Happy, Hopeful New Year!

Now that the Christmas rush is over I want to try and recap some of the events before the year turns.

I haven't posted much in a while. I've been under the weather since October. I keep getting colds and whatever else is flying around. Also, my JAG has gotten into playing on the computer (Noggin and Sesame St.) and she's been hogging it.

On the home front, my eldest JAG is still not potty-trained. She does try her best but she regresses and has been having "accidents" quite a bit. Hubby and I give her plenty of praise when she stays dry (except when she uses the potty as an excuse to stay up late). There's not a night when the two of them simply lay down to go to sleep. There's always the 2-3 trips to the potty--JAG in the big girl potty and GG in her baby potty. They'd sit there for minutes on end telling each other knock-knock jokes that only they can fully appreciate. Their giggles fill the air. Both JAG and GG are still very attached to their "baba's" (that's their bottles) and I've decided that come 2006, they're going to have to go cold turkey. This drinking problem of theirs has got to end!

JAG turned 3 years old last October 6th and GG turned 2yrs. last November 25th.
They are both headstrong and showing early signs of rebellion. The other day as they were running amok in the house I told them to stop the madness. They both gave me the usual answer, a loud "NO", in stereo, of course. I proceeded to tell them that they do not live in a democracy and what mommy says must go. Then the littlest midget (that's GG) says with great indignation, "Yes, mockracy! Yes, FWEEDOM!" Hubby and I were just flabbergasted!
Had our little babies been watching "Braveheart" on the sly?! How do they even know what "fweedom" means? How do we arm ourselves against these invaders wearing diapers?! So hubby and I are very afraid, indeed. Perhaps she meant mock-cracy, as in, "We will mock you!"..then again, that's just as bad.

I'm rather sad that Christmas is over. That means Santa's gone back to the North Pole not to return until next year. No more phone conversations to update him on how nice or bad the midgets are for the day. I really milked the Santa bit. It worked, they both behaved. They didn't trash the tree or anything. Then, after Santa dropped off their Christmas wishes on the front lawn...FWEEDOM!

It has been a roller-coaster ride all year and I'm looking forward to a much calmer 2006. All the disasters that struck this year has left me feeling drained, nervous and helpless. The numbers of dead from the tsunami is over a quarter million; the Pakistan quake nears 80,000 half of which are children; the millions of millions of displaced victims from these major catastrophes, in addition to the hurricane victims in America's Gulf Coasts and the Central Americas---it's mind numbing.

We can only donate so much and it is never enough. I know that most people have also suffered disaster over-load. I am bouyed by the stories of survival, kindness of people and hopes of recovery. Perhaps if I do my job right I can raise my children to be good people who can make this crazy world a better place. If not, at least a funnier one. Happy New Year to one and all!!! Peace.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A couple of pictures taken when I took the girls to see the Department of Water and Power's Festival of Lights show at Griffith Park. It's quite a show of lights, my girls were just enthralled with all the displays. We took our Lola and my mom with us and they,too, enjoyed it. If you're in the area, it's one of those "must-see" venues AND it's FREE. I've just finished all the Christmas wrapping of presents and I'm completely beat. I'll have to up-date more later. I just wanted to wish everyone out there a Peaceful, Happy, Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, etc. Peace to all.