Ignore this thread!

[JoJosMom]

You all have exciting lives.

 

I do not.

 

Keep posting and I shall live vicariously through you.

[Slache]

Too much expectation I think. Christmas isn't about celebration our Savior, or spending time together as a family, it's about the events and all of the work we have to do to pull the events off. I'm not doing that anymore. I never agreed to. I'm not sure how it all happened.

[lots of little ducklings]

Awww!

 

 

 

ETA:  And the moment you've all been waiting for...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BooyaH!

 

I adore everything about this except the fact that I MISSED IT!  

 

'Atta Girl, Junie!  I knew you showed promise from that very first post. 

[lots of little ducklings]

Yeah, we need less philosophers, and more welders.

 

 

(I know, I know, but I couldn't resist.)

 

 

I could still use someone willing to hang and skim coat my drywall....

[lots of little ducklings]

Well, I was gone for 24 hours and nobody noticed! So yes.

 

I noticed.

 

 

And I was lonely.  But last time you disappeared inexplicably, you were swimming in a pool with in-laws.  And the time before that I think you were on a mountain??

 

So I was not worried.  

[Renai]

Christmas (and any holiday) is what you make of it. Boundaries, and all that.

[lots of little ducklings]

Ha! I would never put myself or anyone else in danger. I rode my bike (the vroom vroom kind) to work when I worked strange hours and only took back roads because they were simple enough to understand. I was never intimidated on my bike. I always felt safe. And totally hot. Because biker chick.

 

My dh knew a man in Georgia who drove his lawnmower because he couldn't legally drive a car.  (Somehow, lawnmower was legal.)

 

I'm thinking this could be a brilliant solution for you, Slache.  A mode of transportation, plus you get to make side-money by hitting people's lawns on the way to work (which you are bound to do anyway, given your track-record in cars).  

 

 

 

 

 

You're welcome.  

[Critterfixer]

I've already decided what to give everyone on my list for Christmas. Anyone who wants a gift gets to pick it out this week or next. I will wrap it when it arrives. Everybody who wants a gift but can't shop online with me is getting cold hard cash.

Done.

[Susan in TN]

Too much expectation I think. Christmas isn't about celebration our Savior, or spending time together as a family, it's about the events and all of the work we have to do to pull the events off. I'm not doing that anymore. I never agreed to. I'm not sure how it all happened.

Skipping Christmas by John Gresham. An easy read and one of my favorite "holiday" books.

[Susan in TN]

I am feeling inexplicably content this morning. 46 must be a good age to be. Or maybe the coffee was extra strong at church. :D

[lots of little ducklings]

My mother made the entire Christmas season magical for us as children.  I love her for her efforts and her desire to make the holiday special, but I did not love the crankiness she exhibited as a result of being overstressed for 6 weeks each year.  

 

And that is why I am doing the Not-Traveling-For-Christmas dance right now.  We are keeping it low-key and doing the things that are meaningful to us: Operation Christmas Child boxes, playing chimes in our church service, actually finishing our Advent traditions this year (they usually fell apart once we traveled), keeping gifts to a minimum, relaxing and enjoying each other's company....  

 

So those of you who celebrate Christmas... What does your family enjoy doing best on Christmas Day?  This is the first year I've ever had a say in the matter, so I'm curious.  I'm toying with the idea of an afternoon hike, unless there's tons of snow.  

 

 

[lots of little ducklings]

Ooooops!  And my catch-up tab.....

 

 

Lynn - chess - YAY!

 

Lynn - 3 miles - YAY

 

Krissi - boxes - YAY!

 

Slache - Tony the Tiger - YAY! 

 

Susan - belated birthday - YAY!

 

Susan - performance - YAY!

 

Susan - thread I completely missed - YAY!  (But boo to me for missing it so I will go find it ASAP)

 

 

[Slache]

My mother made the entire Christmas season magical for us as children. I love her for her efforts and her desire to make the holiday special, but I did not love the crankiness she exhibited as a result of being overstressed for 6 weeks each year.

 

And that is why I am doing the Not-Traveling-For-Christmas dance right now. We are keeping it low-key and doing the things that are meaningful to us: Operation Christmas Child boxes, playing chimes in our church service, actually finishing our Advent traditions this year (they usually fell apart once we traveled), keeping gifts to a minimum, relaxing and enjoying each other's company....

