Time for a Toxic Dump

It doesn't seem possible that the New Year is just a few days away.  This past year has seemed to fly by.  I felt that this past year has been one of the best in a long time.  I don't know if I can contribute it to one thing or to a combination of different things.  I am grateful for many things this year.

Spending time with family for one.  It's been different - not having Bigfoot around as much.  Not having him depend on us so much.  He has is own job.... life... he turned 21... got engaged....  He doesn't talk to me as much as he used to, which is sad.  But I also know that that's part of him growing up & moving on.  I thought it would be really sad this first Christmas not to have him waking up under our roof.  But it wasn't.  It was quieter.  The Lego King received the long awaited Lego train with power functions.... and the Princess was surprised with an electric guitar.

The other thing that has changed for me this year is my attitude.  It's been a long time coming I think.  Not taking things so personally, not being offended by people's opinions.  Not really caring so much that they have a different opinion.  I've been getting rid of those 'toxic' things in my life.  A toxic dump - literally & figuratively.  THAT may be the most significant change I think.  In the literal sense I've been getting rid of toxic people in my life.  I've been leaving behind relationships that cause me pain & heartache.  I've made a conscious choice to NOT involve myself in family arguments or those of friends that don't involve me - even though others have tried to suck me in.  "What do YOU think?"  "Didn't so & so do that to you too?"  "I think that so & so should have this or that happen to them.  Don't you?" ..... gossip, gossip, gossip..... and believe me I love gossip along with the best of them.... however, I have been really trying to just listen & let it drop with me.... instead of passing it along to someone else.

Figuratively, I've been doing a toxic dump with stuff.... I've been decluttering throughout the year & have continued to fill the 'Donate Box' as I've gone along.  Some weeks it's been filled faster than others.  I've been getting rid of stuff that I don't need, don't use, don't want, don't like.  As I've been getting rid of things, I've been really looking at them & thinking about the memories that they bring.  For instance, I had this Christmas ornament that was an old fashioned sled - you know the kind with metal runners.  I loved it!  It was just the kind of ornament that was right up my alley.  However, it was given to my ex-husband & me as a wedding present from his mother's best friend.  So every time I saw that ornament, I thought of him & our marriage.  Toxic thoughts - sadness, anger, resentment.  So, I decided that I didn't want to have those thoughts.  I didn't want to waste time in my brain thinking those toxic thoughts.  Even though I liked the ornament, I donated it.  I decided that I liked NOT having toxic thoughts better than seeing that ornament.  Thinking about stuff like that has helped me declutter, when I have had trouble deciding about something.

I'm grateful that this year has brought many blessings.  And that the level of toxicity has decreased.  I'm looking forward to a New Year with an even greater Toxic Dump!

How about you?  What will be in your Toxic Dump at the end of 2012?

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear!

PS:  I'm trying out a 'Blog Hop' .... let me know what you think...

Watch out Rudolph!!!

Watch out Rudolph there is a killer Santa on the loose!!   He has a taste for venison!  Oh NO!!   I caught him in the act, here's a picture to prove it!!  Notice the surprised look on his face and binoculars in his pack to search you out!  Behind him he's got apples for bait!!  Look at the deer he has near his feet & near the basket of apples.  He borrowed them from Uncle Bubba!!  It's a trick!!!  They're fake!!  Stay back Rudolph!!  Awww!  It's too late!  Look away!  Look Away!!!  He got Blitzen!!!  Gross!  He was decapitated!!  Bad Santa!!!

Santa caught in the act!

We just got this Christmas card & we thought we'd bust, laughing about the Killer Santa.  If you look closely you can see the body of the deer.  At first it just looked like he was holding a deer head.  *snicker*

I am sitting back today with a sigh of relief.  Almost all Christmas shopping was completed today.  The only thing that needs to be purchased is a gift card.  I also want to get some scratch-off Lottery tickets.  We've invited my single cousin and his mom, my Aunt for our Annual Christmas Brunch.  If they show up, there will be just a little something under the tree - even if it's just a bunch of scratch offs & a plate of cookies.  I figured I would just wrap up a couple of candles for my Aunt.

