2006 Ready or Not, Here it Comes!

Another year has come. And gone. I am another year older. Wiser? Well I suppose that is debateable, but I can't think of any major mistakes or regrets associated with 2005 so I'm good. Actually, I'm so much better than good. I am truly blessed. Just like New Year's Eves of the recent past, I am overwhelmed and overcome with how GOOD God has been to me and mine. Being the me that I am, it would be way way way too easy for me to get philosophical and sappy about my husband and children and parents and brother, but I won't do that. Suffice it to say that given everything that is going on in the world today, I try not to take anything for granted - there but for the amazing grace of God, go I.

Resolutions? Well I gave up making them several years ago because I seldom, if ever kept them. I have thought and thought and thought some more about making some for 2006. I still hesitate to be specific but I will say that I resolve to take care of myself in the new year. Less self-guilt. More self-love. Less self-doubt. More self-praise. Less, "I wonder what they will think." More, "I have to do what is right for me." I have this awful habit of making life harder than it has to be and putting myself through entirely too much undue stress. Wish I knew why, but that really isn't the issue. In 2006 I just plan to do less of this.

It's been a very long time since I posted any pics to my blog. So long in fact, that I may have forgotten how. Let's give it a try ...


Okay so it appears that my pics are at the top of this entry whereas I wanted them directly above this paragraph. Anyway, they are pics of my "new" scraproom which is a work in progress. It used to be cement white (both the walls and the floor). As you can see it is now a shade of blue that is the result of me combining the lovely shades of blue and green that I recently painted Jared's and Justin's respective bedrooms. I also now have a 8' x 12' piece of carpet on the floor - so you know how big (or small actually) my room is.

Where I used to have a farily large table at which to sit and scrap, I now have a new Craftsman workbench at which to stand and scrap. Where I used to have my paper and cardstock horizontally laying in the "Target cubes" I now have the Cropper Hopper vertival storage trolley. I also have that other Cropper Hopper drawer storage thingy too where I used to have a couple of Serlite drawer storage thingies.

My ever-present and all-important stereo is sitting atop the white cabinet that will eventually go back up on the wall to hold some of my scrapbooks as it isn't large enough to hold all of them. In my stereo, you know I have some jammin' cds - currently my main man Will Downing (so smooth), Sting (so cool and mellow-jazzy), Mariah Carey (so "hip-pop"), Babyface (also smooth, but in a different way from Will) and Jill Scott (so raw without being profane).

I still have a TON of stuff to bring back into my room but I'm taking my time so that I can find a permanent place for everything and so that I can remember all the new permanent places KWIM? Unfortunately, I need Dave to do a few things before I can move so much back in there. This is unfortunate because he is the KING of procrastination and of unfinished projects. Who do you think painted the room and put the workbench together? Yours truly. It is no fluke that one of my favorite sayings is, "God bless the child that's got his own." In this case I'm referreing to my own tools and ambition to get the job done!

Plans for tonight? Nada special. More simplicity over complexity. More of less being more. More chillin' with my man and my rugrats. More life etc.

Happy New Year!

td (tracydacy)

Merry Christmas

Well almost ... in two minutes it will be Christmas Day and here I sit up in bed on the laptop wide awake while not any other creature is stirring in the house. I know that it will be a while before I am able to drift off. Why? When were out earlier my allergies started acting up and I took a Benedryl. We got home around 6 or so, I cooked at ate dinner, showered and decided to climb into bed and browse some scrapping mags for inspiration with the January KNK kit, which was waiting on my doorstep this evening. Before I knew anything I was out like a light. I totally forgot about the Benedryl, only knew that for some reason I could not stay awake. Even if I had thought about it, I'd have thought that some two hours after I had taken it, the sleepy effects would have worn off. Guess I'd have been wrong on that count eh?

Anyway, I'm just trying to decide when to go downstairs and do the Santa thang. Shortly I supposed. As usual, the kids are getting a bunch of stuff but I can't wait to see their faces. Especially Justin's. Can't wait until he opens that "Chicken Wimbo" which of course is Chicken Limbo. I noticed today that my baby is now pronouncing his "L's" correctly. When did that happen? I'd say within the last two weeks or so ...

