A Spot of T

A Nice Break

So how was everyone's Christmas?  Fun I hope.  MAN I've missed blogging!  This is the longest I've gone without blogging and I guess I can now officially say I am a blogaholic because I was almost starting to twitch and lose consciousness.

Christmas Eve was at our home with Gregg's parents and his sister and her two children joining us.  It felt weird having an empty chair at the table.  A divorce brings all kinds of sadness and the kids and I missed having our brother-in-law there.  So many years in a family and then dropped like a hot potato because....well anyway....he was missed.  I couldn't tell you if everyone had a good time because I've learned to really not care what people say.  I figure if someone is nice enough to open up their home, cook all day to make your day merry and bright and then you have the audacity to complain about ANYTHING....well like I said....I could care less....Gregg and I and the kids had a glorious time.

Christmas Day is the day Gregg and I and the kids look forward to the most.  We stay in sweats or even pajama's and lounge around all day doing nothing but talking, watching movies, eating leftovers, playing games and having fun.  The kids talk about their favorite memories of Christmases past and I love hearing those stories because it gives me hope that we didn't screw them up too badly in our quest to become half decent parents.

Boxing Day Samantha and some friends wanted to head to West Edmonton Mall and do some shopping.  Doh!  I warned them.  Apparently they got there, saw the massive crowds and headed straight to the movie theatre and hid out there until we came and picked them up.  I tried telling them, but I guess I'm retarded and don't have a clue what I'm talking about.

And then there was my birthday yesterday.  Another fun day with lots of birthday cards arriving in the mail, phone calls, emails and now even blogging birthday wishes.  I love it!  I never ever ever thought I would say this, but I just love my birthday now.  There was a time in my life my birthday was a nothing day and I was ok with that because I didn't know any better, but after years of Gregg saying "You have to be recognized on your birthday Joy, just even a little something." I'm getting used to the idea of a day all for me.  I now truly understand why kids get so excited to have a day that's special and all for them.  I'm not one for a lot of attention and usually slink into the corner when some is thrown my way, but one day a year I'll take a lil extra lovin from my hubby and kids and friends :o)

So now we focus on our son's birthday on the 30th and then New Years after that.  The birthday's huge, New Year's....not so much.  We haven't gone out in years and usually stay at home with the kids playing games.  But....kids get older......and with one moved out and two other's with incredibly busy social lives, we're not quite sure who will be around this year.  It's so funny how the years and activities change as everyone gets older.  When we first met and before kids it was party party party.  Then kids came along and it was hire a baby-sitter and party party party.  Then we got a bit older, the kids got a bit older, we realized how fast they were growing so we decided to really spend some years bringing in the New Year with the ones we loved the most.  Now the kids are teenagers and life is go go go...or party party party....for them.....and Gregg and I are in a new stage of what to do for New Years.

Gregg looked at me at one point today and said "Well, it looks like it's you and me kid."  LOL  and I guess he's right.  Thank god we don't mind each other's company or this kids getting older and having their own life thing would really suck.  As it is, we love to see the kids out and enjoying their friends and having fun....just not too much fun...is our motto.

For some reason I'm really looking forward to 2007.  I have absolutely no idea why, but I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach that it's going to be a most excellent year for me.  Gregg says it's gas and the feeling will pass, but that's because he thinks he's funny.  Which he isn't.  Ok he is....but don't tell him I said that.

Can You Guess What Day It Is?

I'll give you some hints.

It was 43 years ago.

It was around 5:00pm.

There were doctors and nurses there.

The world would never be the same :o)

Merry Christmas from the T's

It's time.  I need to start facing reality.  Christmas is in less than a week.  I can honestly say this has been the first Christmas ever that I have been this unprepared....yet incredibly calm about the whole thing.

I do believe Gregg is making his way home today, which means we will be on full tilt til Christmas Day.  I started putting together the menu this morning, getting lists made on what needs to be bought and maybe it's because I've been doing it for so many years now, but it's all coming together surprisingly well.  Can you believe I just ordered the turkey today too?  I completely forgot about the turkey.  Good thing I've bought my turkey from the same place for years now because they recognized the name and told me how lucky I was because they weren't taking any more orders.  Phew!  Although there is always the Hutterite colony who I hear have awesome birds every year.

