Upside Down Cats

I always think of New Year's Eve/Day as a birthday party...a birthday party for the World.

With that in mind, I get reflective...like I do on my own birthday...

On my birthdays I try to be thankful for the years that got me here, the opportunity - if only for a day - to celebrate myself, and the chance - hopefully - for some more good tomorrows.

Continue reading "The World Doesn't Bitch About Getting Older..." »

Oh, the things you find when you clean up...!

This was on the front of a card I had received and saved in one of the endless piles in my spare room which I recently decluttered.

Apparently, long before I started Upside Down Cats, The Blog, I was a fan of upside down cats themselves!

I have no idea how many years ago this treasure had been lost in my "walk-in closet," but I'm sure glad I found it!

I just wanted to share it with the class today!

As Scott was leaving to brave the elements - I mean, drive to his office - this morning, he remarked that the snowstorm we were having was, "Kind of pretty..." I agreed, so I snapped some pictures out our windows to share...

For those of you unfamiliar with the particular beauty of Winter, this is our world...and welcome to it!

Continue reading "Our Winter Wonderland" »

Here I am back to my (somewhat) normal routine following a few days of holiday R&R. I closed my daycare Monday and Tuesday for a long-overdue (and well-deserved) long weekend.

I really needed that!

It was the best Christmas gift I could have received!

Continue reading "To: Gina - From: Gina" »

Once the daycare children leave for the day, my four-day Christmas weekend will begin. It's not exactly a Winter break, but it's what I've got this year, and I'm looking forward to it as much as the children are looking forward to Christmas morning!

As an adult I've always longed for an extended Christmas vacation like I had when I was a kid. I actually miss a Winter break more than I miss having my Summers off. In the family I grew up in we had fortunate circumstances where Christmas was concerned. Mom managed a school kitchen and two of my sisters were teachers so even the adults had a long break from regular duties for Christmas preparations and festivities.

Continue reading "Christmas In The Dining Room" »

I actually had an inspirational dream a couple nights ago.

My mom and I were moving furniture into a newly discovered room in my house...

I don't know which aspect of the dream was more surreal...that there is a room in my house I didn't know about, or that my 88 year old mother was moving beds and televisions around...

(Not that she wouldn't if she could!)

Continue reading "I Had A Dream..." »

Happy Birthday, Dad.

December 18, 1912 - August 25, 1997



I Love You.

I Miss You.

Here I am planning the meals in advance for the week before Christmas...December sure has flown by! Here's what we'll be eating at our house this week as we prepare for the Holidays...

 

Chicken-Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes & Sauteed Spinach

Fettuccini Alfredo & Mixed Greens Salad

Pad Thai Chicken with Rice Noodles & Broccoli

Beef, Rice & Cheese Burritos & Mixed Greens Salad

Artichoke-Parmesan Burgers, Onion Rings, Vegetable Platter with Garlic-Bacon Ranch Dip

Fettuccini with Seafood in Tomato-Alfredo Sauce & Mixed Greens Salad

Sausage, Egg & Cheese English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches, Hash Brown Potatoes

Chicken Kiev over Rice & Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts

Hash Brown Potato Breakfast Skillet with Eggs, Bacon, Artichokes & Cheese

Walnut-Crusted Orange Roughy, Couscous & Mixed Greens Salad

 

That gets us right up to Christmas Eve.

We are having a fairly substantial snowstorm tonight...I hope it doesn't hinder me from getting to the store for the things I need for this week's menu!

I miss our Christmas tree a little bit this year. It would sure feel more festive here at home to have our tree up and decorated again...

Our Cooper cat, who is barely two years old would certainly ruin our tree, were we reckless enough to put it up this year, though. In the interest of retaining all our lovely and meaningful ornaments - and our sanity - we'll keep it in storage for at least another year.

A few years ago when Desi was young we were awakened several times in the wee hours of the morning to the startling sounds of her trying to climb the tree, and the resulting tinkling of ornaments and crashing of glass! Young parents learn from experience...

One of these years we'll have a household full of lazy old kitties who won't try to scale the intruding pine, or play hockey with our ornaments. Then we'll be able to decorate and enjoy a proper Christmas tree again...

For now, thank goodness I took photos of Christmases past...(And thank goodness we replaced those horrible drapes with spiffy vertical blinds many years ago!)

Christmas is all about reminiscing anyway, right?

Today I am writing out our Christmas cards. I wish I was doing this a week ago, as I already feel like I'm last-minuteing this activity. Anyone who knows me knows I don't perform well under the gun. Nonetheless, it is the day it is, and I don't think any of our cards will arrive late to any of their privileged recipients...

This is rather a significant day in my Christmas history... Although it is a sad day of remembrance for me, it is more than appropriate that I write out cards on this particular day. Here's why...

Continue reading "...With Every Christmas Card I Write..." »