Christmas Recap

We had a really nice Christmas this year. The week before Christmas was a little hectic but this week I've slowed down and tried to let the kids enjoy their time off.

I wasn't going to pull out all my decorations this year but I did it anyway. I realized two days before Christmas that I forgot to hang my wreath but other than that I think I dragged everything else out (and it's a lot!).



I love all the old decorations I have, most of them I got from a family member so I always have a nice memory about that specific item.

My silver tree was purchased from Ebay. It came in it's original box and was made about 5 minutes from my house!

I didn't send out cards this year and every time I got one in the mail it made me feel very guilty! Oh, well.... there's always next year!

We had a wonderful dinner at my parent's house. The kids were on their best behavior... well all except my little angel who managed to blurt out the F*dash*dash*dash word while rhyming "truck". Aaaahhh, Christmas memories!

My parents gave Marty a new tent so he can sleep outside even longer this year!

Everyone acts like a kid at Christmas!

Santa was very good to us this year.

We got a white Christmas one day late (better late than never!)

This was one for the records, in some places we got 16".

By the time it was over my kids could barely walk in it!

Today is the last day of 2010 and although I'm sad another year has passed I'm also excited to see what 2011 will bring.

My you find peace and prosperity!

Happy New Year,

The Eykamp Haus

Snow...

In January it snowed on the last birthday she would ever have and today it snowed on the first day that she wasn't with us anymore.

Thanks Grandmom

Mildred Bowen 1909-2010

The gift of the Magi

"And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house." O Henry

Christmas chaos is upon us and not only have we been running here and there but unfortunately the girls of the family have been sick. I haven't been able to finish my decorating, we've only put up the big tree and it took me 4 days to do it! Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get more done.

The Gift of the Magi is one of my all time favorite stories. It reminds me that there is more to giving than how much you spent or how much you get. I would gladly sell my hair for a gift for Matt and I know he would sell his watch for me...

Kathy

Reflection

I'm thankful...

he can still make me laugh after 16 years

we waited to get married

my Father is my hero

his father is his hero

he's a father

I didn't miss a minute of it

that he's curious

I still have a my best friend

I got a second chance

they love each other

we chose wisely

they were born on the same day

we took on this project

it snowed for them this year

she makes me smile 1000 times a day

Sometimes I forget all that I have.

I could name at least a hundred more but these are the highlights.

What are you Thankful for this year?

Kathy

Random thoughts

Where I've been and why I'm so tired!

I'm not sure why I haven't found time to write a new post, I guess life was just getting in the way. I don't know many Moms who aren't busy, especially if you have small children and I still don't know how Moms who have full time jobs outside of the home do it. From the time I get up in the morning until I drag myself to bed (usually around Midnight) I am always doing something. There are nights when I just can't clean up the kitchen without taking a break first and then I end up cleaning it at 10 p.m. There is always a load of laundry to do, a lunch to pack, a toy to pick up or a toilet that needs to be scrubbed (not my favorite job!). I'm not complaining but I never knew how much my Mother did until I became a Mother. It's just not something you can fully understand until you are actually living that life and walking in those oh so tired shoes.

This weekend I heard my 9 year old mumble under his breath that I was a "Nag". Oh, boy did he get an ear full! My kids don't need to thank me for all I do but they do need to understand how much I do for them and know that I do it willingly because it's my job. I have always been a hard worker, I never do anything half way if I can help it. Both of my parents were hard workers and they instilled that work ethic into all of their kids. My husband also works hard, hopefully my kids will value the example we are setting and when they are adults will put their all into whatever they choose to do.

A life lesson

This year has been quite a trial for our family and I am trying to learn the lesson I am being taught. Sometimes I don't know what that lesson is and sometimes I get angry that I have been chosen to learn it. My husband and I are good people, we are not perfect but if my life came to an end now I wouldn't regret the things I have done. We are nice to people, we do what we can to help our neighbors, friends and family. I have chosen a job that doesn't even begin to pay our debt but I do it because I love children and I want to be a special part of their life. I jokingly call my husband George Baily (from It's a Wonderful Life) but truth be told he will help his friends and customers sometimes even to the detriment of himself and his family. We are always giving our travel money away! Hopefully the lesson I will learn is; "it pays to be nice". Unfortunately I don't always think this is true. I see too many people who are cheats and liars getting ahead because of their callous ways, it makes me sad and angry. I would rather be George Baily than Mr. Potter any day, even if that means we will never get to go on our holiday.

A new project?

