Making Lemonade

It's a good thing that I went to bed not long after the boys last night. I went to bed with a sore throat and was just downright exhausted - sure signs of some sort of cooties about to rear their ugly head. I had thought a long nights sleep would do me some good. Unfortunately my husband set his alarm clock for sometime shortly after 5am - long before the crack of dawn and managed to wake me up as he banged around in the bathroom.

I tried in vain to go back to sleep for almost 45 minutes before finally giving up and getting up. If I were up before the sun at least some good could come out of it. I took the opportunity to make a batch of Cranberry Orange muffins. I pulled them out of the oven about the time we heard the boys starting to stir upstairs. So the boys and I sat down and enjoyed a nice hot leisurely breakfast.

It would be the calm before the storm as I ended up at the dealer service department with my new car, again, only to be told once again after nothing more than a cursory glance at the computer screen that there was nothing wrong with my car. The power of computers is amazing, as is the lack with which the people who sit behind them to think for themselves sometimes. There is apparently nothing but button pushing monkeys employed at the service department. Long gone are the people who listened, and used their own two hands stained with oil and grease under their nails, who thought for themselves.

A Fresh Start

I can't explain it. I just know it is. On the rare occasions I have these wild hankerings to clean house like a mad woman it's always Sunday night. Generally around 10pm. The kids are in bed, and my husband is in hiding lest I try to recruit him to help. It was the pantry this time. I was too ashamed to even take before and after photos, but what a world of difference as evidenced by the heaping pile of trash left out for our trash men bright and early this morning. And yes, those are Christmas decorations still in evidence in our front yard.


My husband said he would take them down this past weekend. I even took the kids shopping with me for 3 hours before the party on Sunday morning to aid in the endeavor. Only when I returned the yard looked just like it did when I left. And when I inquired about it I was told it was "cold" and it had started "drizzling." For the record I believe the temperatures were in the mid 50s and the drizzle lasted about 10 seconds. Sigh.

What a Motley Crew

The boys helped one of their friends from school celebrate his 3rd birthday at a bounce place today. We were in such a hurry I totally forgot my camera. Luckily Kevin brought his and took a few pics.


The boys had a blast racing up the big slides and making their way up, over and through the obstacle courses. They needed a tiny little bit of help getting their footing started on the 12 foot hill in the obstacle course so Kevin and I took turns going through with them. I am not sure about them, but by the time it was over Kevin and I were completely exhausted. :)

Treats

It was a day for treats today...


Cinnamon rolls. Our first Gymboree class and berry smoothies afterwards. A nice lunch out. And long, long afternoon nap.

In Focus

There's nothing worse than thinking you have a great shot only to discover that it isn't in focus...

Especially when it's a miracle that you got your subject(s) looking at the camera in the first place.

Connor didn't have any toys in Kevin's car so instead he stole a hat. So cute...

Short term memory

I got within sight of work today before I remembered that I had dropped my ring in a cleaning solution and walked off and left it. 2 minutes, 60 minutes. Mostly the same right? Luckily the ring seems no worse for the wear.

It's also incredibly hard to get a sharp picture of a diamond that's reflecting light. How do those wedding photographers do it? What's the secret!?!

Neat Receipts Scanner

More proof that great things come in small packages.

I had been eyeing this scanner at Costco for a while and when I saw it on sale last Fall I picked it up. It made it into the house and into the study and that's where it has sat every since. I would like to say it's because I was being good and waiting until Christmas, but who'd believe that? :)

So there are few things you should know about me.

1. I shop. Alot. Think GNP of a small country.
2. Shopping = receipts.
3. Receipts = clutter.
4. Quite frankly I have no idea what to do with all those receipts I amass at a spectacular rate. They are scattered everywhere (the pocket of the jeans I wore, my wallet, the car, the bar, the coffee table) basically just wherever they land.
5. One of my goals for 2011 is to get more organized. Cut down on the clutter. Do more than spot check my credit card statements. [Gasp] I know. I don't balance my checkbook either. Ever. [double gasp] I know... I run around the house scratching my head every once in a while asking Kevin if he has any idea what a check for $40 was for.
6. I have to spend less money next year. Because I want to retire. And my kids have to go to college. And my house is full. And the lady at Costco told my husband how much I spent there last year. It was mostly diapers! I swear!!

