What a night...and what a morning so far... I'm exaggerating in my mind because I've not been getting enough sleep lately. It just seems impossible to keep up!
We did decorate the tree last night, but it made for a late night. It wasn't much fun for me, I'm afraid, although the girls were excited. Had to take a long nursing break in the middle of it, then later had to change an exploded diaper, bathe baby, scrub and soak clothes and baby seat cover, etc. etc. Meanwhile, DH is engrossed in the TV (which he always turns up LOUD to counteract the kids), won't help, and I can't do advent until he turns it off. He did read our scripture once his program was over and later put the kids in pj's. This is terrible, but I never did manage to make supper. I think the kids snacked some on bananas and milk. It's not like they ever eat what I make anyway, except maybe DD7. I think the only saving grace was that one of them (DS3) had fallen asleep upstairs and slept for a couple of hours. Only one ornament broken, although several fell off or were pulled off by inquisitive toddler. Of course, they were all hung on one branch on the bottom of the tree!
Meanwhile, the carpet is littered and dirty, there were three large bags of garbage sitting in the kitchen, dirty dishes all over the counters (had to scrub sink before I put baby in it), nasty un-wiped tables and counters, just general yuk all over the place! Whine, whine. I was up 'til 2 a.m. and STILL didn't get it cleaned up. I had laundry to do instead. I woke up to a bummer of a house, piles of folded clothes, a toddler begging for chocolate milk, and a really grouchy 3yo.
(Sigh) What am I, the Queen of Chaos?
At least none of us has the flu.
TA DA:
*Made hot chocolate since we were out of syrup for chocolate milk. DD5 objected to the whipped topping; had to scoop hers off. My kids are weird.
*Wiped up about 5 separate milk spills.
*Took the 3 bags of garbage out to the garage, where I also scraped the caked mud off the floor with a shovel and swept some. While I was doing that, J.D. wrote all over the LR wall with pencil. Cleaned that up (made him do it too).
*Unloaded and reloaded DW
*Read our Bible story (Daniel in the lions' den)
*Hauled upstairs clothes to basket upstairs where I will put all away later.
*Nursing baby while taking computer break
PODA:
*Get dressed
*Make bed
*Homeschool
*Straighten/vacuum LR
*Sort/put away clothes
*Make a shopping list (need cranberries to make our popcorn garland! And chocolate syrup.)
I think I'm all done Christmas shopping but for a couple of items. I want to get the girls some nighties. Where can I find sweet, simple, old-fashioned nighties that aren't made of that stuff that pills up after one washing? (I don't have time or talent to sew, BTW.) I've looked everywhere. Also want to get a nice ornament for each of the children, but I'm not paying $60 at Lands' End. They have nice pewter ornaments to personalize. Did that last year when I had only 4 kids, and they are lovely, but can do better money-wise. I don't mind writing the name and year with a Sharpie. Also, need to get DH's Carhartt cap.
I told Emma last night, "You're so adorable that it makes up for it all and then some." Too much cuteness to take in all at once! She's getting so smiley now. She's even cute when she fusses. She's all I want for Christmas.
Thirty-two inches and counting! Needless to say, it is a snow day!
I am going to get to some old hot spots today in the kitchen if it kills me.
TADA
Dishes
Counters
Laundry
Wrapped presents, still not done as DD3 wanted to help
Made dinner
Pre-made 2 dinner for this week
Picked up clutter in the LR
Swept kitchen floor
Had a nice, long talk with DH about driving to Florida in February as a surprise for the kids. I have a dear friend who works for NASA and is stationed at Kennedy who has bugged me for years to come down and stay with her, my folks will be there, and we can stop in on DH's sis in TN on the way home. It will probably the cheapest we could ever do a week in FL, so I think it just might happen!
PODA
Keep on top of the clutter
Make cookies for church party
Kitchen hotspots: top of the fridge & microwave and two "junk" drawers
Play with DD3-maybe we'll make a snowman!
Nice long walk/run (slug from yesterday)
Finish laundry-down to DH's work clothes
Finish wrapping presents
OK, we don't have quite as many kids underfoot, but we're working on it. Anyhow, right at the moment we could give you a pretty good struggle over the "Queen of chaos" title. DIrty dishes, unfolded laundry, LOTS of garbage (been too windy to burn trash)...
Let's see, I'm sure there are a few things I want to accomplish today. Maybe if I put 'em here I'll actually get to some of them. So, PODA:
- Catch up on dishes again
- Cook dinner
- Wash diapers
- Put away at least SOME of the laundry piled up in baskets
- 1 chapter of author review
- 1 chapter of technical editing
- Start next book chapter
- Start newsletter
- Start report to client
- Declutter office
- Clean cat box
I think that's the highest priorities. Plenty more to do if by some miracle I actually get through this list.
On the other hand, tree is up, presents are wrapped, DS3 is looking forward to Christmas (DD1 is just entranced by the tree), DW is eating well (though she HATES keeping her sodium intake down), so at least we've got our priorities in line.
Well, I'm subbing today. I'm the music teacher. LOL!! Chance is with me, he keeps trying to turn off the computer. It's 2nd period and I only have one student, her job is to clean up and do whatever she wants. the 1st period kids loved Chance.
PODA: to get thru today. LOL!! I was called at 6:30 this morning so I had some time to get my column wrote and sent in.
Anyway, I better not be on here that long. Maybe check in later!
And you could take Chance with you...how cool is that?
32 inches of snow! Blows my southern mind. I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. How my kids would love that...for about 30 seconds, before they started going numb (we don't have appropriate outerwear here). Take a picture of your snowman, Jo!
Mike, it comforts me to know I'm not the only one. I'm serious! I feel a little better having vacuumed LR and cleaned the stinky hall bathroom, including cat box (TA DA). We didn't officially homeschool, but we did read Little Town on the Prairie. I'm nursing a lot today, for some reason; Emma won't stay asleep for long. Got DS2 down for a nap and baked brownies for kids after lunch. (DS2 is now awake and quite fussy.) Ran DW one more time. Put on a load to wash. DH is out of town for the day at some sort of conference about continuing ed. programs (a job possibility come summer).
PODA:
*Gotta fold and put away laundry
*Still need to make shopping list
*A couple of thank-yous to write
*Plan for tomorrow's errands
*oops, never made bed
*BBQ chicken for supper.
Enjoy your trip, Morgan! We lived on the north shore for a while, back in 1993-96 while DH went to school there.
I think I'll run make my bed and then fold some laundry on it.
Jenny are you giving the music class instruction over the Internet? How did Chance do?
I got my Christmas card from Honey today What a Great picture!
Also got one from Becky on Saturday, but I think I already said that? Either way Thanks to you both and I'm getting mine out soon, promise.
Susannah, I hope your day's going better today!
I've been a real slug lately, somebody please give me a kick in the pants. It's like I don't wanna do anything, just the bare stuff to get us by.
Someone broke the window in DS17's car and stole his radio over the weekend. He was parked at school for an NJ event. It makes me to even think about it, oh well.
Ok, anytime now, I need that kick in the pants? someone?
WOW! Here are today's TaDa's:
Kitchen is sparkling
No hotspots in sight
5 loads laundry done (WOO HOO!!!!! NO DIRTY LAUNDRY IN THE HOUSE)
DH's bag packed for business trip tomorrow
1/2 way done putting up a wallpaper boarder in DS's room
Jamie Lea: *BIG KICK IN THE PANTS* Hope it didn't hurt!
