Category Archives: Holidays

Holidays, Piper

Dog demoted

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Our dog, Piper, has been really great about not chewing things, generally. We stopped putting her in a crate a long time ago, trusting her to behave while we were gone. As long as we didn’t leave toys or candy out in plain sight, she was doing pretty well. That is, until we brought home this year’s Christmas tree.

I would come home after being gone for a couple hours and she would cower, knowing she had done something wrong. I would quickly look around, and eventually find the remains of a Christmas ornament or decoration. She destroyed ornaments that my kids had each made in preschool, which saddened me, and she came really close to destroying a couple ornaments I spent hours and hours cross-stitching. You have to understand that the ornaments on our tree are not there for decoration. Almost every ornament holds a memory for us. So I was not about to let this dog destroy our memories, one by one. To prevent her from destroying more of our precious memories, we relocated all the ornaments on the bottom of the tree to the top so that she couldn’t knock them down and chew them up.

It worked, in that she didn’t destroy anymore ornaments. However, it wasn’t enough. She was reminded that she really likes chewing stuff, so she found alternatives. One alternative, actually – my shoes. Now these were not expensive shoes, but they were useful to me. I wore them every day, except for that day of course – but that was only because I wore my snow boots – so I guess I’m in the market for a new pair of sneakers.

And, more importantly, Piper has been demoted to the crate when we leave her home alone. The crate we were using before was borrowed, so we had to go and buy a new one, but it’s cheaper than a new pair of shoes, and certainly worth it when you consider all those ornaments holding memories that cannot be replaced. Piper seems to be fine with the change, because she knows it makes us happy. As much as she loves chewing stuff, she really really hates it when we’re mad at her. This way, everybody’s happy. Let Christmas come!

Family, Holidays, Memories
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I remember when we were kids (back before the internet) when you would take the Toys R Us ad and circle all the things you wanted for Christmas? Times have changed. Now my kids make lists – very specific lists – or they guide me through finding the exact items on Amazon. “Google it Mom, it’s a real thing. Just pull it up on your phone.” he says, of the bungee chair he wants for Christmas. It’s true, it’s a real thing.

I don’t remember every Christmas in great detail, but there are a few I can recall fondly. I remember the year I got a Cabbage Patch doll. When I woke up Christmas morning and looked under the tree, I knew it was there because they came in these distinctly shaped boxes. So unless you repackaged it, it was a dead giveaway. My best Christmas memories though are the times spent with my family. Waking up to Christmas breakfast, running around my Grandma’s house with all my cousins, knealing around the Christmas tree with my brother and sister. Just being together. That was the biggest gift. And I hope those are the memories our kids hold onto as well. Because that’s the stuff that lasts. Everything else wears out, fades away.

Of course Christmas is not all about the presents. We now, as parents, love to give gifts to our kids, and every year we manage to go a little bit overboard. Hopefully we are not creating spoiled children by doing so. Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth, so we think a lot about God this time of year, when we maybe wouldn’t have otherwise. And I believe God is the biggest gift giver. He loves to give us good things the same way we love to give our kids good things. And maybe He runs the risk of spoiling us, but He does it anyway, doesn’t He? As much as the commercialization of this holiday busts my buttons (lol), I can reconcile it in my spirit by remembering who we are modeling our lives after. It may sound pathetic, but I do feel that by giving to others – our kids, our extended family, friends, neighbors, etc. – we are modeling a bit of Jesus’ character. He gave His life, the ultimate gift. So would it be wrong to say we are honoring Him by giving to others? Maybe? Maybe. I don’t know…

 

 

Daily Snippets, Family, Food, Holidays

Pre-Thanksgiving Prep

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So Thanksgiving is almost here. We host, so that means we have a certain level of preparing that needs to be done. I keep it at a low level though, cuz I fail miserably at hosting if it try too hard.  We roast the turkey, we make the mashed potatoes, the corn, the stuffing, and everybody else brings the rest. I don’t decorate, though I do have a fall themed tablecloth I hope to remember to bring out for the occasion. I don’t even clean the house beyond what I do normally. Anything to minimize my stress and anxiety is worth it if it means everyone has a good time and we can enjoy each other’s company. Planning ahead helps me to both budget my energy and to make sure everything is ready. And if it’s not, I have to decide that’s okay too. Half the battle is changing my perspective. My family all knows this about me, thankfully, so that takes the pressure off. They see what needs to be done and fill in the cracks accordingly.

