Holiday Extravaganza Condensed Set Into Motion...

My son texted earlier to prepare me, wanting me to know that his roommates will be returning Friday night before the big game, so this cuts our private holiday time down a bit.  This means "Condensed" is becoming "Super Condensed"... into about a day and a half.

The Regular plan allows a little relaxation:

     Thursday - Thanksgiving dinner, games, parade, football

     Friday - movies, crafts, leftovers, tree gathering if needbe and decorating, 

     Saturday - baking, Christmas dinner, Christmas Eve
     Sunday - Christmas morning, church, possibly lunch and sending everyone on their way home

This year's Condensed plan tightened things up a bit:

     Thursday - Thanksgiving dinner, parade, football, games

     Friday - Christmas decorating, dinner and Christmas eve

     Saturday morning - Christmas morning

     Saturday afternoon - Civil War

This will now need to be adjusted to:

     Thursday - Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas tree decorating, Christmas Eve

     Friday - Christmas morning, Christmas dinner

     Friday evening - Civil War Preparations

     Saturday - Civil War 

(If we get really good at this, who knows, maybe we will be able to pull the whole holiday season into about a 15 hour day!  And we'll call it "Holiday Extravaganza Super Amazingly Condensed")

I am flexible. I am flexible.  I am flexible.  Just have to keep telling myself that!   However I warned my son there will be no lazing around because we will have things to accomplish!  He texted me back, "Haha.  You and your busy holiday traditions ;)"  And then I reminded him that he is in charge of getting the cheese ball!  lol

In actuality, this is not really a bad thing. I needed to have G. open a Christmas Eve present early anyway, so why not just move the whole event?  All of the games, crafts, movies can be enjoyed with others around as well, but we will have quiet face time together for our Christmas Eve and morning which is really the most important to me.  Then we can all enjoy the preparations for the big Civil War game!

All the kids will be going to the game since it is at Reser Stadium at Oregon State this year.  The weather will be cold, about 45*, but only 20% chance of rain.  I will stay at the house to hold down the fort, and either watch or listen to the game, and then I will have to get ready to get to work at 11pm.

The time I get to spend with my sons is always precious and enjoyable.  I will be missing my oldest tremendously during this time, but maybe we can squeeze in some Skype time with him as well.  I will put that on the list :)

    

Holiday Extravaganza Condensed Explained...

For the last two years, my sons and I have celebrated a Holiday Extravaganza over Thanksgiving weekend.  This includes all celebration components pertaining to Thanksgiving and Christmas during the four days.  Two complete separate meals, no leftovers... on Thursday and Saturday.

The reason this began, was that in 2012, my youngest was planning to be on another continent during Christmas.  He was going to Australia for winter break during his freshman year of university.  B's fiance, Z was able to join in on all the traditions as well.

Here are some of postings from FB...

We had a great Thanksgiving! Hope all of you did also  We crammed everything we could into Z's first  ... Macy's Parade, National Dog Show, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and football... we had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, fresh made cranberry sauce, corn-on-the-cob, onion casserole, and black olives. After a nap I made whipped cream and we enjoyed Cindie's pumpkin pie - Thank you Cindie!! it was yummy! We stayed up long enough to eat leftovers as sandwiches too! I had told her it was about tv and food - and we made good on that threat  ... oh, and the Pilgrims of course ... lol

Same kids, same weekend, different holiday... Merry Christmas to All !!! Yesterday they chopped down a tree, we put up outside lights, watched some cartoons: The Grinch, Shrek the Halls, and Disney's Prep and Landing... all new to Z  and decorated the tree, along with baking some cookies. Tonight we had ham, candied yams with marshmallows, green bean casserole, King's Hawaiian Rolls and black olives. Now we've read the Christmas story from the Bible while setting up our nativity set, and opened up special Christmas Eve presents. The boys are racing each other around the kitchen with their remote control bumper cars!  What fun!

Same kids, same weekend, different holiday... Merry Christmas to All !!! Yesterday they chopped down a tree, we put up outside lights, watched some cartoons: The Grinch, Shrek the Halls, and Disney's Prep and Landing... all new to Z  and decorated the tree, along with baking some cookies. Tonight we had ham, candied yams with marshmallows, green bean casserole, King's Hawaiian Rolls and black olives. Now we've read the Christmas story from the Bible while setting up our nativity set, and opened up special Christmas Eve presents. The boys are racing each other around the kitchen with their remote control bumper cars!  What fun!

