All I Wanted For Christmas...

How did your Christmas celebrations go? Good? Okay, great. Hey, so did mine! Really. It did. It's funny but each year I get all worked up about what to buy everyone, what to pack, what to bake, what to say, what to not say, blah blah blah. And, now that I have kids, multiply the what to buy, what to pack, and what to not say by a million and there you have my anxiety level for 2008. As the holiday season started rolling, I got pretty worked up about what to buy without spending a fortune, what to pack for our trip, and why I wasn't feeling as festive as normal, etc. Blah blah blah... So, heading into the week of Christmas had me in a near tailspin of anxiety. We flew out on Tuesday and I was ultra anxious and really could have benefited from either a sedative or a bottle of vodka. Or both. But, again, it turned out just fine. As did the rest of our visit. I got to see my family, the girls got to spend time with their grandparents, aunt and uncle, and their "Data" (my aunt). It was great, albeit way too short. I love going home and seeing all of the changes to the area and to see that some things don't change. Just the way I like it. The kids had fun opening their presents and having fun with our family. Jason survived and earned yet another gold star for his unending patience. It was great. ;)

Turns out I did get everything I wanted for Christmas--time with my family, fun memories, and lots of smiles and laughter from my girls. I with I could temper the whole build up period before Christmas and just relax and enjoy the stuff that matters--the time with family which is precious and sadly dwindling, the memories of little smiles and infectious laughter, the great food made from love (and lots of sugar and icing!), and the enormous blessings that are around us everywhere we look (or even where we forget to look).

I hope everyone had a wonderful, sugary sweet Christmas and that you made memories that will last a lifetime...

Blessings to you and your family,

suzi

P.S., the picture is of my girls and my mom on Christmas Eve. She's amazing.

New Post is on it's way!

Sorry, thought I'd post while we were away, but that never happened. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas/Hanukkah and I'll be posting again later today... once the laundry is done and the toys are put away! :)

suzi

Smarter than a New Year’s Resolution.

I hate New Year’s resolutions. Mostly because I never keep them. I have great intentions and actually do start off well but by about January 15th, I am sliding back to my normal habits. Sometimes I’ll kick it back up in February after I realize that I couldn’t even last a month and feel guilty. However, for 2009, I am not making any New Year’s Resolution. Not because I am perfect and don’t need to change a thing. Ha! I am not making a New Year’s Resolution because I am tired of failing at ridiculous resolutions and my self esteem takes yet another beating. So, instead, I am going to work towards goals for 2009. Much like the goals you set at work. Each year, I have to list what I want to accomplish as part of my goals and performance objectives. I usually do well with that so I thought that might translate well into my personal life. Setting a goal is more positive than having a New Year’s Resolution. I usually say I am going to cut something out of my life in a New Year’s Resolution. Like carbs. Or chocolate. Totally unrealistic. In setting a goal, I am going to ADD something to my life. Like Control. Organization. Self Respect. And, most importantly, Patience and Determination.

Control
My goal this year is to stay in control of my health. Make better choices and have an intention. No more mindless snacking or avoiding going to the gym. 2009 is all about movement.

Organization
My goal this year to be better organized at work and at home. I am good at making lists, I just tend to make too many and I never cross off all of the items on my list. That bugs me. This year is going to be very trying at work with the economy doom and gloom and it’s really important that I stay focused and get a lot accomplished. I love my job so it’s not an issue of wanting to do the work. I just need to be better at prioritizing and delegating. I also need to be more organized at home. The kids have a ton of clothes and toys and I need to teach them to be better organized by cleaning up their rooms and putting away their toys—and that doesn’t mean throwing them into piles on the floor or shoving them in cabinets…

Self Respect
My goal this year is to have more self respect. By that I mean, quit beating myself up when I stumble, and reward myself when I succeed. I deserve some alone time and that alone time recharges me like nothing else. I will not feel guilty for taking time to go to the gym, get a pedicure, or go out with my friends. It’s what fuels me. My family deserves a full charged Suzi.

Patience and Determination
This is the big one. My goal this year is to be infinitely more patient. I lose my patience too easily with the girls and I hate that. They are little and just want to play and have fun. It’s okay if the house is a little messier or we are a little later sometimes. Who cares. I also need to have more patience with myself. It’s going to take a long, long time to get to my goal. But, it will happen and I need to remember that. As long as I stay focused and aware, it will happen. I am determined to get there. Before, I don’t know that I was as determined as I need to be. I just figured I’ll give it a try, a half-assed try at that. And, what did it get me? More than half an ass, that’s for sure (sorry, couldn’t resist!). So, being determined is the new Suzi.

Maybe my goals will resonate with some of you and move you to set goals of your own for 2009. I am going to blog about my progress regularly starting in January and your support and encouragement means a lot to me. It’s amazing how powerful having a blog is—people from all over the world now know my goals and that means I am now accountable to you!

My girls heart Santa--each and every one?!

We went to see Santa on Saturday at the Mall of America here in Minnesota. I love love love this Santa, he's super nice, sits on the floor with the kids and really listens to them and is just so perfectly Santa.

Here's the thing... That weekend the girls saw no less than 4 different Santas. They went to Breakfast with Santa at their daycare in the morning, then to a kids Christmas party at my company, Santa at the MOA, and then Sunday night as Santa appeared at a neighbor's Christmas party. I wonder what was going through their little minds as they kept running into all of these slightly different versions of Santa? I think the last "Santa sighting" tipped Kaitlyn off because she knew that it was actually one of the dads. But, still, I don't think she connected it with the other Santa sightings. She hasn't asked me why there are different Santas and which one is the real Santa.

