Merry CHRISTmas

Boy, it's been a while since I've updated my blog. Mainly because I've just been so busy with Christmas.....shopping, wrapping, shopping, baking & you guessed it....more shopping. Every year I tell myself that I am going to start my shopping early & every year, I am still out shopping on Christmas Eve! But it wasn't so bad this year.....we only went to Walmart & Meijer after going to a friend's house to exchange gifts & we actually had a lot of fun while we were shopping.

Today, Jim & I celebrated our 16th anniversary......hard to believe that we've been married that long already! But I love that man more & more each year! He got me a gorgeous pair of earrings & I got him a Kevin Harvick watch. Unfortunately, we weren't able to go out anywhere for dinner because by the time we got home from shopping, all the nice restaurants were already closed. Jim keeps saying that we need to change our anniversary to New Year's Eve because at least then there would always be a party to go to, lol.

Tonight, Jim, Cassie & I spent the evening watching the movie "Christmas with the Kranks". It was pretty good......seeing as how I read the book Skipping Christmas last year, I pretty much knew what the outcome was going to be. Both the book & the movie made me shed a few tears......I always tend to get teary eyed on Christmas. And probably moreso now since losing Karen & Jimmy. I know in my heart that they are spending Christmas with Jesus, but yet at the same time, I can't help but feel greedy & want them both here with us!

I've also been a little depressed the past couple of days.....another thing I go through during this time of year. I just wish I could be home in Pennsylvania with my family right now as I really do miss them & hate not being able to spend Christmas with them, but my son, dil & granddaughter will be coming over tomorrow to see us, so I felt like we had to stay here. I know once I see my granddaughter open her gifts, I'll be glad I stayed!

Well, I feel like I'm just kind of rambling on, so I guess I'll stop here. It's been a long day & tomorrow's going to be even longer. I'll leave you with 2 pictures of our Christmas tree....not the best, but they'll have to do until I hopefully get my tripod tomorrow :)

Merry Christmas everyone,
Benita

12-12-91

14 years ago today, my ex-husband Ron & father to my son Shawn took his own life. Why? No one really knows. He didn't leave any suicide notes. All we know is that he got into a fight with his girlfriend & told her that if she left, he was going to kill himself. Well, she left the apartment, he pulled out his gun & ended his life. He was only 26 years old at the time.

Each & every year, I dread when this day arrives! As I try to get into the spirit of the holidays, it's really hard knowing that he committed suicide so close to Christmas. I can't even put my anger & emotions into words. Our son Shawn is working in the Baltimore area right now & he's going to go visit Ron's gravesite today. I so wish I could be there with him right now! What Ron did was selfish & he doesn't realize how much he has hurt the people that love him!

Suicide is NOT the answer! And sadly, too many people commit suicide during the month of December more than any other month of the year! It's supposed to be a happy month, a month to celebrate, but instead, people get depressed & think that suicide is the easy way out. Well, let me tell you, it's not! The people you leave behind will hurt for YEARS to come! My son & I are living proof of that! Yeah, even though he was my ex-husband at the time, he will always hold a special place in my heart!

Sorry for the downer blog entry today.....I just felt like I needed to 'document' this moment. I miss you, Ron!

Benita

Photo Of The Week # 1

Yes, I realize that I am WAY behind with my POTW, but things have been really crazy this past week trying to get everything ready for Christmas. I'm only about half-way done with my shopping & still not completely done decorating the tree, but I wanted to post this picture anyway. Our tree is going to be done in all purple & gold this year & I just love it! I have some more ornaments & the bows to hang plus I have to put the ribbon on still. This picture was taken using my cross-screen filter.....told ya I would be using it a lot :)

I've also been having a lot of fun giving away some RAKs (Random Acts Of Kindness) on 2 Peas. I won 3 RAKs in one week, so I'm just repaying the kindness. I even made some homemade items for some of the prizes......I hope the recepients like them :) Now I need to get busy making my Christmas cards.....haven't even started those yet. Don't know what I'm waiting for.....I guess Christmas? LOL I can't believe that it's less than 2 1/2 weeks away! I really need to get in gear! So if you don't see me updating my blog much this month, you'll know why. I'm going to try to keep up with the POTW, though. Here's another one of my Christmas lights on my tree:













We woke up to 6+ inches of snow on the ground.....to be honest, I haven't even gone outside yet today to find out exactly how much we got overnight, but it was enough to cancel school & I was able to sleep in :) Cassie woke up at 10:30 this morning & says to me "I guess we don't have school today?" LOL Figured I'd let her sleep in, too.

