Out With The Old.....

Well it's that time again.
The time when an old year passes and a new one begins.
I've never been a person to make New Years resolutions but
I'm downright determined to make extra efforts in 2013.
Also, I'm fairly certain I will say sayonara to some sourness I've
been sucking on in 2012.

This past year has done well by me and most of my loved ones.
Really, how can any of us complain when we've been gifted
another year of life in this planet we're playing on?
I know that I've done my share of spitting sours and have no
reason for it considering how others suffer.
One only needs to think of the recent deaths of those children
and staff members at that school.
The horrific hurt their family and friends must feel.
Young lives not left to live on or have the chance to live at all.
I won't slide many sentences about it because it's been talked
about everywhere but I will state that it's still much on my mind grounds.
I vow to think off them when things seem shadowy for me.
If for no other reason than to realize we are indeed lucky to live
with the struggles we share, no one snuffed out our lives senselessly.
That's all I have to say about that.

I hope all of you had a happy Christmas and were able to indulge in
and enjoy many of your favorite things, I sure did.
A couple days before Jesus's Big Day, my Uncle hosted two parties
for family and friends.
The first was for our children and was a big success.
The second was for all of the adults and went wonderfully.
I'm hoping these parties become a tradition because they sure were
a blast for all who attended.
Thanks Uncle Tooker, take a bow you did dandily and we all appreciate it!

The next get together would find my Sis, her kids and my crew at our
Mother's house.
Though I envisioned an enormous explosion, it was a very nice night
and we all had an excellent evening.
The eruption would come from yours truly on Christmas day.
I'll get to that soonly but right now I want to focus on the piddly pride
I have over my efforts.
You see, for much of my life, having a happy relationship with my Mother
has not been my experience and recently I have been harbouring heaps
of harshness towards her.
Christmas Eve I didn't let it consume me and because of that, I enjoyed the
time spent with everyone.
Now why in the name of Nativity scenes was I not able to do that the
following evening?
I'm getting to it, got some praising I have to place here first.
Usually we have the traditional turkey dinner at Mom's but this year my Sister
asked if we could partake in Prime Rib that she so generously offered to
buy and prepare.
A big ole "Yay!" she got from me upon her request and from the waistlines of
everyone who enjoyed the feast.
Thank you Julie!, as always when you cook, it was pleasing perfection
to our pampered palates.

Christmas morning held some of my favorite moments.
We were hoping to be looking forward to the excited expressions on both
our Son's faces but the bow we ordered for Liam didn't arrive in time so
it was all on Aidn to deliver in excitement.
We did wrap a gag gift for our oldest though, a plastic kids bow.
Hubby Bub papered it all up in a big box like his Brother's was in and when he
opened it and we explained the situation, he sported smiles and took it swell.
Thank you Liam, I'm proud of how you reacted and you sure made us feel better.
Our youngest was also given a bow but the real kind, a not to shabby compound,
I might add.
He was so happy and excitable upon seeing it, dancing and bouncing about.
Those moments are ones we all enjoy, I'd say.
You'd think the memory of those moments would have stuck and been useful
later in the day,
I'd like to say that they did but I can't.
I plowed over any pleasantries with persistent pessimism. 
Almost there, please have patience with me.

After my Husband left for work the boys entertained themselves with
their new everythings and I headed back to the nest for a Seasons Greetings Siesta.
After lunch we would join the other branches in our bunch at the nursing home
to spend time with the family head, Memeness.
She is ninety now and I don't know how much of the time registers in her think tank
anymore but I sure do love being around her with everyone.
She started us all and I feel much pride and love over that.
Our Cousin even brought her little Teacup Chihuahua along and that kept
the kids entertained for much of the time.
Birthday cake was brought in to celebrate our Uncle's 66th birthday, he shares
it with Jesus you know.
I love that we all get to be with him on his big day, and hope he enjoyed his time
with us as much as we enjoyed ours, with him.

On to the tough typing....
After we left the nursing home it was time for the festive feast at our Cousin's place.
She has the perfect house to hold us all and lots of space for the kids to
bounce about in.
There was so much food and I couldn't wait to eat.
I must make mention of how the turkey was prepared.
A couple weeks ago on Facebook someone commented about deep fried turkey,
I replied that I had never had it and probably wouldn't be trying it because I wasn't
making the bird this year.
Well my thoughtful, kind Cousin saw those comments and decided to cook the
Christmas clucker that way.
I never imagined that it would taste so terrific, it's most certainly something I'm
hoping to have again in holidays to come.
There was also stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, perogies,
green bean casserole, gravy, buns, cheeses, pickles, olives and other things
that are surely skipping my mind.
I haven't even sentenced about the sweets that were set out, there was an
abundance of enticing edibles offered and I wish that I would have stayed to
shovel in some more.

Right before we all sat down to enjoy the delicious dinner, our youngest Son was
going wild in a rocking chair and though he was told to slow down, he ignored
everyone and ended up rocking over his three year old Cousin's toes.
I had heard people telling him to stop but my attention was held in the
conversation I was in.
Of course he was scolded by his Father and started to cry, that got me
right in his face.
Thinking back, I should have left it alone and let my Husband handle it.
Nope, not me, I can never let well enough alone and wait until later to deal
with things, black or white, now or never is most certainly me.
I was fuming that he had not listened.
Then his Brother threw himself into the situation and I discovered a
lie they had both been caught in.
My temper was brought to a boiling point.
It was one of those moments were a ton of everything gets unleashed and
hurt feelings are handed out.
Immediately afterward, my marvelous mood let guilt, shame and sadness step
in and there it stayed for the following two days.
Shortly after we ate I couldn't stop the eye leaks from flowing over what
had taken place and knew I couldn't stay and ruin everyone's Christmas.
Having loved ones see me like that and not being able to focus on anything
else even after they offered love and concern was just to hard to handle.
Sadly, I apologized and excused myself, leaving my Husband to answer
any questions about my absence.
I am not proud or happy with how I handled anything that night but find comfort
in the fact that I am willing to try and improve.
Well that's what Christmas included this year and I'm happy to state, it's good
to share more marvelous moments than miserable ones.
Overall it was all kinds of awesomeness and I'm grateful I was given the chance
to live it and enjoy my loved ones once again.

I must be getting busy now, it's our close friends anniversary today
and I have much preparation for the celebration!
Thanks for reading what's in the mind grounds and may the coming
New Year be filled with well health and happiness for you!
P.S I've included a few pictures and though Meme was a having
a short sleep, I'm still happy we snapped that shot.