Sussana: I lived in Hoffman Estates for a year while I managed a Yankee Candle store in Arlington Heights. I don't miss the bitter cold, but I loved all the comotion.
Jenny: What a great job! I would love to have something I could bring my little guy to.
I went and had my blood work done today. I will have my follow up appointment first thing in January. The doc is concerned I have Polycystic Ovaries, however if that is the case he has had great luck treating it. 95% of his patients with PCOS conceived within 3-6 months of treatment. *fingers crossed* I want that baby!!!!!!
I need to get back to my kiddo's room so I actually finish it tonight. Have a great night everyone!
Morgan
Woke up this morning to a 3.5 magn. shaker. Not my idea of a nice wake up call!
Checked out the USGS site, and found out we have mini quakes all over Alaska today. Hope this isnt a sign of a bigger one to come.
The shaker jolted the house good, and even knocked some dishes off the counter. The quake has inspired me to get some things cleaned up and organized better in case of a big one. I have way too much junk piled up that a quake would really make a mess of or even be dangerous. (sigh).
On the brighter side: I finally got my christmas stuff mailed and all my cards finally done! What a relief. I wonder if I will sleep better now. I have been seriously struggling with sleep issues this month. Why do we stress ourselves out so bad? I know this is all self inflicted! LOL.
Susannah, my mom said that whenever we got home, and I always do it to my kids, too.
The day went well. 7th period was a little hard to deal with, but we managed. It was such a crazy day! 55+ MPH winds, dust storms, tumbleweeds, and snow! and my classroom is in a different building than the rest of the school (in the ag building). Chance was pretty good, and DH was done by 3rd period and came to get him. They are shopping now as we speak. I just subbed for the music teacher, we watched a tape of last weeks Christmas program and they had to write about it in their journals, no big deal.
Ok, so now that I'm home, I need a coke and some ritz crackers with cheese, then I'll do something productive, like figure out and pay bills.
Afternoon update: both kids running fevers, had a chat with our accountant (looks like about $20K tax liability coming up in January), I still feel like crap myself. And of course lots of the PODA is undone. OK, I just wanted to whine for a bit. I'll be back in the morning in a better mood, I'm sure.
Wow!! you Jo can have your snow and Heather can have her quakes!!!!
big hello to all my web friends don't want to forget anyone so Hello to all!!
Susanah..thanks, had a great time at work party. It ended up that I was sitting next to the new owner of my DHs company 5 course dinner,,,I didn't eat the first two to have room for the best one DESSERT!! music a bit too loud. DDs did real well with having friend take them home,,,,she asked him in,,he said ,,I don't think your parents would like that. [I was very happy to hear that ,,as it means he is responsible and polite.I had already told her it would be ok if she did ask him in,,,he stayed for only 15min 'just to see the place' ,,as he said. besides sis was right there,,and they are "only friends" [tee hee ]thats what DD says
tada
DDs to school
quick clean up kitchen
shower shoes
took Jeep to get 3 new wheels [not tires]
worked 10-2
picked up car,,,only had to get 2 wheels after all!! saved 140 bucks
DD had friend over for school project
dinner
PODA
watch Las Vegas and that hunka hunka of a man Josh!!
tommorow,,,make tons of cookies
hope all of you slow down and stop trying to do too much
tis the season to be JOLLY!!!!
Heather, I LOVE your family pic! How beautiful! I really love the dog, too! I always wanted one of those, but I'm afraid he would hate me for putting thru the hot summers here.
Kitty, I'll be watching Las Vegas with you. Yummy!
Yeah, jo can keep the snow and Heather the earthquakes. Anyone want our drought and sand storms?
Mike, I had to make an appointment for our accountant chat today. I have tomorrow to get everything together (it's pretty much all done, thanks to Quicken, just a few little edits to my report and print). Meet with her on Wed. New gal, our reg. accountant retired, she bought his "firm" (it's just him and his wife and a couple office gals, so I use firm very loosely). So it will be a getting to know you session as well.
I keep seeing the previews of Cold Mountian! I want to see it so bad! I'm halfway thru the book (got much done today while "subbing"). Access Hollywood showed some of the premier in London, Prince "Chaaaales" was there. I have to see this! Wonder if inlaws would like to watch all 3 kids so dh and I could have a date?
I could not sleep last night so I am going to try to exhaust myself for the rest of the day and see if it helps! I already cleaned the catbox, called my dad who is on the east coast, and did the 5 a.m. Classical Stretch workout on TV.
PODA:
-shower and dress
-take pills
-make breakfast
-put dinner in crockpot
-desk chores
-errands (Kinko's and post office, to send off the very last bits and pieces of my grad school applications!)
-storage locker (for real this time)
-change sheets
-laundry
-gather up some tax records that have been experiencing entropy
-work on DH's Grandma's Christmas present
-exercise bike, sit-ups and push-ups
The party and ornament exchange last night was lots of fun. There were more people there that I knew than I expected. DH says there were more people there that he liked than he expected! So we both were pleasantly surprised. Not that we thought we'd have a bad time, but we had an even better time than we thought.
Snowkeeper, I hope everything is okay out your way. That's kind of scary! Congrats on getting out your mailing.
Mike, I hope the little ones are over it soon. Are they picking it up from preschool? My kids don't get sick unless they've been to church or homeschool group. They just aren't around other kids that often and I very rarely get sick. Must have had it all as a kid already! (Was a magnet for strep throat back then.) So sorry to hear about the tax news. Praying it won't be so bad for you after all.
Morgan, you are flyin', girl! Keeping fingers crossed with you.
Jenny, did everybody's mother say that? LOL! Wow, weird weather over there. We've had a good bit of rain lately.
I'm making a master PODA/shopping list in Word for all that's left to do. On my PODA:
*Drop clothes at drycleaners/pickup
*Send thank-you to Springs church
*Send thank you to friend for girl clothes
*Arrange night out with playgroup mommy friend
*Pay bills
*Set out book for homegroup
*Decide what snacks to take to homegroup Christmas party tomorrow
*Add ingredients to shopping list
*Finish laundry
TA DAs:
*Cleaned up most of kitchen last night
*Put away upstairs clothes
*Did advent
Not much time to post today. I have to be at the school in about an hour for the start of dd4's Christmas party. It includes lunch (we use cookie cutters to cut out sandwiches). I did go to the post office this morning and mailed out my cards and packages. THAT'S out of the way at least. Doing a load of laundry, including the preschool teachers daughters cheer uniform. She was fixing to take it to the home ec room, I told her just give it to me, I can wash it with our stuff. It's in the dryer now.
I'm procrastinating at the moment The house is a mess, there are about 6 loads of laundry to do, I still have about thirty cards to write (and the last posting date for within the UK is looming. Eek), and of course I have a big pile of ironing to do. So I decided the best thing to do was.......ignore all that and spend some time on TNH Its 8.15pm here, I reckon I might have time to do the Christmas cards, some laundry and some ironing. The mess can wait!
Hubby went on a business trip.... Home Alone with my little girl for a night. Now I just need to decide what to do with this rare time. He is rarely gone. Maybe I'll work on his quilt I was suppose to have done last month. LOL.
