Saturday, December 20, 2014

Enjoy the Season, Young Parents

All my Christmas shopping and wrapping are done, but I kind of wish I was out shopping today.  I think more than shopping, I would like to turn back time and experience the 'young parent syndrome' again; the excitement of playing Santa.


Back in the late 1970s, I would have never classed ourselves as poor, but as a stay-at-home mom, we sort of lived from paycheck to paycheck.  The kids were little and didn't really have particular toys on their list so that made shopping for them much easier.  We could wait until the last minute to shop and usually did because inevitably payday fell just a few days before Christmas, or in some instances, on Christmas Eve itself.  We never panicked for there was always toys, toys galore. 


You'd be surprised how much toys are discounted on Christmas Eve if you know where to look.  That place would be all the stores that don't normally carry toys; OTASCO, for example.  Remember OTASCO?  Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company.  OTASCO to the rescue.  Steven was just at the age where he could maneuver a little motorized vehicle and we found one that OTASCO was practically giving away on Christmas Eve.  That made Santa very happy.


Enjoy the season, young parents!  This season of life passes ever so quickly.


I love you.


And no, we didn't have a babysitter.  We'd all look at the toys, Santa would nod, and one of us would take the kids either to the car or across the store while Santa did his magic!  It all worked out perfectly just as was intended.







Friday, December 19, 2014

A Perfect Day

Have you ever had one of those days where you have everything planned right down to the tiniest detail and you get derailed right at the get-go?  That's exactly what happened today.  And I had to cope............

During the night last night, I planned our whole day; a perfect pre-Christmas Day stressless day.  A day of fun as a reward for getting all the shopping and wrapping done.  I was going to:  1)  Get my hair colored at 9:30.  2)  Pick up hubby.  3)  Be at Ingrid's Kitchen for Lobster Bisque at 11:15.  4)  Be at Steinmart at 12:00 for a little shopping and looking for myself.  5)  Be at Whole Foods by 12:45.  6.  Movie around 2:00.  7)  Be at Sam's Club by 4:45.  8)  Home by 6:00.   A treat day.  A perfect day!

BUT, I got to my salon at 9:25 and the girl that was to fix my hair wasn't there yet.  No biggie, but by 9:50 I was grinding my teeth and I was getting quite tense.  It wasn't like my stylist to be late.  Getting more and more tense, I finally asked a girl if she'd heard from her; she hadn't.  Finally, another stylist came in the door and explained to me that my stylist was in the ER with her daughter, but that she do put color on my hair after she did the same for her own patron.  It was awfully sweet of her to take me and I am extremely appreciative, but that put me off my schedule by two hours.

After being at the salon for 45 minutes and still not in the chair, I started to de-stress.  I began to unwind.  I unclenched my jaws.  I just let it all go.  All the plans for the day, all the appointments, and even Ingrid's Lobster Bisque.  (You have to taste it to believe it.)  You see, I could either stress myself all out or just go with the flow, which truth be told, was the only thing I could do.  Short of leaving with my roots showing (and we know that wasn't going to happen), I really had no choice but to set there so I might as well let it go.

By this simple decision to not let myself get all uptight, the day still turned out perfect; just the way it was always meant to be.  We had lunch at home.  We skipped Steinmart all together, but we made it to Whole Foods.  They didn't have their Stolen this year, probably a good thing because I would have been tempted.  We made a quick trip to Sprouts for produce.  We didn't take in a movie, but we made it to Sam's.  Home by 4:45.  A perfect day!

I hope your day was perfect.  I hope that you are having a chance to reflect the true meaning of Christmas and can let all the stress and strife all go.

Not the day I had planned, but a PERFECT DAY!

I love you. 

Now I just need to de-stress about my laptop.  I'm using the hubbies, but after Christmas...........


