It's beginning to look a lot like...

I have made an early New Year's resolution. This year will be the best Christmas ever.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I LIVE for Christmas. The lights, the decorations, the presents, the joy of having family and friends around that I don't see that often and the yumminess of delicious food and drinks, all make me so happy. I LOVE Christmas. I do everything for our family's Christmas...cleaning, shopping, cooking, baking cookies with the kids, decorating, photo appointments, etc. And I absolutely ADORE doing it.

That being said, there are certain people in my life who don't.

Sigh.

Those people ALWAYS bring me down. Like a crystal Christmas tree, my spirit is smashed SO quickly and I struggle for most of the season to get it back. Most of the time I don't manage to get it back and fake my way through Christmas for the kids' sake. "Why are you making so many damn cookies? We will never eat all those" (as they walk away with five cookies in their hands). "I hate this F*$king time of the year". "People are A$$holes for doing all this...and for WHAT?" Yeah, it's a joy to try and keep the spirit when people around you are always bringing it down.

This year will be different.

This year, I will be joyful.
This year, I will be happy.
This year, I will keep the spirit throughout the season and really ENJOY it with my kids.
This year, I will do something for someone that I don't know. Just because.
This year, I will be a friend to someone who needs it.
This year, I will remember why it is that we celebrate this holiday.

And if the people around me don't like it, then I'll tie them to a chair and force-feed them eggnog and cookies until they get over themselves. And maybe, just maybe, Scrooge McDuck will actually enjoy themselves for a change. I refuse to let them get to me this year.

Because it's for the kids. And for me.

Painting the Country Red...

As a conservative, I am quite happy about yesterday's election results. HOWEVER I'm a bit concerned about them, as well. The Tea Party really showed itself to be a powerful force on election day. Keep the momentum moving. Don't cave. Don't let the mindless politicians who are completely disconnected from reality take control again. Let people know that there are ways to affect change, and socialism isn't it.

I can totally see the Tea Party becoming a viable third party and putting forth its own candidates in the near future (maybe even the next Presidential election). All I have to say is good job Tea Party guys and gals. Thanks for going out there and protesting when I didn't have the nerve. And thanks for helping to affect real change on this country. There is a swelling of pride in our country thanks to you and I think that things are going to start getting better very soon. Probably not 100% better, but better nonetheless.

Kisses on your heads, Tea Party. Muah. You rock.

Another topic is that of my friend, Melissa Haluszczak. She ran for Congress in Pennsylvania's 14th district. She lost with only 28% of the vote. HOWEVER...she WON 28% of the vote. In a region that is VERY Democratic and VERY liberal. In a completely grassroots campaign with very little funds, Melissa got out there and worked her butt off for every single one of those votes. I'm proud of Melissa, and what she's done. I hope she doesn't give up on a political career in the future.