Just Because Christmas Is Over...

Doesn't mean that you can't have Christmas fun. Ok, I hate answering my own question/statement coming out of a headline like that, but it just worked, so I did. Last night was a bit of a monstrous visit to the Outlet Mall in Marysville and a somewhat quick jaunt through Wal-Mart as well.

It started with a wonderful dinner at Tuscano's in Monroe, then the somewhat short drive to the mall. I really wanted to hit the Sony store to see what they had in the way of speakers for my phone. I found a steal and a half, almost... Well, at least almost until there's a decent DLNA software for my Nokia, which will hopefully be soon.

Of course, we couldn't hit the outlet mall without grabbing some kind of a steal on shoes. After 4 failed attempts at ordering Ara's Converse online, she found them on sale for $30 at the Converse Outlet store. Needless to say, I grabbed them and got the heck out of Dodge.

As we walked towards the front of the mall, we saw the rarest sight ever... No Lines... That's right, it was the perfect time to stop for a coffee and a hot chocolate for the kiddo. So, we popped in, ordered and enjoyed our drinks for a few minutes before the crowd began to grow. We decided to make our way onward to the car and head out.

After that, we headed to Wal-Mart to grab a few things and look around. Found a few must have items, checked out and headed back home. Evie got what might be a last look at some of the prettier Christmas lights in Monroe, and I say last look as I just don't know when folks will be taking them down around here.

Once we wrapped up the quick drive around the neighborhood, it was home to bed foe the little one and some music playing time for Mama and Dada... Overall, it was a great night.

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Christmas Time In The Country?

Maybe the country is a bit extreme, but it is far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I've talked about "the farm" quite a bit in the last year, but not in the way that I will today, at least not that I remember...

We arrived at the farm for another Christmas celebration. Breakfast food, coffee, great conversations and wonderful peep... Scratch all of that...

We arrived at the farm today to find the strongest woman I know writhing in pain from the medications that are trying to preserve her or at the very least, prolong her fragile life. You see, she has stage four cancer, and has for the last few years. She's beat off everything that it has thrown at her, until this last volley that has left her struggling to stay who she is.

It is more difficult than you could ever imagine, watching someone so strong, so full of life just not be able to do anything she wants.

Gleefully going out in the rain, wind or snow to care for the animals she loves so much... To be able to make a breakfast large enough for 12, when there were only 5... To launch witty comebacks at her hubby who just can't come up with a retort... As we sat down for Christmas this morning, I began to realize that not only was I losing a mom, but the world was losing one of the most amazing people that it has.

Sure, everyone might feel that way about someone, but Ara really summed it up the other night when we talked about her friends, her coworkers and even those that just knew her by reputation. She is a strong willed beast who has the kindest soul in the world. She'll tell it like it is, not taking any crap, but be willing to hug you five seconds later and tell you it will be all right.

I don't know if these meds are going to make her life any better, or even make it longer at this point. What I do know is that some of them are making it almost impossible for her to live out her life like she would want to. It makes me sad to know that she might have to stay on these meds until she is so sick she can't do anything, but I'm still hopeful that the doctors can figure out a balance that will let her live while she is still alive.

If they can't, it seems like an awful waste of time making yourself so sick that you can't live the way you want to. I'm not talking about going skydiving or something crazy, but just simple things, like taking the dogs for a walk, or maybe seeing Evie ride her new bike.

Well, this will end my incoherent rambling here as I'm not sure how to go on or even organize my thought foe today. Its hard watching this happen.

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It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas

Christmas is my favorite time of year. The decorations everywhere, presents under the tree, heck, even the tree itself. I just love everything Christmas. Somehow, Christmas seems to make everything better. It may be the fact that I seem to refocus on Jesus a bit more, or that friends say hello a bit more often, if really doesn't matter.

What does matter is that the Christmas season makes me whole again, regardless of the largest loud neighbors, the crazy days at work, or the money that seems to last just long enough to make it to the next payday. Christmas must makes it all go away. So, hopefully this year, Christmas can take your cares away also. Forget the petty things and remember that there are more important worries for everyone. Just remember, a little kindness goes a long way.

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The Idiots Among Us

I tried really hard to get an image of this one, but it was too dark and too far away. So, instead, you get a really bad picture and the story of the moron and his girlfriend that snuck into the cabaña to use the hot tub well after hours tonight.

