Office Work.......

[AK Michelle]

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We got up at and drove into town to be at the mall by 9 am. The kids spent all their Christmas cash by noon and we were back home before most shoppers hit the streets.

It's the only way I'll shop. The kids love it cause we get 3 sales people all to ourselves in every store cause they are all amped up for the big day and we are the first targets, er, victims, er, um, (ahem) customers, of the day.

I chose a video in my room so the boys could do this...

 

[Orchid]

Ah, that's a very familiar scene, happens at our house frequently. We have more Nerf weapons than Walmart does, I swear. Looks like they were having a fine time!

Note: Chickens think Nerf arrows are worms. Do not leave Nerf arrows out where chickens can find them. I found this out the hard way one day when I had to chase Sunflower all over the yard to prevent her from eating one.

 

[NellaBean]

LOL, they do like they are having fun. Can't beat that

Orchy, don't you know, chickens think EVERYTHING is worms?

On a totally unrelated note...check out how cute my silkie/easteregger hen is. Her mom was my tiny white silkie, dad was a large fowl full sized easter egger rooster. Go figure!

Is that not the cutest face ever? HILARIOUS.

 

[AK Michelle]

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Well this will be my third, but the wedding isn't till 2012 so we (and our friends and family) can work it all into our budgets. I have not chosen well in the past, and I have good friends who insisted on "helping" this time. I gave them strict instructions to butt-in anytime they noticed anything that wasn't as it should be. I wasn't in a hurry. I planned on, and looked forward to, time alone, just me and the kids. But, then I met Tom and time without him is not an option. It's not that I need him in my life, it's that I want him in my life. I'm a better version of me when he's with me.

My kids like him, my friends and family like him, he's a widower and even his wife's friends still like him... And best of all, he accepts me and my kids just the way we are.

 

[AK Michelle]

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Good to know, thanks for the tip.

 

[AK Michelle]

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Yes, it is!

She looks like quite a character

 

[NellaBean]

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Well this will be my third, but the wedding isn't till 2012 so we (and our friends and family) can work it all into our budgets. I have not chosen well in the past, and I have good friends who insisted on "helping" this time. I gave them strict instructions to butt-in anytime they noticed anything that wasn't as it should be. I wasn't in a hurry. I planned on, and looked forward to, time alone, just me and the kids. But, then I met Tom and time without him is not an option. It's not that I need him in my life, it's that I want him in my life. I'm a better version of me when he's with me.

My kids like him, my friends and family like him, he's a widower and even his wife's friends still like him... And best of all, he accepts me and my kids just the way we are.

Sounds like a winner. I have to admit I have a friend who met her hubby via an ad.....years ago. Blind date kind of thing. They got married 5 days later and last i heard were happy as can be and had been married at least 5 years at that time (probably 10 years ago now).

A girl I used to work with stumbled on an old high school friend on facebook, they reconnected and started talking.....next thing you know, they met up, did a month of long distance dating, then they got married and she moved about 10 hours north to his place. They are happy as can be as well.

 

[Orchid]

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Now that sounds just right.

Nells, that girl is super cute. I love the quizzical look she's giving you.

 

[HHandbasket]

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Not by a lot, lemme tell you. My husband's job has cut him back from 22 hours a week to 16. My $21 an hour job was eliminated by my former company a few months ago (that was the only thing that had been keeping us afloat), and now I'm barely making $10 an hour. We did not have a Christmas, and even though I think our landlords will work with us to get caught up on the rent, and I think we can make good on arrangements, it's still embarrassing and extremely stressful to be in this predicament. We were able to keep on the gas, electricity, and internet (I live in California and telecommute from home, work for a company in Oklahoma so the internet is mandatory). Food's not an issue, and we are getting by but it's really uncomfortable.

Then to add insult to injury, my ex-husband (my kids' father) died unexpectedly on December 14th, and my youngest son had to take a Greyhound to his dad's funeral. My oldest son couldn't even attend his dad's funeral because he's had a hard year financially, as well (JUST paid first month's rent/deposit on a new place he's moving to in January, so he's wiped out), and we aren't in a position to help. I have a very understanding husband because I have my own grief over my ex's unexpected passing. I've known him since I was 13 years old, and I don't have a single memory between the ages of 13 and 30 that he's not a part of (I'm 48 now).

So we can be in this "What A Miserable Christmas This Year" boat together!

Help, I need a paddle! LOL!

 

[AK Michelle]

I'd pass out paddles if I thought the ones I have would do any good.

I had 20 pretty miserable years, with lots of downs and just 3 ups (my kids). Now that the universe is sending me good things I'm just making sure I appreciate them for all they're worth.

We had Christmas at my house. We are packing to move in 2.5 weeks so we didn't get many presents, we'll have to buy bedding, curtains and things once we get to the new house. Plus I broke a tooth that cost $561 on the 21st and then the sewer line froze and had to be snaked during Christmas eve dinner for a mere $345. My shopping yesterday was considerable restrained because of that, but in spite of it all... We had family around us and a good meal on the table.