New TV

This is it Dia. Now you see what we could afford to get as soon as you left home. Hugs, Mum

Darn It

I'm told by the mother-in-law that this is not darning. It's stitching. Darning is a more complicated process of stretching the sock over a lightbulb or some such item, performing an unraveling of the upper portion of the sock to acquire matching thread, then stitching tiny connecting stitches to secure the complex weaving motion of the darning art.

Hey, I think that anytime I am stitching together socks that have a hole and making them wearable, even using the son's heel as the lightbulb, I'm darning. Five pair, all wool, all fail in the same place, all within one week of wearing! What a waste! Too bad I tossed the wrapper or they would be returned. (Which is what the manufacturer is counting on! As I have related before--it's a conspiracy!)

So, I'm darning! At least I'm not damning!

Okay I tried to upload a video here, can't manage to pull it off. So I'll keep trying...

For those who love Santa... I personally find him creepy,

Try this one instead

http://portablenorthpole.sympatico.msn.ca/home





Here's the link, look it up yourself. It's cute and funny and the song will remain in your head for hours.

www.eminiz.com/in/HappyHolidays.aspx

or
youtube

Christmas Ills

Wanna read what happens in a Christmas long past when the mom gets the flu? I just tumbled over this in my Christmas cleansing, and it's pretty funny.

http://thatslife--armsandlegsin.blogspot.com/

More Ice

I'm sitting home doing nothing but breathing and wishing I could finish Christmas, but we're iced in but good here. I'm going just a trifle stir crazy. The children are out out school again for ice day. Cross those fingers, toes and eyes for a full day of class tomorrow. As it is, finals have been moved to the new year and Ian's choir concert is postponed. Jingle Bells sung after New Years is just freaky. Piano, TKD and the cub scout caroling are cancelled and cabin fever is rampant.

The free form Christmas chaos is heightening. I've been reviewing my journal and thought it might be fun to review a past-year's Christmas letter. Here's 1997

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Joyeaux Noel, Frolic Whynotten, Fleas on a Dog, 1997
and all those other wonderful holiday salivations.

Here we are again. Seems like just last year that I was writing this same letter.

Actually, it’s been a fabulous year, a challenging and most interesting ride. I’m still holding on only by the tip of my nails and screaming as I go.

The children seem well (adjusted), in spite of the fact that David says there is no lack of material for their next installment of Mommy Dearest. Diondra is loving second grade and her life in general. Her interest to be an actress waned after she perfected her Howie Mandell “Walk like a Man role and now she wants to be a veterinarian that plays flute concerts at lunchtime, acts, but only in the evenings at the neighborhood theater, and looks forward to becoming a firefighting rock-climber on the weekends.

When I last wrote, the cat that was seeking another home to stray to--has adjusted by developing multiple personalities. As a dog, she growls and bites strangers. In her monkey phase she gets stuck weekly on top of the house, and runs up and over the unsuspecting. But, she pulls her own weight and though declawed still brings birds and mice to the table regularly.

Ian, at five, still finds his best buddies are rocks and thinks kindergarten is just a sideline to a real life. He has discovered that computers have this wonderful world behind the screen that can speed it up and slow it down and he make it say little things that scare Mom and Dad, like general system error.

We’re pretty sure Dave still lives here. I wonder about the cot at work but his clothes are still in the closet, so I can’t get him for desertion! He’s loving his second life in Oklahoma and we are sure his family there must miss him also. But it’s better than the alternative. . . us there too!

Still loving my full-time job as Mommy. For a person that hates repetition, it is replete with challenges. How many different ways can you think of to make vacuuming exciting? I’m up to 10 (and Dave says that is the sum total that I’ve ever used the vacuum!) I am sure the whole house could benefit from a match struck in the moldering laundry room, rife with methane gas.

I’ve been reading up on the new Madge Stewart’s, “Scarcely Living during Holidays”, or something like that. I thought I’d pass on some of her ideas.

