I'm not scared anymore

Since I know that every reader of my blog found their way here via my brother's blog, I will continue with my own thoughts of New Years resolutions. During my short 40 years on this earth, I really have not made that many resolutions. Growing up, I witnessed my mom start so many projects that went unfinished... so early on, I decided that promising anything to anyone was possibly a bad idea. I suppose that's why I tell my boys "maybe" so often. My little one tells my all the time, "Maybe sometimes means yes, but mostly it means no."

This year, I have made a few promises to myself. There are the usual diet and exercise blah, blah, blah.. But, I convince myself so many times during the year that these are valuable things to work on, that I don't think I can consider them New Years Resolutions. For me, they are All the Year Resolutions. Save money, keep organized, be more patient... more All the Year Resolutions. This year I have something BIG.

Now, as most of you know I am crazy. Certifiable, I think. So this new resolution I have might not suprise any of you. The reason I think I will actually follow through is that I have been researching this for about 3 years... well maybe 2... but it's been a really long time. It's something I am dying to do, I actually have had dreams about it. But there has always been one huge thing holding me back. Now, I am not usually a fearful person. As a nurse, I have done a lot of things to a lot of people that would send the average person scampering under the bed to cry with their blankie. I am usually not afraid. But this is a big one. Really big.

Lye.

Not lie... but lye. The stuff you can only get at Ace Hardware after you talk to the old guy about plumbing. You know the guy... he's got grey hair, wears a flannel shirt, gets his hair cut at the barber and wears Old Spice on Sunday. He's the go to guy if you want something you can't find at Home Depot. AND you have to prove yourself. If you don't know exactly what you are talking about and have just the right hardware store buzz words - you are cut off. Sorry miss, I'm sorry, we can't help you. You can't handle hardware.

But little does he know that I can. I can put in a faucet, cut wood with a scroll saw, and assemble anything. So... I am ready.

I have purchased lye.

For what you ask?

I will make soap.

Real old fashioned like our great grandmother used to make soap. Well, not quite like she used to make. I will probably not use as much tallow, and more than likely I will use all olive oil. I'm sure Anna O'Connor did not use olive oil because she didn't cook pasta. But olive oil soap is so good for my skin, especailly in the winter, and it's quite expensive to purchase. So, I will make my own. I have the supplies already, the olive oil, the thermometers, the proper utensils and containers, and the lye.

The lye does not scare me anymore. I will make soap.

Christmas expectations

Ok... it's officially 6 days until Christmas. At least that what it looks like when I look at the boy's advent tree... unless one of them got excited and messed up the days, which is entirely likely. But, regardless of the actual number, it makes me think about the upcoming celebrations that will occur in our home. The first happy family time will be Christmas Eve. I LOVE this day. It's relaxed (finally), we just eat some good food, play a game or two, and go to church. After the kids go to bed, I get the Santa presents out - and totally crash. I fall asleep happy and content knowing that the people I love the most (minus Donna and John) were here to anticipate the Santa visit with my boys.

Christmas Day Morning - Now everyone is here!!! I am so glad that Donna and John make the effort to be here when the boys wake up. I know how much they both value their sleep.. so it reall means a lot to me that they wake up REALLY early so that they can be here when the boys wake up and see all the wonderfullness of Christmas waiting for them under the tree. John and Carla give up their time to to spend the night so they can experience the whole yuletide morning with the clan. How lucky am I?

Later Christmas Day Morning - Mom comes with Gram and maybe with Doc. Now everyone is here. We share gifts, laugh, watch the boys reactions to their booty, and sooner or later... decide "Well, I guess it's time to get the turkey in the oven."

Late morning to mid-day - The boys play with their future "Get these off the floor!" toys, Carla and/or John plays with them, John and Donna help around the kitchen, Mom looks busy around the kitchen, and I try to keep Gram out of the kitchen (but still let her feel usefull), and the cooking commences. The smells are the smells of my childhood. I've tried many times in the past, but I cannot change some things. The stuffing will be made the same way my mom and gram have made it. I will make turnips. Sweet potatoes, sauteed mushrooms... the way it has always been. Oh... I almost forgot. Donna will help me make sure that NO salmonella gets anywhere anytime. We move everything off the counter, stuff the turkey, and STERILIZE the whole turkey prep area when we are done. My dad would be proud.

Guest time - People we love arrive at various times, snack on chili dip and olives, and wait for the announcement, "Time to sit down!!" Then we all stuff our faces until there is no room left in our gullets. The table is cleared in a group effort, and then after some of the food has shifted we find a little room for pie or cookies. What a glutton fest!!

Christmas Evening - We all sit around, in a semi-coma, waiting for someone to start the gift giving process. We laugh and tell stories, maybe play a little cards, the kids play with their new gifts, and we are all just content.

The dishes will wait... the wrapping paper will wait... the people are here. The people I love. The time I love. I will sit and enjoy my full belly and my full life.

First one

I'm starting this so that when I post on my little bro's site, Iwanskiblog, he'll know it's me. If anything interesting happens (and that is a huge IF), I'll consider posting it here. But for now, I will use this to identify myself for posting purposes.
Well, Ok... here are two semi-humorous happenings. My six year old son has started a new trend in our house. He has decided to greet everyone with "Happy Hollerdays!!", which in our family is very appropriate. Nary a holiday has passed without someone fighting over who has or hasn't done his or her share of the work in preparing for the big holiday feast. Actually, that's what happened in my childhood home, and I have been trying very hard to change that pattern in my own. So far... well, we'll see how this season goes.
Next, my little darling has decided that we need hula-hoops on the Christmas tree. I told him that hula-hoops are not an appropriate decoration for our living room fir, but he insisted. Finally, exasperated, he drew me a picture, literally, and showed me the pretty yellow garland. So... this year we have hula-hoops on our tree. Happy Hollerdays!!!