   

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Rambling Christmas Thoughts

I haven't written in ages due to a faulty laptop which now seems to be working; like magic.  Now don't tell anyone this, but I think the security people messed it up deliberately.  I say that in jest, but it all started when I failed to renew my security protection and suddenly has fixed itself after I renewed.  Could it be???????  Hubby told me to be careful because I was sounding cynical.  I learned it from the master.


So since it is working and since I really don't have my thoughts in order enough to actually post anything of sentimental value, I thought I just start listing my rambling thoughts that have been running through my mind lately.


1.  Why did they take the hopped up on caffeine Target lady off their commercials?  I know people just like her and they definitely get in their zone when Target is their destination.  Mindy, I'm talking about you!!


2.  Why is it raining when I have the time and desire to make divinity?  If I have to explain that to you, then you don't make candy.


3.  Yesterday, on the way to the car, I saw a woman who was wearing the cutest top; a 4 inch trim of sequins around the bottom and the 3/4 sleeves.  Anyway, I told her it was pretty.  She never said a word, but her husband who was a few steps behind, rather loudly told me thank you.  She definitely heard me, but I wonder why she didn't acknowledge a compliment.  She must have been in a hurry, but I could tell the husband thought she was being rude.


4.  I don't like music of the Trans Siberian Orchestra.  Just don't.


5.  I have all my Christmas shopping done except two gifts which are simple ones.


6.  I have made a double batch of Fantasy Fudge with pecans.  I weighed the candy--6 pounds 13 ounces.  It is in the refrigerator.  Hopefully!
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7.  I love colored lights on my tree.  Oh the solid colors are very beautiful and glamorous, but I like all different colors.  The hubby and I are in agreement and we have decided that is because we have such fond memories of our childhood Christmases.  We both had colored lights on our trees--precious memories.


8.  I start listening to Christmas music the week before Thanksgiving.  Love it!  Nowadays it is so much easier to find the old standards; satellite radio, Pandora, etc.  There is one CD I really want and hope to get this week--Seth MacFarlane's Holiday for Swing.  Who knew Seth could sing?


9.  I am not going to make Aunt Betty's (my actual Aunt Betty--a real Aunt Betty) Peanut Brittle.  First time in 42 years............hmmmm.............maybe I ought to make it after all.


10.  I can't wait till Tara and Rhonda get here.  I get all giddy thinking of all the Mexican restaurants to try.......a few new ones, maybe.


11.  and lights...........always a "look at lights" night for us Tuckers.  Nichols Hills and Chesapeake, here we come!  Which reminds me of the time when I was a teenager when two car loads of us Dawkins' were out looking at lights in the big city.  We either made a wrong turn or someone deliberately decided we needed to check out the Oklahoma City Country Club.  Oh yes we did, two car loads of us drove right up to the front door; valets ready to open our doors and park our cars.  Don't look at them and keep on driving like we know what we are doing.  That same night there was someone who was driving on the wrong side of I44, coming right towards us.  I was in the first car and I remember looking back to make sure our family members in the second car avoided that car.  It was scary, but  God was watching over us all.


12.  I just love the Salvation Army bell ringers.  Again, it must be a childhood memory thing because it warms my heart to know there are folks that take time to volunteer.  It saddens me, though, to know of people who are suffering.


13.  We bought 4 Christmas movies to replace those that have been ravaged by time and abuse.  We have an entire month's worth of movies that we view each year, saving our favorites for the week before Christmas.  There are several old black and white movies with a Christmas theme that we have discovered in the last 5 years.  Yes, they are cheesy, but they are cute and you see all the period clothing and décor.  I love that!


14.  I don't like to wrap presents, but, guess what.  I have all mine wrapped and all that Rhonda has sent so far.


15.  Hot chocolate!!  Tara has been texting me for more than a month that we are going to McDonald's to get hot chocolate when she comes.  Did I already say I cannot wait till she gets here?  By the way, McDonald's does have the best hot chocolate.


This is getting long........and I have so much more to say.  Oh well, more next time boys and girls.  I think I will blog something tomorrow that you will find nostalgic.  Stay tuned.


I love you.









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