Ramblings, Senseless and Obsolete

Turn and face the strange ch-changes.

I know I have mentioned this before. So if you don't like repeats--skip to the next blog!

It is hard sometimes to see how quickly your kids are growing. It's because I'm with them all the time. That's why the aunts and uncles who only see the kids once a year remark how much they have grown. They can see the dramatic change in front of them. While I just see the little bitty changes that happen so subtly that I miss them.

But when I see them in pictures, I can really see the changes. I don't know why they show up more in photos.

I read a quote by Susan Sontag once that is something like a child who isn't photographed suffers from a form of child abuse. Ms. Sontag was this "smartier than thou" intellectual. Don't get me wront, I like smart people, but she was one of those smart people who seemed (to me) to have this attitude that if you didnt' agree with her, then you are obviously just too stupid for oxygen.

Okay. I'm judgemental and never met the woman. But that is always the vibe I got from her. So while I don't think it is a form of child abuse, I know children walk a little taller and smile a little brighter and feel a little more loved when they have their picture taken.

And I don't think it needs to be professional portraits, but I guess my kids have a bit of an advantage in this area. Over the next few weeks/months I am trying to take each one of the kids down to the studio for a photo shoot. So far I have taken Berea and Austin came down for a mini shoot.

The changes in Berea especially are dramatic. She's always been a little scrawny thing. Her hair is a bit fly away, her nose a bit freckly, her legs are toothpicks. And I have loved every bit of it. It fit her.

Berea turned 9 just after Thanksgiving. Suddenly instead of gangly and scrawny she is willowy and graceful. It was just amazing to see this transformation. I can't wait to see the results of the other kids sessions!

Here are my favs from her session.

God bless us everyone!

I hope you and yours had/are having a wonderful Christmas!

We have been having a wonderful family oriented holiday. Everyone was more interested in seeing the gifts they were giving opened rather than what they were receiving. No real fights or difficulties. Our surprises were surprising and everyone was thrilled! So it has been good.

The downside of this Christmas has been that I have discovered just how old and out of shape I am! We bought the whole family a Wii for Christmas. I have had it stashed away since July or Auguest and have been dyingt to give it to them.

Eric and I joined in and played tennis and bowling and MAN! I hurt! I mean I think I pulled a muscle in my hip and down my leg and I think I have tennis elbow. Do you realize how old this makes me feel? A VIDEO GAME is making me huff and puff and stretch muscles I haven't used in ages! ARG!

Oh well, such is life I guess. Anyway. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

My studio is just down the block from the post office. Monday I had to walk to the post office to mail the next batch of Christmas cards I had ready. (Nothing like waiting until the last minute!)

It was very cold! And of course, we had just been hit with all that snow and ice that almost trapped us in Michigan. I almost drove the 100 feet because of the weather, but thought better of it at the last minute. (Hey, I need the excersize! Even if it is only 100 feet!) But I ended up walking the distance twice. This tree is right next to the PO. I don't know what kind of tree it is. It is loaded with these red berries almost year round. But I loved seeing the red laced with snow. I just had to go get my camera and walk back and get one quick picture before the sun went completely down.

I just heard it is supposed to warm up this weekend. And Tuesday it is supposed to be in the high 30s and maybe rainy. Yuck. I wish the snow would stick around at least until the 26th. The snow is so much cheerier and Christmasier. Maybe I could buy my kids some of that fake spray snow that people used to use on their windows. Do they still make that stuff? It's probably carcinogenic. But I could get them to "paint" the "snow" so that the ground looks snow covered when we look out the window. Maybe a trip to the 5 and dime is called for today. Gotta keep the Christmas spirit! I don't know how people who live where it doesn't snow do it. Give me winter weather--well, now that we are home, give me winter weather!

Okay, enough rambling. I'll end with the last of my winter pictures. (well, the last for today, undoubtedly not the last for the winter!)

catching up

What is the funniest thing I have heard today?

"I'm sorry" is the same as an apology.

Unless you are at a funeral.

Sometimes it doesn't take much to amuse me.

My Christmas vacation starts tomorrow afternoon. Well, I do have to work Saturday but I am not counting that. LOL! I am very excited about Christmas. I have got wonderful presents that I can't wait to give to people and see their reaction. I hope you all have the same thing to look forward to for Christmas. I know it's the thought that counts--but I love giving the perfect present!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

We traveled to Michigan Friday to spend the weekend with our friends Gwen and Tom. Another friend of theirs, Ciji is staying with them. I have met her before, but had this great chance to get to know her much better.

We had a fun weekend planned, and then found out yesterday at noon a significant amount of snow was headed our way. The guys were brewing beer together, so we planned to leave a day early and try to get home before the snow hit.

It ended up being a blessing that we waited until the beer was brewed. We left,  but very quickly turned around and went back to there house. If we had left as soon as we heard about the weather, we would have been stranded on the road somewhere at  best.

Of course, today we thought we'd be stranded in Michigan for one more night. And you know, there are a lot worse things that can happen to you than being "stuck" in a warm house filled with loving friends and laughter!

We did get home today, safe and sound! This is part of living in the midwest! And this time, even the worst of it, was a great thing for us. But it is very good to be home tonight with my family here. Warm. Safe. And happy.

