Thank you, ah thank you very much.....

We finally got our holiday thank you cards done....yeah I know....late.

I know some people think thank you cards are an outdated ritual that have no place in modern times. As a matter of fact why send hand written thank yous when an email or phone call will suffice?

Well because it's a nice thing to do.....imagine the look on your gift givers face when they get the mail and begin sorting through the daily pile of junk mail and bills only to find that little hand addressed envelope....

...and then they open it and read that not only did you like the gift but you're so glad they thought of you on your day (or holiday) and that you miss them or love them or plan to see them soon....

....and they smile....they smile because you have added just a tiny bit of sunshine to their day. Out there in the world of junk mail and bills someone appreciates them and cares how they feel....

And that to me is what makes it all worth it...

OH AND....my kids wrote theirs this year without a fight....YAY!!

Life is Unpredictable...

...and then you die.

Or, is that, "Life's a bitch, and then you die"?

Well, whatever. The point is: SHIT HAPPENS and people have to cancel or reschedule. Especially during the holidays when things are chaotic and everyone is spread thin.

Roll with the punches. Don't cry like a big, fat baby when someone ruins your plans. Everyone has shit to do...

...especially on Christmas Eve.

Life is unpredictable just like your reaction to my sudden change of plans, WHICH, I had no control over.

One finds oneself faced with a list of priorities on a daily basis. One must choose carefully from this list. What is important to one person is less important to another.

I chose and now you're bent out of shape.

Life is a bitch and then you die.

Life has lessons to teach. This be only one in a long-ass list of karmic schoolings.

Merry Frackin' Christmas!!

~Mare~
Guest Blogger Extraordinaire
www.houseofsoga.blogspot.com

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

As some of you may remember last year I wrote about Macy's Believe Campaign, this year they're doing it again.

I am thrilled to tell you that once again Macy's is collecting letters in a special Santa letterbox at all Macy’s stores and for each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. You can also stop by there and find out how to enter to win a trip to New York to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Make-A-Wish is a wonderful foundation that is very near and dear to my heart and I am very happy to be able to do something to support them!! So if you have some time please sit down with someone you love and write a couple of letters to Santa.

Don't forget to follow Macy's on Facebook and Twitter too.

Also, CBS will be premiering a new original animated special called, “Yes, Virginia.” on Friday, December 11, at 8 p.m. ET. which is awesome cause new Christmas specials are always welcome.

And as if that wasn't enough......I'm giving away a Macy's gift card for $25 next week. Watch for your chance to win!

Now run and get those letters written.....

Do you Believe??

My kids have finally gotten to the age where they know that Santa isn't real.....they still believe in the magic of Christmas they just don't buy the one guy theory.

I LOVE Christmas and all things Christmas so in our house I try to keep the spirit of the season, the "magic", going. We bake cookies and give them to neighbors, we donate money, time and items to various charities.....we do whatever we can to support the season of giving.

And of course we are writing our letters to Santa.....

Imagine how thrilled I was to find out that Macy's is collecting letters in a special Santa letterbox at all Macy’s stores. For each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They have a Believe O Meter to measure the amount of letter they receive and special displays in the stores.

Make-A-Wish is a wonderful foundation and I am so happy to be able to do something to support them!! So if you have some time please sit down with someone you love and write a couple of letters to Santa, and be sure to check out the banner I'm putting in the side bar through Christmas.....Thanks guys! And Merry Christmas to you all!!

The Return of The King or Hubby Comes Home.....

So I mentioned yesterday that my hubby, The King, has been living in a hotel in another state while waiting for the kids, the dogs and I to get moved down to him.

Don't feel bad for him (just in case you were) he's perfectly comfy and even has an indoor pool and hot tub to use.

Tomorrow The King returns....he's coming home for the holiday and it couldn't happen fast enough! Not only do I miss the sound of him snoring in the bed next to me, but I need a break from these damn kids! I may run out of the house screaming as soon as he gets here.

I have had it with this single mommy thing I've got going on.... I have always admired single moms because I had a single mom (for a period of time) and I know how hard the job can be to do alone. Let me just say that I HATE IT! IT SUCKS!

I am tired. I am stressed. I hate homework. I am sick of cartoons.

Did you know Jabba the Hut had a gay uncle? Well now you know. I didn't know, but I had to watch The Clone Wars with the kids because Dad wasn't here and now I know.

If my youngest 'sings' the last words that come out of my mouth ONE MORE TIME, I will burst!

The dogs are driving me nuts, Winnie likes to sit in the recliner with Dad and get snuggled so now she jumps into my lap every time I sit down.

The beings in my house NEED their daddy.......I just need a coffee break!!

Please send help.....a life jacket, a raft......a Starbucks gift card perhaps*....... OR just good vibes for clear roads so that King can get home tomorrow!

*All donations (whether material or spiritual) are appreciated!

One for the Road.....

Though I am sure that there will be more. It seems I have caught yet another "hoopla" type infection (LOL) from my dear friend Judith Shakespeare and since it is Christmas themed I figure I better get it done with a quickness so......

'Da Rules:
1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a ‘hoopla’ and not the dreaded ‘m’-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you’re done. None of this “if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged” stuff is allowed…then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you — but the more, the merrier to get this ‘hoopla’ circulating through the Blog-o-sphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it.

Okay so now......

1. I enjoy a white Christmas. I was born in southern California and lived there for many years, when I was 6 I moved to Lake Tahoe and since then I just doesn't seem like Christmas if there isn't snow on the ground.

2. I hate to cook, but I love to bake.....Christmas is the prime baking season so it's MY time in the kitchen.

3. I only put half my decorations up evey year.

4. When I was a kid it was tradition in our house to dress up and have lots of guests over for Christmas Eve, now I usually just hang out with my small family. I miss the party.

5. I grew up a military brat, my dad would sometimes bring home a kid (airmen) or two who couldn't go home for Christmas. Those were some of the most memorable holidays because it truly put the "spirit of Christmas" into perspective.

6. I hate fruitcake.

7. Last Christmas I got a sewing machine and while I am eager to learn how to use it, I have not used it once yet.

8. This year we never got our outside lights put up.

9. I never put my tree up before the 1st of December and it is almost always down by the 2nd of January.

10. My youngest son has a Nutcracker collection that we display at Christmas.

11. I love the smell of a live tree but because my husband is allergic we have a fake, but I buy a real wreath every year.

12. I HAVE to have Peppermint Mocha flavored coffee for Christmas morning or else it's just not Christmas!!

....okay that's it....now I tag Jeanie, Jewels, and Beth.

So much to do.......

I spent the better part of today avoiding doing any Holiday prep at all. See I didn't notice that it was the 10th already and well, I haven't done a thing to get ready so far. There are no lights on my house, no tree in the living room, no cookies baking and NO cards sent. Yep, I haven't even started my cards, let alone have them ready for mailing.

I feel like Scrooge. I don't give two shits about Christmas this year. I don't understand that feeling but there it is, slapping me in the face every time I turn around. I don't know maybe it's because I work my ass of to get it all up and then again to tear it all down and everybody else just gets to enjoy it......

Oh did I mention that I have to do all the present shopping. Yes, me....all by myself. I buy, I wrap, I stick it under the damn tree. I do these things so that my family has a merry Christmas but dammit, I want a merry Christmas too!! I want a massage and a Mani/Pedi! I want to get my hair done and go out to eat. I do NOT want to lift a finger, oh but I will. I will dutifully bake, wrap and decorate and in January I will tear down and pack away. That's what a wife/mother does for those she loves.

I tell you what though, as soon as those kids of mine get old enough THEY will be the ones hanging lights and baking!