We have secured the vanilla

Ok, so we might be winning the craziest neighbor award...but after much shoveling, pushing, peeling out, etc...we finally resorted to pushing one car out with another. I got out my trusty really old and junky mazda...maneuvered it around in the driveway, and pushed my daughter's car out! The hubby is on his way to the shop to bring home the snow plow...and I made it safely to the grocery store and back---whew!

snowed in and out of vanilla

This is cookie baking weekend...we went shopping on Friday night and bought all of the ingredients....or so I thought. Well, really I did buy all the ingredients...just not enough vanilla :( So...we're baking away...when we ran out of vanilla. Sad...just sad...but here's the rest. There are 30 - 40 mile an hour wind gusts here, and we live up on a ridge. What that means is there are 3 feet drifts throughout our subdivision and we can't get out. My daughter's car is stuck in the middle of a drift in the middle of our driveway. We own a snow blower, but it doesn't start. We own a snow plow, but it isn't here. We also own a four wheel drive truck but it isn't here. Let me finally add that we also own a FRICKIN tow truck, BUT IT ISN'T HERE ALSO!!!!! My husband...where is he? napping...where is all of our snow equipment...at the shop...where are we? STUCK IN THE HOUSE WITH NO VANILLA, TRYING NOT TO SWEAR!!!!

If you're out and about today in your four wheel drive, that you happen to have at home, not at your husband's shop, please feel free to drive slowly by, and throw us a bottle of vanilla.

6 days until Florida...

Close your eyes and remember...

One of the best memories I have as a child was the amazing decorating that went on at my Gramma Stockenburg's house and her sister's house...My Aunt Vi and Uncle Alan. Although they have all passed on...the memories are alive and well in my mind. I believe I've mentioned in a previous post the amazing holidays my Gramma Stockenburg used to host, and although it's not clear to me when we were at Auntie Vi's house (perhaps Christmas Eve at one house and Christmas Day at the other) (or perhaps they alternated every year) I don't recall, however, I do remember Auntie Vi's Christmas Tree. It always sat in front of her floor to ceiling front window, it was always flocked and it always had one of these on it...

A rotating Christmas tree spot light! Imagine if you will a flocked tree that changed colors as the light rotated. I found this light on ebay and man if I had an extra penny, I sure would have bought it along with the flocked tree to go with it! I remember as a little girl watching their tree change color in amazement, as the house was bustling with amazing Swedish cooks, generations of Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, and pure holiday bliss. I also loved to just peek behind the tree and watch the light go round. My Aunt had a full wall limestone fireplace with various bricks that stuck out...on every little brick sat holiday elves: Little tiny ones all in red and green. There were the best Swedish pastries and always an abundance of delicious food. I wonder when they were preparing for the holiday's if they knew it would stick with me 30 years later?!?

What was your favorite childhood holiday memory?

5-4-3-2-1

How many countdowns can one person possibly have? It seems to me I'm always counting down something, yet trying not to wish my life away. Here is a list of the current count downs:

# of working days left at current job: 16

# of days to work until Christmas Break: 3

# of days til Christmas: 9

# of days til I leave on vacation: 10

# of days til graduation: 143

# of weekends left of class: 12

# of days that crazy shoe duckin W has left in office: 34

Hmmmmph...many many countdowns...too many? You decide...whats most important is the enjoyment I gather along the way.

Maybe for me I have so many countdowns because I'm a procrastinator. If I count down, then I can figure the very last minute I can start something. Perhaps. I'm in such a transitional phase in my life right now. So many changes. So challenging, yet so very exciting. Perhaps it's a midlife crisis minus the red car!

Hey! By the way, I got another job today...that makes 3. I got a job as a professional development advisor. Imagine me, counseling people on what type of job they want and how to get there. How fun is that? I applied about 6 months ago for this job, but it didn't work out then. Right now the timing is perfect. Again...very exciting. I'm not sure I'll ever be the type of person to only have one job at a time. It's not that I love to work, and I am definitely NOT a work-a-holic, but I love to learn, and the best way to learn is to teach others...and I love to help other people accomplish their dreams. My very final goal in life and something that I would so love, would be to be a motivational speaker. Oh...and write a book. Gee...I wonder if there is room in my life for 2 more jobs. Not today...

Anyway, after a few days down in the dumps, I'm sure feeling a bit better today. There's still some things stuck in my craw that are bothering me, but not so much anymore. I am telling myself "this too shall pass" and it makes it a bit easier.

