Cross Stitching Christmas Gifts

Here are two cross stitches I did as gifts. The ornament was for my sister, Cathy, and the bookmark of Angels was for "Grandma" Jan.

Where Did Christmas Go?

Somehow, I missed Christmas. It started with a sore throat on Monday evening, turned into an extreme sore throat by Tuesday morning, progressed to a runny nose and constant sneezing by Wednesday afternoon, and by Christmas Eve I had the worst full-blown cold I've ever had. My head felt like it was going to explode and as soon as Nicholas was in bed, I left Donald to finish wrapping presents while I went to bed at 9:30 p.m. Donald finished up the wrapping and came to bed around 1:30 a.m. We both got up with Nicholas on Christmas morning and did our stockings, opened his gifts (and some of ours). Then we had to head off for my one and only pet sitting visit to see a couple of cats. Thank goodness I had insisted on not doing a lot of pet sitting this Christmas. My plan had been to spend the holiday with my family, but apparently God knew that I was going to spend the holiday sleeping! When we got home, I headed off to bed and slept from 2:30 p.m. until around 7:30 p.m. ~ just in time to get Nicholas ready for his bedtime!

I just posted our Christmas Traditions earlier this week. We did nothing from that list: No Christmas Eve ride to look at lights, no watching "It's a Wonderful Life," no cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, and we didn't even watch "A Christmas Story"! And I feel like a lot of people forgot about me this year. What about the clients that I bend over backward for to accommodate their schedule and last-minute cancellations? Where's the love, people? I am the service provider, and I provide a very nice service, but I'm the one who did the gift giving. I enjoy giving my clients' animals little gifts, and it would have been nice to receive a little appreciation in return ~ even a card would have been nice. Donald and I sent two very nice gift baskets to family members and what did we get? Nada, nothing, zilch.. Not even a card! Do I give in order that I receive? No. But it makes you feel good to know that others think you're special at this time of year, just as we think they're special. Oh well. Maybe I'm taking this badly because I'm still sick.

We did, however, have a very happy little boy who loved his gifts, even though Santa had a hole in his sleigh and seemed to have lost the bucket of Leggos...they're on their way, Granddad down in Florida found them. :-) I'll be posting some photos from Christmas day when I get around to it. I feel like I missed most of Christmas, so hopefully I'll be well enough to enjoy New Year's. Even though I missed most of Christmas, I got to miss it with my family. And that's more than a lot of people get to do. Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Traditions

Having been "tagged" by Grandma Jan, I now must write a little something on what our Christmas Traditions are. Don't get too excited; you're probably next on the "tagged" list!

• Donald and I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" together on Christmas Eve. It's a Wonderful Life" is a very special movie for us because it was the movie playing on the very first Christmas Eve we ever spent together...when we were in love but couldn't do anything about it.
  
• On Christmas Eve we all take a special "pajama ride" to look at Christmas lights, with some hot chocolate and a few blankets to keep us warm and toasty.
  
• On Christmas Eve we open one gift (to be chosen by someone other than ourselves).
• Christmas morning, we start off by opening our stockings to see what goodies "Santa" brought. I make cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting (not homemade) and we listen to Christmas music while unwrapping gifts.
• We watch "A Christmas Story" on Christmas Day; now that Nicholas is a little older, maybe he gets to watch it with us this year!

This year's tree with the room lights on...

...and now with the room lights off!

Our First Gingerbread House

Well, here she is....our first (and possible our last) Gingerbread House. Nicholas helped the entire time - close to two hours - and neither one of us dropped a piece or got too much frosting on us! I had to prop the snowmen up against the wall because I couldn't get the little buggers to stand up on their frosting platform. After pictures, we ate the snowmen. That'll teach 'em!

I must say it didn't come out too badly, as long as you don't look very closely. :-)

Nicholas the Reindeer at "Grandma Jan's"

Nicholas enjoyed many hours at "Grandma Zan's" house on Saturday. Her name is actually Jan but his "J's" sound like "Z's" so I'm gonna call her Zan. I don't think she'll mind. It was "jammie" day at school on Friday because they watched the still version of "Polar Express" and everyone had to wear p.j.'s to school. Anyway, Jan liked to hear Nicholas say that Friday was "zammie" day. Here are a few photos she shared with me. He is quite entertaining!

Wearing Zan's mittens outside - she didn't realize his were right inside his coat pockets!

