Friday, December 31, 2010

New Year's Eve


I was going to stay up and take a picture of the fireworks, but since when did they go off so late in the night? I think I shall celebrate from the comfy confines of my temporary bed.

Enjoy these last few hours of 2010 - a year of many blessings and gifts from above. Tomorrow is a new year!!
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Today's blessings: MK with Maribeth; lots of trading; picking of Lindley, Sam, and Lynnette at the airport; waiting to get checked into our room; dinner from Olive Garden with Lynnette and Maribeth

Thursday, December 30, 2010

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Molly alerted me today to the current Google "streetview" of our house. In case you can't really see it, that's me in front, butt to the world. I mean honestly, the Google photographer couldn't take one more picture, just a few minutes later? I mean, is the photographer someone I offended in an earlier life? I mean, really? This is the best Google can do?

I can only hope that this will inspire me to literally get my butt in gear and make 2011 a banner year for getting said butt into shape ... and to pay attention when there's a photographer in the yard!!
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Today's blessings: Lazy vacation day; lunch and dinner brought in via Steve; safe travels back home for Molly and the Lewis family; Maribeth's visit from AKL

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Fun Family Christmas

During this Christmas while we are at Disney, my brother John and his wife (Anne) and sons (David and Michael) joined us on the 26th. Tonight on their last night at The World, we exchanged gifts with each other. Each Davidson chose a Lewis to give to, and vice versa. The plan was that the giver would purchase a gift while at Disney World that was specific to the receiver. In between eating and touring and race car riding, we managed to shop for those gifts.

Tonight we all had great fun giving and receiving. Everyone did a great job of shopping and finding something special for someone else. It was a great end to a fun family vacation (at least Part One for us) and holiday. It was family gift giving at its best - thoughtful, considerate, and enjoyable.

Merry Christmas!
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Today's blessings: Toy Story Mania with Molly and David; Le Cellier with Anne; family gift exchange; Ikea cinnamon rolls; Donald pins, pens, and balls

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Just The Facts, Sir - And There Sure Were A Lot Of Them

I began today doing the Fantasy Christmas Tour (or some name to that effect) with Anne. We reported to our meeting spot at Epcot, signed in, got our nametags, learned how to use our earphones and listening radios, and boarded our Disney Cruise Line bus (which unfortunately did not take us on to board a Disney cruise). Basically, along with 35 or so other people, we began the tour by walking around World Showcase and learning about the history and traditions of different countries during this time of year. It was a bit cold, so a lot of time we just sought a spot in the sun so our ears wouldn't freeze and miss any of that valuable information.

Once our brains were full, we boarded a bus and headed off to the Grand Floridian Resort. There we observed the huge tree and gingerbread house in the lobby. Our tour guide, Ralph (or something like it) told us more facts. Not only did we learn about the history and traditions of people's celebrations, but we learned a lot about Ralph. Like he has at least 40 Christmas trees. And he shops for Christmas all year long. And he hopes to set up his new train set in his garage so it will have a permanent home. We think Ralph is single.

Anyhoo, once we had milled about the lobby long enough, we again boarded the bus, this time for the Magic Kingdom. We pulled behind the scenes at Main Street, and saw a situation they called "blow off" (or something like that). This happens when there's a boo-coodle of people on Main Street during a parade, and it's just too crowded for people to get through to Fantasyland. Cast members direct the non-parade-watching people to a big gate and they walk behind the scenes to Space Mountain, or somewhere thereabouts. While we were also on Main Street, we learned a lot about the Christmas trees, the lights, the Disney Christmas parade and taping, and the history of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Disney Christmas knowledge was beginning to trickle out our ears, because we were absorbing so much.

But we were not finished. We boarded the bus once again and this time headed to the Disney Christmas warehouse. Here we saw rows of bulbs and lights and ribbons and garland and trees and balls and baubles and nick-nacks and, well, just about any kind of Christmas doo-dad that you can imagine. We learned about how they store them and what they do when they de-decorate and how stuff is stored and how stuff is put back together. By the end of the warehouse tour, Disney Christmas knowledge was slobbering out our mouths and oozing out our pores. To put it bluntly, we were full of it.

We boarded our not-going-on-a-cruise cruise-line bus and headed back to our original spot at Epcot. There we returned our listening equipment and said good-bye to 40-tree Ralph, who gave us our specialty tour pin. It had been 3 1/2 hours of facts, facts, and more facts about Christmas at Disney.

