It's the Bewitching Hour!

So, if you're sitting around with little ones that can read...close the window until you're alone for this one.

So it's about 11:20 p.m. and everyone has now made it to bed. Rick went to bed as soon as we got home...still dealing with a messy stomach. It's my first year with Jackson knowing about Santa. I was so worried how to "initiate him" ...what secrets do I share...what things do I save for myself. Funny how, without even trying, it all came pretty naturally when we got down to it. He followed me around all wide-eyed...so excited to be included in "THE SECRET".

Tonight, to my dismay, my little boy grew up right in front of me as I shared "some" of my secrets...Come on folks..I couldn't share them all!

SHHHH: He knew to be quiet...but I shared the secret about how we don't really talk, we just air finger snap and point a lot and shake our head "yes" and "no" because at ANY MOMENT...little feet could come walking down the stairs and catch us! He looked at me and with all sincerity asked, "What if she catches us?" I said, "Well, we plop ourselves on the couches and act like we're sleeping!". He looked at me like I was a genius! (That doesn't happen too often anymore!)

THE MILK: He drank the milk...but I shared the secret that we always leave a little in the bottom of the glass because Santa has to drink a lot of milk during the night...and the likelihood of him being able to drink a whole glass is pretty slim!

THE COOKIES: He ate the cookies...but I shared the secret that we always leave one cookie with a big bite taken out of it...and we crumble up some crumbs because who eats cookies and doesn't leave a little crumb or two behind!

THE PRESENTS: He helped put out a few things...but I shared the secret of how we open the fire place doors and place a few presents strategically in the fireplace as if they fell out of Santa's sack! He said, "Oh, I get it...Hey, remember the year there was white powder all over the fireplace...how did you do that?" I said, "I don't know...I don't think I ever did that... maybe it was the real Santa." He looked with this look like, "THERE IS A SANTA".... and then said, "Real funny Mom!"

THE STOCKINGS: He stuffed her stocking...but I shared the secret of how we place things in the stocking so they are just peeping out over the top of the stocking...I explained "We want her to be able to see that she has treats as soon as she comes down the stairs!".

THE LETTER: I showed him where Emma left a letter for Santa by the fireplace. He picked it up and it was just a bunch of scribbles and letters, "A G H U F E E M". He laughed to himself quietly, like he got the joke. And without even sharing my next secret, I saw him crunched down over the coffee table writing her a letter from Santa! I think he's been waiting 10 years to be able to do that!

After all of this, I put my hand on his shoulder and said, "And that's how we do it!". He looked at me like, "Is that it?". I'm sure he was wondering where all his presents were..Like I was going to give him first dibs on viewing his presents before bed! Yeah, right!

He hugged me good night and whispered in my ear, "Merry Christmas Mom, Love you!" I watched him take double steps up the stairs and he was gone. My baby boy...my first born...the "light of my life". Thank God the lights were off, because I stood there and cried at the bottom of the stairs.

But I quickly wiped my tears..."FOCUS" I whispered to myself. I still have to put all the presents under the tree, wire up a Wii (that may take me all night) and wheel in two bikes before dawn. No time for tears...I have work to do!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Emma in full force effect! WHAT A RIOT!

So tonight, we went to Emma's Christmas Program for school. She's been practicing for at least two months for this! She has been singing Feliz Navidad every night...and talking about the "bila" (dance in Spanish) that she was going to do. When I asked her about the dance, she just showed me this hip swinging dance that her teacher, Ms. Maria taught her...no big deal, right? YOU HAVE NO IDEA!

When Ms. Maria gave me Emma's Christmas Tree costume, she said, "Dis eh Beddy Beddy importante! Emma eh dance en front!". I could barely understand her...in fact Ms. Maria actually corrected herself half way through talking to me and said, "Awhhh...I sorry...that is French that I just say".. WHAT?!@##!@!..... she speaks total Spanish and just happens to throw in a few French words? I almost stopped her and said, "You know, I took 15 years of French, I bet if you just spoke in French, I could pick up more than I am right now! With all that said, I could tell, she was trying to tell me something about Emma's tree being very important...I just took it as a teacher expressing how wonderful my daughter was!

So anyway, pan to tonight...I was so nervous for my baby! She looked so cute in her green turtle neck...green tights...green Christmas Tree jumper. I bought her a Christmas bracelet to wear and SHE WAS SET!

So the lights dim, her class walks out on stage...there were boys dressed as shepherds...girls dressed as Santas and then there was Emma...front and center as THE ONLY CHRISTMAS TREE! Mr. Kerry announces that Ms Maria and her class are going to "do a little show"...and then...the music starts. Ever heard Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas?" For weeks, Emma kept yelling, "It's my song!"...when it played on the radio...I thought, Oh, that's cute...she likes this song...LITTLE DID I KNOW!

So it starts off soft and slow..."Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas...there is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents...underneath the Christmas tree...I just want you for my own...more than you could ever know...make my wish come true...all I want for Christmas, is youuuuuuu".. Badum Badum Badum Badum...

Then...the hips were in full force and didn't stop...No matter what was going on around her on stage...she was on target...dancing her little heart out. And the end...she gave the audience a big two fisted kiss! I swear, this girl is destined for something great! She's a natural!

