Wednesday, December 22, 2010

CHRISTMAS!!! *Bouncing around the room*


Happy Christmas to you all! Ok, so it's technically not Christmas yet, and for the next few minutes that it's still the 22nd of December, we have 3 more days until Christmas! But I'm pretty sure I won't be blogging until then, especially since my track record with all this is . . . well, pathetic. Let's not mince words, here. So do you all want to hear what I've been up to? *Giggling to self* What am I saying, of course you do!

So, I think we've previously discussed my gift conundrum, the whole no money thing. Yeah. It's worse than I thought, actually, but through significant amounts of stress and an extremely charitable act from my sister in law, the presents are now almost completely done. I'm making a recipe book for my mom out of all the 3x5 recipes cards she has, and that has been by far the most complicated project, and it's the only one not done. I have 2 others that are done but not wrapped, and everything else is done or bought. *Looking around nervously, convinced I forgot something* This is very amazing. I am never making a homemade present again. EVER. Although, the pillow I made for my sister with a quote sewn on it is really freaking cute. But I am not making another one. EVER.

So for the moment, I am watching Christmas movies constantly, listening to lots of Christmas music, and really looking forward to Christmas Eve. We're going up to my Mom's, and since she goes crazy over all the holidays, Christmas is no exception. And we have a bunch of awesome Christmas traditions that we do on Christmas Eve. We do all sorts of fun finger foods, and the most famous might just be the Cheese Ball. My mom, my sister, and I usually work together on a fantastic concoction of a bunch of cheese and make a lovely cheese ball to have with crackers. *Smiles in anticipation* And then a veggie tray, little smokies with our own special sauce, just all sorts of stuff. I'm very excited. And then we'll do the Christmas Story, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and have Sprite and eggnog and chips and dip, and each open a bedtime related present from our parents. I just get more and more worked up in anticipation talking about it! I was talking to someone at work about our Christmas traditions and stuff and she said that I have a really good family to do stuff like that with, and I agree. And something very special about my family is that all of us still remember how to be a kid and feel that love and excitement and off-the-wall craziness that makes everything fun. Being at my family's house is like being a kid again without adult worries, and I treasure that.

In the spirit of Christmas, I'm going to set forth a few favorite. My favorite Christmas movie is The Muppet's Christmas Carol, and the runner up is White Christmas. Contenders for 3rd place are We're No Angels, Polar Express, Charlie Brown's Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original). Other honorable mentions are the classics like Rudolph, and also Elf and The Santa Clause. My favorite Christmas songs are as follows: newer music winner is Hey Santa or Carol of the Bells (one of the funky versions). Classic is either Sleigh Ride by the Boston Pops or something by Bing Crosby. One of my new rediscoveries is Christmas in Kilarney and I had one fun trip down memory lane. (When I was little we used to go on a Christmas tree hunt the day after Thanksgiving and go up in the mountains several hours away and cut down a tree. We had a tape of Christmas music that we'd listen to over and over and it was great.) Anyway, back to the list, my favorite hymn is Angels We Have Heard On High, it's the whole "Glo-o-o-o-o-oooo-o-o-o-o-oooo-o-o-o-o-ooooria" part. Just so fun. I can't think of any others right now. I just really enjoy Christmas music.

Anyway, I'm going to go finish watching Muppets, perhaps wrap those other two presents, and pray that work goes by really fast tomorrow so I can go play with my family and get ready for Christmas Eve! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and if I don't see you before New Years, Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 9, 2010


I have thought of an idea for a great children's book. You know the one "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"? There should be one called "Mom and the Crazy, Psycho, Insane, Very Chaotic Day". I could be the main character. No, really. I have visible racoon circles under my eyes, I've been that crazy busy.

First of all, it is December (I know, shocker, huh?). Christmas happens in December, an unforgiving 5 weeks after Thanksgiving. And everyone else in the house gave one thought to the 17 billion boxes of Christmas decorations we had out in the shed and boycotted it. So I, me, my lone self, am solely responsible for getting the Christmas decorations up. Now, for Christmas we have several trees. We're talking 10 of them, and then one in my sister in law's room, and 2 little ones that are about 2 feet high. We have a lot of trees. I only put up 4 six-footers, one of the bitty ones, and one skinny four and a halfer. And of those, 3 are completely done, one has most of the ornaments on it, and 2 have just lights. I am not doing very well. Today and yesterday I finally put up the lights in our bedroom window and a string of them outside.

Second of all, that whole "Poor and Unknown" thing? I was not kidding about the poor part. It would take an entire month and a half's pay just to rent a 2 bedroom apartment, that's how poor we are. So, seeing as how it's December and Christmas is less than two and a half weeks away, I am facing a conundrum. I need Christmas presents for 15 people. I have one person done, one almost done, and one sorta done. That's it. *Slams head against wall* Do you have any idea how long it takes to make a homemade Christmas present? I don't either, but I can assure you it takes A FRIGGING LONG TIME!!! If I ever get ahold of Santa and there are no witnesses around, I am going to strangle him until his face matches his pretty red suit.

Thirdly, for some reason that I don't completely understand, I am being a nice person. I've been helping my mother in law get ready for my sister in law's wedding that she is freaking out about, helping my father in law with his second job as a janitor, helping my sister in law with what she needs, and helping myself to as much junk food as I can reach so I don't give in to the urge to sell my daughter on eBay and use the funds to go on vacation. Ok, so that part isn't very nice, but we are in the middle of a war zone involving potty training, an attitude problem bigger than the Soviet Union, and an addiction to chocolate milk and hot dogs. My three year old is lucky that I haven't run away from home.

And fourthly and finally, I hate ladders and folding laundry. No really. I do. Ladders hate me, they will find every excuse possible to try and tip me off to a very painful death. Or at least very painful bruises. Either way, I have never fallen off of one before, and I am just waiting for it. The revenge of the ladder. And I'm pretty sure laundry hates me too, and as soon as I put it in the hamper it multiplies like rabbits. And then when I put it in the washer and dryer, it does it again. And then again when it goes in the baskets to sit on the floor at the end of the bed until I fold it because I can't stand walking over and around them anymore.

So there's my tragic little story. Let's talk about you! Anyone? Anyone? Ok, fine. Well, now I'm off to do several things . . . possibly start a cross-stitched book mark, string mini sized candy bars on string to hang on my ceiling, or possibly write up a muse I had a great idea for when I was helping my father in law at work. Have a lovely day, enjoy your December, and if I manage to burn down my curtains over the headboard because the lights I put up on the window get really hot, I'll probably come crying to you sometime soon. Loves all!