It was fun and a very good tour. I'll share what I learned in these few words:

1. Disney had a kazillion Christmas lights that are put on everything and it takes months to do it.
2. People work on Disney Christmas stuff all year round - some of the trees for 2011 are ready to be put out - next December.
3. Ralph likes Christmas - a lot.
4. Gingerbread houses, big ones, are big at Disney. But they're up for weeks, so eating one would not be a good idea.
5. There are a lot of December celebrations in the world. Many of them involved presents. So you're legit if you celebrate almost every day in December.
6. Ralph knows a lot about Christmas - so much it's sort of scary. His Christmas trees are themed. I believe Ralph lives alone. With his 40 trees.

There is a lot of other Christmas information, but my brain is tired, so you'll just have to go on the tour yourself. I hope Ralph is your guide. He'll be there, unless he's setting up his new train set in his garage.
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Today's blessings: Christmas tour with Anne; Electric Umbrella lunch with Anne, David, John, and Michael; Mimi's with Steve, John, Anne, and David

Monday, December 27, 2010

It Looks A Lot Like Christmas

Which is why I am experiencing a blog drought right now.
Deal with it - and enjoy the lights!
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Today's blessings: Epcot with Steve and seeing Irene and her family; Wolfgang Puck with John, Anne, Steve, Maribeth, and Molly; Osbourne Lights with John, Anne, Molly, and David;

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Today's WDW Observations

*Lady on MK bus trying to figure out if she has tickets to the park or not. Her adult daughter was no help, because she didn't know either. Since Mom had made all the travel arrangements, it was quite an interesting discussion. Wonder if they got into the park or not ...

*Ariel of Little Mermaid leaving the "wishes" part of the Cinderella Castle Dinner presentation to get our table our wands and sword so we could participate, since our waitress apparently did not think we needed them. Yeah, we needed them!! Ariel rocks!!

*Wasting time at AK trying to find goofy (not as in The Goofy, but dorky goofy) cast member so we could trade Vinylmation that we wanted, only to find out that he got the one in question yesterday after we left.

*Playing bus roulette to get back to Saratoga, getting off AK bus to board DD bus, only to realize that DD bus would not be coming to Jambo House, then jumping back on AK bus so we could transfer to Saratoga bus. We love riding buses.

*Standing in line at Kidani because we didn't see online check in line, and when we found it, had to stand behind dude who got in front of us because he didn't see it either, and was in front of us in regular check in line, but then cut in front of us, and then proceeded to take up more time than should have been allowed. In our opinion, anyway.

*Flowers delivered to M&M's room, and thinking they would be for one M, but they were for other M. Should quit assuming - for the obvious reasons.
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Today's blessings: M&M's room at Kidani; dinner with Molly, Anne, and David; AK adventure with Molly; lazy morning

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!!

Hope your day was filled with Christmas love and cheer!
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Today's blessings: Park hopping and shopping with Molly; Christmas with family

Friday, December 24, 2010

We Made It



After 8 billion hours in the car, a marathon shopping trip to Winn Dixie, and toting too many grocery bags and suitcases up to our room, we are finally settled in our holiday home at Disney World. Now I have to go to bed and wait for Santa.

Merry Christmas!!
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Today's blessings: road trip to Disney World; Dippin Dots and boiled peanuts at Shell station; trading vinylmations; Wolfgang Puck's and secret Santa shopping with Molly; vinylmation trading cast members; monogramming cast member dude

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Davidson Christmas 2010

Well, another Davidson Christmas is in the books. As usual, nothing went as planned, even though we planned it. So here's how it went:

Several weeks ago, we assigned the gift thing. Each person had a category and was to procure a gift for every other family member, to the tune of $25. By now you know mine was "make it." Molly's was Groupon, Lynnette's was entertainment, Steve's was food, Maribeth's was outside, and Sam's was Sky Mall (he's been in a lot of airplanes recently). Anyhow, other than the fact that some gifts didn't come in on time, and others got misplaced (hopefully to be found in 2011), everybody got at least something they could use. Maybe.

Anyhow, another part of the Davidson Christmas was that we all had matching pjs. I don't know why - this was a new thing for this year. Oh wait - they were on sale for $5 at Old Navy (or Target, or Wal Mart, or somewhere) on Black Friday. So we all dressed in our matching pjs. The best part is that we did not get a family picture (imagine me and Lynnette in the same outfit - scary, huh?).