The only thing left to do is all the Christmas shopping.  Yes, not a thing has been bought because Gregg wants to be a part of it this year and I wasn't about to argue.  With him working out of town so much, we haven't been able to get out and get it done.  Or as blu says.....gitterdone! LOL  We're lucky though because the kids are older and the lists get much shorter....but with bigger items.  Does that make sense?  There was a time the lists would be quite long with lots of little things, now the lists maybe have one or two things on them.  Makes it easy for mom and dad for sure.

So even though I should be in panic mode....I'm not.  I still have to 'Christmas clean'....you know Christmas clean....where you get in all the grooves and crevices that you'd probably not even look at all year long.  Well I take this time of year to really get in there and clean really deep.  For some reason it's always been important to me to start the new year all clean and tidy.  We've gone through all the closets, taken bag fulls to Goodwill, and vacuumed and dusted til our hearts content.  Saturday will be one last major clean and then all is done. 

I was in Hallmark last week and they had a Christmas album I fell in love with.  All the pages in it are beautifully decorated for you, you just add your pictures.  Now that's my kind of scrapbooking!  There's a page for a picture of your Christmas tree....hence the tree pictures for your viewing pleasure :o)  Last night when I couldn't sleep at about 3:00am, I turned on the lights to the Christmas tree and started snapping away.  It was relaxing and so nice to take a few minutes and actually look at the tree this year.  Samantha did most of the decorating and even though the tree is much too big for my liking.....I really like the T tree this year.

SO I may not be back on here til after Christmas.  This has been a great few months of blogging for me.  I love how friends come to see what the T's are up to and I love all the fellow bloggers I've met these last couple of months.  It makes me wonder what a whole year of blogging will bring?

If all goes well and everything gets done that needs to be done before Christmas I will peek back on.  Heaven knows with Gregg home, I may need to make one of my "What I heard in the T house" lists.  But just in case, I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.  Here's hoping you are surrounded with much love this holiday season.

Monday Morning

I love getting away, but I love coming back more.  My house, my couch, my bed, my blog.  I did a meme awhile ago about "You're Addicted to Blogging If...".  I poked fun and didn't answer too seriously because there was no way I could ever be addicted to blogging.  Well hi....I'm Joy.....and I do believe I'm addicted to blogging.  Not only writing in my blog, but I miss READING all my favorites.  Is Blu being a good boy, is Radioactive doodling, what about Happy, how can I go a day without reading something funny from Happy, did a-step-at-a-time ever figure out the chair problem..... :o) ......and what new and exciting things did Sirdar add to his new blog.  I know Upsie (What did you eat?) is going in for surgery soon, did she have it, is she done, what about those squirrels.  Writing Aspirations said she had to slow down with the blog and get moving with writing, so I don't want to miss a post of hers.  If she has to slow down I want to read every last entry she has to write.

Jeez, I'm such a sap! 

But you know you're addicted to blogging when you're on treacherous icy road conditions making your way up to Grande Prairie for the company Christmas party, you're knuckles are white because you're gripping the steering wheel so tight, your neck is killing you because you're so tense thinking you're going to die at any minute.....and the only thing you can think about is....."I've been sitting here for just about 6 hours now on what is usually a 4 hour trip and my bum is getting numb.  Heyyyyy numb bum....heehee.....I gotta remember to write that in my blog."

That's right folks, the weather outside was frightful friday night, but being the trooper I am I made my way to Grande Prairie....numb bum and all.  I have never seen so many vehicles in the ditch in my life.....and moose.  Meese.  Mooses?  I was so bored I stopped counting vehicles in the ditch at 40 and turned my attention to all the dead Moose that had been hit along the way.  I got up to 13 before my attention turned to singing "Let it Be Christmas" for the 400th time.

Either all the moose are slightly retarded this year and walking into on-coming traffic, or we have a huge moose population explosion happening.  Either way, I sure hope no one got hurt hitting those things because they are massive creatures that can do a lot of damage to a vehicle.

