Tis the night before Christmas and all I had was a 27years old, a 14 year old and a 7 year old all running around the house getting ready for Santa’s arrival.

They left a few cookies and some milk along with a few last minutes notes.

The 27 year-old's note was an invite to Santa to take a load off and enjoy a beer.
The 14 year-old's note was short and sweet.
The 7 year-old's note well his was a bit different this year …





All I can say is AHHHHHH! After I seen that I just told them all to go to bed or he will never come!

Thank goodness Santa made it! Why I have no idea ! I guess I must have been good enough for them all for Santa to make it to this house .

Santa left a note stating that he was at our home about 2:23 AM.
He thanked Shannel for her kind gestures and he politely turned down the offer to the 27 year old for a beer. He also told the 7 year old that there is no drinking and flying!
With a PS for me: I always say if you believe, anything is possible.

Boy or boy he was right, all I wanted for Christmas was new motherboard and I GOT IT!
I look forward to caching up with all my new frineds after the New Year I have quite a few great stories!

From our family to yours have very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!




Remember, Believe, Live, Laugh often and Love much this year!

CAN HE DO IT ?

I HAD TO CALL SANTA …(THE SANTA800 IS PROGRAMED INTO MY CELL. HEY I HAVE THREE KID’S NATHAN, SHANNEL& BUBBA. IT'S NICE TO HAVE POWER!)

I HAD TO BEG & PLEA WITH HIM … OUR CONVERSATION WENT LIKE THIS.

ME:OHH SANTA I HAVE TRIED TO BE REALLY GOOD THIS YEAR.

SANTA: WELL DESIREE, YOU HAVE MADE IT ON THE GOOD LIST SO FAR.WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

ME:ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A NEW MOTHERBOARD FOR MY COMPUTER .I AM LEARNING HOW TO HAVE A BLOG AND IT IS SURE FUN. I NEED TO POST ABOUT THE PROCESS OF THE ADVENT CALENDER, THE DOG PEEING ON THE TREE AND HIDING THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE KIDS TO NOT SEE.

SANTA:I SEE HE SAID, GO AHEAD AND SEND IT INTO TO MY ELF'S & WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO GET YOUR COMPUTER BACK TO GOOD HEALTH BEFOR CHRISTMAS.

ME: THANKS SANTA I.O.U. I WILL DO MY BEST TO STAY ON THE GOOD LIST, IT WILL NOT BE EASY BUT I WILL TRY!

SANTA: HO HO HO! OK DESIREE, YOU DO THAT! THE ELF’S IN THE MANUFACTURING PLANT USELY TAKE AND I SAY USELY TAKES 7 TO 10 BUSINESS DAYS.I WILL PLACE A RUSH ON IT! A FEW EXTRA MARSHMALLOWS IN THERE SNOWMAN SOUP SEEMS TO WORK WONDERS. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON, HOPE TO SEE YOU ON CHRISTMAS. HO HO HO!

UMM…. WILL SANTA AND HIS ELF'S BE ABLE TO GET MY PC FIXED FOR CHRISTMAS? KEEP CHECKING BACK TO SEE.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Hero

Who's your hero?

The answer likely depends on how old you are, where you live and who you consider the "good guys" to be. There's also probably a little bit in there about your values and beliefs. They're the best of the best, exemplifying all the courage and nobility and genius and hard work and modesty and ambition and humility and grace that can be displayed in today's times.

They're the ones we really want to be like when the going gets tough, they're the ones I want to show my son and daughter and say, "See? See?"


Do you remember when you were a kid and you imagined meeting your hero or a famous celebrity?

We had an opportunity of a life time while in Chicago over Thanksgiving.
We all had the chance to participate in an autograph signing of one of our hero’s.

North Park men’s basketball team; Guard #3 Mr. Jason Gordan.



My seven years old thought this was the coolest deal ever.





My fourteen years old just did not know what to do.



Jason was felling it… The autographs were getting easier and the flow of the conversation was great.


Then walks up the guy that every celebrity hates to meet.

This guy had know idea what to do when meeting a super star, heck besides embracing himself and the rest of us still in line waiting for our autographs he embraced the 6.5’, 205 lbs. guard.





I tell ya the fans are getting crazy these days.

Who ever raised this guy should have gave him a few pointers on what to do when meeting a celebrity...

This is why Jason will be the greatest sports hero of all time.

Remember Jason we chose them...LOL

Chicago’s in my heart.

We took a mini vacation to Chicago over Thanksgiving. We spent time with family. We also decided to take in some sites. We even had our own personal guides (thanks Tiff & Jason) for the day. We had a list of events all planed out.

