Snake-bit.

A friend of mine from Atlanta refers to days like today as "snake-bit days." Her remedy? Jammies on in the early evening, a big blanket, the TV and a drink of choice.

A rundown:
- AK left not one, but BOTH of her winter coats at school. The temp will drop to 16 tonight.
- Ryan left his winter coat at school, too. And his sweater.
- We're headed out the door to basketball practice and Ryan announces he "forgot" to do his piano homework.
- After torpedoing a grammar test on Tuesday, AK reports she made an 87 on the retest today. After I spent an hour studying with her last night, at her request. And the teacher averaged the grades. How in the world did the spawn of Gertude, Leslie and Kim - three English majors in a row - make a C- on a grammar test?
- She also "forgot" to write some of her homework in her planner.
- We get to practice at school (15 minutes away) to discover it's been postponed by 30 minutes and our coach should have called. Errands for 20 minutes, then back to a middle school boys game in progress. No coaches, no teammates. We hang around and watch the end of the game (we won by 1 point) then head home. I've left a message for the "coach" asking for an explanation.

Mental image to complete the story: me, in my blue flannel jammies with lobsters on them, new plaid flannel slippers over cold toes, covered by a plaid Scottie dog blanket, sipping hot tea from Murchie's in British Columbia.

HNY!

So my goal of celebrating a quiet, family-centered Christmas might have worked too well. I've been chastised (again!) for neglecting the blogosphere. I shall do better this year, lest a Canadian compadre cross borders to smack me upside the head. :)

How was everyone else's holiday? We had a lovely time hanging around the house, watching movies, playing outside, making bazillions of gingerbread cookies and just ... being. Honestly, this was the most serene, peaceful Christmas we've had in years, and we all needed it. A short recap:

* The second school was out, we hightailed it south to hang with my brother and his daughter. Delightful, watching the three cousins play together.

* Two days later we were back and into full Christmas swing at our house. The weather was just bizarre: low 70s in the afternoon, so we wore shorts on Christmas. Not normal.

* Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were just wonderful. The children loved their gifts, especially the Wii. Within about an hour of opening it, we held the first-ever Drew Bowling Tournament, handily won by Ryan. He's a crazy bowler. AK and I like to play tennis together, and Rus and Ryan are into the expert golf courses. The children played outside and broke in Ryan's new tournament-sized soccer goal and we took several walks around the neighborhood.

* Rus and I saw "Four Christmases" - totally hilarious. We all saw "College Road Trip" - very cute and harmless. We watched Mom's "Celtic Thunder" CD about 25 times, with Ryan acting out his favorite songs.

* Rus' parents paid a short visit, and Pops created the coolest rope ladder ever known to boy-kind.

*Rus and Ryan visited his parents in LA (Lower Alabama) while AK and I hosted Sleepoverpalooza with three of her girlfriends.

* New Year's Eve we spent with our friends the Dudleys, eating great food, telling stories and watching the kids shoot off some serious fireworks.

And that's about it! A few images of the season, for your viewing pleasure:

"Trials are proof of God's care."

Getting religious here for a second: this week has been a challenge on just about every level. Last night, after several long work days topped off by an office Christmas party, I thought my head just *might* pop off. I was very busy listening to everyone around me:
"You KNOW how things are in this economy."
"This is just what little boys are supposed to do."
"But I really *hated* that book, Mama!"
"Christmas is never a relaxing time, you know that."
"That looks more like a Valentine's present than a Christmas present."

Last night, I decided to bring it to a screeching halt. I don't have to listen to the naysayers and the grinches; I can make the choice to see the good, hear the good and follow the good. So I made that conscious decision late last night, and today is much more peaceful.

Today, I choose to eat a frog first (ask Mark Twain if you missed the reference) and then enjoy the rest of the day. I choose to rocket through my work, then focus on my children. I choose to play the "Island of the Blue Dolphins" dice game with 40+ 5th graders who still secretly get excited by Christmas, even if it's not cool to admit it. I choose to make reindeer antlers with 19 2nd graders and I won't even flinch when I get icing on my nice slacks just before a lunchtime meeting.

Life is good.

Hey Bratz Dolls: Don't Let the Door Hit You in the Rear

Remember the end of "The Untouchables," where Eliot Ness and his team finally get Al Capone? Not on gangster-related charges (roll with it - you know what I mean), but on tax evasion.

Now, remember the same thing happens at the end of "The Firm," where Tom Cruise enlists the help of his mob-related clients to bust his law firm for billing discrepencies?

I was thrilled, ecstatic and over-the-moon to see this link online this morning: http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/retail/judge-bars-mga-producing-selling-brat-dolls/

Doesn't matter the reason, the bottom line is the same. They're gone, I'm happy. The world - and the psyche of little girls everywhere - will be a better place.

The Dark Underbelly of College Football.

Let me say, loud and clear: I am a Georgia Bulldogs fan. Let there be no doubt in your mind.

Breaking news is Auburn just fired Tommy Tuberville, probably because he had a losing season (including a good old-fashioned butt-kicking in the Iron Bowl last weekend). But he's a good man, and he's had a great record at Auburn. He's done wonderful things for the football team and the athletics program. He's withstood a fly-by-night (literally) coup attempt that included Auburn's past president in its casualties. During his off-season (is there ever really one for an SEC coach?) he traveled to Iraq to spend time with the troops. He's donated his time to so many worthy causes. He's just a good man, and he's impressed me.

So as much as I am *not* an Auburn fan, I do see the unfairness in this, and I don't agree with the way college football rolls sometimes. Big hugs to all my Auburn fan friends (Kelly!), especially my husband.

If anyone knows Coach Tubby, tell him there's one Bulldog fan out there who's really sorry it came to this.

Happy Thanksgiving, la la la.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We headed to see Rus' family and were treated to some unseasonably warm weather. Thanksgiving Day we had a big group, but here we are with just the fam, about to dig into my MIL's awesome cooking. Don't even get me *started* on her sweet potato souffle - it's out of this world!

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? I am. :)

Perfection? Or goodness?

"The perfect is the enemy of the good."

A friend from my FebMoms chat group posted this yesterday, and it's been on my mind. Sometimes I push so hard for the perfect - grades from my children, behavior from my children, exercising at the gym, the cleanliness of our house, social activities - that I don't see the good all around me every day. Everything doesn't have to be perfect all the time; there are much, much more important things.

Sometimes, the "good" things aren't enough - they're more than enough.

I'm going to do better with this.