Random Thoughts

Happy New Year!  I spent my day taking down Christmas decorations, well not the whole day, but it seemed like the whole day.  I may have to rebel and not decorate much next year.   I don't feel like I even really enjoyed it much.  This is sad to say but from the minute I put it all up all I could think about was that at some point I was going to have to take it all down again.  Bad attitude, huh?  I think it comes from just feeling completely taxed.  There is way more to do in a day than there are hours in the day.  My house has never been dirtier and our yard more unkempt.  Ugh!  Most of you who know me know that I have a tendency to be overambitious in everything.  I want to do it all and be at everything and so on.  Over the last couple of years I have been paring away.  Trying to relax and let some things go.  My latest is the scrapbooking and for now--lapbooking.  I love it and would like to try to get one done but we'll just have to see.  I try to do at least two a year with each child but I am not even going to try to hold myself to that this year.  I nearly made us all nuts with that last year.  If something comes up that would make a fun lapbook and we have time, we'll do it but I won't do lapbooks just so that I can check them off of my list.  My New Year's resolutions this year consist more of what I'm NOT going to do in the coming year than of what I am going to do.  Maybe by this time next year I can be a more relaxed, content person.  We'll see.  Old habits die hard.  One of my resolutions is to spend more time at home.  So, you guys--please don't invite me to do anything ok?  You know I can't say no.

I decided to buy a new pair of Birkenstocks with some Christmas money.  I was happy to find some cheaper Birkenstocks that are not made of leather but of something called "Birko-flor."  It takes about $40 off the normal price.  So, I ordered some sandals from Zappos.com at about 11 pm on Tuesday night.  They were delivered to my door at about 11 am on Wednesday!  And, shipping was free.  Now that's service!

Isn't funny how kids continue to believe in Santa Claus when so many clues just don't add up?  Stockings for example--every kid gets different things in their stockings.  Some kids only get fruit and nuts.  Other kids get presents.  Some kids get silly string others get band aids and a new toothbrush.  Some kids get lots of big presents and others get three gifts like Jesus.  It seems like kids would wonder what's up with Santa Claus?  

I made the best dinner tonight--a traditional southern New Year's day dinner.  Pork chops, turnip greens, and hoppin' john (black-eyed peas and rice with sweet pickles and onions).  We have been eating clean-out-the-fridge-food for about a week so we especially enjoyed this home cookin'.  Grace and Joe didn't go for the hoppin' john.  They had plain old peas and rice.  Ollie and Hannah and I had more than our share though.  Hannah's favorite part?  The onions.  She put extra onions on hers.  I skipped the onions.  I do not do raw onions--yuck!