By the way... as a flybaby, I thought I'd mention my sink is still shiny! This is a big step for me! And I feel great about it! This is really working for me....Not 100% but, Im sure it will all come in time.
Anyway...lots to do today still, and bowling tonight.
Better get on the run...
Smiles!
Heather
Pardon my non-flybaby interruption but If you all have not looked at Heather's family pictures GO DO IT! "Dandylion Lily" could not be any more precious!
Cool. I had to print it to show my DH. How long have you been in Alaska?
I feel like we're in AK now, because we are expecting our THIRD major snowstorm in 9 days tomorrow! They say 14 inches! Again! Gracious. It's a good thing I love snow, but the boys are none too pleased to shovel the deck again. Poor DS13 is just finishing digging out from the last storm right now. That's going to be a total of about 70 inches of snow if the prediction is right. It is beautiful, but I hate having the banks so high, it's impossible to see when you're pulling into traffic.
TADA
all laundry done
dishes
mailed the last gifts today
paid bills
PODA for tomorrow
up at 5 to exercise-3 miles
cookies (SLUG)
dishes
floors
bathrooms
vacuum DD's room
another SLUG to admit
those darn kitchen hotspots
Here's hoping for more user-friendly weather for everyone.
-Jo
Wow, that is a lot of snow Jo! You are in Maine, right? You always sound so together, even though you work FT! What's your secret? The cooking, especially - haven't seen a frozen pizza on your menu yet!
Yes, Heather, I loved your photos too! You should frame that dandelion one - the color is tremendous. What brought you to Alaska? Glad you joined us Flybabies!
Becky and Honey, got your cards! Thanks! Honey, your photo is great - who took it? I had seen your photo before, but never your son's - he is really cute!
Well, cards are out and parents things are wrapped, to be mailed tomorrow. Need to wrap kids gifts plus DD6's birthday gifts for Sunday - this is the birthday that never ends it seems! I'm starting a tradition of having a birthday breakfast with Mom each year with a small gift and letter from me - so trying to figure out when to fit that in - Sunday is his actual birthday, but we've also got Sunday School, church, and having friends over that evening. Hmmmm.
No work tomorrow, thank goodness - I will check in then. I'm off to order DH's gift - the soundtrack from "Oliver"!
I saw Oliver! in London about ten years ago. It was kind of surreal-- they were performing in a theatre that was near a lot of Victorian buildings, so when I went outside after the performance I felt as if I had walked onto the stage set.
Ta-da:
There were 12 items on the PODA and I finished the first six! I've got to do laundry now though. Really really really.
Thankyou all for the compliments! I love showing off our family pics, but I dont usually get such fun comments. You guys are great!
And for those of you who asked: We moved to Alaska a year and half ago from Eastern Washington. We wanted to move to a state without all the taxes and restrictions.... We sold everything we had, put what we needed into our vehicles and headed north. Hubby found work the first week here. Alaska has been good to us. Things are so different here! we are really enjoying it. And the scenery is breathtaking!!!
We have no family here, but I still cant help feel that we are HOME!
Moving to Alaska is kind of what brought me here to this group.
Housing here is very expensive, so we live in a small cabin in the city. I have hardly any storage. My kitchen although not so small, it still has few cupboards and storage. (sigh). I am constantly battling with things piling up... Hot Spots are a big one for me!
Im learning though! Its slow progress, but I can at least see some progress!
My mom was a white glove house cleaner. And growing up with 11 kids in the family, I can recall her always battling with us about cleaning... I think thats why I still battle with it. Cleaning has never been a favorite pastime for me..LOL. (Sigh). Old habits die hard huh? ...lol.
We have snow in the forecast for this weekend!!!! Hooray! I love how its piling up! (Obviously not quite tired of shoveling yet..LOL..YET!)
Time for my evening cleanup.... Then Im headed to bed exausted!!!
It looks like a bomb went off in here. I'm not sure how or when it happened, because it was relatively neat yesterday for quite a while. Like Honey, I took one look around...and decided to come visit you guys.
Speaking of bombs going off, I had the strangest dream last night. I was looking out a southwest window and saw a flash on the horizon, a huge cloud, then a second flash. Then the wind picked up like a storm and I saw the grass burning under it. Somebody had detonated a nuclear device in Atlanta! Here's the really weird part; it wasn't a terrorist attack. Some stupid visiting sports team had a nuclear weapon as its mascot, and one of the players had figured out how to re-arm it as a joke. It went off as they were carrying it into the game! Now somebody interpret *that* one for me.
Heather, your pictures are gorgeous! I agree, "dandelion lilly" is so sweet! What a precious little girl! I love the one of both of you with the beautiful mountains in the background. I've got to go back and look through all the pages.
I'd better get on it. I have lots to do. Had some gifts arrive in the mail yesterday and also some I bought yesterday that need wrapping. Wanted to do a spinach dip for our homegroup party tonight. I also picked up cranberries so we can do our garland. Took Emma to the outlets with me yesterday and it took me forever just to find ornaments for the kids. I finally settled on some ceramic country crosses that were on sale. Managed it for $10! I'll just write names & year with a marker on back. They had SpongeBob and Rugrats ornaments, and although I am fond of SpongeBob and it would have delighted the children, I feel he doesn't belong on a Christmas tree. I try to add one bird to our collection every year, and found a beautiful glass snowy owl for us. By the time I retire, I should be able to decorate with nothing but birds!
Well, with that rather unclear PODA recorded, I'm going to sign off and get to work. Can you believe that even with my super-organized list yesterday, I forgot to buy diapers? Arg. Can't wait till my diaper covers on backorder arrive so I can use my cloth.
Love y'all!
Susannah
P.S. TA DA...I did mail off one thank-you yesterday and I managed to load and run the DW before coming out here.
Ok everyone, I've been putting off alot of projects and errands that must be completed today!!!! So my challenge to everyone is to pick at least one thing you've been putting off and get in done today. I'm going for 6 things.
1.Oil change in the minivan
2. Purchase cracker barrel gift certificates for teachers
3. Walmart gift certificate for nephew.
4. Wrap and mail gifts for dad and brother's family (all others were ordered and delivered through catalogs back in November)
5. Print Christmas letter. (check prices for color copies)
6. Try and find addresses for chrismas list (lost address file with hard drive last summer) Tomorrow will be the mailing of letters.
Will be posting again this afternoon. I hope I can get through it. Wish me luck.
Good morning, Ladies (and gentleman),
I have not been nearly as busy as you ladies with small children -- although I certainly DO remember knocking myself out at Christmas to make it all come together.
Been busy lately with estate business. Mom's house is being replumbed. There was a hole in her waterline and her last bill was over $200. The plumber worked two days and then he and his assistant both got sick with some virus. Hopefully not the flu!
Yesterday Mom got some Christmas cards, and I found it difficult to write responses letting her friends know that she passed away. It's not too bad doing the business stuff -- but the personal stuff makes me a bit weepy.
DD and I are taking our annual Christmas trip later this week and I'm looking forward to that. Then this spring DS and I will take a weekend together.
We're keeping Christmas simple, since it's just us. DH is a postal worker, so he's been working ten-hour days seven days a week, with no chance for a day off until Christmas Day. At least we're hoping he gets Christmas off this year -- he doesn't always.
Don't forget to take the time to have fun with those little ones!
