I don't think that I have been THIS busy in... forever. All this week I have had one thing or another going on. From wrapping gifts, to decorating and to card writing (which as of this point, has yet to begin).

But honestly, I wouldn't trade any of my busy-ness. I'm having fun (for the most part), getting out of the house more as of late, and am enjoying seeing smiles and knowing that we are creating some, too.

We have already bought, wrapped and returned the gifts to the Angel Tree program kids that my children, husband and I had picked. I now have all of the kids' gifts wrapped, with exception to one, being that I had to get reimbursed for an item that never came in on shipment because the order site didn't catch that it was out of stock. So we bought something else, and my husband has it, so it will be getting wrapped later this evening.

I also have all of the gifts ready to be boxed and sent to my father across to the western side of the states. And his Christmas card, which will also have a "bonus" in it, along with some friends' cards will help to complete the package.

Now, it's wrap things that are left for all of my husband's side. Including the nieces and a couple of nephews. And a butt load of Christmas cards to fill out and ready.

My husband and oldest may go out this evening after he gets off of work to shop for yours truly. My oldest said that she wants to be able to ensure that my husband doesn't buy me anything "stupid" or "dumb looking". Smart girl!

Well I think that I shall now leave you, as to prepare my hand for falling off. This card writing stuff is going to take me a while.

Here's a cool song to share. One from my childhood, and from a tradition that I miss having with my mom, but am now carrying on with my children...





Here's a BRAND NEW Country Christmas classic!

25 Days of Christmas (Day 7)

Present wrapping.. I have to say, I really enjoy it. Love it? No. But I do enjoy it, though I am not the best at it. You can see lines and creases. I don't use ribbons or bows.

It's either just in pretty wrapping paper with a name tag, boxed, or in a gift bag with tissue.

One of the reasons being that with three kids to wrap gifts for, I can't take hours on end of wrapping and wrapping and...

Also, thanks to my back and the fact that my basement bedroom is nothing more than a concrete slab with a carpet on top, I can't sit there for very long. After three epidurals and a spinal in the space of five years, my back is pretty much shot in the lower region.

So, what may take most people no more than maybe two or three hours (if even that), takes me most of the time DOUBLE. Yesterday, I started wrapping presents at 2:30. I stopped at about 8:00 last night. And that was after breaks of about 15 minutes each, every 45 minutes, thanks to my back aching so badly.

Today, I plan on finishing what we have left. Then, once I can shop for my husband, and Hayley can shop for Skyler, being that that is the only kid-to-kid purchase left, I can wrap them and be DONE.

So with that said, how are you with gift wrapping? Do you enjoy it, or loath it? Do you go all out, or just a "plain Jane/Jerry" wrapper (like me lol)?

25 Days of Christmas (Day 3)

"The Spirit Of Giving vs. Receiving From Others" is what I have chosen for today.


As most of my readers know, just over a year ago, I required an emergency Corneal Transplant. I was needing it at some point. But thanks to complications I went from preparing to "do it now or else" within less than a week.

Since I was eighteen, I have been a Registered Organ/Tissue Donor. I've always been the type of person that took more joy in GIVING to others than I did with taking. It's been this way since I can remember.

Also, for the last three Christmases past, my husband and I had to swallow our pride and apply for assistance for the kids through the Salvation Army's 'Angel Tree' program that has generous people and families donate presents to needy children.

This year, we have turned a tide and did not apply this year. Some may call up nuts because my son being on SSI Disability automatically qualifies him and his sisters. But I am not, nor have I ever been the one to profit from another's suffering. Even if it meant a better Christmas for my children.

This year, with my children all now being at ages and levels of understanding in regards to helping others, we have decided to give back. On our way out to let the kids shop for one another, we stopped by the mall and found the local Angel Tree for our area.

Each of my kids were allowed to pick a child of their choosing. They all got kids off the tree of their gender and age range (though Skyler had to do a five-year-old, seeing as six was no longer there).

