I love my family!

I've had a lot going through my mind lately and I don't have time to really think and relax until the kids are sleeping. Last night, we were all at home and it wasn't a happy environment. Lots of arguing, yelling, unhappy kids and unhappy mom. There was a knock at the door and it was the youth of our church a.k.a. our ward family. They had a combined YM/YW activity where the young men and young women, along with their chaperones, went Christmas caroling and spread good cheer and beautiful voices to all! It was so nice to feel the happiness that came with them! We are going caroling on Monday night and it made me more excited to spread the holiday cheer after hearing all of them sing on our porch. Marquesa told me that we weren't on their schedule, but she added us. Thank you Marquesa because you know that we always need extra happiness in our home!
The downside for the carolers was:

1. Someone probably went home with crap on their shoes from standing in our yard. The neighbors have TONS of wild cats that love to crap in our yard. BTW, I spefically do NOT have animals because I don't want to care for another living thing OR clean up after their crap! Besides, I'm super allergic. EVERY SINGLE time we walk in our yard, someone steps in cat crap. It's beyond irritating!

Apparently that was just a tangent that I went off on! Lol.

2. The carolers were given candy canes with an extra bonus.......live ants! Lol! We decorated the tree last weekend and put new candy canes on it. The kids broke a couple of them and I told them to put them in the ziplock bag with the rest of the canes. The bag was in our usual 6 ft. high pile of mess by the front door. When the carolers came, I sent them away with some candy canes. Do you know that they now make swedish fish flavored ones?!?! Back on the subject, someone said that they had ants on their candy cane! Oh Em Gee! How embarrassing. Those disgusting little ants found the broken canes and started invading! So Calvin and I took a bunch off of the tree and traded them. I'm sure Quesa heard about it afterwards because she texted me and asked why I gave them candy canes with ants on them! Lol. They gave US memories and I wanted to return the favor to THEM! DUH!!!!
Also, if you want to join us Christmas caroling, we are going to meet in Oakley on Monday night 12/10 around 6 pm. We are going to spread our Christmas cheer to the residents of Oakley! Message me for details!

So, that was last night. Today, we had a busy day as usual. I was tucking Max (8 yrs. old) into bed and talking to Marquesa at the same time from across the hall. We were talking about her mom going into labor in Hawai'i and she said something that I can't even remember right now. I said something about her mom being fat and pregnant because I remember how fat I was when I was pregnant. YIKES! It was said in  a joking way because I have no idea how big her mom is and I wasn't trying to be mean. So, I told Max that I was about twice my normal size when I was pregnant! He was asking why people get so big and I told him that moms eat more to give their babies vitamins to grow. He told me
"That's why Heavenly Father made me a boy. I'm a picky eater and I wouldn't be eating healthy food to feed my baby vitamins!" Apparently Heavenly Father knew that this would happen, and therefore made him a boy! Lol. My kids say the funniest things sometimes, but I thought that this was priceless!

I've also been thinking about my family a lot lately. Monday night I had a talk with the boys in the car about family and family members who have died and what it might be like when we eventually see them again in Heaven. My mom is in Mexico for a couple of weeks and I keep thinking about how lucky I am to have her in my life. I love her so much and appreciate her every day. She has taught me everything and worked so hard as a single mom to raise me, my sister and brother. I put her through so much when I was in high school and of course, never realized how STUPID I was until later! Once you become a parent, you sure do appreciate your own parents and all that they did for you. So, I've been thinking a lot about family and how lucky we are to have a close one. Tonight, I changed the radio station in the car to Mexican music. I was telling Calvin that any time I hear it, I am reminded of my grandparents. It brought tears to my eyes and made me miss them so much! What I would give to have them around again. You never truly appreciate someone and how much love and beauty they bring to your life, until they're gone.

Family, Family, Family. From my mom who STILL takes care of me, my sister who sent me a picture tonight of a cute pair of jeans that she saw for me, and my brother who came by the other night to bring me his traditional Christmas music cd AND saved the songs to my computer AND included all of the song information just like a store bought cd......I have to say that I am truly blessed with an amazing family. Thank you to my brother, who also brought me our family's Christmas angels. Ever since we were little, we've had these silky angel ornaments. One is pink and one is blue. My mom used to put them on our tree every year when we were growing up. We found them in a box 2 years ago and James and I were fighting over who had "custody rights." He took them last year and I was supposed to have them this year. I guess Diana will get them next year. So, he sent us a video last week of his Christmas tree and zoomed in on MY angels at the end of his video. I told him to stop holding them for ransom and to BRING THEM TO ME NOW!!!! When he came to bring me the cd the other night, he walked right in and held up the cd. I reached straight into his front hoodie pocket looking for the angels and there they were. Lol. That made our tree perfect! I love family traditions! I love my family!

In an effort to actually go to bed before midnight (too late,) I'm signing off.

Night friends! Merry Christmas! Or as Eddie Murphy would say in Trading Places..... "Merry New Year!"