Thanksgiving Festivities 2009

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love food. I love family. I love relaxing (so rare for me). This year was very relaxing. So much so . . . . . that not one swear word left my mouth. I know, I know. . . . . . a Thanksgiving miracle.

We spent the morning watching Damon at the Turkey Bowl. He was the QB for his team, and only informed me about 20 times that day that he threw 9 touchdown passes. I am 100% positive I will be hearing of this until next years Turkey Bowl. He doesn't dwell on football or anything.

I am becoming quite domestic in my old age. I can whip up a mean Thanksgiving dinner. We had a quiet little one at home with Mamie, Marty, and kids. We are shacked up with them, so obviously it was meant to be (after turning down the numerous offers from other family members, we decided to go it alone). It was a blast. We hung out, and watched The Toots pick her nose, made fun of Damon for wearing his football jersey all day long (did you know he threw 9 touchdown passes?) gorged ourselves, and took a long afternoon nap. Later on, I took myself, my big girl Edyn, and Lauren to meet my SIL Charee (she rocks) and BIL Dustin (he's not too shabby either) to see "The Blind Side." It was such a good movie. A must see. And THAT I am grateful for, as I had to make up for wasting two and a half hours of my life watching "New Moon" the previous week.

And . . . . . to kick off the Holiday Season . . . . . a special gift from me to you.

You're welcome.

Team Fairchild

I knows its been a while, but I just can't help it. I've been a VERY busy girl. I'll do you all a favor and get straight to the point, and try to make it short.

After 7 years of working for a company . . . . . knowing for about 6.5 of those years that it wasn't the right place for us, hoping things would change, trying to endure, and ultimately lacking the faith or courage to do what we knew was right, we finally got some balls and quit at the end of August. We had no idea that this was the time our resignation would transpire, and our lives had literally been turned upside down within a matter of about three days. . . . . . . but let me tell you something . . . . . . . . It is the best thing we have ever done. Our only regret is that we didn't do it A LONG time ago.

Although we will be forever grateful to our former employer for all he did for us, we feel freedom that we have never felt. We are in control of our own lives. We are DIRT POOR . . . . . but we LOVE life. And the great thing is . . . . . is that it just keeps getting better and better. Funny how that works . . . . . when you finally do what is right, how things just fall into place.

We have started our own business. . . . . . . Hence the title of this post (no that is not the name of our business, but we are a team, and we are gonna kill it out there)! It is doing PHENOMENAL! Damon has a long term sub job that is paying the bills. I got a job at my friends store in the mall . . . . Apricot Lane. LOVE IT! I kind of feel a little guilty that I get paid to look hot (suddenly I am into being fashionable. . . . . However, I will never abandon my love for sweats and dirty white T-shirts) and be nice to people (contrary to popular belief . . . . i can be nice).

People have come out of the wood work to help us. Friends and Family are helping us in ways I would have never imagined. . . . . . . . . . some behind the scenes. I will never know who you are, and its killing me, but if you are reading this, please know how grateful I am to you!

Now . . . . . any of you who know me well, know of my anxiety issues. . . . . . know how much the world scares me . . . . . . and know how much I think and dwell on all the bad there is out there . . . . . . . BUT I have been brought to tears (sobbing . . . . . which is VERY rare for me) of happiness and gratitude for all that has been done for me and my little family in this very challenging, yet amazing time in our lives. It has helped me to realize, how much GOOD there is is the world. . . . . . . How there are so many people who love us, and are rooting for us, who want us to succeed, and just plain care for us more than I could have ever imagined. I can't stop thinking about how this is supposed to be one of the worst times in our lives, broke as a joke, no house, so busy we can barely breathe . . . . . . . YET . . . . . . I have NEVER been happier. We have truly been blessed.

Team Fairchild . . . . . . We're in this together!

That's all for now. I've got a movie night with my kids to get to. More to come later. I promise it will be sooner than three months. Its going to take me about two or three years days just to catch up on all my DVR'd shows and the blogs I read!