A fun time was had by all at the company Christmas party and even though there was a debate whether to have Chinese Food for a Christmas party supper....it was AWESOME!  If you are ever in Grande Prairie, look up the Jackpot Grill.  It's not much to look at, but for a bunch of hard working down-to-earth oilfield workers, it was a pretty neat place to hold a company Christmas party.  I also hear the Jackpot puts on a great lunch smorg and is always packed at noon hour for anyone looking for a fast lunch while driving through GP.

Everyone behaved themselves....as best they could, no bad news reported today on impaireds which means everyone were good little boys and girls and took advantage of the free cab rides the company supplied.  It was another year of way more Fort St. John employees then Grande Prairie employees attending, so I was glad to hear they may move the Christmas parties to Fort St. John, BC for the next couple of years.  Next time, I think I'm flying if the roads are as bad as they were this year.  Good grief.

There were a group of us who made our way down to the breakfast smorg in the hotel the next morning and it took about two cups of coffee to get jump-started.  It's hard to believe there was a time you'd make your way back to the hotel just long enough to shower, and then you were on your way again to the next function or party.  Not us 40-somethingers.  We sat there with no one saying a word for a good 20 minutes...til the coffee kicked in.....and then we got going again with the laughing and stories. 

I looked at the omellete I ordered from the handsome young omellete maker guy, and they weren't quite as appealing as I remember past omelletes being.  For some reason my eggs this morning looked a bit green to me.  But the water was good.  Lots and lots and lots of water.  Hmm, the air in Grande Prairie must be particularly dry this time of the year.

Here...But Not Really Here

What I love about Typepad?  I can write a post three days ago...save it.....and post it today.

I left friday night and drove to Grande Prairie...Alberta....so I can attend my husband's company Christmas party on saturday.  Which would be today, which is to say not thursday at midnight when I'm actually writing this, but saturday at exactly 2:40pm when TypePad spits this entry out for all to see.  Very cool I think.

Now because I'm me I couldn't help thinking how freaky it would be to have posts set for different dates and times.....and then you pass away.  Say a whole month worth of posts set to post every day at a certain time, and all the while you're in a tragic lumberjack accident, your funeral's come and gone and everyone has gone on with life....but TypePad keeps spewing out your entries you wrote when you were alive....and no one is the wiser.  Til the entries end.  Then people will say "Hey what's up with Joy?  She sure is getting lazy in posting."

Well I think it's cool.  Or I could need therapy.

So hopefully right this very minute, as you're reading this, I'm drinking, having fun, drinking and having more fun.  Unless it's right at 2:40 when you're reading this and then I wouldn't have had that many drinks....maybe.  The kids couldn't get rid of me soon enough so hopefully the house is still standing when I return on sunday evening.  I love it that they're getting older but.....I hope my house is still standing when I return home on sunday.

So without further a do.....here are some boring swap pictures.  I'd send nekkid guy pictures but I know what it's like to click on a blog and been greeted with....well....not swap pictures, and everytime I do I find it completely shocking.  Don't get me wrong, I am NOT a prude.  I just like the choice on whether I want to see two guys doing it that's all.  What up with people already??!  If you put your blog name as 'The Big Bad Wolf', the child in me is going to click on it and expect the story of Little Red Riding Hood.  Trust me, no child wants to be greeted with a wolf doing THAT.  Put your blog name so it says 'The Big Bad Weiner' and the sicko in me will automatically think....well....not hot dog....and then I'll decide whether I'm going to click on it or not.  Choices people, we all want choices.

I wonder if my head is buzzing about now at the party.  I hope it's not 2:00pm.  I'll be no good to anyone if my heads buzzing this early.

It seems the swaps I've sent out are finding their way to their destinations, which means I can start showing pics......

Candy Swap (above) travelled to Austin, TX

Christmas Advent Swap (below) went to 25 Canadian Participants

     

      Advents I sent               Advents Received              YES - I opened all of them

Below is a photo of the Christmas Parcel I 'received' from the CST (Canadian Stamp Talk) yahoo group I belong too.  It's from Melanie and she rocks!  The rules clearly state that the gifts are to be opened on Christmas Day with the rest of your family gifts but.....ya.

A Little Piece of Heaven

Guess what I found?  A little piece of heaven that's what I found.  Look.  At. That.  Face!  Now if I could keep him, I'd be even happier.  Not for what YOU'RE thinking...for shame...it didn't even cross my mind....tsk.

