These past two weeks....

Have not been all that fun.

I love the holidays but I also loathe them. It all comes down to do we have money to spend this year? Sometimes we have a ton and sometimes (like this year) we have very little.

I feel lonely. Thanksgiving to me is a time for FAMILY and friends to be together and enjoy each other. When I say family I mean extended family. Not just Gabe, the kids and I. I feel like no one wants to have Thanksgiving dinner with us. This will be our second year doing dinner on our own. One time we went to Bend Oregon to have Thanksgiving with my Sister. Two times we went over to Gabe's Uncles. When I was younger EVERY year on Thanksgiving I got together with my brothers and sisters and depending on whose year it was we either spent it wth my Dad or my Mom. I wish
I could spend this year with family. My Dad has to spend it with his soon to be ex wife and pretend to enjoy it. My Mom is going over to my brothers house. My other brother will be there as well as my sister and her 3 kids. I wish I could be there. Maybe next Thanksgiving we will take our vacation and spend it with family.

I love BIG Thanksgiving family dinner's. This year will be sad for me.

My friend Stacy has family coming in for the holidays. Stacy moved here because she was a victim of hurricane Katrina. First Stacy is normal ok. Her brother whom I met last week sad to say is not. True Southern red neck weirdo with a missing front tooth. While visiting with Stacy I met him and he asked if all 4 kids were mine. I said yes. Then he said are all 4 from the same father? I stood there for a few seconds. Took a sip of my yummy iced tea trying hard not to look offended and said very politely yes they are from the same father. We have been married for 7 almost 8 years now. He look shocked. I wondered why he would be shocked. I laughed about it when I got home because that is something I have NEVER been asked before. This guy was wearing high tops, a white tank top, a base ball cap, gold chain, and acid washed jeans. I have NEVER really been to the south for a long time. I visited my Dad in Arkansas (married a woman and she has gone crazy). He is leaving her. Lets leave it a that. It is a long story. Met people there with missing teeth as well. What is with Southern people and missing teeth?

I guess some southern mothers have multiple children from different fathers there in Louisiana.


Taking the kids to Picture people for Christmas pictures. You say fun and easy. I say stressful. It is not easy to get 4 kids to stay put and SMILE. We are finally done with pictures. Every year we have dealt with a child screaming on Santa's lap. Melissa was actually fine when she was a baby and Sean did not cry his first time since he was just 1 month old. After the kids hit a certain age all hell breaks loose and the water works start. It makes an awesome picture but just once I would like a perfect Santa picture. The girls did fine. They are 8 and 5. Sean who is 3 talked about seeing Santa all week and told us MANY times I am going to ask Santa for this and that. Yet as soon as it is time to sit on his nap he screams. He sat on his lap anyway. When the picture was over Sean looked at Santa and said I was a Star Wars toys. Then he hugged Santa and said I love you. Why did he cry? I don't know. Jacob who is 10 months cried because he has a thing about strangers as most babies do. So this year we had two cryers. Oh well.

Holiday time means Jones Soda comes out with the limited edition holiday soda pack. I saw it and bought it. The flavors of soda in this pack are turkey and gravy, wild herb stuffing, brussel sprout, cranberry and pumpkin pie. We tried them. Yes we drank them. And WOW! The only soda's worth drinking are cranberry and the pumpkin pie. Turkey and gravy, wild herb stuffing and the brussel sprout. We DO not recommend to ANYONE. The brussel sprout soda was the worst one. I gagged. We washed the glass bottles and will save them. It was a fun thing to do. I can actually say I tied the Jones limited edition holiday soda pack.

That's all for now. I am sure I will have more holiday blogs. I will actually attempt to go out early in the morning the day after Thanksgiving and shop. I have never done this before so I am EXCITED.

I leave you my friends with my kids Santa picture....