Jackie and I were talking, after she sent me a blog post she made. I’ve been choosing to embrace the happy. I’ve been very successful at enjoying these holidays, without allowing any sad to creep into my joy. That isn’t to suggest that it isn’t there, in the background. I get pangs of hurt, when I realize who isn’t in our family pictures anymore. I have just refused to allow those moments to intrude on the wonderful memories we’re making, now. I do fear that one day soon, when the celebration is over, I might have to face those bitter truths I’ve pushed deep down, so I could enjoy this magical time of year with my family. Maybe I’m fine? Or, maybe I’m going to have a real tough day, one of these days. I can’t predict my tomorrows with any real accuracy. The waves crash down on me, when I least expect it, most always. For now, I’m good.

Adam went into work insanely early, this morning, so he could cut out of there early, tonight. He’s on his way home now. I’m fixing spaghetti and meatballs for supper. After work, Jackie wants to run over to Home Depot for some paint. She wants to paint her bedroom. I’ll probably go along with her. Maybe we’ll paint tonight? My son is at a wrestling thing today. He got second place at his last meet!

I didn’t get into too much trouble with Adam, last night. He smacked my ass in the shower, but not seriously. It’s been awhile since he’s called me “into his office”!

Tomorrow’s going to be a lot of fun! I’m excited for our friends to get here. Adam’s going to barbecue some burgers, and we’ll hang out with our friends. I can’t believe it’s about to be 2023?!

This blog title is also a song title. It’s a song we say fits Jackie very accurately 😆

Jackie’s sister moved to Nashville area last Fall. She has a nine month old baby. Her baby was diagnosed with a rare condition, when she was just a couple months old. The life saving surgery that was done, severed her vocal chords, and left her with a tracheotomy they were told would be permanent. Jackie’s sister lived way up North, where the climate is much dryer and higher elevation. She decided to try bringing the baby here, where we have more humidity. We also have Vanderbilt children’s hospital, well known for their amazing care. After just about three months here, her baby is doing amazing! Her vocal chords have grown back together, and doctors are convinced they’ll be removing her trach by early 2024. It’s incredible!

Also, my sister came by, this afternoon. I snuggled Pj and talked to my sister for hours. It was so much fun!

Adam and I recently increased our life insurance, to cover paying off our house too, in case something ever happens. We’ve talked with my sister and her husband, and they’re going to finish raising our babies, should anything happen to us. Not that anything will! It’s just a matter of planning. Of course, Jackie would be very involved as well. It just helps us to know we have our babies protected, just in case. Anyway, there was some paperwork around all that. I tried to mail it end of last week, but we ended up with that ice and snow. I meant to put it in the mail yesterday, but I forgot all about it. I remembered today, after the mailman had already been by here. I threw it in our mailbox, so it’ll get taken tomorrow, but I’m really hoping Adam isn’t upset with me now. I got so distracted by all the sweet little babies I was playing with today! He grabbed a rubber spatula from my utensil tin, on our counter, and spanked me with it last night, when I told him I’d forgotten. He wasn’t angry, but it didn’t feel particularly good. I’m just hoping he doesn’t even ask me about it, tonight.

I just missed a phone call from one of our friends who’s supposed to be here for New Year’s Eve, so I need to call them back. This is about all the news I have for today, anyhow!

I do like to make homemade suppers for my family, but some nights, I just don’t have the time to cook something that requires a lot of work. My family loves this quick, cheap, and incredibly easy supper, though! I just boil some egg noodles, (I prefer the frozen kind, or better yet, homemade), but any noodles will do. Throw a can of Dinty Moore beef stew on top, and you’ve got a yummy, filling supper. I usually heat up some dinner rolls to go with.

Sunday, we went out driving around in Adam’s truck again, and played around in the snow. We got the ping pong table all set up. It was a blast hanging out downstairs playing ping pong with Jackie and the kids!

Yesterday was Adam’s first day back to work, after our long weekend together. I was exhausted! I don’t feel sick, but my throat’s been real scratchy and I’m losing my voice. I sound very squeaky now.

The weather’s warming back up. It’s a little over 60 degrees outside now. Jackie, Mj, and I took Oliver for a walk, while she was on her break from work. My son is at wrestling practice. I washed bedding and hung it out over our deck. I absolutely love the smell of clean clothes that have dried out in the fresh air and warm sun! The weather is supposed to be around 70’s for highs with mid 50’s for lows, this weekend. We’ve got a bunch of friends coming over to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us. We’ll BBQ some burgers, get out our cornhole boards, play some ping pong, watch the guys set off some fireworks, and sit around the fire pit, just hanging out. I’m excited to be able to spend an evening out in our backyard again. It feels like it’s been a long time! As soon as Christmas is over, I’m ready for summer to come back. We had a blast playing in the snow, this weekend, but now I’m anxious for it to be warm out again. I’ve missed the sunshine, too. It had been cloudy, dreary, and cold here, for several days. Having the sun shining today makes me so much more productive.

