Diamond Dust

Did you know that is what the sparkly snow is called when the snow shimmers when it is so cold? Just so you know. That is what is happening outside right now, as I write and as I crunched across the walks to a neighbor's.

The whole Whobilation of the Holidays has wiped me out. Not even a Coca-Cola can perk me up. The he flu has been going around so that could be the reason.

I told a friend, after J. left for his designated divorce half time with his other parent, :"I think kids leave messes so that you'll remember them when they leave."

You'd think one would fist pump when you got some time to yourself as a parent, divorced or not, but there is always a mess to clean up. And sometimes you leave it, cause it's cute.

Such as a hand print on a window. The little poems with their hand print brought home from pre-school or nursery, remind you of the fact they grow and go so fast.

But in real time moment, it's exhausting to walk into a room and see the cute little things they left behind.

Can you imagine them coming home from pre-school with what is really irksome?

"Oh, look it's a blob of toothpaste on paper, like what you leave in the sink! ..awwww."

or

Yes, you'd think you'd be partying the minute the little soul leaves the premise. In my case, a nap.

The day, your schedule is wide open. Want to watch a sappy movie? Done.

Go to the store by yourself and not have to linger all day in the toy section? Call a friend without having a third party ask what the other person said, who it is, so on and so forth....

Dial!!!

But for a minute, the mess they left makes you miss them and maybe if you threw a bunch of airplanes, like dice, onto the floor and walk across them like they do in some of the mini-series where people have to walk across hot coal to achieve mind over matter, will remind you of how great it is that you get a break once in awhile.

The Christmas Carol Card

This is a Christmas Card we received from a family member. They are both older and had some surgeries this year, yet it was a surprise to get this kind of card in the mail from them! Expecting the usual picture of their faces,  instead we got the X-Ray version of what was going on.

This card made me laugh. Then cry. I wanted to use it. It could not have been further from the truth for me, either!!!!! Or Jaden, really. Considering all the bumps and bruises that came with his first year of Grid Kid this year.

AND it went along with Jaden's assessment of A Christmas Carol- The one with George C. Scott:

J: This is more like a Halloween movie than a Christmas movie, mom.

Me: Well, hold on- wait til the end you'll see it is more of a Christmas movie than ANY of the others.

Not on purpose I ran to grab something during Jacob Marley' s arrival and returned to the living room to see Jaden's back pressed so far into the couch that it left indentations and had his feet tucked between the pillows.  

Me: Ah, shoot. I wanted to see that part!

J: Thanks for leaving me alone!

Poor kid was so frightened, he couldn't even make it outta the couch to another room. And he sat riveted to the movie til the end. -- Because that's where I was and it must have been default.

Not to trivialize J's experience, but in the book Marley, in his hearse, if I recall correctly, comes UP Scrooge's  stairs. Pulled by 6 BLACK horses. So the scene in the beginning that is creepy- a hearse with windows to see inside at the casket and is pulled by two black horses by itself down a creepy street in England is one thing- coming up a flight of stairs with half the blocks lights all knocked out, now that's quite another.

Heck, just writing about it makes me get the shivers. No wonder Eb was confused in his bed as to what the heck was occurring- and I bet he wished he wasn't such a cheap skate when it came to lighting things up cause if you thought that a freight train were coming up your staircase-

 

 "... and taken it broad wise, with the splinter-bar towards the wall and the door towards the balustrades: and done it easy. There was plenty of width for that, and room to spare;....."

Glad our staircase is relatively small and we don't have balustrades. Even the scary version of A Christmas Carol are tame compared to the book.

Dickens is brilliant. You know that right?

Or do you only know the movie version or abridged versions of Dickens? I did. The Victorian language, although English, is akin to trying to understand urban slang. One day I finally read it. WELL. WORTH> IT.

 

 It is way longer winded than any text message could hold. All of the beauty of Dickens along with the darkness, the truth, the message; is just NOT present in a movie. There is a lot there if you are willing to read it.

Back to Jaden's induction to this Priceless, overlooked treasure:

J: Is that ghost (of Christmas Present)  STANDING on Ignorance and Want under his robe?

Me: It looks that way.

J: How did they do that? Why is he standing on two kids? Is he a midget?

Me: Well, it's hard to explain. I'm sure he's on a stool behind them and they put make-up on some kids to make them look really scary and destitute.

J: Oh.

 

 

George C. Scott after having to look what is under his robe: "Hide them from me. I am unable to look at them."

 

J: Hide this movie from me! I don't want to see anymore!

 

Me: Oh, c'mon.

YES, It's Creepy. It's a Dickens, next time we'll have to go with the Disney. 

