Scrapping Bug is BACK!

I've got the scrapping bug back!! Finally finished the mini-album/flip frame for Waveney for Christmas. I had sooo much fun making it, mostly because Tighe is just sooo stinkin' cute!!!


Here's what it looks like...

Isn't he just TOO STINKIN' CUTE?!?!?! I think so!

Prince Charming :)

Christmas come and gone

"Things come and go so quickly around here".... you're right Dorothy!

Christmas is over, and a beautiful holiday it was.

Friday 12/22
I took the day off, went to the gym, went shopping, got a cute outfit.
Then at night- 23 of us Natale Ladies went to see The Rockettes at the Wang Center! We took a limo bus into town. It was so much fun! Then out to LoConte's for dinner after- and a quick stop into Modern Pastry (which is completely renovated and gorgeous).
Unfortunate about half way through the show I got a terrible headache and couldn't wait to get home!! :( Bad end- but a great night.

Saturday 12/23
I did stuff around the house and did some shopping.
Then I went bowling w/ Devon, Alison and Zack! Lots of silly fun at Boston Bowl. The kids before us were on the wrong lane, but Alison decided to keep his name, Keefy! And the "J" wouldn't work, so I was Yen! The laughs just kept coming. We played 1 string, then got a drink at the little bar/snack bar. Great catching up. [Highlights: Alison is getting ready for the big wedding in August, and school is going well. Devon is buying a condo in Brooklyn and starting a Travel Writing Class in January with hopes of working for National Geographics someday]

At night I went to Susan's to watch The Family Stone and the beginning of Polar Express with Jenny and Kara. Great family movie night- got me really in the mood for Christmas! A feeling I'd been waiting to come, but just hadn't before then.

Sunday 12/24
Sunday I met Jeff for lunch at Panera and then home to get ready for Christmas eve. Dan and I went to Larry & Leslie's at 3p. I got a cool car/house back massager pad in the yankee swap, which was a blast. Then we went to Susan's house. Soooo ridiculously silly, it was great. Dan and I went in these crazy pink pj's (to poke fun at Susan who was wearing these ridiculous pink pj's after mark's wedding--- and calling everyone "f-heads")--- and underneath I had a tshirt that said "F-Head" with an arrow pointing up... and Dan had one that said "I'm with F-Head" and an arrow pointing to the left! everyone was rolling----then as if that wasn't silly enough- Mom bought Jeff, Dan and my Dad these red shorts w/ fur trim that say Ho Ho Ho on the butt-- red shirts that said Elves Gone Wild- and Santa Hats!!! Dan put them OVER his other pjs! It was just nutty!!

Then Kevin made sweatshirts for he and Mark. Mark's had a picture of Kevin and vica versa! They were soooo hysterical, and Mark then proceeded to get drunk. I've never seen him drunk before- it was quite the performance.... passing around this pickle in a pouch, and calling and hollaring like a black lady "yeah.. uh huh... you tell it girl!" I've never experienced anything so funny and so out of character!

I stayed there til almost 1a. Dan went to Mrs. Schlichte's and Shawn's, but I was too tired to leave Susan's (except to go to bed).

Monday 12/25- CHRISTMAS
Monday morning was nice and quiet. Dan and I didn't exchange gifts (yet).... he ordered mine on ebay and it hasn't come in yet even though he ordered it at the beginning of December. I was a little upset about it Sunday night, but I'm over it... it will get here (hopefully he didn't get screwed, but he's pretty ebay savvy so I doubt it)....
I went to the cemetary on the way to my mom's.... kind of a downer, but i just felt like i had to go. And I'm glad I did. It was actually tough leaving... just felt like I wanted to stay but I couldn't.

We opened presents (the 4 of us) then Dan came from his Dad's around noon and Gram & Aunt Milly shortly after. My family exchanged presents with Dan then he left at 2p to head to his Mom's. We had dinner at 2p (Karen & Gail too). Then we opened presents.

I got lots of goodies- a bunch of scrapbooking stuff, Grey's Anatomy Seasons 1 & 2 on DVD, mani/pedi GC, a beautiful scarf/shawl from my grandmother, books, jewelry, perfume, a small suitcase.... lots of cool things.

Around 5:30 (when I finally changed into real clothes) I headed to Marilyn & Allen's to hang out there. We had a blast- Dave got the Nintendo Wii. That thing is cool!! We played baseball and bowling and the boys did boxing--- you actually use the controller thing to swing like a bat etc.. Its sooo funny and it really wears you out! lol! :)

Then around 8:30 we headed to Dana's dad's, but it was really quiet, only a few people left. Chatted about our days then got home around 10:30.

A really nice day overall .... kinda weird not to have Bub, had a bunch of sad moments, with his empty seat at the table, and presents "From: Gram" and not Grammy & Bubba. That was really tough.... but mostly it was just great to be with everyone and exchange gifts :)

Christmas is coming...

I have no idea where time has gone..... but Christmas will be here in 21 days.... I swear summer just finished and now all of a sudden we're getting our first snow fall. What has happened? Well, a lot- to put it simply. Jeff in the ICU for 9 days with his brain tumor.... and then home recovering after that--- well that just about took up the entire fall. Meanwhile Bubba spent most of that time in and out of hospital himself.. then rehab to follow. His death on Novemebr 14th is the most difficult thing I've ever experienced in my life. It made Jeff's survival all that more eye-opening and real. Of course during his hospital stay I thought a million times what it would be life if this tumor meant the end of him.... but imagining things and the reality of it are two completely different things. I've never had someone extremely close to me die before. I've never had that sick, achey feeling all over... I've never woken up every morning to that sad feeling that hits you the nano-second you open your eyes. Never. And dealing with that knowing that Bubba was so sick for so long, and so tired of fighting, was one thing. One horrible thing. But if it were Jeff- it would have been tragic, unimaginable.... whatever I thought about in that hospital room with him is nothing compared to what the actuality of that event would have been. And I am infinitely glad I should not have to know that loss for a VERY long time.

Still Christmas is coming. The day I most enjoyed seeing Bubba's smile... eating his infamous eggplant, watching him shake the packages to guess his gifts- and being bummed that he'd ruin the element of surprise by guessing so accurately so often. I'll miss him putting on hats and gloves and whatever other gift might fit on any given appendage. I'll miss him asking how "his Jen" is.... and what my favorite present is.....

I'll worry about Gram, like I've done every day for almost 3 weeks. Worried about how sad she must be... that she can find a way to be happy the rest of her life. To learn to enjoy a new routine that doesn't involve her being a caretaker for so much of every day.

And yet, I'm happy too. I love this time of year. I love the music and the decorations. I love that my shopping is almost done and that I'm making a few handmade projects that I'll be proud to give as gifts. I love that Dan's family and my family are eating at separate times so we can actually spend some time together that day. I love that Dan is so excited to come to Susan's for Christmas Eve and that we're going to wow everyone with the pajamas we're going to wear to tease Susan :) I love that there's a lot to laugh about.