Merry Christmas . . .

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday season.   We have a couple Christmas traditions I would like to share.   We go to our Christmas eve Lovefeast service at Church and now that Sprat is a Diener (someone who helps serve Lovefeast) it makes this service even more special.  I am very proud that Sprat has taken this leadership role in our Church.  The hubbs and I were Dieners when we were first married.
When I was growing up we did not have a Christmas Eve service at out Church.   We spent the evening together as a family and then opened our gifts from each other after dinner.  I have lots of fun memories rushing everyone through the evening meal so that we could open gifts.   I was always the first one up on Christmas day, usually about 4 or 5 am.  I could not sleep on Christmas Eve because I was so excited about Santa.   Christmas day, we drove up to my grandmothers and spent the day with aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I remember the dessert table especially, it was full of the most fantastic cakes, brownies, fudge, and pies.  I come from a distinguished group of phenomenal cooks and bakers.
The hubbs and I have some traditions that are unique to our family.   We have a Christmas pickle.  This is a German tradition, the ceramic pickle is the last ornament hung on Christmas Eve, there is a special gift under the tree marked "the pickle".   When the boys come down on Christmas morning the first one to find the pickle gets the extra "pickle" gift.  This is supposed to make the kids appreciate the beauty of the tree and each ornament before they dive in and start opening gifts.  
The boys have been getting Christmas ornaments each year from their grandparents and some they have made at school.   When I am decorating the tree I set those ornaments aside and they put their own ornaments on the tree.  I hope they appreciate the ornaments they have been given, my tree might be naked when they leave to make their own homes.
The hubbs likes to decorate right after Thanksgiving but he also likes to take everything down by January 1st.  I personally like to enjoy my Christmas decorations a little longer.
These are just a couple traditions we enjoy during the Christmas season.  I would love to hear about your family traditions.
Stay tuned lots will be going on in 2017, I will have a high school senior and a freshman.

Alarm Clocks. . .

During our power outage while I was at home with my sister, our alarm clock was blown up.  Grrrr!!  I really liked this alarm clock, it woke you up to ocean sounds.  Once I was home I went out to find a new clock.  Alarm clocks are not as easy to find as you would think.  Everyone uses their cell phones as their alarm clocks these days.  I prefer a real alarm clock.  I knew I was going to need one when the hubbs went to New Jersey for sales training because I do not just wake up.   I finally found one and it is really neat, it has a setting so that you can set it for two different alarm times.   Days I work I get up at 4:45 days I do not I get up around 5:50.  It is nice that I do not have to keep changing the alarm time.  The new clock also has a setting for ocean sounds and this one the alarm comes on and then gradually gets louder.  I thought that was a really cool feature.  Monday was the first time I used the alarm part and when they say it gradually gets louder, it is a lie.  This alarm went off and I had the ocean screaming in my ear.  This is going to take some work to figure all of this out.  I think once I figure it out I will love it.  It also has a projector, so that you can project the time on the ceiling, the hubbs did not like that feature he thought the glare would keep him up.  I love this feature so I have had it on since he has been gone.  I did make the mistake of having it on one time and moving the clock to the pillow while sweet Basil was on the bed and she completely freaked out.  I am not sure if it was the fact that it was on the ceiling or if it was that it was moving across the ceiling that bothered her but I have not used the projector since then.  This clock also has a radio and a USB port for charging other devices.  I thought that was pretty handy, especially since the two goobers that cut our power and phone line in November are back out here fixing the other houses they cut phone lines at that same time.  I called our phone provider and and told them how upset I was that they brought these same two goobers back out to fix what they messed up to begin with.   I am just anticipating the power outage.  I explained to the phone company that our temps are supposed to drop into the teens tonight and that I would be very upset if I lost power again due to these two inept contractors.   Fingers crossed.

Everyone is Learning. . .

I learn something new about myself every day.  The other night I learned, I am not a night person or an all night person.  I worked the night shift.  Kudos to all of you that do, it is not easy.
It probably would have helped if I had gotten a nap before my shift.
God puts amazing teaching moments in our path every day.   As I was leaving the house, Sprat said, where are you going mom.  I told him I had to work.  He replied, now?  I said yes, this is the other shift at my job.   Someone has to be there 24/7 to answer the phones.   We take calls from 102 hospitals across the state.  We help make organ donation  possible.  I feel good about what I am doing, I  feel like I am making a difference in the world.  There are so many waiting on those transplant lists and our job is to make donation happen.  I know I  jumped the topic but just a little plug for the organ donor registry.  I put the little heart on my license this year when I renewed.
I know, as parents, we all want our kids to grow up and be good people.  I hope  I am setting  a good example  for them.
The hubbs has been in New Jersey for sales training this week and the boys have really stepped up in their game here at home.  Ahhh, another teaching moment in our house.  Sprat has been driving Big T to school and bringing him home.  He has also been helping out with their evening meal time.  I hope this is bringing them closer together and I hope they see how much they need each other. They have also been taking care of Sweet B too.   Must take advantage of all the teaching moments thrown at us.
I am learning that my very sweet babies are growing up and becoming independent whether I like it or not.  Hard lessons for mom this week. 