Conclusion

Just that I'd give you "the rest of the story." This afternoon, MIL agreed to have Christmas with us on the same day as the Packers/Bear game. She said, and I quote, "I guess there are some things more important than the Packers."

So whatever. I'm glad she figured that out and it's settled. For now at least.

Today Melanie bought her first digital SLR.

I am so proud. (Tee hee!) I will be starting to train her in photography. SHe already has a very good eye and is looking forward to learning more. And I even signed both of us up for a seminar next summer. Yippee! It will be "funner" to have someone to go to a seminar with!

Why football sucks

I am not a sports person. Really. Never have been. I don't like watching sports unless I feel like I have a personal stake in the matter. So I only watch on big things like the Colts in the Super Bowl or the White Sox in the World Series and even then I am rather optional. I love to watch my kids swim--and I'd watch about any sport they attempt--but I am really glad they aren't sports people because I am not a sports person. It. Just. Isn't. My. Thing. At. All.

Mainly, it's not my thing because Sports People tend to schedule their lives around the professional sports schedule. And that annoys me. Back in the day (17 years ago! ACK!) when I was involved in La Leche League, one of my co-leaders used to often repeat "People before things." And that is a pretty good rule to live by.

I think I have made it pretty plain that my holiday is Thanksgiving is my holiday. This is the only holiday I do and the only one I plan for and try to impress with. 

In past years, I only had one rule.

No football.

None. Nada. Zip.

In the past, my relationship with my MIL was strained at best. But in the last decade we have both grown up a lot and learned to compromise. There has been some VERY tense moments in spite of that. But I have chosen to ignore many of them. Well, maybe not totally ignore. I think I have "vented" to Eric a LOT--and maybe too much, putting him in an awkward place. But I have put up with whatever comes my way and not rocked the boat. I'm not a saint and I'm not perfect, but I have gone out of my way to not rise to the bait. I have a couple holes in my tongue from biting it, but it was a good choice.

So this Thanksgiving, the Packers were playing Somebody. And I "let" them turn the game on. And I even sat down and "watched" the game with her and attempted to discuss football intelligently (cough cough!) and tried to keep the kids quiet even though they just wanted to talk to their only living grandmother. I totally rolled over on the "no football" rule.

Well, now we are trying to get together for Christmas. Which will be at her house as tradition dictates. She wanted the 22nd. But I am working from 7 AM until noon doing pictures with Santa at St. Joseph's college. And then Austin and Melanie work in the afternoon and evening at Arby's where they are managers. Christmas Eve has been traditionally off limits back from the time when my mother was still living. We made that rule because they were both jealous of the time the other one had and we wanted to be fair.

But my MIL doesn't want to do it on the 23rd because the packers are playing the Bears. So I was confused and asked in an excited voice, "Oh! Do you have tickets? Are you going to the game?"

No. It's just on TV. So she can't have Christmas with her only only grandchildren because she has to watch a football game on TV. Way to build their self esteem, Dot! Football is more important them them! Whatever. It just pisses me off. Stick a tape in the VCR and watch it later. Turn the TV on and watch it while we are visiting. But no. We can't do Christmas because of a stupid idiotic football game.

Will any of those players come to her funeral? Will any of those players help her move? Will any of those players come over and stay with her after she has had a medical procedure? Will any of those players make her a birthday card? Will they even send her a store bought birthday card? Have they been doing extra chores around the house to earn money to buy her a Christmas present?  If you are in doubt, I'll tell you the answer. No. They won't. But there are nine people I know who will. Who have. Who will continue to do so. There are 9 people I know who count on her to act like the best grandmother in the world and not just a cheesehead. In factg, they think she is the best grandmother. But they know she doesn't want to do it on the 23rd because of the Packers game. And they are annoyed. And I am annoyed. I am downright pissed off.

People before things.

Seriously.

On another note, yesterday marks the day my father passed away. It's been 20 years. I can't believe it has been so long. I also know he NEVER would have put ANYTHING ahead of a day with his grandchildren. I wish he had lived to meet them. I have to believe he is watching them and me, too.

Resolved:

When I was in high school (shortly after the wheel was created) I was on the debate team. Yes, geek. I know. Still am a geek! LOL!

ANYWAY! Each year we were supposed to debate a topic on some mammoth change we thought should occur under the umbrella of a general topic picked for that year. And it always started with Resolved.

Resolved : this that or the other.

So this morning it occured to me that I have a significant change to propose.

Resolved: No one should be allowed to have sex in February or March.

See, people who get pregnant in Feb or March have babies in Nov or Dec. And we have FIVE birthdays in Dec. Combine this with Christmas and I find myself just walking around with my debit card in hand ready to pay for yet another gift! It is getting pretty darn expensive! So no more of this. No more people born in Nov or Dec. K?

Okay, okay. You know I can hear you, right? Maybe someone shouldn't be allowed to have FIVE babies in Nov and Dec combined. Well, that's just silly. It doesn't make sense at all. So strike that!

And January babies are okay because you can buy stuff on sale after Christmas.

Anyway, we have two more birthdays this week. One Wed and one Thursday and then we are done until May! It happens this time every year when I am tired of wrapping and buying presents and even tired of eating birthday cake. Who would have thought that could happen?