Maybe she just doesn't even think of it that way. I don't know, I just hope she continues to believe in Santa and not let anyone spoil it for her. I mean, I'm 36 and still believe in Santa. :) He once left his jingle bells by our fireplace and the reindeer even left their hoof prints on the roof of our house! So, I have solid proof.

Holiday Spirit Level: meh...

Geesh, usually by now I am fully engulfed in the holiday spirit. I am baking cookies, I am buying presents, I am addressing Christmas cards, and on and on. This year, not so much. There's just sooo much doom and gloom out in the world right now and as much as I've tried to resist it, I've given in and have become blah. Our tree is up, the house is decorated, and the shopping is more or less done. BUT, the tree doesn't seem to sparkle as bright, the house just doesn't have as bright a glow, and I bought about 1/2 as much as I normally do this year. Meh.

Everyone I've talked to has the same outlook, more or less. We all are putting on our best Clark Griswold expressions with our festive holiday sweaters and swigging the Bailey's, but there's just something missing. It's like we all know that 2009 is going to SUCK THE LIFE OUT OF US and we can't do a thing to stop it. I feel bad for all of the kids, they have no clue. We have our appointment (yes, appointment) to see Santa on Saturday at the Mall of America. Maybe just being in the MOA with all of the other Christmas maniacs will jump start my glee. Or, maybe it'll push me over the edge into full-on Scroogedom.

Here's hoping... and pass the Bailey's, momma's running low... ;)

Snow, being sick, and hey--thanks for the award!

It's awfully snowy up here in Minnesota, with another 6 inches of the white stuff projected to fall by morning. Niiiice. I love it, all of it. Bring it!

It's been almost a week and I am still sick. Huh? Ugh. I have this death-rattling cough that is just painful and now I think it's travelled to my ears. Great. Craziness.

On a lighter, and much brighter note, I awarded with a Kreativ Blogger Award from Knit Purl Gurl at Scrap Paper Scissors! How fun! I love awards! According to the rules of the award, I must list 7 things I like and pass it onto 7 deserving bloggers, so here goes...

7 things I am liking a lot today:

1. Snow.


2. My new glasses which I am able to wear in public thanks to the advances in making my super thick Coke bottle glasses now thin enough to look "normal". Yay!


3. Christmas TV specials. The old ones, especially Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and of course, A Christmas Story. It's even better sharing them with my girls.


4. LED Christmas lights. J bought a bunch of strings for me last year for the outside and I didn't really like them, but they've grown on me. They look like sparkly diamonds covered in snow. Totally like them now and especially since they cost next to nothing to power them.


5. Red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate peppermint icing. I made these for the first time on Friday for a party and everyone loved them. Totally making them again.


6. Footie jammies. My girls love wearing them and they are just too cute and snuggly in them.


7. Britney's new CD "Circus". It totally rocks and I listen to it all day.

Now, for the 7 blogs that I read and really like and that I want to give "shout outs" to:

1. Finding Normal


2. Marketing Mama


3. Fresh Mommy


4. Because Katie Says So


5. Le Musings of Moi


6. Single Parent Dad


7. Blogging Mama

Please visit these blogs and leave a comment--it's nice to say hi. :) I am off to bed now. I used Similasan drops in my ear, hoping it'll help me sleep. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Insomnia thoughts...

Ugh, it's 2:49am here and I am wide awake. I've been sick this week and have the worst cough on earth which has kept me up most of the nights so you'd think I'd be able to sleep tonight since it seems that the cough is subsiding... nope. Here I sit. I've had this problem now for a few years, probably since I've been a mom. I wake up really easy at night and have a horrible time falling back asleep. I think it's because I was used to getting up in the middle of the night when they were babies and I had to be somewhat coherent to take care of them. Whatever the case, it sucks donkey rocks. I probably should just lay in bed instead of going on the computer, which I am sure only exasperates my insomnia, but I can't do that either cuz then I get bored and start thinking about all of the stuff I have to do the next day, or what the girls are going to wear tomorrow, or what I am going to wear tomorrow, or how I am not losing any weight and geesh--why is that I wonder?, or what color should I repaint the kids bathroom, yada yada yada. So, that's not helpful either. It lasts for a few hours at most and then I give up (or when I've reached the end of the Internet and can't think of anywhere else to surf to) and go back to bed. Geesh.

Yesterday sucked. My beloved company went through a reorganization and my area was affected. Luckily, I wasn't. I kind of expected something was afoot--I think everyone is with this economy. Still, it's still scary and just plain sad. This economy definitely sucks donkey rocks, too, by the way. I wish this happened in the spring or summer, not so damn close to the holidays. My usual holiday glow isn't as bright this year, I don't get to go crazy with the presents this year, and I just kind of wish we could fast forward to when this whole auto bailout/no bailout is decided. My dad was a GM employee for over 43 years (now retired), so we all have a vested interest in this outcome--not just for him, but my beloved hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, and all of the other people I know who are affected. More donkey rocks.

Maybe I should suck it up and take a Tylenol PM (need to buy some first). I just need a good night's sleep and maybe things will be clearer. Not advocating drugs or anything, but I hate warm milk and counting sheep seems a bit odd at age 36.

Any other remedies that work for you? I'm all ears Internet...

Merry SITSmas to all!

'Twas the night before SITSmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, except for my computer mouse.

The blogging was done for the great SITSmas day
In hopes that my blog will be picked on Friday.

I love my SITS friends, like Fresh Mommy, and Dorsey, and Finding Normal
I hope they stop by and we can share some warm caramel.

Please stop by and leave a comment and oh if you do
You'll be on Santa's Nice List and My Nice List too!

Completely gratuitous post about a giveaway...

Dear Internet,

Please, I would like to win the $200 Target Gift Card and be Friday's Featured Blogger from the SITS giveaway tomorrow.

I'll be your best friend... :)

love,
suzi