One thing I am striving for today though, is to clean out the fridge to make room for the turkey day leftovers. Which means I am working on using up our every day leftovers. In other words, I’m eating whatever I can. It’s a slight departure from my daily smoothies but my gut doesn’t seem to be bothered by it, yay! This morning I had scrambled eggs with red onion, red bell pepper, and feta. It was scrumptious, and I was able to rid the fridge of four containers. Still have lots of cleaning out to do but that was a fun way to get it started. Well not as much fun as it was tasty, I guess. You know what I mean, right?

I have a sick kid home with me today so I’ve taken plenty of breaks to tend to her needs, but overall it’s been a relaxing yet productive day so far. The best kind, if you ask me!

Daily Snippets, Holidays

Christmas letters

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I love getting Christmas cards. Cute pictures of people’s kids and pets, seeing how everyone is growing, I love it. Sometimes – sometimes – we get a letter. And those are my favorite. I’ve been sending out Christmas cards every year for the last few years, the photo cards you can make by uploading your favorite picture(s) from the year, but this year I’m running into some trouble. Thing is, my recipient list has grown longer and prices have gone up. I’m not really excited about spending $100 plus on Christmas cards. So I thought maybe this year I would start sending generic Christmas cards, and just insert a photo and a personalized letter into each one of them. I’m excited about doing this, but I wasted so much time this morning browsing the photo printing sites for cards that I won’t be able to get going on it today. So I’m posting this here to help me remember. It works, really. Oh, and here’s a link I wanted to save with some useful tips:

http://www.marylandwriter.net/2009/11/five-tips-for-writing-perfect-christmas.html

So I know it’s just barely November, and we are possibly all still reeling from the election results, but I have been thinking about Christmas for weeks! I’ve even made a good head start on my gift shopping. I’m not trying to pressure anyone to get going on holiday planning, because Lord knows holidays can be stressful and I don’t want to stress you out. I just wanted to share my little bit of excitement, and hopefully take your mind off that aforementioned event. Holidays are coming! Tell me, if you enjoy the winter holidays, what’s your favorite thing? What do you look forward to most?

Coffee, Daily Snippets, Holidays, Photos, Uncategorized

Can we talk about my coffee maker?

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Did I mention my husband bought me a Keurig for Christmas? He did. A red one! And it was such a surprise. He also bought me a new set of knives, but that wasn’t so much a secret because he bought it with our shared Amazon Prime account and I get all the notifications. But I digress. I have a Keurig, and I am loving it just as much as I thought I would. It was one of those things you drool over at other people’s houses, but figure you probably wouldn’t love it as much as you think you would, and just chalk the drooling up to good old fashioned envy. Which is why I never went out and bought one for myself.

But don’t you know? I DO love it! Well, as much as you can “love” an inanimate object. When people say they love their Keurigs, you figure it’s just that shiny new car smell that will eventually wear off. And maybe it is, but I’m really enjoying this single cup brewer. And with the reusable K-cup my son bought for me (at the hubby’s suggestion of course), I’m not even spending more money on K-cups or worrying about polluting the planet with the one-time use, non-recyclable cups. Nope. I grind my coffee beans, and fill my own k-cups, and it makes one delicious cup of coffee at a time. So I’m finding that I’m actually drinking less coffee! Quality over quantity, folks. That, and I can switch it up. If it’s too late in the day for leaded, I can brew a cup of decaf. If I’m more in the mood for tea, I can make that. I can even make hot cocoa for the kids. It’s a win all around.

