HI!!! I had a nasty 24 bug this week but am doing just fine now.
It is very festive in my house. weeeeeeeeeeeee Kids had a great last day of school. We took some treats to the sitter and she gave a sweet gift to the kids. Work was good. A few bottles of wine and boxes of chocolates were left in my hands. mmmmmm...thanks! A couple of my ladies head to Florida til March. Gonna miss them.

Work from 9-1 tomorrow and then off til Thursday!! Piano recital at the retirement home tomorrow at 2 and then I am off to do my Grandma's hair.
Sunday we have church, kids are playing piano there too, and off to see a movie with some friends. Monday we rest and I will make a turkey dinner for us. My sis is cooking prime rib on Christmas Day. My grandma is really not up to a lot of being out but we all hope she can manage 2 hours. Love her so much.
I still need to find 2 little things for DD.Maybe Sat aft on my way to Grandma's .
You have no idea how happy I am. BIG change from this time last year. I would have never thought it was possible. We had a very fun gathering here last Sat evening. Things have been positive and laid back. Yippee!!

Merry Christmas to you fabulous Chicks!!!!!

Holly
So glad you are happy. Very glad you are having a better time this year than last year. Sounds like you have a very nice time planned. Stay safe and tell each and every person in your life that means something to you that you love them. Merry Christmas

Hello Ladies,

The shopping is done... now its time to wrap... going to get some Christmas movies out tomorrow night and wrap til I"m done.

Shy - thanks for the info. You know I'm always looking for that magic diet, I know what to do it's just a matter of doing it and learning how to handle my stress at work. When I get stressed, I reach for candy, I don't drink my water & I eat junk food. I need to learn those destressing techniques at work.

Feliz Navidad

1day
I wish I could help you with the work stress thing. I really don't know what to say about that. I have had a few times in my life I HAD to work. Once upon a time I ran a trucking terminal, I was the assistant terminal manager, there was NO terminal manager lol. Ok those were they days when woman didn't get the higher paying jobs, just the work. Talk about a lot going on and just me to do it. Stopped doing that after I got married and then got preggie with my son over 20 years ago. I did make sure I didn't have anything at the office I could snack on except celery and carrots and apples.

I don't get stressed. Things get hectic, I have a ton to do some days. There are times I think my day is never going to be over. I never consider any of that stress, to me that is just being busy. To me stress is waiting for test results that could mean life or death. I take a deep breath and do things at my own pace, which everyone laughs about because my pace is get it done, get it done, get it done lol. What gets done gets done. What doesn't get done doesn't get done. That is just how I am. I was like this even when I DID have to work. What were they going to do fire me. Not with how hard I worked. They couldn't find anyone that would give them as much work in the hours I worked for what I was paid lol. I worked 8 hours a day and 4 on Saturdays. That job wasn't my life. Work would be there the next day.

I don't have to work outside of the house. I would like to so that I could help my son go to college. If I don't find a job close by, not worth driving over 45 min with gas prices like they are for 9 or 10 dollar an hour and that is about all anyone pays around here unless you have 15 years experience, my son will go to college on grants and loans. I did and it didn't kill me, won't kill him either.

My mother always said lol, if you HAVE to work outside of the home you don't need a husband. I have lived by that lol. How do I live like this lol. We live within his pay check. No fancy life. I don't have a lot of things others have. I also don't have all the stress others have either.

I have the christmas music playing. There is a christmas movie paying on the family room tv. Both of my children are home safe and sound. Life is good.

Quickie - as usual.

I'm in overdrive but not stressed. Tons to do today but it'll be a fun day with an afternoon levee (Open house) at the Mayor's place and a BD dinner party tonight. Church tomorrow morning and then my company arrives and it's full speed ahead into Christmas Eve and my after Church party which seems to grow by leaps and bounds every year. One thing on my list is to track down more champagne!

Slept late this morning so I need to get it in gear. See y'all later.

CEEJAY~ WISHING YOU SAFE TRAVELS. SEND THE RIBS UP HERE...I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU FINISH THEM

RENNIE~JEN WAS LOOKING INTO THE SAME AND NEVER FOUND ANYTHING WORTH STICKING HER HANDS INTO SOMEONE ELSES TOILET!

