Snow Day (Part 2)

Yet another day of snow.  No more snow falling and it does seem as if a lot of snow has melted.  The roads are a little slushy and it will be interesting to see what the morning holds. The temperature around here isn't supposed to get above freezing.  


If the kids have school tomorrow I have carpool duty tomorrow:(  Yikes!!  My husband has graciously offered to take the kids to school for me.  Yeah!!  I don't like driving on ice because no one can drive on ice.   For those of us with school aged children it could be another day with the kids home though.  At least they aren't looking for something to do. 

My two have spent most of the day outside in the snow.  Kids are funny.  Here I sound like my mother when I yell,"Make sure you layer your clothes.  Come inside for cocoa when you get too cold.  Don't take your mittens off."  I could go on and on but if you are a mom I'm sure you've said it.  Funny how the old-fashioned notion of playing outside is okay to a kid when there is an adventure to be had in especially in the snow.
Stay safe!!

Snow Day

Very few are venturing out in this weather. The Atlanta metropolitan area is shut down all due to the newly fallen snow that has blanketed the city. Next comes the ice. School is closed for today and the kids can enjoy the winter wonderland for as long as it lasts. With temperatures remaining at freezing or below for the next several days, things are going to stay this way for a while.

Pandora, Pandora!

I have yet one more thing to say about Tis' the Season and then I'll be quiet.  Well, okay, maybe two things but one for now.  It's about giving gifts to our children. Parents with more than one child, moms in particular,  always try to keep the total dollar amount spent on our children even, especially at Christmas.  Christmas is the one gift giving moment that it's easy to compare gifts, one sibling to the other. 

If one child asks for a "big" gift, and we decide to buy it, and the other child didn't have a "big" gift on their radar then they get enough smaller gifts to equal the bigger gift.  This year that is what happened.  By "big" gift I mean expensive.  It may also be big in size but it's always expensive.  My son wanted an PS3.  Those aren't cheap so that was his "big" gift.  My daughter, on the other hand, didn't have "big" items on her list.  She had 2 or 3 medium sized items.  His "big" gift was $350.00, not including games and another controller.  We decided that because he wanted it so much we,  along with his grandma and aunt,  would go in on it.  It also wasn't just a gaming system, he would also have to have another controller and a game.  What would a game system be without a game?  Our part in that gift was roughly $250.  


At first glance the most expensive thing on her list was a Vera Bradley purse.  The purse would be roughly $45.00.  After I bought the purse and some other things to try and equal things out, I saw that she had Pandora on her list.  Now I wasn't that familiar with Pandora.  I did know it's popular and kind of expensive.  My daughter talked about it a lot. While out Christmas shopping I decided to go into this boutique.  The shop sold baby and toddler clothes plus some jewelry, namely Brighton and Pandora. I still had to get my daughter about $50.00 worth of something to "make it even." I decided to check out Pandora.  


There was tray after tray of goodies all varying in size and color.  So many different charms that my eyes were beginning to glaze over. Actually I think there is something in those trays that hypnotizes you.  I began to get sucked in.  I had to do something so I took my eyes off of the trays and opened up a Pandora catalog that was sitting on the counter.


  I don't know if this is a common thing but the trays of Pandora jewelry I was looking at did not let you know how much the items were. The catalog, however, did tell you.  Seeing the prices of the various pieces was all it took to snap me out of it.  Holy Cow!!  I had no idea.  That could have been her "big" gift but now it was too late. The necklace alone was $78.00.  Then I thought, "Well, I could get her just the bracelet without a charm."  I thought she would like the necklace better though so I decided against it. 


 As I turned around to tell my husband my discovery, sheepishly telling him that I had made a mistake,  what to my wondering eyes did appear but an assortment of Brighton to brighten the year.  I had no idea!!  Brighton carries jewelry that looks like Pandora for almost half of the cost.  "Big" gift issue was an issue no longer.  I picked out a necklace and a charm to go with it. Yeah!!!  I was proud of myself but in the back of my mind Pandora kept singing out to me, "You made a mistake!"  "You made a grave mistake!" In my moment of self-absorption,  I tucked that thought away.  

