An Alabama December

Since the kids have been out for Christmas break it seems that my work schedule has been crazy hectic. I am still trying to get my 40 hours in, but it is hard. Really hard, like getting up at 6:30 to be at work by 7:15 hard. I have been trying to go in early (so the kids don't bother anyone) and then we leave after a few hours and then we go back and Nate takes the kids home while I stay at work. Bleh, I hate not being able to spend time with them....like I use to. Well, yesterday I had an appointment in Cullman so work was cut short. We came home after and Ali and I made chocolate chip cookies...the old fashioned way. The house was smelling so good. Last night after work I went to the store to pick up a few things. I decided to get some chicken salad. We get our chicken salad from one place only. They use their rotisserie chicken and use big chunks. We call this "Chicken Crack" because it's so good. I came home and packed a bag with wraps, chicken crack an avocado, lettuce and a tomato. I put in the cookies we made and had everything ready for a picnic. Only in Alabama can you get 65 degree weather in December. The whole family was excited about having a picnic for lunch. Nate kept asking about it all morning. At lunch we went to the park and had our picnic. Afterwards we played tennis (if that's what you want to call it) for about 20 minutes....I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. It was a hoot! This was the best thing for my mood lately. Sun, family and warm weather...really that's all I really need. The cold and dreary days have gotten to me lately. It's funny how God can give me a day like this when I am just ready to give up. It was like I told God "I am at my breaking point, I'm not sure how much more stress I can take" and he answers with "Dani, here is a warm, sunny day...go be with your family" and I know that I can take whatever comes my way. It's like when you watch a marathon and you see a runner and you know they are hurting, thirsty, can't go on; then they get to the Gatorade stand and they feel/look refreshed and can go on to finish the race. Well, I've hit my Gatorade stand...I'm ready.

The butterfly is emerging

The butterfly that is emerging is Ali. This is an amazing thing to watch. I am in constant awe watching her blossom into a pre-teen or tween, what ever they call in nowadays.
She is loving basketball...she even wants to practice on the weekends and is excited about the 1 1/2 hours of team practice two nights every week. That right there should say something. She was scared about joining a team...I am so thankful for this team. I will blog about the coach in a different blog...this one is Ali's.
So, last night was practice and then the team went to the Coach's house for a party. Their house is so beautiful...I am almost envious. But anyway...one of the girls' mom bought the whole team PJs. So off to the bathroom all 6 of them went (one couldn't make it). Out came a gaggle of girls with squeals of happiness. For an hour and a half, these girls ran, played, squealed and ran some more. All were sweaty like they are during practice. The adults talked in one room and the kids had the rest of the house to play. The adults had a good time. I can't believe that I actually felt like I belonged there too! After an hour, I told Ali to pack her stuff up that we needed to head home. She begged, and I mean really begged for us to stay just a little longer. I couldn't believe it...she was in her element and it was nice to see. She doesn't have any girls around her age (or even close to her age) in the family, so I don't get to watch how she interacts with the girls. She is having a hard time finding out who she is (heck, I'm :cough: 29 :cough: and I am still trying to find that out) So, it was nice to see her so happy. I mean really happy, not just dealing with it. She was amazed to find that several of the girls were into lotion, lip gloss and fingernail polish just like her. She wants to have a spend the night party at our house at the end of the season...I think that can be arranged! It just amazes me how different she is around girls than boys (as in her cousins and brother) and I am really happy for her. I hope she blossoms into the woman I would like to be...and I already see it happening. She is such a good daughter and sister. She felt bad that Seth didn't get to go and took him some cupcakes home...she didn't want him to feel left out. I used to think that my favorite time as a mom was that 0 to 3 months stage, but I am slowly changing my mind. I love the fact that I can talk to my kids...not just talk over or around them. We share some of the same tastes of music, clothes and silliness. Yep, I love this age even with the mood swings. I even find myself wanting to be more like them....how's that for ya? Now, I am going to go play.

Football, birthdays and computers

This week has been super full. End of the school session, holiday parties, baking, ect... Also, my dad celebrated a birthday this week. It must stink to get jipped for your birthday. I think that any birthday within a 2 week range of Christmas should be able to celebrate it in another month. :D

Funny story: I was in Walmart this week and was browsing the clearance isle. While there a man was talking about Alabama football...yep, you know me...I had to join in. Well this man asked if Bama was done for the season...Um no, we have the sugar bowl in January. Then he asked me what day and who we were playing....yeah, he's a Bama fan alright. So I tell him the answers and then he said "We had a good year...we only lost to Georgia" What??? I just chuckled as I walked off. After we were a few isles away I asked Seth "Son, who was the only team that beat Bama this season?" And like my little Bama man that he is said "Florida in the SEC championship game" I said, correct. Seth then says...that man wasn't a true fan was he? Nope son, he wasn't. Just a little football humor...I didn't want to correct the man and make him feel bad that a girl knew more than he did...glad he didn't bring up stats!

