Blissfully Unaware of the Chaos the Surrounds Me

Admitting It . . .

for as "ready" as I am for the holidays?  I have to admit, I skipped/skimmed on a few things.

(1)  We never shopped for an Angel Tree family.  So I made a cash donation instead.  Same thing, right?

(2) I didn't put a single thing into our Advent calendar, even though I had 25 strips of paper with things to do, all printed out and ready to go.

(3) The baking that I did last weekend?  75% of it got thrown out today because I didn't ever deliver it to the intended recipients.

(4) Our teacher gift was a joint gift with three other families and the easiest thing EVER.  We bought our teacher and his wife tickets to our school's annual dinner and auction and attached them to a box of See's Candy. 

(5) It's the 23rd and we still haven't taken Halle to see Santa Claus!

(6) I need to grocery shop tomorrow (Christmas Eve) for breakfast on Christmas Day.  In theory?  I am going first thing in the morning.  In reality?  I haven't made a shopping list yet!

(7) Instead of making up nice little gift certificates for our top-two babysitters?  (I am making their www.mypublisher.comphotobooks from their last-year's trip to Europe.)  I just told them both about it! 

All that being said?  It's still going to be Christmas in just 26 hours.  And we'll survive relish it, tiniest details done, or not!

Enjoy and God bless.

Ahhh . . .

momentary stillness and (almost) quiet.  Halle is chattering away about "waiting for her friends" while she stirs a medicine dropper in a medicine cup.  She's apparently making dinner for "her friends", which include Captain Hook and Jane.  They are coming over for an imaginary party.  That's my girl :), a little hostess!

But other than that, Dylan is still sleeping.  John is in the shower, getting ready for work.  The hustle and bustle and madness of getting it all done has passed.

And I still have time to breathe.  And enjoy. 

Ahhhh.

Today is easy.  A haircut for Miss Halle. Dropping off a few things, here and there.  Some Christmas movies.  Some laundry.  I'm still trying to get over the back spasms and near-migraine that kicked my butt two nights ago.  So it's a slow and easy day around here.  The best kind.

It seems that our Christmas is looking to be the slow and easy kind too.  John's Mom and Step-dad are not coming tomorrow, as there was a death in his family.  So we're adjusting plans a bit for that.  Taking it easy.  Then we'll plan a trip out to Texas or have them come out here in January or February.  A delayed Christmas, for sure.

But for us, we'll enjoy the (kinda) quiet and ease through the holiday.  Not what we had planned, but it's what we're doing.  And I'm ready for it!

Not Going to Play . . .

it's 3:27 am.  I've been up for two hours.  My mid-back is all tweaked out.  We are out of all things (medication and heat therapy) that would have made me less grumpy about the whole deal.  So I'm not going to blog at the the moment.

Because it might just involve swear words.  And nothing else.

It's What Day . . .

already?  Yikes!  How can it be the 19th already?  I need things to slooooooowwwwww doooooowwwwwwnnnnn!

And I have a sneaky little suspicion that they're just going to keep on coming!

Tomorrow I am hanging with my singing peeps (BPC Gospel Choir) which is always a ton of fun.  Then I am headed home, loading up and heading down to Folsom for our niece's birthday party.  We (the kids and I) are planning on spending the night and John will join us on Monday morning - because sadly, he has to work until 10 tomorrow night :(

We'll do breakfast/brunch or lunch or something with his Dad and sister on Monday and then head home.  I'm looking forward to getting away, but also feeling the pressure.  Feeling like we need to fit it all in somehow.

The good news is, I am really pretty far along in the "ready" factor.  I have some wrapping done.  Maybe 50%?  And the shopping is done, with the exception of some filler for John and Dylan's stockings.  (Halle's was easy - there is a lot of cheap and easy crap to stick into a two-year old's stocking!)  I am waiting on one more gift for John (from the kids) that was ordered ages ago, but hasn't made it yet.  We still have time. 

Other than that?  I did some easy baking today.  Nothing that will win awards, but some simple and yummy treats for neighbors and friends.  And I finally watched the Glee finale with my BFF.  I showed such restraint by waiting for her to return to town and watch it with me.  It was well worth it, too.  We are easily amused by the same things, many of which occur in and on Glee.  We sat and watched and enjoyed a glass of wine (champagne for me!!), some bread and yummy cheese.  I paid Dylan to watch Halle for a while so we could actually watch it through, instead of pausing it 18 times :)  A very simple thing, but I am so very glad that she is *home* so I can hang with her on a random Saturday.

All of that deserves an early bedtime, if you ask me.  Dylan had one of his friends sleep over last night and they were up at 6:30.  And accidently woke up Halle at 6:35.  Ugh.

So peace out.  I'm hitting my fleece sheets.  Which are beyond wonderful, but sadly?  Sold out at our local Costco.  Otherwise I would buy you a pair for Christmas.  They are that nice!

