The Treehouse...

Being home with your kids on break from school and work can be a challenge to those of us that don't do this everyday!  I will be the first to admit, I have no business being a stay at home mom.  I have the absolute utmost respect for those moms who are able to do it!  Huge kudos to you!!!!  My personality just doesn't allow for it... and if I tried to make myself... well, let's just say, it would not be a good situation!!!

So... we've been on vacation the past couple weeks... and we have had many places to go and many, many people to see over the holidays. We are blessed with large families to visit and it has been a whirlwind holiday season... but once Christmas was over.... it was "what to do with the kids NOW?"

In comes The Treehouse in Chelsea to save the day!  I really do love this place. It is a great environment for big  and little kids... they have some GREAT food... and it gives us moms a chance to get together too!  It's a bit harder with the little ones.  Luke is pretty hands on when we're there... but Ally is just off and playing and needs very little from me. If I were to just take her... I could sit there... sip a latte... BLOG!... read... and that would be really nice. But... Luke requires a bit more 'hand holding.'

Still... he LOVES it and both the kids had a great time! We went with Jane, Grace, Leslie, her mom Lisa, and Reyna.....

I leave you with some pics from the day... I didn't really get any good ones... but at least it's something!  :-)

This One's For Uncle Kellen and Uncle Connor...

Baby mohawk...

'Nuff said...

:-)

The Four Stages of Breakfast...

Lately, we have determined that there are four stages of breakfast around here for Luke on any given day:

Stage One - Give me milk and give it to me NOW!  Luke slams 8 ounces of milk in a sippy cup first thing in the morning when he wakes up.

Stage Two - Give me something to EAT!  Luke has toast, sausage, cheerios or bananas generally after shotgunning his milk.

Stage Three - I want to eat with YOU guys!  Because it generally takes us longer to get our breakfast around, Luke is usually done with his breakfast by the time we are ready to sit down... so he eats again with us. Whatever we're having... eggs, bacon, hashbrowns or waffles.

Stage Four - Cleanup!  At this Stage, Luke eats the food he has dropped on the floor and finishes what is left on his tray from a standing position.  

A visual for you:

So, there you have it.  The Four Stages of Breakfast!

Thank You Grandma Kathy & Grandpa Dave!!

Ally got this giant stuffed dog in the mail from Grandma Kathy & Grandpa Dave in Nevada yesterday!  She was giddy with excitement... it was a dual excitement really.  1 - she got a package in the mail!  There is nothing more exciting than that for a little girl!  2 - she got this HUGE stuffed dog that she pointed out to my mom at Target when we were in Nevada for Thanksgiving.  Ally totally remembered wanting it and was just thrilled when she opened it!

As you can see, the dog is getting large amounts of love!  Ally informed us that she no longer needs a pillow, as the dog can be her pillow... she has carried it around everywhere and we can't take a step around here without tripping over this dog!

THANKS MOM! ;-)

She is even generous enough to share the puppy love with her baby brother...

Luke loves the dog too.... and mostly just crawls all over, chasing Ally around as she moves around the house with it.  It has become the next member of our family....

Ally couldn't be happier!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas..

Last year, our Christmas went a little something like this:

Had a baby on December 20th... thought for sure we'd be released from the hospital at the latest, December 22. Things didn't go exactly as planned.

Luke was very jaundiced and had to be put in Special Care under the lights. They did not release him/us until December 24th at 9:00 pm. And that was only because we BEGGED them to let us go home.  

We got home... brand new baby... a little stressed out to say the least!  Luke had to be kept on a Bili-blanket at all times.  Not to mention, he didn't sleep a great deal, I was breastfeeding and it was Christmas Eve!  

With the help of Nana and Papa we got the gifts put together and out... we got Ally to go to sleep at a decent hour.  She was telling us her tummy was a little upset, but we figured it was nerves and excitement.

11:00 pm - Ally vomits violently all over the hall.  She does not stop vomiting all night.  She has the flu.

8:00 am Christmas morning - Ally wakes up... "Look Ally Santa came!"  She makes a bit of effort to look at her toys.  She asks to go back to bed.

I am crying uncontrollably.  She hates her toys I think. She is disappointed.  Of course, I am a hormonal, breastfeeding mother!  I have no coping skills what-so-ever!

A little while later, we get a phone call.  Both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jane are barfing too.  There will be no Christmas dinner today.  That's okay, whatever... Ally is so sick. We have to take Luke back to the hospital.  