Also, my computer has had a virus this week...I've scaned every nite and I still have the dang thing. So, now I am on Nate's and I really hate his mouse...glad I got that off my chest. Whew, I feel better.

PMS and I don't mix

Thankfully I don't get much PMS symptoms other than the bloating. I do however get a horrible case of the bitchies a couple of times a year. Well lucky readers, it is that time. I don't even want to be around myself. I am getting angry (not mad, angry) over the smallest things. I was having a bad hair day this week and came home and cut it off. Today my FIL said something to me, something that I would have joked around with him, but no, today he ticked me off so bad that I didn't even want to be in the same house. Yep, I think I shocked him somewhat....a few minutes later he apologized to me. So, if I come in contact with you over the next few days....I am apologizing now.

Thanksgiving 2008

Victory

I am reading several cookbooks from the 30s and 40s. I wanted to know what the homemakers of that time cooked while having to use the ration books. I also love this era...WWII and the depression. I am getting some very good ideas, and one that I plan to use is the Victory garden. A victory garden was a garden that the government asked of all people that lived in the US. They wanted the people to use/can their own food to be able to save the metal for the war. Some of the recipes that use this garden are very tasty, some are not. I told the family that we need to live like we are in a depression, because well, we might very well be. I have the cooking/canning down, now if I can just stop spending money. :D Baby steps Dani, baby steps.

Out of the mouth of Babes

The other day I had to bake some stuff for our church. I decided to save a few for the kids for when they got home from school. Since it was very cold and windy I also made them some hot apple cider. After the kids had their snack Ali came into the kitchen. Her first words to me were "Mom, why are you being so motherly?". Yep, out of the mouths of babes. hahaha

She keeps us honest around here.

Marriage

A friend of mine said the perks (is that the right word?) of her marriage is a maid and all of the designer clothes she wants. Mine are yardwork and fixing toilets....hmmmm, something's wrong here, very wrong.

missing my daddy

I tell Nate all the time how lucky he is. Well, truth be told we at the junior O'neal household, are all lucky. Nate's parents live across the pasture from us. We see them all the time. This is not a bad thing. We work with them, and my mother-in-law always cooks Sunday lunch for us and for Nate's sister and her family. I adore this tradition. I grew up going to my grandma's house for Sunday lunch. All of my uncles, aunts and cousins were there. Sometimes Grandma would take a break from the cooking and pick up a bucket (or 2 or 3) from KFC. Not as good as Grandma's but it filled us up. The families would hang out: usually my uncles would go in the living room and watch tv, the aunts would sit in the kitchen and chat, and all of us kids would be outside yelling and getting dirty. Unless it was raining; then we would be yelling upstairs. Ahhh, the memories. I am so glad that my children get to have these memories.

Anyway, I know I ramble... So, I talked to my dad and we chatted for a few minutes. It just made me miss him. I didn't have a great relationship with him when I lived with him (I was 15 to 17) and I really didn't have a relationship with my step-mom. I think I tried to rebel against anything and everything back then. But now is a different story. Now that I have kids, my perspective has changed....drastically. I like the person my step-mom is. In fact I view her as one of my friends not as a step-mom. I didn't realize the sacrifices both she and my dad made..until I became a parent...and they have done much more. Ah back to my main reason for the post: I don't know the person my dad is or my younger brother. I mean, when I think of my dad I think of "dad" and not the man he is. I think that takes time and hanging out with. I usually get to see him 2 or maybe 3 times a year and that's not enough to really get to know someone. I also don't know the man my younger brother has become. Dax is 5 years younger than me. When I think of him, he is 5 or 6. Funny how a person stays a certain age in your mind! Anyway, by the time that I started my own family, Dax was in high school and living life. I wasn't sure what he was into, and truth be told, I was too busy with my own life to really ask about his. I just wonder sometimes that if I had met him (like he wasn't my bro, just a person) if I would like him. I think I would, but I really don't know. Dax just celebrated his second anniversary and it freaks me out somewhat. I can't believe that he is a married man. Not some little pest who always wants in my room. Ahhh, I guess that when it is all boiled down....Nate needs to appreciate what he has. He can walk 500 yards and see his family. I have to wait months. He knows his dad and mom as people and not just as "mom and dad". He gets to see his sister several times a week. He has gotten to watch his sister grow into the woman and mother she is, his nephew's grow up, and see his parent's age and get older. All the while not appreciating it. It doesn't seem fair. I know that life isn't fair, but sometimes it sucks.
All I know is: I want more for my kids. I want them to watch me and Nate grow old (even if I am fighting it all the way). I want them to have memories of their grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. I guess, I just want them to know that family is important. That's it; family is important.

Well, after lots of teeth gnashing and hot flashes, I decided to have a blogger account. You will be bored out of your mind. In fact, your mind will go numb and you will start to drool within minutes of reading this.