Elizabeth

Home! Haha, there's nothing like peace and quiet after a long family reunion. Here's how to know your holiday season has gone PERFECTLY: 1.) Six days before christmas, you realize you're not done shopping. 2.) The next couple of days involve an emergency vet visit, SIDS scare from the cousin, and a diabetic seizure from the sister. 3.) You spend 5+ hours in a military hospital ER, waiting for a tube of burn cream, because your grandmother has still not understood that you genuinely are too stupid to boil water. 4.) Your mother, with her defective cleaning OCD, has you spend all day polishing the same two leather couches, only realizing when you have to go home that nothing got done...cue shrieking. 5.) You're sent to your house to clean the family heirloom serving set...150+ pieces, formerly thought lost, discovered in a dingy closet. The mission: hand wash half an inch of grime off the set, then hit with silver cleaner for tarnish, then scrub and polish again. This is a great theory...if your kitchen sink emitted more than a pathetic dribble of water. And, 6.) While you're determinedly, simultaneously swiffering the kitchen floor, and tending the spiced yams, and babysitting a handful of the THIRTEEN new babies my family has added since the start of the year...you hear your mother...shouting at your sister about not hanging the expensive leather coats on wire hangers. ( "No wire hangers, EVER!!" < anyone familiar with that quote? ) Yep...another successful Christmas with my gigantic German/Polish family...certifiable insanity and all. Here's hoping your holiday was just a tiny shade SANER. Now...cleaning for the New Years party at my grandmother's house.

Remember on this final Tuesday of 2011: Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

♥ Tuff

A big thought for the day after Christmas: Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

I left Santa a 7 course Irish snack last night, a 6 pack and a baked potato! "Nollaig Shona Duit" Merry Christmas in Irish!

Have a great christmas

My Christmas Eve wish for you: May you always walk in sunshine.May you never want for more.May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.

The chaos of my family's preparations for Christmas notwithstanding, here I am sneaking in my votes before returning to the ultimate dead zone where my family dwells, from which no cell phone reception can ever enter or leave, I offer these words: Here in the final stretch before Christmas, let's not forget that, whatever holiday you celebrate, don't let the bells, whistles, frills, lights, tree and material gifts cause you to forget that this time should be about family, friends, loved ones, and peace and goodwill toward all. Here's hoping each of you have a happy, healthy, and blessed holiday. With sincerest gratitude for each and every one of you, and the kindness and friendship you've shown me, Blessed Be your Merry Christmas.

An Irish wish on this Friday before Christmas: May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.

Thursday's Irish Christmas wish for you: May you live as long as you Wish, and have all you Wish as long as you live.

:::Its [SNOWING] & that just ended my Christmas shopping for the day... ♥ Tuff:::

On this Wed. I send you an Irish Holiday blessing: May your day be filled with blessings.Like the sun that lights the sky, And may you always have the courage To spread your wings and fly.

:::ITs a Sunny day in [DENVER]...&hearets; Tuff:::

Tuesday brings you good wishes and the thought: The biggest challenge in life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else.

There is a very famous book entitled, "When I'm an Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple." My version: "When I'm an old woman, I'll be a snarky crotchety old bird - just like my grandma!" Getting ready to go out to force her to accept help with her errands. Here's hoping for a great Monday!

Starting this Monday remember this: If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place! Go get what you want!

My grandmother is one of my greatest role models in life. The woman is 87, and in the last two years, has had both her knees replaced, a massive great attack that resulted in a triple bypass, and she fell and broke her hip, and had that replaced. I was there to drive her home from rehab when she bluntly refused a walker, and would only take a cane. I was also there when she tossed the cane into the bushes as we left the rehab center, saying she didn't need that silly thing. I can only hope, when I'm nearly ninety, I can say I have that kind of spunk and spirit. Let her be a role model for all of us. Have a great day!

Well you made it to another Sunday so here is a thought: Sometimes we expect more from others because we would be willing to do that much for them.

I was out doing Christmas shopping yesterday, braving the department store insanity. As usual, people thought I was a bit nuts. Not because of my corset; but because I broke into hysterics when a version of christmas song, "Santa Baby," came on - the version sung by a guy. This yanked me back to high school chorus, where the WOMEN'S show choir was performing that song. That didn't stop one of my male friends from running onstage during the performance, wearing that "sexy santa" women's lengerie (red silk, write fur...NOT THE UNIFORM OF THE CHOIR), garters, heels and all, prancing around and singing the song. He got in serious trouble, but I still laugh about it today! Have a laugh today!

On this Saturday remember: Character is what God and the angels know of us; reputation is what men and women think of us!