2010 Wrap Up

When I was younger, New Year's Eve freaked me out a little bit.  I didn't like the idea of change, and it felt so built up, and I remember worrying (because I've always been a worrier), "It is never going to be 1988 ever again, and what if 1989 sucks?" (except I probably wasn't allowed to say "sucks" because it isn't a nice word).  And there was so much pressure, I felt, in celebrating with the right people, because shouldn't such an important occasion be marked with those closest to you?  As if I was to ever be asked to recall who I was with when the calendar turned from 2002 to 2003, I would be able to say, "I was with my family, of course."  One year, my dad ran to the store or something on New Year's Eve, and he didn't make it back before midnight, and the countdown happened without him, and it scarred me- can you tell??  I'll never forget.  And when my brothers and I were teenagers, they suddenly began celebrating the holiday with their friends, and I was appalled, thinking, "What? You are going WHERE?  On New Year's Eve???  You are going to be with people other than your FAMILY when the year changes??  Risky move, guys."

And the countdown has always made me nervous.  Something about a countdown really peaks my anxiety, and I always feel relief when the whole ordeal is over and the new year is in motion and we can go back to not recognizing the stroke of midnight.

I can see now that it isn't that big of a deal.  Changes happen constantly-Sunday turns to Monday, June turns to July- no biggie.  We move forward, we make resolutions, we buy a new calendar, we have a clean slate of 12 new months and hope to fill them as best we can.  And that is how I feel today- not sad that it will never be 2010 again, but rather a bit optimistic about 2011 and what it might bring for our family.

And 2010 did not disappoint!  There are reasons to celebrate!

Such as...

The Best of 2010!

Best Trip of 2010
Disneyland!

Disneyland was magical.  It rocked my world.  I've been many times before, but this was my first visit since becoming a parent, and experiencing it through my kids' eyes was well worth the price of admission.

Best Mama Moment of 2010
"Mom"

So many mama moments to choose from...  Each of my children have warmed my heart this year.  But earning the title of "mom" from Joe was very significant to me.  He is my son, regardless of what his genetic coding reads.

Best Date of 2010
Conan

Dinners are nice.  Movies are fun.  But laughing until it hurts- that is our idea of romance!  Plus, we got to cross off "see Conan O'Brien live" from our bucket list.

Best Water-for-my-Thirsty-Soul of 2010
Women of Faith

I soaked it all up- every tear, every laugh, every shared story of how God has done remarkable things with women just like me- women who are overwhelmed, anxious, grumpy and imperfect.  Women who snap at their kids, worry about trivial things, and don't shower as often as they'd like :) 

I have faith that God can do remarkable things with my life too!

Best Unexpected Turn of Events of 2010
Loving softball

These are my softball friends.  I've had a love/hate relationship with softball since I married Devon.  I hate that the tournaments take up entire weekends during the summer.  I hate that Devon leaves early to go play on Sundays during the season.  I hate that softball can be expensive.  However, I love that Devon loves to play softball.  I love that his team is like a family.  I love that so many other softball players knew my husband back when he had a mullet.  I love that the entire league is a support group for recovering addicts.  This year, the love/hate scale tipped toward love.

Best Movie of 2010
Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Besides The Social Network, which was fantastic and most likely award winning, I really enjoyed The Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  It is silly and clever, and though I've watched it more times than I can count, I still giggle and find it entertaining- the whole family does, really.  But don't watch this movie unless you appreciate 6th grade boy humor.  Otherwise, you'll be mad at me because you cannot get those 90 minutes of your life back!

Best TV Show of 2010
Dexter

The language is rated-R, the suspense makes me afraid of the dark, and the foundation is murder.  We cheer for a serial killer. There are a few reasons not to like Dexter. But, oh!, it is so good!

Best Book of 2010
No, David!

This book entered our home in 2010, though it was written earlier, and talk about relating to literature- Max is David.  It is a family favorite, for sure.

Best Blog Reader of 2010

You!