Eventually, Scott and I start barfing too... my brother-in-law.... everyone is sick as hell.

MERRY FREAKIN' CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

It was the Christmas that never was.... so this year, we were bound and determined to make it right!  We may have gone a little overboard with Ally's gifts.  She got SO MUCH!  But her joy was worth every penny.

Luke's big gift was this indoor gym and he got a few little other things.  

I could not get a decent picture of the two of them... this was as good as it got!

The theme of Ally's Christmas was Hannah Montana!  All she wanted was a Hannah Montana doll.  She got that... and a Hannah Montana singing stage for the doll, a Hannah Montana scooter, notebooks, folders, pens, and a pencil case - all in the same theme, and these dolls (Miley and Lola - Miley's friend) from my mom. The look on her face sums up the entire morning's excitement!

Opening her new Uggs from us also generated a great deal of excitement and an instant hug!  Who knew Uggs were such an exciting gift!? I mean, they would be for me... but I'm not five! She got a lot of great stuff... all that Hannah Montana stuff, Horton Hears a Who and Kung Foo Panda DVDs, a Webkins, toy cash register, puzzle, books, toy globe, hula hoop, paints and chalk for her easel, and a stocking full of art stuff and candy.  From us she got some clothes, the Uggs, and Super Mario Kart for our Wii.  WOW!  That doesn't even take into account all the stuff the girl got from others.  Spoiled much?

I told you we were trying to make up for last year!  More for ourselves than Ally, you can count on that!

After gifts and breakfast, we got ourselves around and went over to Scott's parents' for the day.  We didn't have far to go or many places to go, so it was a nice peaceful day... which is how I tend to like Christmas Day.  Great dinner, great wine and a some great time with family.

Luke enjoyed sneaking off and climbing up the stairs whenever we weren't paying close enough attention to him.

Scott and Adam showed up dressed EXACTLY the same... down to their matching Ugg slippers.  What dorks they are.  :-)

Scott already had his Ugg slippers, but Adam's were a gift this year. Scott got new Ugg boots this year, some new headphones for his iPhone, new sheepskin inserts for his slippers and a new wallet from me.  I got the Flip - which I have been wanting for some time!  I also got a book, iTunes gift card and other random stocking stuffers from Scott.  Even though, I had already gotten my real Christmas present... :-)

It was a nice Christmas at the McIntosh house.  I hope you all enjoyed your time with family and friends too... and got everything you wanted... material and, more importantly, otherwise!

Christmas Pictures on the Mobile Me Gallery

Christmas Eve...

We had ourselves a Merry Little Christmas! It all began with our Christmas Eve festivities!  We went to Scott's Uncle Matt's and Aunt Carla's for the afternoon.... Ally was very excited to wear her "dressy" coat and new Scottie clothes...

She had to squeeze her feet into her old Uggs for the last time... as she would  be getting her new Uggs Christmas morning.  Just the other day when she and I went to the salon and out to dinner, she was complaining about how tight they were and asked me if she could get a new pair for her Birthday (which consequently is January 25th as if we weren't broke already from Luke's Birthday and Christmas!).

We got to Matt and Carla's and Ally was excited to see her cousins, Grace, Gannon, Graydon and Calvin!  It was a crazy, loud fun afternoon of kids eating far too many cookies and running, running, running around and around!  Isn't that what Christmas is for? The craziness of getting together with all your cousins?  Ally loved it, to say the very least.

Luke loved his cookie.... and loved sharing it with Autumn (the dog pictured below even more!)

Eventually Autumn got that cookie... but of course, Papa was there to give him another one.  God forbid the boy go without a Christmas cookie!  

After Matt and Carla's... we went over to my Uncle Joe and Aunt Cyndie's to see some of my family for a couple hours.  It was pretty late and Luke was a giant grump... but after some warm milk (no more cookies!!) he cheered up enough to open a couple gifts.  We gave the kids their Christmas PJs over there to put on before we drove home.  Ally was pretty excited and cheesin' it up as usual.

Luke was more excited to play with Gene's walkie-talkie and then play with a pen than anything else!  Ah - the simple joy of being a baby.  

We got home a little after 9:00 and got the kids down.... then... we got to play Santa.  Whew.  Let me tell you... the packaging on toys these days is absolutely ridiculous!  It took hours just to get all the little toys out of their boxes and backing and twist ties and tape. AHHHHH!!!!  Frustrating to say the least.  We finally freed Hannah of her bondage... and Scott moved on to putting together Luke's indoor gym.  HOLY CRAP!!!!  It was much more complicated than we had anticipated.... and still to this very moment is not completely assembled... but it was good enough for Christmas morning!