King Turd of Poop Mountain has one gift that was ordered from Amazon.  Hopefully it will arrive in time.  They are red polar fleece footie pajamas!  *snicker*  He put them on his Christmas List and I got them.  He didn't want the 'drop seat' so, he'll get to experience the freezing cold of the bathroom after being toasty warm.  Don't ask me how I know.... oh alright.... I had footie pajamas as a kid & teenager & most recently a thing called a 'potato sack'... very similar to footie pajamas except it looks like a big rectangle of material with cuffs at the wrist, ankles & neck.  It was so big that I was able to wear it while I was VERY pregnant.  I looked rather 'snappy' with my teal 'potato sack' and my bright yellow Crocs .... especially when I walked waddled around.... Ahem!!!  Ok, you can stop laughing now... Hey!  HEY!!!  Oh, never mind....

The Princess has been busy all afternoon baking.  She's made several quarts of popcorn for Caramel Corn, along with Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies & she's got the dough for Sugar Cookies chilling in the fridge.  She also asked for ingredients for fudge.  I can't wait to see what else she decides to bake up!  Yeah for us for having a Culinary Arts student at our house!!

How are your final Christmas preparations wrapping up (pun intended)?  Hopefully you've had some comic relief while you've been busy.

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear!

She's a Super Freak....

She's a super freak.... super freak.... she's super freaky.... that's how I'm feeling about now.  I was thinkin' I had it all under control.  until I read Bigfoot's fiance's recent Facebook post (evil Facebook).  Now, I'm freaking out.... dang it!!  (ok... so it's slightly better after having a cup of Tension Tamer tea & 'getting over it')...

See... around here the Pre-Christmas Rules are 1.  Pass around your Christmas List  2.  Do NOT buy anything off your Christmas List for yourself during the month of December.   Bigfoot forgot to tell her the rules.  So... when they sorta broke the first rule and I had to ask for some ideas for Christmas they gave me only two.... Yep, two.... One was a Down Comforter and the other was a Gel Mattress Pad for their bed. Soooo... I ended up buying them both for them and I got them last week.  And today said fiance' went out & bought her own Mattress Pad & already stuck it on the bed.  Now I have to send the one I bought back.... hopefully. 

Now what do I get them?  I have only met her a few times.  I feel a little a lot out of the loop.  I feel dumb that I don't know what to get my son for Christmas... let alone his fiance' of one month.  Does that happen when some kids get older?  Especially boys?  It makes me sad.  Like I don't know him anymore.  I don't know.... They're coming over tomorrow to pick up her Birthday Card.  Her Birthday was Tuesday.  We'll talk then.

The other things that are freaking me out are just stupid things.  Like my To Do List:  This morning when I got up it had 26 things on it... things that I hope to accomplish this weekend. I have done 5.  *sigh*

I have really tried to make it a To Do List instead of a Project List.  A To Do List is stuff that can be accomplished in 1 step.  A Project List is something that takes more than 1 step.  Take the bathroom for instance.  A Project List would be 'Clean Entire Bathroom'.  A To Do List would be 1. Clean Toilet  2. Clean Shower  3. Clean Sink, etc.

I'm thinking that I'd like to be baking some cookies or something tomorrow when Bigfoot & Bigfootette get here tomorrow.  Possibly asking her if she'd like to help.  Do you think that would make me seem warm as a future Mother-In-Law?  She doesn't know me well enough to 'get' me joking with her... as most of my joking is sarcastic.... So I'm thinking that I'll have to do the 'nice' stuff until she gets to know me & I can joke with her.

Hopefully, the next time I chat with you all... I won't be a Super Freak.

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear!

Princess In Training

It's been very exciting in Duckville this past week.  We've been shopping & primping & practicing & breaking in high heels.  Yes, it's that time of year again, time for Semi at our local High School.  This was the Princess' first Semi Dance.  And I just have to say it does not seem possible.  My very own Princess is growing up before my very eyes.  And this past weekend, those eyes got very watery..... like.... drippy watery.... *sniff, sniff, waaahhhh*  If it was allergy season I could blame it on that, but I can't.  It's all her fault!!! 

Come on... let's take a walk down memory lane:

She's gone from this...

To this....

To this bright eyed & bushy-tailed girl... *snicker*

To this kick-ass girl!!

   

My gorgeous Princess!

To this beautiful & stunning young woman!

I do have to say that she was absolutely stunning.  When we were talking about her night, she mentioned she had said to her boyfriend that she noticed that about 5 other guys had 'checked her out'.  His reply was 'Oh, yeah, well more than 5 'checked you out'.... a LOT more!'   Which made her kinda grin.

That's what went on at our house this weekend.  What happened at yours?

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear!

PS.  Please ignore the silly box above the pic.  I was lucky that I could figure out how to get them side by side!