Happy New Year

I only made one New Year resolution and I am not telling you what it is. I usually resolve to loose weight, be more organized and be better about keeping in touch with people. I still hope to do/improve on those things but this year my resolution is more personal. That is all I have to say about that so don't ask me.

It struck me this holiday season that no matter how much I want it to be relaxing it isn't. And no matter how much I say I am not going to be crabby I am. Why is that? Well, we have too many friends and family. Yep. If I want things to be more relaxing I need to get rid of some of you. We celebrate Christmas for days and each celebration involves lots of gifts. Gifts to give and gifts to get. I know some of you are thinking "lots of gifts and to many invitations don't seem like bad things". Well, they are. Let me explain. Most of our celebrations are out of town which means buying lots of gifts, wrapping lots of gifts, packing lots of gifts into our van, unloading lots gifts from our van, opening gifts, loading different gifts into our van, unloading these gifts from our van, and finally finding a place to put all of these new gifts. Now don't get me wrong! I LOVE presents. I also truly enjoy buying gifts. What I don't like is trying to think of suggestions for gifts for me and my family. Jessi and Devin need nothing! I mean NOTHING. They have to make up things to put on a list. I am aware that if you ask them they will disagree. But unless you want to get Devin a Nintendo DS or Jessi a car there is nothing they lack. Kyle and I are no different. I would love new carpeting in my living room and flooring in my bedroom and Kyle would love a muscle car. In reality though, there just isn't anything we need. But, because we have lots of friends and family there are lots of people who want to give us gifts that we will enjoy. So, I am asked probably 100 times for suggestions of what to give Jessi and Devin. I am pretty sure a Nintendo DS, two cars, one for Jessi and one for Kyle, carpeting for my living room, and flooring for my bedroom are not in anyone's Christmas budget. But, I can't even think of things for Kyle and I to give them! How in the world am I suppose to think of things for everyone else to give them? My mom and dad ask me more than anyone else. I love my mom and dad very much. But, they are the main reason there is nothing to get the kids! If you give your grandchildren everything they want throughout the year of course there is nothing to give them at Christmas! On top of the whole gift giving issue is that there are so many people who want to see us and spend time with us. I hate making choices about where to spend our time. I never want to tell someone we can't do something or go somewhere. My choices are to really overextend ourselves which makes me crabby because I hate being rushed and I hate being late even more or telling people we can't go which makes me feel guilty and afraid I have hurt their feelings. So, if I had fewer friends and family there would be fewer gifts and not so many places to go! My solution? Make out a list, I love to make lists, of all of my friends and family and decide who to get rid of. Surely there is someone who has been around to long. Or maybe, someone who isn't any fun more. How about a new friend that I haven't become too attached to yet? After spending an entire few seconds looking at my list I decided I couldn't get rid of anyone. Everyone on my list is important to me. I know sometimes, well a lot of the time, I stink at keeping in touch. But I am very glad that all of you are on my list. The only choice I have is that next year, I'll try and accept the fact that our holiday season isn't going to be relaxing and that sometimes I am going to be crabby. All of you just have to put up with it!

Of course, keeping my New Years resolution will help with my holiday issues. Nope I'm not telling. Believe it or not, I can keep some secrets!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!