No, but I'll learn.

I just KNEW that my mom was planning on buying me a guitar for Christmas. I was hoping my dad would remember. She never told me or anything, but I knew it anyway.

I had been wanting one. I have NO idea how to play & have never showed even a hint of any musical inclination....but for some reason, this past year, I got this impulsive desire to learn.

I thought it would be fun to sit around bonfires @ the beach & sing, or sit around w/ the ktbunch & be able to play guitar & sing songs.

So yah, my dad got it for me, cause my mom wanted me to have it.

This Christmas had to be the most materialistic ever. I don't even feel guilty about it. I spent all I had, maxed out any credit cards I had (not really, but it felt like it) on gifts. Towards the end, I shut down, not even having bought gifts for everyone. I put my effort into sewing festive dresses for L & I. Sewing doll clothes for a doll I salvaged for L. Cleaning my kitchen like a maniac to avoid wrapping gifts.

Avoidance. I think that might have been the theme of this Christmas & it seemed to have worked like a charm.

I sewed festive dresses for L & I, so I could look as happy as can be on the outside. It worked. I bought new decorations for my home, a little snow village. We didn't get our lights up outside this year. I didn't put one ornament on the tree, I let the ktbunch do it. I just couldn't.

I kept the holiday music on non-stop. Anything to keep the mind busy. I let the ktbunch watch a 'Christmas movie' every night. I rarely sat still long enough to watch it w/ them. I attended 1 'holiday party'. I participated in a Christmas card & secret santa exchange w/ e-friends.

Overall, it was ok. Now the hunt begins to find a place for ALL the new 'stuff' the ktbunch received.

Holiday Song Lyrics....w/ a twist.

I like hearing my littles sing the songs w/ the lyrics they THINK they are.

Like Jingle bells:
Jingle Bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
so much fun it is to ride
on a wonder sleigh.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas:
the chorus & then they say:
good tidings we bring to me & your king

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer:
...then one foggy Christmas eve,
Santa came to say,
Rudolph w/ your nose so bright won't you ride my sleigh tonight.
Then all the reindeer loved him& they shouted w/ please
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
you'll goooo dooooown w/ pleeeeeeaaaassee

I think this is my new THEME song.

Lyrics to Avril Lavigne Keep Holding On

You're not alone
together we stand
i'll be by your side
you know i'll take your hand
when it gets cold
and it feels like the end
theres no place to go you know I wont give in
no I wont give in.
Keep holding on
'cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
just stay strong
cause you know i'm here for you, i'm here for you
theres nothing you can say, nothing you can do
theres no other way when it comes to the truth
so keep holding on
cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through.
So far away I wish you were here
before it's too late this could all disapear
before the doors close, this comes to an end
but with you by my side I will fight and defend i'll fight and defend yeah yeah.
Keep holding on
'cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
just stay strong
cause you know i'm here for you, i'm here for you
theres nothing you can say, nothing you can do
theres no other way when it comes to the truth
so keep holding on
cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through.
Hear me when I say, when I say
I believe nothings gonna change, nothings gonna change destiny
what ever is meant to be
will work out perfectly yeah yeah yeah yeah
lalalalalalala...
Keep holding on
'cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
just stay strong
cause you know i'm here for you, i'm here for you
theres nothing you can say, nothing you can do
theres no other way when it comes to the truth
so keep holding on
cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through.
Keep holding on
'cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
just stay strong
cause you know i'm here for you, i'm here for you
theres nothing you can say, nothing you can do
theres no other way when it comes to the truth
so keep holding on
cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through.

It's real, I haven't been dreaming.

First Holiday Party of the Season!

I went to my company holiday party. It was a nice momentary distraction. A bit overwhelming @ first when everyone came up to say hello & hug me, but it was ok.

There was karaoke. Need I say more? This is me singing Hopelessly Devoted, of course! I don't think that dragon likes my singing, he looks like he's trying to bite ME!

A few of us JFF girls singing STOP! In the Name of Love! FUN!