Oh well, at the risk of sounding really hokey and even a bit cliche, I plan to spend Christmas enjoying the most wonderful gifts, my husband and my children. We'll have a few folks over but Christmas has been a veg out holiday for us for the last four or five years and I am so looking forward to it - enjoying the simple things but oh so important things and that's it. No fancy stuff. Sweats, not sequins. Wing dings and cheese sticks, not ham or turkey and all the traditional holiday fixings. Simplicity, not complexity. It's like that, and that's the way it is. And how I prefer it.

Merry Christmas to all (and to all a good night!)

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td

Christmas Is Coming

I don't think I am necessarily trying to avoid or resisting getting in the Christmas spirit, it's just that it's not happening as readily as it normally does. I mean, I'm just not feeling very festive but my hubby is changing that. Yesterday he got out in the snow and hung some of the Christmas lights. I felt so bad that he was out there in the snowy cold that I went and stood out there while he worked for support. He was pretty chipper and cheerful the whole time, even having to work with the ever-stiffening rope lights. Even when I went in for a warm up break he didn't make a wise crack.

Then, between 8:30 and 9 PM last night he decided to put up the new fiber-optic Christmas tree. As I sat there watching him put it up, he got somewhat philosophical and started telling me how some of his co-workers complain so much but that he is really happy. Yeah, he knows that nothing is perfect but he is genuinely happy with his life and with me. I told him that I think that our marriage is the epitome of what a good marriage should be. From time to time we get on each other's nerves and piss each other off and just don't feel like being bothered with each other but the vast majority of the time we enjoy each other's company. We enjoy talking to each other. We make each other laugh. We look at the kids, and each other and we smile from the inside out and recognize how truly blessed we are.

I took a bunch of pictures of him putting up the tree. I'll do a LO of him once I get my scraproom back in order.

As I dozed off last night I thought to myself that spending the day with Dave in our junky home, with our loud unruly kids and slowly giving in to the Christmas spirit more than made up for the crappy mood/day I had on Saturday ...

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Ho hum ...

The saying goes, "No news is good news." I suppose this is true but no news can also be boring and that pretty much explains why I have not blogged in such a long time. In fact, I don't have any new news today either ...

Well there is some good news. Since I last wrote, Angela of KNK invited me and six or seven other KNK members to be the new KNK Design Team. I still remember my reaction to her initial email inquiry. I thought to myself, "Wow, she much kinda like my LOs eh?" It was such an honor to be asked and to serve on the Team with such talented other ladies. December is the first month that our creations will be feature in the newsletter and I adored that Fancy Pants kit!

The other news is not so good. Ford is supposed to "involuntarily separating" quite a number of salaried employees during the first quarter of next year. Can I just say how sick and tired I am of wondering and worrying about the status of my job?!?!? I can say that 90% of the time, I just go with the flow and think, "whatever" because I know that it is out of my hands and that there really isn't much I can do about it one way or the other. It's just the other 10% of the time when I worry and let my imagination run away with me. After I feel about ready to scream about it, my common sense and spirituality kicks in and reminds me that the Lord will provide - whatever the case or scenario.

I am feeling bummed today. Can't really put my finger on why, but I am. Part of it is that I really want to work on my scrap room but can't. I'm in the middle of totally redoing it, but I need Dave's help. Hopefully he'll do the tiny bit I need him to do tonight and then I can stucko it tomorrow or soon thereafter. I think I'm going to LOVE it when I get done. I got a new Craftsman workbench to go in there and I'm going to paint the room the same wonderful shade of green that I recently painted Justin's room. I ordered some Cropper Hopper vertical storage holders this morning and I going to look into getting the trolley too. I'm excited about it all, but as I also said, today I am feeling kind of blue. Kind of sad. I wish that Dave were here to hold me right now and tell me that everything is going to be just fine.

What else?? Christmas is three weeks from tomorrow. I am looking forward to being off and to seeing the kid's faces on Christmas morning, assuming that Santa actaully visits them. They have not been on their best behavior so it's quite possible that they will get nothing more than a lump of coal for the holiday. I can remember trying to be so good during the days leading up to Christmas when I was a little girl, but my kids just keep being bratty. Go figure.

See, told you I didn't have much to say here.