So, I realize it’s only been 3 weeks which is not nearly enough time for the new car smell to wear off, but I really don’t see it happening any time soon. It’s a really wonderful gift. I heart you, red Keurig. Now go make me a cup of coffee 🙂

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Family, Holidays, Multiple Sclerosis, Photos

Independence Day 2015

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wpid-20150704_220508.jpgI had a weekend to remember. Yes, it was the Fourth of July, which has always been a favorite of mine, but this one was my best yet. The kids played, the husband caught up on yard work and relaxed, and I enjoyed being a part of it all.

Saturday we went up to “The Lake” with Grandpa, for dinner and fireworks. The Lake (which probably has a name, but I don’t know it) is actually man-made, with permanent campsites set up all around it. Grandpa’s friends have campers/cabins up there, so we go every year. It’s actually pretty cool. The people travel within the park by walking, biking, or driving golf carts. And you have to be 16 to drive a golf cart, but you are NOT required to have a driver’s license. I think. Anyway, golf carts don’t go very fast so they let me drive one! All the way around the lake! I was too nervous to do it alone so I had Mike riding shotgun, while the kids rode in the back. And it was wonderful. I haven’t driven in close to 2 years, and I really miss the independence of it, so this was a gift to me. To be in the driver’s seat, pushing the pedal, steering the wheel, with the wind in my hair and the sunshine on my face. In short, it made my day.

Actually, that’s not true. Although, if that’s all it was, it would have definitely made my day. But there’s more.

Natalie and I were at the camp playground, swinging on the swings, when Luke came running up to us and shouted, “They accepted it! They accepted our offer!” See, we had just put an offer on a new house and were still waiting to hear from the seller. Yup. We’re buying a new house, y’all. There are still some details to take care of, but my understanding is that it’s all normal stuff and shouldn’t cause any issues. We bought our current home from my mother-in-law, easy peasy, so this home buying process is new to us. However, we have been praying A LOT through every step of the way, and that has really made all the difference.

I’m excited about this house. We all are. It has a beautiful yard, with a deck, gazebo (great for shade!), a shed, and a firepit. The house is two-story, but the bedrooms and laundry are all on the same floor. If I have an MS relapse in the future and have trouble walking, there are bathrooms on every floor, so I’ll always be able to relieve myself. The stairs were definitely an issue we considered. We really thought hard and prayed about the stairs, because I do have MS, and there is always that possibility that one day my legs won’t work. But I really felt God telling me to trust Him, and not to make this decision out of fear. Mike agreed, so we went for it. The house is located in a fantastic school district, a great neighborhood, is still in the range of Spec-Tran (my ride service), and we discovered that some friends I used to volunteer with live just down the road! So I believe all of those positive attributes outweigh the “what-if” factor of my MS. This is going to be a good change for our family. A big change, but a good one.

Now we just need to sell the house we’re in, which will be another new adventure for us!

Holidailies 2014, Holidays, Photos

I think that last stocking got hanged

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So. I have three Christmas stockings. The one on the left with the Santa Claus is my favorite, because my grandma knit it for me, and I used it every Christmas growing up. Only problem is that it stretches, but that’s not really much of a real problem.

The reindeer stocking in the middle was also knit by someone, though I can’t remember who. But, it has my name on it so I’m pretty sure it was by someone I should know.

The stocking on the rightwith the super-duper cute snowman was made years ago by my mother, and she made one for my husband to match, as well as similar stockings for the kids. This is the one I hang near the tree, with the rest of the family’s stockings. Only we have a problem. The ‘I’ and the ‘N’ fell off at some point and I can’t find them anywhere. But Mom is coming to visit this weekend, perhaps we can take a trip to the craft store and make some replacement letters?

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And then… what to stuff in them? Candy, fruit, travel games? What do you put in your stockings at Christmas time?

Family, Holidailies 2014, Holidays, Photos

Oh, the tree!

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We put our Christmas tree up on Monday. It’s a real tree, in all its glory. We’ve had real trees in the past, but when we got a cat we stopped and bought a fake tree. Easier to retrieve from the floor and repair, only it has seen better days and doesn’t hold all our ornaments. That was well before we had kids, so the kids have never had a real tree before. This was their first year, and I really think they are enjoying it  They helped pick it out, trim it up, and put the ornaments on. Just this morning I caught Luke leaving the table during breakfast to go turn the lights back on.  We already have a good stash of presents purchased, so I’m excited to wrap them up and put them under the tree. After I get a new tree skirt, of course. Can’t have a naked tree all December, now can we?

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Deafness, Holidailies 2014, Holidays, Multiple Sclerosis

Holidailies 2014

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I’m a day late for this blog project (as I was with the thankfulness challenge, but I figure a day late is better than never, and who’s counting anyway?). I heard about Holidailies from a fellow WordPress blogger, Wendi over at Sudden Silence. I thought it sounded like a fun way to be “held accountable” to writing. Holidailies is basically a portal for blog entries written on mostly daily basis from December 1 to January 1. The posts don’t have to be about the holidays, though chances are most of them will be. Given the obsessiveness our society has evolved into having with these winter-time holidays.

That sounded like a segue into a rant about Christmas commercialism. I assure you, it was not. I’m not much of a ranter when it comes to blogging.

Oh! I almost forgot. I’m supposed to introduce myself for those who are new here. There is some info on my About page, but I’ll elaborate. I am 36, and I have multiple sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 2009 while I was pregnant with my daughter. It causes problems, which I talk about here some, but you’ll see that in no way does MS have me. II lost my hearing in the matter of one short week in August 2013 due to autoimmune inner ear disease, but I have since been implanted with a cochlear implant in my right ear. MS struck hard in September 2013 and took some of my vision. So being deaf, visually impaired, and easily fatigued from the MS all adds up to an unemployable me. Which gives me plenty of time to write, something I have always loved to do.

I do welcome your comments here on my blog, whether it’s to ask me a question or just to say hi. Welcome, welcome, and I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!!

~Mindy

Coffee, Family, Food, Friends, Holidays, Miracles do happen, Photos

Leftovers

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The kids are at Grandma’s, and we have had a glorious time relaxing after the holiday. Yesterday after we dropped the kids off we stopped at the indoor shooting range. This is our idea of a date, because we both enjoy shooting. Mike is good at it, and has done well in competitions. In fact, I think he won the last one he competed in. I, on the other hand, am not so great. I just don’t get enough practice, but also the impaired vision doesn’t help. Though I surprised us both yesterday. I did a lot better than we expected. My reward? An early Christmas present purchased from the gun store, registered in my name.

After our time at the range, we headed to the local Italian restaurant for a good, Chicago-style pizza. Mike had been craving it, and I am always up for pizza. Even the day after Thanksgiving. We always like to order the largest sized pie and bring the leftovers home. Mike and Luke both just love cold pizza for breakfast. Silly boys.

So, this morning I had pizza for breakfast, and now I am enjoying the turkey day leftovers for lunch: pumpkin pie and coffee. We haven’t even touched the leftover turkey yet.

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Thankfully the house wasn’t destroyed from the festivities, so it didn’t take much to clean up. Dishes are done, extra table and chairs packed away, floor mopped. Mike even got his voice back!

I have to say I was quite amazed and pleased to see so many people giving thanks on Facebook this year. And not just any thanks, but thanks for the simple, genuine things like family and friends and God’s blessings. There was a bit of a trend of hard times for many of my friends and family this past year. Many of us were struck with extreme challenges like major illness and even death, some happening on this very week of Thanksgiving. I honestly believe the devil was trying extra hard this year to bring people down, but if my personal Facebook feed is any indication, it didn’t work. People are still seeing the good in life, and thanking God for it. I pray that continues, and that we are all able to see God’s hand at work in our lives.

All in all, it was a pretty perfect holiday. I am still learning to cope with change and enjoy every moment of life I am given. I pray the same for whoever is reading these words. Now… on to Christmas!!