Recap: Mission - December

Sweet month. Great way to end an overall great year.

Mail Christmas cards! KACHOW! You bet I did.
Laugh every day. DOUBLE KACHOW! It amazes me how laughter has a way of changing everything.
Treasure the beauty and magic in the season. I have absorbed so much. Beauty. Magic. Love.
Put the finishing touches on some very very special holiday presents. I sure did. Tears and all.
Shake the house up a drop. Shook it all up with the sights and smells of Christmas.
Connect with my super camera. With my fingers still tingling from the excitement, I certainly have learned a few things with this puppy.
Reconnect with my point-and-shoot. I had it, I've touched it. It has pictures on the memory card. Now if only I could remember where I set it down. Oh point-and-shoot, yoooooo hooooooo, where are you? Can I at least get a hot or cold on this one....please!
BACK UP PICTURES! ==sigh==It's coming. Just as soon as I get the files from the point-and-shoot. Yoooooooo Hoooooooo, where did you go?
Prepare for 2009. I'm developing a plan. In the works. Cooking. Coming right up. I'm really excited about things in the new year.
Keep on track of the textbooks. Poop on this. December wasn't the month to stay on top. January is a great month to catch up.

Craptastic and Whys

*Warning: this post contains profanity. Kindly stop reading now or please do not be offended.*
Craptastic. That sums up today. Thanks December 30, 2008. I'm glad there will be just one of you in my life.
Why didn't I listen to the little voice inside that told me to stay in bed this morning? Why didn't I take the cue from the shit coffee that I made? Why didn't I listen to the weather dude that said it felt like -36 after the wind blew the skin off my bones? Why did I think leaving the house today was in order? Why is my Christmas tree still up! Why am I feeling so miserable and rushed and out of breath and exhausted?
Let's change it up. Switch directions.
Dear Christmas Tree, by morning you will be mere branches in a box.
Dear Textbooks - both of you, by Jan 11 will be my bitches!
Dear House in Chaos, by Jan 2 you will have order.
Dear Dog, thanks for being cool.
Dear Cat, thanks for reminding me that bursts of energy happen to all of us.
Dear Children, stop growing so fast. Take my hands and let's simply stroll.
Dear Sister, please don't go. I'm nowhere near ready.

Coffee, What Happened?

I have been making some pretty delicious coffee lately. The kind of coffee that makes you want another cup and warms you to your toes. This morning - ACK! - this stuff is gross. Tastes like refiltered water with a splash of nasty in it. I'm going to brew a pot of tea and pour this crap out. Yuck!
Low key around here today. Not too much on the agenda. Some laundry (does it ever end?), some boxes need to be stashed away, a tree is still staring at me from the front window. Photos need to be edited. I have a test to take and think today is a good day to roll it out. Economics now. Let's rock this!
I'm ready.

All wrapped up

And so Christmas with all its excitement has passed. We had fun. We laughed and cried. Those two extremes make everything worth doing. I got KIWI JAM! It was homemade especially for me. Homemade is the way to my heart. Thanks! Three cheers for no returns for us. HIP HIP HOORAY!

We're busy making space around here. Finding homes for gifts. Washing new clothes and preparing small clothes for an adventure out of here. The Christmas tree might just come down.

So nice.

So much love.

Sparkling Snow

Last night I went out for a brisk walk with my dogfew, Rookie. I was not at all dressed for the occasion but the spontaneity of the moment made it worth it. We trotted along the sidewalk, him in his glory bouncing along, me becoming concerned with the crisp air that was nipping at my cheeks. There was a twinkle in the air. On our way back home, I noticed the sparkle on the snow. It glistened just so that the magic of Christmas could be felt way down deep.

All too often we get caught up in so many things that don't matter to us much later on. That moment that stopped me to see the sparkling snow gave me back my ready. Now, my ready is good. Let's make the moments left of this season count.

Merry Christmas!

Doodling on the Life's Wallpaper

I was directed to this last year. Ali Edwards is fantastic. I've been thinking about words for the past week. So many keep cycling through my mind. So many that are great. I'm leaning strongly towards one perfect one, though.
For 2008, my word was ready. It has kept me focused, kept me motivated, and pulled me through a few snags, stalls, and detours through year. Thanks Ready! You will always be a part of me. Watch for the unveiling of my 2009 word towards the very end of this month or very early January.
I'm filling in pages of a journal to keep me on track with goals, achievements, growth for the coming new year. I'm developing a plan. I'm making my lists. I'm getting ready.
With just a shake more than a week left in 2008, let's do this. FULL STEAM AHEAD!

A Quarter Cup

That's what I'm running on today. How long before I crash? A quarter cup of sleep because my mind raced all evening and night.
For now I'm off. Let's do this, I'm ready.

Singing Sweet Songs

That's what we're doing around here these days. We're moving along with the melodies that warm the chill the in the air. There are still things that need to be done, some important, some urgent, and just a few EMERGENCY!
Yesterday was Steven's first Christmas concert. A whole bunch of kids, even more parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, friends sitting in tiny wee little chairs watching with glowing eyes and pride kissed cheeks. Oh, to be young again.
Today was a four month check up and booster for our baby. I love her and the guilt trip wail that she has mastered. Such a sweet little child. Oh the days to come...
Now it's back to the book I'm working on. Christmas, Dude, for real I'm enjoying this more than I ever have. Please let me live these moments just a touch longer.
Slow down, Father Time, there really is no rush. I'm ready.

Shivers and Chills

Today was an inside day around this place. It was perfect. We played, ate, cleaned, danced, laughed.

I can't remember at all where I found this snippet but it has been weighing in on my mind and my heart these days.

Are you ready to make it all worth it? I am.

Shopping and Icicles

Frozen inside a world that continues moving. That's what it feels like right now. Happily, I announce that being out in the cold is making my skin that much thicker and for that, I can be thankful. -40 something with the wind today and there was busy me scampering around the city loving every minute that I spent with my sister. Two nuts playing a really bizarre parking game - which was finally won on try #3 - laughing, living, loving. Some day my sweet sister will learn the accomplishment of completing the seasonal shopping pre-December 1.
While the shopping is complete, there are a few projects that need finishing touches. There are also a few that need to be started entirely. For tonight, though, I'm going to rock my baby girl, snuggle with my super son, and whisper away to bed.
I am ready.

Recharging

That's what it feels like I'm doing these days. A drained skeleton of me walks, recharges, reinvents.

I know I'm sure ready.

Mission: December

Three cheers to ring out 2008 with class!
It's a short list this month for missions. They are pretty big ideas.

1. Mail Christmas cards!
2. Laugh every day.
3. Treasure the beauty and magic in the season.
4. Put the finishing touches on some very very special holiday presents.
5. Shake the house up a drop.
6. Connect with my super camera.
7. Reconnect with my point-and-shoot.
8. BACK UP PICTURES! *
9. Prepare for 2009.
10. Keep on track of the textbooks.

Let's go, December. I'm feeling you. Ready!

*A rather nasty funk scrambled all the pictures I had from Kamila's birth. If you have any saved, please send them my way. A VERY HARD LESSON LEARNED!

Whoa! Whoa! Easy!!!

December, I know you might be in a rush to run away on us all but PLEASE SLOW DOWN!

Missions are coming. I'm getting ready!