Tales of Christmas day to come...

Merry Christmas...

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family from the McIntosh Family!!!!!! Enjoy this time with those you love..... we are looking forward to all our festivities.....

And the drinking we do to cope.....  ;-)

We Know How To Throw a Party...

Luke's cake eating extravaganza wasn't the only excitement that took place at the McIntosh house yesterday!!!!  Everything was going along just fine at Luke's party.  We were just finishing up lunch... and our guests were seated all over the house.  Some people were downstairs in the basement, some in the dining room.. and a soon to be very unlucky few, were seated in the living room.... with the Christmas tree.

Remember the Christmas tree incident?  Remember what I said at the very end of that blog post?

Well, my Aunts, and Uncle and Grandma were all sitting in the living room... when... KABOOM!  Down she came..... the tree just FELL right down!  Tipped right over.  Ornaments breaking everywhere, water spraying all over...

The troops worked hard to put her back upright.... all seemed good in the hood....

But... no... the damn tree fell over again. This time, on my Grandma sitting in a chair nearby!  Two rum and cokes later, we had Grandma calmed down.  She never did return to the living room though....

We were downstairs finishing up gifts and playing around... when my Aunt (who is wonderfully cleaning my kitchen cuz she is the best Aunt EVER) calls down to us.  You guessed it.  The tree has fallen a third time.

We all knew this was possible. The trunk is horridly crooked.  We got yet another tree stand from my in-laws... and for now... this is the state of our tree:

There are no important ornaments left on it. I am far too worried they will shatter.  As you can see, the angel is backwards and tipped over. She has had a rough ride.  No tree skirt... it's hanging to dry in the laundry room.  And... most importantly.. NO GIFTS!  I can't risk the loss.

This is the tree stand, screaming for mercy...

It's at a crazy angle just to try to hold the tree somewhat straight.

Good lord.

I don't have very high hopes for this tree. All I am asking now is that it stays standing (mostly) until Christmas morning.  As soon as Santa comes and drops off the gifts, we're taking this damn tree down.

She's out to get us!

They Say It's Your Birthday...

Yesterday, our little man turned one year old!  WOW!  Where did the past year go? Seriously... I know it sounds cliche, but it is so true!  I can't believe he is already a year old!!!!

I went back and forth with what to do for our boy and his big day. It's such bad timing really... trying to get people together the Saturday before Christmas.  Many people had Christmas parties and well, things they needed to do to prepare for Christmas, but Luke is loved and was very lucky to have many family members take the time out to celebrate his special day!

The weather outside was frightful, so I made my Grandma's special recipe vegetable-beef soup, and my Mom's hot crab dip! We had broccoli cheese soup and bread from Panera too!  YUM!  We still have leftovers to feast off of for days!  Two cakes for party-goers and one little one for the little man... 

Here he is, taking his first look at the cake he is supposed to eat. As you can see, he isn't so sure about it:

Grace was MORE than happy to show him what to do... she was so cute, peering up at him the entire time!  In the end, he got her good and I have some great pics of Grace covered in frosting too over here on our Mobile Me Gallery.

As you can see, Luke eventually got the swing of devouring his cake and was as happy as can be!!!!  

After the cake was destroyed, Luke went right into the tub, before opening his gifts!  He had no afternoon nap and was on a bit of "party overload."  After opening a few gifts... he had really had enough... he crawled over to a quite spot in the corner, and did this:

It's his party... he can cry if he wants to!

Thank you to everyone for coming out to celebrate with us and for all the generous gifts!  Luke has enjoyed playing with everything all night last night and all day today.  It's so nice for him to have his very OWN toys... not hand-me-downs from Ally!  

Now, on to Christmas!!!!

More birthday fun here.

One Year...

Tomorrow is Luke's first birthday.... so... when did THAT happen? Where does a year go?  He was just born yesterday, was he not?

I love that feeling that he just "got here" yesterday... and that he's been here all my life.  Once that little person comes into your life... it's hard to remember what life was like before... isn't that true with so many people? It's a beautiful and crazy thing...

He was just this tiny when he was born:

I would hold him up on my chest and call him the "little bundle" cuz that's what he felt like.  This little tiny bundle... "Bundle Boy..."

