What was your special gift?

Today it is 3 days post-Christmas. I've eaten my share of the holiday food, baked some Christmas goodies, made a trip or two to the local malls for exchanges or after-Christmas sales, and am ready to say 'I need an afternoon at home with some down time.' Tonight we will visit with some extended family and this afternoon I will bake some homemade chocolate chip cookies, but for right now I am giving myself permission to take a short breather. It's nice to have the time off over the holidays but I guess I thought I'd have a bit more relaxation time. I've enjoyed having my kids at home and some family time in the evenings, but even we haven't found the time yet to play a game or two of Phase 10.

This afternoon I want to share some pictures with you of my 'favorite' gifts ... the ones I received from my family that meant the most. They didn't cost the most or come in the biggest box, but they're the best because because they were each chosen with 'me' in mind.

From my daughter I received a special pottery mug meant for relaxing cups of tea in front of the fireplace. She knows I do not like coffee and a hot cup of herbal tea is more my style. Ironically I got her one almost identical to it. Guess great minds think alike. She also knows that I enjoy baking, but my current cookie dough spoon has seen better days ... hence the 'new and improved' cookie dough scooper. I will definately test this one out this afternoon.

Next my son, ordered me a book by an author that we are both familiar with. The author also writes a blog that I follow. Now, don't get the wrong idea. I LOVE my day job! This book is more about remembering what your goals and dreams are and not putting them off til later. Unfortunately, 'LATER' sometimes has a way of never coming around. Hopefully reading this book (while drinking a nice cup of hot tea in my new mug) will remind me that it's o.k. to still have goals and dreams (especially when you're an employee, a mom, a wife, etc.).

And finally, my loving husband bought me a gift that will allow me to reboost my creative time. Since I was a little girl I've always loved to draw. Painting was never my strong suit. I love to draw, color, shade, etc. I love using pencil and color pencils the most. I don't anticipate showing my works in any galleries anytime soon, but I can hold my own. My kids still have brown paper lunch bags from school field trips that I adorned with their portraits on the front. You'd be surprised how hard it can be to find your lunch in the plastic bin when there are 25 other brown paper bags.

So, to my family I say 'thank you'. Thank you for remembering 'me' when you shopped this year.

Now I want to know what was one of the heartfelt gifts you received this Christmas and what made it special?

How do you feel about glitter?

Today I took a vacation day. My hopes were high for a peaceful relaxing day, unfortunately things haven't panned out exactly as I had planned. My goal was to wrap up a little Christmas shopping (no pun intended), then treat myself to a nice lunch, and follow it up with some quiet time at the library. How did I do? Well ... I 'attempted' to finish up shopping, but walked away not finding most of the things on my list. I went to one particular store to look for 2 very specific things (things that I had always purchased at this store), only to find out that they no longer carried the brands I was looking for. I was told they were 'fazing' out the brands to replace them with their house brand. Unfortunately their house brand wasn't anything like the brands they were eliminating, neither in style or quality. Bummer for me and bummer for them. My shopping experience wasn't a total loss, I did manage to pick up a couple of things that my husband can wrap for me and surprise me with on Christmas morning. Yes, that's right ... we tend to pick out our own gifts to help the other out. After 30 years of marriage we've learned that we have a hard time buying for the other. It's just less stressful this way. The ironic thing was that I was frustrated when shopping so I posted to my Facebook wall that I 'wanted a dislike button for stores that discontinue carrying products they used to carry'. Then when I was walking out of the store I ran into a friend who said 'Hey, were you talking about this store?' Lol, guess I was busted.

My lunch was a disappointment and I never did make it to the library. I am now sitting at the computer in our home office. I don't mean to sound like a whiner, guess I just put too high of hopes on my day and got stuck with a double dose of disappointment.

So you're probably wondering what any of this has to do with the title of this entry ... whether or not you like glitter. Actually I suppose it has nothing to do with it other than all of these events are little pieces of the Christmas season. With the topic of glitter I am referring to Christmas cards. I've sent mine out and have received a few this past week. My question for you is 'how do you feel about glitter?' Glitter certainly makes for some lifelike snow scenes on the cards, but have you ever noticed that once you've opened a card with glitter you can't get rid of the glitter? It is everywhere. It goes on your hands, your counter top, your clothes, and your floor. It seems to be made of some strong galactic compound that apparently only super heroes can conquer, because not even a super duper Hoover vacuum cleaner can pick it up. I love the artsy effects it gives the cards, but it does make me wonder what the floors look like in the factory where they make them. I don't think I'd want to be part of that cleaning crew.

So it's truth time ... are you FOR or AGAINST glitter?