HOLLY~ GLAD YOU'RE GETTING RID OF THE BUG JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!! VERY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE "LAID BACK" LIFE. HOLD ON TO IT!!

PATTY~ WHEN I SIT IN THE OFFICE...BETWEEN TIMES WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING...I DO THE "IN WITH THE GOOD AIR AND OUT WITH THE BAD AIR" TECHNIQUE AS I CALL IT. SLOW BREATHING AND EYES CLOSED WITH SHOULDERS RELAXED. MY SHOULDERS END UP AROUND MY EARS WHEN I AM STRESSING SO WHEN I AM FINISHED WITH THE BREATHING THING THEY ARE USUALLY BACK DOWN AND RELAXED. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES AND SOMETIMES ONLY ONE MINUTE HELPS.
FELIZ NAVIDAD Y FELIZ NUEVO ANO BACK TO YOU

THE PARTY WAS WONDERFUL FOR ME AN A VERY FEW OTHERS. THE REST CONGREGATED AND WERE SCROOGES SO WE LET THEM ALONE TO GROUCH TOGETHER IT WAS GOOD TO SPEND TIME WITH THE FEW AND BE SO RELAXED. FOR A CHANGE WE HAD NO EMERGENCIES FOR OVER 2 HOURS. VERY SWEET INDEED
I DECIDED ON SHELL STEAKS FOR CHRISTMAS. I BOUGHT PREMADE POTATOES AND VEGGIES. JUST HEAT AND SERVE. EVERYTHING I DO IS GETTING READY FOR A RELAXED CHRISTMAS. SAL AND I ARE MANNING THE PN=HONES ON CHRISTMAS EVE TILL 4PM WHEN THE ACCOUNTANTS AND I WILL CLOSE UP THE SHOP. EVERYONE ELSE WILL LEAVE AT NOON.
THERE IS ONLY ONE SNAG IN THIS PLAN OF MINE...FROM THE PARTY, MY EYES ARE ON FIRE AND FEELING VERY UNCOMFORTABLE NO MATTER WHAT I DO. HOPING THAT FEELING LEAVES VERY SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY SATURDAY AND HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

RUTH~ I'LL SEND THE BUBBLY UP THERE RIGHT AWAY

Melody
You need to relax. Get those eyes better and don't let anyone bug you for a few days. It really is a shame to find out no one will pay me anything but monopoly money for all I do around here lol.

Afternoon all,
Snuck in because the kids wanted to go shopping and I am all shopped out. So I will work and they can play in the stores.

DS1 and partner have arrived and DS2 arrives tomorrow. Then it will be full house. The weather is warming up and it is predicted for 38C on Christmas Day 106F more or less. It will be a bit warm. We are planning a beach crawl tomorrow. I need to get the turkey roast out of the freezer and the lamb roast, ready for cooking at night or in the morning depending on weather we decide hot or cold food. I have some desserts ready and we will be fit to be tied after that.

Mel - it doesn't take much courage to hop on a plane and just go somewhere. All it needs is a healthy injection of cash. And it wasn't courage that made me want to meet up with you - couldn't wait to meet the person who had connections to the mayor!!!!!! Um yes well.
So Jen has sailed out into the oceans blue. It will do both of them good to have a break from family and responsibilities. And I am part of the family aren't I?

Happy - safe travels, happy homecoming. Have a wonderful Christmas.

Ceejay - Passing on Ribs? No have a couple but don't overdo it.

Holly - Merry Christmas to you too. Glad to hear the good ship Hollyhock is sailing along again. Some years are good, others not so. We make of them what we can. That's life.

Patty - happy Christmas. Have a wonderful time. Hope the new years brings us some good cheer and good fortune - specially on the weight front.

Ruth is hobnobbing with the Mayor as well. Such is life. The local Mayor in Perth is a woman - yes they have now managed the 20th century in Western Australia. Hope you found the champagne. I could have brought some over you know. No trouble.

