My Christmas Letter

Because I can't find the damned cards that I know I bought last year, I've thrown together a letter to go out in it's place. I've even done up a word search with some words from our past year, but sadly can't get that to load on my blog, but for some fun ,try this link to the word search. Keep in mind, of course, that this letter is printed on beautiful Christmas paper that I chose with great care... from the cheap rack.

That said, for those who think they might receive a letter from me this year, you may or may not want to read this now. Truthfully I'm scaling back on my Christmas greetings for local peeps this year.

December 14, 2010

I hope this letter finds you all healthy and happy! Personally, I’m digging a little deeper this year to find some joy. It’s been a rough one for us, but this letter is going to positively reflect our year, even if I have to B.S you a little bit!

Leon is still enjoying his career as a fire fighter and landed the July page in the 2010 Edmonton Fire Fighter Calendar! I highly recommend you check out his video on you tube – with the volume up for extra chuckles from my mom’s hooting! Leon has also taken up hunting, much to the disappointment of the doe currently residing in my freezer.

Sadly, Leon lost an aunt and uncle this past fall, which was closely followed by his Dad having a heart attack while in Winnipeg for one of the funerals. He is home now and doing well! His parents celebrated their 80th birthdays with a big move out of the long-time family home and into a beautiful senior’s condominium.

Asia is 16 and in grade 11 this year. She is still cheerleading, although she feels it may be her last year at it. She has been fortunate with the travel opportunities in the last few years with trips to California, Florida, Seattle x2 and will be off to Hawaii in April.

On the down side, she has been diagnosed with ADHD and ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) which is causing struggles and tension both at school and at home. She lived with a friend for a few months through the spring and summer, but is home again (home again, jiggity jig). We are hopeful that she will be back on track very soon!

Cassie is in grade 8 and will be 14 in January. She is studying hard for her learner’s license and has been warned that she will be learning to drive in her Dad’s truck, with her Dad’s guidance. This mama is just not cut out for that kind of pressure, nor is my car. She is doing well in school and is very proud of her grades. She is striving for honours next term, and for a chuckle in that regard, check out my blog at http://adayinrhondaslife.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-is-this-all-i-can-come-up-with.html. She is playing indoor soccer again and loves it. She is a very happy girl with only occasional hormonal meltdowns and I am incredibly thankful for that.

Liv will be 7 on Boxing Day and is in grade 2. Her reading skills are exceptional, especially considering she was only agreeable to learning her letters last year, far behind everyone else in her class. She has some ADHD testing in her near future, because I don’t know the difference between ADHD and being busy and a bit of a brat. She is also playing soccer and has gotten quite good at it. Having her birthday so late in the year means that she plays with kids who are older and bigger and she has learned quickly that she’s going to need to be quick and a little bit aggressive, much to her mama’s delight. She tried out recreational cheerleading this fall, but we quickly discovered that it is just not the sport for her. Overall, she is spoiled rotten and treats us all to many crazy tantrums. I often tell her that she is lucky she’s so cute, even with no front teeth.

Let’s not forget Ringo. He is still a great big goofball. He is incredibly neglected, but somehow continues to love us anyway!

And me? I’m working full time and have been since August 2009. I work at one of our hospitals with a wonderful group of pharmacists. I have scaled back with my photography as it just got to be too much on top of a full time job and running around with the kids. I am still playing soccer and totally love it! Work and soccer keep me sane.

I am stubbornly trying to convince my body that it can achieve a size six again on nothing other than chocolate, cookies and potato chips, but so far it isn’t working. Fear not, I am persistent and refuse to give up my research. Go ahead and laugh, but you just wait. My discovery will make me rich one day, and then won’t you feel silly.

So that is where 2010 has brought us – and I only had to lie a little bit…

Merry Christmas to you all and all the best in 2011!

Love, Rhonda, Leon, Asia, Cassie, Liv and Ringo

My Blog Is My Therapy

Note: This is not a post that you want to read. I'm not kidding. Go to the top corner of your screen and exit now. Before it's too late.

You probably wouldn't believe how close I came to just keeping my car running in the garage tonight. I actually started to make myself a deal that if I was still conscious by the time Cassie had to be picked up from soccer, well then, that would mean that I was meant to endure this bullshit just a little bit longer. I guess the positive side of this paragraph is that I haven't actually looked into how long it would take carbon monoxide to kill me.

That's me. Always looking up.

For those who think that would be just a plain old selfish, shitty thing to do, you're entitled to your opinion. And for others who think I should be immediately locked up in Alberta Hospital, you're entitled to your opinion too. Rest assured, that option would kill me faster than anything else, so it probably wouldn't be wise. But whatever. I know for a fact that every parent after 16 years of crap has looked at that oncoming semi and thought, this could all be over in a second. I'm just being down-right fucking real, and for anyone out there who actually enjoys this crapshoot called parenting and want to judge me, then you clearly haven't walked a mile in my shoes. In fact, I think I'd bet on you lasting about five steps before you tear your feet out of said shoes and throw them as far as you can while sprinting in the other direction.

I hate wads of crotch-swiped toilet paper on my bathroom floor. I hate dishes all over my living room. I hate all my broken stuff that I used to love. I hate peeling used tampons off the wall behind the toilet. I hate being hated because in between working all day, making supper, putting Liv to bed and taking a kid to soccer, I asked, nay, demanded help with dishes. I said "as much as you can do in five minutes". That was asking too much. REALLY????

I hate that my kid failing school, dropping classes and getting fired leads to a 'you-know-nothing-mind-your-own-business' bullshit attitude. Not my business?? Since it's my job to make sure you're not living here when your 30, and you are clearly going down that road, I'm making it my fucking business!!! Who the hell do you think you are telling me that I have no right to get all in your face when you screw up your life? And then you demand respect? REALLY?

And last but not least, the littlest daughter is crying because she can't go to a birthday party that I have no control over because she'll be busy with her cheer recital that I had no control over. But hey, at least she's inconsolable because SHE'S SIX!!!

And yes. With the exception of the tampon (which happened about two weeks ago and I just haven't yet recovered from) this was 30 minutes of my evening.

A mere 30 minutes in my own personal hell.

*Addendum

Upon much reflection, once I cooled off, I decided to still go ahead and post this. It's my blog after all. And I hope to one day look back at this and laugh at my foolishness. At the rate things are going, I'll be reading it in a few years from the recreation room of the women's facility and thinking back on how good things were at this stage of my life and how I wish that I could just have it all back.

**Addendum

Cassie has apologized for her part in all this and is now working her fanny off cleaning the house.

Liv is fast asleep.

Asia is hiding in her room.