Dickens isn't even the start of the mental toughness needed, as a child to endure the cold, cruel, long days of December.

Kids go through torture the month of December; They have Elves, like Sting,  stalking; watching their every move.  They have to clean up their rooms,their mouths, make room for new toys, and generally behave in a manner they aren't used to year round. This tension spills out into the classrooms for the teachers. Poor teachers.

Here are some phrases heard in households....

"Santa will come by and see you have enough and just pass over this house.... heck, he may even take the toys you don't play with and give them to someone who would"

"uh-oh, Santa saw that."

For J. to find room in his room for the new stuff was like a death to gift sentence. He'd already had to make room for a basketball court. Remember Bball season collides with the Holiday Seasons?

So right there he had a disadvantage. Add to the fact that I got books from the library like Albert Einstein and Relativity for Kids- just didn't help.  (Yes, I got some Christmas books too.)

But he made it.

Granted Christmas Eve he was wound tight as a top.

J: What do I do?

Me: What do you mean, what do you do?

J: When I wake up, can I go upstairs and start opening presents?

Me: No. You wake me up and we all get up and take turns and take pictures of you, opening your presents.

J: What if it's early????

Me: Then you have to wait.

J: AWWHH. WHINE. mOAN.

ME: How is it you don't know what to DO? I half wonder aloud.

Then I recall he comes from a divorced situation where the holidays are often oddly spent. And sometimes you open gifts at night. Or the day before the holiday. Or the day after. Or.......fill in the blank.

So I had to tell about "back in the olden days" when kids tip toe-ed up the stairs, saw the magic, went down to their rooms and fell back asleep until 8 am and tried to wake up their parents.

 I warned him that if he didn't  go to sleep, Santa couldn't even come by which made it that much more pressure to go to sleep.  Eventually, he drifted off to sleep. I doubt sugar plums danced.

Because through the night I heard him get up several times, he came in and complained about the other family members in the house not in bed yet

J: "That 'stupid guy' isn't even gonna stop here cause Papa is watching Glenn, Gma is up wrapping presents and........"

Me: Wow. You sound angry. This isn't Santa's fault. You just called him "Stupid"! Like he's gonna stop here with that name calling!

J: I know. I just can't sleep. He buried his head in defeat into the pillow.

Me to myself.... I know the feeling. It can get maddening not being able to sleep at night.

I tried to read him some books to put him to calm him, and it put me to sleep. I made him start to read and it put him to sleep!

 

A deep sonorous breathing from his chest made me feel I could move from my position next to him in the darkness and go to work.  Suddenly,  He sat straight up. I laid down and faked sleep.  Confused and beyond tired, he got up  to use the bathroom. I heard him fumble to the bathroom, find it was occupied and heard his stumbling, shuffling feet down the hall toward the stairs until eventually he regained balance and he took the steps by twos.

 

GREAT,

Cardinal No-No Rule.. that he had NOT been informed about before he became 9; You DO NOT go upstairs or in the living room until--- well, until waaaaaayyyyy later.

WHY DID I NOT TELL HIM THIS?????????????????????????????

In his absence, I Set my alarm. This was getting to be a painful, tiring joke. He returned upset that Papa scrammed him from the upstairs and told him he was trying to keep him from coming down the chimney. Only to upset J. further.

 

Somewhere, sometime in that interminable night, the Sand Man really socked it to him and I. We were out. However, my cell alarm buzzed under my pillow and awoke me after only a few minutes into a yummy dream. (that makes you gain weight cause you are on prednisone.) 

 I was up.

 

Great. Duty done and even ran outta there by Papa who was on Santa detail - to keep him from coming, I was up.

Early morning approached and, finally,  I fell asleep.

A few minutes past and J. was in my room dancing excitedly and begging for me to get up.

I told the child I needed 30. Because it was 4-ish or something.

 

By the time I dragged myself up there I felt and probably looked like Jacob Marley.

Madre was givin explicit instructions to not take pics of me.

Now, an X-Ray, I have no qualms posting those.

 

Surprise Gifts that must have come from The Commander in Chief Grinch: A Thermometer. Oh, and a blood pressure cuff. Wasn't expecting those. But I did use Padre's BP cuff a couple times in the last month and he has a thing for having his own stuff. So it was really great Santa stepped in and got me that cuff.

 

??

 

The thermometer was great, tho. Because ours is broken. Enough for tonight. And, Readers, we are glad to be alive.

 

Aloha, from Padre: Island Greetings

Well, Reader, Padre did NOT say: Melekalikmaka, although he WAS in Hawaii!!!!! He did say: "Aloha" when he called once. But can you believe

 

He had to board a plane! ??