I’m sure it will put all of us in the holiday spirit.
On package wrapping, beautiful tapestry materials I don’t have, so I took a couple of cloth diapers (clean and in good condition (of course) and finished the package with a little duct tape on the edges. Voile! Fits in well with the silver and white of this season and it’s beauty on a budget! Ribbon is never a problem, because I save all the bits and pieces from the previous year. I just iron them up a little and tie coordinating colors together for a lovely package finish.

Outside decor dilemma? Blow up reusable ziplocks- and spraypaint, of course.

Makes a sort of luminary. . . sort of. . .
Ideas for evening entertaining...presentation is always a challenge, so I'm borrowing from Erma Bombeck. Use the husband’s shoe, spraypainted-of course -to make a lovely gravy boat. And tree decorations, Ian’s ball collection filled the bill perfectly.. marbles to baseballs and even a basketball. And ya know, a little gold spray paint never hurt nobody.

Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season. Our motto for this year:

If you just can’t do it all. . . don’t.

Love, The Darcey Family, David, Terina, Dia and Ian

See more beautiful pictures of OK Icestorm at

http://glu-teenfree.blogspot.com/2008/12/ice-beauty.html

A preview?

2008 Christmas Letter

Our family wishes yours...

Happy Holidays & A Happy New Year

Today’s paper revealed the secret to happiness. The article says happy people surround themselves with happy friendships. Our thanks to those of you who happily spread it around and we rejoice in knowing friends who live in this elevated state. Read on!
Our family is evaluating its happiness factor and our ability to exude happiness for our friends.

Let me elucidate! The children are brimming with happiness. Dia loves college, her five roomies, and her classes. She fleetingly considered a career in mediocrity, after expending every brain cell graduating valedictorian, but she is feeling the benefits in year one of college. She and Ian invaded Europe this summer, Ian as the historical tour guide and she as the interpreter and map reader. Her happiness is the frigidity of Utah and ten aunts right up close and personal who succor her and supply her with leftovers. Dia’s hope for happiness in the New Year is finding a major! And her Father’s happy that Dia is finding no steady guy.

Ian is sixteen and an Eagle scout, YAY! He can drive! YAY! He can date! But his current happiness is achieving his 3rd Dan in Taekwondo, world history, particularly the Mongolian era, wars, and weapons. He still exults in trivia (on the Latin Certamin and Academic Bowl teams). In the New Year, his hope for happiness centers specifically on choir, (he's a bass at his best), avoiding the piano, Master Swords and his martial arts weapons class.

Aidan is our happiest family member (as evidenced by the photo inspiring this letter). He turned 10 yesterday and has yet to come down from the birthday high. He lives for the newest edition of How Things Work. He tells me that today he is happy about “Washday boogie”, (piano) which is pure evidence that Aidan lives for now! Being present in today is what makes him happy! “And getting presents,” he clarifies.

Sorry to add felines, but a happy home wouldn’t be complete without the joy and anticipation of WWF (World War Feline). The day after Christmas last year, we rescued a tail-less month-old kitty from the backyard depths of the snow in Utah. The little one spent days warmed and coddled ‘neath sweatshirts only to emerge into the bleak and stark frigidity of the 14-year old mistress of mayhem (Yes, Socks is still alive). The little one (Scrabble) hones defensive and covert battle tactics and her hope for the new year is to discover that tails really are toys.

Dave is still the Cub Scout Bear den leader and loves the challenge of nine year olds. He finds those meetings an interesting juxtaposition with board meetings at Williams. He is still running marathons, (his total is 30 or 40 or something) and his happiness in the new year hinges on a mild winter so he can still bike 30 miles to work three or four times a week. The mild winter would also aid in his other hope for happiness, avoiding another year of cleanup from the chaos and detritus of last year’s ice and hailstorms.

Our happiness together is that we are still too young to retire and live off the dregs of our stock portfolio.

If I could have my happiest heart’s desire, it would be that today I would get all these sent off before it is too late to wish everyone a Happy Holiday instead of just a Happy New Year sometime late in February.

Our true joy is found in the depth of the Saviors grace and His love evidenced in our family’s lives. We are truly blessed and hope for the same for you. Merry Christmas.