The end of a year

At the close of 2008, I thought I would take a second to put down what I am thankful for and what I am glad to say goodbye to in 2008. These are in no particular order.

Things that made this a great year...

1. First birthday celebration for Little Red and several of her close friends
2. 30th birthday and no surprises
3. Lots of Monday front porch parties
4. Cow girl, princess and bouncy birthday parties
5. Lots of first words and first steps
6. America voted for change
7. Cousins that live two streets over and forgive little Red when she is not in a good mood
8. Disney World
9. Friends near by
10. Dress up clothes from Other Red
11. Long weekends at the lake
12. Bike rides with the cousins
13. Tigger, Pooh, mimi, pink baby, pink bunny and all the crib friends
14. Hand- me downs, especially princess CD players
15. New friends at school for little Red
16. Our jobs
17. Discovery of Black Box wine
18. The return (if only for a short time) of good friends
19. Babysitters
20. Grandparents
21. Friends getting pregnant after years of trying
22. Boating
23. Baby kisses
24. Friends weddings
25. Plastic pools
26. Living in the best part of Memphis
27. Yummy cupcakes and fairy princesses
28. Big Red
29. Zelda and the Wii, oh and I guess I should mention Hells Kitchen
30. The discovery of a fun new bar and karaoke
31. Going on road trips with friends, sometimes just for the fun of it
32. Bouncy- jumpy things for those long Saturdays in summer
33. Frequent Target visits with my friends from work
34. Instant Messenger

What I won't miss from 2008...

1. My mentor's cancer
2. Death of close friends family members
3. 5% pay reductions and no 401ks and no bonus
4. Gas prices and owning gas guzzlers
5. People who randomly knock on our doors
6. Rats and then Chipmunks and then Rats again
7. Ear infections
8. Dogs (not mine) going to the bathroom in my yard and then me stepping in it
9. Moles
10. Getting strep throat in Las Vegas
11. Housing market
12. Baby cries
13. Sinking floors
14. The elections
15. People who have their values and morals screwed up
16. Big Red going out of town
17. Friends leaving town

I am sure there are things I have forgotten but I will just have to list those in 2009! We have so much to be thankful for and I am so glad to have great friends and family. Happy New Year!

These boots are made for walking....

What can I say, she likes my shoes.

Mass Chaos in Memphis! (well really just at Winchester!)

I am one of those weird people that does not like to get out in bad weather- at all. I mean rain, snow, sleet, whatever I would rather stay home. There is nothing so important that makes me feel the need to get out and drive. Not because I don't trust my driving skills but it's everyone else I get worried about. Also I don't claim to be one of those Northerners who can drive in whatever type of weather (we have those people at work and let me say "good for you" to all those people)- I am a born and raised Southern girl and when it snows, you directly home only stopping for bread and milk and liqour.

So secretly this morning, I hoped that schools would be closed so I could work for home (isn't that why I am equipped with a laptop, wireless and blackberry?) and not have to drive Little Red to school. Well no luck- there was not some much of a drop of rain in Midtown. So I braved the roads, took little Red to school and began to make the trek to South- East Memphis. I have to say for the first leg of the drive, I had white knuckles I was so nervous. However there was nothing at all- not even a drop of rain on the interstate (Midtown 240 and 240 East at least). I wasn't sure by all the chaos on the radio if 385 aka Nonconnah was open so I got off at Mount Mariah and again had no problems. The only traffic or slightest bit of rain I encountered was at Winchester and the 385 over pass where apparently no one was allowed on and everyone was forced to get off at that point. The picture doesn't do any justice to the situation but you would have thought all drivers at that single point, just forgot their driving skills and couldn't find their way around town- like lost little lemings on the edge of the cliff. It was actually quiet entertaining. So lessened learned, don't take 385 in any inclement weather situation and don't listen to the radio.

Bathroom talkers.

This just happened to me. It's so strange. We have some ladies at work that are bathroom talkers. I really try to avoid them but sometimes you have to just go in with your head down and hope they don't acknowledge you. I mean you go in the stall and sit down and they start talking and talking. And then you realize they are talking to you! I get so embarrassed I can't even do what I went in the bathroom to do. I try to politely respond with a "uh huh" and "huh" or a "really" but then the questions move to more than yes or no questions. It is so bizarre.

To all you bathroom talkers out there just know that we don't want to all have conversations in the bathroom. Some people just want to go in, do their business, wash their hands and get the heck out.

What to do?

This is a dilemma that The Count is currently experiencing.

Most of us have been in that situation where someone invites you to a party, shower or wedding, whatever and you simply don't want to go. For whatever reason it just seems like a chore to go. Well what happens when the invite comes from someone you work with and you can't stand them? It is not like one of those e-vites to the whole department either, it is a single-certain- people invited shower. So what to do? Do you go and grin and bear it, do you send a gift, or don't go/don't send a gift and say you have other work obligations?

To make it worse and more annoying this person just had a baby (the two will be 18 months apart) and she had a work shower for the first baby. So is it okay to have two work showers and register for gifts for both and on top of that they are the same sex babies? Surely the person has items from the first still around. This is very frustrating. So what to do?

A Holiday Assembly?

We received a note last week from little Red's school/day care and it asked that all parents send Christmas PJs to school next week (footed PJs would not work). Huh? First of all little Red is not even two- she always sleeps in footed PJs- do they make anything else?, second and most importantly are they really having a Holiday Assembly for the 1 year old class room? Most of the kids can't talk in the class, much less perform. Don't get me wrong I am a sucker for little kids on stage singing and dancing but not sure how this one will work out. Not to mention it's at 6:00pm at night. Not sure when most little ones go to bed but ours turns into a terror if she's not in bed by 7:00pm. Safe to say it will be a very interesting performance. More to come.

Thankful.

All you read about these days is horrible news about the economy and how businesses are closing, people losing jobs. It's all so gloom and dome. So what can we glean out of this horrible situation? One good thing I think that has come out of this is understanding that we should be thankful for what we have be it allot or a little. I know I am thankful. I am surround by a wonderful (sometimes crazy) family, lots of laughter and fun, and wonderful friends. So while the economy is sinking it makes me sit back and realize that I can live with less and still have the same good friends, good family and clothes on my back.

So while the gifts might not be a'plenty this year, the time we have with our family is really the most important thing of all.