That thought returned December 25, 2010 around 5:30.  I heard the kids stirring.  They emptied their stockings and we waited until 7 before the battle of the Christmas wrap began. One after another after another gift was unwrapped.  Then came "the gift."  She unwrapped it with careful abandon, took it out of the Brighton tin and looked up at me.  She knew.  She knew it wasn't Pandora.  She just said," Oh."  That was enough for me.  That's when I began to beat myself up.  I should have just bitten the bullet and bought the Pandora but I didn't.  Yikes, what have I done.




In the end it was all okay and she forgave me.  I know it sounds like she's spoiled.  She really rarely asks for anything and when she does it isn't much.  She's a good girl.  All she wanted was Pandora.  Well, she does have a birthday in about 6 months :0)

Sleeping In

I remember when the kids were little. They are still younger but no longer little. My teenage son would sleep till noon if he could and my daughter is sleeping in more and more. It's kind of nice. Up until they were about 6 or 7 they would wake at the crack of dawn. The only thing on their minds were racing each other downstairs to the TV. First one there gets to pick the show. Not any longer. They are both maturing, realizing there is more than one TV in the house. The change is bittersweet though. More time is spent away from one another. I guess that's just how it goes. Occasionally we sit down for a family game. Those are nice. Last night it was a card game, spoons. A lot of fun. Some good memories!

We Are All The Same

I was having a discussion last night with a group of friends.  One in particular is looking for the way in.  He is looking for the way into being connected,  cohesiveness that leads to joy.  He mentioned that everything was clicking for so long and then it just stopped.  


That has happened to me before.  For me I think it's a matter of not being in touch with myself.  Doing too much for others can create that feeling of I don't know who I am because I'm not even recognizing what I need.  I catch myself living for others without regard to my own needs.  That isn't good because it isn't balanced. 


That's easy to do especially if you are inclined to try to help whoever you run across that asks for help.  You can help without it consuming you though.  Sometimes helping isn't in your best interest because either it's not a positive situation for you or you are the one who needs self-reflection.  You have to trust your instincts and live your life for you.  


We all go through periods of being out of balance.  We just need to open our eyes to this. As I tell my kids, never say never because one day you will find yourself in the same situation. Keeping this in mind allows you to feel connected to others, no matter how different you think you are, you are just like they are.  Changing the way you think changes how you feel.  Realizing everyone is the same, you feel connected to the energy of the earth as well as the energy of all of those around you. 

Open Yourself Up

We have opportunities everyday, every moment. The thing I'm looking forward to the most in 2011 are my opportunities.  My opportunities are endless and it's what I do with those opportunities that shape my life. This is true for everyone. If you choose to do differently your life will be different. It's up to you. God, the universe or whatever you call it, provides those gifts to each one of us. What are you going to do? I am intentionally choosing to remain open to the possibilities. I'm excited!!

The Party's Over

The gifts are unwrapped, the cookies and cakes have been eaten and the goodbyes have been said. We looked forward to it and now it's Christmas past. The traveling is over as well as the junk food binges. It's time for detox. That's what I like to call it. It's not just a nutritional detox though but a detox for the soul. 


Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the childhood roles that you were used to playing. When you go back home it's automatic, unless you remain completely aware of everything that contributes to a moment. That is very difficult to do. At least it is for me. Whether you are the mother or father, son or daughter, oldest or youngest, in-law or ex sometimes those roles are comfortable.  I didn't say good for you or anyone else.  It's easy to slip back into the role that everyone knows you in.  Sometimes they even help you.  It is hard to see what you are experiencing for what it is when you are caught up in it.  


What is your role in a situation, discussion or circumstance you find yourself in? Take a minute to really think about it. We all play a part it's a matter of recognizing it for what it is. So when you take down those decorations, ... just put away those roles.  Make that your New Year's Resolution :0)


Enjoy all that the holidays have to offer!!!