(These little planes are what J. worked on for his Christmas gifts for his buddies. We still have to deliver some. They can be played with AND stuck on the tree as an ornament. Talk about cute. He made one that was a glider for a special friend and it was adorable.)

His tools had to go INTO the belly of the animal and a smaller version of his mug all flew across the Pacific ocean for "A Case of Trouble".

Yup. Startling isn't it???? You should have seen the days leading up to his departure. Everything was so tightly packed he could have been hired by....some company that requires technical efficiency.

Padre found a Verizon near him due to something breaking off  his phone while he was off the mainland; a major tragedy. But a Festivous Miracle that there was a Verizon located-- So he really was at home with Verizon and Wal-Mart close by him during his painful stay.

 

  When we'd talk, him on his head set and GPS lady in the back ground, it was  VERY similar to our talks here- him errand running to the same places, even though he was  in Hawaii. 

His best comments:

Padre: "Everyone here wears shower shoes!   (flip flops and sandals)."

Me: Well you should fit in then... at least at shower time! Are they wearing Wrangler Jeans with theirs?

Padre: No. Shorts and skirts.

Me: Too bad you didn't pack any. Or do you have any shorts?

Padre: "Oh! And EVERYONE backs into their parking places!" he said this as excited as a child seeing the loot left by Santy Claus Christmas morning.

Me: You do that too! It's parking  after your own heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Padre: I really like it! (The parking idea.)

As I said before Christmas, I had a BIG surprise for you Readers. It was a big surprise for his family-

Padre had the 'misfortune' to go by himself to Hawaii and do a "Case of Trouble".

 Which means he worked like a dog and didn't have time for himself to sight see, or find a meal close by at a decent hour and  without traffic bumper to bumper.  He was in NO mood to get anywhere but back to his hotel. But when the trouble is over, its late at night, it's not as if going to the beach or visiting land marks is really an option.

 --When he has Cases of Trouble on his job it makes it difficult to sight see anyway. Which is pretty much daily. Round the clock" trouble shooting" under high stressed, do or die situations; eliminate the location's beauties, and make any location mute and irrelevant.

Which is sad.

I pulled out my scrapbook and told him all the local beaches to hit that were NO where near what Waikiki was and that he could simply go eat lunch there. He didn't care. It was muggy. On and off rainy and he was on the job.

HOWEVER, the first day he couldn't get his clearance. He was FORCED to RELAX, folks. That's when he found Wal-Mart and he his fears were calmed.

(This guy relaxing at Papa's while Papa slaves away. There is a saying I saw once that said:

"Relax like I'm not here." This picture sums that up.)

He did not pack to relax. I don't think he knows how, actually. So, he visited the USS Missouri- A slew of pictures have come through via text message since he didn't even pack a cam.

First one: Padre, with blue skies behind him, frowning in front of his hotel. (It was raining when he got there and his initial room was/ is 11 floors away from an ice machine. See my posts on his mug fixation. Oh, and he took a SMALLER one on the airplane.

Others- A hallway on the ship where the Japanese signed paper work to stop fighting.

One of a woman by a dent in the ship where  Kamikaze plane hit and the pilot slid across the deck.

Jaden stayed up until way late to find out if Padre brought him back anything from the Oahu. He was very disappointed to find he had not.

"Folks, I wasn't in a place I could get any of those things." Padre said distress like.

(Awesome Daises my friend brought by that look like bright lights shining in my room.)

What about your hotel? Did you bring us back any soap or a shower cap. I ribbed him.

"They only had ear plugs. " he said as he started to unload his luggage.

Ear plugs? Now I wondered if he was pulling our ears and had some gifts hidden somewhere waiting to spring them on us Christmas morning.

"Yes, it is so noisy that they issue ear plugs for some reason."

huh. Even that surprised me seeing how it was a Courtyard Marriott on the beach.....

"Did you bring me back some Hawaiian ear plugs?" a sleepy grandchild asked from Papa's new recliner.

"Well, I just used the one pair and tossed them before leaving."

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

J. fell asleep, I had to rouse him and have him walk down to bed without getting his teeth brushed.

From: Anonymous

HOPE


When you receive an anonymous present, it is like you are sharing a secret, except it is with someone who remains a mystery.

Christmas time always brings unexpected kindnesses- this year was no exception. Some are too sacred to even tell about because that would ruin the secret in a way.

However, today I must tell about

The Cheese ball.

I have never thought to give this as a gift. Now, I will.

Last night I made a list with Madre about what to buy for food. I said I would make "The" cheeseball- a delicious, time consuming, feat. We headed out today for WAl-Mart. Not smart. It was noon and in full swing. I thought for sure I would get nailed by busy shoppers with carts full of food, or the stockers rolling boxes to and from the aisles.