Our little Reindeer getting ready to help Zan decorate the tree

What on Earth did Zan do to get Nicholas to react that way?! I may have to investigate!

Radical Acceptance

I don't think of myself as having a borderline personality disorder or being self-destructive in any way; although there are times when I'm sure my husband thinks I've lost my mind! But while at my "happy doctor" (lets call him "A.C." and I don't mean Anderson Cooper!) he read me a blurb from the book "The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook" (try saying that three times fast!) and it really struck a nerve. I let Donald read the blurb and he found it very helpful as well. After all, we have both been wallowing in the "coulda, shoulda, woulda" world lately with the job change, the economic struggles, and health situations. The article describes the self-soothing skill of "Radical Acceptance" and I highly recommend that everyone try it. Below is just a sampling of the article:

Radical Acceptance

Often, when a person is in pain, his or her first reaction is to get angry or upset or to blame someone for causing the pain in the first place. But unfortunately, no matter who you blame for your distress, your pain still exists and you continue to suffer. In fact, in some cases, the angrier you get, the worse your pain will feel (Greenwood, Thurston, Rumble, Waters, & Keefe, 2003; Kerns, Rosenberg, & Jacob, 1994).

Getting angry or upset over a situation also stops you from seeing what is really happening. Have you ever heard the expression "being blinded by rage"? This often happens to people with overwhelming emotions. Criticizing yourself all the time or being overly judgmental of a situation is like wearing dark sunglasses indoors. By doing this, you're missing the details and not seeing everything that is as it really is. By getting angry and thinking that a situations should never have happened, you're missing the point that it did happen and that you have to deal with it.

The article goes on to explain the following:

Keep in mind that radical acceptance does not mean that you condone or agree with bad ehavior in others. But it does mean that you stop trying to change what's happened by getting angry and blaming the situtation. For example, if you're in an abusive relationship and you need to get out, then get out. Don't waste your time and continue to suffer by blaming yourself or the other person. That won't help you. Refocus your attention on what you can do now. This will allow you to think more clearly and figure out a better way to cope with your suffering.

Thank you for allowing me to share my therapy. I hope I've entertained and helped you in some way. Next time, let's have a little talk about tweetle beetles....just joking, that's a line from a Dr. Seuss book. :-)

Staying warm while doing errands

Took Gracie's picture while waiting in the drive-thru at the bank; we were depositing moolah made from pet sitting so far this month! It's great to get paid to visit other people's animals, and today I lucked out because I had no outdoor visits. Just indoor, cozy ones!

Rethinking Minnesota

Well, this is quite the weather we're having in Minnesota. Today it is supposed to be a high of -1 (yes, I am using the terms "high" and "-" in the same sentence) with wind chills of -20 to -30...what the heck?! I have the opportunity to move to Tennessee and now I'm rethinking my decision about staying here in Minnesota. Donald flew down to Tennessee last night in the middle of this mess; his plane left the ground an hour late because they had to get the ice off the sides and put the engines under some sort of hairdryers. I would have gotten off the plane and thanked them for their time. When he got to TN around 10:30 pm it was a balmy 43 degrees and it's supposed to be around 60 degrees there today. At this moment, 60 degrees sounds like Heaven. Maybe I should start packing now.

This is taken from Today's NowCast on Paul Douglas' Page:

....The mercury may not climb above zero on Monday, one of the coldest days of winter. Factor in the wind and it will feel like -20 to -30 tonight and early Monday. Be careful out there... B B B Bitter. A brittle airmass that formed 1-2 weeks ago over the frozen plains of Siberia, the result of long nights and heavy snowcover, is arriving on cruel northwest winds; we’ll be lucky to see a “high” near zero. When it’s this cold outdoor recess should be optional, after-school activities reconsidered. With a wind chill dipping to -30 exposed skin can become frostbitten within 5 minutes. Even though you may consider yourself a hardened, grizzled, veteran weather pioneer, take the cold seriously with a few extra layers, a hat. Consider bringing pets indoors on a day like this....