We took the train brown line/red line, Sears Tower, Macy’s, Street side shows, Chicago Dogs, Lego Land, Water Taxi, Millennium Park, Cloud Gate so many exciting events to do all in one day.

It was cold and crowed but we were not going to let that stop us.

During the day I just kept looking at everyone and everything. I just could not seem to take it all in. My mind was going 100 miles a minute. I kept thinking…

All these people they all have homes, friends and families, beliefs all with a different walk of life.

I kept getting this warm fuzzy felling inside,it has been many years since I have experienced the true meaning of family.

I was on the train on the way back from a fun day of events an was thinking back to years ago there were television programs that offered however so gently, honest, home grown values, beliefs and characters so true you felt like they were family.

I remember watching sincere people, portray honorable characters and live humble lives. Is it old fashion to still enjoy the Andy Griffith Show, Little House on the Pierre (my favorite), or even the Cosby Show?


For me deep inside there is a profound desire to hold on to the safe security that accompanies knowing nice, sweet, caring, none threatening people, even though at times I thought they were only in books and on television

I fell that the innocent sense of togetherness, dare I say that sense of family. Dictionary.com first defines family as “a fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.” It is the second definition that is perhaps more accurate however, defining a family as “two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.”

I have learned real family fights and makes up, argues and agrees to disagree and loves unconditionally. I have been given a gift of a full family. I define family every day by our actions, our words, our beliefs and our unconditional love.

It’s funny to me, how I can go to such a beautiful city and look forward to learning some history of the this great city and I reflect back to relies I have taken much much more. I will always have a piece of the (Chicago) city in my heart.


Thanks Chicago!








Family is everything!

History of Thanksgiving in the eyes of a Seven Year Old

My seven year old came home from school an explained to me that he was learning about Thanksgiving.Then he asked me what Thanksgiving was?

It got me thinking back throughout history, mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies. It is my understanding before the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits.

In The United States In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter.

The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.

The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.
In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

I may be a bit off but I found my self going in great detail such as I did just then with my son. He was just sitting there silently looking at my like I was crazy.

So I apologized to him and said to him we all do not a have the same beliefs or the same traditions.At that moment he interrupted me and said Mom Thanksgiving is just about spending time with Family right?

I teared up and laughed … Lesson learned.

So many everyday things to be thankful for!

New definition

Seems to me our family works had to give NORMAL(the town we live in) a new definition.

Since we moved here we have seen something’s, done something’s that are just not Normal.

Odd enough most of them are in our home.


Let me just ask you all how normal this is.

What do you do when “everyone “is grounded for the weekend?

How is this Normal? Heck how is that possible? (I have no clue but it did) Well in our house anything is possible.


When we all deciced we were grounded (No details will be given at this time on why we all have been placed on punishment..lol)I can tell ya I was looking forward to curling up with a book and a nice warm cup of hot coco and my soft blanket. One day with out any worries.We had no TV, Phone, IPod, radio ,game boy, football, baseball, basketball just to name a few. Nothing to monitor, Nothing to get us into trouble or to get us hurt.

We were to stay inside and think of why we were all grounded.
What would we do with out all of things we so call necessities these days.

From a Mom’s stand point I was thinking this would be some great down time!

WHAT WAS I THINKING…?


I will let this first photo explain:




This is what happens when a 27year old and a 7 year old get grounded at the same time!





Then you add in a 14 year old confined to her roomthis is what you get.







Seems to me she has either has gone mad or she just loves taking new and improved self portraits.


Well after looking at what these weirdo do when they are grounded, Maybe reading a book with a nice warm cup of hot coco and my soft blanket is to much to ask or just to Normal. So I thought I would just get a jump strat on the stuff around the house.




Yep you got it laundry.



Ahhh who am I kidding, I have to join the rest of the community to change the definition of Normal.









So if you can’t beet them join them!

Thank you for believing

I know this may seem a bit odd, Well heck for the people that know me, I am odd all in it self!

I would like to dedicate this post to all the teachers out there that truly make a difference.

You know who you are!

Teachers

Getting us ready for our future,
we get mad, cry, yell, laugh, and have some of the happiest moments we could ever experience with our teachers.

If anybody deserves to be recognized, it is our teachers.
But no trophy or award could ever express our gratitude.

The best gift that we could ever give our teachers is to succeed in life.

That's why they are here today and have dedicated their lives to teaching our children who are special, smart, gifted, tall, thin and husky.

That is exactly what a child is to a teacher, and that's why our children will touch the sky, and when, God willing, they will sometimes go beyond the moon.

Thank you for believing !