Where is December going? It seems to be running away from me and I wanted to record some random thoughts. First I love Christmas. Everything about it. The lights, the decorations, the tree. I love that tonight Anna stole the baby Jesus from the Nativity and wanted to play with it. Don't get me wrong I didn't let her keep it or play with it or anything ( it is my beloved olive wood nativity I bought in Jerusalem.) It just made me happy because I remember doing the same thing and having a fascination with the baby Jesus, as a little girl. I remember how much my mom loved her nativity and I think it was my favorite decoration to put up and I also remember fighting with my sisters about how it was "suppose" to be. As if that matters.

I think it is funny I never knew Christmas was a lot of work until having children. It is work, stress, and sometimes you wonder if amongst the stress we are missing the point? I try to enjoy the festivities but remember the real meaning and I am hoping my kids are getting the real meaning.

I went to the movie Blindside last night. I'm a big fat sorry sap so, I loved it. It amazes me that the different "lives" people live just stone throws away from one another. Some with so much opportunity and some with so little and so much to overcome. It makes me sad cause I think of the potential wasted and what all the kids who just never got a fair shot at life may have become with the right molding? Do you ever wonder about this or why you have had the opportunities you have? I do. Then I wonder if I've made the most of them. I guess the lesson is to remember it and make the most of the ones right now.

Movies that touch on the life of inner city kids always for some reason makes me think of my, Andrew. I have no idea what kind of life he may have had but I think that he is why I always feel so moved by shows like this. I think how sad it would make me if my boy had a life like this and think of how many kids really do have a crack addict for a momma. And you know the thing about kids, they love there parents no matter what horrors they put them through. And you know, I think those moms love there kids the same as I love mine; they're just stuck in a bad rut. Who hasn't been in a rut? But "ruts" come on varying scales so I guess I will be grateful for mine, cause you start looking around and you realize how lucky you are. So enough babbling. Nine days till Christmas, I better go and wrap some gifts!

Lexie @ the Laundromat December '09

Our washer busted over Thanksgiving weekend. The first place I called to fix it said they didn't service LG's, because it was too difficult to get parts for. The second place said they could come but not until Wednesday of this week. Well the nice fix it man fixed it and it worked for one load. Long story short my washer will not be fixed until next week, the earliest being Tuesday. I already had nearly a weeks worth of laundry. Laundromat here we come. I went with Lexie and she had a blast. I've never been to a Laundromat before and it was kind of fun. Lexie had a great time, putting the soap in and putting quarters in the machines. It really is much more convenient to just do it at home though. So $31.00, two and a half hours later we made it home. Yes you read correctly $31.00 worth of quarters. The machines didn't hold to0 much and it was $1.75 a load. Weeks worth of laundry with three kids, plus the rugs I had started when the washer originally stopped, and my sheets which had been peed by one of my lovely children. I didn't even have my clothes dry they were all damp and I had to finish drying them at home. I hung a few things up which are still not dry. Things do not line dry very well here. So I am grateful for a washing machine and I hope mine gets fixed sooner rather than later.