Ally was crazy proud to finally be a big sister.  She was so happy to have him finally "out of my belly!"

I remember the day Nicole took these pictures, and how we couldn't get the little guy to sleep for her.  I don't remember how many times he peed on her stuff...  HA!  He was not going to be the sleeping, cooperative newborn... no... not my boy.  He has not been cooperative ever since!  He has his "own way" of doing things.  Both of my kids do really.  Will drive me to madness.. but serve them well in life... (I tell myself these things to maintain my sanity!)

So... Happy Almost Birthday Little Man!  Our lives may be crazed and life may be insane... but you bring joy to it with your big blue eyes, your huge smile and your silly laugh... we love you...

This 'n' That...

So... I really wanted to wait until I actually took a picture of our tree to post about our tree decorating fiasco on Sunday... but do I HAVE a picture of our tree yet? NO! I do not. I suck. What can I say?

I didn't used to be this person. I used to be the girl who took a picture of the tree right away! I used to be the girl who had all her gifts purchased, wrapped and under that tree (which I would then take a picture of!) by now! That used to be ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where did that girl go???

I remember Colette (my Aunt-in-law - ha that sounds funny!) telling me that she couldn't wait until I had another kid cuz I was far too organized with just Ally. Why is it that having two kids is so totally exponentially more work than having just one? It's not double the work and drama... it's like quadruple? How is that POSSIBLE? It's just one more little person?

Ah... but I think it's more than just one more little person. Our lives are different now too. Scott has a very busy stressful job... and mine used to be a bit more laid back and flexible. Those days are long gone! My job appears to be heading to crazy busy stressful land now too! But.. most days I love it! Isnt' that the craziest conflict? What does one do with that knowledge? I know my life is out of control yet I do not possess the presence of mind to stop it? HA!

Therapy. I'm enrolling today.....................

Okay, I have gone off on some sort of crazy tangent. I am having a gallbladder attack at the moment. Jane gave me her gallbladder disease. I never knew such a thing was contagious! ;-)

So... back to the subject at hand. The tree! We put it up on Sunday... yes we did! Scott, Luke and Ally went and got it on Saturday when I was in Chicago. Honestly, I never go get the tree. I'm that person. I send my "big strong man" out to do the dirty work and I stay home in the warmth of my house! This year... no different... I was just in Chicago dancing around a pole instead of home in my jammies! HA!

Scott brings the tree they picked out into the house Sunday morning. Ally is so excited... she can't even stand it! She cannot wait to decorate this tree! Isn't that just the best part about the holidays... the pure childish joy of a child? It's totally unharmed by the "work" of the season... she just loves every moment of all this craziness. I remember that innocence!!!!!! Ah... the good old days...

But, again... I digress...

The tree comes into the house!!!!!!! It's all bound up... and in its stand. Scott places it in position and raises it upright.............

It's totally crooked.

Okay... let's readjust it in the stand.

We loosen the screws.... wiggle the trunk around.... hmmm? Still crooked.

We hold the tree straight and do the process over and over................

...... and over and over...... for like a couple hours. AT LEAST!

Every time Scott stands back and looks at the crooked tree, he gets more and more pissed. He is livid. He is EVEN MORE livid with me because I am laughing and I don't care enough about the crooked tree!

Ally gets into it... she keeps saying she "loves the tree!" That it looks just fine! She is now defending the inadequate tree.

Scott is seconds away from throwing the tree into the front yard. He has now declared that he would rather put gifts under the fichus tree than keep this "horrible crooked tree" in our living room.

I am hysterical. Peeing my pants hysterical. This is not the spousal support Scott is seeking.

He decides we need a new tree stand. DUH! I have said we need a new tree stand for a few years now. The one we have is like 30 years old, rusty and warped. Hmmmm... maybe the WARPED stand is the trouble here? YA THINK????????

Scott ventures into the world to find a tree stand..............

Would you be surprised to hear that he cannot find any in stock anywhere at this time of the season? HA! He is gone for hours. I am convinced he has driven to California......

But, eventually, he does indeed return home... and he is with tree stand!!!!!!!! HOORAY! We place the offensive, crooked tree into the new stand........ and because it's made to hold very tall trees... it has a large opening and we are able to secure the crooked trunk in the stand......... so that our tree stands... you guessed it... STRAIGHT!

Crisis averted. We have a tree.....................

Now, let's just keep our fingers crossed that she stays standing!

A Moment of Peace...

