Saturday, December 16, 2006

Changing things up a bit this time

The Largerfamilies blog decided to invite guest bloggers to join us with a post about the holidays. Being really busy with seasonal and last of the semester driving I never got a chance to ask any bloggers to take my day. Being desperate I asked my dad (1 of 13) if he wanted to write something for me. He declined since he's not a writer. He suggested one of his sisters. Knowing she's a Type A personality with a schedule full enough for 10 people, I decided not to try. I then turned to Tom...HEY! You're one of 7 kids. Do you want to write a piece for me? He said he'd think about it and never said anything else.

Last night (Thursday) I tried to gather my thoughts on what I was going to write about on Friday. Nothing really jumped out at me and I was pretty tired so decided to wait until morning. Well my morning was hopping and a bopping and I never got the chance to think about it, much less write it. About 2ish Tom called and asked if I still needed his story. He warned me it was short (not a bad thing) and read it to me over the phone. I said call me back when you have a few extra minutes and dictate it to me so I can put it up! So he did. And it's up. Introducing Tom's first ever blog post (actually first time he's done ANYTHING on the net).

Tom's Christmas Story/A Girl Named Sue

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Making plans

Today is the first day I've been home this week. I'd decided I was going to get some wrapping done if it was the last thing I did. Danielle had been up for a while so I set the plan in motion....

Get Danielle down for a nap
Throw in a load of laundry
Clean up the livingroom floor
Grab some gifts out of the van while the kids were in school
Do some wrapping
Switch laundry
Do some more laundry

Danielle cooperated and feel asleep about 12:30. I started wrapping about 1ish and got a few things done. Then Danielle woke up again....45 mins!!! She slept a total of 45 mins! Trying to sit on the livingroom floor and wrap with her was like wrestling an octopus. First she had the tape dispenser and was freely liberating it from the roll. Then it was the wrapping paper that made tons of noise when your feet squinched it up. Can't ignore all the cool boxes of things mom had stacked up waiting to be wrapped. I absentmindedly ignored her for a while when she wasn't bothering me. She reappeared with marker all over her face and hands. I'm not sure WHICH room she found it, but at least I could wrap in peace. lol No one has screamed about their green whatnot yet. So I think I'm safe. I finished wrapping the last present I'd planned on doing just as the 1st trip kids got home at 3. :o) I didn't get tons done but put a dent into it.

After putting things away I realized I felt lightheaded and nauseated. I think I was fighting low sugar all day. While wrapping Danielle brought me an orange to peel which I gladly shared with her. Then I grabbed a tub of smoked turkey to gnaw on. I sat in the rocker and had Carrie hand me my meter....77 and quickly falling if how I felt was any indication. Carrie asked if I wanted her to make me something to eat and made me a turkey sandwich which I devoured! I was still feeling near the low end even though I was 90ish when I retested. While Tom and I were going over my lists I broke into the leftover candy from the bazaar.

Monday was Michelle's last day of classes. Danielle and I went to Walmart to grab some gifts. The little booger wanted to get out of the cart and play with the toys. I have Liz to thank for that one. Last time we were in there she let her get out and play. I think Danielle was also not feeling so great and was tired too. She was off the whole time we were in the store. We left WM parking lot and I headed to Big Lots. While driving there I thought...what am I CRAZY!?!? I just got done wrestling her in WM, not I'm going to torture her in Big Lots? So I went the long way back to the campus. By the time I got there Danielle was snoozing. Unfortunately as I pulled into a parking spot I realized...I HAVE TO PEE! There was NO way I was going to drive somewhere, wake up Danielle and drag her half asleep into a public bathroom. So I sat and suffered while I did a sudoku puzzle. Her nap didn't last long and we were heading to Big Lots to potty and run through the store. I pulled into the college parking lot about 5 mins before Michelle got out of class. She jumped in and we headed back to WM so she could do some Christmas shopping before heading home.