Stop and Listen

It seems we are in full gear of the pending holiday season: Christmas lights are going up, holiday music is playing on the radio, stores are having sales, and signs are out advertising cookie walks and live nativities. There are lots of ways to celebrate the holidays. We cook, we bake, we shop, we entertain, we go to concerts and shows, and maybe we take time to walk down the streets in Rochester or Royal Oak. Most of us will be out amongst people at one point or another. When you're standing in line at the post office or sitting at a table in a coffee shop you need to 'stop and listen'. Listen to the sounds of the season. Listen past the music on the radio or the honking car horns on the street. Listen deeper and think about what you're hearing. You might hear the giggles of an anxious child as they stand in line at the mall to see Santa, you might hear someone who sounds distinctly like Scrooge yelling at the salesperson because they didn't like the price they paid for something, you might hear someone discussing their Christmas wish list, or you might hear people gossiping. The last one is the probably one of the saddest.

Today I made a run to Target then decided to grab a quick bite at a local fast food restaurant before pressing on to Kroger's for groceries. As I sat there eating my McDouble (please don't judge) I couldn't help but overhear the conversation of 3 high schoolers sitting at a nearby table. Teenagers have a knack for talking louder (not sure if that is intentional or not). The entire time I was there they were talking about other people. I never once heard them discuss themselves, only judging the other people they came across. 'Who does that girl think she is anyway? She's always in 'my' hallway. I mean seriously... she's not even in my class. Why is she even there?'

As the parent of a teenager I spend a good deal of time around kids, but the conclusion I've come up with is that people (of all ages) judge others. It's not age exclusive. Some may tell you they're above it, but if you really stop and listen you'll hear it. You'll hear it at your child's school, at your church, at a restaurant, at a booster or PTO meeting, at your job, at the mall, at the grocery store ... need I go on? I try to be aware of my own actions but catch myself being human as well - go figure.

Do you judge or criticize or critique your friends, your family, your co-workers, your neighbors, or more importantly strangers? Stop and listen to those around you. Hear what is really being said. Now stop and listen to yourself. Is everything you say free of gossip and judgement?

Christmas is the season of peace, love, joy and hope. Perhaps it's also a good season for reflection, for change, and for self-improvement. As the Christmas season draws nearer, let us all take the time to truly stop and listen. If given your choice ... what would you like to hear?

Are you a turkey lover?

I took a short break from writing this month, in case you've been looking for my posts (please tell me you have ... lol). The truth of the matter is there's just been a lot going on. Sure, there have been the usual parental duties (fortunately many of which are pleasures), my job, my family, cleaning out my perennial flower beds for the winter, and this past week my husband and I  started prepping for the Christmas holidays. I know what you're probably thinking, that I'm one of those people who rush through their holidays. Actually that couldn't be further from the truth. I actually try to savor every part of the process. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Lots of people are either on the road today traveling to visit family and friends for a few days or they're home chopping and dicing and prepping for tomorrow's festivities. Whichever end of the scale you're on, remember to take time to breath along the way.

Thanksgiving is about alot of things; different things to different people. The first thing to take time for is being thankful. What are you thankful for this year? I'm thankful my son is driving home tonight and we'll have 4 glorious days together as a complete family. I'm thankful for my wonderful husband and my beautiful daughter. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head and food on the table. I'm thankful for my extended family, my church, and my church family. I'm thankful I get to get up every morning and have a purpose for my life. Tomorrow my family will join with my husband's family for dinner. We'll eat (probably too much). My husband will get the honor of taste testing his sister's stuffing before anyone else. I'll sneak the first taste of the turkey while my brother-in-law pretends not to notice. My daughter and I will play our annual game of chess (while my nephew's dog, Max, watches our every move). We'll all yell at the TV set watching football and then after dinner we'll all lounge around watching 'Pumpkin Chuckers' (a truly unique experience).

Some of the younger ones (actually the niece & nephew are in their mid 20's now) will scour the Black Friday advertisements and strategically plan their hunt. Although I hope my niece takes the year off since she's expecting her first child soon. We don't want her or the little one getting trampled on over the 'big deal' of the day.

Be thankful for the big and small things in your life: your health, your faith, your family, your financial stability, your morals and values, that your kids can make you laugh, because you fit into jeans last month that were a size smaller, and for your talents. Be thankful for who you are and what you've been blessed with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Life Is An Adventure

Life is an adventure, full of surprises, and its share of ups and downs. No one ever said that life would be easy and unfortunately life has never come with a handbook. There are certainly times when I wish it did.

I remember being pregnant with my first child. People meant well and were full of insights and advice, but if I'd listened to everything everyone told me I guarantee I would have never made it to the hospital on time and my son would have been born in the car racing to get there. People told me not to panic that my baby would be quiet for a few days before birth, that he was just 'saving up his energy' to be born ... not in my case. My son kicked for a solid week and then through the whole delivery. I guess he was anxious and ready. People told me that when he came home he would need to be fed every four hours. I worried when he didn't want to drink at 2am ... he just wanted to sleep, then a nurse told me 'Are you crazy? Never wake a sleeping baby.' When you're young and it's your first child you try to listen to EVERYONE, but sometimes that just drives you crazy. Eventually you learn to trust your own instincts. One thing I can tell you is that you will have way more confidence the 2nd time around. Luckily my firstborn survived. lol

Six years ago I went through cancer treatments. That was definitely a period in my life when I was scared and uncertain. I had so many questions and wanted answers and insights. I was fortunate to have a great support system. Not everyone could give me the insights I needed, but most were there to make me laugh, be supportive, and make the occasional meal for my family. I did meet two ladies though (both cancer survivors) who were able to share those special insights about symptoms, medication reactions, roller coaster emotions, nutrition, self doubt ... you name it. I don't know what I would have done with Angel Laura or Lori. There were both a real God send.