I made the festive dress I'm wearing. :-)

Santa Train

Every year I struggle to think of our Family Christmas traditions...@ first I always think we have NONE...then as the season wears on & we repeat familiar practices, I remember. One of my favorites is the 'Santa Train'. In the city my Inlaws live in, their block is a marked stop for the City sponsored "Santa Train". We have gone over there every year, stood in line, taken a picture & they hand out big red apples & a giant candy cane.

One year I was so upset because for some reason my MIL didn't tell me when it was coming, she didn't realize it was something I had gotten used to doing EVERY year. When she realized how upset I was...she has made sure to let me know ever since then & I have made sure to let her know I am planning on coming over that day! lol

Today was the day. We almost missed it this year. We were running a bit late, a bad habit I am trying to break my ktbunch of...we were actually driving right behind santa, his fire truck escort & his train. I pulled into MIL driveway & we hopped out just in time.

There is usually a long line....not much of a line today AND I must say, Santa was MUCH earlier than in years passed. Last time it was dark by the time he got there, this year, it was just past three o'clock.

Then we just hang out @ MIL's house for awhile & she usually gets McDonald's Happy meals & burgers & fries for all of us. This year she offered but my younger sil said no, she didn't want to leave the house cause I think she was waiting for a phone call. (she's 15!) lol So we ate tostadas instead, still yummy! ;-)

Regional Finals Recap

They WON'T be going to Georgia for the Nationals. They DID win a 1st place trophy for Robot Design though & 2nd place plaque for Team work.

The robot had soem unexpected tweeks the alst round & didn't perform as well as it normally did. No one's fault, these thigns happen. The first & 2nd rounds they scored 220 & 240. Such an accomplishment considering last weeks highest score for them was 179 & the very first round score, last week was only 70pts.

The team was/is so great together. After everything, the team 'coach' (the mom that organized everything) received an email from the League/tournament director, stating that they were going to present an ADDITIONAL award to a member of our team for exemplifying the 'core values' of F.I.R.S.T. Lego League BECAUSE a judge had written in about something he had witnessed:

The judge noticed an accomplished mission but was sure the robot did not do it. He asked a team member (the lead programmer of the robot) about it & he (the team member) stated that the ball had fallen in when he picked up the robot & that the team should NOT get points for that mission being completed. The judge did not award the points, however, was greatly impressed by the boy's professionalism and willingness to NOT receive points that were not honestly earned.

We all take great pride in that because that instance was such a great represenation of our team as a whole. We can confidently state that it could have been any of our kids & they would have done the same thing. The judge & director stated that they would like to see MORE of 'that' in the F.I.R.S.T. Lego League members.

Isn't that the COOLEST Trophy EVER? ;-)

I changed the calender

I have a calender in my kitchen. I noticed today it was still on August. Funny.

It makes sense. It seems my life STOPPED in August. That is the month my mom first went to the hospital & I will NEVER forget the date she received her official diagnosis; August 31, 2006.

I don't keep track of the other dates, like the date she died. I think I purposely made a mental choice to NOT look @ the calender that day. It's in the BACK of my mind but not the forefront.

And I know her birthdate. I feel as if I really lost her on August 31, 2006. Everything changed & she changed. Anything that needed to be said, would have to have been said before that date, cause there wasn't much said after that.

Blessed for me, there was nothing left to be said between us.

Don't be a scrooge.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot cocoa w/ ONE giant marshmellow in it... but I do have a thing for Peppermint tea, year round!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?Are you kidding? I am NOT giving THAT GUY all the credit. lol 3 gifts from mom & dad, just like for Jesus. lol

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Both, my Christmas motto: you can NEVER have 'too many' lights!

