New Year's Resolutions

Right. So - I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm just gonna throw 'em all up here, but in no particular order (hence, the lack of numbering)...

- Start running again. Or at least walking. Preferably at the gym. I was up to 3 miles in 30 minutes (THAT'S A 10 minute mile!) back in April...Now I'd be lucky to run just one mile without keeling over.

- Make a budget. I'm ok but at the end of the month, there's very very little left, and I'm not buying anything excessive that I can figure out?

- Tell my family and friends how important they are to me. Every day.

- Be more organized and proactive at work - i.e. start trying to get plea deals worked out at arraignment.

- Be patient with my children and enjoy every little minute I have with them. They're already slipping right on into full-blown childhood! Where did the babies go?

- Be not so hard on myself. Say no more often without feeling guilty. Enjoy doing nothing. For once.

That's really all I got! Here's to a FABURIFIC 2009!!! I'm so excited about the potential that this year holds. Thank you to all my friends. Old ones, and new ones. I love you.

(Now, please tell me - what are YOU resolving this New Year's???)

Holiday Hooplah and Haberdashery

OK - so haberdashery has nothing to do with the holidays, or hooplah, really...but yes, I do know what haberdashery is...and you can, too! If you look it up on dictionary.com...and I really just like the word. It's one of those fancy words I use to impress all my friends.

You know. Like "pedantic" (giggle) and "apoplectic" (which, in fact, I heard a football announcer use the other day. Really.)

OK - so anyway, the holidays ROCKED. Obviously. We had a somewhat simple Christmas, though I missed most of the week before Christmas thanks to the FLU and all of the week of Christmas thanks to the birth of the Baby Jesus and my children being out of school...and I apologize profusely to my dear, faithful readers for my extended 2 week absence, but - hey, I was kinda busy and I know you love me and I'll make up for it.

Now, right down to business. IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! This was my mantra throughout the week...Santa was good to me. Apparently, I was a very very good girl this year. Ya think? (on second thought, maybe you shouldn't really answer that.) My crazy aunts Julie & Carol were here and that was fabulous and undescribably great. (It's a Christmas Miracle!!!) I got to eat homemade peppermint stick ice cream AND banana pudding. (A DOUBLE Christmas Miracle!!!)My children slept until 7:30am on Christmas Day...IN THEIR OWN BEDS. (BEST Christmas Miracle!!!) And, I got to chill with my bad self on my couch on Christmas night (with Bella the Super-dog and a cuddly blanket...) - and on Boxing Day, I laid around and did nothing with a really good friend - we even watched Sixteen Candles...and I dreamed of Jake Ryan. (Post-Christmas miracle ;)

So, gratitude abounds in my heart, as usual. Today the children are at home with a sitter who is one of the student workers at their preschool. I got to eat lunch with Ms. Kikki. I finished all my business at the jail just in the nick of time (before they kicked me out at 11am), and I'm about to head out for the rest of the day. To go home and finish laundry...

Tomorrow the children will be with Miss Brittany again and then ballet in the evening and heading to Grandmomma's house for New Year's Eve (so Momma can have some adult-ish fun, thanks, Grandmomma, you're the best!)...Speaking of New Year's - I have specific people that I am planning to hang out with, but said people and I have no actualy *plans* so if you know of something that I'm missing, please let me know. I have a couple options up my sleeve, but still...

And you may commence with answering my annoying prying questions:
1. What was your favorite Christmas gift(s) that you received?

2. What was the best one you gave?

3. What are your New Year's Plans (I have a whole question planned about resolutions later...)?

Crisis averted & Holy Cannoli!

I just want to calm all your fears about my recent crisis involving the Fisher-Price Loving Family Dollhouse (or the apparent lack of said dollhouse, since every store and online retailer was out of stock...) - My dear sweet lovely friend Brandy (who apparently reads my blog!!!) called me Monday night and miracle of miracles - had an extra one hanging around! (Or rather, her mom did...) so now Carsie's Christmas wishes will all come true. Fabulocity, I tell ya. It's funny how when you state your needs, they are often met.