No, it's not going to be Christmas in two days; I am getting all of my shopping done in TWO DAYS! I got most of it done yesterday & I plan to finish all but DD's today. DH and I will go get hers this weekend if we can get a sitter. I've done some previewing for hers, so it shouldn't take us too terribly long to do it.
Yesterdays TADAs:
* Shopping - 80% done!
* Picked up photo reprints for Christmas cards
* Got Santa stamps for cards
* Mailed title replacement form & check
* Laundry
* All Christmas cards mailed!
* Sold another puppy (only one more to go!)
So far for today's TADAs:
* Called phone company re: double charge on bill
* Completed bank draft form for ambulance bill
* Laundry (one load put away; one in dryer; one in washer)
* Organized list of what I need to do today
DD fell asleep at 8:30 last night, so she was up at 5:30 this morning. Then, she crashed at 8:15. I'm letting her doze until 9:30, then getting her up to go do our errands. I sure am glad I don't go into the office on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, or I wouldn't have been able to get my shopping done!
Today's PODA:
* Get three gift certificates, one dirty Santa gift & a couple of "just in case" gifts
* Get some general household items (laundry detergent, etc.)
* Make sure I have everything for DD's birthday party on Sunday
* Iron DD's "christening"-type dress for professional photo tomorrow night
* Have dinner done on time so we can go to church (DD has a party in her AWANA class)
We had an extremely windy night last night. It blew over an extra storm door that was propped against house, which in turn unplugged our outdoor lights from both the outlet and the lights. DH will have to get up there & re-plug.
OK, so that's about it for me, I suppose. DD is not going to be happy when I wake her...
One more thing I forgot to include in my post. Every year, it seems like we have to run, run, run at Christmas time. I always have an office party and two or three related to my office that I feel I "must" attend. DH has his work party, plus the store party where he is a partner. Then, we have at least two church parties.
This year, with DD in our lives now, I decided I wasn't going to do it. I missed my office party (which I haven't done in the 10 years I've been there); we didn't go to DH's work party or our Sunday School party. We DID take DD to our City's Christmas Parade, which she LOVED; we took DD to the Kid's party at DH's work where she met Santa & sat on his lap for the first time ever; and we are going to the store party this Saturday evening. I feel much less stressed.
And, I only sent Christmas cards to people who sent one to us (with about 5 exceptions). I know I'll get some too late for me to send one out, but that's OK.
Anyone else took a less is more approach this year? I really feel much more in the spirit this year than in year's past. Of course, having DD has helped that as well!
Loved your heading Susannah! And that sounds really cool Becky. Our highschool did a tremendous job of Oliver this fall - it felt like a professional production. I'd never seen it before but we all loved the music, so I thought this would be a fun gift for DH. One of our closest friends' sons, who is in 11th grade, played Fagin and was a hoot!
I agree Vonnie, you can't do everything - just enjoy what you can do and make it special! "Dirty Santa gift"? Huh? Excuse my ignorance but that one got my attention.
Like the Cracker Barrel idea Susan - I've done that in the past for my folks, this year I got an Olive Garden certificate.
Well, I've gotten quite a bit done today, still need to wrap and mail two big gifts, then some wrapping at home. But first, paid work. A friend called and asked if I could watch her 3-year-old for 3 hours! So that kinda put a damper on things.
Andrea, a Dirty Santa gift is something appropriate for either sex (if a mixed group), within a predetermined price range. Everyone draws a number. You begin with #1, who chooses a gift and unwraps it. Then #2 can either choose a gift, or take #1's gift. If they take a gift, then that person has to choose another. Then, it proceeds with the next number. There are varying ways to play, but we usually play that the last number is final. Some people play that after the last number, the person who was #1 can go back and take anyone else's gift and give them the one they had.
If you really want to make the "Dirty Santa" game even dirtier, you throw a twist in at the end. Have anyone pick a number between 1-4 (or pick it from a bowl)and make everyone pass their gift that many people to the right or left. This neatly takes care of the strategizers.
Would anyone care to take my son????? He is driving me CRAZY!!!! He is so cranky today! He doesn't want anything that usually makes him happy and he is SASSY!!!!! GGGGGGGRRRRR!!!! Gimme a break kid!!!
Hope- I liked your idea for the game. Growing up there were about 10 of us in our church youth group that stayed close so we had a Christmas party every year when we came home for Christmas. Two years ago it was becomming difficult to have the party because everyone was getting married and trying to have babies so we agreed it would be the last party. Through the years I had always given really neat gifts and I always ended up with really bad gifts so I pulled a prank on everyone!! I brought 3 gifts that year and all the guys wanted to know which ones were mine because they were usually food. Instead of food I wrapped: 1 dirty diaper, one old bottle that I found under the seat of my car that still had about 3 Tbsp old formula in it, and one mismatched sock that I couldn't find the pair to. The first three to pick were the guys that were the most anxious to get food, so of course they opened my gifts. You would have figured that the third guy would have picked someone else's gift, but his stomach spoke louder than his brain and he got the dirty diaper. Of course no one took their gifts so they were stuck. I was pretty proud of myself in a mischievious way. Everyone else got a kick out of it too!
I was a slug yesterday so I play catch up on my sink and bed this morning.
Today's PODA:
make more cookies
shovel driveway before DH gets home
Vonnie, it is fun to throw the twist in at the end. Also, if the person who went first goes again at the end, or even the last person to go, they are pretty smug thinking they've got the last pick. Making the gifts move at the end makes it a total surprise all around.
We had to adopt the twist because everyone was getting too crafty and sneaky about the game.
I have never heard of that game, how fun! Morgan, can't believe you wrapped a dirty diaper, OMG!
Well, playdate is over, watching the neighbor girl after school is over, and my chores are done! I do need to wrap DS's gifts though and maybe some Xmas stuff, but I enjoy that. Cards and packages are out!
OK, it's official: I am done with all of our shopping EXCEPT for DD. I'm trying to get DH to ask DBIL if he can watch her Monday or Tuesday evening so we can go get it. Otherwise, we'll have to take her, look at stuff and one take her out to the car while the other one gets the stuff and pays. We have a list of items we want to get for her & I've already done some looking & know where things on the list are.
Got one card in the mail that I had to reciprocate. It's ready to go in tomorrow's pickup. Still have to wrap everything, but I probably won't attempt that until next week when DH can take DD out of the house. Who knows if they will actually STAY wrapped?
I'm gona have a baby! I think I may be as far as 10 weeks along, not sure. But last month I didn't get the usual visit from aunt flo, more like a day and half of light spotting (sorry if that's TMI) also was very nauseous for a little over a week before that. We're very excited and still have alot of people I need to call and share the news with but I wanted let you guys know.
It's always so fun to get on my computer at night and see what my imaginary friends have been up to, and it's very comforting to know I'm not the only one who has cranky kids, doesn't get enough sleep, get overloaded with commitments, and so on. You truly are all a breath of fresh (grown-up) air in my life.
Andrea, thank you so much for the compliment, but I have to say that I am a complete control freak and quite anal retentive. O.K. maybe not quite that bad, but close. I have my little flybaby routine, and I have trained the males with fear and intimidation.
OK, the truth is, we have a family ritual of cleaning together on Sunday nights, I do OAMC and use my crockpot at least once a week, and my kids are old enough to really be helpful. Train 'em when they're young flypals, it really pays off later!