The story begins at 10:00 when I snuck off to the shower and hopped into bed... Ara comes in a few minutes later and tells me to come check out the kids that are getting busted for sneaking in to the cabaña. I hop out of bed and take a look out the window to see two of Monroe's finest, with two kids standing outside the pool area of the apartments. There's two problems with this scenario... One, the pool closes at 10:00... Two, it closes in September...

So we begin to watch. The cops bang on the door of the "owner's" apartment, and after about 10 minutes he finally comes out. The officer starts with the usual questions and eventually two more people make an appearance from the unit in question.

We're now and hour plus into this fun little excursion and the officers are speaking to the entire group. The rain is beginning to fall again, and the officers are standing out in it. I can only imagine that they are thrilled to be dealing with such a fun group tonight. They continue their verbal instructions for a while, until they cut the two kids loose back to their home...

I'm a bit shocked that the complex didn't have someone come out to check things. I'm even more shocked that the kids didn't get hauled off for making the cops stand in the rain for that long. Oh well, at least it was interesting.

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Christmas Projects

So often around the holidays we get caught up in spending money on gifts, getting out to see the decorations everywhere and just forget how simple the holidays should be. We forget to take a day here or there to just enjoy being a family and spending some time together. As we count down to Christmas, here are a few fun projects that work for families of all ages...

Make Christmas Cards
A bit of construction paper, glue and glitter can make some seriously cute cards. All you need to do is just cut the shape of a tree, star, angel or snowflake from your paper, put some glue on it and sprinkle away with the glitter. You have one fun sparkly card ready to go.

Make Tree Ornaments
Use the same ideas as above, but this time either purchase some plain white ball ornaments or make some cool ones from the kids hand prints by placing two together in a 3D format. Simple cut two hands out, slit the top of one and the bottom of the other and slip them together. Decorate them and get them hanging on that tree.

Making Christmas Cookies
Sugar cookies and some frosting can be an amazing way to spend the afternoon inside. Simply make up a batch of sugar  cookies, grab some frosting and decorate till your hearts content. Plus you get the added bonus of having an extra gift or just having some fresh cookies to have with that Christmas movie later that evening.

Making Snowglobes
A Mason Jar, some hot glue or gel super glue and some Christmas miniatures combined with some glitter can make the most adorable gift idea. Glue the miniatures to the lid of the jar. Fill the jar with enough water to allow a small air gap to remain when the lid is on and sprinkle a bit of glitter, or a ton if you want more snow, with a bit of either glitter glue or glycerin into the jar. You have an adorable snow globe in minutes.

Of course, you can use your own great ideas to fill in those holiday evenings, but these will sure get you in the mood quick as you can assemble them.

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12 Days Till Christmas

So, as I am trying to decide if I want to wrap up my "My Life From My Phone" blog, I find myself actually wanting to start writing my thoughts again. One thing that has me wanting to do this is simply that blogging has really filled many holes for my missing hobbies.

I'm not sure if 2013 will be the year the hobbies return or not, but it seems like an easy time to start thinking about it now. I have plenty of irons in the fire right now with my full time job at Shur-Loc, my side projects like Solavei, GetSmartphones.Info and even KrazyBird Photography. On top of those, I am currently writing 5 blogs, mostly on the tech side of things. It just seems like it might be time to leave a few of these behind and start focusing on something that is more me.

Tonight though, I will place all that aside, and focus on the next 12 days. Those 12 days that lead up to my favorite time of year. The 12 days that remind me that my family is the most important thing in life. The 12 days that will go so quickly, just like the rest of life.

That said, enjoy tonight, tomorrow and the rest of the year. It's never too late to enjoy today, but if you don't, you'll never remember yesterday with fond memories.

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Time To Stop Blogging?

I've been struggling with keeping up on my phone blogging lately. It is too hard when trying to run multiple blogs from a mobile device. I find myself just not having enough to say about life when everything is going into my Windows Phone blog or my Smartphone Report blog.

Anyways, starting next year, the wife and I are going to start a new blog, hopefully together. We are going to cover all the amazing changes that we have made to survive on one income in a dual income society.

Look for it soon, but for now, let me know by commenting below if I should keep My Life From My Phone up and running. 

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