Merry Christmas

Well like my title says - Merry Christmas - I hope you all have great days with your friends and family. I'm just heading off to tuck myself in for a couple of hours before Kyle wakes up and realizes that "santa" has been here. I can only hope that he is a better child then me and my brother and sister were... we use to stay up all night - like all night - and keep pestering my parents - is it time? is it time? come on come on come on...

My eyes are starting to seal themselves shut so I better get to bed. Best wishes to you all!

heaven

I caught some of the Barbara Walter's special tonight on heaven and found it to be quite interesting. I would love to hear what everyone else thought about it - if you managed to catch it.

Basically she talked to people from a lot of different religions and non-religious walks of life and asked about their heaven - was there one, what did it look like, who got in. There was a scientist who said there was a heaven gene - which meant that those people with the "mutated gene" felt more spiritual than others - not that they were closer to God, but that they had a passion about some form of spirituality and this gene made them able to believe easier.

The American Atheist Association(?) seemed to get the worst of it. It seemed like the questioning was different - like - come on join the rest of us - we all believe in something - don't you believe in anything - come on, come on - if millions of us think this way we must be right and you must be wrong... come on - she wasn't buying. So now I've said the atheists got the worst of it - that is compared to the jihadist she had on - who had pretty easy questions - although Barbara proudly didn't want to say anything that would get her in too much shit. I commend her for asking such a diverse group and showing people like me that there are lots of thoughts on what will happen when we die.

What do you think? Where do we go - just into the ground? is there more? I started writing a novel about this topic - fiction - it followed four lives and took them to different endings - heaven, hell, reincarnation, a little bit of everything. I stopped writing it because I feel like I dwell on death too much and that makes me nervous. I would hate to pass away and be thinking about how it was all going to end. I worry enough about stuff without throwing that into the cake mix too. I seriously think that I have some kind of disorder - probably just ADHD - but my brain seems to go in all kinds of directions - all the time... yep - sounds like ADHD... good grief

enough enough.... I better get back to scrapbooking. I will post pictures tomorrow of my work.... my (cross your fingers) completed work.

what the heck is this

It's Christmas - we are joyous... we are trying...

Tonight while Andy was painting the bathroom (yes, it will be finished for Christmas hooray) I saw this little critter climbing across the ceiling... anyone every seen one of these before... I thought maybe it was a festive bug - sporting two antlers for the holiday season - but alas they are attached - yes, I now have the heeby-jeebys and wonder if he has any buddies...

more christmas quizzes

I sit here with a swollen lip and some anger... but I'm trying to get over it. Michael head butted me about as hard as his little head could tonight and my lip is paying for it - and my jaw. I felt like my mouth was on fire, but I just laid him down in bed (we were already in bed mode) and left the room. He bawled his eyes out, but I just needed a break. He finally went to sleep... hooray! Now I'm just going to put together some packages and get a little scrapbookin' done. I finished my grandma's scrapbook last night so I'm very happy about that - I just hope she likes it.

I took the kids to a friends christmas party today. My friend has nine christmas trees and her house is better than Martha's... I'm sure of it. She takes a lot of pride in her Christmas ornaments and displays - enter the boys... lordy lordy lordy - first I showed up way to early - thinking the party was right at noon - nope... but we just hung out... the kids were actually pretty good, but there were a few moments where it could have gotten ugly... I won't go into all the gruesome details but we left with no broken ornaments and we left first so my friend had time to vent to the other women if she needed to :)