Funny or Die: "Prop 8 - The Musical"

"Prop 8 - The Musical": You just can't beat Jack Black playing the part of Jesus. Wether you're for or against gay marriage, I have to do my best Larry the Cable Guy impression and say "I don't care who ya are, that's funny right thar!" Have a great day! And, just for the record, I'm not gay...not that there's anything wrong with that. :-)

Southern Dad's Words of Wisdom

My father-in-law, Donald Hamilton White Sr., is 92 years old. He lives in Sun City Center, Florida and when we lived in Ocala, Florida for a short time, we would drive down to see him nearly every weekend. We miss him! I call him "Southern Dad" because he's like a second dad to me and thinks I'm the best thing that's ever happened to his son (aka my husband). :-) He is always telling me that he can see how much happier Donald, Jr. is since his life with me began. Boy, do I have him fooled. Ha ha. Southern Dad has such a positive outlook on life and has been sharing his words of wisdom with us over the last eight years that Donald, Jr. and I have been married. Recently, during these challenging days of another major surgery and job change, Southern Dad's wisdom has hit a new high. I just had to share these with you. (And let me warn Hallmark that I'd better not see these appear on a Hallmark card or such!)

"Trade in Worry and Fear for Faith"
"Positive Thinking, Positive Living"
"Live in the Sunshine of God's Spirit"

Southern Dad & Nicholas in 2006

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me Christmas Was Coming?!

Well, Christmas is 19 days away and I haven't mailed out my cards yet. In fact, I haven't even created my cards yet! Where is my brain? You know, I got a Christmas card from a friend right after Thanksgiving and I thought "Gee, she's really sending these out early." Now I know that she was the smart one! I am on the computer right now, at nearly midnight, creating my cards. Why bother? I have some cards left over from last year; they have Nicholas' preschool picture from 2007 on them. Would anyone notice? Probably not. I should just go to the store and buy some el-cheapos to send out. It would probably be much easier and I wouldn't be sitting here in the middle of the night! Now that I think about it, that's what I'm going to do. But before I go, here's Nicholas' Kindergarten picture from this year just in case you get a card with last year's picture. (And yes, I bought the optional copyright release so I can do what I want with it). Good night.

Any Perfect Mothers Out There?

Have you ever met anyone who thinks they're a great mother? Most of the time, I feel pretty inadequate. Especially today. Sometimes, Nicholas is "too big for his britches" (what does that mean, exactly??) and I lose it. I lost my temper with Nicholas before he went to school this morning - don't worry, it wasn't corporal punishment or anything - and, although he's gotten over it by now, I am still thinking about what a horrible mother I am. I know my mother thinks she's a failure as a mother sometimes; and I know some of my friends think they are failures sometimes. Is there anyone out there who thinks they are actually a great mother most of the time? If there is, what's your secret and what planet are you from? My "happy doctor" says that all mothers need to realize that their children need a "good enough mother" not a "perfect mother." I guess I can handle that. :-)

My First Complete Cross-Stitch Project

I have completed my first cross-stitch project! I have done other cross-stitch items, but they have not been cut from the large piece of aida or made into anything yet. The completed project is a coaster for my parents who have a cat named Duffer. I took a cross-stitch sample from the "Picture Your Pet In Cross Stitch" book and changed the colors to coordinate with Duffer. I hope my parents like it. They'll just have to fight over who gets to use the coaster!

The finished product

Sample of project from book

Joy Behar's Mouse Problem

I am not alone in my fight against mice! As I was writing on my blog regarding another topic this morning, I was watching The View. One of the co-hosts, Joy Behar, had a mouse in her apartment last night and her "spouse" Steve took care of the problem (with some help from their cat "Benito Mussilini" and the Super). As Joy put it, "You can be a feminist, you can be a strong woman, but it takes a man to kill a mouse." I don't know who actually killed the mouse, but it was her man Steve who took over the situation to get the job done! Joy said she has never been more in love or attracted to Steve; kissing him, sitting on his lap. Let this be a hint to my hubby, Donald: Either start killing the mice or get us a cat!

One More Reason to Stay in Minnesota

In my quest to keep us in Minnesota, I have found another reason NOT to move to Tennessee: it ranks as #47 on the list of healthiest U.S. states according to America's Health Rankings. I saw the report on the Today Show this morning and was not at all surprised that Minnesota ranks in the top five (#4). Granted, I think we'd be even happier living in the #2 state, Hawaii. :-) Click to read more on the results for Minnesota and for Tennessee. Remember, I didn't come up with the results, so don't blame me if you live in one of the bottom-ranked states!

One of the many sights in Savage
(photo from the City of Savage website)