Wow, 2 days till Christmas! Time flies, doesn't it?

Even though this year we'll have the thinnest Christmas we've ever had (present-wise) I think it's been the most enjoyable Christmas season yet. We all knew that funds were low for all of us so there wouldn't be much (try nothing!) under the tree. There wasn't the constant need to get "just one more thing" and then worry that I got so-and-so more than someone else. We're all having Christmas dinner together and that's going to be my gift to everyone. Plus, my boys are grown now so there isn't the need to have "Santa" every year. I did do stockings for both boys and DS26's girlfriend but that's it. I help out as much as I can throughout the year and so do they and that's enough. Wish I had discovered how enjoyable the season can be years ago when I was stressing that it was never "just quite right" or "enough". My shopping this year consisted of buying 1 book of stamps and a trip to Rite-Aid for stocking stuffers and that's it! Just knowing the reason for the season is more than enough.

DS22 just called to let me know that his employer gave everyone a $100 bill for Christmas. He was so excited! He said as a gag they got a picture of everyone holding their $100 bill up to the light to make sure it was real! :D He just asked if I wanted to go out to dinner with him and a new girl he's been seeing. How sweet is that.....and her name is Kelly! She must be nice! :p

Tricia, I'm glad your girls made it home safely. I just saw on the news that there were several fatalities due to snow and dust storms. I hate waiting for someone to make it home and then know that the conditions are treacherous.

Time for one more cup of coffee and then a shower. Not doing much of anything today. My sinuses are giving me such a hard time and my left eye feels like it is twice the size it should be.

Ya'll have a great Wednesday! :grouphug:

Kelly - Yeah, it was crazy out there yesterday. The sad thing is 2 of fatalities were teens taking a quick trip to Dairy Queen.:(:( I saw a report online and some jerk made a nasty comment and someone told him that he knew one of the people who died. It was so sad. I certainly would have hated to be in law enforcement or work for the DOT yesterday.

Weave - No I am not ready for the holiday. But that's OK, it does work out and I don't stress over it.

morning all of you coffee-totallers ... (not tea!)

what happened to December?? OH, I remember - we got a big snowstorm and threw us all off ... and then, here's Christmas!! how fun is that!!

I'm so glad for all the snow, and the days brighter ...

I already made out my New Year's Resolutions ... only about 14 ... trying to stay ahead of the program this time!!

Kelly - that's great that your son wants to spend and share his $100 with you!! you raised him well!! ;)

Soxmom - have fun with the cookies and kids ... I'm just pooped thinking of all the fun and racket that will be making!!

Weave ... write that down on your calendar or on a note and stick it in your wallet ... and date it!! then when your next private review comes up - and they ask: Do you have any questions for me?? pull out that note!! it wouldn't of been said to you out in the open if they don't intend to do something about it!!

2k2c ... that's great about spreading out Christmas all week long .. a fish fry sounds pretty good to me, too!!

have a great day - trying to get the rest of the letters out ... and work on some quilts ... my list is growing!! :D

by the way .. where's Jenn?? where ARE you???

Sandy - hope all is beginning to settle down with your mom ... and I like the 'split' responsibility idea ...

Tricia ... how early do you get up that you are SO organized to be painting from the get-go??

LOL, Vonn! I am a morning person. I get up stretch, do some yoga and/or walk and then tackle the things that take the most concentration as I am at my best from about 1/2 hour after waking up and 10:00 a.m. Then I am done for the day. LOL Well I do get a boost after my nap.

Counting down the days to 2010 personally. This year has been a rough one for me. Had a meltdown last night (this makes my what - fifth one this year at least?). On a plus side, it wasn't on Christmas. :)

Tried not to be grinchy, at least where my nieces and nephews have been concerned. Hung up a wreath and lights too, but just could not get into the spirit this year.

We're leaving tomorrow to see his family, so if I don't see ya - I will still wish everyone a safe and merry Christmas. :)

Hey Jenn ... I totally understand the 'meltdown' ... I lost count ... and don't care to keep a journal, anymore ...

you'll be fine, take your time ... having some downtime is okay ... look at what I posted last week ... there's so many different things that "hit" us all at once: pain, frustration, weakness, fatigue, anticipation ... and then WHAM - we meltdown ...

I believe in you, sweetie ... I'm so proud of all that you've done this last year!! and that you are my friend is what I'm most thankful for!!

HUGS-a-bunch to you!!

5th meltdown this year, Jenn? I think I've had 5 today alone. I am hoping we all have a much better 2010. I, personally, have no desire to even have Christmas, but I'm going through the motions for my kids. If I was alone, I would have just ignored the season. So, I understand not being in the spirit of things. I just wish I could actually get into it. Maybe next year...