So, we have our outfits and presents, so the only thing that is left is the food. Again, weeks ago we planned it out. Each person was going to pick a favorite recipe from a restaurant and Molly was going to cook it. We were going to have Kentucky Hot Brown, Chessecake Factory Meatloaf, Somewhere's Spinach Dip, Red Lopster fondue, J Alexander's Macaroni and Cheese, and a close replica of Olive Garden's Lemon Something cake. Fast forward to tonight. Our dinner consisted of the faux Olive Garden cake and Papa John's pizza.

Now you might wonder why Davidson Christmases always seem to go a bit awry. This year it was because among other things, I didn't get done making my presents until last night. Sam and Lynnette decided to move their stuff out of their house so their remodeler could finish remodeling it and so today me, Maribeth, Steve, and Sam moved most of the household stuff to a storage shed and our house, because Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley are going to move in with us for a few weeks while their house is remodeled. Maribeth has already moved in a few weeks ago while Mathieu is in Cuba for the next 11 months. Molly has her own mostly-finished remodeled house, but Rambo ate up her Blackberry phone, so today she had to wait for her IPhone to be delivered that her boss bought her yesterday and then she had to go to the IPhone store, or Walmart or somewhere so she could get it turned on or something, which she found out she could have done on ITunes - whatever that means.

So anyhow, the Davidson annual Christmas party is now another one for the history books. Tomorrow Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley leave at the crack of dawn to get on a plane for Texas to have a proper Christmas with the Ogles. Steve, Maribeth, Molly, and I are getting in Steve's car just after the crack of dawn to go to Orlando to spend Christmas with Mickey Mouse, since we haven't been there since, oh, like Thanksgiving.

So that's it. But I will leave you with a few final memories - of my make-its. Just be thankful you weren't included!!

Steve got a pool bag made from a former bean bag
and a photo key chain whose batteries were dead.

Maribeth got a blanket made from hiking material and her picture. It had started as pajama pants, then it was going to be a tote bag, then it was going to be a nightgown. But I think it always wanted to be a blanket.

Lindley got a personalized ABC book with pictures of her life and a fancy cloth diaper with buttons sewed on it. Lindley loves buttons.

Lynnette got a hat (with buttons) and a scarf. She has lots of room for her head to grow. And her scarf can double as a rug. Or a table cloth.

Sam got a hooded towel that's supposed to be a bear. Or a doggie. He has been resentful of Lindley's hooded towels. Lindley liked the button eyes.

Molly got a cupcake snuggie. But we didn't get a picture of it.
Molly is the smartest of us all!
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Today's blessings: Davidson moving; hot dogs for lunch; Davidson Christmas

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Done

Finished. I'm done with the 2010 Make It Christmas. My sewing machine needs a drink - it has stitched more stitches in the past week than it has in the last several years. It dropped a few stitches and jammed up a few times, but it came through in the end and helped me finish.

Now all that's left is the giving. I'm sure all the gifts will be a hit - well, maybe not. Maybe it will go down as "the year Mom made us those dorky Christmas presents." Who knows how long these "treasures" will last - whether the stitches will stay stitched, or the glue will stayed glued, or the whatever will stayed whatevered.

The point is, in the next few weeks if you see someone out and about and wonder to yourself, "Where did he/she get that (insert item here) and why does he/she have it out in public?" just remember - that person's mom might have made it - and it was probably me!!
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Today's blessings: finishing gifts; running errands; Steve bringing lunch and dinner to the sweatshop

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Christmas Bride

Back in the Dark Ages when I was a child, we had exactly one Christmas album (for all you young-uns, that was like a big black CD that you had to play on a thing called a record player). Anyhoo, there were no 24/7 radio stations (mainly because there were only two stations that I could get on my AM radio). So, for the entire Christmas season, we spent our time playing this Christmas record. Over and over and over.

My favorite song was "Christmas Bride." For a young girl, it was all romantic and sweet and full of daydreams. For some reason, it never became a huge hit (certainly not like Destiny's Child's craptastic "Eight Days of Christmas"). Today my sister Marilyn called to reminisce about the old days because she heard "Christmas Bride" on the 24/7 Christmas cable television station (again, how times have changed in the last century).

So, for all you oldies, and to educate all you youngies, here's "Christmas Bride." Enjoy!


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Today's blessings: making progress with the "make it" Christmas presents; picking up Lindley at day care and CPK pickup via Sam and Lynnette; watching "Salt" and "Easy A" with Maribeth and Steve

Monday, December 20, 2010

And The Stamps Were ...

