2012 the big list

Her it is. The list I make every year. You know that one where I say what I’d LOVE to do to change my life, big or small.

The list that is the new me. The way I want to be. What I want to strive to be.

It’s always good to make change. I’m one of those happy optimistic people who embrace new ideas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m comfortable with the old way just as much as the next guy but you don’t know.

After searching ‘Pinterest’ for a great ‘Change’ quote. I came up with my own.  “I don’t want to change THE world. I just want to change MY world.”

Sounds selfish? Nope. Who isn’t out there to better themselves? And hoping a better me, makes a better world.

So onto the ‘list’ of BRILLIANT idea’s, thoughts and wishes for myself for this Twenty 12.

• Weight loss. I think I’ve saved this one for last before, but let’s not fool anyone. Pretty much everyone I know has this one on their list. Speaking of Pinterest, I did find this to be quite inspiring…And on the weight loss thought… let’s just say it will be it’s own blog post.
• Milltown sales. Simple enough, but quite complicated. This Milltown is an antique mall. We rent a booth, to sell all the crap in our houses (my mom and I are in together) great idea, like a permanent garage sale. Higher prices, and we don’t baby sit it. Either way I’d rather MAKE things to sell. SO I should probably MAKE things, and SELL them. Otherwise all my great idea’s will stay trapped in my head! (dangerous place to stay!!)
• LESS stuff. we have a messy house because we have TOO much stuff, and the golden rule of “a place for everything, and everything in it’s place” is NOT working here! It’s simple. Or it should be. Much simpler. We’ve just got TOO much.
• Garden better. I tried two years ago to garden a TON of flower beds, in result I’ve got 5 beds… NOT well maintained AT all. To a point where I loathe gardening. I do love it, it was just becoming more of a job then a hobby. Need to make it, again, simpler. Baby steps.
• Be nicer. Sounds easy. But since I’ve had kids, and I fought with PPD so much I just seem to snap so much more. I’m short, rude, and to the people I love most. It’s a work in progress. But always trying.
• More art room time. Sounds greedy. But it’s what I do. Some people watch t.v. I sit in an art room with my cats and chill. I need to balance it so I get down there more, but it doesn’t take away from my family life, and housework.
• Family time. I make this the most important thing in my life. My family of 4 gets my attention over any one else. But my wonderful family of 3 that I started with, Queen, Carrots and Frances. I have to make sure they are around me as often as I can see them. They are what made me me.

Have to laugh, after I wrote out all I want to change, about 80% of this list is EXACTLY what I said last year. Not that I didn’t do these things in 2011 but, I’m glad I’ve got goals to keep striving for.

So Happy New Year to you, hoping this Twenty 12 is good to you, that you grow and change, that you accept your life, or make it better. YOU are your own change.

JCat McGack

Who’s getting socks this year?

Sunday was the big day for our little Village of 12,000 people to light the big tree. It was an all day event where they had a bunch of great activities for the kids, cookie decorating…

 

 

 

 

 

A very cool project that all the kids said “Shrinky dinks? oh…OK”

While all of us parents squee’d  “SHRINKY DINKS!” while our minds instantly raced back to the happy days of the 80’s where everything was simple. Wishing for My Little Ponies, or Easy Bake Ovens. And while lost in our nostalgic time warp it’s quickly interrupted by a whiney kid. Bam. Back to reality.

There was a new addition this year, and it was Frosty the Snowman. The kids LOVED him. Seeing that they JUST saw him on tv the night before. LOTS of high 5’s for this guy!

Buzz was not so much into Santa, more concerned for Frosty, and those cookies he was guarding.

Tink however was ALL about Santa, she didn’t so much want to sit on his lap (creepy anyway) so I went with and we sat with Santa, she chatted away about the “Sleeping Beauty Castle” she’s been asking for for months. Thankfully I was up there and said “How about you ask for something that is NOT $70 for yet another castle to add to your princess castle land you ALREADY have”  “What else do you want?”

She then thought of her new love for LalaLoopsy toys, (phew, that’s what she’s getting… Santa told me that) she giggled at the teeny tiny candy cane he gave her. Gave him a big ol’ high 5 and said see you soon!

“See you soon” started a few questions as to “Why do we see Santa SO much? Does he live close to us"?”

I said “Santa has lots of visits to make, needs to KEEP checking on you and ALL the other kids around the world. LOTS of face time.”

I have to say this is my new favorite of Tink and I. Both smiling, both with our new hair cuts. Love it.

Wished we were there a bit earlier for the horse carriage rides! But the line was long and the kids wanted to do the events inside. Next year!

We all went outside for the lighting of the tree. A group of about 40 or so people were there. Santa and Frosty, Village President, and some other political must have’s.

Little Miss Channahon and the two runner up girls were there to hit the switch for the lights.

We had to say 40 degrees was one of the warmest for the event

A good night of hot chocolate cookies, crafts, and reminding the kids about Santa and just enjoying a night of being together as a family.

Happy that the Elf on the Shelf is doing his job around our house, and so are the Santa Camera’s (simply said Smoke detectors. Think about it. They are EVERYWHERE. Schools, restaurants, stores, and everyone's homes and up ALL year for full watch!)

Enjoying them believing so whole heartedly about Santa Claus. I hope it last for a long time… rule is, when you stop believing, that’s the year you get socks.

JCat McGack

Merry, Happy, Blessed… whatev

Tis the season to be Jolly… until you wish the WRONG person the WRONG greeting this season.

“Merry Christmas” makes the masses happy. Even those who don’t follow the whole Christ part of Christmas go along with it to please everyone who does. Even those who celebrate Hanukah or Kwanza don’t seem to bark at you when you say the wrong phrase to them, it is SO many (not all but still to many) “Christians” who get their tinsel in a tangle over this one simple phrase.