That about catches up on all the excitement here at our house.

Today has been everything I’d hoped for. Lots of family, friends, food, and fun.

I always wait until Christmas Eve to wrap Christmas gifts. I’m fixing to get started on that. The kids went out and played in the snow. We made some hot cocoa, when they came back inside. The front entry is a mess from the snowy, wet, dirty boot prints leftover, but I’m just not concerned with how clean my house looks today!

The kids decorated sugar cookies. We’re planning to watch “A Christmas Story 2”, later on. We’ll have our supper, unwrap our new pajamas, and then it’s time for Christmas Eve church services. Tomorrow will be a day filled with family and celebration. I probably won’t be on here, on Christmas Day. I wish all y’all a very Merry Christmas!

We got a lot of ice, snow, and COLD weather here! We went out, in Adam’s truck, and tore around a little bit today. I made chili, in my crockpot. We didn’t end up losing power, luckily! It’s been a really fun day!

I love the snow, for Christmas, and I love being with my family ❤️ We haven’t done much else today to write about. Adam and the kids have the movie “A Christmas Story” playing, on TV, right now. Jackie and I have been talking and laughing in the other room. It’s just been a fun filled, cozy, kind of day “snowed in”.

So, my sister is out of town. Jackie stayed at her house, and took care of her cat, while they’re gone. She left her computer over there, when she came home for supper. The weather turned bad…as I knew it would! She needed to go grab her laptop, because that’s how she works from home. I told Adam I was going to ride along with Jackie. It’s only a couple miles. Then, we ran into trouble! The roads are terrible! I called Adam, and he was fixing to come get us. He sat in his truck, with it idling, and ready to go. We made it home all on our own, though! I am absolutely not going back out in that crap!

The snow is beautiful, though.

I had such a great day, yesterday! I made some peanut clusters and my daughter worked on a little project she’s making to gift to Jackie.

I’ve got stuff to make puppy chow, covered pretzels, and of course, sugar cookies. We’re all going to decorate the sugar cookies and bake those either tomorrow, or Saturday, when Adam is home. There’s a good chance he’ll be home tomorrow. The weather is fixing to get nasty here! Temps drop down into single digits, in a matter of hours, tonight. It’s raining, so ice is likely. They’re also calling for 1-2 inches of SNOW! So, it looks like we might be in for a white Christmas, here in Tennessee.

Yesterday afternoon, I realized I’d done something stupid. I had a bill I’d meant to mail a check to pay for. It’s not one of our regular bills, and I didn’t put it in my calendar book, where I keep track of things like that. It dawned on me, that bill was due. I made out a check, and I put it in the mail, but it would be late. I really do have some ADD issues. I literally cannot remember things unless they’re written down. I have tons of alarms on my phone, to remind me all kinds of random things. Adam knows this. We’ve discussed this problem. This isn’t the first time this kind of thing has happened. I should’ve put it in my book! I texted Adam, and I explained.

He wasn’t angry, when he got home. He was actually in a real good mood. He kissed me. He asked me how long til supper. Then, he scooped me up in his arms, and brought me into our bedroom. Oliver (our big dog) had jumped on me and knocked the wind out of me. Adam got the dogs out of our room. He asked me if I was ok? I told him I was fine. He pulled me over his knees, yanked my jeans down, without even unbuttoning them, and began to swat my butt with his hand. He spanked me hard enough that I can still feel it today, but he didn’t lecture me too much. He knew I knew better. I never argued that point. We came back out to the kitchen, ate supper, and went on with our evening. I haven’t had a sore behind for, what seems like, a long while now! I have done a pretty darned good job avoiding trouble, overall. Adam can’t stay serious around me for very long. I’m too goofy and I typically admit when I screw up. Even if he punishes me, he’s almost never angry. In those rare instances, when he is angry, he doesn’t punish me until he’s calm again. I never feel like he’s punishing me as a way to “get even” with me for pissing him off. I truly don’t. That’s just not how Adam operates. I love that about him. It helps me to trust that he has my best interests in mind, always.

It looks so ominous outside. I can tell a winter storm is in its way. So long as all my people are home safe and warm, I say bring it on. I’m excited for a long weekend with my favorite people!