Since the dollhouse search was solved through expressing my need, I thought I'd go ahead and mention that my camera is missing? And I NEED it back. My brand new fabulous, much-researched Sony Cybershot 7.2MP in a black padded case with extra battery & memory stick, etc. And there are really good pictures on there of my children and my friends, and I'd really really really like to have it back. I have been a slacker-mom on the picture-taking front with my small children, and after many months of saving and procrastinating, I finally broke down and got this camera - I took like 20 pictures on Friday - and now it's gone. Last seen at La Scala/400 Block on Friday night during the Atomic Boogie show. Please return there if you have it. No questions asked. I just want it back. PSA over, thank you.

And, I appreciate everyone who was looking so diligently for a solution to the dollhouse issue. But now problem is solved, crisis averted...

So, onto the Holy Cannoli portion of this blog post. Um, do you know what today is? TODAY IS THURSDAY! Which means, this time next week, billions of little children all over the globe will be ripping paper off their new gifts and wondering in amazement how DOES Santa eat all those cookies and all that milk (for the record, we leave vanilla Silk for Santa - too much lactose slows a body down, whereas soy protein is an energy-booster.)??? How in the world did it get to be Christmas so quickly?

Tomorrow is the children's last day at school until January 5. I'm off all next week (because I have no where to send them...) and I'm looking forward to the festivities!!!
Monday - lasagna with friends
Tuesday - Christmas Eve Eve in Carrollton with the Kilgores (mmmm, homemade peppermint stick ice cream, wassail, and banana pudding....mmmm....)
Wednesday - Christmas Eve with the fam at G.G.'s (my grandmother, Vicki) and chicken & dressing....mmmm
Thursday - SANTA TIME!!!
Friday - hoping the crazy aunts will come up and go eat at Schroeder's, hang out at bars with me & friends ;)
Saturday - chill, chill, chill....

Christmas Spirit has ARRIVED!

OK - so I am having a simple Christmas, and it's so lovely. Santa finished shopping for The Dynamic Duo this weekend - EXCEPT for the Fisher-Price Loving Family Dollhouse, which is currently out of stock...everywhere. But, I'm searching for a reasonable alternative online today.

I had a hair cut (finally) on Friday, which did WONDERS. She barely even trimmed it, but it looks so much better - and I (finally) replaced my flat-iron with another $19.99 wonder from K-Mart (which was the last spot on the search-for-the-dollhouse expedition Saturday night...)

This weekend, I received my first Christmas gift of the season. And I received it from a dear of a friend...the ENTIRE FIRST SEASON of LOST on DVD. *sigh* of happiness. I am maybe 10 episodes in, so not quite half-way through the first season...and there are 3 more seasons I have to catch up on after that! YAY!. I got back into knitting while watching the first few discs...and I've already completed one scarf and I'm about to start another project! YAY!

My crazy Auntie Julie will be here from Australia - well, actually she's already here in GA now - my sister went to pick her up at 6:30 am at the airport. I'm so terribly excited to get to visit with her and catch up. I know we're related and all, but she and my other Crazy Aunt Carol will both be here and we have such a crazy ball of a time together. Whoopie!!!

Um, ok - so I need some questions of the day. I love the answers, keep 'em comin' - and if you read my blog, please let me know you're here!

1. What are your favorite holiday traditions?

2. What is your LEAST favorite thing about the holidays?

3. What thing, (minor or major) are you looking forward to most right now in life?

4. What's your favorite candy product?

Contentment

I have been on this "on my own" journey for 8 months. I'm not REALLY "on my own" - I have the Dynamic Duo with me - but of course, I'm the Mommy, so I'm in charge of them... I have been noticing lately that for the first time, in a long time, I'm content. CONTENT. At peace. Centered. Sure.

It's sort of paradoxical. My life (from the outside looking in) looks kind of chaotic, it's a wonder I get out of the house every morning and we make it to preschool and work with all our ducks in a row (for the most part). I have two crazy kiddos, a very satisfying full-time professional career, any number of outside private committments (Junior Service League, church, kids' activities, etc.), and an extended family to keep up with as well. But on the inside, I'm calm. I'm not worried about things like I was for a while. I know exactly where I am, and I have a general idea not really of where I'm going, but of the path I'm taking. And it feels right. So, I'm celebrating. I feel, as much as possible, balanced. (This is not to say that there is such a thing as "balance" in a single-working-mommy life, because that would be a misnomer...but to the degree that a feeling of balance is possible, I got it goin' on!)