This weekend my husband decided that he would move is home office to our third floor and then we could move my son's room across the hall. This is not going to be an easy move because our 3rd floor is currently filled with junk. The room is in good shape but we will have to do major cleaning, re-wiring, some plaster work and painting. The current office is going to have to go through the same thing before my son can move in. This will leave a vacant room that hopefully will become a family room. I'm very excited and nervous about these projects.

A day of thanks

Thanksgiving is next week and I'm looking forward to a little down time. I'm not sure I'll get that but a girl can dream, can't she? I hope everyone will stop to think about all they have and why they should be thankful, not just stuff themselves silly and watch football! And if you really need a good laugh... ask a 3 year old what they are thankful for. The top answers in my Preschool were chocolate and pillow pets!

Life should be that simple for all of us.

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

Kathy

The harsh truth....

I need to loose weight... there, I said it.

It's a fact I deal with every day. I have no excuse why I don't work out, I work at the YMCA for crying out loud. When I clock out I see those dedicated people spinning and I think "I should be doing that". But I go home anyway. I'm tired and have mountains of things to do. Everything always comes first, everything except me. Laundry, dishes, dirty bathrooms, preschool work, blogging, grocery shopping, hair cuts, doctors appointments, homework, you name it; it comes first. The problem is I'm over 40 now (another truth) and I'm feeling the extra weight. You know what I mean, you can't get off the floor as easy as before. Your back and knees hurt. Your boobs are too big (yes, this can happen gentlemen!). I hate clothes shopping and looking in mirrors. I don't know that person anymore! What happened to the 22 year old confident girl who moved out of her parents house to be independent and wouldn't let anything stop her? After I had Marty (the first child) I walked 4 miles at least three times a week. I lost all the pregnancy weight and felt great. But then you have another child and the first one doesn't want to be confined so he walks with you. Let me tell you, you can't loose weight walking at a 3 year olds pace. Look a rock! A duck! A squirrel! You name it they stop every 2 minutes to look at something. So I stopped walking. I started working out at the YMCA and it aggravated my knee problem and created a foot problem - so I stopped going.

Today I vow I'm going for a walk. Right now in fact.

I need to put me first.

Kathy

A complete U Turn....

I started pulling out my Halloween decorations (my kids have been bugging me for a week) and I was going to originally write my post about that. When I decided to write this blog I was going to dedicate it to "Our crazy life" not just decoration and renovating. I find it to be my therapy sometimes. I have one close friend that I can talk to about everything but she lives 4 hours away and I only talk to her a couple times a month. My family is no longer as close as I would like, in heart not proximity, so I find that sometimes I have no one to confide in. It helps me to write, even if no one is reading. I'm not going to be one of those bloggers who goes out and spends a fortune to totally redecorate their homes just to snap a few pictures and show off to blogland. I don't have the time or money for that. I love going to the Goodwill and thrift stores to find something old and seeing how little I can spend. It's the bargain hunter in me and if I were to win the lottery I would still try to find the perfect deal.

I didn't get married until I was 32, I wasn't a mother until I was 34. I lived by myself for 10 years and had parties and went to parties. I dated, had fun, had a career, had a house, drank to excess, went shopping and did all the things a young person should do. I also tucked myself into bed every night and didn't have anyone to check on or kiss while they were asleep. The only thing I ever wanted to be when I was little was my Mother. We had a perfect childhood. My Dad was home every night at 6:00 for dinner my Mamma came to every school function. She packed lunches, checked homework, broke up fights and kissed us goodnight every night. She didn't have a "girls weekend", didn't see her friends for lunch or drinks, didn't work outside the home. My Dad took us places; to the park, long drives for lunch, to the drive in movies (telling my age!), showed up for every Choral concert I had and yelled "Way to go Kathy" every time he saw me. I adored my Grandparents and all of my extended family (there are a lot of us!).

Being a wife has had it's challenges but being a Mother is all encompassing. At least that's the way choose to live it. Right now it's not about me or my husband; it's about our kids. "Home is where the heart is" I always knew that but not until I had kids did completely understand it. You see, when your children are born your heart leaves your body - all of the sudden your heart is walking around with someone else! I have found I do somethings different than my Mother. I do have lunch with my friends, sometimes even drinks. I have a part time job and I'm certainly not as patient but at the end of the day my children and my husband love me and I want to be Home with them as much as I can.


Pretty soon my kids will be too old to hang out with their parents so while they are young I'm going to take advantage of every minute I can get. My son once told me he felt bad because before I had kids I could do what I wanted, when I wanted. I explained that he was right, but I had had my time to do those things and now was his and Louisa's turn. When they got older I would have "my time" again (although I probably won't want it!).



I'm not trying to keep up with the Jones or anyone else. I'm just trying to keep with with my family and hope that when my children are grown they'll think I did a good job and want to come back to see me.

Kathy