Mess with my routine though, and all bets are off.
TADA
dishes
bathrooms
floors
dinner
bought, wrapped, and delivered gift for needy kids
PODA
cookies for church
SLUG
exercise!
I havn't slept well at all the past 4 nights. This is getting really old. The last 3 weeks I have probably slept through the night a total of 7 days. DD is wakeful, the animals are needing to go out at odd times, the weather has been loud(last night it was snow shedding off the roof for a good hour), DH has been snoring louder than usual...
Of course as my DH rightly says, if an ant farted I would wake up.
I can't wait to get back into a good sleep pattern and feel rested again.
Congratulations Jamie Lea!!! Wow, that is fantastic news! :) I thought there might be a little one in your future! Hope all goes well and you MUST keep us posted! Have you told your kids yet? How did DH react?
Jo, I guess I had you pegged as that type of personality. I am also, I thrive on routines and am doing ok, but would like to get my family involved more - kids are 5 and 7. I'd also like to do some OAMC. I am only working 2 days a week out of the house and 1/2 a day at home, so there is no excuse for me to be serving frozen pizzas!
I DID cook tonite - shrimp in tomato sauce over spaghetti with veggies and salad - it was delish. Tomorrow? Again, who knows? Probably Italian sausage in some form - I work tomorrow so DH will be cooking.
Well, off to wrap a few gifts - take care everyone - especially you Jamie!
Congratulations Jamie Lea!!! Wow, that is fantastic news! I thought there might be a little one in your future! Hope all goes well and you MUST keep us posted! Have you told your kids yet? How did DH react?
Jo, I guess I had you pegged as that type of personality. I am also, I thrive on routines and am doing ok, but would like to get my family involved more - kids are 5 and 7. I'd also like to do some OAMC. I am only working 2 days a week out of the house and 1/2 a day at home, so there is no excuse for me to be serving frozen pizzas!
I DID cook tonite - shrimp in tomato sauce over spaghetti with veggies and salad - it was delish. Tomorrow? Again, who knows? Probably Italian sausage in some form - I work tomorrow so DH will be cooking.
Well, off to wrap a few gifts - take care everyone - especially you Jamie!
Lois, all the loose ends with your mom passing away must be so hard this time of year. I hope you get thru it ok.
Vonnie, I want to know about this "dirty" Santa gift! Oh, you just explained it. Not what I thought. LOL!!
Oh Jamie Lea, I'm so happy for you! I know how long you've been waiting for this! here's hoping its a girl to try and balance out the hormones in the house a bit better.
I finally got a chance to have some me time and check email today. Got a phone call at 6:30 asking if I could sub and I said yes without thinking of all I have to do today! I taught 3rd grade, and I've been doing laundry and cleaning non-stop! It's my anniversary, but no time to go out. We had some steak on the new grill and called it our fancy dinner. Was supposed to meet the accountant today, but I had to send DH by himself with the Quicken reports. Luckily I had everything organized in there.
Probably won't have time to check in tomorrow. I need to clean and pack the camper, make sandwiches for dd6's Christmas party and attend that, then leave for AZ as soon as school is out. I'll see ya'll next week!
My anti-procrastination day has been a successed. All items completed including copying the christmas letter and sent out. The only item not checked off was the oil change. There was an hour wait. So I guess it will have to wait til next week, after the shopping, wrapping and cooking (party at our house on Sunday).
Jenny, Hope you have a great visit with your family.
Jamielea, Congradulations!!!! We will be keeping you in our prayers for a easy pregnancy and a happy healthy bundle of joy! Kids are awesome!
I thought I was going to get out of this anti-procrastination day...I was scheduled for a day with my best friend, but she called me this morning and canceled. That call came about 30 seconds after I got a good chuckle thinking I was getting out of "anti-procrastination day"..LOL.. Well, thats what I get. So, I threw up my hands and gave in... I soon hit the big hot spot in my house and my anti-procrastination tasks soon spread like wildfire. I got a ton done!
Destroyed Major Hot Spot in Kitchen.
Rearanged Kitchen.
Cleaned kitchen floor.
Completed all laundry.
Cleaned laundry room.
Wiped down laundry room appliances.
Hung up new pictures. Rearanged old ones.
Dusted off old pictures.
Organized cookbooks and moved shelf.
Rearanged Lilly's table and learning area.
Hung new learning posters up.
Washed living room windows.
Cleaned garbage can out.
Burnt paper garbage...Set out new candles.
Managed a descent dinner.
Im plum tuckered out now! And my feet are killing me.
To sit here and plunk away at this keyboard is pure joy! LOL.
Anything to get off my feet!
We had a wonderful snow storm come thru today too.... Thats what got me cleaning my living room windows. I stood and watched the snow for a bit... It was really coming down. I could barely see the neighbors house! I went and checked the internet forecast, and they said no snow today! LOL. Visibility 150 miles! LOL... not in my neighborhood! LOL. (We dont have tv so I rely on the internet for my forecasts.)
QUESTION: Anyone here do daily devotionals? Im trying to get my daily devotionals worked into my schedule somehow, but still struggling with that one. What works for you? I really really want to get in the habit of it! I want my little girl to also join in with me. I was not raised doing them, so I am hoping by raising my daughter with daily devotionals, that she wont struggle with it. Hopefully. Any advice welcome! Thanks!
I'd like to thankyou all for this group... I am really thoroughly enjoying it! I totally feel like I have a great support group here! Big Help!
That's what we usually play. Tonight, though, it was Scattergories, men against women against teenagers. Funny! For some reason, we kept coming up with answers that involved alcohol. We blamed it all on the pastor.
CONGRATULATIONS, Jamie! What a wonderful surprise! I mean, not necessarily for you (I don't know if you were trying) but for *me*!! Too cool. Have you told DS5 yet?
Well, it was a great party, but coming home late with all the kids was not fun. It took a whole crew of people to get us and our acoutrements out of the party and into the van. I walked in and realized...Hmmm, the elves did not clean up the house while I was away. Darn! Emma screamed her poor little eyes out while I got the others speed-cleaned and dressed into pj's. Meanwhile, DH is out with friends watching LOTR: Return of the King. Opening day! Guys get all the luck. I'm going on my b-day with Mom and DH has actually toyed with the idea of keeping the baby for me...IF I can get her to take a bottle before then!
I checked my mail and discovered my lovely, genteel friend, a homeschooling mother of four, had sent me an opulent Christmas card with a gorgeous picture of her family posing with all their musical instruments in the most beautiful of clothes. They are so incredibly perfect! How about that for superlatives?
Honey, I got your card with the lovely picture and encouraging note. Thank you so much! Your son is a cutie. I love the little "surprises" you always include.
Anyways...it's late and I haven't even thought about the Evening Routine yet. TA DA: I did get the spinach dip done early enough. I also unloaded/reloaded the DW and cleared my worst hotspot (creating others in the process, unfortunately). I know I was busy all day, I just can't remember what I did. Nursed baby a lot. Oh yes, and wrapped a few presents, until I ran out of paper. We went to the store tonight before the party and I grabbed more wrapping paper without looking, and when I got home tonight I noticed it said "Happy Kwanzaa" all over it! Sheesh. But I was in a hurry because J.D. had already knocked over one display and broken a light bulb in aisle 10. Poor little kid, he didn't mean to.