The first ones that they wanted to shop for after we "busted" through the store's doors was get the gifts for their chosen kids. In that moment as their mom, I could not have been more proud. They put OTHERS above themselves and thought of helping another human being BEFORE thinking of THEIR wants.

Each of their kids got a set of clothing and a toy (or make-up) that they made the final decision on (as long as it was within our price range).

After that, then the girls got to shop for their gifts to Bryce as he and I sat in the van. Then, it was vice versa.

Next, the girls have to get one another (seeing as it was getting late and too cold to be out). And knowing my three, separately, Scotty and I will be having to take them all as to be able to shop for us (Mom and Dad) like we do every year.

In the end though, this year, I have seen with my own eyes that the values I have tried hard to instill in to my children are indeed paying off. And it's getting paid forward.

Because this Christmas, three more children in this world WILL have *something* under their Christmas tree. All because three of their peers decided it was better to give than to get.

Paying forward to those in need....

This year has been a wild ride, to say the least. There have been more ups of course. But some of the downs sure did turn our lives upside down.

All was pretty good up until about mid-October. Then, it seems like everything pretty much fell apart around my husband, myself, and our family.

My eye infection came back, then it (and my stupidity) perforated my Cornea to where I required a Cornea Transplant. Of course, soon after those bills, along with the regular monthly bills started to add up quickly.

Suddenly, we were in a very hard, but not uncommon predicament....Christmas was coming and we didn't have the money to buy our children gifts. At least not many.

So, we took a chance and applied for a Holiday loan. Sadly, we didn't qualify. But, as fate and luck would have it, we did qualify for a Personal loan that was just a bit more in interest.

Now, we had gotten each of the three kids some stuff. Not a whole lot. But enough to let them feel that they have a decent amount each under the tree.

Plus, we were able to let each of the kids shop for us. They wanted too. So, they were able to spend thirty dollars a piece on dear old Mom and Dad. Two presents from each of the kids.

Next, Scotty and I plan on buying for one another. No more than fifty dollars or so a piece. But, as we shop for one another, I plan on shopping for three more kids.

No, not my nieces or nephews, or cousins. They are all already taken care of. But for children that may not have a Christmas at all, without a little help.

This year, I plan on buying one girl's toy, one boy's toy, and one infant's toy and dropping them off to Toys For Tots.

Toys For Tots has been a great help to my family in the past. The service/charity is ran by the Marine Corps.

It's easy. Just buy new, packed, unwrapped toys and give them to the Marine Soldiers that are at your local stores, with TFT bins. Or drop them off at your local Marine Corp base. You should be able to find them in the Government section of your phone book.

Remember the old saying, "it is better to give than to receive". And yes, that saying really is true. It fills my heart with joy, love, and accomplishment to give to others when they may feel that there is nothing. There is something...

Love of your fellow man.

Pay it forward. Give to those that need the help, the love, and the gift of your willingness to serve.

It was a great evening! That is until....

As I had stated in a previous post, my son suffers from ADHD. But he also has a Mood Disorder, Axiety Disorder, and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

Due to all of these mental problems, he is also mentally immature. Let's just say that I have two four-year olds in my house. Only, one is really eight in chronological and biological aspects.

Today was my oldest daughter's birthday. She is now ten years old. That's right! The big 1-0!! And we took her out to a buffet restaurant named Golden Corral Buffet, which was her choice.

Her "big gift" from us was a Nintendo DS. I got the original version as a "test run" to see how responsible she will be with such a "grown up" piece of private property. She about knocked me out of the chair after opening it.

When we were coming home, Scott, my husband and I knew what would soon happen. And sure enough, like clock work, it did. Bryce had a meltdown because Hayley got "special stuff" and he didn't.

He was fussing, crying, carrying on. As if he was a toddler not getting his way. He kept on saying he doesn't get anything today, but Hayley did, so it's not fair.

We have been constantly letting him know that he will be getting a "special thing" at Christmas. Plus, on his birthday, only HE will get presents. No one else.

As of now, he has calmed down a bit. But he is still pretty upset that the world has revolved around someone other than him. And I think that to Bryce, that is worse than not getting things on Hayley's special day.