Christmas Traditions

Christmas mornings are some of my favorite childhood memories. When we were little Joel and I would be so excited about Chritmas morning, we certianly woke our parents up and crazy hours to open presents and to see if Santa ate the cookies we left him. My parents would join us at the tree as early as we could make them get up, in all reality they would get up fairly early, we were good at pestering. It was usually just the four of us because the rest of our extend family lived provinces away. We would open our stocking and then dad would make eggs benedict, then we could open the rest of our presents. All day we would play and enjoy some family time. The turkey had to cook all day and the smells would waft through the house.

I loved those traditions and in many ways they continue even today. Okay thing are a little different these days. It is now dad who is the first up. In fact, as I slept on the couch last year I was woken up really early as dad made coffee (this year I get the luxury of a bed, being married has it's perks). The four of us have now become 6, which is even better than 4! Dad still makes breakfast, and we still enjoy some morning family time. At the same times things have changed, we are closer to extend family, and now I have added more family to the need to see list.

All this being said I am currently struggling with how Jay and I start and keep our own family traditions. You see I loved those traditions so much that I want them for our children (when we have them, many years from now). Actullaly, I kind of want them for myself even now. This Christmas is seems we are on "go mode". We are already in the city, we came in Sunday night to take our parents (both sets) out to Celebrations. Tomorrow is the Putnam gathering, then on Christmas day we go to Jay's family gathering, and then on Boxing day the Hayward gathering. After that we will head to McGregor and spend some time with the Boaz's before heading back home. I like to see all the family and enjoy some good visits, but will this crazyness make good memories? I want to wake up on Christmas day in our own bed and spend some time together as a family (even if that means just Jay and I).

Maybe this is a common stuggle for the newly married!

Happy 10th Birthday Dad!

My dad turns 10 today! It was 10 years ago today that dad sat in his hospital bed and recieved his stems cells. Sometimes it feels like it wasn't nearly that long ago, other times it feels like it was a very long time ago. 10 years ago we didn't know what the stem cell transplant would mean; would it give him a year, or less, or more? The doctors were only somewhat hopeful that this would really work. From what I remember it wasn't much fun for dad, the chemo was pretty harsh, and he even hallucinated for a couple of days. It might have sucked but I was so glad he did it! The angles he collected and hung from his IV pole still adorn our Christmas tree. The prayers that were said that year did not go unanswered.

Happy 10th Birthday dad! May there be many more!

Here is the family (Dad on the end), on one of the most important days for a father and daughter!

Good For a Few Laughs!

AHHHH!! My day has been interesting, and looking back good for a few laughs. I wanted to drive to work today (I was going into town right after work to get stuff for a class party), so I got in my car, and promptly got stuck (the heavy wind last night blew all the snow across the driveway)! I abandoned ship and walked to work, I figured I would deal with it later. I warned my students that a party might not happen becasue there was a chance I wouldn't be able to get to town. This was not good for them, so the shoveled my car out (reminds me that my kids are really great people)! Party saved!

I got to town and did my shopping. As I was in teh checkout line at Co-op I picked up the bottle of dish soap I was buying. the lid fell off, and soap dumped all over the til. Oppps! I still smell like soap! When I got back to school (I have a meeting tonight) I realized I forgot the chocolate milk I was buying for the party (I even had a list) . GRRRR!! I am hoping that hot chocolate will make up for the lack of milk becasue I am NOT driving back to town!

All I can do is laugh, and be so thankful I have people around me to dig my car out of the snow, and maybe even forgive my forgetfullness!

A Very Good Day!

I enjoyed a good, even wonderful day today! After Church this afternoon Jay and I decorated our Christmas tree. He usually doesn't let me put it up until December 1st, but he is gone for most of the week and I am gone next weekend so he agreed to do it today! We listened to Christmas music and ate chocolate fondue and put up the tree! It is officially Christmas time!

After decorating and eating was done I enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon nap. Really I think God created Sunday's for just such a thing. I love napping, but I love it even more on Sunday's, maybe because I have no guilt about relaxing on the day of rest!

Not long after I woke up my sister (in-law, to be) called me. She asked me to be her bridesmaid! So much fun to FINALLY have a sister, and I am blessed to be part of her and Joel's wedding. Bonus: there will be no seafoam green, puffed sleeved bridesmaid dresses!

So it has been a good day! Actually a great weekend! On Saturday I enjoyed lunch with Sheri, I went to see a student play hockey (and was glad to see his team win, and he scored 1 goal and got an assist!), baked sugar cookies... it was a full but good Saturday!

Now onto a week of busyness with no Jay around. This week will end with a girls weekend, of course involving shopping! YEAH!

Christmas is Coming the Goose is Getting Fat!!

Okay, maybe it is still a little early for some, but I want CHRISTMAS!! I love this season, the decorations, the music, the atmosphere, the friends, the family... it is by far my favorite time of year (I have even got two Christmas cards already!)! It helps that we celebrate the most wonderful event in all of history!

The very first year I bought a tree and decorated it Jay and I had just started dating, he came up and helped me put it up, and I want that to continue as a tradition (although I think he doesn't really care). Jay would like to set the tree up as late as possible (Maybe even Dec. 24), I want it up now! We compromise and set it up sometime after the first of December.

This year we actually had to set a date (which sounds bad becasue we now live together) becasue life is a little crazy right now. Jay was in the city last night and curls tonight, I am in the city Thursday night. Next week is so much worse! Jay is gone Monday and Tuesday nights, and I think has a meeting another night and I am gone Friday and Saturday for a girls shopping trip :) ! I guess we will set the tree up on the third (I hope!). Christmas music, candles, and baking (which is the best part in Jay's mind), here we come!

So when do you set up your tree? I have a poll on the side bar, answer away!!

Life As I Know it is ITCHY!

Yup! I am still covered in hives. From the top of my feet to the tip of my head, I am itchy! I am taking Reactine every morning so that I can concentrate on other things while I am at work (it takes the itchy-ness down but it never is gone). By the time I am in bed it is all I can do to stop scratching and fall asleep (I can only take one reactine ever 24 hours). As I researched it can take up to a week for this allergic reaction to go away. It is getting a little better (there are now individual hives and not one massive one). I wonder if allergy tests are in my future?! :(

Rough Week!

It has not been a fun week! It all started last Monday at my parents house, I came down with an awful flu! It was pretty bad. I even missed the meeting with our financial planner (Jay went on his own), we cancelled plans with friends... it was not a good day! It was taking awhile to feel better, on Friday I came home early (it was an admin. day) and slept from 3pm until 4am on the couch! My stomach was still upset, I didn't feel like eating... Of couse it was report card week so I spent as much time as I could working on them (but sitting wasn't fun).
On Saturday things only got worse! I still wasn't feeling well and then broke out in a hot, red rash! It started on my face but by 10pm it was starting to spread, so off to the hospital we went. The nice nurse gave me benadryl and an IV shot of steroids to calm the rash down. By 2pm we were home (I slept all the way, benadryl does that!). They think it is an allergc reaction, I have no idea to what but the rash is still here. This morning it is looking better though! I only hope it goes away soon! As for the flu it has dissappeared! Hopefully in 2 or 3 more days all is well!
So here's hoping life gets back to normal!
~S