Snuggles...
I realized today what I miss most about my DD growing up so much. I know she's almost 7... still just a little girl, but a big girl in her own mind. That is still a lil one in so many ways, but in some ways she's sooooo big. She can get dressed herself, she can make her own cereal, take her own shower, wash her hair.... etc. She can even read her own books to herself, she's so smart!! But what I miss the most.... are the Snuggles

The running, jump into mommy's arms and burrow so close into my body I used to think she was trying to crawl back into me snuggles. The tucking her head under my chin and soft happy sighing snuggles. The only mommy can fix whatever it is that is wrong and I can't put it into words snuggles. Now don't get me wrong... she still climbs into bed sometimes and snuggles up... but she's so long and she just doesn't tuck up into me as well cause she's grown up so strong and beautifully. She once barely overflowed my arms, now she shows signs of definately being taller.

I still get some of those snuggles. And my good night hugs and kisses have their own perfectly heavenly rituals of kisses all over the face and the tightest of huggles around the necks. However, I realize in missing her sweetly nestled snuggles against me, I miss snuggling. I miss snuggling with my best friend over a bowl of ice cream and gossiping about boys. I miss snuggling under a blanket to watch movies with that same friend with a box of tissues while we put together one or another of our broken hearts. Or quiet snuggles with my mom... the ones over Christmas, when I knew she wasn't able to walk to me, and I crawled into the bed next to her and snuggled to her as well as I could.. much like my lil one used to do to me. We never are too old for snuggles like that...

You know I think we all would feel better if we made sure each day had snuggle time... mandatory scheduled snuggles. Whether with friends, kids, husbands or heck even a teddy bear (although it's human warmth I think that does the trick for me) I think we all would feel better, and do better every day. So I ask you all.... Have you snuggled today ?

Monday Morning...
It's the first day of February break for the schools around here. So right now, I've got my 6 yo DD, and my 14 yo DsS home.. have had them both since Friday. The boy goes home to his mom tonight, but comes back on Thursday..for most of the weekend...DD of course stays. Now, how to keep a 6 year old active lil girl entertained with no car...

No car you said ? Well, see we're down to just one car. DH has it at work. HIS car.. the transmission decided it was done working. Just... tired I guess. But becuase it's a 15 year old Volvo--It's a wicked expensive repair...over $2000 to get everything done to get that piece of crap back on the road. *sighs*

My stove also decided, apparently, that my cleaning the oven was too much of a shock to it's system. I inherited that stove from DH's first marriage. I don't think they EVER cleaned the oven. So I did. Now see, I already was down to one large burner being pretty much level and working normally, and the one small burner being off level, and working normally. The other large one doesn't work, and the other small one is toast. Well.... the day I cleaned the oven, the big one that does work decided it was in too much pain to work. Go figure.

I got absolutely zero stitching done this weekend *sighs* I meant to, I truely did.

Ya'll take care!

Some Changes!!!

Well I've been doing some stuff!! Thanks to some friends, I've got some pictures, and a new template. I'm happier... I was whining there for a while. I think I managed to keep all my posts, and all my comments too!!Let me know what you think!

Peeking in for a moment...

Hiya everyone... thanks so much for the words of encouragement... they've meant a lot to me. A bunch of you have even gone so far as to e-mail me privately, and that has been wonderful.

Saturday was Valentine's Day... and I had a wonderful day. I even got flowers and candy, although my husband had to rely on cunning and improvisation ( he swears he had a plan--he had no plan lol). But my day wasn't wonderful because I got flowers, or candy. I don't even know if I can put it into words.

We took the kids out for dinner. It seemed appropriate... we've been married just 3 months exactly on the big V-Day, and the day after we took the kids out too :) We went to a period type diner--you know those fifties types... all red and black and poodle skirts. We had great food, for just a little bit of money... well within the small budget we'd worked out. I really wanted to do something with the kids, you see. We went to pick up groceries too (hence how my husband got me candy and flowers *grins* He got lucky!) We laughed and joked and got ice cream, and it was a lovely time. And on the way home we all sang to the songs on the CD we were listening to. One of the songs was the new remake of "Drift Away". Talk about bridging the generational gaps. My husband-37, myself-32, my stepson-14, and my daughter-6-- all singing our hearts out and if I might brag since I think we all have pretty decent voices--harmonizing incredibly well. We've done it before. I've thought it really special each time it's happened. But on a day that is over commercialized and over-everything.... this was what made my day special. My family.. singing a song together, in a dark car, on the way home from a great dinner with grocery shopping behind us and treats for each waiting in the trunk. I couldn't have asked for anything more. My heart swelled with so much love it brought tears to my eyes and I actually had to stop singing for a moment, just like my eyes are welling up with tears now. Happy tears. I am so blessed. I have this family.... these wonderful kids, a great husband... and on the day of Love...when it's supposed to be all about Love.... it *was* all about Love... so much love that we were all ready to Drift Away....

Ya'll take care of yourselves...

*slips away again singing "gimme the beat now and free my soul...." *

Public Service Announcement...

I'm going on hiatus... a leave of absence so to speak...
My stress levels are off the charts, and I need to back away from a bunch of things to try and even out.
The internet/boards/chats are definately among that group.

I'm sure i'll be back, hopefully better :) Thanks !

I picked a good year it seems...

To become a football fan... more specifically a Patriots fan. My DH is a big football fan, so it was either hate it and whine every Sunday, or actually learn to like it, settle in with my stitching, and enjoy the games. I picked the latter.

So the Patriots win the Superbowl this year, capping an incredible season. It was lovely to watch, week after week. I have my team favorites :) At the top of the list is defensive linebacker Tedy Bruschi. Truthfully, even tho Tedy is quite quite handsome, with a great smile, and a great backside ;)--that's not why I really started to "pick" him out each week. He loves what he does. You can see that in every play. He cheered on a second-string player for an incredible tackle when he was on the sidelines, and he made us laugh when, after a ref was knocked down in a game... He held up fingers to make sure the ref was okay... and then patted the ref on the butt! He also, from what I have read about him, is a great father, good husband and an all-around good guy. Isn't it nice to see that in a professional sports player ?

Speaking of great, Tom Brady reminds me of a big goofy kid out there just having a fun game too. I really think that's what I really love about this Patriots team. They get the job done, but they do it with style, grace and a whole lot of joy. The pressure never gets to them, not that the fans see it. The Caroline sideline coaches, and the quarterback let the pressure get to them... you could see it in the words they were saying. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what some of those 'potty-mouth' words were. The Patriots seem to be a team that I can happily be a huge fan of (I'm asking for a Bruschi jersey, and a championship hat for my birthday) because they just ... love the game.

Mind you, I don't think that they are all what we see.... we're all human after all. Too many times in sports, the figures that are revered and loved are awful role-models for our children. Drug and alcohol abuse is more common I'm sure than we hear, but it's not like there isn't pressure on these athletes. They are also compensated quite well for this pressure.

I was grateful, however, as I watched a piece done by SuperBowl Today show on the special needs children of quarterbacks, and the foundations and charity work that comes from the painful struggles of these kids and families. The attention that Dan Marino has brought to autism, or Boomer Esiason to the illness his son has helps many other families, not fortunate enough to have the resources these families have. The heartbreaking story of the 5 year old son of Trent Dilfer, who died after a long battle with a rare virus had me grabbing my 6 year old DD and squeezing her so tight she squeaked.

It was a great Sunday. It was an incredible game. And in many ways, it helped me remember--I am one lucky woman.

Ya'll take care of yourselves today.