Mom's Special Christmas Gifts

About every other year my dad and I set out to get my mother at Christmas. One year he bought her a past, present, and future necklace. My job was to wrap it. I went and got the UGLIEST material know to man, put a quick gather in it, put the necklace the bottom of a JC Penny box, put tissue paper over it and then put the hideous material on top. Everyone thought my dad had lost it, at first. This year he bought her a camcorder, and I did my work! Everyone that knows my mom, knows she has been redoing her bathroom for going on 3 years, so what did I do? I got a wonderful shower curtain and rings. I wrapped the camcorder in brown shipping paper and put it in the bottom of a beautiful gift bag, on top of this I lay the folded shower curtain, and then put the rings and tissue paper. I write a very loving note to go along with it, and pass it off to my dad before Christmas. I guess the pictures explain it best. I am sure glad my mom had already bought my present and the stores are closed on Christmas so she couldn't take it back. Mom I do really love you!!

PAP'S NEARLY FAMOUS FRIES

It came to my attention that my grandfather, Pap, is nearly famous for his french fries when we were at the beach. Brandon and I were taking an early morning stroll when I asked if he would like to live at the beach. His reply shocked me a little. He said yes(not shocking), but he would really miss Pap's fries so he guessed not. I thought this was sweet and cute, but I didn't know the half of it! Since that time, every time we have gone to see Pap he has had to have fries. I have tried to recreate his fries with out success. He has even offered up advise like maybe you need to use tin foil. That did not work . So when Thanksgiving came and Pap made fries for Brandon in the toaster oven Brandon look at me and said I need that(a toaster oven) for Christmas. That was all Pap needed to hear. So for Christmas Brandon got a toaster oven and a bag of french fries. Two days later he finally got it set up and made fries. He exclaimed NOW THOSE ARE PAP'S FRIES!!!

OH FUNNY BONE OH FUNNY BONE

Thanks to my wonderful genes and many years of abuse to my right ankle I have now been diagnosed with os trigonum syndrom. This occurs when this bone in your ankle is aggravated by an injury, usual treatment is steroid injections and/or ice. Of course I am not normal so I get to have surgery to remove it 2 days before Christmas. Some people have asked if I won't be miserable on Christmas Day to which I reply: NO!! This will probably be the most laid back Christmas my family has ever had thanks to the nice medicine the doctor prescribed.

BLOND MOMENTS

My family has had many nearly famous BLOND moments. Now unfortunately Victoria has followed in our foot steps. She was going to be part of the live Nativity Scene at church last night. It was cold and she is cold natured so I thought I would give her a pack of Hot Hands instant warmers. Now she had taken one to school a couple days ago that I had already opened. I thinking my child is pretty smart thought she would know or at least read the directions on the back as how to use it. It is really simple, all you have to do is open the foil package and shake the inner pack. That is it and it gets warm. I arrive to pick her up and my hands are cold so I ask where the warmer is. She answers it is right hear, but it didn't work. Yes, it is what you are thinking. She hands me the unopened foil pack. I asked her if she didn't know she had to open it. She replied no. I said did you not think to read the directions when you couldn't get it to work? What there are directions?she asked with an extremely puzzled look. I guess she really is a Sloop at heart!

CURSED TECHNOLOGY

As many of you know I am not the most computer literate person, so when it was time to set up the wireless Internet I knew it wouldn't be easy. I go through the whole process with the disk and get on my laptop and no Internet. I try to figure it out for days. Finally I break down and call the help center. After about an hour on the phone jumping from the desktop to the laptop the lady at the help desk ask is the button on the front of the computer pushed in? I reply with a no does that matter. Well apparently it does. WHO KNEW ?

Thanksgiving

You might ask yourself if this is a picture out of a magazine, but the answer is no! This year me family decided to start a tradition that we could continue even after my Grandfather passes(hopefully never), so we cooked dinner the night before Thanksgiving at my mothers house. Daniel the youngest of all of us kids did most of the cooking, and his wife Joanna decorated. Isn't it wonderful to have these talented people in or family. I of course had to work that night so I ate and left with out my kids. My mother has very kindly watched them for the past several years so I can go shopping on Black Friday. I save my money and do all my shopping on that day, it takes about 12 hours. This year my mother decided to make nutcrackers with the kids while she had them. I am so glad that we have a close family, but JP and family we do miss you!!