So here's what happened today: Steve picked up the Christmas cards that I managed to put together and send to Costco for printing. In hopes of getting them to the post office before Christmas, I used all the postage stamps in the house. Maribeth was out and about running errands, so I asked her to pick up some more. She said she had some in her possession and would bring them home.

Upon her return home, she handed me the stamps. I took them and proceeded to get the package that had been delivered on the front porch which contained new Christmas stockings for our new family additions and some other Christmas surprises. I then went on to move mattresses, change sheets, wash clothes, and several other mundane routine tasks.

I finally got around to putting stamps on the Christmas cards, but alas, there were no stamps to be had. Apparently I had "put them in a good place", which was so good that I could no longer find them. Maribeth and I set out on the hunt, looking in all the places I had been.

Finally I went into my bedroom to look and found the stamps - thrown in the trash can with the packing materials from the stocking box. Three of the stamps had come off the page and doubled up on themselves, but I managed to pry them apart - I am a cheapskate after all.

So the moral of this story is not to take things slowly and methodically so you don't waste time looking for stuff. Nor is the moral to do one task at a time, finish it, and move on to the next task. The real moral of the story is this: something is always somewhere - you just gotta find it.
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Today's blessings: Pancake Pantry with Karen, Karen, and Gloria; final decisions on "Make It" Christmas gifts; signing up for The Warrior Dash; Bubba Burgers via Steve for dinner; mailing 2010 Christmas cards

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Two Down, Four To Go

Make-it Christmas presents, that is. I've made more than two, if you count the disasters. The funny thing is that the recipients will not know if theirs was the disaster-ridden project or not. Or maybe they will ...

Anyhow, I still have four more to do. One is in the finishing stages and one is in the assembly stage, which leaves two projects to be done. Since I have no idea what those two projects will be and I have until Thursday to figure it out, this should be an interesting few days.

Oh well, I'm sure I'll come up with something. All I need is a little imagination. And glue. Wish me luck - or maybe that luck should be offered to the gift-ees!!
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Today's blessings: Family brunch at the Factory with Steve, Maribeth, Molly, Lynnette, and Lindley; an hour at Massage Envy with Jena (and Molly); Sonic treats via Charity; Jim at Cracker Barrel with Steve and Maribeth

Saturday, December 18, 2010

It's A Wonderful Life

Today, I went to a local theater with a few of my boot-ies to see "It's A Wonderful Life." If you haven't seen it, it's the story of what could have been, had a person not lived his life on this Earth. It's a great lesson to realize that even the things and experience that we may perceive as "bad" may have a positive effect on those around us.

So, with that in mind, I would like to clarify a few incidents in my past.

First of all, there was the "cutting up of my sister's doll dress and the breakage of her ballerina doll's legs." I would like to go on record that I don't remember the exact reasons for these activities - perhaps I was trying to refashion the doll dress, or help the ballerina doll perform a grand jete'. At any rate, had these events not happened, my sister probably would have never received another doll, since the dumb ballerina doll would not have been damaged. And my sister wouldn't have had all that free time, since I was probably in time out for an extended period.

Second is the time a friend and I encouraged my little brother to drink perfume, and were quite successful in our quest. Had this not happened, he might have become an alcoholic because he was not repulsed by the taste of the liquid and just been inclined to drink anything that came in a bottle.

Next would be the time after two weeks of marriage, I inadvertently threw $20 (or was it $40) in the trash can, never to be found. Since this was back during the Depression, that money covered a year's rent and three years of food. But had the money not "disappeared," we would not have learned how to make peanut butter casserole, peanut butter alfredo, grilled peanut butter, peanut butter salad, ...

There are probably a few more incidents, but I think you get the message. In other words, I have done no wrong - the wrong part is how other people have perceived the incident!
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Today's blessings: Stroller ride in the neighborhood with Lindley; pizza lunch with Steve, Maribeth, Molly, Lindley, and Lynnette; movie and hot chocolate with Karen, Pallu, Michelle, and Campbell; Rafferty's for dinner via Steve

Friday, December 17, 2010

Thoughts on Modern-Day Christmas

Thought #1 - Family Christmas is next Wednesday (or Thursday) night. I have 1.5 out of 5 presents completed (I am supposed to be making them). One present has been through the disaster state three times. Wonder how hard counterfeiting money is to learn. People do enjoy cash for gifts.