Today, my mom was scheduled for surgery but they changed it to tomorrow. Makes me wonder if I've been praying for patience. I surely have not. Learned my lesson about that long ago! But I surely seem to need to practice it a lot. Please pray for my mama. She's having some Arteries cleaned out tomorrow. Thanks :)

Today I got my first two Christmas Cards. Two gals on the BFF list. Thanks for the cards :)

Today, my big girl texted me this question...what does written up mean and what is a referral?

Me: Who wants to know?

BG: Me...Sheez

Me: Why?

BG: No reason, just tell me.

Me: Written up is when you've broken a rule and they are telling you so in writing. A referral is something in school that normally means you have some kind of discipline coming.

BG: OIC...I have a story to tell you.

Me: Sounds like you do.

For the rest of the story...visit my big girl's blog here.

Off to commiserate with the laundry and TIVO!

tata!

How am I missing it?

A few of you know that a few weeks ago one of my clients sort of punched me in the face. Really, I was about a foot away from him and I sure didn't see it coming! I asked my supervisor...did I miss something? Did you see it coming? Nope... Huh...me either.

Today...round 2! I was proverbially punched in the gut by the passive aggressive type and I totally didn't see it coming. AGAIN! Here I sat all diligently listening to the question and WHAM!!! Out of the blue came the real purpose of the conversation...which was a personal accusatory slam and I totally missed it. Now...ordinarily I pride myself on navigating the waters of the passive aggressive. Perhaps I am losing my touch. I'm not sure...

I do know that tonight...I will need to ponder. My navigation system is in need of a recall, repair, rethink, re something...cuz it sure ain't helping me out.

So...help me out...if you're gonna punch me in the face literally, or punch me in the gut figuratively...perhaps you could give me a warning until I get my GPS repaired.

Feeling the crunch...bah humbug...

I must say that I'm feeling the crunch this year, and it's making me be a bit bah humbugish. I would like for this food item to not be on our menu next year. Although I would also like for this food item to not be on our menu,

my kids would be a little upset about that. And by the way...those 3 empty boxes and the package of Ramen would be dinner for my 14 year old son. Dear son...could you please just eat one TV dinner, not 3? We're trying to watch our budget!

I've only bought two presents so far and am desperately trying to ensure the kids have presents under the tree. It's tough. We are going to Florida, which is also a struggle, but we are determined to get there. I haven't had an unscheduled day off since January...and I believe a vacation is in order if I am not to lose my mind.

I believe a sure sign of the financial crunch this year, is that I have not received one, not one, Christmas card. Our cards have been cut from my budget this year as well. I felt it was either the cards or the Christmas cookies that had to go, so I chose the cards. Today it is 3 degrees here...actual temp, not wind chill-- so that can only mean one thing...many cars won't start or will break down, which will make my husband's shop busy, which may help the situation some. I have 5 days left to work until I have 2 weeks off. Aaaaaahhhhhh.

I just know that once I get through this week, it'll all be ok. I'll have a few minutes to breath...and some time to get ready for the holiday and to contemplate the true meaning.

Last week was busy as ever...I finished teaching on Wednesday night and finished school on Friday night: my car was in the process of breaking down, my son got in a fight after school, and it generally a downer day. I made it to school, and am super glad to be done for a few weeks. I have my research paper due in January...so I desperately need to get that finished while on the beach :)

Saturday morning, my girls participated in a Breakfast with Santa fund raiser for their girl scout troop. Not many people showed up and I think they may have lost money. Again...a sign of the times?

Saturday night, was my company Christmas Party...the last party for me...but oddly enough I didn't feel sad. In fact, I had quite a good time, despite not feeling in the Ho Ho mood. My BFF and I both wore make up for the occasion...

For us...that's quite a feat! When you work with puke and snot all day, makeup isn't usually a priority ;) I actually needed a picture of us for a scrapbook I made some time ago, and I finally have one that is decent!

Finally, I wanted to share this picture of my brother's fattest cat of all time...

Notice how he sleeps by the food bag ?! He believes you can never be too close to the food! I believe he has lost at least 5 lbs since living with us. Before when he laid down, his belly was round like a basketball! Now he just looks like a fat sausage!

He was only slightly annoyed by the flash. I do truly love his fatness...he's snow snuggly:) Very good on a cold winter's day.

To the Dope, From the Princess

The names in this post have been changed to protect the innocent. Any reference to any adolescent girls who are part of the Ruchus is purely coincidental.

It is a sure sign of the true Christmas Spirit and also a testament to the fabulous bond of sisterly love we have created in our house when, there, on a neatly wrapped Christmas present, under our lovely tree are these words, written in thick black Sharpie marker...

To: the dope

From: the princess

Gee, don't you just feel the love and warmth of the holiday spreading over every part of your being? I know I do.