Since my shopping was done, I didn't feel distressed until I got to the check out phase. Standing in a long line- with all that time to yourself  desperation sinks in. Literally the life was getting sucked out of me and I had to grip the cart for support to keep my knees from wanting to buckle or my body from wanting to sit on the floor and lean up against the candy and National Enquirer.

All the food items on the conveyor belt, in the carts in front of me, and the items in my own cart seemed to be symbols of all the problems facing me. The check out gal was methodically going through them and I wondered how long she would have to endure the lines. Looking behind me,  our line had grown to the jewelery counter. I noticed the checker didn't raise her head to see how long the line was and thought that was probably smart; just keep your mind on what was in front of her at the time.

However, I was having a hard time of it and thinking about how I was going to get through the wait, get home and make the Taste of Home, award winning cheeseball.
It would involve having  to make bacon, chopping it and other ingredients up, and warming it in the oven. It is then placed in a hollowed out sourdough soup bowl.
 

I prayed right there in my head.

(The seashells are the festive Hawaiian flare given Padre was there.) 

'Father, it's Christmas. Please help me get through this moment of standing in line, like normal people do. Help me make the food I said I would make. I can't do this. It's Christmas.....'

-As if He didn't know...... My phone buzzed. Tiredly I pulled it  from my purse expecting mom on the line asking me which aisle was on.  We'd split up to knock out the shopping and it was a miracle we finished at the same time. Instead of her number coming up on the screen, it was J's friend.

Great. He was home calling friends to play or something. I pushed send.

Me: Hello.?

Her: Amanda! This is: 'friend's mom'

Me: Hey!

Her: I just dropped off  a cheeseball  at your house.

silence.

I wanted to make sure Jaden isn't allergic to the stuff we brought over- other than peanuts he isn't allergic to other nuts.

Me: Jaw Dropping.,"You have no idea how thankful I am to hear that. I couldn't face making a cheeseball today and that was my contribution to the family festivities today."

We said our holiday greetings, hung up and it was tempting not to turn around and tell the people behind me of the miracle, that verged on divine intervention, that had just taken place.

Everyone in the fam showed up throughout the day and the cheeseball was a hit. It was JUST what I needed.

The miracle.

That is the fastest, most specific answer to a prayer I've ever had. I don't think it'll happen like that again so I am recording it!

So simple. Yet, not. Those things are hard to make when you are stressed. She did this for me- at the request of her little one who loved her cheeseballs and wanted our family to have one.

He was one of my little league angels at one point and knowing he felt this and had a hand in being an answer to a prayer... well, I was starting to tear up. 

Look for more stories shortly.... Too tired to convey the rest tonight. I just know God heard me and gave me that cheeseball. 

Too tired to edit, etc. I hope the best tonight for you, Readers. Thanks for all you do. And to all the anonymous secret keepers of mine.... well, you already know. It gave me hope.
 

Can you spot the angel on my stick tree? A gift given to me by a stranger while I was in the hospital years ago....

Have you Flossed?

 

 

 

We are now in the final stretch. Pouting is at an all time high and it is Just a few short- or long- days until the BIG day.

Is anyone else feeling the tinsel tension? Or seeing it in your kid?

 

After watching J. flop around and moan on the couch yesterday, and complain that he was in physical pain waiting for the big day, despite going to Ijump- you'd have thought he'd had his tonsils out.

 

The horrible fact his best friend has the flu during Christmas vacation and he is on pins and needles still about whether he's been a good kid this year, was too much  even to  enjoy a Christmas movie.

 

So by the time night fell....

 

 

he was beyond ready for bed. But he ended up staying up, having a late snack and put off his night time routine. Don't you hate that feeling? You want to crawl into your bed, barely can pull your clothes off and slither under the sheets but you still have things to do? 

 

No sweaty, greasy hair getting into festive plaid sheets I just put on his bed for the Christmas season!

He HAD to do the routine. No ifs of buts. 

 

After his shower, I  unmercifully called from my bed:

 

 "Have you flossed?"

 

Moan.

 

He dragged his body back into the bathroom, flossed and then brushed. More moans emanated from the bathroom as he scrubbed his teeth.  

 

Oh, come on! How hard is it?? I thought to myself as I lay in bed.

 

 

 Then he came into my room and reminded me about the canker in his little mouth, showed me and I felt immediate remorse. The toothpaste is on the harsh side, even for me.

 

 "Have YOU flossed?" he asked leaning against my bed, sincerely concerned about my oral health.

 

DOH! 

