For the Guy with Kids and a WW Twenty One

[hopeful4her]

I also love the family stuff. I have to tell D7 at least 6 times to get to bed. She is such a staller. Dinner time...we used to always eat in front of the tv. About 5 years ago, the wife and I decided that dinner time would always be at the dinner table and we would discuss the day. I try to keep that going.

Waking up sleepy heads in the morning is the best, too. Thats always been my job. I love waking them up. The the mornings go crazy, rushing, hurrying them up, getting them to eat, getting breakfast done, making lunches, brushing D7's hair and puting it in a pony tail. She likes that way I put it in a "high" pony.

Not being rude, I just don't want to come off as rude by not engaging in conversation. To me, thats rude. I know that a pet peave of hers is to be rushed off the phone.

When we talk on the phone, she does try to initiate a conversation. I have a bad habit of responding and then continuing it.

And I know she doesn't remind them to call me. Thats why I don't remind them.

I've been thinking of just asking her if she wanted to have Christmas Eve or Christmas day. I think that would be the easiest way to let her know that it will be separate this year. If she offers to have it together, I'll just tell her that I think it would be better this way and leave it at that. She won't ask me to elaborate.

I'll do up Christmas again. Lights outside on the trees and house. All of our traditional stuff inside. The kids take turns every year puting the angel on top of the tree. I think it is D7's turn this year.

The angel is a cheap tree topper that I bought at a grocery store on first Christmas the wife and I spent together. She had nothing and I had nothing. All I had were my clothes. I left everything with the ex-wife. We had gotten all of our decorations from a second hand store and a discount store called Macfrugals. We had forgotten the tree angel for the top, so I had to get it last minute. She was beautiful for being inexpensive. I have kept it as a reminder of what we started with. The kids have wanted us to change it, but I have resisted. Every year, the wife has had to hot glue the wings back on her, and one year, we painted her clothes a different color.

I love that Angel. Tears are welling up in my eyes right now.

This holiday is going to be hard. The kids will be with her that Christmas week. I'm praying and praying that Christmas might do something for us this year.

But I think I know better.

The house looks like someone puked up Christmas all over it...I love it!!!

Classic. Classic.