 

So those of you who celebrate Christmas... What does your family enjoy doing best on Christmas Day? This is the first year I've ever had a say in the matter, so I'm curious. I'm toying with the idea of an afternoon hike, unless there's tons of snow.

Good question! I'll let you know. I would like to watch The Nativity Story, have pancakes and burn all of MILs gifts. Other than that I don't know.

[lots of little ducklings]

Boys won the first game of the tourney last night and then were in a hot and heavy battle for the second game when ds15 rolled his ankle, went down and didn't come back up.  He was writhing around so dh (the coach), the assistant coach, and I all ran over.  He was able to get up after a couple of minutes, and he went back in the game, but the game momentum was lost, and we didn't have a replacement for him.  He hobbled up and down the court, the ref told dh that ds had to leave the court, dh refused on the grounds that ds is his kid so he can make that call, the ref told dh that the ref loves his kid more than dh, dh let loose, dh got a technical foul called on him, and the game went downhill from there.  I was across the court on the bleachers, standing up, yelling, and waving my arms because I wanted dh to pull ds off the court SINCE HE COULD NOT EVEN WALK.  I made a scene, but it was completely lost on dh.  

 

It's fun to be me.

 

Then, as I was leaving the gym after that game, I tripped over some bags and fell down right in front of the door.  Two of the dads from the team and dh ran over.  I just laid on the floor because it seemed best.  I was completely uninjured, as I fell on the bunches of bags.  Dh hauled me up.  Then we went to lunch and bought ds an ankle wrap and shoved him back in the last game, which we won.

 

My guys took third place.  I am hoarse from screaming.

 

Little known fact about me:  I'm pretty mild-mannered, but I can lose my mind a bit if my sense of justice is injured.  So that's what happened during the bad second game when ds got hurt and dh got T'ed up.  The ref made the assistant sit on the bench because he claimed that it is the rule after anyone gets a technical foul.  So I stood up and yelled that I was standing up and waved my arms.  I might have done this for a long time.

 

People seem to like me a lot in spite of this. :huh:

 

Also, a lady stopped me in the bathroom and told me I had the most gorgeous hair.

 

And the ref who T'ed up dh and told him he didn't love his kid found dh afterwards and apologized, stating he was completely in the wrong.  I kind of loved him after that because that is a real man right there.

 

 

This entire story is giving me warm fuzzies.  It should be the next Hallmark Holiday movie.  But your part would have to be played by YOU, because gorgeous hair, and because there's a certain je ne sais quoi  in the falling over the bags scene that I have a hunch only you could pull off.  

 

 

 

 

 

I am now on reserve power.  Home from church because baby is vomiting and feverish, so I guess I should try to accomplish something before the crazy people get home.

 

Oh, and Go Pack Go.  Please.  Because dh.  I can 't take another game like the last two.   

[Another Lynn]

Christmas (and any holiday) is what you make of it. Boundaries, and all that.

 

Yes!  I love boundaries!  Except, in this case, it might result in a divorce.  :smilielol5:

[Another Lynn]

This entire story is giving me warm fuzzies.  It should be the next Hallmark Holiday movie.  But your part would have to be played by YOU, because gorgeous hair, and because there's a certain je ne sais quoi  in the falling over the bags scene that I have a hunch only you could pull off.  

 

 

 

 

 

I am now on reserve power.  Home from church because baby is vomiting and feverish, so I guess I should try to accomplish something before the crazy people get home.

 

Oh, and Go Pack Go.  Please.  Because dh.  I can 't take another game like the last two.   

 

And there would have to be a scene in the movie where she wears the unicorn hat!

 

 

Hope baby duckling feels better soon!  (And Go Packers!)

 

[Professormom]

What type of business? You don't need a college degree to own most businesses, but some do require a license. My dh owns and runs a business and has a college degree, but he could do it without.

 

Since you asked for my opinion, I think you ought to look into something like electrician, or sprinkler system installation and such. Those things require training and licenses but not degrees. And they don't pay too shabby, either.

I'm not caught up yet, and yay if you want to go back to school. One word I would throw in is that, i had more of an ability to add things when the kids were young. I think there is a general perception with homeschooling that as the kids get older, you have more time/energy. I think this is a little misleading. They need less wiping, holding, cleaning up after (although that is debatable:-) And they can do different schoolwork more independently. But they need more time in curriculum planning, college planning, emotional support, monitoring for heart issues, activities, etc.