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tracydacy

Pride & Joy

On the KNK message board, someone asked if you ever feel guilty for scrapping one child more than the other(s). I had to admit that I do (scrap one kid more AND feel guilty about it). Lately I have not scrapped Jared very much, due in large part to the fact that he so into himself and things that he wants to do that he's not really around for me to snap him picture very often. This weekend I deliberately made it a point to get a few picture of him - he's so handsome. Anyway, I turned one of them black and white and scrapped it. I call the LO, "Pride & Joy." It's really a very simple LO, but I love how it turned out! Here it is ...

Gotta go - ttfn!

Justin's First Kiss

When my mother picked Justin up on Friday afternoon he informed her that he has a girlfriend. When I called her to check in after she picks him up, she passed the news along to me. I asked her a few questions but she didn't know the answers, so I waited until that evening to probe Justin myself ...

I asked him how he wound up with a girlfriend. He said that at naptime he and "Haley" were laying next to each other and she told him that they were boyfriend and girlfriend now. I asked him some more questions like if he really liked her and if he thought she were pretty (his response to both of those questions was "yes"). Anyway I forget how it came up, but he told me that he kissed her. I couldn't believe it. My five-year-old baby has had his first kiss with a girl?!?! How could that be?!?! I asked him where he kissed her. "On the forehead?" I asked. Pointing to his lips, he said, "Here." That sealed it. It really was his first official kiss with a girl. Not that I'm afraid they'll elope, but I had my mother tell their teacher to separate them when she dropped Justin off this morning. He is definitely David's son ...

After Justin's revelation, I just kinda sat there lamenting how fast kids grow up today. I don't know if I looked sad or perplexed or what, but my expression caused Jordyn to ask what was wrong. I told her that I couldn't believe that her younger brother had kissed girl. And do you know what she told me???? She told me that she had kissed a boy too. I needed to find out if hers had been official too, so I asked, "Where did you kiss him?" I added hopefully, "On the cheek?" Her response let me know that her first kiss had been official too. So I asked her the boy's name - the name she told me escapes me right now, but she only gave his first name so I asked her his last name. And do you know what she told me??? She said she forgot because it happened two years ago when she was in kindergarten! What the??? Is Kissing 101 part of the kindergarten curriculum these days???

No, I'm not mad because my two youngest children had their first kiss at age 5. It's all innocent enough, and I'm particularly pleased that Justin's was special enough to come and tell Mommy about it. However, like I've already said, it does make me wonder why they have to grow up so fast.

Oh well, according to Jared, he's made it to the sixth grade without his lips touching anyone else's that wasn't a relative. At least that's what he says. I believe him too. He's showing little to no interest in girls - he still thinks their pretty gross, except for one girl in his class that he made me promise not to tell his dad about. When I asked him if he'd like to kiss her he blushed, and didn't deny that he would. But he's shy about those things so I think it'll high school before his lips ever make it far - at least I'm holding out hope for that.

Speaking of Jared, I made one of my most favorite scrapbook LOs of him over the weekend. I'll post it later.

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Why Am I Still Up?

Five minutes until midnight and I have to get up and go to work in the morning. Why am I still up? I feel restless but don't think I'll have any trouble to sleep once I get in the bed...

I've had so much on my mind lately. Actually "lately" isn't really the right word because I always have a lot on my mind. I can say that lately much of it has to do with whether or not I will have a job this time next month. I am assuming that the re-org will have been announced by that time. Am I worried? Honestly? No, not really and it's not because I feel so secure, because I don't. Not at all, but it's one of those things that I realize that I cannot change one way or the other. So weird because my inability to change certain situations has never stopped me from worrying about them in the past. To some degree I equate the possibilty of being unemployed with the possiblity that a publisher might actually like the book I wrote and rather than second guess myself, I should submit it.

I never thought that my first book would be a children's book but it is. I always wanted to write a book that I thought was good, not one that I wrote for the sake of writing and being published though even then the book would have to be good right? At least good enough to catch a publisher's eye - well no, not necessarily as I have read a few bad books in my day. Anyway, I am very pleased with how it turned out and the fact that it is based on an actual conversation I had with Justin, that's just the icing on the cake.

