Merry Christmas from my family to yours. May you all have a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2009!

I believe I mentioned that I love the holidays it fills me with a sense of hope and good cheer that lasts for about 10 minutes until it is time to get the heathens together for the Christmas card picture. Now I could just buy Christmas cards for about 30.00 and minus a migraine but like some type of sadist I make my own every year. Thus the hell of my mediocre Christmas pictures. I guess things are looking up this year, I only had to bribe Riss with an hour of computer time, but then of course Ralphie acted up. Next year I am just buying the damn cards. Hope you enjoy!

Thanksgiving and Christmas, even though I love them are very hard on me. I really have no contact with my (and I use this term loosely) Mother. My Mom is not the typical Mom. She always worked as a nurse to support 3 kids after she finally left my abusive Dad. I do not begrudge her for not being there for me 85% of the time(although my oldest brother(her favorite) she has been there for no matter what. I finally got tired of dragging my kids one with a health problem 6 hours in a car to see her. She has never made the effort to see her Grandkids unless I bring them to her. I decided on Mother's Day of last year that I would not be doing it as often and asked her when she thought she could come here to see the kids, since it is much easier on her to get here with no kids then me with 2 kids. She has yet to see them or even call. 2 Christmases have come and gone as have 2 Birthdays. My children have not received so much as a card for Christmas or their birthdays. I know this hurts Riss deeply as she used to be very close to her Grandmother that now because of yet another marriage cannot be bothered to see her Grandkids. She has Riss's cell phone number but has not called her in over a year and a half. Ralphie could care less. She is more of an illusion to him then anything. I pity her for that. I mean when you are on husband number 3, I would think you wouldn't yet again ditch your kids(except for her #1 of course) for whatever man you happen to be married to. I know this is a heavy post but I had to get this verbal vomit out before I went insane. I looked around at Jim's close family at Thanksgiving and it made me hurt so bad. I will never have that and that breaks my heart. One thing I know for sure is I refuse to ever do this to my kids or Grandkids should I be lucky enough to have them(in at least 20 years Riss!, no sooner!).
Then I saw this picture and realized no matter how much I miss having a Mother that gives a shit, I am still very very lucky and so very Thankful for them!

I love everything about Christmas, the gaudiness, the lights, the garland, and the presents. Now before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, I like giving presents although getting them is ok too;). I love it all! I know that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus but I cannot help but get caught up with the decorating. Risser hates me making her decorate but Ralphie seems to love it as much as I do. I hate putting up 6 boxes worth of decorations only to have to take them down 2 weeks later, so I usually put them up on the weekend of Thanksgiving. So this year I decided to get a head start on my dcorating and put them up this weekend. We got the inside decorations almost completelt done and we will do the outside tomorrow. Besides the neighbors got a head start on me, I saw the twinkling of light peeking out of their curtains. I just cannot have that:). So without further ado, here is the 2008 Christmas tree! *Drumroll Please*


The Tree:

There is still time! Get Out and Vote!

I have been a nervous wreck all morning. By all intents and purposes the Bears *should* beat the Lions. The Lions have not won a game all year and we kicked ass and took names the last time we played them. So why am I nervous? Well on paper we own them in all aspects of the game. Rushing, Passing, total Offense, and Total Defense. Unfortunately the game is not played on paper but on the field. The Lions surely cannot lose all their games and the Bears are at risk of looking past them to Tennessee next week. Kick-off is 1 hour away, if you need me Ill be in the corner breathing into a paper bag!

Ralphie was too big for his Halloween costume. At 4 years old he was too small for the 7/8 size and too big for the 4/6, the costume store had a no return policy and Jim bought the costume. I improvised by doing what any good caring mother would do, I bought women's leggings for the pants part of the costume and cut the legs off. In my defense I *did* put long underwear under the tights so he wasn't really wearing women's clothing:). So tell me, how bad does my *rigged* costume look?

Ralphie in his preschool parade:


Practicing his Spidey Moves:


Spidey's Mom:


Spidey's Dad: