It's a Relatively Holly Jolly Start to the Holidays

Thanksgiving at my mother's ended up being a lot nicer than I expected. It was me, the kids, Nancy, her boyfriend, Tim and Taylor an of course my mom. Tim pretty much stayed out of everyone's way. That was for the best. Of course, he didn't look very good either. He looked like he was just so tired and in pain with his back. I did feel a bit bad for him. Of course, I found out he took the alarm clock that he had GIVEN to Jordan. What an ass! So though I feel bad for him, I don't feel that bad. He is such a petty horse's ass. But other that unpleasant business (which I found out as we left) I had a great time! The food was delicious as always! Nancy was in a great mood, which I think was due a lot of her boyfriend. He is such a nice guy too! We all chatted a bit and watched James Bond movies. :-) Then they broke out something I hadn't really heard of. I wasn't sure it would be good, but it was delicious! It was called chocolate wine! I didn't have very much knowing I had to drive in a bit, but it does taste like chocolate milk with an aftertaste of alcohol - not wine. But it was delicious! That might be on my want list for sometime next year! Maybe for Valentine's day since it will probably be me celebrating alone, but you know, I am happy with myself so I am okay appreciating the love I have for myself now!

Anyway. we had pie too, though I only had room for a single piece of pie - Black Berry!!! OMG! It was so good!! It was just so nice too have such a good holiday meal! When I went to leave with Cassi, we also took Jordan. He was coming over to spend the night because the next day was our annual feast with Jason and Susan. It was so good!! Then I went to Walmart because the holiday hours had started. I didn't figure in the fact that they had sales going on THEN! Yeah, that's about as close to Black Friday I have been in a long time. It was a little fun after awhile as I figured out how to get places I needed to go AND what's even better is the fact that I got pretty much ALL my Christmas shopping done! Isn't that awesome? It was worth fighting the crowds to get what I needed then rather than later. Cassi however left to home about half an hour in. Jordan stayed with me. Eventually I had to send him to sit down at McDonald's and wait. I joined him after a bit. We hung out and got drinks. When it looked like things had died down I did my last bit of shopping for the night. I went to the book aisle. It had a big line there and I asked what they were waiting for. Turns out there was a Tablet deal going on. But some nice people let me into the book section though it was tight, but I was able to get two books I needed to Christmas presents. 

Then next day I ended up sleeping late so I didn't really help with a lot of it. Of course, I didn't even get home until after 11pm. Susan got the turkey in the oven, made the green salad - YUMMY! I did make my mashed potatoes with sour cream and lots of cheese. And she also made the stuffing and the candied yams! So good! I opened cranberry sauce, but I'm really the only one that eats it. Then we had rolls, a ranch cheese ball with holiday wheat thin crackers, They are really cool looking. My favorite is the snowflake image. :-) Neal and Dillon were supposed to come over, but Dillon ended up having to pull a double shift where he works and Neal didn't want to come without him. As it turned out, it was probably a good thing. The turkey was a bit small and might not have fed all of us. My mom thought the turkey was going to be for the kids and I, but I wanted to save it for our feast. I just wish it had been a couple pounds bigger. It was good though!

Jason wasn't really social unfortunately. Of course, he had to work and by the time he came home he was tired. Susan, Cassi and I ate good! Jordan slept through most of it. He woke up when it was time for pie so he got pie first and then ate his dinner! LOL! Why not have dessert first, right??

It was pretty calm and not as fun as it could have been, but it was still great! The food, us together and I took pix of both Thanksgivings, put I haven't uploaded them yet.

Here is the sucky thing and let this be a warning to those of you that haven't gotten a flu shot yet - the very next day after that, Cassi came down with the flu! Plus, I was completely broke until December 2nd. Good thing I still had some cough and flu pills from the last cold I had. Then I also gave her some ibuprofen to help ease the pain. She aalso had a fever though I don't know how bad it was. I didn't have a thermometer and neither did Susan. But she was hot to the touch. Sunday, I kept an eye on her too and I was going something else, but I can't think now. I guess my brain had been a bit fuzzy ever since Cassi got sick. She is finally starting to feeling better today. YAY!!! Tomorrow is school for her! ;-)

Yesterday was the busiest day I've had in a LONG time, though it was good! I was just so tired by the time evening rolled around. Basically, I had to wake up early, get myself ready, have Jason get ready, call Jordan and make sure he got ready. After that, I took Jordan to his annual at Heartland which always takes awhile. So from there, I went to the bank with Jason. I NEEDED to get money into my account because there was something that became overdrawn Sunday. I was worried that I'd have to pay a fee, but thought maybe I could get away with paying Monday because the 1st had been Sunday. Needless to say it was the right decision! But it took so long at the bank that I was almost late getting Jason to a trolley. After that was settled I went back to Heartland. I helped Jordan with some of the paperwork he was having trouble filling out. Finally his therapist came out to check on them and she said she would help him get it done. Then Lisa saw me and asked if I was going to come to group. Realizing that Jordan would still be awhile I let him know where I was and wen't to the group! It was awesome! I needed a refresher for this particular group and I realize that this like cognitive therapy is basically what I use regularly to ease my symptoms when I get upset. It was great! I loved it. I am going to try to go to groups tomorrow too. Cognitive therapy and social skills - though last time we mostly just talked with each other. Maybe that's what makes it social skills! :-)

Anyway, I got out of group about the same time Jordan got his annual done! He got a couple of appointments settled for his Pdoc and Therapist which I put into my phone. From there, we went to Walmart again because I still had a few things to get like tape, Christmas bows and a few other things. After that, he and I went to the Walmart market to get some of his things that he needed. After that, we went to Vine Ripe. I needed oranges and a panettone for a friend's gift. I couldn't help getting some danish cookies as well. Then from there we went to Albertson's for the last couple of items Jordan needed and I picked up  couple more coffee creamers - Salted Caramel Mocha and of course, White Chocolate Raspberry! I'm not a big fan of white chocolate, but this creamer is so delicious!!

Cassi did calm me half way through everything feeling like crap. I told her what to grab medicine wise and to gargle with warm salt water and she did. FINALLY Jordan and I got done. Jordan took his stuff inside and put it away while I went in and talked to my mom. She isn't look great these days.She is really weak. She took something to calm her down - and herbal thing that Nancy gave her and it made her dizzy and weak. She won't take that again. I offered to find her something else that might help, but she didn't want me to. She doesn't want to take herbal stuff anymore and I can't blame her. They can screw you up of you're on medication because herbs can be a type of medicine and interact with what you do take. Anyway, my mom had a letter that she wanted me to mail because it had to be in by 5:00pm so it would go out in the mail that day.  After doing that I FINALLY got home!! I buttered a couple pieces of sour dough bread for Cassi because she seemed to be better, but was tired. I was supposed to make some ramen for her, but  just had no energy once I sat down. I did watch the Disney version of "A Christmas Carol" and though I enjoyed there were things about it I just didn't like. Go figure because I love almost all versions of this story. Not that I would mind it in my Christmas movie collection, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. 

Sometime after that I crashed - and I was having  hard time sleeping. But when I did finally sleep, something fell on me from my window so I woke up. To my surprise it was one of our snakes! They both got loose in the house and we hadn't found either one since. But I found Sunny (Aphrodite) trying to get out my window. I was so excited to see her! I ended up waking up Cassi. I tried fixing the screen for the tank as good as I could. I hated to do it, but I woke up Susan to get some packing tape. It has worked so far. So next I want to go out and get Duct Tape. So now, after eating and having more than two cups of coffee I am ready to go and get some. Yay! 

So that's my catch up! So for the most part this has been a good start to the month, though I am pretty much broke until around the 20th of the month. I am also excited because next week, we're going to get the Christmas tree!!! I can't wait! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE the holidays!!! :-D Because I LOVE the holidays! 

Until next time!

Gearing Up for the Holidays

Well, what can I say? Monday night I took a bath to do some reading - yes the tub is my reading place! LOL! I was reading "I, Alex Cross" by James Patterson. I was about half way through it when I picked up. My mistake was not putting it down. The farther I got the most I had to know how it was going to end! Do that ever happen to you? Anyway, I ended up reading the rest of the book! I was in the tub for something like 4.5 hours. And in a lot of ways it was worth it, but it took a lot out of me the next day. I was up until about 1:00am and then I woke up around 9:00am give or take. I used to be able to go on the littlest amount of sleep and still function properly. But now? Nope. Yesterday, I crashed at 4:30pm. Was woken up around 7:00pm to have some dinner, then I went back to sleep and though I woke up a lot I didn't want to wake today at 8:30am. But I did!! And I perked up as the day went on though I am getting amazingly tired.