What else is on my mind? My mother. Her memory and the loss thereof. As I was telling Dena, it makes me angry. It makes me sad. I am starting to struggle with aging. Not because of vanity and the inevitable decline/deterioration of "beauty" but because of the physical and mental decline/deterioration of the body and mind that is also inevitable, or so it would seem. Not to mention the whole death and dying thing. Being a Christian, I find some comfort in knowing that I will see some of the people I knew and loved and miss again in heaven, but that doesn't stop the longing in my soul to see them again. It doesn't stop the dread in my soul, knowing that if I live long enough that I will lose people who are closer to me than anyone that I have ever lost in the past. I have so many questions that I want to ask God ...

My scrapping mojo appears to be missing in action yet again. It is coming and going so frequently here lately. It comes, stays a few days and then it's gone again. I could really use that mojo to keep my mind occupied with creative processes rather than the depressing, mundane, discontent that seems to have set up shop there.

I brought home a Lincoln Navigator tonight. Maxine arranged for me to get it as a way to show her appreciation for the work I did with the Production Creation picnic.

I really need to get off of the 'puter now and try to get some rest so ...

ttfn

The Unofficial End of Summer

Summer is over. Well technically we have sixteen days until the autumnal equinox according to the calendar, but unofficially it was over last Tuesday when my two older kids, Jared and Jordyn, went back to school.

How is it that I have a kid in middle school now??? I swear, I remember cradling Jared in my arms for the first time like it were right now. That kid is getting so big. I predict that within 18 months he'll be taller than me - probably sooner.

Jordyn is a second-grader now. She's getting big too and is sassy as ever.

And then there is Justin, my kindergartener.

All three of them seem to really enjoy going to school. I was a very good student, but I can't say that I really liked school. It was okay, but I wasn't happy to get up and go every day. My kids on the other hand appear to anticipate each school day with enthusiasm. Admittedly, I think the boys, well at least Jared, is more into the social aspect of school than the academics (he is a pretty good student though). Jordyn, despite being so sassy and in-control here at home, is actually kind of shy and reserved so she seems a little more into school for the learning, though she has her freinds too. Justin, enjoys the social and academic aspects of school.

Other indications that summer is ending are:
- ads for the new fall television season
- it's dark at 8:30 now
- I'll be starting my school year work schedule again
- not running the A/C as often
- the kids could have used a light jacket this morning, even though they refused one

I'm off this week and it feels great to have the house to myself. There so many things I need to get done - I even need to do a few things for the job. Right now I have no motivation though. I don't see that changing either. I know that how much I get done will depend on how well I "just do it." I could spend a bunch of time planning and allocating time for this and that but in the end, I have to get up off my behind and just do it. Speaking of my behind (which I would rather not) it's growing. I have no motivation to eat right and exercise to get rid of these extra 20 pounds. At this point I am finding it harder and harder to maintain my weight, let alone to lose any...

Well that's all for now. I'll try to blog more often, even though my entries aren't particularly interesting ...

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There's No Place Like Home

We are back from Florida! We had a fabulous time and I cannot believe how quickly the vacation week went by. Yes, I'm sorry that our 2005 family vacation has come to an end. Having said all of this, I am so very happy to be back home and to have a home to come back to.

After the very longest drive home (19.5 hours) we pulled into our driveway at approximately 2:30 this morning. I swear the kids must have had to use the bathroom 7 or 8 times and then Jordyn got sick so we had to stop off at a Walmart in Kentucky to get her something to make her feel better. We had to fill up the gas tank four times (averaging $40 each time). I can't believe I spent nearly $30 at Arby's for our dinner. As much as I hated driving, I took over the wheel close to midnight to give Dave a break. I actually drove three different times on the trip home and discovered that I don't like driving over very high bridges in the mountains. When we go to Disney again, I'll drive in Michigan, Ohio and Florida - that's it. The Explorer is trashed. The kids argued much of the time. Etc. etc. etc. Typical 1200-mile road trip! I'm so glad it's over. I'm so happy to be home.

I took at ton of pictures - just like last year. The only difference is that this time I don't have 17 rolls of film to develop. I only have two rolls and five cds with probably more than 700 pictures and two rolls of cam-corder tape. Yep, we've basically gone totally digital. I can't wait to get scrapping. i just need to buy some albums. Still debating if I want to scrap in 8 1/2 x 11 or 11 x 8 1/2. I'm thinking, "maybe not." I still want to try that size but I don't think I want to do the vacation pics in the smaller format.