I was surfing tv channels and came across Patrizio Buanne on one of those Public Television stations.  He was performing at a concert and I thought he was absolutely incredible.  It doesn't hurt that he's so damn cute either.  Get your mind out of the gutter.

Then there is Destino.  These amazing creatures were passed on in one of the lists I belong to.  I could sit and listen to them all day long as well.  So young, just babies really.  Makes you wonder how great they're going to be 10 years from now.

Now I know this kind of music isn't for everyone, and my family makes terrible fun of me for listening to it all the time, but I can't help it.....it takes me far far away.

Letters to Joy

I thought I'd take a few minutes and answer some emails that have come into my mailbox over the last little while.  I did this before and everyone really liked it so why not go with something that works right.

One email asks why I don't print the people's names of the email I'm answering.  I went out on a limb and decided if they didn't want to comment, then they probably didn't want their names in a post either.

I've been asked a few times if there are any more Mushu stories, but no.....not yet.  Trust me, Mushu will do something to warrent another story soon I'm sure.

I've had probably 8 or 9 emails with people saying how much they love how Gregg and I love and adore each other and blah blah blah.  That's nice and all but it makes me think I've been misleading when I've written some of my posts.  Read carefully now so there's no more delusions of grandeur here.  I write "I" love and adore my husband.  I've never once said my husband loves and adores me.  Now.  Don't write and ask me what that means, cause I'm not going to tell you :o)

I received a whole slew of emails in the last couple days on when I wrote about the defintion of who I was.  Oiy!  Comment people.  Comment so other's can read what I read.  I've received an overwhelming amount of emails from women telling me how it was most likely my husband's fault on how I lost myself somewhere along the line.  Whoa.  False.  Can I make this any clearer.  FALSE!!  I don't believe in that kind of nonsense thank you very much.  My life is what "I" make it, no one else.  It just didn't come across like that because I suck at writing.  If I am known as 'the wife and mother', it's because I've allowed myself to be known as that all these years.  To be honest, I was ok with the definition in my 20's and 30's but now with one child moved out, two others to follow soon and a husband who still works out of town as much as ever, I am ready for the next stage of my life.  Still as wife and mother....I'm extremely proud of those titles........but a life that is defined as Joy as well.  Debbie said it best...time to re-define.  That should be in a fortune cookie I think.  How am I going to re-define after all these years of being known strictly as wife and mother?  Well I'm not exactly sure.  But it's me, so I have no doubt I'll be determined in my task.  So STOP writing to me and telling me I need to get a backbone and stand up to that husband of mine.  Good grief, I assure you Gregg has seen Joy's backbone up close and personal for a lot of years now.  Ok that didn't come out right either...I can't write worth shit.....let's just say I'm tough and leave it at that.

A few emails asking if I ever finished going through the NaBloPoMo list.  No, with Christmas and all I've been way too busy to sit and spend the hours needed to go through it.  But I do hope the list is still up in the new year because I'm still on a mission to find the Canadian blog I was looking for.

Emails saying I should do more crafts because they like when I post them.  Ok, for you and only you I will try and sit still long enough to get more crafts done.  But I warn you, don't hold your breath.

One person who told me I need to pick a theme, stick with it and I would probably have more people come over to visit me.  I've read that a 'theme' or one 'topic'...is that the same thing.....for your blog is better because people want to look things up on certain subjects and want one place to go and find it.  Well then move on, because I wouldn't know a theme for my blog if it bit me in the arse.  I guess if I had a gun to my head and someone yelling at me "What's your theme, what's your theme Joy!"  I would have to scream back "My theme is about nothing, that's my theme.....nothing!"  I love the idea of themes for blogs and it's true, if I want to know about cooking, I go to my favorite cooking blog.  If I want to look at photography, I go to some of my  favorite photography blogs.  But I don't have a theme, and I like it like that.

Emails asking me to write more on my coffee shop visits.  I can do that.  Which brings me to one email I received who thought I used the word 'that' too often.  Ok.  I'll try not to do THAT....just for you sweetpea.