To all of my friends here, have a blessed holiday and a great New Year.

Hi everyone...
Jenn, it's okay to not feel in the spirit...and it's also okay to have meltdowns...just breathe...rest...even in the midst of the chaos and mayhem of family and holiday, there is a special place inside us where we can feel at peace.
I've had the weepies for a couple of months now. Not the regular, I'm depressed weepies, but the MS weepies...the kind you get when you come out of the store and can't remember where your car is, and you sob...those kind. Poor DH dealing with a weepie wife. At least I'm not the cranky wife of old:rolleyes: he and I laugh at what sets me off...after I'm done crying, of course...
Anyway, Jenn, take care of yourself...we love ya here and send hugs from all around:grouphug:

Kelly, I love your sentiments...you know what is truly important this time of year. Bless you and your sons...they sound like wonderful young men...

DH and I walked around downtown Chicago yesterday for a few hours...it was fun just hanging with him...took him to my toystore, Crate and Barrel...:D
Then the legs stiffened up and we headed back to the boonies for dinner out and a quiet evening.

Got my H1N1 shot today...after reading articles about how important it is for MS patients to get it, I caved in...:o

Worried about the nasty weather headed our way...ice, sleet, 2" rains...last year, Dec. 26, we got 4" of rain...I ended up bailing out my fish pond, which was getting flooded by the muddy water surrounding it...hope I don't have a repeat...and I hate ice storms...always worry about losing power. I went out back and brought up a bunch of firewood and covered it with a tarp.

Well, all of you headed out soon for your family visits, etc, have a very safe trip...and enjoy the moment...they pass so quickly. My FIL is always amazed by how quickly his life has flown by...I am trying to savor the moments so I don't miss anything!!:D

:grouphug::grouphug: Thanks guys!

Coffee is brewing, and hoping to wake up here soon. Listening to some carols as I wait. :) Won't be online for a few days so - -

Have a wonderful holiday and Merry Christmas!

Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve!

I'm having eye problems this morning so today will be a low key day for me. It would have been anyway so.....

We're having our Christmas dinner on Saturday. I have everything I need but won't begin cooking till tomorrow. We're having Roasted Turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy, rolls and cranberry sauce. Lots of friends have given me Christmas goodies so I plan on putting them all on a platter and that will be our dessert.

We're waiting for heavy rain to begin here tonight and last through much of Christmas Day. No snow here....just rain. And possibly some flooding as they predict 3" or rain or more. I think this has beat the record for most rain in December here in GA.

I'm going to get off this computer and go lay down for a while. Ya'll have a wonderful day and stay safe and warm if you're traveling. :grouphug:

Hi everyone I hope you all have a fab day filled with joy. All my love & best wishes. xxxxxxxxx :grouphug::grouphug::hug::hug:

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HEY!!! GUESS WHAT????

MERRY CHRISTMAS

hope everyone finds joy and peace on this wonderful day!! OH, yeah - have fun opening and exchanging presents!!

I'm making pancakes and home-made syrup from my best friend (she makes her own every year!!) :D

Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas to a great group...
Thanks for the advice, laughs & hugs...
Love you all!

Merry Christmas to all my beloved NT family! :grouphug:

Merry Christmas to all, hugsss and hoping all are having a peaceful day! been nice day here, I finished reading a book I got yesterday for Christmas... the christmas shoes.. great one! hugsss and happy day for all! I thank the Lord I have such great support and friends here.. hugss,sarah

I cry like a baby watching the movie. :(

Merry Christmas Everybody!! :grouphug:

Sandy I never have watched it, and if I had known what it was about I would have started with other books I got for Christmas. As the last two books I read had a bit of cancer related deaths in it too... not something I need to read...but at same time... they all brought me tears, they all brought me to the place of my sister, but I cry and I remember how it must have felt for my bro in law... and also reminds me of how strong she was... like the lady in that story.. my sister was a great example of how to die .. when knowing it is inevitable.

I love mushy love family stories...love love Nicholas Sparks, Richard Paul Evans... and loved this book.

hugssss and good morning to all... up early to start my day.. work and have extra stuff to do... as then I am off till thursday... took some extra time off here while kids are off... yeahhhhhh so long day but then some time!

The kids were precious and so cute all day with the new toys... the youngest two sure play so well together... they are adorable... really we all enjoyed a great day together!! hugss to all, sarah

Good Morning everybody! :)

I'm up a lettle earlier than usual today....gotta get Christmas dinner started! I did alot of the prep yesterday so today there isn't so much to do but cook the turkey and get the other dishes into the oven.

