Well I have been a little slack on updating....sorry for that.  So much has been going on.  It is so strange to me that Christmas will be here in just 3 days!  YIKES!  I am not ready for it as I would like to be but it is what it is and some things just will not get done this year.  This is ALWAYS my favorite time of year.  The past couple months though I have been under an unusual amount of stress and it has just not been the same for me this year.  Regardless, it is here, it is going to happen with or without us so we might as well jump right in. I am thankful to have all of my family here and with me for the holidays and all of the "normal" days that take up the space between holidays.  Personally I simply know too many people that don't have that this year and have not had it in the past and my heart always goes out to them as time passes, as I get older, I realize more and more how very blessed those of us are that have it.

Most of you that know me also know that I can be very opinionated although over the years I have learned that I can't always share my opinions with those that need to hear them without hurting feelings so I do a lot of tongue biting too.....LOL   I mean I just don't get how it is so easy for some people around me to take their loved ones for granted.  

I have one friend who's family lives maybe 45 minutes away yet what do they choose to do most holidays?  You might have guessed by now (knowing me) they sit on their rear ends, in their pjs, voluntarily not spending holidays with their loved ones.  I just want to give them a good swift kick.  I mean they make time for co-workers and buddies to eat, drink and be merry and enjoy holidays and completely ignore their family.  "Oh well, we may see them at Christmas"  You may?? WTH is that all about, it is not like you live in a different country or even state for that matter.  You live in a different bordering county.  Get up off you rear end and go!!  Tomorrow is not promised.  I mean I really can't believe that anyone at our age could not grasp that.  Dec. 4th, a girl I grew up with, single mom of 2 children (11 & 13) lost her life.  She was my age.....She wasn't old by any definition of the word and yet she does not have a tomorrow, her children do not have 1 more day with their mother.  They will not spend Christmas with their mother, enjoying the holiday because they are selfish or lazy or ungrateful.  They will not be here because they don't have that option.  What I can say, they made the best of every day they had.  So while you sit on your rear end, in your pjs doing nothing, teaching your children nothing about how blessed you are to have a family.....Tomorrow is NOT Promised.

I have a friend that is not spending the holiday or any time for that matter with his father.  Why you ask?  Well be cause just as the children above he does not have that option.  I will say though that they made every effort to make the best of the time that they had and not just when he fell ill.  They spent time together and valued one another before that.  His daughter got to know her granddaddy.  Even living almost an hour away they saw each other most weekends.  They appreciated one another.......Tomorrow is NOT Promised.

As I sit here and type this there is a funeral precession driving past my office......

You have a grown man that cries to everyone about his children not wanting to be his friend on facebook (mind you we are adults so maybe he should grow a pair, put on his big girl panties and act like the adult in the situation) meanwhile one of his children, after all the hurt and pain they have endured due to his actions, makes the "big gesture" they make the first move (we are talking about a 13 year old, not an adult) and requests their fb friendship, requests that they make an effort to be back in their lives and how does this adult react to a simple question??

CHILD:  Can I come see you on Christmas?

PARENT:  No.

CHILD:  Well can I come see you afterward and give you a Christmas present at least?  (Keep in mind said parent lives 15 minutes up the road)

PARENT:  I don't know if I can find time?

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!  I mean seriously, tell me one good reason while I should hit the breaks should you ever cross the road in front of my car..... I am waiting..........Oh yeah.....there is not one reason in hell!!  When you are old and everyone is sick of your crap, you will be that nasty old person from tv shows (that we all want to tell ourselves really does not exist) that will be on your death bed approaching you day of judgment and your very own children, your own flesh and blood, will not be standing there by you and who's fault is that?  YOUR FAULT!  Because you  have done such an amazing job of being the adult and not blaming children for your poor choices. 

FRIDAY, December 14, 2010  (You like how I am sneaking in that "blog date" bawhahahaha)

I actually went to Biltmore Candle Light.  I know right, weird, I spent 18 years of my life right up the road and never had been at Christmas time or at night for that matter.  It was beautiful.  I will post a few pics below.  Of course I had to stop before and have my Frank's Pizza.  One of my friends is good friend's with the owner so as I am eating I look over and the owner keeps walking over to the dining room, talking on his cell phone and staring at me.  Then a waitress walks by and says "He is talking about you"  HA HA HA  It made for an interesting dinner and then it was off to Biltmore.  Got home around 1am and sadly woke up Saturday with a migraine and spent the majority of the day sleeping!

BEAUTIFUL! (It should be no surprise that most of Richie Rich was filmed here)

Sneaky Pirate totally snapped this pic when I was not paying attention!!

SUNDAY, December 19, 2010 (Yep....did it again)

Sunday morning I got up, rushed to straighten and clean the house.  I put up some more Christmas decor, just because I am behind does not mean I will not get it done....lol  I headed out, picked up a Christmas gift or two.  Then I went to meet my friend Leylith for lunch.  So we had decided to go to Asian House.  Well we get there and apparently everyone in town had the same idea!  We then decided to go to El Pasarrio in JC.  Well she had never been there so it would be something new for her.  The food is always good, the service is always good so good choice.  Well we get there and our poor waiter gets completely overwhelmed.  Finally about 10 minutes after she gets her food I get mine....no biggie, no schedule so we are just going with the flow.  So half way through our meal the fire alarm starts going off....now let me just say this place is packed and we are all chowing down on some good Mexican food, you look up from the table....everyone looks at the fire alarm, everyone watches all of the staff race towards the kitchen.....not one person stopped eating or got up from their table!!!  We all just continued on like it was no big deal, luckily for all of us, it was no big deal.  Anyway the alarm wont stop beeping until the Fire Department gets there to reset it.  (We are just a few minutes up the road from the JC Fire Department)  About 20 minutes later guess what ..... the fire department shows up!  I mean clearly by that time they place would have burnt to the ground had it been an emergency......Glad to know they are so quick on their feet!   As they walk in to the place, all casual like, they are greeted with loud applause, laughter and tons ppl taking video (I am sure they are all posted on youtube now) when they left they were still shaking their heads trying to figure it all out.....they seemed to think that it taking them 20 minutes to get 1 mile up the road to put out a fire was just no big deal....Needless to say lunch was great and a little free entertainment on the side made for some good laughs.  Afterward we went back to my house and I helped her put teeny tiny pics in a bracelet for her Mother-in-law which I later heard she LOVED so that was great!!  I was more than happy to help out!

So more later, I mean really, you can only put so much into one blog post!  lol

I do hope that everyone takes time out in the future, more than just major holidays, to truly appreciate their families and say a little prayer for all of those who are not so fortunate.

The family.  

We were a strange little band of characters 

trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, 

coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, 

borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, 

inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, 

loving, laughing, defending, and trying to 

figure out the common thread that 
bound us all together.  

~Erma Bombeck