This is it.....my 100th post for the year! Yes, I'm cheating a little by posting three times today, but who's counting.

I want to wish everyone out there happiness, health, and prosperity in 2009!

2008 was a tough year for many people. Many friends lost loved ones; many people lost jobs, homes, and more; and some folks have even lost hope at some point. But with a New Year here it's a great time to take some time and focus on what is important and what you do have. Lots of folks start anew with gratitude journals, dieting, prayers, or whatever they may choose to help turn a corner. However, the way I see it is that it doesn't have to be something huge. It's the little things.

So over the next few days......hug your loved ones a little more, call a friend or family member that you've been meaning to call, even let someone have the better parking spot at Costco. It won't put money in your pocket, but it will make your day a bit better.

My resolution is to NOT eat while I'm driving. Here's why: 1)because it's not safe; 2)it's not good for me to inhale food and 3)simply b/c NOTHING is so important that I can't take a few minutes to stop and eat. Don't get me wrong - it certainly doesn't mean I won't be eating fast food; it just means that I am striving to STOP and take the few minutes to eat. Whether it's sitting in the parking lot or eating while I sit at a sports event, I just want to slow down. Ideally, I'll even be packing a bag o' snacks when I'm on the run, but I'm not going to get delusional.

What are you looking forward to in 2009?

Ian Update: a little bit of Ginger Ale and back snoozing again. We're at about two hours since his last puke episode. I took a picture of his pure sweetness crashed on the couch but I can't upload it until I get home. Poor little guy.

I owe you a post about our winter break aka Christmas vacation.

1. alarm at 4:00AM
2. hustle out the door/through parking shuttle & LAX security mumbo-jumbo and make our flight with three carry-on bags and no checked luggage
3. SIX middle seats
4. no passengers wanted to trade
5. BEST flight ever for me, HA!
6. big hugs for Grandma
7. COLD, insanely cold temps.
8. Friendly's food tastes good when you are starving
9. why isn't there snow when it's THIS cold?(&$^@#
10. Go-carts rides with Collin
11. through the mud
12. and freezing rain
13. I took pictures from afar
14. Christmas Eve excitement
15. Kids still on Pacific time zone
16. GO TO BED ALREADY, it's after midnight
17. Nothing says Christmas morning like your 10yo daughter bursting into your room
18. "MOM, DAD - Sean just puked all over the bed"
19. Seriously? Seriously!
20. She wasn't kidding.
21. Dusting of snow while we open gifts -American Girl dolls for the girlies; DS for Sean; Power Tour guitar for Ian
22. My best little goodie Eat This, Not That book
23. Breakfast casserole for Christmas breakfast, YUM!
24. Sean attempts only grapes and then loses it again
25. Oh, lovely.
26. Proceeds to sleep for three hrs.
27. Merry Christmas!
28. Turkey dinner with all the fixins compliments of my MIL
29. So. freaking. good.
30. Sean is able to eat a small dinner. Woot!
31. Pecan pie
32. Scattergories
33. It's really fun and hilarious
34. My niece, Ann, has her own 'rules'
35. I like them
36. Nothing like an 'Annie answer'
37. It's a Wonderful Life and two versions of A Christmas Carol viewed in one day
38. The morning after - someone is puking
39. It's Collin!
40. Are you kidding me?
41. It's bad.
42. It's really bad.
43. And it's pouring rain and 35* outside.
44. My niece, Liz, a type 1 diabetic at age 11, is amazing and takes diabetes in stride.
45. My niece, Sarah, is SOOOO a teen-ager at 15-1/2 and she has a cute, friendly boyfriend too.
46. Leftovers are so good.
47. Puzzles and Scattergories fill a rainy day.
48. A sick husband is just awful.
49. Two loads of laundry.
50. Seek-and-find organizing of all the Christmas gifts.
51. What is going in the suitcase?
52. What is Gma going to ship?
53. Going home with minimal dirty laundry.
54. Fingers crossed as we head out.
55. It's 60* degrees.
56. This is crazy weather.
57. Lunch at BucaDiPeppo with all the family.
58. Lazy Susan in the Pope room!
59. Stuffed bellies head toward the airport
60. Everyone else heads to the mall
61. Checking in online is the way to go
62. Airport is crowded
63. No long lines for us :)
64. Collin is still under the weather, but putting on a good game face
65. Seats - two, two, and two
66. How did I end up with my daughter behind me?
67. Kicking my seat
68. Longest flight ever....but got through 380pgs. of Eclipse for the OH trip.
69. No baggage claim once again
70. Home and kids crashed by 9:30pm
71. Thankful for kind neighbors that fed the fish and the cat
72. Aaaaaah, my own bed
73. I love my bed.
74. I love sleep.
75. Except when awakened by puking.
76. Yes, Collin is STILL sick.
77. Sunday was all about relaxing; putting the house back together; errands; laundry; and spraying Lysol
78. Monday AM, Fritz returned home
79. Happy dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
80. Clean the kids bedrooms and pack for an AZ roadtrip
81. 6pm, fill them full of pancakes
82. 7pm, stop at home for pajamas & the dog
83. 7:30pm, hit the road
84. 370 miles
85. Sleeping children
86. Large cup of coffee/ CDs/ gum
87. five hour drive; 74mph average; arrive 1:30am(AZ time)
88. fall into bed
89. fun with friends
90. relaxing
91. Bedtime Stories movie
92. loved the movie
93. Ian says he feels like he's going to barf as we are walking out of the theater
94. Falls asleep on the ride back to Sandee's
95. Promptly barfs down my back as I attempt to move him to the couch
96. Oh yeah!
97. Frantically washing my hands aftering changing my clothes
98. Ian naps on the couch while we enjoy take-out Mexican, YUM!
99. Ian wakes and barfs again
100. Happy New Year!