Yesterday was good too. Marissa came over with a woman that works with Cassi at school and we talked. It was good to find out what was going on in school with her, which she has been doing good for the most part until last week. I'll sit Cassi down and speak with her and see if there is something I can do for her or set a new rule for her to get her bus pass. I also found out about an assignment she has to do for English and it should be a snap for her. Five paragraphs about what she would like to change about herself. 

Marissa and I also talked about my own mental health. I have had some rocky days on and off for a bit and I told her I was thinking about going back to the CBT classes at Heartland (CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). She thought that was a good idea and we made that as my goal this week. She was happy to hear that I went. Marissa is such an awesome person and really encourages me. She also says that she gets a lot out of working with me too. In fact, I'm going to be helping her with more mental health stuff because as I go to the groups at Heartland I can share more and more with her - papers, exercises and stuff like that! We are also going to discuss more about my budget not so much next month but January. We also talked a bit about the coming new year and things I might want to work on achieving  - one of which is getting back on my protein shakes and get back to working on myself again. That's the main one! :-) There are a couple more, but that's the top one on my mind. But she set me in a good mood. 

After that, I took my mom to Walmart so she could do some shopping. I had to go slow. LOL! But I didn't mind. My mom was nice enough to buy me a steno pad that I can use for my budgeting. The one I was using disappeared. Literally. I checked everywhere and it was just gone. It sucked because now I am thinking I have left something off on my list of things to pay. But I'm sure I have everything. There's still that doubt though. She also got me some fabreeze which I have been using in my car. I need to get another one for my room. My mom also got me my Christmas present! Yeah, it kind of sucks in some ways, but you know, at least I get something I want and it fits. Not that it wouldn't 4X fits me perfect.

When I got home though, I was exhausted! I came in, grabbed a cup of coffee to perk me up . . . nope. I fell asleep! So I was basically asleep by 5:00pm. Was woken up at 7:00pm for some dinner - which was good! Then I went back to sleep after that. I woke up several times last night, but I slept until 8:30am. I did start perking up though! I got dressed, got water, gave Karissa treats, feed the fish . . . Then I went to my CBT group - which it's CBT/Coping skills together followed by Social Skills. I really don't need social skills, but I enjoy being social in that class. I still remembered most of the CBT, though the Arrow Technique I definitely needed a refresher. My happy level on a scale of 1 - 10 my first level was about a 7, which is pretty good. After the first group, I was up to an 8. 

When I came home after class I had a WONDERFUL surprise! My $50 check came in!! I needed that check earlier in the week, but since I had some fuel help I was able to take the money and use it toward Christmas! Yay! SO I went to the bank to cash the check, went to McDonald's to get a large Caramel Iced Coffee and somewhere between there I lost $10. I didn't know though, until I checked out and had to put more back than I wanted to. It turned into a very nice moment though. The woman behind me gave me a couple of bucks to at least get the hot chocolates I wanted. I got Peppermint Hot Cocoa mixes for gifts and the box of hot chocolate as gifts too. I still have a lot of get for Christmas, but I think I can do it this year and I LOVE giving to my friends and my mom.

But it was so nice to start on my Christmas shopping!! Totally awesome! I can't say much, but I got some big mugs that come with a spoon. I did also grab a $5 Christmas movie for myself - Eloise at Christmastime. It is such a cute movie! I can't wait to do the rest of my shopping! I love Christmastime! It's the best time of the year! For me anyway! It makes me even happier to actually be able to give gifts. There were so many years I just couldn't. So far a good opening for the Holidays! Yay!!

Now tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I'll be going to my mother's. On Friday Jason, Susan, myself, the kids and a couple other friends are getting together for another Thanksgiving. THAT is the one I REALLY look forward too! Now I just have to remember to take pix!!! :-)