Now. Here's what I have to look forward to this weekend - Friday, going out with great friends to hear a good band (Atomic Boogie is playing at 400 Block - you should come!)...And Saturday I'm going Santa-shopping. On the list - 2 pre-k bikes with training wheels, a couple barbies, a doll house (and accessories), a Batman Castle (way cool! - and accessories!), books, puzzles, and stocking stuffers. Fun times! I love being a Mom. I get to go to the toy store!

In other news - I'm now addicted to LOST on DVD. (Thank you to all who recommended it...) Y'all know me - I don't have TV, but I like the ability to watch as much or as little of this series whenever I want. Unfortunately, I've found myself sucked in and sitting there knitting for HOURS...*sigh*

OK - that's all I got today. Let me think of some questions... I love when y'all respond, ya know.

1. At what age was your first kiss? And with whom?

2. Is there any part of your job that you just DREAD more than anything? What is it?

3. If you could go anywhere for a long weekend trip (3 days...so no island hopping or anything...) where would you go?

Waffle House Whimsy

I'm a little down. Let me tell you why (and this is my blog, did you expect anything less of me?) - I have these friends - Keith & Ana Kastanias - that had a great little sandwich shop across from my office called the Broad Street Cafe. I ate lunch there most days, with the "courthouse crew"...because it's madness to deal with downtown Rome parking and drive somewhere for lunch. I also realized, after their recent relocation (just 3 doors down) that they make a killer breakfast. I'm a big fan of breakfast - REAL breakfast - bacon & eggs and stuff. None of this mini-muffin or pop-tart stuff.

So, anyway, I was eating breakfast there a couple times a week and enjoying it. And now, they are gone. Keith has taken another opportunity, which I think is great for him, but where the HECK am I supposed to get breakfast? I like a local diner kinda place. I went to Waffle House today, and while the service was Fast & Friendly, and the food was great, it was just NOT the same. And, it was kinda pricey! $7.50 for breakfast? I don't pay that much for lunch most days. Grrr....

Anyway, now that I got the breakfast dilemma off my chest, onto bigger and better things. Have you noticed it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas? Seems like just yesterday it was sweltering hot in August. And now it's only 2 weeks until Christmas? CRAZY! I gotta get busy. Santa comes soon, soon, soon! Speaking of Santa, I have some issues when talking to my children about Santa. I'm not a good liar. Really. Despite being a lawyer and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater...I really am NOT a good liar. Particularly when it comes to lying to my innocent children. I had scary Santa issues as a child, and while I was apparently not scarred for life, I just don't know what to do about this. Cole is into Santa. He thinks he's cool, is not particularly scared of him, and will straighten up and fly right if he thinks "Santa is watching." (Though, really, shouldn't he do that just because he's TOLD to do that?) Carson, on the other hand, seems somewhat freaked about Santa, denies that he can see her at all because if he could, he might be able to see her panties and that, my dears, "would just be so wrong, Mommy!" And, honestly? She's so totally right! Who wants a strange fat old man from up North looking at her in her panties? Not me, man. However, Carson has recently had a change of heart because Mommy said Carson can't have a trampoline. Well, apparently, Santa will, in fact, bring her a trampoline. When asked how Santa is going to get a trampoline on her sleigh, Carson answers, in the most OBVIOUS voice... "One at a time, silly."

Tomorrow is the annual Rome Bar Association Christmas Reception at the country club. Miss Sarah (babysitter) is coming over to watch Christmas movies with the munchkins and I am going to schmooze with the good old boys for a little while and then hit the Moon Roof for maybe one drink while I enjoy the soothing sounds of David Bell/Thunderbolt Patterson. Fabulocity.

And then there is the weekend. Let the shopping begin...and the good times roll.

Questions of the day:

1. What is your perfect breakfast?

2. Do you have a Christmas spending budget? Do you stick to it?

3. What are YOUR feelings on the whole Santa debauchle?

Gosh, Time Flies!