 

Mileage varies on this, but I would not want to be in college at this point with multiple kids, especially if I had a baby. (I am NOT trying to tell you what to do.) It may be exactly what you want, but I just wanted to throw out that it is possible to have LESS time as the kids get older rather than more. I don't know that that particular phenomenon is discussed much on the boards. I can run to the store without them, so physically I am freer. However, mentally, they tie me up more than ever before.

 

Again, not trying to steer anyone away from a dream, and I would be the first person yelling, "go, Slache, go!" from the sidelines. Just wanted to get the lesser-known perspective out there.

 

Renai will probably tell me to go stuff it, lol.

[Another Lynn]

Did I mention that my degree was officially conferred yesterday?

 

:hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :party: :party: :party: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

YAY!!!!!!  That is so AWESOME!!!! 

 

 

(I meant to reply to this sooner, but caught up in holiday posting.)

 

[Critterfixer]

Favorite thing for Christmas? Just enjoying each other's presence without having to be company, if that makes sense. 

[Another Lynn]

Guess what??? Sunday school was cancelled because of the thanksgiving dinner. No one told me. So now we are sitting in the parking lot for an hour. I could've slept an extra hour. Grrrrrrrrr!

 

Dawn, that's terrible!  And you've got cooked food just sitting with you in your car for an hour.  Wah! 

 

[Another Lynn]

I rode to town with ds 17yo driving and it was not stressful.  I did not grab the door.  I did not push my foot through the floor board.  Yay me!  Yay him!!!

[Another Lynn]

Another off topic brag.

 

My 7yo dd is reading a story she wrote to her "pretend class."  It's based on the Caps for Sale story, but she changed it to a female peddler, with Birthday Hats that cost $5.00, and birds instead of monkeys.  So cute.  :D :001_wub:

[Junie]

This entire story is giving me warm fuzzies.  It should be the next Hallmark Holiday movie.  But your part would have to be played by YOU, because gorgeous hair, and because there's a certain je ne sais quoi  in the falling over the bags scene that I have a hunch only you could pull off.  

 

 

 

 

 

I am now on reserve power.  Home from church because baby is vomiting and feverish, so I guess I should try to accomplish something before the crazy people get home.

 

Oh, and Go Pack Go.  Please.  Because dh.  I can 't take another game like the last two.   

 

 

 

And there would have to be a scene in the movie where she wears the unicorn hat!

 

 

Hope baby duckling feels better soon!  (And Go Packers!)

 

 

Do we have any screenwriters on the Hive?

[Junie]

This entire story is giving me warm fuzzies.  It should be the next Hallmark Holiday movie.  But your part would have to be played by YOU, because gorgeous hair, and because there's a certain je ne sais quoi  in the falling over the bags scene that I have a hunch only you could pull off.  

 

 

 

 

 

I am now on reserve power.  Home from church because baby is vomiting and feverish, so I guess I should try to accomplish something before the crazy people get home.

 

Oh, and Go Pack Go.  Please.  Because dh.  I can 't take another game like the last two.   

 

Hope your little one feels better soon and that you are able to get a nap this afternoon.

[Openhearted]

Another off topic brag.

 

My 7yo dd is reading a story she wrote to her "pretend class." It's based on the Caps for Sale story, but she changed it to a female peddler, with Birthday Hats that cost $5.00, and birds instead of monkeys. So cute. :D :001_wub:

Awwwww! :001_wub: That is so adorable. What a wonderful idea too! We are starting that story next week. I may have twins the try this.

[ikslo]

I've never heard of that story.

[Professormom]

My odd father actually got everyone fruit cake one year. Then dh's odd father got us a fruit cake about three years ago. Dh doesn't eat fruit cake, and the rest of us are gluten free so it just served to demonstrate that his father does not know him at all, which is true. I took it to work because those people will eat paint off of walls, and no one would touch it. I ate a couple of pecans off the top of it and tossed it in the trash. The pecans didn't even taste right.

 

I think you are onto something with the fruitcake.

I actually love fruitcake. But it has to have a lot of fruit... Otherwise it is too dry.

 

I am tempted to copy the throat kick for Christmas thing. Family makes me cray cray.

