Christmas has come and gone

I love Christmas. I love our traditions that we've had since the beginning of our marriage. The going to pick and cut down our own tree, eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve, the memories that come with unpacking and decorating our tree. It's such a joyful time of year.

Then of course comes the "I want" phase. I truly despise how commercialized Christmas has become. I loathe the Christmas decorations in stores that start before Thanksgiving. I don't like the Christmas music that starts in early November. I don't like how adults and children everywhere start to create lists of things they want for Christmas.

I love seeing our kids faces when they wake up Christmas morning and see that Santa has come. Seeing them tear into the presents with glee. I don't like that after there is a huge mess to clean up and the let down that comes after Christmas. LOL

We had a great Christmas. The kids got the Wii (it is a ton of fun) and a few games to go with. Jose is loving it too, he turns into a big kid when a game system is around. LOL. I love that his computer has been silent for a few days. No WoW, yay!!

I hate that Jose feels that my Christmas was lacking because I didn't have a ton of stuff to open. I loved my Christmas. I didn't/don't care that I didn't have a ton of stuff. I love the shopping and giving for others. I loved seeing the kids faces when they opened the Wii (it was the very last gift). Seeing their excitement and joy, it is the best gift of all.

I too wish that I could have given Jose a ton of stuff. I know that his Christmas's as a child weren't great. He mainly got socks and underwear as gifts. I wish that I could show him how much he is appreciated and loved by having a room full of presents for him. We just don't have the means. Jose feels that by not having lots of stuff for me that he isn't supporting us, or that he doesn't make enough. He feels that he isn't providing enough. I wish that he could see inside my heart to know that he is the best gift I could ever have.

Having him home this year is the best gift. Last year was a sad, sad Christmas for us. He was deployed to Kyrgyzstan and we were in Oklahoma without him. This year we are in Florida and we are together. I just wish he knew in his heart how important that is to us all. Being a complete family is the best gift of all.

We've had no serious illness this year, we have a home, two vehicles, we are provided for, we have love. These are the things that I wish people would focus on during the holidays. How lucky we are! There are other Military families grieving and suffering right now. People who's lives are torn apart. We are whole. We are together. We are blessed. We truly are.

Blessings for peace and joy in the year to come to everyone! I wish everyone a year of gladness and peace. If only people would realize how truly wonderful it can be to have a smooth life. Some might say uneventful, I say otherwise.

WoW an addiction that may end Jose's life.

I am so sick of WoW. I'm tired of it being a constant battle to get him to the dinner table. I'm just sad now. Sad that I can't hold his attention. Sad that he'd rather be on there ALL the damn time. That instead of living, he is playing.

I know, it could be a lot worse. He could be a drinker, cheater, or have a hobby that takes him outside the house and away. But really, he is away already. I have to repeat myself to be heard. I have to shout at him to pay attention to me or the kids.

I wish WoW would just disappear. I don't help things though, he is getting the expansion in January, I bought it for him as a Christmas present. I might as well get it myself and call it a present, he'd have bought it for himself anyway.

I'm just so over it. Sigh

Oh LORD, I'm Scared. I'm afraid, I'm, I'm, I'm.....going crayzay!

Friday was a half day at school/work. I am now home alone with ALL FOUR monsters, er, crazymakers, er, uh, demons...

Jose will make his daily escape to work at 6:20 am and not return to the pits of hell (aka home) till almost 5. I asked him last night if he could take some leave to "spend time with the family" (aka save me from the insanity of being left alone with these four we spawned). He said he'd see what he could do. I don't hold much hope. I KNOW his plan.

I would LOVE to be on unpaid vacation without the kids. It'd be just like before I started working. Ah, the days. Sadly, they are long gone and I am no longer a lady of leisure.

The plan for the next few weeks is to throw the kids out of the house as often as possible. I am so happy that we are in Florida now, where throwing them out in December is NOT considered abuse or neglect. Tee hee. It is to reach a balmy 79 degrees today. Ahhhhhh.

Now, if certain "friends" would stop persuading me to spend MONEY we'd be just fine. They shall remain nameless. Unless I have to get ugly. Cough, cough, friend in LV, cough, cough.

FREE isn't always free. Dang MM board. :P I love you ladies.

Off to do laundry. Where is that fairy Godmother when you want her???

I've come to some realizations

I don't like to clean, so I rarely do it.

I don't like the sound of my children's high pitched screams, but love the sound of their giggles and belly laughs.

I don't like the fighting that ensues the MINUTE they are together, but the minute I'm ready to punish them, they band together to protect the innocent and guilty.

Maybe I should have had just one, nah.

I dislike this time of year because last night I had to sit through an excrusiating 2.5 hour Band/Chorus Christmas Concert for 6,7,8th graders. The Band director was an embarassment. He has no control over those kids. Seriously, the kids were getting up during the concert to use the restroom. WTH??? This is why Band/Music should be a requirement for ALL children through 8th grade.

I love this time of year because you see more people in generous giving moods. Some of them anyway. I don't get the grumpiness some people have.

I dislike the attitude my 14 year old has most of the time. I LOVE how she is a giving person to others (mostly outside of the family, sigh). We're working on it.

I dislike that I don't get as much time with Jose as I'd like. I love it when we can sneak away and go out for wings and beer, or just out for time together, doing nothing.

I dislike that I got him to try Mocha Frapps and now he MUST have them every time I want one. :P I love that now I don't have to feel guilty when I bring it up about getting one. He brings it up a lot too. LOL

I dislike working because I'd rather be home. I love being at the school, seeing my younger two throughout the day. I love making a difference in some kids lives by helping, by caring, by being there for them.

I hate AF. There is no good side to that. My baby making days are over, AF can take a one way hike.