I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas Day. It was nice here.....not too terribly cold and the rain moved out so the day was dry. We all spent some time together yesterday but we're having the big family dinner today since DS and GF went to her folks house to eat yesterday. Her parents both work so I know their time off from their jobs is limited.....unlike mine!

I posted on the MS forum about my bout with ON. It's not any better but not any worse so I'll just wait till I go to my Neuro appointment on Monday to see what he says. There's really nothing to do for it but wait it out. Even if it was an option for me I wouldn't do the IVSM because it's so hard on the bones and rest of the body. I've been taking Iboprofen regularly in the hopes that it will relieve some of the inflammation and it seems to be helping a little. Thank goodness ON only (usually) strikes one eye at a time. My right eye is working hard to compensate for the weaker left one. I feel like this episode would be much, much worse if I were not taking LDN.

Time for one more cup of coffee then off to the shower......then the kitchen. :) I love cooking for people that I know will enjoy it! We'll have six people here today for lunch/dinner. I know I'll be ready for a nap after the last one leaves but I'm looking forward to having a house full again!

Everyone have a great Saturday! If you're going shopping at the After-Christmas sales please be careful and hang onto your wallets! :grouphug:

hugs to you Kel:hug: Have a nice dinner.:hug:

Happy HOlidays and hugs to everyone else!:hug::hug::grouphug:

Kelly, :hug::hug: Sorry to hear about the ON. Hope the doc can help you out

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Hello all :) Survived the holiday and now resting today in an effort to recover. Think I may have pushed a little too hard, but worth it. It was good seeing his parents.

Also ate too much, but also worth it. :D

Hoping everyone has a great day! :grouphug::grouphug:

Hi all! Hope your day is going well. We woke up to snow, more than we thought. Bergie loved it. LOL

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Sandy, those are great pics! Your DS looks just like you. Actually, you look more like brother and sister than Mother and son!

We had a delicious dinner and, of course, we all ate too much. Everyone just left to go up to the Mall and see a movie. I opted to stay here in the nice quiet house. Not sure how my ON and the big screen would get along! :rolleyes:

Christmas was nice but I'm glad it's over for another year. :)

Sandy ... I love your long hair!! and Kelly is right ... you two could pass as a 'young & hip' couple than mom & son!!

UPDATE .. finishing another quilt ... woke up with 'gumby'/shakey legs .. kinda took my breath away .. so, I'm relaxing and working on some hand sewing and writing out some patterns ...

Jenn - glad to hear you had a wonderful time and ATE too much!! :D

Kelly!!! please take some pics of your holiday dinner today!!

Debbie and Wiz, what is going on?????? They said only an inch! Now they are predicting up to 7 inches by the time this is over! It doesn't even look like Nik and I shoveled. LOL

Send some to me. Just an inch, though. And only on the grass. And no ice. :D

Hi Everybody!!!! :grouphug: :grouphug:

I slept till 12:30 today then got up and serviced the kitty cats, cleaned up the kitchen then did my elliptical workout. I need to shower and get ready to go out for Mexican.

I'm really worn out after all the festivities. Yesterday DS made roast pork with a delicious reduced balsamic glaze, and Delmonico potatoes. I made broccoli with cheese sauce to go with it. Yum!! :Starvin:

On Christmas Eve I made black bean burritos, spanish rice and quacamole. :Starvin: I was the kitchen cleaner upper for each meal. :rolleyes: So I'm worn out too. I need to get some stuff from the store because we're running out of the staples.

Monday I have a job interview for the accounting job, and Tuesday I need to stop in to get my login IDs for the sales job. :eek: I feel like I'm living a double life, lol. :paperbag:

Kelly,

I'm so sorry about the ON. :hug:

Sandy,

You and Nik do look like brother and sister. :D And you're just as pretty as a picture. Nik will probably look very young his whole life since he looks like you now. :)

Everyone enjoy the rest of your weekend! :grouphug:

Hugs all
Went to work, and worn out, my back is spasms badly... but also numb/tingling body... since the weather has rained last two days and now new snow again today... rather the snow then rain though.. as the rain iced over!!