How is it December already? Please tell me. Anyone, anyone...Bueller??? We were entrenched in the experience that IS the Rome Christmas Parade downtown on Broad Street last night. (In the freezing cold, I might add...) (*side note - I'm fully aware that the previous parenthetical is a sentence fragment, but this is a blog, not an official publication, and I have creative license. )

I loved the parade, and the chicklets did, too. Cole was REALLY into the bands. He wants to play the trumpet. Carson liked the "ponies" (which is an understatement, to say the least, since the "ponies" were actually the Budweiser Clydesdales!!!) and the cloggers. I liked the Boy Scouts, the pee wee cheerleaders, and all the church groups, etc. Have trailer of cute kids bundled up against the cold and Christmas cheer, will travel. Now it really feels like Christmas time! I was nervous about Christmas this year. Last year, for many, many, many reasons, Christmas was a bust. And this year, though all that is way over and done with, it's still a little like walking-on-eggshells. However, I asked myself if I was fine, and I answered "Absolutely!" so I reckon I'm alright. I wouldn't lie to myself. The only thing is that my tree, and the boxes and boxes of things that make Christmas Christmas-y at my house have been in storage in Alabama for a year. Madness, I tell you, but we're making do without it. Starting new traditions. Living simply. (yes, still aware of the fragments, by the way)

Ah, so it's Wednesday and I have probation revocations today. Basically, these folks were on probation for pleading guilty or being convicted of a crime in the past, and got in trouble for any number of reasons while on probation - which means the Judge has the discretion to yank the probationary status and put them back in jail/send them to prison, etc. My three this morning all got revoked just to time served/return to probation! This is really good news. Of all my jobs here as an indigent criminal defense attorney, probation revocation hearings are my least favorite. I can never win. These people were dead in the water before they ever got to the courtroom...ya know? *sigh* Anyway, today was good so far and gotta go back at 1:30 for more.

I've been skimping on the questions of the day - so please, do tell:
1) What are you having (or did you have) for lunch?

2) What do you want for Christmas?

3) How many Christmas parties/events are you attending, and where?

4) Do you already have New Year's Plans? And if so, what are they?

An Uncommon Tuesday

I know you have all heard my ranting about Tuesdays. Tuesdays are a frustrating day, altogether - for a myriad of reasons - but for me they are beautiful AND exhausting. Normally on Tuesdays (after work, work, working, of course), I hit the ground running at 4:30 (or 4:45) and book it across town to Berry to pick up those little boogers in my life known as Cole & Carson, and I change Carson frantically into her cutie little ballet things (her slippers fit in the palm of my hand!), and then we book it BACK downtown for ballet at 5:30. Cole and I usually hit the Honeymoon Bakery for a cookie and a cup o' joe (the caffeine is for me, not him, of course...seeing as he's 4, and I wasn't hooked on caffeine until I was at LEAST 5 and a half...), and then we pick Carsie up at 6:15 and usually go to Schroeder's, though we've been known to frequent Jefferson's on Tuesdays, too. After a tired supper, and keeping Carson's fingers and hair out of the cup of Ranch dressing, I usually will let the kids throw a penny in the fountain on Tribune Street, just because.

So anyway, all that is OUT the window today!!! Because TODAY is the day of the Annual Rome Christmas Parade!!! This year's theme is "A Family Christmas" and I'm excited. I have THE BEST family. I actually have several different families... I have my little threesome - me and the chick peas - and then I have my slightly extended family (momma, daddy, sis & bro-in-law) and then I have the rest of the extended family, which includes my grandmomma, my Nannie, my 3 crazy aunts and 3 silly cousins...) and in addition to all that family - I have my adopted family - my sweet dear friends that love me unconditionally just like I love them. I don't know if it's the holidays or what that is making me so sappy about the great people in my life - -or if it's that I'm realizing HOW MUCH I've really been through (and come out unscathed) and each and every one of my family members (both the blood-family AND the spirit-family) have been right there with me every step of the way. Thank you family.

Alright, enough of that...you might think I had gone all tear-jerker on you, but I'm done. You know I love you, I know you love me (and how could you not), so that's that. Here is a bunch of random thoughts. Just because it's Tuesday.