*  *  *

In 2013, my oldest was planning to move to Sweden just a week and half before Christmas Day, so it seemed a good idea, to put it all together again.

Best time with the boys! Just fun for us to be together  Enjoyed the Cowboys win in football, had a great dinner, enjoyed highlights from the Macy's Parade, took naps, played video games, ate pecan pie, and watched a hit movie. It's been a great Thanksgiving! 

It's been a fun filled Christmas Eve for us! Ham, marshmallowed yams, and green bean casserole, salad and rolls. Simple. Tree decorating, some gift giving, holiday crafting, baking, and now we are watching Mickey's Christmas  Soon the Christmas story and setting up the Nativity scene.  

What sounds like complete craziness, has actually turned out to be fairly wrinkle-free.  It takes some planning, but we get all the fun stuff in, two great meals and lots of family face time.  When it is all over with, I am done for the season :)  Which makes me smile as all my friends participate in the Christmas crunch while I don't have to.

On pondering this event further, it actually frees up the Christmas season for my sons to be with their girlfriends or their own families in the future, along with the opportunity to spend some holiday time with their dad who lives farther away, without having to worry about getting time squished in for me, trying to be in two places at once.  I like it a lot really, so I hope it is something we will continue.

*  *  *

Which brings me now to 2014, and the Holiday Extravaganza Condensed.   B. is living in Sweden now, and G. has some plans over his winter break to take a mini vacation to British Columbia with his girlfriend's family but I think it's planned for the week after Christmas.  I offered to trade days with my 20yo co-worker to work Christmas Eve and Day so she could have the days to visit with her brother who is getting to come home from the military.  Not having to worry about me, G. can make plans to visit his dad and be with that side of his family if he'd like.  So we will continue the Extravaganza tradition.

Only it will be a Condensed version... as I posted in FB...

Because G. is attending this year's OSU vs UofO Civil War, our Holiday Extravaganza... which is of itself, a whirlwind... will be "Condensed". Yes, Thanksgiving on Thursday, and Christmas on Friday! Woo-hoo! Including 2 completely different holiday dinners, parade and football game watching, board games, tree decorating, crafts, movies, and maybe a couple of presents. Feeling a bit crazy at present, but when Sunday arrives... I know I am done! for the year!! 

Actually nothing is getting condensed... we are just cramming it into 2 1/3 days instead of 4 1/2!  The menu is being cut back a bit since it will only be the two of us, which seems only reasonable. Thanksgiving will be fairly traditional, and Christmas dinner will have a bit of a twist to it. Otherwise, all the fun just packed into a shorter amount of time!

I'll let you know if we survive!!

:)

Financial Angst and God's Economy...

I am now working 50 hours a week and feel like I am moving backwards.

There has been some extra funding going out for the upcoming holidays.  I also realized I am getting really, really bad gas mileage.  I don't understand why the van is possibly only getting 8 miles to the gallon because I am not carrying that much extra poundage.  I had the van totally packed with heavy boxes and stuff to put into storage last spring when I went down to AZ and it was getting at least about 10 miles per gallon.  Spending $30 a week on gas, and not driving much is getting very old.

Anyway, each week I am borrowing a few (!) dollars from my son, the student, (the rich one in the family - the student), just to make ends meet and so, as I get my monthly paycheck from the shelter employment, I am having to apply most of it to repaying him, and not on the bills I had hoped to knock down with it.

Since holidays will be done with one fell swoop soon, I should have 4 months of my two jobs with no large outlay. Hopefully I will be able to accomplish something.  I have applied to a bunch of places, but have received no calls back.  I did want to be able to enjoy our Holiday Extravaganza so haven't made a super great effort up until now.

However, while on my "weekend" (Thursday and Friday) and visiting my pastor's family, and discussing this situation, I recalled that I have been on this hamster wheel before.  I have been in this same place, worked my butt off, and got no closer to getting my goals accomplished.  Working 120 hours the week, although it sounds logical, is not the answer.  In all the ways of the world, it seems like it should work... but it does not work this way on God's economy.

I have lived on God's economy before.  I know it works.  I don't know HOW it works, I just know it does.  I have put my efforts into the work that I can do, and depositing my checks into my account.  I have written checks out of the account for my tithe and the bills that need to be paid, and they have all been paid.  If I had actually kept a record of the amount of money going in, and the amount of money going out, it would not have added up correctly and should not have worked at all according to the logic of mathematics.  But on God's economy, it all worked smoothly and I never bounced a single payment.

