Poop on Christmas Cheer

 

 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

I've been a little slow to decorate this year. 

It's been a tough year, and I think I'm feeling a little down. 

I miss my mom and stepfather who have moved away. 

I miss my dad, who has also moved away. 

 But, this weekend, we pulled out the lights for our fences 

and the wreath for the front door. 

And then, last but not least, 

we pulled out the box with our fake tree. 

We kept this big box in the storage room off our back porch. 

We've kept it there the last two years and never had a problem. 

Well, this year, there was a problem. 

We discovered rodent feces in the box and all over our tree. 

So, we had to throw out the tree. 

 I wonder what people think, seeing a Christmas tree in the dumpster. 

On the positive side, it gives the dumpster a little Christmas cheer, right? 

 Sigh.

 Bah Humbug.

The rats pooped on Christmas,

Literally.

 

My Boys' Christmas Wish List

It's that time of year again.
The time of year that relatives begin asking what my boys want for Christmas.

I usually ask the boys to make a list.
They haven't given me their lists yet,
but I do know the most important items on them.


At the top of my teenager's wish list this year:

• An amp ... for his electric bass guitar. 
• Halo 4 (a video game) 

  At the top of my 10-yr-old's wish list this year:

• a double-bass pedal for his drum set 
• Call of Duty Black Ops 2 (a video game) 

 I'm sensing a lot of noise in my future.




 

Do you send Holiday Cards? It's a Shutterfly Giveaway!

I know some people who take the holiday family photos regligiously every year, color-coordinated, ordered, signed, stamped and addressed right after Thanksgiving...

And others who send online cards.  Or no cards at all. 

There's a lot of in between.

I love sending Christmas cards...but as I mentioned in the Do's & Don'ts of Holiday Cards, I haven't been able to afford them the last couple of years.  But, when I have, I've always used Shutterfly.  And Shutterfly has an amazing variety of cards.


If you're more of a Feliz Navidad:






Or a Happy Hanukkah:







Or a traditional Merry Christmas:







Or a more generic Happy Holidays:






Or a Happy New Year:






Do you send cards?  Do you want to?
I'm giving away a promo code for 25 free cards...to three different readers!

Leave me a comment below for your first entry, and let me know which card is your favorite from Shutterfly's Christmas Cards or other Holiday Cards.
For an extra entry you can tweet or mention this on Facebook.

I'll choose three winners by next Friday, November 4th!!


Are you a blogger? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here: http://goo.gl/DDw7Q

The Do's & Don't of Christmas Cards

I love sending and receiving Christmas cards.

Here's one of our old cards:



Holiday cards are an excellent opportunity to see old friends and how their families have grown, to see the new babies and growing kids. It gives me a warm feeling to hear from family and friends...and to send them some love in return. However, there are some definitely Do's & Don'ts when preparing your holiday cards.

• Do display modesty.  Don't boast that your toddler has created an algorithm to rival Google's.
• Do include highlights of your year.  Family update letters are usually a blast to read and catch up on everyone's antics.  Don't share major news that might be depressing.
• Don't use the cards as a chance to push your political or relgious agenda on others. But it is OK to send a religious card.
• Do send out cards early or late, it doesn't matter the timing...as long as it's not BEFORE Thanksgiving. 
• Do use the opportunity to be creative! Include photos.  Don't spend a fortune on your cards...it's tacky and offensive during these economic times.

And in my opinion, you can't go wrong using Shutterfly for your holiday photos.  I've been using them every single year to make mine, and I haven't been disappointed once. I've also made photo calendars each year of my children to send to grandparents, had photos put on coffee mugs for special gifts and even had photos put on special boxes and made into canvass paintings.  If I had my way, I'd make every gift a Shutterfly gift, because I love turning photo memories into gifts.

Here's another one of our old Christmas cards made from Shutterfly:





They have so many adorable and inspiring designs...and you can add one photo or multiple photos and add your own message. And, I've always received them timely and in excellent condition.


Sadly, since separating from my husband and being a full-time working mom, I haven't been able to afford Christmas cards the last two years.  But, this year, I'm so excited because Shutterfly has offered me a chance to make free cards AND offer 3 of my readers an opportunity to win 25 free cards from Shutterfly!


I can't wait to get started on this year's cards!  My first step will be dragging the boys and the dog outdoors and giving my mom the camera to take our photo. It might be easy and quick...it might be long and torturous. but no matter what, I'm making memories and traditions with my children for years to come. 

Are you a blogger? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here: http://goo.gl/DDw7Q”



Have you received some bad Christmas Cards?
Are photo cards your favorite?

The Joy of Toys

I have a Christmas Eve tradition of taking the boys to a toy store to pick out gifts for each other.

The last two years we've spent Christmas in Austin, so their favorite toy store choice has been Toy Joy.

They carry things like Convert To Judaism Breath Spray, Jesus Bandages, 

Hannukah rubber ducks and lots of other crazy toys.

They carry everything goofy and funny.  

Bulging eyeball glasses, owl keychains, peanut erasers, Ugly dolls, etc.

This was something new I'd never seen before:

Japanese Imported Radioactive Rainbow Children!

Did you see anything strange this Christmas?

Any bizarre gifts given or received?

Merry Christmas

I can celebrate Christmas anywhere.

It's the people who matter.

Being with family and friends.

That's the most important part of Christmas.

To Rabbit or not to Rabbit, that is the question

I've had a hard time trying to decide what to get my boys for Christmas this year.

They haven't given me a wish list.

They seem to be having a hard time coming up with ideas.

I've come up with a few ideas...and given them all away to relatives.

And then my 8 yr old, Remy, came up with an idea.  A real DOOSEY.

He wants a rabbit.

He really, really, really wants a bunny rabbit for Christmas.

People have been weighing in.

They think it's a bad idea.

They say rabbits' cages smell.

They say they're a pain to clean up after.

But you know what, it's a good responsibility for Remy to take on.

And it'll be an adventure for us.

They're inexpensive.

They don't require shots or regular vet visits.

And we'll have to make sure we never let Annie have time with it.

Because I have a feeling Annie would like a rabbit for Christmas way more than Remy.

Holding Santa Hostage

I have a brilliant idea for a Christmas card.

It would have a photo of my boys holding Santa at Nerf gunpoint...

and the inside of the card would spell out a "Merry Christmas"  hostage message in cut out letters...

and somehow, I'd have to include aliens. 
Or blame it on aliens. 
Or prove Santa was an alien.

Cause that's how I roll.

It's an Alien kind of Christmas

My favorite Christmas ornament so far this year...and it's totally out of this world!

haha

It's OK to make fun of your relatives on the Internet, right?

If I go missing or undergo a "mysterious" accident, you know who did it.

It's the relatives in these short clips.

Relatives who may or may not have had a little too much holiday cheer...and are playing with a new iPhone that is supposed to recognize the tune and name that song if you hum or sing to it...

A theory that was tested over and over and over again.
Much to the delight of a certain blogger.

It's OK to make fun of your relatives on the Internet, right?

A gift that keeps on giving.

We received a huge surprise for Christmas.

A huge plasma HDTV for our den.

Our previous television was around 15 years old and not holding up so well.

We were so shocked...and excited...and amazed.

It was love at first sight.

We couldn't resist putting it on the fireplace channel that played Christmas songs.

Funny thing is, my Remy, he gets just as much joy out of the BOX it came in.

I keep putting it in the garage...and he keeps getting it out.

That's ok, Remy, enjoy the box...until trash day.

Then it's gone for good.

Is it still Christmas?

It seems like I've been running behind constantly this holiday season.

Here's the photo that went into our Christmas card...
that I plan on mailing out today...or Monday...

Grab a camera & a critter, and join Camera Critters!

Santa just might be an Alien

Santa is so mysterious.

He works in strange ways.

How do we know he isn't really an ALIEN?!

He could have landed on our planet a while back and decided to stay.

Full of goodwill and desire to give to others.

A nice, saintly alien.

Here's why I suspect it.

He gave my boys this:

and this:

So, maybe, just maybe, he might be like this:

Christmas Punks

If you're looking for further continuation of the Anna Mannequin story
(here are part 1 & part 2), I will have more on that soon,
but for now, here's some random jibber jabber and punk photos.

Not the usual SWEET Christmas photos. Just us having fun.

Remy making his infamous armpit farting noises.
That boys has SKILL.

And we finally had a Christmas photo session at my mom's house two nights ago.

Here are some of the photos we're NOT using.