This afternoon, I forced myself to take an hour to myself and have a facial.  I go to Erin at Skin Deep here in Jackson and she is by far the BEST!  It is the best facial I have had anywhere in the country and you all know I travel a bit and I have had facials a lot of places, including New York, Chicago, etc.... right here in little Jackson, we have the best aesthetician!  I cannot recommend her enough....

So, I had a full hour of NOTHING but relaxation.  I tried to think of nothing at all.  Leave the "to do" list at the door.  I did a pretty good job and I must tell you that I feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle the world again!  Just that one hour of letting go.... worth every penny!  Not to mention, my face is going to have a fabulous refreshed glow!!!  :-)

Maybe all of you can't go and get a facial... but in this busy, crazy time.... try to find that one hour for YOU that allows you to let go, relax and leave your troubles at the door for just a short time.... you will find you feel better for having done it!

Tis the Season...

... to be stressed out! Fa, la, la, la, la.... la, la, la, la...... :-)

Isn't it the truth? Sometimes, I just lie in bed at night and think about all the things I need to do. Last night, I was so tired that I was in bed before Ally..... instead of doing things that I NEED desperately to do! Oh well....

I am trying to do too much all the time... it's the way it goes.

I used to feel in control. Lately, I feel that all feelings of any sort of control are beyond my reach. Maybe I just need to give in to that feeling and stop trying to regain that control..... easier said than done.

Work usually lets up for me around the holidays... and while I had a pretty stressful and horrid November and things died down a bit after.... I am still busy and mostly just have some big projects hanging over my head that I will not feel "relief" from for many, many months. I would like to be able to just take the last two weeks of the year off and not think about work at all. I'm just not certain that is possible.

I still have a great deal of shopping to do. I haven't wrapped a thing. We don't have our tree yet, but plans are in place to get one Saturday and decorate it Sunday. Both Scott and I have work Christmas parties tomorrow night and I haven't found anyone to watch the kids. I hate asking Scott's parents who watch them ALL THE TIME to keep them Friday night too, but I can't get my "once in a while" babysitter to return my calls!!! :-( Ugh....

I need a new babysitter. I need a nanny. I need some live-in help!!!!!!!! :-)

I am escaping for the day Saturday to go to Chicago for my last S Factor class of this session.... It wasn't the best of timing... but I LOVE it... and as much as it does add to my stress... it's the thing I get to do for me.... so do it I will! I don't know how I will be able to continue taking the classes, but I hope to at least try... in January hopefully.

The kids are doing well. Ally continues to just be the best lately. She is just so freakin' good all the time, I can't even convey how different it is. What a difference a year makes! School... structure... all of it. She's a happy, happy girl lately!

Luke is just all boy and getting into everything! EVERYTHING! I fear for our tree when we put it up. I won't even THINK of putting any gifts under it before Christmas Eve. The boy will destroy them for sure! He is a bull in a china shop.

I got the kids some matching Christmas PJs which I am so excited about... cuz I'm a dork like that! I want them to wear them now so I can take pics... but it is our tradition to give the kids PJs on Christmas Eve for them to wear that night, so I must wait!

The waiting is the hardest part................. ;-)

11 Months... VERY BELATED!

Well, our boy is 11 months old!  He was, a couple weeks ago!  Now, he's two weeks away from being a year old... but better late than never with this post I say!

At the moment, Luke has a bit of a cold.  His nose is running like crazy, but he seems generally happy and doesn't seem to mind.  He was really cranky before the runny nose started, so maybe he was achy before or his head was really congested and now that he's draining, he feels better actually, who knows... he's been a pretty happy guy lately and that is a VERY good thing!

Some of Luke's recent accomplishments at 11 months:

• He got a TOOTH!!!!!  Just one on the top.  His first and only tooth and he is 11 1/2 months old!
• He is pulling himself up to a stand and "cruising" around furniture and walking behind a push toy - this is a very recent development!
• He prefers bottles to solid food... much to my dismay. He is still taking around 28 ounces of formula by bottle (terrible mom, I know! Ally was totally already to a cup by now!) and I know I have to cut back on that to get him to increase his solids intake!  He is pretty picky, doesn't hit his mouth well when he feeds himself and I just worry about him getting enough.  Probably silly since he is not underweight at all!
• He is still wearing 12-18 month clothing and really seems to have slowed down in his growing... he is thinning out it seems.  Very long still, but losing that baby fat!
• He loves to dance and anytime hear hears music, he sways back and forth or bounces up and down.  It is adorable and in our family, you'd better like music... it's on all the time around here... or Ally is singing!  One of the two!
• His favorite toys aren't toys at all.  He loves the remote control, the phone, power cords, floor lamps, and the wine rack.  He has knocked down a bottle or two of some nice wine and given me a heart attack more than once!
• He babbles  A LOT!  He says Mama and Dada, and as much as I'd like to think he means me and Scott, I'm not so sure!  He did crawl over to me the other day, pull himself up and as clear as day, say Mama while he pointed at me!  Wishful thinking?  Whatever!!!!!  It was a moment!

