Reflections on Organized Holidays

or Why Do We Do This to Ourselves? 

Once again, my friend Mary, inspired another post. She shared how stressful holidays are for her. I really thought it was just me. Unlike Mary, my sister, and countless other woman, who are trying so hard to keep the traditions going for her kids, I am taking a different approach.
No kids, no traditions, no stress.

I think it is really interesting that "we" (white people and maybe turkey farmers) have taken the fourth Thursday in November and turned it into a big-to-do. The indigenous people of our country may not have quite the same "romantic' view on this day.

On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the observance of the fourth Tuesday of November as a national holiday. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday to the third Thursday of November (to extend the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy). After a storm of protest, Roosevelt changed the holiday again in 1941 to the fourth Thursday in November, where it stands today.

The "real" story has a lot more to do with football, parades, and food.
Don't get me wrong, I like parades and food but why have we created so much stress?

I am not going to pretend to understand what it is to be a mom. Child birth seems to trigger some switch in your head that you have to provide your children with the "wonderful" experiences you had a child. Did you really have that incredible Thanksgiving or is it an illusion?  

Ask any woman about how their mother pulled-off an incredible Thanksgiving meal, they we will say she did it with grace and it was prefect. The pie crust was flaky, mashed potatoes and gravy both lump-free,  homemade rolls fresh from the oven, and the cooked to perfection turkey. 

But was it really like that? Since I have observed many of my altogether-great mom-friends have private melt-downs, I am guessing the women before us had those melt-down, too. Maybe we should share those melt-downs so our daughters don't have same unrealistic expectations we have for ourselves.
 I personally have never attempted to cook a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. I believe in JUST Say NO! Okay, no one wants to come to our house anyway.

Driving home from Red Lodge yesterday, I heard Paula Poundstone discussing Thanksgiving with Garrison Keillor. I thought she said it perfectly. Have a listen

But on a little more serious note. Today, the Monday after Thanksgiving, my class shared the best part of their holiday. Guess what, it had nothing to do with the perfect meal and everything to do with the "doing". They talking about  spending time with friends and family, staying up late, watching movies, decorating the Christmas tree, and being with people they loved.
So as the Christmas season comes upon us.
Remember it is about the DOING!

I am thankful...

Unlike my friend Mary, who is always thankful and doesn't need an assignment to share it, I am terrible at thank yous. My mother is not to blame, she is the most thankful person I know and thank you cards were required before playing with any toys received at Christmas or birthdays.

My class shared what they were thankful for on our blog.  Out of the mouths of babies, TV and cell phones. Okay, so mine was the vacation days.

Since I am not always the most sentimental person, some of these may be a little shallow but I am also not high maintenance so some are really basic.

1. I am thankful for HEAT. It is easy to forget what a luxury it is to have heat. Recently the heat went out at the Red Lodge house and it took it a couple weeks to get fixed. It was a real reminded how nice it is to come into a warm house. We also have a van that the heater core went out on and Bryan's solution to that was to just bypass it. That is fine and dandy until you want your wife to ride in it is the Winter. 
2. I am also thankful for WATER and ELECTRICITY. I have the privilege to teach in a school that was built in 1905. We have one sink for the entire third floor, the bathrooms are in the basement, and if you run the vacuum cleaner and the printer at the same time you blow the breaker. So for all of you who have a bathroom across the hall, central air, and can plug in any thing you want, please remember to be thankful. 
3. I am thankful for the INTERNET. (Told you I can be shallow). The internet means I rarely have to go to the mall (except JCPenny's has stuff only in stores but they show it to you online so you're sure you need it and then when you go to put in your "basket" it can only be purchased in stores. I know that is some plot to get you buy more stuff when you are there. I will show them I won't do it). The internet means I can send e-cards the day of the person's birthday or just say Happy Birthday on Facebook. The internet means I don't have to find a stamp to pay bills and I never have to balance my checkbook. I just log-on and it tells me how much money I have.
4. I am thankful for MY HUSBAND (most of the time). He did not get the domestic, dinner-on-the-table, house-cleaning-diva that other husband sign up for. He got the I-hate-to-clean, unorganized, I-cook-if-I-have-too, don't-bug-me-I'm-sleeping wife and he seems pretty happy. 
5. I am thankful for my MICROWAVE and CROCK POT. Thank God you can defrost in the microwave. Actually you can cook about any thing in the microwave. The crock-pot only needs one improvement. It needs to load it's self. 
6. I am thankful for my MOTHER-IN-LAW. Husbands establish expectations for wife based on their mothers. Bryan's mom raised him to be pretty laid back about everything, what a gift.
7. I am thankful to be a MOD (Mother of Dogs). I don't have to haul them to daycare. They don't fight with each other (Okay, occasionally).  They usually sleep through the night. They don't complain about what is for dinner. They can be lock in a kennel and no one calls CPS. But most importantly, they are always HAPPY to see me and they will pull me around on a sled or skis.
8. I thankful to have a great VET. Mark really "gets" us and is okay with me being weird about my dogs. Of course we are paying college tuition for at least on of his girls.
9. I am thankful for my friends because they love me for who I am, don't worry if I call or write, and forget my short comings. 
10. I am thankful that I am a TEACHER (most days). Who else gets to talk with 10-year-old boys about how to pee in the urinal and long division within the same 15 minutes? 

I guess I will stop with the TOP TEN, not always in this order.

Happy Thankful Season!

I am NOT a sled dog

Willow is trying a new tactic to get out of pulling, having surgery. Her owners are not really smart. You should always have your dog's dew claws removed right before it snows two feet. Willow is not suppose to get her feet wet. 

No problem!

Just taking her to the bathroom is a major undertaking. First, put on the leggings (aren't they cute), then plastic bags, then booties, all taped to stay in place. Then out we go to make circles and circles and more circles. Bryan says she has a shy bladder. I think she just like me to stand out there with her, saying "Go potty". I am sure the neighbors think I am a crazy woman. 

You would think at 5 below, she could pee faster.

Her strategy worked. She stayed in the nice warm house (with the "cone" on) while the sled dogs went to work.