[Susan in TN]

So those of you who celebrate Christmas... What does your family enjoy doing best on Christmas Day? This is the first year I've ever had a say in the matter, so I'm curious. I'm toying with the idea of an afternoon hike, unless there's tons of snow.

We always travel for Christmas, so there are fewer than a handful of Christmases that we have had at home (due to babies about to be or having just been born.) But what I imagine is getting up (at leisure?) to opening presents (unless we have followed my family's tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve, in which case it would just be Christmas Stockings) an overnight, slow-cooker breakfast or something like that, a hike would be wonderful, and then watching movies or reading stories or listening to Amahl and the Night Visitors by the fire, if we had a fireplace :D.

 

As it is in reality, we make a special effort to do Advent Sunday evenings with the advent wreath, scripture reading, singing, and prayer, accompanied by hot chocolate and special treats. We also attend a beautiful, formal lessons and carols service at Sewanee University of the South.

 

I suspect that the busyness of the holidays is less stressful for me now that I no longer have toddlers, I make extensive use of online shopping, and we are not involved in organizations that throw holiday parties for the most part.

[Professormom]

Did I mention that my degree was officially conferred yesterday?

:party: seriously, though, so proud and excited for you!! I think we have all seen how hard you have worked. Revel in your victory, woman!

[Another Lynn]

ETA:  Answering Ikslo

 

This one:  http://www.amazon.com/Caps-Sale-Peddler-Monkeys-Business/dp/0064431436/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447612627&sr=8-1&keywords=caps+for+sale

 

Review says it was originally published in the 1940s. 

[Professormom]

I could still use someone willing to hang and skim coat my drywall....

I'll do it. I know how to do lots of stuff:-)

[Professormom]

Ooooops! And my catch-up tab.....

 

 

Lynn - chess - YAY!

 

Lynn - 3 miles - YAY

 

Krissi - boxes - YAY!

 

Slache - Tony the Tiger - YAY!

 

Susan - belated birthday - YAY!

 

Susan - performance - YAY!

 

Susan - thread I completely missed - YAY! (But boo to me for missing it so I will go find it ASAP)

I am so lazy that I am just going to second this.

[Professormom]

I am now caught up.

 

I have a migraine:-(

 

Dinner last night with friends was very fun.

 

Dh is listening to country music while he finishes painting our #%*!!? kitchen cabinets. I want to put my kitchen back together so badly.

 

I am drinking a coke.

 

I have been looking into an online international school (ds13 wants to take German AND Hebrew, what!?!) for foreign languages, however, they don't have lots of reviews so I am stalking other boardies who have used them. I am a really good stalker :lol:

 

Received two of my three ap geography texts, so I can finish my syllabus for next year.

 

Susan being content makes me smile:-)

[Openhearted]

I rode to town with ds 17yo driving and it was not stressful. I did not grab the door. I did not push my foot through the floor board. Yay me! Yay him!!!

I have been doing this with dd16. The first time I was a nervous wreck. I was certain we were going to end up in a ditch. We didn't though.

 

She has gotten a lot better and more confident. I am almost comfortable when she drives now.

[ikslo]

I have a migraine:-(

 

Hope you feel better soon. :(

[Another Lynn]

(((Heather)))

[Renai]

Professormom is right about time commitment with older kids. There are many times I wished I had worked a little more when Dd16 was younger so I had more time now that she's older. But, it was best for her that I was home. There are pros and cons to working in any of their stages of life, though.

[Professormom]

Hope you feel better soon. :(

Thanks to you, and Lynn too. They come monthly and usually last about 3 days. I am halfway through this one, so hopefully by tomorrow, I will be back to happy land:-)

[Tsuga]

Well, I went on a date night and it was fun. I woke up at 11 this morning. Kids are at my mom's. Now we have to decide and get our ish together: make an offer on this home or not?

[Professormom]

Yay for date night!

[Slache]

I'm not caught up yet, and yay if you want to go back to school. One word I would throw in is that, i had more of an ability to add things when the kids were young. I think there is a general perception with homeschooling that as the kids get older, you have more time/energy. I think this is a little misleading. They need less wiping, holding, cleaning up after (although that is debatable:-) And they can do different schoolwork more independently. But they need more time in curriculum planning, college planning, emotional support, monitoring for heart issues, activities, etc.