A Little Giggle to Start the Day. .

If you read my blog or know me personally,  then you know I have goofy moments.  Here is one of my latest goofs.   I use to work in a doctors office and sometimes they saw infants and we all know the drama of changing that odorous diaper in public.  The doctor's office is no different.  This particular office had this great spray called Ozium and it had a very faint orange smell.  You could spray this after a stinky diaper episode and you would not even know a baby had been in there.  It was not strong and over powering either.  I found this spray at a local drug store and bought some for my house.  You know I have two very stinky boys.  Every time I saw this spray I would buy it.  You never know when ya might need it.  I started carrying one in my purse, they are small bottles so they fit perfectly.  The one I had picked up most recently was still in my purse, I had not used it yet.  I went in my laundry room the other day and was over taken by gym socks and stinky gym clothes.   I went to my brand new bottle of Ozium still in my purse and sprayed it in the laundry room.  I closed the door to let it do the magic.  I went back in the laundry room and it had a weird smell.  It was not the faint smell of orange it was strange and I could not put my finger on it.  I went to my purse to read the bottle, and I was shocked again.  The flavor on the bottle read, new car smell.  Yes, now my laundry room had that wonderful new car smell every woman dreams of for her laundry room.  Who knew they had more than one scent in this fabulous doctor's office spray? Who would have dreamed they would make it in new car smell?   

I have again made the point you should always read your labels, you never know what odorous spray you might come home with.  

Updates Galore. . .

My sister is doing well after her knee surgery, lots of physical therapy in her future.  Her hubby and her beautiful girls are taking very good care of her and all of the animals.  My hubby finally got his company car and is able to go out in the field.  He is getting ready to go to sales training and then he will be officially employed again.   To recap, it took him six months to get another position after being laid off.  It took me three months to get a job once I started looking.  I guess what I am trying to point out is that if you get laid off or fired or even if you just quit do not treat that as a vacation, start looking because you do not know how long it will take to find something new.  
I am still working, and in my six month probationary period.   The twelve hour shifts are very hard to get use to.  I have gained a whole new respect for those that work the twelve hour shifts, they are not easy at all.  I am getting more accustom to the shift work.  I hope they will keep me on once my probation is up.  I do think I can make a difference in this job.   Big T is getting ready to start a new instructional lacrosse league with a local University, he is really excited about it.    Sprat is glad football season is over and he is enjoying the fact that he does not have any after school activities right now.  That will change soon, he is going to try out for the high school lacrosse team.

Mom Went Away, Only For a Day. .

My sister had knee surgery the other day and I went home to try and help out.  I also just wanted to be there for my  sister.  I post about her all the time, she is my best friend, and I do not know what I would do without her. 
I shared that to explain why my very sweet hubby is having to take care of our kids by himself for a couple of days.   Bless him because he had some trouble yesterday.  He was unable to get in touch with our oldest after school.  He did not text like he is supposed to do when he is on his way home.  I was busy with what was going on with my sister and I did not realize he had not text.  He has a bad habit of forgetting  to text me some days.  The phone company was out in front of the house and they accidentally cut our phone line and that means no WiFi.   The hubbs was pretty upset because they did not even know they had done it.  They were working to install in a house down the road.  Still no word from the oldest.  The hubbs informs the phone guys of their error and they of course do the it's not my fault dance for him.  They finally see their error and attempt to fix it and cut our power.   Now he has no WiFi  and no power  and by this time the oldest has come home so you can throw two grouchy teenagers in that mix with no mom is sight.  Hey I think that could be a Christmas song.  ~~~☆☆☆On the first few hours mom was gone away, no text from the oldest.  On the second few hours mom was gone away, WiFi has failed.  On the third few hours mom was gone away, the phone is gone too.  In the next few hours mom was gone away, the power went away too.  ☆☆☆~~~  Now there is the aroma of scented candles; pine bark, cinnamon, cranberry, and maybe vanilla.
Oh my poor sweet hubby.  Two hours later all is restored and harmony is in view.  Ha ha ha ha.  Meanwhile mom is giggling  just a little, at a safe distance.   My mom says I willed that on them but, I really didn't.   Stay tuned for more Christmas fun with my clan.