Thought #2 - As a general rule, I like Christmas music. I even like the stations that play it 24/7. However, I would like to go on record that there are two (technically three, but one is the same song in two different versions) songs that I absolutely abhor. The first is Destiny's Child's "The Eight Days of Christmas." The sole redeeming quality is that it stops after eight days and doesn't torture listeners with the whole twelve days. The second song is "Blue Christmas." I don't like it sung by Elvis and I especially don't like it sung by Porky Pig. So if you're making me a Christmas mix tape, please do not include those. (Hmmm - making a Christmas mix tape - wonder how hard that would be to do ...)

Thought #3 - Why is "The Wizard of Oz" on tv at Christmas? Everybody knows that is an Easter movie. And why isn't there a Christmas movie channel that shows all Christmas movies all day? Without commercial interruption? And shouldn't "Love Actually" be on that channel at least once a day?

Okay, so that's enough of my deep thoughts for today. I have to go find a paint-by-numbers picture, or some sand art, or hook a rug. Christmas is coming!
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Today's blessings: Friday butt camp fun and tacky Christmas sweaters; Target-ing with Molly and her frig repair; finishing one Christmas present

Thursday, December 16, 2010

At Least My Family Christmas Card Will Be Better

... than this piece of ridiculousness from the Kardashian Klan. Doesn't this just scream "Merry Christmas?"

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Today's blessings: Thursday butt camp with the girls; getting CPC shirts; Steve selling Molly's Jeep; tacky Christmas sweater prep with help from Maribeth, Molly, and Plates

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Wednesday Blog Excuse

It's getting close to Christmas,
and in case you're still trying to find that "perfect Christmas tree,"
I've got you some help.
I've also accomplished today's blog post, however lame.
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Today's blessings: Wednesday butt camp and taping; peppermint hot chocolate at Starbucks with my boot-ies; bank dude; seeing Sam/Lynnette/Lindley's remodel progress; Christmas shopping; watching DVDs with Steve and Maribeth

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Toy Evolution of Sorts

What I played with ...



What Sam played with ...



What Lindley plays with ...


Go figure ...
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Today's blessings: Going to butt camp in 9 degree weather; Christmas shopping; Bubba burger dinner with Sam, Lynnette, Lindley, Steve, Maribeth, and Molly

Monday, December 13, 2010

Learning to Stand On Your Own


Sometimes you wobble, sometimes you fall, and sometimes you do the splits. But eventually you'll do it all by yourself. You just have to keep practicing!
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Today's blessings: Butt camp holiday; snow day; cleaning up part of the house; phone chat with Marilyn; tuna salad sandwich

Sunday, December 12, 2010

December Snow

My front yard ...


... and a poem by Shel Silverstein.

Snowball
by Shel Silverstein

I made myself a snow ball as perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet and let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas and a pillow for it's head.
Then, last night it ran away.
But first -- it wet the bed.

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Today's blessings: Breakfast at Sam/Lynnette/Lindley's and moving furniture; snow

Saturday, December 11, 2010

A Coach's Encouragement

Sam, Lynnette, and I signed up for the Snowflake 5K that was scheduled for this morning. As it turned out, Sam had a meeting to attend and Lynnette had a baby shower to give. Last night as I was leaving their house, I said that I would only do the 5K "if the weather was really nice." I had seen today's forecast, and fully expected it to be raining when I got up this morning.

Cut to this morning. I wake up and the sun is shining and the temperature is not too cold. In other words, it was God's way of saying, "It's time you got your butt back on the road." Or at least something like that. So I got dressed and drove to the park. I got my shirt, bib, and goody bag and got in the pack at the start line. The gun went off, and off we went.

I haven't trained in quite awhile. I took two weeks off at Thanksgiving and did nothing more than sit on the couch and feed my face. I returned to butt camp this week, but just as Rome wasn't built in a day, my flabby and neglected muscles were not retrained in a week. In other words, I wasn't exactly in shape to be doing a 5K.

But I did it. My time wasn't awful, and I managed to get some jogs accomplished in between the power walking. I managed to stay ahead of several 10 year old girls, and maybe even an adult - in other words, I wasn't last. I finished, and was very glad I did the 5K.

It's time to get back on the road and start training again. I felt good after the race, both physically and mentally, and believe it was God's way of saying, "You need to be doing this again."