I'm kissing up a bit to keep you coming back in 2011 :)

Thank you so much, Cyber Friend, for being a reader and for your comments and support of Mama Rantz & Co.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Love, Me & Mine

In Memory

2010

Max's curls

The bay window in our townhouse

Devon's mustache





The Christmas Finale

Christmas is over.

Vacation is over.

Devon is back to work.

It snowed today.

The kids and I stayed home all day, which was refreshing.  It felt good to not go anywhere and to get some housework done, all while Max followed me around and un-cleaned.  And somehow I got roped into helping Joe organize his Legos- heaps and heaps, piles and piles, of Legos.  First he dumped them all into the middle of his floor and then asked, "Wanna help me sort them by color?"  This kid knows me too well.  Oh, how I love an organization project!  So, we sorted while Max napped and while Lucy sat beside us and made us laugh.  We invited her several times to join in on the fun, but, oddly enough, she didn't see the appeal.

Yesterday we traveled to Aunt Merry and Uncle Dave's house, and it was our finale of this year's Christmas fun.   Lucy received a very special gift from Merry and her mom, Judy Gayle, "Grandma Judy."

Judy Gayle built the dollhouse and painted it, and she even glued all of the shingles on the roof.  Merry helped furnish and accessorize (a chandelier, a Christmas tree...), and a lovely little family was found to live in this house- a man, woman, boy, girl, and baby boy, much like our own little family!  I think it is really special that some of the furniture once belonged to Grandma Joyce- Devon and Merry's grandmother.  Needless to say, Lucy loves it all! 

On the way home, I had to inform Lucy that Christmas is now completely over until next year, and she cried. Seriously, she was kind of devastated!  I don't blame her for being sad- I can remember that when I was a kid, the day after Christmas always seemed like the saddest day of the year, as decorations were taken down, and the gift wrap was balled up in the trash, and the holiday treats had all be eaten, and relatives had gone home...  I didn't want the fun to end.  As an adult, and a parent, I don't feel too sad when Christmas ends.  In fact, I happily packed away our decorations (after I found that our tree had fallen again while we were out of town), and the kids have officially been cut-off from candy for a while (it seems that sugar has been a staple food group lately!), and I have vowed to begin Christmas shopping for next year as soon as possible (more on that when I write about my resolutions for 2011) as to avoid spending most of Christmas Eve shopping like a maniac (as I did, unfortunately)... 

Not to say that I don't enjoy Christmas.  I do!  But it is over now, and I'll love it again next December :)

Highlights of a Christmas Road Trip (in pictures)

The End!

Merry Christmas!

We wish you a very

MeRRy ChRiSTmaS!

Lisa Update

I realize that I've kind of left you all hanging as far as updating you on Lisa.  I didn't have any news to update with, really. 

You see, Lisa still does not have a diagnosis, but not for lack of the doctors' efforts- my poor friend is bruised and tired and has endured more tests than she can count.  She has good days when she experiences very few episodes, but good days are usually followed by tough nights, and the episodes continue- a spike in her heart rate and blood pressure and a loss of consciousness.  Truly, her status can change minute by minute.

Lisa was moved from the Cardiac ICU to a hospital room, which was happy news, but then she was quickly moved back to CICU after she had three terrible episodes while alone in her room, ringing the nurses' bell, and no one came to help.  She needs the care and attention that is available in the ICU, so it is there that she waits.

On a higher note, an ultrasound was performed on Saturday, and baby Henry looks good!  He is measuring to be 30 weeks, which is bigger (older? further along? What is the correct word?) than expected, and he is estimated to be 3 pounds 6 ounces.  This was fantastic- really fantastic- news!  Such a good boy already!  The baby does not seem to be affected by what Lisa's body is experiencing.  And her belly is big and round and perfect- Henry is going to be great :)

Doug's co-workers and their families have rallied to help the Blakes in any capacity.  An abundance of meals have been provided, their Christmas gifts have been wrapped...  Lisa's sweet friend Kristy has been a consistent visitor at the hospital, and Kristy's mom has even been staying the night at the house so that the kids aren't alone if Doug has to leave suddenly.  The kids are quite happy to have "Aunt Kathy" staying with them.  Lisa's sister has been a tremendous support too, and overall, Doug and Lisa are feeling the love and prayers from their community.