Off to get some more laundry done & then bowling tonight. Have a wonderful weekend!
Benita

Blog ChallengeS

There have been a couple of blog challenges listed on 2 Peas recently & I thought I would play along. I love doing these challenges :) The first one that I'm doing is one that Wendy hosted for us to write all about ourselves in our blog & add pictures....one taken outside, one close-up & another one of our choice. The first picture was taken this past summer outside by my Clematis that grows up behind our garage. Next picture is of what I consider my best feature.....my eyes, which I also did a layout about. The 3rd picture is of my dh & I being silly during a photo shoot that we did together :) Now my responses to the challenge:

Your first name: Benita
Nicknames????: Benny, Bo, B, Sparky
Age: 43
Where you were born: Royal Oak, Michigan
Where you live now: Michigan
Children?: 2, 19 yo son & 15 yo daughter
Favorite Holiday tradition: Putting up our Nativity set & then having Santa bring Baby Jesus each year :)
When you started scrapping: January of 2003
How many times have you been published?: None :(
Favorite food: Pizza!
Favorite snack: I don't get them very often since they are only sold in PA, but I just love Middleswarth Bar-B-Q potato chips!
Anything else you would like to add: Besides scrapbooking, I love bowling, Nascar, decorating my home & spending lots of time with my husband & family. I've also been trying to truly enjoy life each & every day because when I lost my sister & brother-in-law last year, it made me realize just how fragile & short life is & we don't know how long we have here on earth!

The next challenge was hosted by Sophia for us to write about our favorite holiday memory, so here is mine. I'd definitely have to say that my best holiday memory is of the year that Jim & I got married, December 24, 1989. We thought it would be romantic to get married on Christmas Eve & it was, the first year. But after having kids, it was hard to find time for romance after having to stay up & wait for Santa to arrive :) Jim & I kid around all the time, saying that we should have waited until New Years Eve to get married because at least then, we would always have a party to go to, lol. Ah well.....we've already decided that once our daughter moves out, we're going to start spending our anniversary in Niagara Falls, Canada.....our favorite vacation spot in the summer & wintertime.

I also found this quiz on Karen's blog, so I thought I'd include it on mine as well. This is me, A-Z:
A-Age: 43
B-Bed size: King
C-Chore you hate: Laundry & cleaning the bathrooms!
D-Dessert you love: Chocolate Marble Cheesecake that Jim made for Thanksgiving :)
E-Essential start your day item: Breakfast with chocolate milk. I don't drink coffee.
F-Favorite actor(s): Tommy Lee Jones.
G-Gold or Silver: Both, but only gold for my rings.
H-Height: 5'9"
I-Instruments you play: I took violin lessons years ago.....just wish now that I would have stuck with them!
J-Job title: Stay at home wife & mom
K-Kids: 2, 19 yo son & 15 yo daughter.
L-Living arrangements: Me, husband Jim, daughter Cassie & 2 mutts, Onyx & Reeses.
M-Mom's name: Mae, but she goes by her middle name Louise.
O-Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Yes for my hysterectomy in January of 2000.
P-Phobia: Spiders, dentists, thunderstorms, heights, but yet I want to skydive someday :)
Q-Quote you like: We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill
R-Right or left handed: Right
S-Siblings: 4, I'm the youngest of 5 girls.
T-Time you woke up today: 7:00 am
U-Unique habit: Don't know how unique it is, but I have to be completely covered with blankets up to my neck when I sleep at night, even in the summertime.
V-Vegetable you hate: Pretty much all of them.
W-Worst habit: Being so obsessive about my hair.
X-X-rays you've had: Back, foot, teeth, chest.
Y-Yummy food you can make: Homemade Macaroni & Cheese.
Z- Zodiac Sign: 100% Virgo! I have all the traits of a Virgo & then some :)

I just realized that their wasn't an N in this quiz, so I'm going to add one:
N-Name something you love to do: Scrapbook, of course :), bowl, decorate & go to Nascar races.

Well, there you have it......me :)

Until I blog again,
Benita