4. Do you hang mistletoe, and where do you get it? Yes I hang it, in door ways, over the bed of course, I just grab some every year when I see it, @ the check out lane @ the grocery store or something, whatever.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Right after Thanksgiving, I'm a bit behind this year.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My mom's pineapple glaze ham. I'll miss it.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:The time my brother & I each knew each other's gifts, we spilled the beans & got quite a surprise Christmas morning & it wasn't what either of us expected cause mom & dad KNEW we would TELL! lol

8. When did you leanr the truth about Santa? I always knew...I was born a grown up, dontcha know?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? YES! My family opens them on Christmas Eve & Inlaws too but not until MIDNIGHT! Christmas morning is for our immediate family to open gifts together.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I put the lights & a big bow @ the top w/ ribbon streamers hanging down & then I let the ktbunch put on the ornaments. I try to keep the angel ornaments near the top. It's fun remembering the individual memories of each ornament, every year, INCLUDING a couple construction paper, laminated ornaments my mom made me when I was a TODDLER!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Since we don't LIVE in it, I enjoy it.....

12. Can you ice skate? Heck yah!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? No I don't...but I remember I REALLY wanted a Holly Hobby Easy Bake oven once & I got it!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being w/ family, enjoying ourselves & NOT stressing out about it..

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie? Or Apple w/ the crumb topping that I usually make myself.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Being w/ family every year, how crowded it gets @ my inlaws 2 bedroom house...but MOST of all, I LOVE driving around looking @ Christmas lights & I LOVE to have Christmas music playing ALL day.

17. What tops your tree? A big red bow & a simple angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? I love getting gifts but I also love the challenge of finding the perfect gift for the recepient that matches their personal tastes & interests.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? I LOVE traditional candy canes...I jsut cna't get into the new multicolored ones. I like having them hang on my tree too.....

Team SAJASABIE!

BEFORE

AFTER

Shameless Mommy BRAG!!!!!

The Lego League Tournament was today, I think I mentioned previously that oldest is on a team w/ other students in our homeschool group.
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Oh my! Was it ever exciting.

This was the qualifying round....the top 2 teams would automatically qualify for the CHAMPIONSHIP round next week..

NOT only are they rated for their robot's 'performance', 3 rounds worth...BUT they are also rated for 'team work', presentation', 'design' & something else.

Then there are also individual team awards, such as: overcoming adversity award, team spirit award, programming award ect.....

From the first round, they had trouble w/ the robot...they misunderstood a rule & couldn't have some 'pieces' on the table that they thought they could & the robot wasn't programmed to work w/o them. I know it might be hard to understand.....just bear w/ me.lol

The robot has 2.5 minutes to complete as many tasks on the table as possible, & they get to do this in 3 rounds or tries. After the first disappointing round....they reprogrammed their robot AND kept their cool & greatly improved their score in the 2nd & third rounds.

They totally cleaned up in the presentation & team work rounds...they scored the HIGHEST in all the other areas of competition EXCEPT performance.

SO it was close....VERY close. They were in 1st place OVERALL but in 3rd place for 'performance'....w/ ONE round to go.........

Then it was lunch & then closing awards ceremonies.....we thought FOR SURE they would get a design award or something.......they got a 'programming' award....then this other team that we figured would automatically be in 1st place got TWO awards.....we were all kinda disappointed.

We were SO HOPING they could @ least get 2nd place to go on to the championships & we hung on to the hope that an EXTRA team could be 'invited' to the championships even if they are not the top two.

So they are announcing the final award....the 1st place Champion team & they announce the team NUMBER instead of the team name....silence...then a gasp of realization.....

THEY WON FIRST PLACE!

It was so exciting it gave me goose bumps & another mom started crying! It was so cool!

They were SO sharp! Their team name said it ALL: SAJASABIE----> it's a compilation of ALL of their first initials. So cute AND so cool.

The team slogan is: would you like some Sajisabe w/ your sushi? & lil E drew the logo. It's a fish face w/ it's skeleton in the background & chopsticks crossed under it, like a skull & cross bones!

We are all SO excited for next week. :-)

I kept thinking my mom would have been SO excited for him so I tried to be extra excited for the both of us. Lil E & I both imagined how she would have reacted when he told her. I think she would have acted totally surprised & then really, really enthusiatically excited!!!!! She was good like that. Of course, she would have gone to work tomorrow & told EVERYONE too. LOL