So, last night I had a chance to go visit Lisa.  I met up with Doug first so that he could pass off Lisa's dinner, her cell phone charger, some finger nail clippers... and he gave me directions to the hospital and to Lisa's little space in the huge building, and there were several, "don't miss this turn- BAD neighborhood," and "stay away from this road- NOT a good place to be."  With that all in mind, I made my way to UC Davis Medical Center.  I was really looking forward to seeing my friend, but I also felt a heavy sense of this is sad.  I followed Doug's directions to the CICU, and I found myself passing the exact area where my family and I sat and waited while my brother Seth had a tumor removed from his head 4 years ago.  I was then struck with the fear that I felt then, so now I was sad and afraid!  By the time that I made it to Lisa's bed, I was a mess!  I was in tears as I saw my beautiful friend strapped to all sorts to machines with a huge smile on her face- I wanted to unhook her from everything and get her out!  We'll make a break for it!  Come on Lisa, we'll go to the mall, and we'll stop at Starbucks, and weren't you supposed to take some family portraits for us this week!?!?

We had a great visit, just as if we were sitting in her living room, and she told me what to do and what to expect in the event that she had an episode while I was there- so I kept a close eye on her heart rate, a little worried. 

Today, my kids and I went to the Blakes' house to pick up Kennedy for the afternoon- Joe and Kennedy always play so well together- and we visited with Tanner a bit, who is more grown up than I've ever seen him, and I can just tell that he is doing such a good job taking care of his sisters and being helpful while all of this is happening.  Little Maysyn clings to him- she trusts him so much.  And Kennedy showed me all of the Christmas ornaments that hang from their tree.  Kathy helped her decorate it, and it looks beautiful.  All of Lisa's Christmas decor and crafts are displayed, and it bothers me that she will be in the hospital on Christmas.  Like, I want to stomp my foot and throw a little tantrum because I think that Lisa should be healthy and at home.  She is such a fantastic mom and takes such pleasure in being at home with her family, and therefore, darn it!, I want her and baby Henry to get through this and get home.

So there you have it- the update. 

Lisa will be in the CICU until the baby is delivered, and though her spirits are high, and she looks great (I wish I had a picture of her from last night!), and she is as funny as ever, this is a very tough time of discomfort and uncertainty, and your continued prayers are greatly appreciated!

And I snagged a little pic from her blog so that you can have a face to go with a name, in case you don't know her.  (Just imagine her pregger belly to be two months larger :)

A Full Day

I feel that I've waited my whole life for my sister to be able to color my hair.

The day has finally arrived!

Molly made a few jokes about this being a revenge opportunity for the times that I've colored her hair and left her with orange polka-dots... but she was kind and did a lovely job!

Papa and his pups watched Despicable Me for the third time in 24 hours...  Needless to say, we think it is a really cute movie.

The little cousins were reunited, which was really fun to watch.

And the day wrapped up with a banana split at Leatherby's.

Not too shabby!

Treasures!

Tonight Lucy and I came across a few treasures.

My junior prom dress from '96 and Molly's flower girl dress from Doug and Lisa's wedding in '99-

 And my cheer uniform from '94, along with the matching uniform that my 3 year old sister wore alongside me at football games-

And how about my aunt's bridesmaid dress from my parents' wedding in '78???

Oh, the treasures continue!

I've kept these babies unopened for nearly a decade-

I have finally accepted that though I consider my Nsync #1 Fan Barbie and my Justin Timberlake marionette to be valuable collector's items, they aren't worth much (I checked eBay!).  So I have given them to Lucy, and she is thrilled :)  Justin ought to be played with, not kept in a box- don't you agree?

But wait, there's more!

An Elvis Santa hat!

Notice anything different about Joe?

He started wearing contact lenses last week!

