Thursday Thirteen

Since I normally post bitching and complaining - I figured that while I was killing time on the train I would do something harmless. Here are my 13 favorite things about Christmastime:

1. Decorating (and eating) sugar cookies. My fave? One big bell, frosted and covered with cinnamon red hots.

2. Watching Charlie Brown, Frosty, Rudolph and The Grinch.

3. Buying gifts for friends and family.

4. Lights on houses when the sun goes down.

5. Receiving Christmas cards with pics of people's kids/families and seeing how much they have grown.

6. Christmas carols - Silent Night, O Holy Night and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

7. An excuse to eat dessert!

8. Being able to be religious in a world that doesn't let you any more .. I dare you to tell me that CHRISTmas isn't a religious HOLYday!!!!!

9. Vacation days!!!!!

10. Decorating with with lots of candles and white lights on the tree so at night, without lights on, the house looks so warm and cozy.

11. Its a Wonderful Life

12. The joy on kids faces when they realize what Santa does.

13. Most people TRY and be in good moods!!!!

Time flies when you are having ... fun?

Where, oh where, has my time gone? In the blink of an eye a week goes by (yet, there are days that seem to DRAG ON FOREVER!)

Thanksgiving came and went ... E came home. It was a whirlwind weekend. I was cooking and preparing all day Thursday - his parents and sister came for dinner. We had an enjoyable time ... MUCH better than visits in the past. I must say that one of teh thinsg this deployment gave us was a new relationship with his family. They still have their quirks (whio doesn't???), but at least time with them can be enjoyable.

Friday evening we had our 20 year grade school reunion. I had a BLAST! It was so less nerve-wracking than a high school reunion. I had grown up with these people, so it seemed like a family reunion, rather than a competition. It was so cool to catch up with some people that I literally have not seen in over 20 years! I felt like I had been talking to them every day since, though! I wish we could have another! I got tipsy ... no .... DRUNK. E drove home while I slept (passed out). Thankfully I was just a bit slow the next day; not hungover like I have been in the past (E would have shot me!).

We took Big J and little j to breakfast with Santa on Saturday - little j fell completely asleep before the fat man came ... funny pic that I will have to post later!

Sunday came way too quickly. Its weird - I "envision" the visit with E for days before he gets there, yet it never turns out to be quite what I pictured. I think part of it is taht we both have defenses up - we alreayd wait for his departure the moment he arrives. Sucks - but that is life.

So ... now we wait for time to creep until vacation on teh 18th (and then we will FLY into the new year!) ........