My Shopping List . . .

is made up of things like: margarine, shortening, cake mixes, chocolate chips, Reese's cups, Hershey's kisses.

It must be Christmas :)

I am planning on baking some different treats and goodies over the next couple of days.  Easy ones.  Because that's the way we roll with a two-year old and a soon-to-be eleven-year old who loses interest in domestic goodness fairly easily.

I am only able to bake at all because (a) my shopping is 95% done, (b) my cards are mailed and (c) even my Shutterfly albums have already arrived!

Oh, and not to be forgotten, my house is even relatively clean!

So, tomorrow, I will alternate between baking and cleaning out the garage.  Just for some variety!

This week has passed in a blur of craziness.  Meetings, work, school stuff, gifts, rehearsals and who knows what else.  I'm itching for a girl's night (although I just had one a couple of weeks ago) and may try to swing one for this coming week too!  Just to bolster myself for the holidays!

I have come to terms (or am really trying to) with the idea that Dylan's gifts are expensive, and thus not numerous.  It's really hard for me.  I grew up with Christmas that literally exploded all over the living room.  Even when we were older, when our gifts were more expensive, it seemed like it was all still very large.  So I'm expecting that Halle's gifts, which number Dylan's 2-1, will make up for it.  And I happen to know that my parents will spoil my boy child as well, so he'll be plenty busy opening gifts, I'm sure.

As for now, I need to upload some pictures to Costco for printing.  I'd like to only go there one time between now and Christmas, which means I'd better be organized.  So I'm getting to it. 

Let's Be Clear . . .

during my blogging hiatus, Typepad decided to forget who I was.  Or maybe I forgot my sign-on information?  Possibly :)  Typically, i.e., when I blog more than once a week?  Typepad remembers me. 

Apparently, I have not been blogging nearly enough.

So.  Reasons why I have been failing in the blog department?

1.  My Mother-in-Law (and possibly Father-in-Law AND Sister-in-Law) are coming for Christmas.  We think.  Well, we're pretty sure.  Plans seem to be changing fairly frequently.  For good reasons, but nonetheless.  If I didn't prepare for her/their visit?  They would come for sure!  And I would be caught UNAWARE!  Which is kind of against my (OCD) religion.  So I have been PREPARING!

(FYI.  If there appears to be an over-abundance of capitalization?  It's because I spilled a glass of champagne (just! because!) on my keyboard the other night.  It seemingly congregated around the Caps Lock key.)

As for the over-abundance of exclamation points? !!!! Well, that's just me, being Christmas Pollyanna Princess Cheerleader (who is my new holiday FUN! persona).  She likes things to be HAPPY (champagne)!!!!!!!  Let's call her CPPC for short :)

Anyway . . .

2. We're busy, dammit.  I work.  John works.  Four job if you're counting.  (I am.)  I take family photos as a side hobby.  This is apparently (!!!!) the season to get your family photos taken.  Which leaves me quite BUSY, for lack of a better term.

3.  Christmas.  Shopping.  Donating.  Devotionals for Advent, baby.  Tree-buying.  Light-buying.  Salvation Army bell stuffing from guilt.  (Note: shopping, buying, buying pattern as evidenced above.) Cleaning.  Cards.  Envelopes.  Christmas spirit.  You know.  The whole deal.

4. Doctors/Pathologists/Biopsies/etc. Good news, but some decisions to be made.  Take it out?  (Lymph Node.)  Or leave it in.  Take it out?  (Ear tube.) Or take it out?  Yeah.  Apparently that one isn't so much an option.

5.  Hard questions.  Like the one that Dylan has posed every day for the last week, "Mom, is Santa real?"  For which my response is, "Bud, as long as Santa is real to YOU, then he is real.  When you stop believing, he stops being real to you, but it's a choice you make.  Choose to believe!"  And then tonight.  "Mom, will you always tell me the truth?" Crap.  "Of course, bud."  He takes a deep breath.  "OK, then.  Do you put the presents under the tree?"  Double crap.  "Well, Dylan, that's probably not a question you really want to ask.  It's not a question you really want answered."

But indeed, he wanted it answered.  And I guess I'm just glad that he's almost 11, not 6-7 like I was when my sister spilled the beans to me.  I got a lot more Santa magic than I ever expected to with him.  Gratefully.

(Does this mean I can return the electric guitar/amplifier that he's getting from Santa?)

6.  Homemade gifts.  Well,, homemade in the sense that I now have carpal-tunnel in my mouse-hand from all the clicking and photo-shopping and pasting and ordering that I have done to (a) finish my 2009 SCRAPBOOK!  No, that is not the sticky champagne keyboard issue.  That is me saying, I designed a page for every month and every trip and a cover and a spine and a back cover and a title page and an "all about us page" and uploaded the entire thing and bought multiples of it.  And it's worthy of the CAPS LOCK KEY!  And some other stuff TOO!