As I was getting Lucy into bed last night, she said, "Aunt Molly sure does love Aaron- probably because he is her boyfriend.  I've never had a boyfriend- probably because I'm just a little kid.  I think I'll have a boyfriend when I am older- maybe when I'm 4 or 5.  Maybe when Ethan grows up he will be my boyfriend."

Girlfriend is going to be T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

And Bubsy, he is keeping busy as usual.  Sometimes his maniacal behavior is something that only a mother could love, and I do.  He is a treasure!

Making a List...

He's making a list

And checking it twice;

Gonna find out who's naughty and nice...

naughty or nice?

'Tis the season for being busy, feeling overwhelmed, perhaps a bit anxious, eating too many sugar cookies...  Rather than singing the songs of the holiday spirit, I find myself humming the tunes of the holiday stress!

So, today I made a list.  You see, I procrastinate, and I'll even go ahead and label myself a procrastinator.  I like to wait to get things done until I have a good amount of pressure pushing me through to the other side of my task. (It drives my mother crazy.)  Case in point- I do not have even one Christmas gift purchased.  Nope, not one (oh wait, Devon has reminded me that I bought him a Seahawks visor, so I lied- I have indeed purchased one gift).  A list was necessary to get myself focused- to separate the various things that are making me feel overwhelmed- and I am happy to report that the holiday spirit is beginning to creep into my being.  I even downloaded a few songs from Glee's Christmas album, and the tune of my attitude is beginning to shift.

The list- here's what I've got swirling in my brain-

• First and foremost, I am concerned for my friend, who is 28 weeks pregnant and is resting in an ICU indefinitely, as the doctors cannot seem to find what is making her frequently lose consciousness.  Please pray for the Blake family- specifically, pray that the doctors will find answers, and that little Henry will be able to stay in the womb until he is a bit bigger, and that the family would feel a sense of peace in the midst of uncertainly while Doug is shuttling between the house and the hospital, taking care of Lisa as well as their 3 kids.  I'll be sure to post any updates, but for now, and from my last conversation with Lisa, it looks like Christmas will be spent in the hospital.
• We are preparing to visit family, which means that it is time to pack up and hit the road for a good ol' fashion road trip. I annoy my husband as a nervous passenger- I won't even rest my eyes when I am tired because I won't slack off on my "co-pilot" duties.  It is always a good test for our marriage :)  A test of my faith, his patience...
• Christmas shopping- I'm still not ready to start shopping, but I'm thinking about shopping, which is a step in the right direction!
• We've been receiving some Christmas cards in the mail, and they make me so happy!  It is a joy to check the mail and see something other than a bill or a holiday ad, and I love seeing the photos on the cards, and I hang them up for the whole family to see.  I didn't order Christmas cards this year (I suppose I could still do it... just procrastinating!), and I feel guilty that I don't have something to mail out to the peeps in my address book.  I don't have a photo in mind that I'd use, and stamps can be such an expense, excuse, excuse, and, really, isn't this blog sort of like a big, long, family update with pictures?  Isn't this blog sort of like a year-long Christmas card?  Is anyone buying this idea??
• Our Christmas tree hasn't fallen down in at least a week!  Would you like to see our living room?  Consider it a formal living room for informal people.

I don't know what to do with this room, and I wrote an entire post about this room, and Devon read it, scrunched his nose, and made a noise like, "ehhh".  "It isn't my cup of tea, " he said.  So, I deleted it.  But, for real, I don't know what to do with this room.  Yes, that is rug #9 on the floor, and, yes, it has already been returned to the store.

And I've tried the furniture a couple of different ways-

Any suggestions for me?

Did you notice my Christmas banner?

I love it :)

And now I must get moving!  I hope that you and your list (because we all have lists at this time of year!) have a great day!

Max should be the easiest to shop for this year- he doesn't have any expectations!

You Better Watch Out...

You better watch out

You better not cry

Better not pout

I'm telling you why...

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Sunday Night: Six Pictures, Seven Words.

Yoga. 

Buttface.

Merry.

Effort.

Yummy.

Messy.

Sugar overload.