I will leave you with a couple recent snapshots of the boy.... 

I promise you, the above picture is not our new babysitter... we don't lock him up in there... but, there's an idea!  :-)  HA!

We are going to have a birthday party for Luke at our house on Saturday, December 20th at 1:00 pm! 

Ba Hum-Bug...

What's wrong with me? I really can't get in the Christmas spirit! I mean, I just started my shopping this week. Usually I am so excited and ready to shop!!!!! I just started getting some decorations out last night... and usually I am geeked to do all that come Thanksgiving weekend! I tried listening to a little Christmas music to get me in the spirit, but I'm still just NOT feelin' it!! What is happening to me???

I am still wondering what to do about Luke's birthday. We have made NO plans for a party for him or anything... making the assumption that friends and family will be busy with Christmas parties that weekend. I feel like he's going to get screwed yearly! :-) Among the Christmas cards, gifts, and gatherings... his day just seems to get lost! I don't know what to give him for his birthday and what to save for Christmas. I just don't know!!!!!!!!!!

It's obviously my theme as of late... not knowing. ;-)

AHHHH!!!!!!! Calgon take me away!

I AM however, going to S Factor this weekend... and while that may be the stupidest thing to do in the middle of all this insanity (how do I have the TIME one might ask?)... I NEED to do it... I really WANT to do it and I am super excited about going. It's like my relaxation.... my zen.... my excercise. It's silly and in Chicago and... well, whatever.. I'm going and I'm happy I'm going!

Okay, so I DID start shopping!!! I got gifts for my nieces and nephew, my mother-in-law, part of my father-in-law's gift, my mom and step-dad, some of Scott's, and a good start on Luke and Ally! Also... I created and ordered our Christmas cards on Sunday....... and they already arrived, printed and ready to go yesterday! I was shocked! Apple rocks..... :-) Now, I just have to address them all....... and get stamps....... and send them on their Merry way!

Also..... funny story.... when I went to the Toy House this week... I FINALLY met Leslie in person!!!! It's so funny cuz we "chat" on Facebook, one another's blogs, and even email, but we have never met. It's ridiculous really cuz we probably live like a mile apart..... HA! Lives are crazy and busy... but it was so nice to finally meet you in person Leslie! Let's get together sometime soon! Have that drink... or even coffee!

So... send me some holiday cheer people... :-)

Three Is the Magic Number...

Yesterday I turned the big 3-3.  33 years YOUNG baby!!!!!  HA!

I had an average day. Isn't that how it goes once you're over like 16???  Okay, maybe 21 is the last of the "great birthdays."  I don't know...   it was kind of a crappy day truth be told!  I was busy at work... my boss was in a bad mood... I was tired.... it was just a day. Plus, I just can't help feeling that nagging feeling that says... "you're getting older... what are you doing with your life?"

Ya know the feeling I'm talking about?????  It's crazy... I  know.... but it is what it is.  It is how I feel....

I did SO ENJOY the zillion good wishes I got from so very many friends and family.  My Facebook wall was FULL of birthday wishes and every time a new one came in, it put the biggest smile on my face!  Good wishes from near and far.... thank you one and all!!!!

I got some great gifts... S Factor was my big gift from Scott, but he also got me a book and an iTunes gift card (from the kids he said!). I got a Barnes and Noble gift card from my Dad and Geri, money from my mom, a book and a turtleneck sweater from my in-laws and a v-neck sweater from Jane and Adam.  I love them all!!!!

I had dinner with my in-laws and Jane and Adam and the kids.... it was nice to get everyone together, as difficult as it is during the week to do! I sure do appreciate it guys!!!!!

I got my traditional "Happy Birthday" singing from my Dad, Geri and Bizza.  Live and on voice mail to save for posterity!  I will listen to it whenever I am feeling a little down and need a good laugh.... 

It was a good birthday..... I am 33 years young.... and I have much to be happy about.....