Tuesday Michelle and I spent the day at my parents' house. My mom had asked us in to help frost the 250 anise cutout cookies she'd made. Usually my grandmother is the one that helps her do it. I didn't want her to do it alone so we went in. We had a nice time talking and frosting...when I wasn't chasing Danielle that is. Luckily Danielle decided a nap would be a good thing to do so I could give frosting my full attention. Michelle and I were suppose to be home for dinner but my parents ordere pizza. I rearranged rides for kids that had activities to do and had the evening free. My dad decided we should take advantage of it and do some shopping. We didn't buy much but had fun walking through the stores anyways.

Tomorrow (Thurs) night we're going to a Christmas party. The TODAY study group is having it and hasinvited the whole family. I guess it's a catered dinner, so yeah for me! lol It's going to take a bit working of the schedules but we'll manage, we usually do. Tom will be getting out of work a bit early, Val will have to miss some of her volleyball practice, and we'll have to leave almost as soon as the 2nd trip kids get off the bus. The kids are really excited. I hope it lives up to their expectations. Either way I'm sure we'll have fun.

Time to go figure out outfits for tomorrow and the party.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Forgot a few things!

DUH! I can't believe I forgot to mention 2 key things from Dec 1st. Most important is....Patrick turned 21!!! I feel a bit bad since his celebration was a tad subdued. He worked until 6 or 7 and then went out for beer and wings with his friends. They came back here and spent the night hanging out in his room having fun. I was so busy with the bazaar and couldn't participate in the adult aspect of celebrating so didn't spend too much time up there with them. I do have to get his birth story written...last one...until this summer that is.

I'm a bit behind in touting my contribution to the Larger Families Blog. Things were so crazy here last month that for the first time, I had to blow off writing a piece at Thanksgiving time. I feel bad but you have to do what you have to do. The topic has been traveling. On the 1st I wrote... Make Sure You Pee Before We Go. Don't forget that you can find a menu of and links to my articles over there -------------> in my sidebar

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Things are churning along....

The bazaar went well. I sold about half the things I brought. Although I didn't sell a single plate. Weird how one year they fly off the table and the next you can't give them away. I think next year I'll go back to non holiday fabrics (funky ones). I had tons of plans for when we got home Saturday. Instead I fell asleep on the couch and slept on and off for a few hours. I'm feeling icky more and more. Today I had cramping that was a bit disconcerting but it's gone now. Of course I'm a constant TP checker and am always relieved to see no blood.

This week is Michelle's last full week of the fall semester. Thurs is her last Tues/Thurs class, Mon is her last class...period. She was suppose to take a final next Tues in Math. Her average is so good that she's been excused from it. Although she has to take a quiz in the class on Monday. I can't believe I only have 1 day of driving her to Jess's house and one day of driving her to school left. It'll be so weird to not HAVE to go out the door everymorning. Well, with Christmas prep stuff needing to be done I don't know how much leisure time I'll have at home. I do feel like I'm doing well on my shopping. I still have to go through my prize closet and figure out exactly who gets what and how many small things I need for BILs house.

Today at Walmart there was a lady infront of us at the checkout. She reminded me SO much of my MIL!!!! She had curly red hair turning light strawberry with a tiny touch of gray. She was super friendly and talked to everyone. She was going gaagaa over Danielle. She bragged on her 5 grandkids. (after giving me a Puff's tissue for Danielle's obvious sore runny nose). It made me happy and sad at the same time. I wanted to bag her up and take her home with me, ask her to adopt me and my kids! I miss MIL a lot lately. :o(

I realized today that I hadn't seen Olivia's snack calendar for December (each child is assigned a certain day to bring in snack). When I got home I asked Olivia and she brought it to me. Her snack day is TOMORROW! PHEW! I didn't miss it. Although I'll probably have to give away all our bananas or oranges....haven't decided yet.

I don't know why but I've put off calling the OB. Part of it is that I've been out and about. But really that's not excuse since I have his number in my cell phone. I keep thinking I'll do it in the morning. Next thing I know tomorrow is gone and it's time for bed. TOMORROW I'll call and try to get in for Monday.

Karen...thanks for tagging me. I'll try to get to it soon. Right now it's too much thinking for this tired noggin. It won't be tomorrow since I'm hoping to organize my prize closet, start wrapping and get caught up on housework around here.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I was still around and things are going fine. Hope to be more active here since I SHOULD be home more often now.