Winding Down...

I just finished watching Mama Mia... What a fun movie! and a bit silly and funny and I cried at the part where she was singing to Pierce Bronson before going up the mountain to the wedding, lol... Son2 watched it with me... One of his girl friend's text him while he was watching and asked him what he was doing and when he told her she said No Don't!, she had watched it last night... He said too late, it's over, lol... Hubby is off at work... The boys are wandering from one new toy/game to another... They need to get in showers soon, they promised me... Seems showers are not required on vacation... Ewwwww....

Went to work today... was not in the mood for it today... still reeling from Christmas... of course we have nothing left that anyone wants... We opened at 7am... everyone came at 10am and were still going strong when I left at 1:30pm... of course the answer to every question was No, Sorry... I am off tomorrow!!! and then hopefully Sunday is a short day, haven't seen the schedule yet, and then just Monday and Tuesday and then I am on vacation... Woo Hoo...

We had a great Christmas yesterday... Everyone got what they wanted and then some... We were woken by son3 at 8:30am with a 'Mom we hit the jackpock', instead of jackpot, lol.... Of course hubby and I have to shower and then fix hot chocolate and orange sticky buns and then finally at 9:30ish we were heading to the opening of stockings... By 10am son1 and girlfriend arrived bearing gifts... So between opening Santa gifts and their gifts and gifts to each other, we finally finished about 1:15ish... Girlfriend almost cried when she opened the TV we got them... Son2 and son3 got tv's too due to the going digital in February... Then son1 and girlfriend were off to see his Dad... So we pulled out the ham and all the leftovers and commenced eating while we watched Ironman... Son2 was programming his new cell phone and texting friends to let them know what he got for Christmas... He has been texting ever since... Somewhere around 8pm the boys went off to play PlayStation and hubby put in Superman Returns and I fell promptly asleep... He woke me up after the movie to put the boys to bed and sigh Christmas was over... I'm having a bit of the after Christmas sadness so trying just to kick back this evening and relax... Tomorrow I'll make a list and do some chores and make some new goals...

And let's see for Christmas I got some bird houses, a hummingbird feeder, lots of chocolate, lots of books, socks, pjs, a watch, snowmen mugs, Sixteen Candles DVD, Tin Man DVD, a vase, a candle holder, a plush snowman, bird decoration rain gauge and some lotions...

Ok off to get the boys in showers and maybe watch Made of Honor with Patrick Dempsey...

Happy Journaling...

Christmas Day slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Journaling...

Happy Christmas Eve...

The boys are all tucked in bed, hubby is making pumpkin pies, we are just waiting for Santa to come and then we can get all tucked in bed too... Santa is in Utah right now, the boys have been tracking him on Norad all night... We had our yummy ham for dinner with mashed potatoes and such... We watched Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol... The boys opened their Christmas Eve presents of jammies and the Jeff Dunham Christmas Special... He is so hilarious... We already watched it... lol... Work was a breeze today except for the waiting to go home... We were the busiest from about 10:30am to 1pm but still not that much... If we are able to walk down aisles then that is not Christmas busy... I cleaned out almost all the kids shoes from the stockroom and then went to lunch... After lunch I put up the signs for the day after sale and then I stocked athletics... By 2pm the supervisor and other associate were just chit chatting so I went in the back and worked on opening the last of the boxes... Then at 3pm we three went home and the three closers came in and that was Christmas eve in the shoe department...

Wishing everyone the blessed of Christmases... Hope you get everything you dream of and wish for....

Happy Journaling...

Twas the Night Before Christmas

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

by Clement Clarke Mooreor Henry Livingston

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Happy Journaling...

Santa Mouse

Once there was a little mouse, who didn't have a name. He lived in a great big house, this mouse, the only mouse in the whole wide house. He dreamed he had playmates who were friendly as could be. The little girls would bring their dolls, and dress up and have tea. The boys would play at cowboys or Eskimo or Spanish. But when he tried to touch them like a bubble they would vanish. Now through the years this little mouse had saved one special thing. A piece of cheese- the kind that makes an angel want to sing. And so that night as he brushed his teeth and washed his tiny paws. He said my goodness no-one gives a gift to Santa Claus. So he ran to get his piece of cheese and after he had found it, Some paper from some chewing gum he quickly wrapped around it. And then he climbed in bed and dreamed that he was lifted high, And woke up to find that he was looking right in Santa's eye. Thank you for my gift he said now tell me what's your name, I haven't any said the mouse. You haven't that's a shame. You know I need a helper as I travel house to house. And I shall give a name to you, I'll call you Santa mouse. So here's your beard and here's your suit and here's each tiny shiny boot. You mustn't sneeze and you mustn't cough, Now put them on and we'll be off. Then over all the rooftops on a journey with no end, Away they went together, Santa and his tiny friend. And so this Christmas if you please, Beneath that tree that's in your house, Why don't you leave a piece of cheese, You know who'll thank you, SANTA MOUSE!
Happy Journaling...

Making a List....

One more day!! Are you ready.... I am almost... Sunday was a whirlwind of go to work and then come home and bake gingerbread cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter cookies... And I made teriyaki chicken for dinner with mashed potatoes... Hubby and son2 went grocery shopping after hubby made us breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausages... I think we watched The Santa Clause 2 that night... Monday hubby and the boys had the day off and I was back at work again... Hubby and the boys got all their wrapping done and then hubby raked all the leaves in the yard... I decided on Monday hubby needed to go to the deli and get lots of fried chicken and fixens as I was not doing any more cooking, it just made for more dirty dishes, lol... So we had yummy chicken and watched a Futurama movie that came from Netflix... We also finally went around the neighborhood to see lights last night as it rained Sunday night... There were a few houses with lights but not too many... The boys are too excited about Christmas and being on vacation and yet still have time to bicker with each other, which they did the whole time we were looking at Christmas lights.... Today I was back to work again... I just realized today that I have worked seven days in a row, not having a day off since last Wednesday and not being off til Christmas day... I'm pooped... And then I am back to work on Friday and then yay I am off on Saturday and I can sleep in and stay in my pj's all day, lol...

But first there are still things to get ready for Christmas:

Today I need to finish wrapping some last minute presents, put something in the last two days of the advent calendar, clean the boy's bathroom, vacuum, wash the kitchen floor, clean up all the paper piles into another room as we don't want to see paper piles for Christmas, finish off the dishes, cook the ham tonight so we can eat it for Christmas Eve dinner, and make the mashed potatoes so need to peel the potatoes, do a bit of laundry so I have something to wear to work and hubby needs to make some pumpkin pies.... And whatever else I come across that I didn't know I need to do....

Meanwhile son2 is off at a Christmas party... that his friends have been planning since before Thanksgiving... so you would think we could plan it into our schedule... noooo...... For three weeks we thought it was at one friend's house but then they changed it to another friend's house... He just found out on Friday that they were having secret Santa gifts but didn't tell us til Sunday, so hubby took him shopping after the grocery store... then they say it is tradition that they don't reveal the time til the day of the party... what??! so he found out this morning that the party was 3-8pm... I don't even get off work til 3pm.... I didn't expect the party to even start til after 6pm... so figured hubby would take him when he got off work.... anyway he rode his bike there but we don't quite know where there is... so he is supposed to call us with an address so hubby can pick him up.... I don't hear the phone ringing.... I can't wait til he gets his cell phone for Christmas, lol... That's the one good use of a cell phone... to keep tabs on teenagers....

I'm off to tackle my list before it's time to be back at work again... Oh but I didn't tell you... as of New Year's Eve, I am on vacation til Jan 10th!!!

Happy Journaling...