On the upside, he didn’t need stitches and his sister showed heartfelt concern. I think he’ll be avoiding toddler girls with rocks for a while though.

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Wordless Wednesday

I’m just sitting here wondering why it is that once you hurt any part of your body the chances of re-injuring the same area increases exponentially? I swear it’s as if that spot suddenly becomes magnetic or something.

Case in point, yesterday afternoon I managed to smack my left finger just above the first knuckle. I don’t even remember how I did it, I just know it hurt and I peeled a little skin back in a single horizontal line across the finger. It didn’t require a band-aid, just a head shake and momentary sting. Well, this morning I was loading sacks from the store into the back of my car when I managed to strike the exact same spot! I took in a sharp breath and checked out the damage to see that I’d reopened the wound and now it was making a bloody mess all down my finger. The entire drive home I puzzled on the question of why I’d happen to hit the exact same spot, at the exact same angle. It’s not an obvious or even likely spot. I mean what are the odds? And yet, I can instantly rename countless time I managed to stub the same dang toe, hit the same bruise, etc., etc., etc.

So do you think that knowing you’ve injured something brings unconscious and unintended attention to that area making it more likely to injure again? Or maybe it’s that I’m always this clumsy but don’t notice until I really hurt something? I suppose it could be sheer coincidence, but it sure seems to happen with a great deal of accuracy with any injury. Why is that?

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Just FYI - this is the only kind of snow for me! *wink*

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This year the kids decided to do a gingerbread train instead of houses. So we started a couple of days ago making the dough. While it chilled, we created our own pattern and tested it taping the paper templates together. Then we rolled out the dough, cut out the pieces and baked them. As you can see Taylor was very excited to help with this part.

I’m not sure what he had more fun doing, rolling, cutting or building flour mountain ranges. *grin*

Tonight it was on to decorating:

And the final result was one we were all happy with!

For past years of fun check these links out:
Successful Gingerbread Creations
2007 Gingerbread Houses
A Week Before Christmas
The Gingerbread Boy
2006 Gingerbread Houses

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My loving hubby just sent me this fun early birthday surprise. It’s a little video news clip explaining how for my birthday Disney will be making special changes throughout the park just for me. I had the video here for a while but couldn’t find a way to control the auto play feature and once is cute but several times every time the blog comes up, well…..so I took some stills of it today to use instead. It’s a fun idea!

The coolest part is the end. After Donald comes and looks at the march song exclaiming it’s supposed to say Donald Duck, Goofy walks away asking “if Holly doesn’t show up can I be in the song?”

It could be my getting older and less tolerant, it could be my getting older and gaining wisdom, or it could just be the influence of Star Trek. Whatever it is, I find that my views of things in life are much simpler and more logical than they used to be, as are my reactions. I think this is a good thing, although admittedly it can cause some strife for those surrounding me. After all, it’s maddening to argue with one who remains even tempered and logical. Like the engineers in my workplace years ago who groaned when they’d coming running to me with an urgent crisis only to hear me calmly say, “A lack of planning on your part does not necessitate an emergency on mine.” Oh the eye rolls and choice words that ensued. *giggle* However, I trained them well for it wasn’t but a few months of that when they’d come in and stop themselves mid sentence and start repeating my mantra. It was amazing how many of them could find their own solutions.

However, it wasn’t always so for me. In fact, I used to be the kind of person that Ferris Bueller describes of his friend Cameron and his ability to produce a diamond. I was so easily stressed about every little thing that I’d often put my physical health at risk. And all over silly things too. I was that kid who would have a heart murmur if they missed turning in an assignment - a prevailing attitude that stayed with me through everything I did in my life well into my early twenties. The first time I heard the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff - and it’s ALL small stuff” I went into instant argument mode. Now I’d be one of the first to repeat that truth.

I see this simple and logical influence in other aspects of my life. Last night at dinner my husband and I commented on how low our tolerance has become for TV distractions and how glad we are to be rid of its influence in our home. We’d gone out to eat and the restaurant had so many TV screens up with various programs that none of us could carry on a simple conversation. We left feeling edgy. And earlier that day I’d shared how because I don’t run myself ragged with a million after school events and volunteering (all while balancing it with a work schedule) I have even less tolerance when extra events do pop up on my calendar. It’s the proverbial snowball and the saying that less is more is proven true over and over again.

Today I was reading some headlines about the economy and how even those who can afford to do more this Christmas season are holding back and spending less. Some feel guilt, others are just worried. I’m all for frugality and saving, and I do agree that a great deal of what’s happening in the global economy is a much needed adjustment from extravagant and needless spending habits. But I see this issue from a more Spock like perspective. The panic attack attitude feeds continuing damage. When everyone retreats into their corners hording their reserves they continue to starve the already depleted economic streams which result in more cutbacks, more job loss and more financial woes for our friends and neighbors. When will people realize that no one can tell them how to feel or more importantly the power they have to make good their own lives and those around them? The current economic strain is what it is because that’s what people are choosing to feed.

So perhaps I am becoming a Vulcan. All I know is that the most logical and basic answers seem the most appropriate to me. I think that the majority of the stresses we feel in our every day lives are of our own doing and accepting. The good news is that means we also have the power to fix it.

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The Christmas season has always been one of my favorites. As a child I couldn’t help feeling that some of those songs were just for me. Seeing beautiful light displays and feeling the wonder of decorated trees remains at the top of my list for favorites.

This year’s festivities got off to an early start with having family in town for Thanksgiving. We took in Zoolights on Thanksgiving night and the temple lights just a few nights later.

Last night the kids and I finished putting up Christmas decorations. I remember how much I loved doing this as a child, it was like bringing a little magic into your home. We had to twist dad’s arm, but we even got him to help us put up some outside lights this weekend too. It’s already the second week of December, but I’m finally feeling like the holidays are really here. The kids are hot on my heels to get the gingerbread baked so we can make some new creations this year. I’m moving ahead with a lot of projects, but feeling the pressure to finish a few that I really care about in time to get shipped. Why do I always do that to myself? *eye roll*

Speaking of which, I’ll leave with my favorite decoration and get back to the task of projects.

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I thought it was a little quiet yesterday afternoon. Apparently Taylor felt the need to ensure ownership of some ornaments this year…*giggle, giggle, snort*

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