Yegs rhymes with Eggs!

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday. We woke up bright & early to watch Yegs hunt for Easter eggs. Still, where did this tradition really come from? Odd.

Here are some pics from the Big Hunt's this weekend.

Yegs was on the run! No way was he gonna miss out on 12 eggs!

And he got 'em!

My two favorite bunnies.

Searching high & low...

He was terribly excited to find his "money" egg.

This morning we're having our best girls & their family over for an Easter/Birthday celebration! Happy Birthday, J. We love you to death & wish you many, many more years of bliss!

And because it's Easter and you know I'm a Jesus freak, I thought I'd share with you a poem. Imagine me - around 12 or 13 - reciting this in front of a crowd of many... And who am I kidding, I still perform it every year. :)

What came first? The Chicken or the Egg?
What is this day all about?
Hiding eggs for kids to route?

Cakes and cookies shaped like lambs
Pink Chappeaus or Pink Madames?

That's not what this day is all about!
Who got buried then got out?
Leaving no one any doubt.
"He has Risen", hear them shout!

That's what this day is all about.

Happy New Year's Eve!

It seems I've rested myself a cold...

While I sit in here and catch up on email, Cristy and her family are creating 6 masterpieces for dinner - anywhere from lobster, artichokes, crab legs, shrimp, cheeses upon cheeses, goat something and more cheese. I can sort of smell it at this point but I'm certain in just moments, I'll taste it. Spoiled am I.

We're counting down the hours to cheers to a new year. B posted this fab idea of toasting champagne then breaking your glass. I love it and may have to copy it and start a new family tradition. Supposedly it breaks through the pangs of last year and you begin anew. Isn't that what it's all about?

This year has been trying, no doubt. - full of pain and full of blessings. I suppose that's what life is all about. But as we count the goodness found from this year, I will count finding this safe place and finding all of you.

Happy New Year to you all. May all your dreams come true - God bless.

Post-Christmas

I hope you all had a perfect holiday and are now setting your sites on New Years. It's hard to believe we'll be entering 2008 in just days...

My girl and her boy

Such a sweet smile

He's eight

Molly's boyfriend bought her a new duck

Our family - 2oo7

Our Christmas was really nice. We spent the Eve with my family for their traditional homemade chowder and bread. And then we were back the next morning at 6:45am for Santa Clause. My niece and nephew are still believers and there is nothing sweeter than listening to them rave about the tiny bite that the reindeer took out of the orange. And how Santa always eats Tana's cookie first. He knows. And then they're just amazed that he really listened when they asked for that particular lavender shirt or spy gear. So cute.

And Yeager? Well the kid must've been good this year. He got a cell phone, an xbox 360 and an ipod. And that was before he came to our house! I think Cristy and I were both a little worried that he'd be disappointed at our gifts after opening all that but he was so excited about every little thing. We always give him a gift from Gracie and this year it was his favorite. He even said, "i hope nothing happened to it when it was shipped from Texas". I think we still have some explaining to do. :)

Cristy and I leave in the morning for LA. That was my big gift! I am so excited that I probably won't sleep well - like a kid the night before Disneyland. We'll fly into Long Beach, head down to Irvine then drive the coast all the way up and over. If I feel like bragging about my "down time", I'll try to blog. You'd all like me to rub it in, right?

If I'm not here until after my vacay, have a wonderful New Years!

Christmas Eve

It's early in the morning and I thought I'd better start this post now or it won't happen.


This time of year brings such joy for me. As a Christian I feel extra emotional, knowing that this is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. As a daughter and sister and Auntie, I feel grateful because I seem to see my family about every other day or so through the month of December. As a partner, I count the Christmas' we've spent together as milestones and I feel lucky for each year that she's chosen to spend with me.


Last year, I spent this entire day with my daughter. I've relived the day a million times so I can seriously document every thing we did from morning 'til night. We laughed and sang. We cuddled and "watched a show". I held her in my arms after we spent a rainy day at Sea World. She fell asleep on my left side with my arm wrapped around her. I played with her during her bath and then brushed her hair. I helped her put on the new Christmas dress I brought her and got her ready for church. I kissed her. I hugged her - probably twenty times. Before she and her other mother dropped me off and drove away I asked her, like always, "how much do i love you?" and she said, "forever." It would be the last time I saw her.


I think about her today and there's probably a similar ritual happening. I miss her with every breath but I also count her as my greatest blessing. Pain/Beauty. The fact that I spent over five years with this fantastic, brilliant, funny, bull headed little miracle is something I'll always hold so tightly. And today, every year for the next many, I'll think about the perfect day that was one whole year ago and wish - every wish I can hold - for her to be happy and healthy and surrounded by goodness.


I love you Gracie girl - my whole life.

Christmas Adam

Today, this day, is Christmas Adam. It's the first day of "Christmas" in my family. Tomorrow will be Christmas Eve - and then, of course, Christmas Day will follow. This is not because I'm a big believer in Genesis - it's just a nice reminder that there's a lot that came before us.

I thought I'd post a sweet story with you about giving and sharing because that's most of what we do here, right?

***

A holy man was having a conversation with God one day and said."God, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like." God led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms. Each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. God said, "You have seen Hell."

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, "I don't understand." "It is simple," said God. "It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves and starve."

***

I've always loved this story and even though I don't believe in the traditional idea of "hell", I do know that sometimes we feel like we're stuck in our version - situational or emotional. But I think, no matter how you celebrate this time of year, this story is a lesson in taking care of each other and nurturing each other...exactly what we do through our blogs.