Me personally I say “Merry Christmas” BUT I also say “Happy Holidays”  but what I really mean to say is “Please enjoy your holiday with your loved ones WHATEVER you celebrate” If it’s a small baby in a barn, at midnight mass, or spinning your dreidel.

So PLEASE stop with the obnoxious “Christ in Christmas” or “Jesus is the reason for the season” crap. I’m amazed that it ALWAYS seems to be ONE religious group that shoves their point of Christmas down everyone's throats.

And while it may seem that I’m picking on just one religion (in which all honesty I am) know that I believe there is NOTHING wrong with religion, it’s wonderful. It keeps people at peace, makes their soul happy, and comforts them. Good for them.

BUT for me personally, I’m agnostic. I believe in Santa Clause and for that much the Easter Bunny. I’m NOT religious (was raised Roman Catholic) NOW I do put up a tree, a few for that matter, and I call it a Christmas tree. I put up Christmas lights, and Christmas decorations, and well for the last 33 years it’s been CHRISTMAS everything, so JUST because I say ‘Christmas’ doesn’t mean I believe in a immaculately conceived baby in a barn.

I believe in the spirit of Santa, and that drilling the idea of this fake man in a beard with elves and Santa Cameras all over the house will make my children behave better so I can spoil them with toys and gifts.

I believe in family coming together, baking together, just enjoying the season of love and joy. I love singing songs that I have for the last 33 years, and YES many religious, but the comfort of my youth in the Catholic church, and the fact that these songs bring back happy memories are why I love to sing them.

I’m NOT angry if you’re a devote Christian who believes in Christmas with Christ in it. I’m truly not. I’m all for whatever makes your heart happy. But understand that there are SO many of people like me who just. do. not. want it shoved SO far up our asses it makes us uncomfortable to be around you.

This post stems from the town I live in, and the mayor saying “In this town we STILL say Merry Christmas” and the ever so annoying villagers are all joining in ranting about how CHIRST is in THEIR Christmas, and if it’s OK to say “God” any more or “Amen to that” PLEASE stop harassing others with your religion. You are NOT a Christian when you bully others with YOUR ideas.

You’re a Christian when you treat others with love and respect, the way your Christ would want you to.

Happy Holidays to you and yours, may your holiday (whatever it may be) be filled with love, joy, friends, and family,

JCat McGack

Chop it off and own it.

A day that I thought I was running Tink to Quick Care to check out an ‘ear infection’ that she was sent home from school for, ended up being “She’s FINE!” in and out of the doctor in 15 minutes, and $25 wasted on a visit.

I thought I’d make my visit to J-Town worth my while and called my Mom, the Queen, who was in town as well. She was just finishing work, and was on her way over to the doctors to visit with Tink and I.

We headed out to a late lunch at Taco Bell and Tink (again) brought up she wanted her hair cut short. She was inspired by her American Girl doll Kit.

She has long hair, down to the middle of her back. The Queen said she’d pay if Tink really wanted her hair cut, and off to the nearest Hair Trimmery we went.

We pulled it back into a pony tail and CHOPPED it off. After a bit, The Queen said she’d pay for me too to get a trim… well lets just say my ‘trim’ took my hair from this…

To this…

So off with our hair. Both of us chin length. We walked out acting like rock stars. Chatting all the way home about our new short hair.

Soon after we were home, something changed. She broke down and said she HATED her hair. She cried, and screamed that she wanted it all back. Sobbing, and being angry at her new look, I was crushed because I couldn’t fix it. I then went into my own hate for my hair, as my hair takes FOR.EV.ER to grow back.

Tink on the other hand had this same hair cut last fall and it grew super long in a years time. I couldn’t break down over my short hair in fear that I would upset Tink even more. I reassured her that mornings would be faster getting ready, no more tangled hair, and we could SO use all her super cute hair clips.

I know with a blow dryer, and a round brush I can perk mine up, and I always say it’s how you rock your look. Own it.

It may take a few days for us to really ‘rock our look’ with the confidence that we should. I do think a bit of hair shock is going on right now around our house.

While we are still in shock over our hair, after some chatting, she said what if we had twin clothes, twin everything to be the same. It was a boost of confidence, from my 5 year old little girl. So I guess chopping off both of our hair was a good idea. We are in this together, short hair and all.

Hoping our confidence comes through sooner then later, and we do what we always do, rock our look, and own it.

JCat McGack

Photo Card

Snapshots Of Family Holiday

Turn your family photos into holiday cards this season.

View the entire collection of cards.

To Do List (in no particular order)

• Return movies to the library (Ramona & Beezus and Wall-E)
• Straighten up the hall closet, it’s getting a bit avalanche-y.
• Put away the books in the front library room (Kids make a pile when they are done. I am a bit OCD on where the books go back on the shelves)
• Pack up Lucy’s stuff, she’s going home today! (my in-laws cat has been here all weekend)
• Vacuum Buzz’s room (Lucy’s room over the weekend) and take his stuff from Tink’s room back to his (yes I had both my 3 and 5 year old in the same room for 4 nights. INSANITY!)
• Dishes, and pick up the kitchen table.
• Laundry. Pffftt.
• and if I’ve got nothing else better to do, fold the 3 loads in the loft, put away the 3 baskets of random crap, and sort the bin of summer clothes (keep or donate)
• All while entertaining a 3 year old, and Sophie the boxer.
  

So there you go. Enjoy my list, I’m going to go enjoy some coffee, and eggs. Then procrastinate some more, and then start my list of todo’s!

Happy Monday!

JCat McGack