it's the most wonderful time of the year...

and I'm already feeling pooped. It's December 1. I need to get some energy going...

I'm trying to make the house look festive for HONKA (as Bug says) and Christmas. I go to SD this weekend to visit my mom and I would love to return to a home that looks and feels like the holidays. Not sure that will happen (see missing energy above).

Do you have a real or fake tree? We've usually had real trees but had a small fake tree for a couple of years. Now I'm feeling the need for a full-size tree. I'm leaning toward a fake one just because the real ones can be so expensive year after year and getting a pre-lit artificial tree sounds pretty easy. I figure if I have some greens in the house I'll still get that real tree smell.


My mom fell and broke her pelvic bone a few weeks ago. The other day on the phone she said she was just sitting on the floor of her room and didn't know how she got there. Obviously, she fell. Nothing broken but she did have some bruises. She doesn't understand--or more accurately--doesn't remember that she can't walk on her own. My heart goes out to her. I know it's frustrating for her because she wants to do more and her body is betraying her. I don't expect this to be an easy trip. When I'm visiting her, I'll pick up gifts for the family so we can have a little wrapping party in her room to bring a bit of the Christmas season to her. After all, it's the most wonderful time of the year...

National Adoption Day

and Bug's birthday are one in the same this year. That puts a smile on my face...and a bit of smeared frosting on Bug's face.

F-Bomb Friday...the ski incident

On the drive to work this morning I heard an ad for a ski resort, which reminded me of this...


In college I went on a ski trip with some girlfriends. I had never been skiing before and thought maybe I should take some sort of a lesson when we arrived. My friends assured me I didn't need a lesson and it would be the same if they showed me what I needed to do (hey, we were in college why spend waste money on lessons).

We start out the day and everyone is eager to get on the slopes...I'm a bit hesitant but ready to give it a shot. I go down maybe once or twice then I fall BIG...and I fall near the ski lift.


My right knee was somehow twisted and I remember seeing it and thinking my knee was a bit too close to my head. A few of the workers rushed over to me. I was embarrassed--not only because I fell but I fell on the beginner slope--and near people who were getting off the lift--so I had an audience. The workers told me they would send a stretcher for me. I was horrified and assured them I could ski down the mountain hill.

Going down was frightening. I tried to balance on my good leg, which didn't work and just made me fall more often. I tried to ignore the 3-year-olds who were whizzing by me at record speed and dusting me with snow while I lay flat on my back trying to get up. I tried to keep my painful shrieks as quiet as possible, which didn't work at all because my friend who was high above me on a lift to the big boy slopes later told me she could hear me screaming.

Long story short, I eventually made it down the hill and spent the day in the lodge drinking hot chocolate while I waited for my friends to come in. Of course, my fall happened early in the day so I had a long time to wait. My knee was getting bigger and bigger and walking was difficult. After the 7-hour drive home the following day I could barely stand it was so swollen.

My parents were traveling so I called my mom's friend who was a nurse. She looked at it and said it was fine...just a sprain...give it time.

From then on I would often feel a pain in my knee and it would sometimes buckle. Finally when I had trouble with my knee locking (on a regular basis) I went to a doctor. Found out all those years earlier on the snow I tore my ACL. My orthopedist winked when he told me I had a real "jock" injury. If only he could have seen me when it happened...I can assure you when I fell not one person said, "Wow, SHE's a jock."

I had a dream I overslept

Woke up, checked the clock and was relieved that I still had another two hours of snoozing left. Then I did oversleep because I learned the hard way found out this morning my alarm clock is broken. On a Monday, no less.


Hmmm, sometimes dreams really do come true.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

I like football but will never EVER understand how a fantasy football league works. It hurts just trying to figure it so I've given up.

Bug likes to help me when I make dinner. Yes, this makes it longer and sometimes I get more gray hair before dinner is actually on the table but last night after Bug helped stir various ingredients, he was excited to eat what "he made." After dinner, he told me he wants to make it again because dinner was yummy. "Deal, Mommy?" Deal...and then we shook on it.

Big day today: I'm making my reservations to go to visit my mom and another mini trip to Cleveland to see the Bruce exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!!!

Ugh, for years I had bangs because I didn't have the patience to grow them out. Now for years I haven't had bangs and am kind of getting the itch for something different. Bangs or no?

Celebrating Families

The weekend is over. Two days like all other weekends except this was a biggie. Eleven months ago I agreed to co-chair an adoption gala to celebrate the anniversary of our adoption agency (it's the oldest in the area) and the benefit was Saturday night. In many ways it's hard to believe the event has come and gone and in others it's a relief.

We passed the targeted goal of attendees and the night was truly wonderful. with a fun silent auction. The volunteer mom who designed the centerpieces had such great vision and detail that the room was stunning.

Donnie's parents came down to attend the gala and friends came as well. Our table was filled with people close to our hearts and most of us were in tears at one part or another during the program (particularly the video showing 65 years of families created through adoption). As a co-chair I actually had to stand on stage (ugh). Thankfully, I didn't have to speak because public speaking is such a fear that my nervousness would have ruined the night for me.

The preparations for the event were moving along well when it occurred to me--a couple of weeks ago--that my biggest issue was: what to wear. I don't have cocktail dresses in my closet. I finally decided to look through the clothes I have that my mother wore in the 1960s. She had some beautiful things that I call her "Jackie Kennedy collection." Most are spring outfits but there was a long black dress with a black/gold top and funky bow that I decided would be nice. I had the formal cut to a cocktail length and a few other minor adjustments and my outfit was done. I told my mom I was having the dress altered and she said that was fine because 1.) she couldn't remember the dress and 2.) she didn't think she would be wearing it anytime soon. I found her response adorable considering she gave me these dresses years ago and Mom is now in a nursing home.

When I wore it, older women said it was timeless. Younger women said it was "Mad Men." And a waiter stopped me to tell me it was beautiful. To me it was like having a piece of my mom with me on a special night about family.

things I heard last week...

at the courthouse:


woman in the security line to enter the building: I wish this line would move faster. I have to be in divorce court at 9:30 and I DON'T want to be married to that man for another year.


my number called for the jury pool.


the judge speaking to me during the voie dire process when asked if I had any attorneys in my family: You're surrounded by lawyers.

the judge: We have our jury. (I was #9.)


the prosecuting attorney: The defendant is a drug dealer.


the defense attorney: The defendant is NOT a drug dealer.


the judge: go back and deliberate some more.


standing at the bus stop:


woman: I went trick-or-treating as a child and a woman put the witchcraft on me. I wanted to slap her but I knew I couldn't 'cause she was old. But now if I do something weird in a dream I know it's the witchcraft.


same woman: I think my boyfriend slept with his mother.


on Halloween:


Bug (as Woody right before we went trick-or-treating): I don't wanna wear the cowboy hat. I'm gonna wear the pirate hat and be Pirate Woody.


Bug's pal (as a T-Rex): Do police arrest dinosaurs?