I like to think that God will never throw more at me than He knows I can handle. I still have doubts often, but I know He is strong and will watch over me and protect me.

If you're experiencing one of life's ups or more importantly one of the downs, remember that you are never alone. Don't try to carry all of the burden yourself. No one's shoulders are meant to carry that much. The load will always be lighter and easier to bear when you share it. I know many of us have a difficult time accepting help. We all want to think that we're stronger than that, that we can do it all on our own. I also know it can be extremely humbling to ask for help or even for someone to just listen. But God never intended for us to be a 'solo act'. Think of all the times you've been there for someone else. Now be willing to let them return the favor.

Amazing How Words Tie Together

I can't believe that the month of October is nearly over. It seems to be flying right by, at least for me. I was thinking about this blog yesterday and realized it had been 3 weeks since my last entry. I think the longest I had ever gone was 2 weeks. Trust me when I say it certainly isn't because I have nothing on my mind or nothing to say. Guess I just need to fall back on the old standby excuse that I was busy, but then who isn't?

Lately I've been caught up in busy schedules, mile long TO DO lists (all of my own making I'm sure), some physical therapy, the Tigers going to the World Series, and the election debates.

So what's on my mind today you ask (I'm sure you're just dying to know ...lol)? Let's see ... I've written blog entrys before about the value of a single word, how much impact they can have, how they can support people and at the same time tear people down. I've talked about how we need to be responsible with our words and learn to use them wisely. Today I want to write about how cool it is that words are often connected in ways we don't even realize. The other night I was helping my daughter memorize lines from Hamlet for her AP English class. Of course I really couldn't come up with a good reason for her when she asked me WHY she had to memorize 10 lines and recite them in front of her class. Reciting lines has never been one of her favorite things to do. The observation I came up with was how 'connecting' words could help her with her task. In Hamlet's case the ending words of a sentence often rhymed, making it easier to connect and lead into the next sentence.

Last night I heard a commercial where they used words to connect thoughts ... not rhyming words this time, but in a different way. Here is an example:

Words can create peacemaking ... it'll give you peace of mind.

Remember to mind your manners ... it's all in a manner of speaking.

Speaking of work ... you look very hard at work ...

because you work for living.

Just be sure that you're not living on the edge ...

unless you're on the edge of your seat.

I could go on, it's kind of like one of those brain games that's supposed to stimulate your mind. What do you think? Can you create an example like the one above? See of you can tell us something about you in just a few quick fun sentences.

It's Been An Interesting Couple Of Days

It's been an interesting couple of days. Last weekend was my daughter's homecoming football game and dance. The team won their game, the marching band sounded awesome, and the kids looked great and had a wonderful time dressing up for their dance Saturday night. What did amaze me though was all the drama that was involved. I guess I don't remember it being that way when I was in high school, probably because we wore our 'good' jeans and the dance was in the school gym following the football game. Sure isn't that way anymore. I saw a funny Facebook post written by one of the neighbor girls down the street. She and her sister had already graduated, but their younger brother was going to the dance. Don't quote me but her post said something to the effect that ...

When girls get ready for the homecoming dance there are hair and nail appointments involved, a new dress, shoes, and accessories, the importance of the right date, and which 'group' you're seen with eating dinner. When boys get ready for the dance (assuming she was referring to her brother) it's about getting his suit dry cleaned, buying a shirt and tie to match her dress, taking a shower, and making sure his socks matched. I would say that the preparation & stress levels are slightly off kilter, don't you agree? I am the mother of both a boy and a girl and I can say that I agree with a lot of what the girls observed. Maybe somethings don't change, although I'll admit that we skipped the salon and my daughter allowed me to do her hair and nails.

Well, the homecoming weekend is over and life does goes on. The dress is neatly hung up in the closet, the corsage is still sitting prominently on my kitchen counter, and the photos continue to pop up on Facebook. It's a wonderful time in the life of a teenager, but yes things will continue to move forward. For me this week has been about a funeral for a friend's mother, my job, about attending a band booster meeting tonight and hoping to 'Win the Band', and a couple of marching band rehearsals and a symphony rehearsal for my daughter.

Oh and then something unexpected happened ... yesterday I won a couple of tickets to a breast cancer awareness and support luncheon for this weekend. Definitely never a dull moment. Something for me ... nice.

So, what's your week look like? Anything interesting coming up we should know about? Maybe we could meet for a cup of tea and see what's new with you.