We have playgroup tomorrow, so I'll be burning the calories getting this place straight before they come. Nitey night!
Heather, this isn't a daily devotional, more like weekly or twice weekly, but it's a good one...I've been going through the Grace Bible Study at www.eternitynow.org. You can sign up to have it sent to your e-mail address. They also have faith-based activities for kids there that can be used correspondingly; there's usually a suggested activity lesson in the margin of the adult study.
Or, read one chapter of Proverbs per day. That'll get you through a month! I had a friend who did that with her DH, and they alternated reading the verses aloud. They got a lot out of it.
For Bible stories, I use a Bible story book that covers most of the OT and NT stories. I try to read them over breakfast each day. Some days it doesn't work too well, with kids getting up late or baby fussy. Even so, we've almost made it to the NT stories. I just felt like they needed to be familiar with the general content of the Bible. The boys don't listen too well, but I think the girls get a lot out of it. Our book is called the Victor Family Story Bible. There might be better ones out there; that's just one I had lying around.
And I've been meaning to say to Morgan that we lived in Deerfield, and DH's best friend from childhood lived in Arlington Heights! P.S. Morgan, sounds like your 3yo and mine are kindred spirits! LOL! Mine's finally outgrowing some of it now, the more I allow him to be a "big boy" and do stuff for himself. He gets mad if I intervene. He's been my most stubborn kid yet. (Sigh.)
We have told DS5, as well as DS17 and DC16. There all excited, especially DS5, who told his daddy "so daddy, I'm gona have to be a good big brother or big sister right?" He promptly noticed his goof and corrected himself.
Susannah, not a surprise to us we've been trying for about a year, DS5 still sleeps with us, I think that may have been cause for the delay
I did manage a TADA this afternoon! Spent 15 min. in the classroom dejunking. Also made some good meatballs for dinner. DS5 and I have a little bit of stocking stuffer shopping to do tomorrow, DS17 and DC16 both have exams tomorrow and then early dismissal at 1:30.
It's 11:15pm, I should be in bed! Not sure why I'm not, Humm, maybe cause I can hear DH and DS5 snoring from here!
DS5's not so loud, I can sleep threw him, I guess it's time to go "accidentally" Roll over in my sleep and hit DH, which usually causes him to turn over, and thus stop snoring
I'm off from school again. Ten inches of heavy, wet snow overnight, and it's still coming down. Man. A friend of ours' barn roof collapsed this morning.
I need to revise today's PODA
exercise
kitchen hot spots
kitchen hot spots
kitchen hot spots-today will be my anti-procrastination day!
laundry
maybe some baking
draw tons of shapes for DD to cut out, it's her latest obsession
help the boys shovel the deck, it's a job for three today for sure
Just checking in after a few more days of being underwater, and saw your news Jamie Lea. If you're already 10 weeks you're not gonna be far behind us (just hit 13 here, I think).
Meanwhile, the word for the day is "sick". Both kids spiked fevers a couple of days ago, and both are sniffly. DS3's eyes are exuding so much gunk that we took him in to the doctor yesterday to get a diagnosis of "eye gunk" ("people say pinkeye but that term gets overused," says our doctor). Last night DW started feeling lousy and went to bed complaining of nausea, sore throat, and chills. My own sore throat came on a few hours later.
And just to top it off, DS3's cold has thrown his sleep schedule all to hell. He had a long nap yesterday evening, woke up at 10:30, and is still (at 5:30) going strong...I took over second shift starting around 11:30 and am trying to cope with everything on 3 or 4 hours of sleep.
Whine, whine, whine, huh?
As long as I'm here, PODA:
- Send out invoice for this month's newsletters, after I call the managing editor and find out what they're paying me
- Follow up with client about report I sent yesterday
- Do a batch of Web programming
- Do some book work
- Get my Inbox back below 10 messages (at 19 right now, bah)
- Put away some more of the laundry (I actually got it ALL washed yesterday...we had clean laundry piled everywhere)
- Wash diapers
- Cook dinner, if anyone is up to eating. Otherwise, just keep kids fed and hydrated somehow.
- Wash dishes
- Clean catbox
Ah well, if we're all sick this week, chances are we'll be healthy Christmas morning, right?
DD woke up this morning complaining with her stomach. She has problems being regular (TMI, I know!), so I gave her some prune juice. But, just now I took her temp because she felt warm & it is 100.5 on ear thermometer. Which means 101, I think. Gave her children's tylenol. My Mom is coming to keep her while I work. If it goes up or doesn't go down by lunch, I'll have to call the doc. She doesn't act like she feels bad, other than holding her tummy from time to time.
Well, I'd better get going. Gotta find my shoes so I can leave on time in case I have to come home.
We're having some kind of weird computer problem - all the posts from the last couple of days don't show, unless I hit ctrl and F5 (DS' idea), that makes them appear. It took me two days to realise that though, so I wasn't sure if no one had posted for two days, or what....
Anyway! I wanted to say thanks to Becky and Susannah for your Christmas cards. Susannah, what a beautiful family you have
Andrea, it was my Mum who took that photo, I think. It was taken at my parents' house last Christmas. You can tell its my Mum's as the tree is colour coordinated and tasteful - mine is a teetering multicoloured hotchpotch! (and we like it that way! )
I still have quite a lot of Christmas shopping to do, but it's mainly little bits and pieces - frames for some photos I want to give as gifts, some edible goodies for DS12's stocking, ingredients for the cookies and candy I am making for my parents. I'm hoping to get it all done tomorrow, then shut the door and forget the world for a few days!
PODA
Move the hotspot that is currently on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, which is preventing me from getting under the tree to turn the lights on
Last night my hubby and I laid in bed and talked until 3:30 in the morning. It was like we were dating again!!!! It was a wonderful time, but the poor man was dead on his feet at 5:30 when he had to get up for work. Lucky for me, DS slept until 8 this morning and then was content to cuddle in bed and watch cartoons until 10. I know that there is some rule (written or unwritten) about staying in bed until 10 o'clock, but it was so great! Once I was up we were really moving and I got a lot done.
TaDa's:
all gifts mailed (forgot one yesterday)
all christmas cards out
grocery shopping done
sink shiney
MB is spotless
DS and I made the dough for peanut blossoms, sugar cookies, and snickerdoodles and we made cupcakes for all of his little friends in the neighborhood.
Jamie- Congratulations!!! You must be so excited! Do you want a boy or a girl?
Susannah- I have found that 1/2 of all three year olds in the world are bonded by some primal need to yell all the time and talk back to their parents. Some days I wish that I had a fast forward button!!!! (just some days though.... I will miss this age terribly soon, I'm sure) My little guy is also getting increasingly independant. Today I had an armfull of groceries and he was going to open the door for me. He was taking to long so I reached over to help him. He got SOOOOO mad. He jerked the door shut again and said very sternly "MOM! I am a VEEEEEERY strong boy and I can do it myself!!!!!!" Very hard not to laugh.
Anyway, I better get back to my cookies. Time to actually bake them now!
Have a great day everyone!!
P.S.