She was awesome! Rick told her that she looked like a movie star up on stage! She said, "I know!". Then tonight when I tucked her in, I leaned down by her ear and whispered..."I love you, my little Christmas Tree"...and she said, "Mom, it's movie star!". Can you believe it...fame has already gone to her head!

I had you all in mind as I shot video...knowing that my blog could only show video of 20 seconds or less...I've been working on this blog, trying to load video for 2 hours now...so I ended up finally opting for Smilebox and loaded the videos. So enjoy! Don't be surprised if it takes a few minutes to load...and each slide seems to take a few seconds to load...must be all the videos. I'm apologizing right now for the camera shaking...I was laughing so hard, I couldn't hold it still...This is a RIOT!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

THE DALEENS SAY GOODBYE TO CHARTER!

More like Good Riddance! I have been battling with Charter for a while on billing issues...and today, I finally lost my cool! Actually Saturday, when I was still running a fever with the flu, I received a letter in the mail that they were going to disconnect my telephone over a bill that I paid in October! I'd been in bed all day with the flu, wearing an old maternity nightgown (hey, it's comfortable when you're sick!), hair sticking up, sweaty with a fever and I was screaming cuss words in the phone to someone in India! Jackson stood next to me and just quietly put his hand on my shoulder...I think I scared him! When the woman on the phone suggested I just go to the local office and bring all my paperwork to show them, I slammed the phone and said, "GREAT!".

So today, I ventured to the Charter office in St. Peters. No surprise that they have a big sign on the front door that says, "No concealed weapons"...interesting don't you think? So I put my oozy back in the car! Then as you enter the office, there is a closed circuit TV/camera...so I quickly put on my black ski mask and proceeded to the front desk! After arguing with the woman behind the counter, she finished with, "Well, I don't know what to tell you!"...So I stopped screaming and ran out of the building throwing my paperwork all over the parking lot! It seemed really effective for the 7 or 8 people behind me as they all rolled their eyes like they could feel my pain! I got more satisfaction screaming to the pretend Charter Customer Service Woman in my car...threatening that I was cancelling my service as soon as I got home than I did from all the phone calls to their Customer Service Dept. in India and the visit to their local office!

So I am pleased to say...we are no longer Charter Communications customers! And the 4 hours it took me to figure out who to switch our phone, Internet and cable to...was SO WORTH IT!

When I called Charter this afternoon to let them know that I wanted all services cancelled, the woman from India said she needed to forward me to "someone who could help me through my situation"...They transferred me to Matt...obviously an American..sounded like a college student! He said, "Whoa...I am totally sorry...I don't even know what to say...based upon what I'm looking at...your account is totally screwed up and I can see why you're done with us...looks like this has been going on for a few months....whoa! So I'm not even going to try and talk you into staying..I'll leave you with ...hope you have a stellar rest of the day! "

How's that for Customer Service!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Well, I hit 39 this year on Dec. 7th! Started my birthday celebration a few days early. Rick planned a getaway to Embassy Suites...my favorite!! I was so excited to sleep in those big fluffy beds...no kids...sleeping in until I woke up! At 1:45 I woke up feeling sick. Finally at about 4 a.m., when I had been up about 7 times, I realized that I had the flu. Finally at 10:30 the next morning, as I sat in the bathroom dry heaving and crying, I asked Rick if we could just go home.

For those that know me...You know, that I NEVER leave the house without a shower and makeup! And like the lucky people that we are...it was the one time that we found a discrepancy on our bill! So as Rick cleared up the mess at the front desk...I stood in the lobby leaning against a big pillar by the front door, wet hair, no makeup, baggy sweats, smelling the continental breakfast and gagging! I'm sure I scared a few arriving guests away!

When we got home, I went straight to bed and started praying that it was just a 24 hour bug because I didn't think I would make it if it was a 48 or 72 hour thing! I finally got out of bed on Sunday!

Mustered up enough strength to attend the Borgmeyer Christmas Round Robin party...it's where we all get together and bring appetizers and drinks. In the old days, we used to drive from house to house for a new drink and appetizer and then we realized that if we were going to drink that much alcohol, we better just stay at one house. I'm so glad I went because it was a blast!

As you can see by the pictures...it was another stellar year with the Borgmeyer Clan! Nothing like mixing sweet cider, chocolate martinis, amaretto ice cream drinks and Coronas! I actually stuck with water and was able to focus to take pictures with my phone!

This would be when we put on Dennis' old LP's and the guys sang Hall and Oats' "Private Eyes!" CLASSIC!

And notice the dollar bills tucked in Connie's sweater...I think she made like 5 bucks when she did her Dollar Chair Dance!

And I think this is when Phil was dancing to Janet Jackson's "Control"! Too Funny!

All in all, it was a lot of fun and a great way to recuperate from my miserable flu!

Thanks for the laughs everyone..my sides are still hurting from laughing so hard!

Christmas Countdown Has Begun!

Emma has been busy practicing her songs for her very first Christmas program. I could tell today when I picked her up from preschool that they must have really practiced singing the songs today, because she was belting out the tunes and pronunciating all the words very carefully.

I actually got her to stand still and sing one of the songs...this is the only one I recognize ...as all the songs are in Spanish! Enjoy!

Well, I survived my first day of unemployment! So much for sleeping in...I got up at my usual time (8 a.m.), showered and got the kids off to school. Did a little shopping and actually made homemade lasagna for dinner! Whew! Just call me Martha...Martha Stewart!