Rennie - our mentor against stress and strain. Yep. It would be nice to sit around the shopping centre and watch the ants scurry around and fret and fuss. I'm usually at the point about now. Well come to think of it I am there. Nothing more to buy. Just don't want to be at the shopping centre.

To those missing, under the weather or just plain not with us at this time, have a happy holiday. Best wishes go out to Carla, Meadow, Painter, Teel and Linus. I will catch up with all of you in the new year.

And that is it for now. I won't be back until

"To those missing, under the weather or just plain not with us at this time, have a happy holiday. Best wishes go out to Carla, Meadow, Painter, Teel and Linus. I will catch up with all of you in the new year.

And that is it for now. I won't be back until _______?"

GUESS SHAD FORGOT TO FILL IN THE BLANK!!!
AND YES, YOU ARE THE BETTER PART OF THE FAMILY AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW!
AND DITTO FOR ME: TO OUR MISSING CHICKS IN ACTION. HAPPY HOLIDAYS GIRLS AND STAY WELL.

SHAD IS OFF TO HAVE A PERTH-KIND OF CHRISTMAS AND I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR WHAT SHE AND THE FAMILY GET UP TO. WE WANT A FULL REPORT. LOOKS LIKE RENNIE AND I WILL BE BASICALLY HOLDING DOWN THE DEMENTED CENTER TILL ALL CHICKLETTES RETURN.
SO SHOULD BE QUIET HERE
YESTERDAY WAS QUIET. I HUNG SOME PRESENTS ON DOORS DESPERATELY GETTING RID OF MY OWN GIFTS OF FOOD AS FAST AS THEY CAME IN!! THIS WAY I WILL NOT BE TEMPTED TO GAIN ANY MORE WEIGHT THAN I PROBABLY HAVE. I REFUSE TO GET ON THE SCALE TILL JAN 1ST.
HAPPY DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE DAY!!

http://www.icq.com/img/friendship/st...rd_7944_rs.swf

A MERRY REINDEER CARD....

my most favorite site in the office but i can't get you tube to work on my pc!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jctccnyun5g

http://badaboo.free.fr/merryxmas.swf
OH I FOUND ONE THAT WORKS!! MUST HAVE PLAYED THIS SANDTA SINGING WHITE CHRISTMAS WITH HIS REINDEER A HUNDRED TIMES!!

all the work is done here. bala said we both could use a holiday and cancelled. he is hindu!! and i am sure does not celebrate xmas! a very caring man. he cancelled till the end of the week. hooray!!!
the moving in is finished also. yay
on to some dvd's and scooby doo's nutcracker scoob!!!

Church was beautiful this morning.Our new minister and his wife, who is also a minister, sing like angels and did a duet. Then our tiny adult choir ,with it's 6 members, did a two part/round song with our SS kids.The kids sang in Latin. Beautiful again. Then my two kids each played a song on the piano followed by 3 others. Hubby came today and was sweet. He went to visit friends this aft.
My kids and I met a dear friend with his two kids for a movie this aft.
Alvin and the Chipmunks was a great family movie. Very funny. Then the kids and I did our Dollar Store shopping.

I have so much to do here. I would really like to have the house tidying and moderately clean for Christmas. It's just the 4 of us here tho. Both kids need baths tonight. Some presents to wrap. Pumpkin Dump Cake to make.
Maybe I will do the cake and then clean the kitchen well......

.........Kids are bathed,had an apple and in bed. I baked my cake. Hubby is continuing to be lighthearted and sweet. So nice. My sis and her hubby cleared the rest of the ice at Grandma's so she will be able to come out on Tues.( I did her her hair and chopped ice on the side walk last night). My Dad has not missed Christmas dinner with his Mom ,ever, in 65 years. Not gonna start now.
Hubby is going to work for part of the day tomorrow. I will be cleaning and cooking. Kids can R&R.
I want to wrap the matching PJ's I had made. I will post pics of them. I will give them to everyone to wear tomorrow evening.

Ho Ho Ho and Fa la la la la.................. wondering if I can get to Delta and back tomorrow evening.............

Holly
Sounds like a wonderful time at church. Hope you have a very nice Christmas.