And now for a quiz to get you in the holiday mood -
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial - but not by choice... I will confess that this year it is more practical because we are leaving on boxing day, but I'm not in love with the hand-me-down fake one.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend in December
4. When do you take the tree down? I like to do it before my birthday (29th) but it usually stays up until New Years.
5. Do you like eggnog? Um - YES - but not a lot anymore - and not the low fat kind - BLAH!
6. Favourite gift received as a child? That is a hard question - nothing is even sticking out for me - I remember getting a jello cookbook the same year my sister (i love you) got a keyboard and I was pretty upset - oh then one year I got a porcelain doll - but I'd asked for it about three years earlier... I always loved getting pjs - not so much anymore...
7. Do you have a nativity scene? nope
8. Hardest person to buy for? my brother - and I've given up shopping for him as a result
9. Easiest person to buy for? all the woman in my life
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? is this a joke - those who send me email christmas cards will be laughed at
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I received a brick in 2001.
12. Favourite Christmas Movie? I've always liked the one with Mary Steenbrenner? when she loses everything and then gets it all back... I also like the Muppets Christmas Show (not the Mupper Christmas Carol), Garfield Christmas and Scrooged
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I'm always looking for that perfect gift
14.Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes - I will admit it!
15. Favourite Christmas treat? is turkey a treat? I like turtles but I never buy them because I know that my love of these is not a good thing.
16. Favourite Christmas song? Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Barenaked Ladies (it's actually my ringtone right now)
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home Christmas Day then one the road
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes
19. What's on top of your tree? A lame star
20. Do you have Jesus in your heart this Christmas? I think the holiday spirit is with me - not so sure if that means Jesus or not
22. Favourite ornament theme or color? I left silver and white with red...
23. Favourite Christmas dinner? when all my family is around... although if the question is supposed to be what was your fav christmas dinner i would probably saw it was in res. with all my friends - there was 16/17 of us and we had a great meal - we were all dressed up and I will always remember it
24. What do you most want for Christmas? I want this (it's a video so it might take a minute to load - thanks paula)

steps

Michael took his first steps on Monday night. He has been motoring around the furniture and anything that will support his weight for months, but he finally took the first two alone steps. Michael is now 11 months old and the chattest baby I've met. He is very independent and knows what he wants and has no problems in voicing his opinion on things. It is all a learning curve as Kyle didn't do anything the same. He definitely keeps us on our toes.

We went to PG yesterday to pick up some new lights for the bathroom and kitchen. We stayed the day and did a tour of candy cane lanes. (Carmen, we stopped by your place but nobody was home... I guess we will have to catch you in the New Year - great display! - is there a contest for lighting houses in your neighborhood?)

Not much else new here. I'm trying to finish scrapbooking projects and a variety of other things. I managed to get all my christmas cards in the mail today - so hooray for that! One less thing to do before we had to the coast. We will be in Vancouver from the 27th to Jan 2.

Well I better go and get some sleep if I want to actually accomplish stuff tomorrow. Hugs and kisses :)

Getting to know me :)

Here is a little getting to know me quiz from Carmen's blog. Please feel free to cut and paste the quiz and showcase it on your site. Let me know you've done it and I will add links at the bottom for those who've completed it.

Put an x next to the items that apply to you.
[ ] Short, 5'2 and under
[ ] 5'3 -5'6"
[x] 5'7" - 6'0
[ ] Tall 6'2 and up

NATURALLY
[x] Blonde
[ ] Redhead
[ ] Brunette
[ ] Dirty blonde
[ ] Dark brown
[ ] Light brown
[ ] Black
[ ] Orange
[ ] Kind of both blond n red
[ ] Kind of both brown n red
[ ] Kind of both brunette and black

Eyes
[x] Blue-eyed
[ ] Brown-eyed
[ ] Green-eyed
[ ] Hazel eyed
[ ] Dark eyed (dark brown)
[ ] Gold/gray-eyed
[ ] Silver/gray- eyed
[ ] Blue/green-eyed
[ ] Blue/gray-eyed
[ ] They change colors
[ ] Other
[ ] Glasses
[ ] Contacts
[ ] Neither
[ ] Both

Hair
[ ] Short hair
[ ] Medium
[x] Long hair

Your favorite color(s) are?
[x] Red
[ ] Pink
[ ] Yellow
[ ] Black
[ ] Green
[ ] Neon green
[ ] Blue
[ ] White
[ ] Turquoise
[x] Silver
[ ] Purple
[ ] Brown
[ ] Orange
[ ] Grey
[x] Maroon
[ ] Gold
[ ] Deep purple
[ ] Blood red

Some things you've done or have attempted to do:
[x] Ice skating
[x] Hiking
[ ] Kayaking
[ ] Rafting
[ ] Water skiing
[x] Camping
[x] Horseback riding
[ ] Surfing and skim/wake boarding
[x] Snowboarding
[x] Skiing (cross country for me )
[ ] Skateboarding
[ ] Cheerleading
[x] Lacrosse
[x] Street hockey
[x] Ice hockey
[x] Gymnastics - when I was four - does that count?
[ ] Martial arts
[ ] BMX
[ ] Baton twirling