So I broke the scanner out... and tried it... and WOW. It wasn't crazy about a couple really light receipts (it discarded them as blanks), but otherwise did a great job. I now know exactly how much all the party favors cost, how much tax I have paid year to date (GASP!!!), and how expensive eating out is... Now if only it let me split out categories I could stare slack jawed at things like gratuities.

It's what's for breakfast

Me: "What are you eating!?!?"
Me: "Kevin - Corndogs for breakfast? Really??"
K: "They aren't corn dogs. They are sausage wrapped pancakes."
K: "They just look like corn dogs."

It is still Christmas

The boys had their 4th or 5th Christmas tonight. I have lost count. They stopped by a friends house to exchange some more presents on their way home and came home with this race track among other things. Ryan absolutely loves it.

Absolutely Nothing

We did absolutely nothing all day today. The boys watched Nemo, then played outside until they turned into popsicles. We had hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. We napped. I watched some football and put together a puzzle. When the boys finally woke up daddy took them outside to play some more while I cooked dinner.

We played a while more in the house, took baths, and then sent the boys off to bed. I made a cookie cutter treat then settled down on the couch to watch some more football, download some pictures, and relax. Sometimes it is really nice to just do nothing...

Happy New Year!

The boys enjoyed playing with some left over poppers this morning before we headed off to Uncle Randy's for a fish fry and an afternoon of Canasta while the boys napped and watched a movie.

More presents...

I probably should have waited until their birthday, but I was optimistic that I might just be able to sit on my couch again without having to first clear off all the cars... Happy New Year to me. :)

My really, really lucky day

Yeah... I did some more shopping today... This time at Walmart. In their 75% off clearance... I bought a few (dozen) of their Santa mugs and plates, and platters, and bowls. And, yes, I really NEEDED them. :)

My lucky day

It must have been my lucky day today. I made a stop by Target last night and picked up a few Cars (the movie) things from Target's dollar spot for party favors for the boys' upcoming birthday. I totally forgot about the girls so after my family headed out this morning I headed back to Target to grab some princess stuff. And I hit the jackpot. Not only did they still have quite a bit of both Cars and Princess stuff - they put it all on clearance. Woo-hoo! :)

After Christmas Shopping

After I dropped my mom off tonight I decided to do a little shopping before heading home. I hit my favorite dollar store and was excited to find their left over Christmas stuff on sale. I picked up a few things for next year. :)

Christmas Lights

I love the glow of Christmas lights.

A White (ish) Christmas

This is probably as close as we are likely to come to a white Christmas.

A Visit from Santa

Santa, the elves, and his reindeer were very busy indeed.


And apparently Santa's reindeer (or Santa's Flying Forces from the movie the Flight Before Christmas that we have been watching) had a crash landing on our patio table last night.


I can't imagine I actually slept through this despite the fact that I was up until well after 2am so I can only guess that it happened while my family and I were at my Uncle's house celebrating Christmas with them on Christmas Eve and the winds were gusting as a cold front blew in.

Big Boys

The other thing we did yesterday was move the boys to big boy chairs at the table.


It is officially Christmas Eve. And as of 2pm today I still don't have a single present wrapped. Santa and the elves will be very busy tonight indeed.

Just a few more days...

My family arrived not long after the sun had set yesterday. I didn't get even half of my list done. I did stumble across a Cathy Guswhite (?) book that had a quote it in that made me laugh. It said something like "Why is it that we clean like crazy as if strangers are coming to visit before the people who lived with us for years, and know what kind of house keepers we are arrive?"

At least in my cleaning frenzy I happened upon my snowman dishes and broke them out of hiding.

As we did some grocery shopping today my mom and I had a good laugh about my first Thanksgiving on my own. My mom came to visit me and there was practically nothing edible in my whole house. I remember us driving all over town looking for a store that was open. We ended up finding a Walgreens somewhere. I don't remember what all we scrounged up, but I do vaguely recall a box of instant mashed potatoes.