32

There's nothing more attractive than a 32 year old Damon, wearing the crown his girlies gave him for his birthday. NOTHING. And I'm serious about that. How fortunate I am to have a husband who loves and adores his daughters and treats their mommy like a queen . . . . I suppose I should be wearing the crown. Life is good. REALLY GOOD!

Stupid

Yes. VERY Stupid. I still can't believe I actually did it. I try to forget but the whole "not being able to walk" thing quickly reminds me that I ran a half marathon yesterday even though I neglected that whole training thing. Don't judge me. I've been busy (more on that in my next blog).

For some idiotic reason, I thought it wouldn't be so bad. It was bad. It wasn't just bad, it was HORRIBLE. Cardiovascularly (is that even a word) I was fine. It was my knees, hips and feet that were screaming at me the whole time. I now know what it feels like to be a 95 year old woman. I seriously considered calling my mother in law (she isn't 95 . . . yet) and asking her if I could borrow her walker afterwards (it does have a seat to sit down on...... so very tempting), but I opted to sit myself down on my bum to go down the stairs, and whine the whole day about being immobile.

I finished. I ran about 12.2 of the 13.1 miles. I hated it. I would have rather given birth with no epidural (I've done it three times, and believe me, the half marathon was worse). I don't know if I ever want to run again. Damon scolded me and said, "I hope you learned your lesson." I did.

Kevin. He was supposed to be my running partner. Apparently I didn't run fast enough for him, as he ditched me about 1/4 of a mile in. Rude.

Be grateful you can't smell me through this picture.

Probly a good thing he ditched me, cause he took third in his age bracket! Good job.

I've already changed my mind. I will do it again, someday, just not for a long time. And I will be prepared.

Toots

She's 18 months today. I LOVE this age. Minus the whole getting into every cupboard thing, and climbing up on my table and spinning herself around on the lazy susan that's on top of it. And of course I could do with out her waking up two or three times every night (yes . . . still). BUT, I do love everything else about this age.... the constant talking, laughing, curiosity, and her unbelievable fiestiness (hmmmmm, I wonder where she gets that)? This little girl is packed full or personality. She really does smile, just not for pictures . . . . but we were able to catch some of her priceless expressions! I LOVE her.



Of course Damon took these pictures. If you want some of your own (family, senior, children, wedding, etc.) just say the word.

And She's Off . . . .

Today I sent my Edyn off to school. . . . . for the FULL day! Its amazing how excited the girl was about being able to eat her lunch at school! She's just growing up right before my very eyes. I know this because not only is she in first grade, but she asked me to trim her uni-brow this morning before she left. Of course I did . . . . I wouldn't want her to worry about that. It might detract from her learning.

Caved

Thats right . . . . I caved . . . big time. After managing to escape the Fair last year, Mamie suckered into going this year. She claimed that it would be so much more fun with me there. Apparently she likes germa-phobes and has a really warped idea of what fun really is.

You all know how much I love dirt and germs and stuff like that . . . so it should be no surprise as to why I didn't want to go. But I thought . . . What the heck . . . I have nothing else to do. Why not go blow a hundred bucks, eat as many calories in 4 hours as I usually eat in four days, get dizzy just watching the rides, and sweat so much I stink worse than the cow barn?



I am happy to report . . . . that I actually had a GREAT TIME. Note to self. Go on Thursday. Not kids day (Wednesday), not the weekend, but THURSDAY. It was so pleasant. No huge crowds. Hardly any lines for the rides either. My kids were amazingly good, which earned them plenty of rides, cotton candy, and elephant ear. They had a blast, and for once in my life, I was a great sport about something . . . . . I know . . . . Surprise Surprise. It also boosted my self esteem just a little to know that I was creating fun memories for my kids. I love them. They are worth it. So worth it. And I might even take them next year, if we can find a job before then, as we are now unemployed.