It's good to know my Coach always knows what I need to hear. It's good to know that He knows what's best for me. But most of all, it's good to know that He cares about me is with me every step of the way.
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Today's blessings: Snowflake 5K; Lindley time; dinner at Local Taco and Hallelujah Girls with my butt camp buds; visiting Maribeth at work with Molly; Molly bringing me happy hour drink

Friday, December 10, 2010

It's Friday ...


... and it's two weeks until Christmas Eve. YIKES!!!!
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Today's blessings: Attending all five days of this week's butt camp; babysitting Lindley; putting shelves together with Molly

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Just A Few Christmas Words


Christmas waves a magic wand over this world,and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful.
~Norman Vincent Peale

Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home.
~Carol Nelson

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.
~Roy L. Smith

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time;
a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely,
and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave,
and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.
~Charles Dickens

There has been only one Christmas - the rest are anniversaries.
~W.J. Cameron

Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us
that we're here for something else besides ourselves.
~Eric Sevareid

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
~Charles Dickens

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.
~Peg Bracken

At Christmas, all roads lead home.
~Marjorie Holmes

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
~W.T. Ellis

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month. ~Harlan Miller

This is the message of Christmas: We are never alone.
~Taylor Caldwell

Christmas is a time to open our hearts to God and his gifts. Just like the rest of the year. ~Author Unknown

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity.
To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.
~Oren Arnold
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Today's blessings: Thursday butt camp that let out early; Cracker Barrel for lunch and Dominos for dinner with Steve and Maribeth; telephone chat with Marilyn; firming up Christmas Disney plans

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Me. Today.

Notice the sweat headband. That's because I managed to make it through butt camp without passing out, falling down, or throwing up.

Notice the supine position. That's because I took several power naps today because I've made it to butt camp three days this week.

Notice the cola drink. That's because I drank a few today so I could stay awake long enough to achieve the perfect position on the couch.

The good news is that I was completely clothed (I did have on pants in addition to the t-shirt), I do actually love Wednesdays (because there's only two more days of butt camp), and the above picture looks so inviting, I may do it again tomorrow!
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Today's blessings: making it through butt camp with partner Linda; lots of naps; catching up on laundry and bills; Maribeth's consignment run and purchases; picking up Lindley at day care and taking her home; helping Matt with the sprinklers (sort of); picking up Steve at airport

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Lindley Lessons

At first, this just seemed a fun picture of today's "Lindley Time." But the more I look at it, the more I think about what it could be.

For instance - whose shoes would you like to be in? And if they're too big, are you still willing to give them a go?

And if sometimes you're in a situation that is bigger than you, are you lucky enough to have someone who's behind you, keeping you steady? Do you have someone who's taking care of you while you focus on what you need to do?

Are you willing to try something new, even if it seems impossible? Are you willing to go for the unknown, the untried and untested, and the unbelievable?

Are you willing to have a little fun and look a little silly? Are you willing to be a part of an idea that is new and different?

Sure, maybe it's just a picture of a baby in big boots. But maybe it's also something more. Maybe it's a picture of what can be, if we're just willing to take the steps to try.
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Today's blessings: Another butt camp day; getting the cable adapters connected; getting a little housecleaning done; picking up Lindley at day care and taking her home; Target-ing with Maribeth

Monday, December 6, 2010

Lesson Learned - I Hope

After two weeks of doing little more than sitting on my rather ample haunches and eating bonbons, I returned to butt camp today. To put it simply, it was not pretty. I could not jog, I could not lift, I could not sit up. In fact, I was pretty pleased that at the end of the session, I could still breath and keep my heart beating.

There is always a week off in-between butt camp sessions. Commander Josh gives us a "do it yourself" maintenance workout that we're supposed to do during the off week. So far, my participation has been to print the workout and place it on top of the printer. Ergo, the maintenance workout has not proved beneficial.

So, during my most recent two-week hiatus, I had passing thoughts of working out. I considered jogging and crunching and lifting and stuff like that. I considered all this even though I was on vacation in Florida. But I had difficulty with the follow-through. The only muscles I worked were the ones in my jaws, furiously chewing through the cotton candy, the cookies, the pizza, and anything else made of sugar and other flab-inducing ingredients.

And then we get to today. Since I often venture into the Land of De Nial, I thought I would just breeze back into butt camp and pick up where I left off. I don't know where I left off, but it was no where close to where I ended up today. The resistance bands were very resistant, the crunches were very crunchy, and the sit-ups were more like lay-downs. To put it mildly, any kind of shape I was ever in has been banished to the nether regions.