We pulled it off!
I took the kids to breakfast this AM while Collin 'ran a couple of errands'. He hustled to TRUs to pick up three bikes and retrieved the other from my neighbor's garage. He then set them up in the living room and met us for cup of coffee.
We were coming home to open presents so they decided to forego the visit to Santa until later today or tomorrow and dive into presents. (which works out nicely b/c Amanda was going to ask Santa for a bike; now she has to think of something else --hint-hint: maybe ask for that Look-Alike doll you wanted)

To say they were shocked is an understatement - the squels and shrieking could have burst our ear drums. Perfect! They had a blast opening and have been happily playing all day.

Let's see...
Ian's favorite - his Hot Wheels car hauler/truck
Amanda's favorite - her doll stroller and/or her camera
Sean's favorite - the pogo stick and his Tech Deck stuff
Maggie's favorite - her Barbie house stuff

Now, if we have snow at Grandma's there Christmas will be complete.

Marking things off the checklist........
gifts for family wrapped AND shipped - CHECK!
finish shopping for the kids - CHECK!
arrange for Fritz/pet sitting - CHECK!
work on a few more Christmas cards - CHECK!
get babysitter for while I'm in play & Dh is working tonight - CHECK!

Eat something..............I'll get right on that.

Just in case you are counting that's FIVE for one day. So I did accomplish something. Next on the top of the list is to WRAP, WRAP, WRAP!

I have to admit that I haven't really been in Christmas 'mode'. I'm usually 95% done with shopping by Thanksgiving. This year it just hasn't happened. Mostly b/c I can't take anyone with me now that they are all aware of what is in the cart and I've been busy working in their classrooms and such. With regular errands to run, Tues. & Thurs. morning with Ian in school doesn't leave me with much time to spare.

BUT after our winter storms this week AND the cold weather and SNOW that it brought AND the fact that we will be traveling for assorted times over the holidays, Christmas slapped me in the face and I'm in hustle & bustle frenzy. A good frenzy. I've got gifts to wrap, boxes to ship, and Christmas cards to finish. Kids have a Christmas gingerbread train to do.

In the mean time we've got Christmas with Scrooge shows to finish. And all Maggie really wants for Christmas in the lead in Annie. (fingers crossed: she's in the final 8 of those called back and the director is picking 6, eeeeek!)

It's raining. Not spit-drizzling the SoCal way. RAINING! and quite chilly. That means a few things to me: 1) insane traffic at school, 2) soup for lunch, 3) slippers, 4) SNOW in the mountains! and last, but not least, 5) neurotic Fritz will only go out to pee if I force him to.

I love Christmas decorations. Some of my fondest memories were of driving around during the Christmas season looking around at the decorated houses. Then came Christmas in the Oaks in City Park. It was a winding journey through the monstrous oak trees decorated with lights galore. One of the funnest dates that Collin and I had was spent shivering our way through the walking portion.
So, I couldn't have been happier than when I got to share Christmas in the Oaks with Maggie during our whirlwind trip to New Orleans last weekend. Complete with Mr. Bingle that used to hang on the Maison Blanche store many moons ago.

.
We rode the Christmas train but sadly the monstrous oak trees are barely decorated post-Katrina. It was mostly a cold, dark ride but my butt was warm squeezed in-between two cute girlies. I realize I look like a polar bear, but it was COLD out there. Remember, it snowed there this past week. Yes, snow in New Orleans - only the 3rd time in my lifetime.

I am still completely bogged down with life. I'm thinking that THIS is just how it's going to be - BUSY, but currently I hab a code in my nose and it's making my head foggy and sleep necessary.

So here's my cheater post -- A little MeMe......
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? both - I love wrapping gifts.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real - 10-1/2ft. this year.

3. When do you put up the tree? Weekend after Thanksgiving -It's a tradition.

4. When do you take the tree down? Before New Years b/c my MIL said it's bad luck to leave it up. You have to be rid of the old year and start the year anew.

5. Do you like eggnog? Maybe one cup.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My Baby Beth doll.

7. Hardest person to buy for? It varies from year to year.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Sean, my 8 year old.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but I want a NICE one.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. It's so fun to get something that isn't junk or bills in the mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Don't remember - it must be blocked from my mind.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation (b/c I live with Clark)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually I do it year round. I keep a running list of stashed stuff.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Coke Jello Salad and lots of cookies/chocolate.

16. What decorations are on your tree? All sorts of ornaments; no theme.

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Traveling this year (we alternate)

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, yes I can.

20. Angel on top of tree or star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning (although when we travel they only get Santa & stocking and then small things from Gma & family)

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The commercials.

23 What theme or color are you using when you decorate? Lots of green with red, gold and white.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Prime Rib

25. What do you want for Christmas Honestly? Snow and the Eat This, Not That book.

MUNDANE MONDAY

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, it's the Monday after! I've cleaned out my car; done two loads of laundry; sweep the downstairs; cleaned the cat litter; set the self-clean on the oven; done Team Mom email for basketball; ordered some Christmas gifts for the girls; responded to a few emails and it's only lunchtime.

I'll empty the dishwasher when I get back from the carwash (& returning the RedBox movie, love that thing!) and from retrieving the kids from school. Tacos for dinner; Dress rehearsal tonight.

That about answers the random 'What did you do today?' -- looks like a bunch of nothing I guess.

For the record, I'm only pg. 210 of New Moon now. It's still slow but getting better.