 

Mileage varies on this, but I would not want to be in college at this point with multiple kids, especially if I had a baby. (I am NOT trying to tell you what to do.) It may be exactly what you want, but I just wanted to throw out that it is possible to have LESS time as the kids get older rather than more. I don't know that that particular phenomenon is discussed much on the boards. I can run to the store without them, so physically I am freer. However, mentally, they tie me up more than ever before.

 

Again, not trying to steer anyone away from a dream, and I would be the first person yelling, "go, Slache, go!" from the sidelines. Just wanted to get the lesser-known perspective out there.

 

Renai will probably tell me to go stuff it, lol.

I agree and that's why I'm contemplating it now. If I went in the fall for a 2 year degree I'd be done before middle school, but I'm also wondering if it would be beneficial at all in our circumstances. Much to consider. Matt is also considering going back. We will think about it for a few months. Thanks for the thoughts.

[Openhearted]

Thanks to you, and Lynn too. They come monthly and usually last about 3 days. I am halfway through this one, so hopefully by tomorrow, I will be back to happy land:-)

:grouphug: Heather

 

I'm glad you're halfway through.:)

[Openhearted]

I am making an apple crisp. Dd16 has been asking for a month now. So she will be happy. I love the smell of apples and cinnamon.:)

[lots of little ducklings]

I'll do it. I know how to do lots of stuff:-)

 

You're on!  

 

Dh got inspired to buy the drywall a few weekends ago, so we already have half of it.  The other half is somewhere on the side of the highway.  

 

 

:grouphug:  on the migraine.   :crying:

[ikslo]

The other half is somewhere on the side of the highway.  

 

Oh, my!

[lots of little ducklings]

We always travel for Christmas, so there are fewer than a handful of Christmases that we have had at home (due to babies about to be or having just been born.) But what I imagine is getting up (at leisure?) to opening presents (unless we have followed my family's tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve, in which case it would just be Christmas Stockings) an overnight, slow-cooker breakfast or something like that, a hike would be wonderful, and then watching movies or reading stories or listening to Amahl and the Night Visitors by the fire, if we had a fireplace :D.

 

As it is in reality, we make a special effort to do Advent Sunday evenings with the advent wreath, scripture reading, singing, and prayer, accompanied by hot chocolate and special treats. We also attend a beautiful, formal lessons and carols service at Sewanee University of the South.

 

I suspect that the busyness of the holidays is less stressful for me now that I no longer have toddlers, I make extensive use of online shopping, and we are not involved in organizations that throw holiday parties for the most part.

 

 

 

:001_wub:   Ahhhhh... exactly what I dream of!  The crockpot breakfast is a splendid idea.  And we have a fireplace!  We also have a nightly Advent reading and wreath tradition, but in the past we haven't been able to extend it all the way to Christmas very successfully (because travel and family).  And we enjoyed the Jesse Tree last year, too, but likewise, that got derailed once we left the state.  

 

My extended family puts a huge focus on presents, and with the number of people involved and turn-taking being enforced, it's always been a massive chunk of the day (as in, not finishing up until late afternoon. :ack2: )  I puffy heart the idea of redeeming that lost time this year.  If we could sing, I'd maybe go caroling.... but we will spare our neighbors that festive little punishment. 

[lots of little ducklings]

Hope your little one feels better soon and that you are able to get a nap this afternoon.

 

Thanks, Junie!  I did sneak a nap in... that was the one redeeming quality of the embarrassing Packers performance.  I gave up watching and dozed instead.  

[lots of little ducklings]

Favorite thing for Christmas? Just enjoying each other's presence without having to be company, if that makes sense. 

 

Makes perfect sense.  Triple-liking this.

 

 

 

ETA:  h, and song, and yadayadayada.

[lots of little ducklings]

Oh, my!

 

And not "other half" as in he bought 8 sheets and now only has 4.  It's "other half" as in the wind grabbed it and ripped part of it off the roof of the van.  

 

That was not a happy night for dh.  

 

Thankfully, no one was hurt and I found the whole thing rather funny.   :lol:

[Critterfixer]

I am fighting it on the writing front today. I'm not sure whether I'm just dragging after two days of not creating, or if the protagonist is seriously balking. I don't think I'm going to get 4,000 in today, nope.