So what have we learned from today's butt camp debacle? First, that chewing is not an aerobic activity designed to keep one in shape. Especially since I could find it nowhere on Joshy's workout sheet.

Second, like me, muscles look for any chance to lay around and become inert. However, to further my butt camp career, this is not a wise avenue to follow. Instead, I should lift and resist and heave - something a little more substantial than a spoon and fork.

Third, thou gettest what thou sowest. In other words, doing nothing gets you nothing. No speedy jogs, no heavy weight lifting, no extreme number of leg lifts (for me that is anything more than five). So, thou must move thy butt in order to not passeth out upon return to butt camp.

Today was a "hello wimpy" call. I got the message - it certainly got my number!
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Today's blessings: Back to butt camp (ouch); car emissions testing and tag update; getting cable boxes; Bucky's peppermint mocha frap; picking up Lindley from day care and taking her home; grocery shopping with Maribeth

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Massage Issues

Today Molly and I went to Massage Envy so that we can get caught up with our prepaid massages. All went well, and I think I left with fewer knots in my neck. I'm always glad I went, since it is quite relaxing. However, it is not completely without a few stresses, which I thought I would share with you - just in case they are your stresses, and might keep you from experiencing the peace and tranquility from having a stranger knead and pound on your nekkid body.

The Clothing Issue - will I get my clothes off and my body under the covers before dude (or dudette) comes in? How does he/she know when I'm done anyway? And did I get my raggedy undies covered up with my regular clothes so dude won't see how really big my granny panties are?

The Most Recent Meal Issue - Did the beans fully digest and therefore divest themselves of their odorous abilities? Ohmigosh - are those my intestines he/she is kneading? Ohmigosh - is that a gas bubble? Are these sheets capable of masking the possibly inevitable?

The Masseuse's Brain Issue - What is he/she really thinking? Is he attempting to locate a knotted muscle through the the mounds of fleshy fat? Is she wondering if the table will support a woman of my size? Is he just making this up as he goes?

The Sleep Issue - Did I fall asleep? Did I snore? Did I drool? Did he/she say something while I was asleep? Can I go back to sleep now?

By the end of the hour, my issues (along with my tight muscles) are all worked out. I don't care if I've fallen asleep, or my underdrawers have fallen on the floor, or the beans have done their magic. I'm rested and refreshed and ready for a new week.

Now if I can just figure out my issue with how much/how/when to tip the dude ...
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Today's blessings: BK breakfast with Sam, Lindley, and Molly; spending the day with Lindley; an hour with Jason at Massage Envy; taking Steve to the airport

Saturday, December 4, 2010

The Best Reason To Be Home

A little tambourine plus a little Lindley makes a great day!
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Today's blessings: Lunch with Steve, Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley; unpacking a little from vacation

Friday, December 3, 2010

Shuggah

That has been pretty much the mainstay of my food intake for the past week. I've been on vacation, and apparently a sugar diet has been a staple. We needn't get into the details - let's just say that while I generally don't eat a lot of ice cream, I will if it is microwaved a few seconds to make it soft. And I don't eat cotton candy - unless it's on the kitchen counter of the resort condo. And I can stay away from cookies - unless they're warm from the oven and it's far from home.

Okay, so it's all one big ball of flimsy excuses. Sure, I could have bought carrot sticks instead of cookie dough, but I wasn't on grocery store duty. Sure, I could have not partaken of the bad food, but there were no carrot sticks to eat. So I ate the food available - every sugary bite.

Today we drove back from Florida and I continued my wicked ways. Let's just say Laffy Taffy and Cheetoes were in the front seat with me. Then there were the cinnamon rolls from IKEA. I probably consumed even more, but I don't remember due to the sugar naps that occurred during the trip.

But there is hope on the horizon. Upon our return to Nashville, we went to Molly's for dinner. She had prepared this white stuff that I thought was cotton candy but she said was mashed potatoes. What I thought was fudge was actually roast beef. The corn in question was not of the candy variety, but apparently stuff grown on a farm. And the green things were not licorice but something called beans. My body seemed to breathe a sigh of relief seeing it on my plate.

I figure tomorrow all this intake of sugar will probably bottom out and I will be spending the day passed out on the couch. But apparently at the candy, cookie, and ice cream store they also sell veggies and fruits. I'm hoping to purchase some of that stuff tomorrow during the sugar detox that will be going on.