So, the moral of this story? I will always share my spoon with you.

Happy Christmas Adam.

Post-Thanksgiving

I hope everyone enjoyed their "yesterday". Thanksgiving is always one of our favorites and this year was so exception. The whole family crammed into one room - I love it every single time.


We were in charge of rolls and yams. We let the rolls rise for 5 hours, baked 'em 17 minutes. We opened a can of yams, baked 'em 30 minutes. (the yams are not a typical dish but my favorite oldest nephew had requested them as Thanksgiving was also his twelfth birthday.) Either way, I think our food assignments show that we clearly haven't entered the realm of "grown up" yet. My grandmother and mother are still here (thank God) so everyone else just kind of follows along. I'm afraid, by the time I have to cook my own turkey, I'll be too old to figure it out.

Moving on to Black Friday...

We left Yegs at grandma's last night. He would've killed us had we made him wake at 4am to go shopping. Plus, it's getting harder to hide things now that he's eight. But it was only a plan to go at 4am...MY plan. As usual, Cristy put on a pouty face and we ended up not leaving the house until after 7am. (just kidding, baby!) We got a coffee, got breakfast and it was all over by 11:30. Fa-abulous! Of course we spent every last dollar until payday but I feel good knowing that we're almost finished. And as I sit here, I can look over and see all the wrapped presents under the tree. Peace at last.

I hope you're all enjoying your long weekend. I hope it's filled with family and friends just like ours is.

***

I wanted to quickly post a request for prayers and love for Mommies in the Making as they journey through such a painful experience. Bless'ed be. You are surrounded.

Feeling a Bit Behind in the Game

How many of you have started Christmas shopping already? Because I’m feeling behind and it hasn’t even begun. I need to get Gracie’s package ready and that always takes a lot of thought. What does she like? What size does she wear? Does she already have that movie? Is her hair long enough for clips? Does she need some fun blue extensions? Sheesh! So many things. And who knows what we’ll get Yegs. I feel like we buy him the same things over and over and just sneak a few pieces of clothing in now & then so he doesn’t notice. So far, so good. But what next? I guess I need to start thumbing through some catalogs…

So who really goes shopping at 4am? I know there must be at least one of you! The past couple of days have been full of commercials about stores opening at 4am on black Friday and I wonder who really does that? Plus, I’m embarrassed to say that I always thought black Friday meant that it was depressing or something. Cristy just informed me that it actually means a positive money day. Whatever. I'm not earning money that day so it’s still depressing, right?

I’ll be lucky to get Cristy out the door by 7am and that’s only if I have a clear plan of where we’re going and what we’re buying. I will also need a nice iced espresso mocha in her right hand and allow her to wear a hat. And even then it's questionable. But I could lie. She’d never know I didn't have a clear plan. Because isn’t it really about the rush of it all? - getting there and watching people go crazy over a towel that will just get gross after three washings? I mean, I buy things, I do. But I don’t really know what they are until I get there. Because you can see this wonderful item in a catalog but then you get there and it’s made of plastic or it’s scratchy or too dark. I like to look around – hold things. I like to know what people are buying – what’s neat! I am a voyeur, a follower. I like to see people get excited. I like to see moms with their daughters and granddaughters – when you know it’s something they’ve done together for years and years. I can hardly wait.

I wanted to pass on this new cartoon character I was sent today. I think it looks really cute and might be of use to many of you. If nothing else, the color pages are cute. It looks like a mimic of Dora but with two moms. It's full of lessons, which I like very much.

I also wanted to be sure everyone knew that HRC’s 2008 Buying Guide was released and it’s always a good reference when you’re doling out your pennies.

And if you’re interested in advertising equality in my particular state, you can also shop here on black Friday or any Friday or really any old day you want!

So there’s my push for community love! If you could give me back some good shopping ideas, I'd appreciate it.

Happy Halloween!

From our pumpkins to yours! :)

Be safe! Have a great time! & if you're looking for the best candy, be sure to stop by OUR house!

First day of Halloween...

I started digging out Halloween gear today. I found a picture of Gracie from 2002. She dressed as Eeyore. Seriously, she could not have been sweeter! Her other mother was Uncle Sam and I was Lady Liberty. We told everyone we were the "symbol of democracy"...get it? Gracie was a donkey! She was born a democrat! :)

I set her picture on the shelf and sat in thought about what she'll be this year. Belle? Little Mermaid? Jasmine? She'll most certainly be a princess, right? It's her 7th Halloween and I was only there for the first three. Preemie pumpkin onesie, Eeyore and a mouse. God, I miss her. I wonder if Halloween is really that great to her since she surely spends days upon days dressed up anyway? And I wonder if she's still afraid of the Walgre*ns by her house because it had those scary decorations she saw? Months later, we'd drive by and she'd sink into her carseat saying, "stawy mommy!" I bet she still hates all those things.

I decorated Yegs room with skeleton's and evil pumpkins. He'll love it. He'll probably be a barbarian or some half dead gross thing. He'll change his mind up until the day before. But, no matter what, he'll be scary & bloddy & oozing with something. They have a big thing at his school every year where all the parents come and the kids roam around the school, showing off their costumes. He always has a big showing and this year will be no exception. I'm looking forward to it.

Halloween is fun. But more fun with kids. As I was setting things around the house I thought, "this would be so much better if there were kids here." Isn't everything? I mean, Cristy is pretty great but come on! She's got nothin' when it comes to decorating! :)

Time for babies, toddlers & kids. Lots of 'em!