 

I had not! I was already in bed and almost asleep were it not for the final mothering duties, I'd be in my long winter's nap.

 

 He brought me some floss so I could get the job done, too. A gesture that truly was appreciated. It helped me get take care of my teeth last night. I'm always pushing  him why it is important to keep his teetch flossed, how it can affect your health, plus who wants to get drilled at the Dentist? Not fun. Painful.

He was really sweet to bring me the good floss. The slippery, extra thin kind. Not the thick, heavily waxed, bargain buy kind. After a day of driving me crazy, he totally redeemed himself. And helped me and him get that much closer to being on Santa's good side! He even read to me from our arsenal of Christmas books.

I hope the jolly fellow stuffs his sock with some sensitive mouth toothpaste. Cankers are the worst.

Hope you enjoy the random pics....

To: Me; From: Me= Grinch Gifts

 

 

What do you put on the tag when you have a Christmas gift you essentially purchased for yourself?

 

I don't know if this is a trait passed down from the genetic gene pool, but I've seen Padre, myself, and Jaden each make purchases before Christmas that have negated what Santa could/would have brought on Christmas Eve night, had the person simply been patient enough to wait.

 

Actually, there are some things that St. Nick actually would have gotten royally wrong and you that would mean standing in the long return lines on the 26th. So, really, you are doing the big guy a favor. Right?

 

Padre purchased some bath mats for himself and wanted them saved for Christmas morning. Padre actually does all his own Christmas shopping because it would be way to involved for us to compare prices, return and re buy the gift- so it simply uncomplicated his and our Christmas. That is why he usually ends up with coal in his stocking. If Santa Claus knew he appreciates the coal, he'd leave something else- like a real puppy dog.

 

With the high end bath mats finished being wrapped I took my Sharpie and wrote on the tag:

 

To: Papa

 

The "From" part brought me to a halt and made me wonder how to answer who it was From. 

 

 Shall I put from you?

 

I asked mom.

 

You didn't really pick it out.... hmmm.... and it technically isn't from Santa. "

 

Putting a gift from yourself  under the tree looks slightly tacky and selfish-- and makes you feel tacky and selfish.  Unless you can find someone to say it is from, you end up truly being selfish.

 

If  a grandchild were to look under the tree, THEY might get the wrong idea and start doing that same thing.

 

But it is the honest truth; you got the gift for whatever reason; because you knew that's what you wanted and were saving the giver the hassle of going and getting it OR possibly missing the sale OR there is just ONE left. All valid self gift giving concerns.

 

The best person to ascribe the blame and pass the buck, I concluded,  is the Grinch.

 

So there it is:

 

To: Papa    From: The Grinch.

 

There are several Grinch gifts under the tree.

It Can't Wait

Readers, Padre's latest work assignment can't wait. Like a Christmas gift you open before the 25th, I'm spilling the beans. They are too funny to hold back.  

First of all, Padre had to fly. On a plane. Yup. He had to put ALL of his equipment on the cargo of an airplane and FLY.

Here are some of the first  of the text messages--- they have been censored of foul language for the kiddos.

"... I just got to my room and I am starving. (he left at 8am and it is now almost 11pm) and can't figure out how to get food. I hate this place. Worst traffic I have ever seeen. Reminds me of Saigon.
Can't wait to get out of here. I will call as soon as I can get things going..."

Wow.

Where Padre is "shootin' trouble" ? And it is worse than his time in Vietnam??????

Any guesses?????

 

Thanks, Dad, for  doing that for us. The munchkins were all here today and we had Bean with Bacon soup for dinner. Dipped french bread in it. Sorry you had a miserable, all day flight, that they have mandatory valet parking, and we are enjoying the fruits of your labors.

 

The grandkids were very cute.

 

The littlest one is the size of a bulldog and will swipe your glasses off if you are not careful.

He's also teething and will tell you all about it.

 

Ko-gee was very cute as his older brother did a rendition from the 3 Amigos.

He swayed from side to side and then bowed his head at the end and said: OOOOO for the AmigOOOOOs.  part.

Then he spread his arms out wide and bowed his head like they do on the movie.

 

Cowboy Kade told me he was Ned from the 3 Amigos and when I asked him if I should write To: Ned or To: Kade on his gift he laughed pretty hard.

 

He also played with one of the figurines from mom's collection. He put the Rider cowboy hat on a little boy that is carrying firewood. It looked so cute. But I warned him it was breakable, to be very careful.

 

A few minutes later:

 

 

Grandson: Amanda, you were right. This guy is breakable.

 

Me: Oh, dear. Where did it break? His head?

 

Grandson: No, his poor little feet.

We have to fix him.