- Cole does not like egg nog. Fine! More for me & the Carsonator!
- Carson ate 4 snowman Peeps this morning behind my back, the little stinker.
- Last night I dreamed I was watching TV. How hilarious.
- I have a few client stalkers, a Krystal stalker, and now I have a Facebook stalker. My profile is SO going to be private like ASAP.
- My house showing was ok, but the real estate agent said the folks wanted a "more expensive" house (4 BR + bonus & 3 full baths) in Armuchee. Their loss, right? ARGH!
- I got a new calendar last night. I am very excited. Yes, I'm a nerd and I love the smell of new pencils and school supplies...I have since I was 7.
- Karen Sue is the best girl-date around.
- I love my Momma. She is proud of me, and I can't think of anything that I would want more.
- I love that I have telepathic communication with Carol?
- I was a junior bowling champion. My cousin, my sister and I were on a team with another girl-friend of ours - and we had shirts. We were the pinheads. I miss those days (I told you I was a nerd.)
- Once I tried to sneak out the window of my basement room to meet some girls in my neighborhood, and I got stuck.
- Last night I danced in my bedroom to Outkast and lip synced to Melissa Ethridge and Sheryl Crow... I wish someone had had a video camera. No, wait...no I don't...but it was FUN...(and yes, I was alone...but Bella seemed to enjoy the show.)
- GG (my grandmomma) wants the kidlets to spend the night on Saturday and she's going to take them to see "Bolt" - new kids' movie - FUN! I love my family (like you didn't know that already)...
- My auntie Julie is arriving in 12 days for a WHOLE MONTH. Whooooooppppppieeeee.
- I miss Sooooooozie & Melissa & BSB. (Y'all - I took a little trip down Memory Lane with the Cauldron (yearbook) c. 1997. Good times.)

I'm out - having lunch with the Keekster. Catch ya on the flip side.

Post-Turkey Madness

Why is it that after a holiday, when you should be all refreshed and ready to get down to business, everything seems so much more overwhelming?

I have an insane week. Work - of course - I have a LOT of work after a pretty much nothing week last week, I have court most days this week, and I need to prepare feverishly for a bunch of probation revocation hearings, trial calendar and arraignments...and then it's also officially the beginning of the Christmas season, meaning tons of extra events and functions and obligations. I love Christmas, really, but it's all so overwhelming. I have no real "parties" to go to (yet), which is fine, but I do have a little Junior Service League Christmas party tonight. The Rome Christmas Parade is tomorrow, so I am taking C & C Music Factory to enjoy that (in the freezing cold...) and then Wednesday the poinsettias get delivered. I am on the poinsettia committee for JSL, which is great, but it's also a HUGE job. Thursday and Friday (after trial calendars and arraignments) is the big poinsettia delivery fest...and then...then it's the weekend. Phew...

I don't even want to THINK about next week, and trials...but I will. Because I'm a professional and it's my job. Speaking of my job, I did have my annual performance review last week. I have officially "exceeded expectations" in all areas...meaning, normally, a raise. However, it's just a promotion on paper thanks to all the State budget cut backs. Ah, well.

On another note, I did have a lovely holiday and weekend. I love my family. We had SUCH a wonderful Thanksgiving and Carsie said the blessing (well, she sang it, in fact) and we all enjoyed each other so very much. And then I went home and did laundry and watched a little Clark Griswold in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" which is sort of my own private tradition. It's not Christmas without Chevy Chase...

The rest of the weekend was chill. Good times with good friends, good food, good music, and a bit of beer. Saturday the dawgs lost AND my War Tigers fell off the wagon. Again. *sigh* but then I got to hang with the girls (plus a couple guys) and see David Bell at Opi's...and then there was a random viewing of "Dogma" at a friend's...a trip to Silver Creek to drive a friend home, and then I was in bed...Sunday was really nice. I watched "Shag", read my book (Naked by David Sedaris) and picked up the chick peas from Alabama. All in all - fabulocity, I must say.

Now. To work, I go. With a somewhat heavy heart, but after a couple cups of starter fluid, I should be fine. Coffee...mmmmmmmm.....