If you'd like to see my little guy you can go to www.scottshuman.com
It may be a little confusing because we just moved from NE not too long ago so there are still some links on their for Lincoln. You can click on the "more of Dylan" picture to see his pictures.
tada
DDs to school
laundry
grocery shop ,,,regular and having party tom night
major kitchen clean up
made dough for gingerbread cookies,,in fridge,will make later
bought last of stocking stuffers and got into bags to separate
poda
work 4-8 more training,,last night computer system was down,,if it is tonight you will ALL hear me scream!!
more laundry
make cookies
I did get an earlier Dr. appointment, and Dr says I'm 12 weeks!!! Sort of shocking that someone could be with child for that long and not know! Actually part of me knew but like I said we had been trying for close to a year and I just didn't know why this time would be any different so I didn't test. I have been taking prenatal vitamins the whole time we were trying so I don't feel like I missed that early care. DH is in shock that I'm as far along as I am, questioning EVERYTHING we've done in the last 12 weeks
I don't have a preference, boy or girl, I think if i had to choose, I'd say boy. Just cause I been there done that and well girls scare me! But at the same time the thought of a girl to take my side in this house full of men, has it's appeal So either way, I'm happy.
Andrea, I got your card today, I LOVE the picture! So cute, can I borrow the light idea?
I have NO flying TADA's for today, but a PODA I must get working on.
ironing
laundry
downstairs is a mess
upstairs is not much better
and still have some presents to wrap
Well, my Mom called me at work to tell me DD's temp had gone up. So I came home & bless her heart, she felt soooo bad. Temp has gone down from 101.9 down to 101.1, but it seems like it's gone down more to me judging from her appearance and demeanor. She's eating good, though, just not wanting to drink. So, we're doing ice chips and gatorade as I can get her to drink it.
Thanks to everyone for the cards! I always think of that after I've posted.
http://www.beliefnet.com sends periodic readings for many different religions, and I think the Christian ones are daily but I don't know because I get the Jewish ones, which are three times a week.
What a frustrating day. The power kept going off/on, DD3 drew on the stairs and wood floor with a black non-washable marker she found in the trash, and DS13 flat out refused to shovel anymore! Oh well, I think we all just have cabin fever.
TADA
dishes
laundry-all caught up again
shiny sink
top of fridge (kitchen hotspot #1)
top of microwave (kitchen hotspot #2)
de-junked 2 junk drawers (kitchen hotspot #3)
walked/ran 3.5 miles
baked cookies for the kids
shoveled
swept water coming into the cellar down the drain three times (cement floor)
read a Smithsonian magazine all the way through!
PODA
help DD wash the floor and stairs some more
help DD3 sweep up all her paper scraps from hours of cutting
sit down with DS13 to have a talk about contributing to the family-now that should be fun.
Silly side note: In hitting those hotspots I found 15, yes you read right, 15 rolls of film that need to be developed.
DS decorated the cupcakes while I made more cookies and now I have to go clean up his mess. He decorated the floor more than the cupcakes!!!! DH and DS are watching Lord Of The Rings and I so badly want to go to bed!!!!! I better go clean the kitchen before I head that way. I get crabby when my sink isn't shiney in the morning!!!! Have a good night everyone!
Morgan
Oh my word!!!! From the minute my head hit the pillow last night I was in SUCH a bad mood!!!!!! DH came in after me and was eating chocolate chip cookies in bed and I about came unglued. My first objection was that he gets crumbs in the bed. Next was all the noise. The cookies were in a plastic bag, so that was crumpling, then the chewing, then the chugging of the milk. AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Later in the night DH tried to cuddle with me, but I felt like he was crushing me so I made him move. Then this morning I was harping on him about our vacation plans. Things have gotten screwed up at work so he won't know when we are goign to leave until tonight. I hate not knowing!!!!!! It affects EVERYTHING!!!!!! SO anyway, I'm crabby and hubby says he doesn't want to come home until I give him his wife back. Just had to vent a minute. I'll write something a little more cheery later.
Morgan
That would drive me batty too Morgan, especially the cookie thing! Sheesh, men.
Well, another busy day, at least I don't have to work. Am meeting a friend for coffee in a few minutes so have to run. I really want to do a gingerbread house with the kids before Christmas, but am having trouble finding those darn kits without driving into the city. I may end up going there today.
Today I feel like one person trying to hold back a huge avalanche of mess. It's because I'm tired, though. I always get easily discouraged when tired. Kept trying to lie down again this morning, but of course with kids that doesn't happen.
Okay, today on my PODA:
*Everything.
I'm serious, laundry, the whole house, wrapping presents, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning up ktchen. No wonder I feel overwhelmed!
I had a nice dinner last night with my mommy friend. We had a deep discussion about spiritual matters. J.D. screamed after I left, though, and I could hear him when DH called about it on the cell phone. So that put a bit of a damper on my mood. I always feel guilty! DH finally got him to go to sleep.
Well, I'd better go to work. At least, go to work on my attitude.
Yup, everyone's still sick here. Both kids are running fevers, both parents have sore throats, everyone is just generally ucky. Lots of random naps at odd hours.
Tada:
- Sent out invoice for this month's newsletters (and the phone call resulted in a 30% raise, hooray)
- Did a batch of Web programming
- Got the inbox down to 12 messages
- Put away some more of the laundry
- Wash diapers
- No dinner, but enough soup and sandwiches and snacks that everyone got food when they had any appetite
- Negotiated on another software partnership
PODA:
- Diapers
- Dishes
- Dinner?
- Book chapter!
- 1 chapter of author review
- Survive
*12* weeks, Jamie Lea? We're gonna be neck-and-neck.
OK, I seem to be having a momentary bout of coherency. Time to go do some writing.
You have really been through it this season. I hope you are all better by Christmas. Any family joining you? It'll be an exciting race to see who delivers a baby first, eh?
Huge TA DA! It's really DH's. We just had a load of crush-and-run put on our driveway! Woohoo! It's like Christmas six days early! No more getting stuck in the mud. Next on the agenda will be to scrape all the mud out of the garage and mop it clean. Then detail-clean the van! Hey, our pastor has a detailing business. Maybe I can take it up there next week. This has really cheered me up, can you tell?
More ta da's:
*Dressed to shoes
*Made bed
*Straightened up MB
*Cleaned up & spot mopped kitchen
*Made ham & bean soup again (I love beans but nobody else around here does...DH eats them out of loyalty to me, I think)
*Paid a few bills, mortgage late again, bad girl
*Got a Christmas card ready for Jenny (You weren't on Honey's original list & I forgot...sorry so late!)
*Revised my Christmas mailing list. Next year I should order 100 cards. I could have sent out so many more.
*Taped Christmas cards from Jenny, Andrea, and a few other non-TNH friends to our door. I *loved* the letters and pictures! So cute & funny.
*Started a cranberry-popcorn garland. We have a ways to go on that.
*Changed about a dozen poopy diapers today, I think.
*Pulled hem out of too-short pants & threw into mending pile. Hope to iron & wonder-under them soon.
More PODA:
*Scan and e-mail pix to church secretary for display the Sunday before our birthdays & anniversary.
*Finish up with a few more bills.
*Wrap some gifts (with Kwanzaa paper!)
*Straighten LR and vacuum, then *steam clean that nasty carpet*!
*Laundry
*Try to fix our Christmas tree lights, or make a note to get new ones. They have quit on us.
Ooooh, Jo, wouldn't that be fun?! Three pregnant ladies to keep track of!
Congrats on the new driveway Susannah - sounds like it is a godsend!