I just hope I can recover before my return to butt camp on Monday morning. That's when the sugar is really going to hit the fan!!
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Today's blessings: Home again; dinner at Molly's; ATL IKEA success

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A Whale of a Day

Today could be entitled, "Perfection - Not - AGAIN!" since today's foray into my "make it" projects was a total and utter disaster. It was so bad that I had to scrap the project and try to salvage it into a new project - which will have to wait until my return home, since we are planning to leave tomorrow. Anyhow, since that post would be pretty much a rehash of the previous two days, luckily I had other goings-on going on today.

Today I went to Sea World.

If you know me at all, you know that Disney World is my main thing when I come to Orlando. We stay there, we eat there, we party there - well, you get the idea. Although I always think about going to Sea World, I don't. Even the few times we have stayed off Disney property and within walking distance to Sea World, I find reasons not to go. Even though I want to.

Well, this visit we are once again staying within walking distance to Sea World. I planned to go to Sea World at some point this week, and decided today was going to be it (which was handy, since we are leaving tomorrow). This morning I set out on foot while Steve set out via car to play golf (which just happens to be at the resort where we are staying).

The walk over wasn't too hard, if you don't count plodding along where there was no sidewalk (note to resort owners - if you want people to walk to CVS down the street, please construct a sidewalk - nobody wants to walk on the three feet of sidewalk, then cross over the 4-lane street to walk on that sidewalk, then cross back over the street to get to CVS). I managed to find my way down this street and that and wound up in the parking lot at Sea World.

I wasn't sure where the entrance was. I'm used to a bus taking me to the exact entrance of whatever park I'm attending. As I entered the parking lot, a security dude in a golf cart stopped. I asked him where the entrance was, and he promptly drove me over across the huge parking lot and deposited me at the entrance. Star #1 for Sea World. I bought my ticket (annual pass, because it was only $20 more than a one-day admission and gets me in for the next 15 months) and went in. Admission deal = Star #2 for Sea World.

Upon my entrance, I saw that Starbucks furnishes their coffee - Star #3. As I strolled along, I saw a Dippin Dots kiosk - need I say that makes Star #4? I consulted the park map and saw that I was in time for the Shamu show (my main reason for loving Sea World). I manage to find my way to Shamu Stadium, and since it was lunchtime, started looking for something to eat.

Unfortunately, this is the only downer of the day - trying to find a burger. Apparently in this section of the park, there were no burger stands. Adding insult to injury is that fact that Sea World only sells - gag - Pepsi products. I decided to go sit in the stadium, when I discovered that hot dogs and hot pretzels are sold there. So, I ate and was ready for the Shamu show.

It was everything I had hoped for (especially since it had been 20+ years since the last time I saw it). Although the trainers are no longer in the water with the whales, it was still pretty cool.

After the show, I wandered around, saw the sharks and dolphins, and headed back to the resort (unfortunately there was no friendly golf cart driver). Since I am an annual passholder, I figured I will be returning during future trips (which would be in December, February, May, and June - so far).

So, that was my day - good things all around and a great way to end this vacation!
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Today's blessings: walk to Sea World, driver at Sea World, Shamu Show; packing up

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Perfection - Not - Take Two

So today in my quest to finish those projects mentioned yesterday, I made several huge mistakes. They were so huge it would appear that the projects were destined for the landfill. But I regrouped and redid and finished. The finished product is less than stellar, and I'm really going to have to consider whether the project in question will be a gift or remain in my possession - for purposes to be determined at a later date.

So what did I learn from this particular experience? Read on:

1. "Hope" is not a synonym for "Preparation." Sure, it was a project that I had done before. But hoping that it would just come together without measuring and re-measureing and measuring some more resulted in a somewhat awkward result.

2. Speed in assembly does not result in a superior finish. I whipped through this project in record time - if only I could translate that into my jogging. Anyhow, by the time I thought I was finished, I realized that I was going to have to re-do the whole thing, because I had put it together incorrectly.

3. Good ideas are just that - good ideas. All that is needed to make a good result is good preparation, good procedure, good thinking, and good timing. Oh, and good measuring.

So, in conclusion, I finished the project and learned many lessons in the process. Will it make a difference with my next project? Probably not!
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Today's blessings: Outlet mall-ing and First Watch with Steve; "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" movie while project-ing; Lindley updates via BSC; Wolfgang Puck's with Steve