Monday, December 21, 2009

OK...so it's not Wednesday

I know I mentioned sharing my secret with you on Wednesday, and I started to...but I never finished and it sat as a draft to be forgotten. Then the weekend hit and I was running non stop! But back to the secret.... Liz came home for Christmas! My friend from church and I drove down to Newark to pick up her daughter Erica, Liz and their Norwegian friend Stina. They're here for 12 days and are heading home next Sunday. I'm thinking it might be harder to say good bye this time. I know what it's like to miss her and I'm not going to want all this to end. It's funny, it's like she never left. Danielle and Sean were all over her as soon as she came in the door. One morning I found her cleaning the kitchen of her own accord (she my major cleaner around here). And they've gotten into a few arguments/fights.

One of the first things we did was run to Walmart and buy her a stabilizing brace for her knee. She hurt it while working and has been on crutches and using a wheelchair since then. The brace seems to have helped a lot and the crutches have been forgotten. She says it doesn't feel on the verge of giving out with it on. I'm sure not walking on an incline all the time helps too. Where she lives and works in Norway are on a hillside. I was worried that they wouldn't want her to return to Norway due to the injury but it looks like it's healed enough where she can work, so she can return!

We've been going nonstop since shopping Wednesday. There was the Christmas concert on Thursday. The kids had their Activity club Christmas party on Friday. The youth kids had their Christmas parties on Saturday. (boys and girls had separate parties but at the same time) I had to go to the Syracuse Dome and pour beer during their basketball game. Sunday was our Christmas feast at church.

We also had some sadness. We had to say good bye to Delandie. He'd been living and working in the area for the summer. Now that the job is over and he hasn't found another job yet...he's returning to his family in Michigan. He'd been spending quite a bit of time at our house lately (we dubbed him our replacement Liz). I know Sean and Danielle are missing him already. When a car pulls in he asks....Londie here? I've been trying to figure out if there's a way we could free up a room for him. lol We're all hoping he gets offered a job in the area and is back here really soon.

Our Christmas feast was AWESOME!! It's great to see the young kids' talents blossoming. On more then one occassion I had goosebumps listening to them sing. As usual the meal was delicious! The youth kids played Santa Clause to the younger kids and it was a hit. Sean received a big fire engine with buttons that made noises and made it roll backwards or forwards. He just plunked down were he was and was lost in play. Danielle couldn't stop smiling after opening her present. It was a stuffed dog with it's own carrying cash, blanket and leash. She also got a pair of pink pjs with green frogs on them which she's wearing right now. It was all topped with a silver and blue tiara.

Our small group is growing quickly with couples getting married and having babies. I was inundated with family pictures to the point of almost crying. I vow to get my photo wall finished after Christmas so I can show them all off! We don't have a new family picture yet. I'm hoping we'll be able to get one done on Christmas. Otherwise it'll have to wait until next fall/winter after Liz comes home from Norway for good. Me being the big dreamer had major plans for my gift to everyone. I had bought 13 metal Christmas trays from AC Moore so I could make up a cookie/candy tray along with a smaller version of this crocheted wreath ornament (using napkin rings instead of shower curtain hooks)...
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When I realized I wouldn't get to the cookies I figured I'd at least make up buckeyes (peanut butter balls) and the wreaths. Then I knew the buckeyes weren't going to be done but I could still get the wreaths made...they only take about 10 minutes each. I figured I'd do them Saturday after beer pouring and Sunday morning before leaving for church. I got home from beer pouring with Sean clamoring for me. I grabbed him and sat on the couch and that's the last thing I remembered until I woke up, still on the couch, Sunday morning. So everyone got just the tray! lol

I feel like I can relax a bit more now that this weekend is over. But then I remember that Christmas is THIS Thursday. I haven't gotten 7 projects done yet, have very little wrapped and still need to go Christmas shopping once Tom gets paid. My plan for today is to get in my room and confirm what I have, who it's for and what I still need to buy. Work on some projects. Ask Michelle and Val to wrap again. Tomorrow I'm hoping to work on projects and finish wrapping during the day. If we're lucky and deposit Tom's pay early like they did during Thanksgiving week then I can shop Tuesday night and wrap Wednesday day. If not, then it'll have to wait for Wednesday night with wrapping done on Thursday...along with whatever else I don't have done. Optimally I'll have everything done before going to my BIL's at 5 on Thursday. Then we can relax Thursday night after getting home from there.

Well enough rambling. Danielle and Sean are waiting for a bath and I need to call the propane company for a delivery or we won't be able to do too much of anything. I'm hoping to get back on here before Christmas. If I don't (I know myself too well) then Merry Christmas!!!

2 comments:

Thia said...

What a delightful treat! Enjoy your visit.

Lisa said...

Glad Liz got to come home.