Well, I just wanted to "check in." I'll write more soon.

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Countdown to Disney

Well the countdown is officially on. We're leaving for Disney in approximately 15 hours. The plan is to leave at 4 AM. Let's see if things work out that way. Honestly, I think we'll be lucky if we leave by 5 but that sure beats leaving after 8:00 like we did last year.

I can't believe it but I did get the entire house cleaned. The only room that could stand some improvement is the family room but that's because that's where the suitcases and everything else that we're taking is. Despite having cleaned the whole house and packed for me and the kids, I still have ton of work to do. I still have to cut the boys hair and do Jordyn's. I have to bathe the two younger kids. I have make the sandwiches and pack all the roadtrip snacks and drinks. I have to do all of this and be in bed by 8:00 with hopes of being sleep by 9:30. I deliberately stayed up until after 1:00 last night and was back up at 4:00 so that I will be really tired early. Let's see if that strategy works.

The kids are so excited and I guess I am too. The 1200-mile roadtrip will be less than thrilling I'm sure but it will give the kids something to talk about 20 years from now. Plus this year we are NOT driving down to Ft. Lauderdale. We're doing Daytona instead so once we finally leave for home it won't take forever and a day to get out of Florida.

I know one thing, Justin had better not be on the same "I'm sweaty" kick he was on last year. What a pain in the butt he was. And another thing - I don't plan on renting a double stroller for he and Jordyn this year either. If anything they should rent one to push me around in ...

I bought four scrapbooking magazines to read on the road. I am also taking Harry Potter #5 to try and finish reading and I'm bringing the Lemony Snicket book to read to the kids. Terry McMillan had a book signing last week and I started to go and buy her book and the new Harry Potter to take, but I haven't officially kicked back into "reading mode" so I didn't want to potentially waste my money although I will definitely be getting the new HP soon.

Earlier this week I finished school shopping all of the kids. The boys, who really didn't need any new clothes each got four new outfits. Jordyn got eleven. Why does she outgrow her things so much faster than the boys??

Oh well. I probably won't have another blog entry until after we get back. We recovered the laptop's hard drive so that Dave could once again try to install the software that will allow us to get free wireless internet at the hotel. He'll try to load it tonight, so if it works then maybe I'll do an entry from Florida.

Oh yeah, I DID NOT lose the ten pounds I started trying to lose back in June by the time vacation was here. Nope. Sure didn't.

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Watching Oreo

I'm sitting here watching Oreo scratch and sniff around the cardboard box he stays in while he gets his cage cleaned. It's been a month of Sundays since that last happened. When Jared asked if he could get a hamster he swore he would take good care of it - he would keep it well fed and keep its cage clean and tidy. HA! What a joke. I can't believe he has had the nerve and gall to ask for a puppy. That's an eleven-year-old boy for ya.

Now the little rodent is sitting in his food bowl. How smart is that? I'll take his picture and then take a crack at loading it into this entry. If it doesn't work- sorry. I am so new to this blogging stuff.

Okay, that wasn't so hard. It worked.

I haven't blogged in a few days and the fact that I am sitting here discussing the antics of a hamster in box should tell you that not much is, or has been going on. No news is good news, or so the old saying goes ...

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So I'm a Blogger Now ...

I suppose it took me long enough to start blogging - officially that is. I already have an electronic journal but that one is for my eyes only. So why did I start this one? Not sure but I suppose it will be a way to share some of my thoughts and insights with my friends, family, and the rest of the world - "some" being the operative word.

Whoever decides to check this out, I suppose will have to go to "totallydacy.blogspot.com" I guess. They may wonder why I chose that name for my url. Well, it's a little known fact that when I was a little girl my father used to call me TracyDacy. Nobody else in the whole wide world has ever called me that and to be honest, it's been ages since my father has. But I like it. It's kind of quirkly and fun, but mostly it's special because my dad called me that. And that is the story behind the name of my url.

The story behind the name of my blog, Life etc., is just that I plan to use the blog to commentate on life and other stuff - you know, the etc.

And there you have it. The beginning of my blog.

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