Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Sticking to holiday tradition, we decorated for Christmas yesterday. I have fond memories of decorating my parents house and I wanted to take more of an active role than my parents did so my kids could have even better memories. However, this is how the night went:
Me- Sam! stopping chewing on the cord!
Me- SAM! NO!!
Me- Ethan, stop complaining
Me- Max! We don't eat the Christmas tree
Me- SAM! NO!!
Me- Ethan- stop whining
Me- Ethan, quit it!
Me- You change your attitude right now mister, or you are going straight to bed!
Me- SAM!!
Me- Someone put Sam outside
Me- Ethan, I swear to God, if you don't stop juggling the Christmas balls right now, you are going to bed!
Me- Why don't we have any flippin' Christmas music?! Who broke the CD player?!
Me- Let Sam in
Me- Ethan!!! WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN!
Me- Ethan! Settle down!
Me- Sam bring back the beads that go on the tree.
Me- No Max the bulbs are not a toy...
Me- Ethan! Go to your room!!
Ethan- I'm bored...
Me- I don't care if you're bored in there!!
Me- Ethan, the Christmas tree box is not a place for you to hide in!
Me- GET OUT OF THERE!!!
Me- We'll finish tomorrow.
To be fair, it IS Max and Sam's first Christmas, so they are bound to be a little curious. However, I think I just need to admit that Ethan has three distinct personalities, two of which drive me absolutely crazy. When he is in his "mood", he is an angry little man, and there is no getting out of it. He whines, complains, yells at Noah and Sam. Basically is Mr. Negativity. His second 'mood' is incredibly WILD. This has emerged since the beginning of Kindergarten. I don't want to point fingers, but the next-door neighbor is incredibly wild, and he is in Ethan's class; coincidence? I don't think so. When he is wild, he yells, shouts, runs, hollers, can not settle down to save his life, and does annoying things. The third Ethan is my Ethan. He is sweet, calm, cuddly, hilariously funny and a good boy. He draws and writes letters to mommy. I know he gets wild when he is tired, and he gets angry when he plays too many video games. His father does not agree, but a mom knows best. Maybe we need to cut out playstation and back-up bedtime. Noah helped until he got sick of it and started watching tv. Anyway, we have two trees up, minus other decorations that I need to put up today.
So once again, I won't waste my time hangin' around the mailbox for my mother of the year award. Why is it when you try to make a nice moment with your kid, it rarely turns out how you wanted it to? Noah gets distracted by sports, or talking about sports, or someone wearing a hockey jersey. Ethan, well you aren't sure which Ethan as going to show up. Later on we watch ELF. I think that made nice memories. I didn't use the phrase "I swear to God...." at least. For my out-of-state followers, it is snowing. It'll be a white Christmas after all.
As I write this, Sam keeps climbing on the tree. I yell, "SAM! NO!" and Ethan says, "mommy, he just wants to be on the tree because it's beautiful." There's my Ethan. Isn't he sweet?

Master's Graduation Party

One month from today I will be a college graduate- again. I am not going to St.Paul for the ceremony, but I am thinking of throwing myself a party...We’d start out with a bang, and by that I mean I’d fire off a starter’s pistol so people knew the party actually started. The very first event of the party would be Bobbing for Fairfield Shots. I’d fill a large kiddie pool with Fairfield Juice -- a mixture of kool-aid, Pop Rocks, and vodka -- and throw some shot glasses in there. Then everyone has to lean in, grab a shot glass with their mouths, and take the shot. It’s messy but it sure gets things started right. If you’re not drunk after Bobbing for Fairfield Shots, you’re not playing right.
So after everyone’s good and sauced, I’d break out the piñatas. The key to piñatas at parties is naming them. If you name them after students, you know people are going to really get into it. I would name a few and then let somebody else do the naming, but trust me, they would all be named. As for filling them, that all depends on the budget. If there’s no money for the piñatas, then I’d fill them with dry rice. If there’s a little cash around, then I’d go for hard candy. With hard candy, you get the fun of seeing the piñata burst AND the injuries that go with it. Ha ha.
When the party winds down, I’d do another round of Bobbing for Fairfield Shots and then send people on their way with Goody Bags. The bags would just be filled with copies of my thesis and extra pencils I bought my students, but hey, everyone likes a parting gift, right?
They should really make me head of the social committee at work. I’d be amazing.

Things I Am Greatful For

There are many many things I am grateful for but would be easy to take for granted, here are 6. 1) Our daycare lady, Jo. She is always kind to my kids and loves them.
2) My student teacher, Emily is doing an awesome job. I won't have to re-train my kids when she is gone.
3) The love of my friends and family. Life is worth living when you have someone who loves you.
4) My job and the people I work with. I complain, but I really do love my job. You are truly lucky if you get to do something you love. You are blessed if you get to get paid for it.
5)The health of my children, family, friends and myself. Good health is always something worth being thankful for.
6) My home. It is warm, clean (mostly), the right size and in the right neighborhood.

Thoughts that I think:
Investment Ideas! If you purchased 10,000 of Delta Airlines stock 1 year ago, you would have 4,900 today.
If you purchased 10,000 of Apple stock 1 year ago, you would have 3,300 today.
If you purchased 1,000 of Lehman Brothers stock 1 year ago, you would have 0.0 today.
But, if you purchased 10,000 worth of beer 1 year ago, drank all the beer, returned the aluminum cans for a recycling refund, you would have 21,400 .
Imagine, the above said returns is just an addition on top of all the entertainment you got by drinking beer (which is not accountable in terms of money). Hmmmm.

Think Smart.
Cheers.