Now, champagne stickiness and photo-shopping and all that jazz aside . . . I'm going to bed.

Just in case I flake (No!  Me?) tomorrow?

Happy 13th Birthday, Caitlin, my darlingest Niece.  I love you dearly and cannot believe that you are no longer that adorable (pudgy) sweet baby-girl that used to wear her underwear up over her shoulders (super-wedgie style!).  I think I need to find and scan that photo, by the way.  One of the greatest blessing of my life is that I have you as my niece.  Thanks for being you, little lady.  Love you and wish we could be there to celebrate with you.  Maybe next month?  Maybe you can come and hang with Aunty Amy for a night or two?  Have some girly/Auntie time?  Let me know, sweet thing.  Enjoy your flowers and think of us when you see them.  We love you, sweet girl.  You melted your Uncle John's heart the very first time you called him, "Uncle John".  And Lord knows you melted mine, the first time I met you.  And again when I (super-pregnant kinda tired) swept you out of Moon's and back our house.  When I tucked you into bed with me and we slept, while everyone else celebrated.  I miss our time together.  Dylan misses you too.  So for your Sweet 13th birthday?  Pick a time and a place and we will be there.  Just for you.  Love you, sweet thing!  Hope your day is blessed beyond measure.  We certainly love you beyond measure.  Always have.  Always will.  XXOO

I know, I know . . .

take away the obligatory blogging November and I fall off the face of the earth.

I have a HHHHUUUUUUGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE meeting at work tomorrow.  (Really, it's that big.)  And until it is over, I cannot take the time that I would like to chronicle every insignificant detail about my life.  Which is indeed, the purpose of this blog.  Right?

Anyway, Happy December 9th.  As if that doesn't scare you enough . . . . only 15 more shopping days left!  AAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!

Test Subjects . . .

I was shooting a family session for a friend in the park today and wanted to test my light.

How could you go wrong with subjects such as these fine specimens?

 
This was just moments before Halle lost her ever-loving mind and screamed incessantly about anything and everything for the next 40 minutes.  Ahhhhhh.  I love the unpredictability of being two!

I Pulled it Around . . .

and got most of what I need to get done, done.  I still have photos to edit and a Shutterfly book to finish, but my weekend isn't looking too crazy.  There is hope for me yet.

As for now, my house is clean.  Or mostly clean.  And decorated.  Or mostly decorated.  We'll do a "big" tree next week.  I made do with a Charlie Brown fake tree in the TV room for tonight.  I like it though.  It's narrow (which was key) and simple.  White lights, brown and amber beaded garland, matte gold balls and glittery white snowflakes and reindeer.  It looks like a grown-up tree!  Our real tree, however, will be the one I love.  A mish-mash of ornaments - almost all of which trigger specific memories for me.

Whoops, sorry.  Got off tangent there.  It must have been the champagne.  And yes, my "Real Life Group" from church drinks champagne.  And wine.  And beer.  Although typically not at together :)  I love being a Presbyterian!

And now I'm going to be a horizontal Presbyterian.  Because I'm pooped.  Getting up at 4:30 to finish my work for two days in a row has wrecked havoc on my functional nature.  So peace out, good night and good dreams!

Let's talk . . .

procrastination!

Seriously.

Priority No. 1: My meeting packet must be done and ready to be copied/mailed/posted to the web tomorrow morning at 8:00 am.  It's 70% of the way there.  Last minute changes threw a bit of confusion into my plan.

Priority No. 2: Pull it together to host our RLG (Real Life Group) for a Christmas gathering tomorrow night.  This should also include the basics.  Like cleaning the bathroom.  And decorating for Christmas.  Versus opening the boxed an scattering things all over the floor.  Which is the current look.

Priority No. 3: Editing photos.  So many photos. 

Priority No. 4: Finishing the bane of my existence.  No surprise here . . . but my Shutterfly book isn't done.  Close.  But not done.  Not uploaded.  Not ordered.  SO much for that 50% off coupon!

Priority No. 5:  Sleep.  Deep sleep.  Sleep that lasts for more than two hours at a time.

And then?  I want to enjoy this season.  It is my favorite time fo the year (stressfulness aside).

All that being said, I have to get some stuff done.  I'm missing out on Glee with my BFF because I couldn't manage to pull my sh*t together in time.  And that is annoying.

But quickly? In random news?  I wasn't going to buy Halle a Christmas dress this year.  My sister had given her and adorable red jumper and that would have been fabulous.  Then today, I stopped at the Gymboree Outlet to do a return and saw the cutest dress, on clearance for $11.  I decided that there wouldn't be too many more years that I could put her in the fluffy, sweet Christmas dress.  So for $11?  I bought it.  It's this one:

 
and I think it's too adorable for words.  Especially on my little monkey!

OK.  Peace out.  Back to the grind.