Monday, December 21, 2009

Catch up

It has been so long since I last sat down to write or blog. December is always a very hectic month in payroll. Year End always has the potential to be a nightmare.

This year has absolutely flown by! I can not believe that at this time last year I was packing for our Christmas trip to visit Tommy's sister and our nieces in St Augustine, FL. We had a great week in Florida last Christmas. We had the kids on the beach on Christmas day and for most of the day on the 26th. We visited the St Augustine Alligator Farm. Alex absolutely loved that. We went to a state park and got to see real live manatees and even an alligator in the wild there. We drove down to Daytona Beach and looked around. We stopped in Cassadaga just to look around. We came home on Skylar's 15th birthday.

In January, Skylar got her driving permit. That was scary enough in itself. It doesn't seem like my little girl should be old enough to drive.

February was when Skylar's basketball season ended and softball season began. She made the varsity team, again. Their unbelievable season took off to a great start. Alex had a great month in school with his reading efforts.

March was the start of a very interesting time. My friend at work, Marlena, had a baby girl, Lola, on Tommy's birthday. I got to fill in for Marlena while she was on leave. Oh what fun that was! NOT!!! I began an I-9 project that seemed like it would never, ever end.

April was a blur of I-9s and softball games. Alex was a trooper about his sister's games. Poor little guy, he hardly knows how to behave away from the softball fields.

May was still a blur of I-9s. Skylar's team began playoffs and ended with a Championship run for the Upper State title. Alex turned 7 years old. We gave him a birthday party in the park. We asked on his invitations for all of his friends to bring their waterguns for a water war. Those kids, and some of the adults, had a blast shooting each other.

June continued the nightmare of I-9s at work. We began planning the activities that we would enjoy in Helen, GA.

July...we went on our very first family vacation that did not revolve around softball schedules. Oh, how much fun it was to just be able to relax and do everything on our schedule and not have to cut activities short and rush to the next ball game. We visited Anna Ruby Falls, the village of Helen, GA, and I got my first tattoo.

August began the new school year for Skylar and Alex. Skylar is currently in the 10th grade at Landrum High School. Alex is in 2nd grade at OP Earle Elementary. Skylar began Colorguard with the marching band.

September was a nice, laid back month. The kids were getting settled into their new school routines and classes. We were able to enjoy several home football games and see Skylar in action with the coulorguard.

October was a nice transition to fall. Skylar had band competitions on just about every Saturday in October. Alex wanted to be a fighter pilot for Halloween. He and I went trick or treating in the pouring rain. We gave up after only a few streets. It was just too wet to be walking through people's yards to get a single piece of candy.

November was a blur. I turned 35. Lori and Elizabeth came up from Florida for Thanksgiving. Alex brought home a lovely stomach flu to share with everyone. I was the only one to escape it. Thank the Lord! I think I went thru 3 cans of Lysol. Lori even took the bug home with her. I can think of better things for Alex to share than the stomach flu.

Here it is December again. Skylar's 16th birthday is one week from today. I will be working all day and part of the night next week on our last payroll of the year. I will get to tell her happy birthday before I leave for work, and hopefully will get to have dinner with her when I get home. We will wait until New Year's Day to actually celebrate her birthday. I will be off of work and we will go shopping at the after Christmas sales for her birthday clothes. I think that is one of the few benefits of having a birhtday right after Christmas. She understands now that when she waits for birthday shopping after Christmas, she will get twice the amount of clothes.

Christmas is Friday. I can't wait for it to be over. I have never enjoyed Christmas. I love the church services and plays, but I can absolutely do without the rest of it. If it weren't for Skylar and Alex, I would not celebrate it at all. No tree, no lights, no gifts. Nothing. I barely tolerate Christmas music. I guess I am a scrooge or grinch. I just have always been disappointed with Christmas and now that I am the only income, it is dificult to know that I can not provide my kids with all of the things that they are asking for. I just want to get thru this Christmas as quickly as possible so that it goes away.

Friday, December 18, 2009

SNOW

I hate snow. I hate the cold. I hate sleet, freezing rain and ice.

Can we move to Tahiti, now? Please? Pretty please?

I'll even homeschool the two hoodlums on the beach everyday. Alex could have a pet starfish. Skylar could learn to hula dance. We'd all be warm, tan and happy.

This weather sucks!