Christmas Eve Ramble

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Quite the party animals we are, it’s 10:00 and everyone’s in bed.  Except me of course, being the hard working mama that I am.  We had our little family thing tonight, you know, let the kids rip into gifts, since that is what Christmas is all about and stuff.  Just sarcasm folks! Here are some pictures of how that went…

Hold that thought, they didnt down load right, so I’ll get to them later….next week or next month or next year..

Now it seems really unnatural to go from what I was just talking about to what I have to say next.  A friend of mine, Kathy Moore died yesterday.  I got to know her when I first moved to PA. Gene was close to her two boys, so I got to know her through them.  Before I had kids I spent a lot of time at her house, and hauled her to a lot of doctors appointments.  She moved to Philly later, and we saw each other about once ever two months or so.  Anyway there’s a whole clan of us ladies that would get together to chat and cluck and swap parental advice whenever she came around.  Last Thursday we were all at our Amish friend, Malinda’s house eating zuchinni casserole and chicken noodle soup and passing out Christmas cards and gifts.  I talked to her on the phone on Friday for about five minutes and then Sunday night after church we recieved news that she had a heart attack and died.  She was not a healthy lady, so in that way it dosent come as a shock.  And yes, she outlived the doctors expectations many times over, but still when someone you know dies it’s shocking in its own way.
You know what’s wierd?  I didn’t tell Elena that Kathy died, because she has always been really timid around her.  She was kind of scared of her I guess.  But anyway, the night she died Elena insisted on sleeping with the blanket and the doll that Kathy gave her.  She never sleeps with them.  I thought Kathy would have loved that!
We’re not sure what this does to our Ohio plans for next weekend, we’ll have to see.

A Merry Christmas to you all

Thoughts when I was out and about…

.Reading time 5 minutes.

  Yesterday Gene came home from work early.  I was so happy, and not one to shirk opportunity, immediately planned a quick shopping trip.  Yea!  Shopping with out screeching, and jabbering, and spilled sippy cups and soiled diapers. A VCST (very cool shopping trip)

   I needed to get curtains since we have lived here two years now and still have naked windows. The reason my widows are  naked is because (and this is where I am desperately wondering if I’m normal, delusional, or suffering some psychological disorder) EVERYTIME I go to buy curtains.  I get a MAJOR GUILT COMPLEX. 

  Like, there are starving babies in Africa who  I could buy 1500 bowls of rice to fill their hungry bellies with warm nourishment.  But I will plunk my money on the counter to adorne my windows.  Cosmetic purposes only.  Window treatments are not a necesity you know.  It is possible to do with out.  So for two years I just never bought any.  Now, I have money specifically put aside for these windows. (Gene thought it was time to put some clothing on them, and gave me money for my birthday)

  So yesterday I finally bought curtains, despite the “starving baby syndrome” as I affectionately call it.  My question to you is:  Do any of you suffer from this thing?  Please tell me to get over it already.  Or tell me that you feel it too sometime.  I also have symptoms when I buy clothes for myself.  Like why do I need another sweater if there are shivering cold babys in Tibet with icicles hanging on their nose? I could buy two blankets with the same money. 

  The thing is I don’t feel a twinge of guilt when I buy clothes for my kids or Gene.  It’s only when I buy clothes for myself.  How messed up is that?  So I can buy Elena a new dress that she dosent really need, and not feel guilty, but I can’t buy myself a pair of socks that I need because they all ran away from me like socks frequently do, but I feel like trash because of the sockless people on the streets.  Help me guys!  What is my problem?  Don’t tell me it’s the godly gift of mercy because Gene will laugh his socks off.  It’s not my gift. Trust me on this one.  AND whatever you do don’t tell me to save money by making my own curtains or knitting my own socks because it aint gonna happen and you may just get beheaded.

  So that was my deep thinking as I was buying curtains. 

And before I go and decide what to make for supper, here are some pictures.  The title is: 


                  When Andrea Decides to Be Cheap and Take Her Own Christmas Card Pictures 
                                               thoughts of a non-photographer

Brand & Elena -1

Elena nozzle him just a little. Brandt look here, look here! Brandt! LOOK!

 

Brand & Elena -2
“No, it’s Ok Brandt, mommy wasnt yelling at you because you were
bad. Elena, stop with the kissing already!”

 

Brand & Elena-4
Elena, try not to be so Bucky Beaver. Brandt, thumb out please..

 

Brand & Elena-3
Brandt!! Thumb! Thumb! Elena!!  Camera!

 

Brand & Elena-6

 Hey who let the cat in?  This is unacceptable, could you guys at least
try to get on the backdrop?

 

Brand & Elena7
Great!  We are on the backdrop! No cat in sight! Quickly now smile at the camera……

Yup that’s how it goes at my house!