Get your Santa on

... and oh boy did I!

We had to do the two-way family split this year as BFF and I both work holidays. As as Christmas Eve falls on a Friday, my mother-in-law took the lit'uns so Dadda could sleep because Mama works all day on Fridays. {Bonus: I got out early and got a bit of no-kids time with Jess before he had to leave and I had to shower.}We were able to plot about tomorrow morning, hehehe...

While I spent a couple hours at my cousin's for Christmas Eve, I did get a little tired of explaining the absence of the rest of my family. People don't always 'get' the whole not-everyone's-schedules-can-stop-for-the-holidays thing. Ah well, it was nice to see cousins I never get to see. Next year it'll be on the weekend and, unless our work schedules change again, we'll be able to see them all together.

So then I came home and cleaned up a bit before the BFF got home with the kids and I helped him get them into bed. As we chatted, I finished cleaning up the living room and after he left... Yup, I got my Santa on. Presents under the tree (with two toddlers this could not happen earlier!), unwrapped presents opened and set up, table leaf added and table cloth set up, three-tiered platter set-up, dishes and laundry done, even offered to put my presents under the tree (yup, he agreed!), and finally changed for bed! Whew!!

At some point I remembered that Bek likes to wake up to go potty around the 4 o'clock hour. We decided it best to put the unwrapped items in the pantry until Jess got home after 6. Praying for a good night's sleep for them, undisturbed and peaceful, without potty trips... AMEN! lol!

I have to add a comment about something which annoyed me earlier yesterday and today. So many facebook and in-person comments have been along the lines of "Can't wait for this to be over!" and "Two more days and we can take it all down!" etc. Really?? I think yes it gets stressful for some, although some try too hard. Yes it gets ridiculous with the stores and the Christmas music starting a month early on the radio (not to mention they play like 5 songs in 40 different versions!), but people don't *need* to spend so much time shopping and ever hear of CDs? Speaking of which... why can't those radio stations bend the rules a bit and play some real Christmas music?! Christians make awesome Christmas music - Go figure! I'm psyched the Christmas season has finally STARTED! Advent is over... come on, Advent? People forget the real reason and yes That bothers me.

So I got my Santa on. I spent three days shopping all together, plus some time online with Shuttterfly. I decorated a little at a time at the Shack. I played my CDs all through December and will continue through to Little Christmas. I wore Christmas socks too... okay that's a me thing entirely. I set up the presents under the tree and set the table up for Christmas dinner tomorrow night. I cleared up laundry because I am Not doing that tomorrow. I giggled my fool head off as I stuffed stockings. I'm ready to start celebrating Christmas, because I haven't started yet and I haven't spent hours at the mall and, well, you get the idea.

How did you get your Santa on?

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Moving Onward and Counting Blessings

{This is take two: I had barely gotten to the predicate of the first sentence in last night's blog attempt. I blame Smallville.}

I'm starting to jot down notes of things I'd like to blog about because by the time I've gotten around to typing I've forgotten all I wanted to say (or lost the muse of how to say it). My forgetfulness has truly spilled into all aspects of my life. I got to work and started booting up my laptop when I realized I hadn't completely finished dressing myself as my scrub top was untied. Could've been much worse, I know, but still.

My emotional rollercoaster doesn't help the matter as the post-natal hormones still haven't settled down. Oh could still cry at commercials and lose my cool due to a spoon in the sink. I might even watch something absolutely precious smash into little pieces and not flinch. You simply never know how I'll react. Poor Jess.

Speaking of my BFF, have I mentioned what a busy bee he is lately. (Shouldn't say lately.) I got a wonderful text this afternoon of 'It seemed like a good idea in my head.' and the picture was of the lit'uns painting a wooden bird feeder at the kitchen table... naked. Awesome. Can't wait to post it if he hasn't done so already. Oakey's going to love the little house painted to look like camouflage (not on purpose). After seeing this wonderful creation in person, I walked back into the living room to notice our Jesus picture was hanging on the wall finally. It looks great where he placed it. Then I turned to see that our engagement photo was hanging on the other side. I love it! Then I turned towards the bedroom to see the collage frame up as well... with beautiful black and white beach and family pictures from places and of people we don't know. Ah yes, never did go out for photo-printing paper to fill the little frames in that thing.

Among other to-dos would be the Christmas cards which (yay!) came in and need to be addressed. Sadly my return address labels haven't yet come in, but I still need to get to writing the addresses to those on the receiving end. I've decided to find a new labeling program after the holidays. I'll do my best to write neatly until then... honest I will!!

Okay, addressing will be a tomorrow thing. I spent a long while putting away canned goods and other food from our local pantry. Hooray for qualifying for some assistance finally and bigger hooray for God's Blessing as our insurance bill went way up and our grocery money got cut short! We got TONS of food for free and get to do so every month! It's not the brand names we go for or all the things we might get on our own, but it's a hand-out and we really needed it. Thank you God as You always provide when we're in greatest need!

All right folks, I need to put the head to the bed. Night all!

There's a Hole in the Bucket

Finally have a night wherein chores end before 11pm and so I'll fill the gap with some NCIS and typing. Currently I'm fighting a nasty head cold and hoping my kids don't catch it (back) and hoping Jesse recovers from his bug as quickly as possible. This didn't stop me from running around with several items running through my mind. For those who don't know me well, not one item was completed before I started another.

It started with dishes, which were particularly excessive today. I hadn't even done breakfast dishes let alone the other meals and snacks, not to mention the cookie dishes from Jesse this afternoon. I lay the towel across the counter, had to blow my nose, noticed the bathroom trash full, remembered that tomorrow's trash day, pulled it out to the kitchen, and went on to something else which I now forget. I did get to the dishes and finished them straight through. Took 50 minutes or so. Then on to throwing the laundry in the dryer and don't forget to hang the stockings. There's the hooks on the counter in the laundry room.  Oh right - the trash. Oh and call mom. Hey, hockey's in overtime! Great game - oh right, trash. Trying to discuss meeting up tomorrow. Text from Jesse. Something else happened, which I now forget. Done conversation. Kitchen back in order, wait, trash. Oh and stockings. Check diaper pail - it's fine. Hook fell off Christmas tree. Angel which toddler broke is glued and dried, so let's put that back on. Trash. emptied all trash into kitchen bag, tied, and ready to go outside. Clothes for tomorrow. Oh, stockings! Need alcohol to clean surface where hooks are going. Might as well take out contacts now too. Take out trash. Check that house is all locked up. Stockings. Take meds before bed. Toss empty - whoops no bag in barrel. Fix that. Clean up clothes in bedroom. Somehow I got here.

Well, now that it's 11:37pm and the NCIS episode I've been watching while typing is almost over, I should sign off and shut this laptop down. Ever get distracted, one thing leads to another? Does it matter as long as everything gets finished in the end? Well, almost everything. I need to organize some clothes in drawers and get some other online things done. Tomorrow's another day... likely much like this one.