Overwhelmed and Versatile Blogger

I am officially overwhelmed right now.  I should expect that it's going to happen, because it does every year around the holidays.  This time of year always makes me anxious and stressed.  There is so much pressure to do and spend, it just makes me crazy.  Christmas cards, presents for kids that have everything they need and most everything they want, gifts for relatives, dance recitals, Christmas parties, continuing education and end of year tax stuff.  Top that off with business being slow (like it always is in December and January), and dealing with the home inspection for our under-contract house and it makes a great combination for one stressed out me. 

I know this will get better, because it always does, it's just the trudging through this season that is diffucult for me.  I need to refocus on the giving part of the holiday--not so much the spending part.  My world will not end if the xmas cards are not out until the week before xmas.   Those bills will still be there next month and I can catch up then--I'm not heading to poverty tomorrow.   SUAR's post the other day was timely and gave me some great ideas on how to focus on others during this season.  Small things matter and are sometimes more appreciated than the big, expensive things.

Now on to a more fun topic--Carrie from Maine Mom on the Run has tagged me with the Versatile Blogger Award!  Thanks Carrie!

So now I get to share with you 7 things about me and then tag others so that they can share as well.  I'm not sure that I have 7 worthwhile things to share, but here goes!  And I know I can't top Carrie's senior photo--so I won't even try!  lol!

1.  As you may have guessed from the start of this blog--I am a Grinch.  I dislike the the holiday season.  In fact, I dislike almost everything about it.  I hate the commercialism, the music that starts in October, the gross overspending, the useless crap we buy--just to give a gift!  I hate that 80% (my guess, not a published fact) of America puts themselves in debt just to 'keep up with the Jones' at Christmas time.  I hate the crowds, I hate the swapping of gift cards--the list goes on and on.

2.  What I do like about Christmas is the getting together with family.  I enjoy buying gifts for a needy family that we adopt both at home and at work.  When the kids get older, I would like us all to work a shift at a soup kitchen or help with Habitat for Humanity or something like that.

3.  All three of my kids were born via C-section.  The first and the last were breech and once you have one c-section at our local hospital, all subsequent births are c-section.  Which was fine by me. :)  I was lucky enough to not have to face my fear of actually giving birth and pushing out a baby.  And no cone-head babies either! *bonus!*

4.  I was adopted at 4 weeks of age.  I have since located my birth mother who is about as French as one can be (French-Canadian that is).  So I am as French as my name might suggest.....  I know the name of my birth father but have not met him.  He doesn't know I exist and it would make things difficult for my birth mother.   And that is ok.  He's the one missing out. :)

5.  I hate confrontations and/or arguments.  Hate them.  I will avoid them at all costs.  I will often give up my position in order to avoid conflict.  Which can be a bad thing because after some time of doing that, I get really angry and blow up.  Then I feel better but then almost instantly feel bad about it and feel guilty for saying what I said. 

6.  My favorite color is red!  I never wear it, but it is my favorite color. 

7.  I want to make sure I visit Australia, Hawaii and Alaska in my lifetime.  I don't really care about visiting Europe, but would go if the opportunity arose.  Other places that I would like to see--Iceland, Figi and New Zealand.

Ok, so not so exciting, I know.  Now to try to find someone who has not already been tagged...
Lisa @ Getting it Done on the Run!
Terzah @ BQ by 40
Sarah @ Runner Girls Blogspot
Shannon @ Tough Chik
Carla @ Pierces in Bama

Feeling the stress of the holidays?

How do you bust through that feeling?

Hope your hump day is fabulous!  (Here in Maine it's a crazy 55 degrees!!!)  :D  Monthly recap on the agenda for tomorrow.