afterwards and all go to sleep. Santa was never talked about, nor did he ever stop~very sad in my opinion. Then on Christmas morning they would just get up and play with the new toys as if it wasn't a special day or anything, not even head to church. And his mother never liked to wrap anything, and refused to waste money on bows or big trees~theirs was a table top one!! I know when I found this out I was set to change what Christmas was for him, and to make each year after we got together a magical time.
  I remember I had explained that Christmas in my home growing up was a magical night, we would always get a new robe or slippers to go along with our matching new PJ's. Mom or Dad would read us a story or just make one up and it always centered around me and my sis doing something fun. Then we go up to our rooms and try to sleep, although we always strained to hear Santa and his Reindeer on the roof!! I remember one time we actually did see him out behind our house in the fields standing next to a huge eucalyptus tree~eating the bark. Daddy said he was stopping a snack because we forgot to leave carrots along with the cookies!! We never made that mistake again!! Then I further explained that on Christmas morning we would sneak as quietly as we could down the stairs and first go to the tree and see what Santa had left us, sometimes he wrapped the gifts if he had extra paper and sometimes he didn't because it wasn't our turn to have the gifts wrapped or he actually ran out and would put a tag with a big bow on it! Either way there was always a gift from Santa under that tree. Then my sis and I would go over to where are stockings were hung ( on the railing of the staircase ) and sneak a few bites of candy then we would run upstairs and pounce on our parents and yell with delight "He was here!! SANTA Came!! Come ON !!!!" Then Daddy would tickle and wrestle with us while Mom went about going down to the kitchen to put the coffee on and throw some cinnamon rolls in the oven or whatever else she felt like breaking out for a quick morning nibble with the coffee, she always had hot cocoa and marshmallows too for us girls! Then we would tear into the presents!!! There was always a huge mess of wrapping paper and bows thrown this way and that, there wasn't ever a disappointed face in the room on Christmas mornings or all day for that matter. We always had a really nice supper with a ham and the fixings....we even got dressed just for supper too!!

  So after all this time, what is our tradition now with our children~Well you just read it!! I figured why change a thing, my Mom instilled the meaning and the traditions. My boys remind me of me and my sister when were younger on every Christmas Morning.

My Biggest Pet-Peeve!!

Toilet paper. Now I know it has a very useful purpose, believe me we all don't want to go back to using a leaf ! Although I threaten my family with the thought of this. Now like most people I to have the extra rolls stored easily and conveniently above the toilet in a clean cabinet. Some store the little rolls in cute stands designed just for them. Kuddos to the person who thought those up!! Probably some lazy man, who got tired of drip drying because they didn't want to replace the roll!! This leads me to my pet peeve......Why is it that not a single person besides me can replace the damn roll?! I mean come on it's not that difficult . And why is it that no-one can seem to take the empty roll and throw it away? Instead I them every where but where they belong. I found them hiding behind the toilet, under the cabinet, in a corner you name it! It's like they are playing Hide and Seek or something. Then I turn hopefully thinking that someone else did the unthinkable and replace the roll........NOPE. Instead I find the new roll happily perched just on top of the spindle! WHY, I scream to myself, WHY!!!



Is it just me or does this happen all over?


Just wondering...........