Off now for four days yeahhhhhhh

Nothing much planned, oh Monday I might go skiing with my son... he snowboards and I ski... well I am going to attempt to ski, been a few years.. but last time I did it it had been few years... just like riding a bike.. but surely I will be enjoying each moment then next day in pain but oh well. Hoping balance holds off that day hehe

otherwise read some other good books, and relax, oh and maybe declutter some areas that never get touched lol...

hugss all, sarah

Wiz, your going to need boots up to your knees! I am pretty sure after snowblowing twice we got at least 8-10 inches so far. LOL

update, phone rang at 8pm... work yes work... well if they are calling me they have checked thru any of our otehr workers and some from the other store... ugggg so I had to go in ASAP to help close... was there till 1130pm... so lets see 13 and half hours of McD work... Not good for my body!!:( It hurts and now need sleep, but I know once laying down I will hurt ever so much more...

well anyhow four days off now.. hoping it will be:rolleyes: some good books to read, might try to downhill ski Monday with my son... (we will see how sore after that I will be...but worth it...love the feeling of the cool air on face downhill skiing.. skipped it last year due to balance issues) maybe that was repeat lol sorry if so...

anyhow, love you all, hoping to head up now, and sleep in late!!:winky: then relaxing day, maybe start a new book...play with kiddos... etc... hoping not to hurt too much when morning is here...hugsss,sarah

My DH can't wait until the holiday weekend is over before giving me the lecture on how to lose weight. I always feel so ashamed of myself; it doesn't help to hear it (esp right after a breakfast of waffles). :(

Morning all! My brother is driving in today. We're expecting snow but south of us they are expecting more. I hope he has safe travels.

Mom got her feelings hurt this morning. She wakes up early and we don't. We get up around 9am, she gets up around 7am. She makes a lot of noise. I asked her this morning to be a little more quiet while we're sleeping. Well, every morning she watches the news with us and this morning she didn't. I asked her if she was coming in and she said no she was watching the snow. So, she's pouting. I need to be a little stronger and not fall for that. I didn't this morning because I don't think it's unreasonable to ask her to be a little more quiet. We'll see how this day goes. haha

Hope everyone is having a good day. :hug:

Once he shares the secret with you would you mind passing it along to me? :D :o

:( :hug:

Want us to come over and bury him in the snow? I hear it's good for losing weight. :D

Morning all (I can say that just in the nick of time, lol!)

Kitties woke me up this morn. I'm up to 400 on the gabapentin at night, and it knocks me out! I didn't want to wake up this morn, but they had other ideas. :D

So trying my best to keep going even though I'm still a little out of it. Might do some necessary chores later that are screaming my name, lol!

Take care everyone! :grouphug::grouphug:

Good Morning! Don't think I'm a scrooge but I took my tree down this morning! I had the energy and was tired of having to constantly get Tigger unstuck from the middle branches! :rolleyes: I can't believe he didn't tip it over but he didn't.

We still have lots of leftovers from our Christmas dinner we had yesterday. I need to find some good recipes for leftover turkey.

It's a beautiful, sunny day here today but still pretty chilly. I know it's nothing compared to what you in the North have been dealing with, though. At least ya'll are used to the stuff and can still drive and get around. Here we're stranded if so much as an inch of snow falls. You'd laugh at how excited the weather forecasters get. Breaking into regular programming with their "live on the scene" reports of the flurries! :D :o

Sandy, sorry Mom is being extra-sensitive. It's hard to adjust to that when you've been used to having your house all to yourselves for so long. She'll come around. I get aggravated at DS22 sometimes when he makes too much racket in the mornings and I'm still trying to sleep. I just want to stick my head out my door and say "doors don't have to be slammed, ya know!". He's really not slamming them but when you're trying to sleep even a door closing is loud! :rolleyes:

Well, I thought it was Sunday all day yesterday so I'm glad it finally is Sunday today! :grouphug:

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for the prayers for a safe trip. I ended driving straight through to Ohio last week in order to miss the snow. It took me 9 1/2 hours to get here, and about two days to recover. I was planning on leaving for Illinois tomorrow. But once again, we are expecting more snow tonight and tomorrow. I think it is already snowing in Illinois and Indiana. I am so tired of this weather!!!:eek:

I hope you all had a nice Christmas. I skimmed over all ot the posts I missed.

Kelly, I am sorry to hear about the ON. Hope you recover soon.

Sandy, My mother is driving me crazy. I am sure I am driving her crazy too. Being in a two beroom apt with her for 10 days has been extremely trying. I think you are a saint.

I am at my sister's right now using her computer, but I plan on heading back to my mom's soon.

Hopefully, I will be home (illinois) before New Year's Eve. Wish me luck!

Hi Barb! We've missed you! Please drive carefully in all this snow and ice. :)

We had a talk and all is OK for now. She forgets that it's not only her life that has been affected. I think she gets it for now. We all have to coexist and we'll get it together soon. hahaha

Oh and I lubed the doors so they don't squeek like the Munster house anymore. :wink: