You Had Me @ "Challenge"

I like challenges. I'm a bit competitive, in a friendly way of course. I would never yell, "You suck!" at you while playing Euchre if you lost a hand or two. If I gloat, I do it quietly, but I'm more competitive with myself than my neighbors unless you happen to rub me the wrong way before a race.

So when it comes to resolutions I do better during Lent because 40 days of suffering is a challenge to me while an entire year is a lifestyle change and I'm too old for that. For 40 days I can pick something really difficult to give up and know that it will end. Like a hot, hilly 10 mile trial run-I'm bound to hit the finish line sooner or later. So when I came across this I thought what an interesting and atypical dare it would be for me.

Our marriage is in a good place right now but Chesaning thought Parshallburg Bridge had a good foundation too, so I figure if I can make the important things in my life a bit stronger I can only be better for it. And really, 4 days into the 40-day Love Dare Challenge and it hasn't been difficult at all. I didn't tell Vinnie I was participating in the challenge and that makes it even better because he isn't expecting anything and when you don't expect anything that leaves room for being pleasantly surprised.

In case you don't check out the link here is what the first four days involved:

Day 1-Resolve to say nothing negative about your spouse today.
Day 2-Do at least one unexpected gesture to your spouse as an act of kindness.
Day 3-Buy your spouse something that says, "I was thinking about you today."
Day 4-Contact your spouse sometime during the day and ask how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.

It may seem kind of cheesy but it has actually been kind of fun to check my mail first thing in the morning and be given a quest that forces me to be present in my marriage all day long or at least during my run while I plan what my "gift" to Vinnie will be that day. Sometimes it is too easy to plod along with our spouses until a crisis is evident or a romantic getaway has been planned. These 40 days will require intentional interactions and I don't think I'll be backing down anytime soon.

Merry Christmas

We. Have. A. Tree.

And that makes it a Merry Christmas because in the end it all worked out just fine and we are eternally grateful for Fr. Rick's gift of gab, it made us right on time for Mass.

Bah Christmas!

This is not turning out to be the Christmas of my dreams, again. I'm trying to keep with the message of the season that was imparted on us at Mass on the first Sunday of Advent that was basically to "slow down" this time of the year. Do not turn it into a rush of gathering, doing and wanting. So I'm really trying. But once again our living room is trashed. What turned into a goal to finish the project by 7pm on Saturday has evolved into not even a speck of primer on the wall by Monday afternoon. But I'm trying. Really. I haven't even questioned why it took ACE 1 1/2 hours to mix the paint on Saturday afternoon. Or how a simple trip to Frank's for sliced jalapenos during the paint purchasing trip required me to go back to Frank's to replace the mild whole peppers that were purchased. If I were Charlie Brown I would let out a wide-mouthed scream. But I'm not. So now, like a good little non-judgmental wife, I'll go clean the dry-wall dust in the living room and leave you with last year's Christmas photo that I am tempted to use again this year because that project has been neglected.

Yes, we did opt for Buchta instead of Ollie in the photo because she was able to cooperate.

For Gibby

Gibby has always been the "lost" kid at our house. He wasn't the first born and didn't cause as much angst as infant number two Diezel did. He has just been the kid that blends in, the one that smiled at his dad just after he was born (And no it wasn't gas, the vernix wasn't even wiped off him yet!), the one that likes to do just about anything. Basically he has been fairly easy compared to other children I have been fortunate enough to parent. Well today, for the nth millionth time he made it clear that he needs a guitar and must acquire one soon. So I have entered him in the Kids Know Stuff guitar giveaway and I think you should enter too! By entering you could win a guitar and lower my chances of further upsetting my auditory sensory issues at the same time. Bless You!

Turkey Update

The turkeys managed to escape over the semi-frozen river so we had ham for dinner:

These "turkeys" managed to stick around:

This was our lame attempt to get all 6 dogs at our Thanksgiving feast to sit together. I think it was a wine induced fantasy or maybe we wanted to prove that at least our dogs can behave even if our children don't.

Turkey Season

Because I won't be trotting with the turkeys this year and winning a pie I thought I better go hunt up a turkey as my contribution.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Christmas My Style

There are plenty of things I love about the upcoming holiday season, like making cookies. I could, however, do without the gift giving business. It has just become too much and with Christmas being promoted in Target before Halloween I'm thinking things are out of hand. So, I took this link from Erin's blog because I love, love, love it. I think I'll have to watch it once a day until the Big Day is over while I frantically knit everyone a lovely scarf.