You CAN'T stand listening to?
[ ] Pop
[ ] Country
[ ] Christian
[ ] Classical
[ ] Techno
[ ] Oldies
[ ] Opera
[ ] Reggae
[ ] 80's
[ ] Disco
[ ] Hip hop
[ ] Punk
[ ] Rap
[ ] Hardcore

The pets you have/had?
[x] Cat
[x] Dog
[ ] Lizard {salamanders}
[ ] Rat
[x] Ferret
[x] Bunny
[x] Fish
[x] Duck
[x] Horse
[ ] Bird
[x] Frog
[ ] Hermit crab
[ ] Prairie dog
[ ] Turtle
[ ] Hamster
[ ] Snake
[ ] Gerbil
[ ] Guinea pig
[x] Pig
[x] Goat
[ ] Chinchilla
[ ] Tarantula
[ ] Squid
[ ] Geese
[ ] Chicken/rooster
[ ] Hedgehog
[ ] Mouse
[x] Sasquatch (this is to see if you've really been reading all this)

Provinces/Territories I have been to:
[x] Alberta
[x] British Columbia
[ ] Manitoba
[ ] New Brunswick
[ ] Newfoundland & Labrador
[ ] Northwest Territories
[ ] Nova Scotia
[ ] Nunavut
[x] Ontario
[ ] Prince Edward Island
[ ] Quebec
[ ] Saskatchewan
[ ] Yukon

Your confessions:
[ ] I'm afraid of quietness
[ ] I am really ticklish
[ ] I'm afraid of the dark when I'm by myself
[x] I've collected comic books
[x] I shut others out when I'm sad
[ ] I open up to others easily
[ ] I don't kill bugs
[ ] I have "x"s in my screen name
[x] I bake well
[x] I have worn pajamas to class
[x] I love Martha Stewart
[ ] I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS
[x] I love to laugh
[ ] I drink alcohol on a regular basis
[ ] I have tried a cigarette
[ ] I can't swallow pills
[x] I bite my nails
[ ] I play computer games
[x] Gotten lost in the city
[x] Gone out in public in your pajamas
[ ] Been skydiving
[ ] Been bungee jumping
[x] Bitten someone
[ ] Dressed up like the opposite sex
[x] Egged a house/car (pumpkined a house/car.... )
[x] Crashed into a car
[ ] Been fired

Have you ever...
[x] Stolen a sign (HA - SIGNS)
[x] Danced in the rain
[x] Seen a shooting star
[x] Proposed to anyone
[x] Gotten stitches
[x] Eaten Sushi
[x] Gotten the chicken pox
[x] Ridden in a taxi
[x] Been on a boat
[x] Driven over 400 miles in one day
[x] Been on a Plane by yourself
[x] Had surgery
[x] Seen a movie more than 3 times in the theater (it pains me to share this but it was Cliffhanger and I went alone... lord - please feel free to laugh at me - I've also saw Alive (the cannibal movie) and A Bugs Life three times in theatre - pathetic - I know...
[x] Been on stage
[x] Gotten a black eye
[x] Memorized all the dialogue in a movie
[x] Watched an entire baseball game on TV (this is only because I lived with Susan for a while in university - I have not and would likely have never watched an entire game otherwise)

Do you like...
[ ] Old movies
[x] Musicals
[x] Music
[x] Foreign foods
[ ] Bukkake (ok for those that don't know what this is I've given you a link to follow - this is definitely R rated - so put on your plus 18 hats...
[ ] Anime
[x] Christmas time
[x] Donuts
[ ] Animals
[x] Coffee

Others who have completed this:
Carmen
Mel

the hand

On Tuesday we made our way to PG for my hand appointment. The roads weren't too bad. I was a little hesitate to go because we'd had a big dump the night before. We made it to PG where the City I guess forgot what to do when it snows - the PG roads were TERRIBLE. It has warmed up now so I'm sure mother nature has cleaned them up for the City by now.