And last but not least, a few emails on "Do more Meme's Joy, I find out more about you with each Meme."  Well, ummm, I find most bloggers don't like meme's when they are surfing through other blogs.  "I" do, because like those of you who wrote to me, I like getting to know the person a bit better and the meme's are a way of doing that.  But people just don't like them so I try not to do too many.  And besides, what MORE could you possibly want to know about me and my charming personality? :o)

I Feel Progress

This was the list I made for myself Wednesday morning....Yes this is an actual list of mine.  Notice how I write to myself.  Like I'm actually talking to myself.  Weirdo.

My note and poor attempts at doodling had me thinking about Radioactive's post.  I'm not really a doodler.  It's probably because I can't sit still long enough, or it could have something to do with I can't draw worth crap.  I'd like to doodle though.  I can't help but wonder how many famous cartoonists started off doodling?

I AM however, a list maker.  With this memory of mine I have lists everywhere.  Stuck to my computer, in the kitchen, in my vehicle....I should really buy stocks in post-it notes.

Most of the time I don't get my lists completed and I think it's because I put too much on them.  It's unrealistic to think I can get 40 things done in one day, yet I always have a list a mile long.  So I made a point of making a very small list yesterday.

By the time I made phone calls, worked in the office here and got my butt in gear it was noon when I started, but my Wednesday list......is done.  Complete.  Finee....or however the French say it.

   

Hump day was a good day.

I Belong in Dublin

I was blog surfing and found this over at Hillary's.

The farthest I've ever travelled was to Las Vegas, otherwise the T's don't venture anywhere too far.  I was a bit surprised to see Dublin.  I mean, Dublin?  Well it's a start :o)

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions. You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

Definition: Wife...Mother...And Then Joy?

I was reading my favorite blogs this morning and sat at Bread Crumbs in the Butter for quite some time.  Her post on 'Definition' had me sitting here 1)  Relieved that other women out there actually think about how they are defined by others and 2)  I haven't been able to define JOY for so many years now it scares me.

Pre-husband and kids.........

"We can count on Joy to get the work done and out on time."

"Just let Joy know and she will look after it, I trust her with my life."

"Here's a promotion Joy, you deserve it."

"Joy always makes time for the gym and herself."

"Let's call Joy up, she's fun and knows all the hot spots around town."

It's easy to see how others define me NOW because they make it pretty obvious.......

I am defined first and foremost as my husband's wife......

"Oh you're Gregg's wife, nice to meet you."

"It's nice Gregg has a wife who is so understanding that enables him to work out of town so much."

"Is this Gregg's wife I'm talking to?"

"Hi is Gregg home?  Oh is his wife there instead then?"

"Hi this is my wife."

"My wife tells me......."

"My wife says........"

Secondly I'm defined as a mother....

"You have three children, all so close in age, I don't know how you did it.  What a mom."

"Oh hi, you're Kelsey's mom aren't you?"

"Oh hi, you're Michael's mom aren't you?"

"Oh hi, you're Samantha's mom aren't you?"

"Hey guys, this is my mom, say hi to her."

"Is this Michael/Kelsey/Samantha's mom?  I just wanted to remind you your son/daughter has a dental/eye/doctor's/hair/etc. appointment."

"MOM can I.....MOM can I.......MOM can I......MOM........MOM........MOM.......MOM....."

And thirdly, I'm defined as a Stay-At-Home mom......

"You stay at home?  How weird in this day and age."

"Wow, lucky you, you get to stay at home with your kids....I bet your husband likes that."

"Only Martha Stewart wannabe's stay at home anymore."

"What a good little wife and mother.  Really bringing women back 100 years Joy.  Thanks."

"I wish I had all the time in the world to stay at home.....and do nothing."

"Your husband certainly is lucky to have a traditional old fashioned wife."

Yes I've had people say those things to me.  Yes I wanted to hit them with a hammer.

That's how people define me.  I've been a wife for 20 years and I've been a stay-at-home mom for over 18 years now.  I don't know if anyone else sees it, but somewhere in all those years Joy's allowed Joy to get lost somewhere.

It's a life I chose way-back-when so this is no pity party here.  Reading Breadcrumbs post just had me thinking about it.

Would I do it all over again?

Probably not.

I would do it much differently, and I would do it so that I didn't get lost in amongst a husband and kids somewhere along the line.  Of course, if I had the wisdom in my 20's that I have in my 40's, well, this wouldn't even be a topic now would it :o)