God's Economy is how Jesus fed 5,000 people as told in Matthew...

Matthew 14:13-21New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

*  *  *

It was nothing we talked about specifically, but I was also impressed to seek out a volunteering opportunity.  To "walk in the spirit" is being taught in my church, and I believe I should donate the extra time I have to a worthy cause and continue to tithe faithfully.  Things will work out for the best with my finances if I leave it up to God.  I know He is ultimately in charge of all of this anyway, so I need to "let go, and let God."

I know it doesn't seem to make sense logically, but since I have tried to find work, and not much has changed, I am willing to give other avenues a try as well.

:)

Happy Veterans Day...

In a Funk... MORE TO COME

Note to Self for Next Year...

Self:  "Make sure your birthday is set to 'Friends' on Facebook."

It totally sucked that only 2 people wished me a Happy Birthday on Facebook this year.

I hadn't slept much after getting off work at midnight, when I got to thinking about straightening out the mail box situation at the boys' address where I am also getting mail, so I headed out to the Post Office at about 9:30am.  I also got the idea to look online to see if there was a listing of fun or free birthday stuff and ended up driving through Dutch Brothers for a free double chocolate mocha espresso.  The freshman who took my order made me feel nice by repeating what I wanted to the girl who was making them and saying, "for the birthday girl!"  He then decorated my straw... Look!  I think that takes some talent...

By 10am I knew my birthday must not be showing up on my FB friend's calendars, but I couldn't figure out how to change that.  I kept checking FB and each time, seeing nothing, got more depressed and upset.

At about 10:30, the first wishes I got were from my car insurance agent, whose secretary actually calls every year to send wishes rather than sending out cards.  Then my younger son's girlfriend texted me.  Later I got a call from an old homeschooling friend and we chatted for over an hour.  All of these were extremely appreciated.

I got wishes from exactly 6 people total.  I didn't even hear from my older son or my best friend.

I was in such an emotional and tired state by the time my younger son got away from school in the early evening, I texted and told him I didn't feel much like celebrating and called off the plans we had made.  I told him I was just going to go to sleep.  I was in tears and really feeling yucky.  He said, "no way!" and drove to where I was and gave me a birthday hat, a party blower, a little balloon and a gift.  He made me laugh, and gave me big hugs... and then I felt like a total poop being such a burden to him.  What an emotional roller coaster!

We went out for sushi as planned and had a very enjoyable evening.  We both seem to enjoy each other's company as people.  He also told me he was going to try to be better at not being distracted when we make an actual date.  He is really busy with his 3rd year business major classes this term, and his girlfriend so I am really very honored that he wants to spend tine with me, his ol' mom, at all.

Although he had been texting me during the day, he didn't say Happy Birthday... he was waiting.  But I want all my special people to know that I want to hear birthday wishes first thing in the morning... I want to start the celebration with the realization that it is, indeed, a very special day!

After dinner, we shared the Ice Wine I purchased in Durango.  It is a sweet dessert wine, and really, half a glass would have been plenty.  We saved some for his girlfriend to try :)

I was born in 1957, and this year I turned 57.  I thought it might mean something special, but wow... what a rough beginning!

* * * * *

So, the following day, I get a text message on my phone from my older son in Sweden and it reads, "oh my gosh mom!!  It;s the 7th!!  Do you know how old you are?!?"  I repsonded, "Yeah... too old!"  He said he had lost control of dates.  I said because I loved him, I forgave him, but that it had made me cry not to hear from him.  He said he was "so sorry" :(  I explained that I hadn't heard from anyone on FB either, and he was sorry to hear that too, and sorry that he had dropped the ball when I needed him.

He then thanked me for the cereal I sent him, and sent a video of him pouring milk on it and eating some.  He told me he loved me, and was so glad I was his mom... *sigh* :)  ...that's really all a Mom wants to hear, right?  Besides Happy Birthday on her birthday, I mean!

Raisin Bran Flakes... for his 22nd birthday :)

Later in the afternoon, I got a text from CJ wishing me Belated Birthday!! and explained that her phone died on her bday.  She hoped I had lots o' fun yesterday!  and said, "Love you my bc xxx"  But I am not sure what a 'bc' is  ???  I told her it was tough not hearing from older son and her, but that younger son and I had had a nice dinner.  She responded she was sorry and that "life is better with sushi."

oh so true!

:)