Christmas Fun and Partying down--without the lampshade on my head

Well Readers,

It seems that my 2009 has been yet another drama filled adventure in pathetic. *sigh* However, I have made many strides in my life, and am NOT living with my mother! I will wait for the jubilent rejoicing to subside (Mom...cool it). I have found my passion for work this year, and I have discovered that my children truly are the center of my world, and that my world is fine with them at the center.

I got a new job this year, and I love it. I enjoy my work, and have met so many wonderful people that I now count as friends. I hope that in 2010 I can meet many more, and have similar happiness in the workplace.

Dervish has grown up so much this year. He is in 5th grade now, and no longer sleeps with his stuffed dog, puppy. The stuffed leopard, Phil, is much more manly. He also experienced his first break-up this year. His first crush broke his heart, and yet they still managed to come out of it as friends. (However, I am STILL watching her..closely)

Princessa has grown up a lot too, and I thank the Almighty Father in Heaven daily for her teacher. This is the kind of 1st grade teacher that so many wish for, but my little girl needed. She is thriving and achieving under her direction.

Little Dude has had many challenges this year, and probably will have them for a long time. However, we are working the problems. We are going to make 2010 "the year of the Little Dude!" and make this year the best ever.

I realize this is reading like a bad family newsletter, but this is more for me and the recording of the progress of my family.

On a lighter note, Christmas eve we will be making cookies for Santa, watching the Polar Express, and A Christmas Story (at least four or five times). I can relate to this movie, after all, I did get my first phone call from the Assistant principal this year telling me that Dervish had to sit out from 4th grade field day for dropping the f-bomb.

Then New Year's Eve will be our Annual Monkey Brothers Film Festival Extraordinaire. The theme this year will be "Johnny Depp: Through the Ages" we will begin with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then move backwards through the Pirate movies, and on from there... the later the time, the more "grown up" selections will be. "Cry Baby" will probably be screened around 11:45 after all the kids are asleep. Then, New Year's morning, we will have our annual brunch, except this year each kid gets to prepare a dish for our own mini "Top Chef" competition. I think I might film it and send it to Tom Colicchio and maybe make a name for myself.

Well, I leave you dear readers for the Christmas break, and wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy, Blessed, prosperous New Year.

Christen

Holiday Parties and the joy of gift giving

Today, dearest readers, we celebrated the holiday season with a Christmas/Kwanza/Chanukah/New Year/Black Friday/Pez appreciation day party. At this party, there were 7 metric tons of food. Really... I measured. I think it was the beef ribs that put us over the top. I even tried "curried eggs." Now, a discerning foodie such as myself has sampled all sorts of cuisine..... for example: I went to a Thai restaurant once. The chicken nuggets and boiled shrimp were delightful.

So, to see these morning delights covered in sauce that smelled like nothing I had ever experienced....... excitement.

Moving on......

After all the food had been consumed... seriously people, pharmacists can pack it away. We went on to play the "white elephant" gift game. All the gifts were stacked on one table in the corner, a shining beacon of gift giving glory....until the first gift was opened. A hot plate...... ..............................................................................................................................................................

next, someone opened a snowman that sang. It got stolen three times before ending up with an administrator that drives a Lexus XL. My contribution was a pair of binoculars. They went to someone who immediately held them up and said "anyone want to take these?" The real pinnacle of the game was the bottle of wine/flashlight. So, that when you get done with the wine, you can find your way to the bathroom. The true joy of gift giving for the holiday season. Ahhhhh. So, good food, good conversation, sharing a meal with colleagues and friends, and exploiting materialism at it's finest by giving each other crap you don't want or can't sell at a yard sale. Merry Christmas!