We got to my appointment early and thankfully Andy and the boys went shopping. 10:20 I handed in my slip to the clinic and then I sat there and listened to at least 10 other people go and get casts replaced or put on. Some yelling, some crying - not fun. At 11:40 I was called in. I sat down - he looks at my hand - oh looks good - I reply 'well it doesn't feel good - it doesn't work like it used to' - oh give it time - it is still healing - your finger is still swollen... - all with a slight Arnold Swartznegger accent - I tell him I've been popping it to make it feel better - the other surgeon suggest that might help - 'stop doing that - that only causes inflamation' ARG - and that was it - I was probably in the room (screened off area) for three minutes! Thank you BC medical system! I know that I wasn't that important on their list but I was hoping he might say - hey I know it isn't feeling great yet, and I know I told you three days for recovery - but I guess I was wrong - would you like to take me out back and give me a punch - will that make you feel better - and I would have said no - I just want to complain about it on my blog. :)

So then we went for lunch and did some shopping. At 4pm I said let's do a little more shopping and just have dinner. And then another blizzard came in. At 7pm I started to make my way home. Andy and Michael slept, while Kyle watched a movie. We had one scary part - I will share now because I'm getting over it. I'm driving about 80 so I know I have time to slow for animals and vehicles. I come over this hill (10 km from Hixon) and I see a light - I'm not sure if it is on the road or not because of the white out conditions. I keep going the same rate of speed and soon enough the red light seems to be closer. It is a faint red light - I started to think it might be someone in the ditch. I get about 15 feet from it and then another car comes around the corner and see that I'm 15 feet from the ass of a red nosed reindeer. Ok - I couldn't resist - that was too easy. Ok - so I'm 15 feet from a rig that hasn't wiped off his lights. I'm just lucky that some extra light was shone on the road. I don't think I would have hit him but I could have lost control.

We made it home after 2 hours and one break at Hixon to wipe off the lights... I didn't want to be another asshole out of the roads. It continued to snow - there is more snow than I've seen in - well at least 10 years - it seems to be similiar to the dump we got at university in '96. Andy has been clearing the drive way a couple of times a day - or had been - now it is warm - a mild 4 degrees and melting.

Well tonight is my staff christmas party and I still have work to do so I better get on it. Prayers to Sarah's friend on the Island - check her blog for more details. We could be a regular prayer hotline at this pace. :)

oh santa

Today was the School District's staff santa day. They give out gifts to all staff with children and grandchildren. Lucky us, we fell into the second category and got to go and see Santa. It started at 11am and by 11:15 there was a choir singing. Then in the middle of the first song, one of the girls takes a step forward and proceeds to have seizure on the left of the stage. With that my mom runs up and helps out... one of the few people who knew what to do... I was little surprised that there weren't more people there with first aid - or something - I even knew what to do... in any case - mom went to the rescue and the performance carried on - which seemed odd to me, but I guess the girl also had panic attacks and wanted them to carry on to take the focus off of her.

At 11:35 Santa arrived with Ms Claus and they began handing out gifts. Michael was one of the first - then we waited another 45 minutes for Kyle's... it was long - but fun. Mom came back and joined us after a while... I'll get to her part of the story in a moment. We took the boys home with their gifts so they could open them with Grandpa and Dad. Kyle got a model mini cooper and Michael got some new tub toys, we happily played with them tonight.


Here is Kyle, Michael and Grandma, just before the magical events began.


Here is Michael not really enjoying the whole Santa experience - he was actually a good sport - my picture just caught him during the worst of it.

Here is Kyle, thoroughly enjoying his minute with Santa.

Alright - so you've seen the cute kid pictures - what about the story of my crazy momma... well the poor girl that had the seizure was epileptic and forgot to take her medicine this morning - lucky her - she was going to meet a healer today... lord love a duck (my favorite Paula saying) - mom went into great detail with me about how it proceeded - mom told the girl that her aura (yes, I just wrote aura) was too close to her and that there was something else wrong. Mom told the girl that she should stop taking whatever else she was on (drugs) because it wasn't helping her, she touched her head at the end of the sitting session and told her she had given her some energy - to which the girl said, what happened, I feel so much better, then other people came and talked with her and mom told her that her aura was starting to look better... when we got home - my dad did not get this version - mom actually got caught in a couple of "truths" that she had told me one thing and him another and had to sit through us going - WHAT? What are you talking about? So there it is - my classic mother.

let's get this holiday season started

Carmen posted this cute little quiz link over at her blog - if you want to get into the holiday spirit I suggest stopping by to see all her decorations and other fun stuff. It turns out that I'm a candy cane. :) I tried to post the quiz here, but became more work than I felt like this afternoon and Carmen's link is just as good - plus then you can explore a bit.