Busy day today, went to city and did a few errands - got the gingerbread house kit and made it! It was totally cheating - the house was already built - all we had to do was decorate it! I won't cheat on the cookies - I want to make real sugar cookies with real frosting also popcorn balls for DD5's preschool party. Also have a Christmas craft I want to do and, and, and!! Oh well, I know I won't get it all done!
Dinner is still readying here on the left coast. I'm trying a new semi-invented latke recipe. If it turns out well I'll put it in the recipe box.
Ta-da:
-more of the neverending desk chores
-put up a little star of David on our front door nail where I keep front door decorations
-got a little gift for DH and put it in its gift bag
-started a load of laundry (which I will put in the dryer after dinner)
-did some picking up around the house
-exercised
-fed the cats
-started dinner
Agghh!! I can't sleep!
No real flying to speak of today, just enough to keep my head above water. The dishes are done, the sink is shiny, and the floors are swept.
Enjoy that driveway Susannah! I know your excited
Mike, I hope your all feeling better soon.
Andrea, we made one of those "easy" gingerbread houses one year, I put WAY to many gum drops on my side of the roof and it collapsed, lasted just long enough for a picture and that was it. What are popcorn balls?
Becky, hope your dinner turned out well.
Jo, 15 rolls of film? Thats as bad as me!
Ok, I'm off to try the "sleep" thing again.
See you guys tomorrow.
Jamie Lea
Good morning, everyone! I have been up since 5:45 a.m. when DH awoke me to tell me that DD had wet our bed! He went to sleep in her extra bed & I got her up, changed, then changed the bed & am washing sheets now. I had set my alarm for 6 anyway. I'm having breakfast with my best friend of 30 years - we met in kindergarten! We exchange an ornament every year. I can't wait for 9:30! DH is going to keep DD while I go. I haven't told him yet, but I need to go shopping afterwards to get goodie bags for b'day party (I had some, but bought them waaaay too early & so now they're lost!), and get DD's b'day gifts. Then I have to come home and make a broccoli casserole and a green bean casserole to feed a crowd for our store party tonight!
I think I made DMIL mad the other day; she's been a little cool to me. See, DH and I had made a long list of things that we could potentially get DD for her b'day/Christmas. We probably won't get ALL of it, unless we hit some really good sales. DMIL wanted to know what I had on the list & I wouldn't tell her. See, if I tell her, she'll run out & get some of the things on the list and then tell me so I have to come up with other ideas. That's how DH's family works! I learned my lesson early on to NEVER tell them what I'm getting someone until I actually have it. They are shrewd! Anyway, they should honor my wishes and just get her a savings bond or make a deposit into her savings account. She doesn't really need that many more THINGS! But, anyway, it was nice to be on the "power" end of a struggle with her for a NICE CHANGE!!! LOL!!!
I also want to get a few plastic storage tubs so that I can rotate DD's toys, especially after her b'day and the Christmas rush! I know her playroom will be bulging!
OK, so today's PODA:
* Laundry & remake my bed
* Reload dishwasher
* Breakfast with friend
* Wal-Mart run: goodie bags, wrapping stuff, casserole ingredients
* Sam's: look for doll furniture for DD's b'day
* Make iced tea and two casseroles for tonight
* Wrap Dirty Santa gifts for tonight
* Clean house & get DH to help with it
* Call SIL to make sure she's doing the cake
* Get rest of DD's b'day and wrap it
Doesn't look like much, but I'm sure I'll be up until midnight!
Dinner was fine. We're heading out to Michigan in a couple of days to visit DH's family, so I have printed out Flylady's vacation planner thing. I've done some of the things on it already, but I'm using it to see what I've forgotten if anything.
I mostly just have some errands to run today. Also more laundry. If I get around to it I also will do some cleaning in the bathrooms and kitchen, but realistically I don't know if that will happen.
I woke up in a super mood today for some reason, and while DD3 was gone to her playdate this morning, I got so much done! What a nice change!
TADA
meal planned
groceries
wrapped the last present-a tricky one! It's a doll umbrella stroller for DN4
treadmill-walked 2.5 ran 2.5 as I blasted the Dixie Chicks so loud you all probably could hear it!
27 fling boogie in my side of the closet and my dresser
oxi-clean soaked the stains out of two of my favorite shirts
made jam thumbprint cookies for church tomorrow
organized DD's art and playdough table area
catbox
dishes
PODA
dinner: steak, sauteed mushrooms, and broccoli bacon salad
de-clutter the LR
garbage
2 loads laundry
go through 3 big bags of clothes my friend gave me for DD
have a glass of red wine with DH
play a cutthroat game of 500 with DH and the boys (after DD goes down)
Just flying in to say Hi!! Hope everyone is doing good, I read through all the posts and sounds like everyone has been really busy. I have had a crazy crazy week but at least no work today or tomorrow. WOOHOO!!
Congratulations Congratulations Congratulations Jamielea!!! I read your post last night and was so so excited!! I will be 15 weeks on Monday. Im glad you're feeling well, you sound very happy and excited. Congratulations again.
Mike, hope everyone is feeling better soon. You guys sure have been through the ringer this cold season. Hang in there.
Jo, holy smokes you have had tons and tons of snow. Must be very pretty though.
Susannah, happy new driveway!!
Hi everyone else, sorry I gotta be quick, Dh is still painting the den. Long story but I now have a beautiful RED den. I love it finally. First yellow, then greeen, now red. He is definitely the most patient man alive.
OK heres the flapping:
~went food shopping
~made menus
~painted den
Not much but the painting is taking forever.
Still need to:
~made yummy dinner stuffed flounder YUMMY!!
~dry 1 load laundry
~spend some quality time with DH this week has been a blur of Christmas preparations. Shopping, putting up lights, putting up the tree, want to spend some real time enjoying the Christmas spirit tonight. Then LOTS to do tomorrow, DH is working and I am off, so hopefully will get lots done. Plan on baking all day.
I never feel nauseus, but this morning at 5:30am I woke up felling like I was going to throw up. I heaved alot (sorry if that's tmi), but nothing came up. Could I be pregnant??????? I didn't take a test because I really don't want to know yet. I pray that I am, but my hopes have been shot a couple times in the last year and a half so I figured I'd just enjoy the holidays and see if the symptoms keep up. I'm also breaking out and so tired. I'm praying that I am!!!!
We leave for Kansas tomorrow morning. I'm pretty much prepared, but there a few things left.
put together backpack to keep ds entertained on the plane
dry last load of laundry
fold and pack dh's shirts
freeze left over roast
shine sink
Not too bad. Here is my crockpot roast recipe. It is so easy and so good
Put chuck roast in crock pot.
Poor 2 family size cans cream of mushroom soup on roast (DH likes a lot of gravy.... one can will actually do for a small family)
sprinkle one packet dry onion soup mix on top
throw vegies on top (I use onion, carrots, and potatoes)
slow cook all day
I may post from the In-laws house if I have time. If I don't get to it, everyone have a very Merry Christmas!!!!! Be safe!
Morgan
Morgan, here's hoping you are pregnant! Will this be your first? Gotta love that roast recipe, I use it often, definitely a favorite.
OK, I forgot that we have Jackie, who is pregnant - so between Dana (Mike's wife), JamieLea, Jackie, and maybe Morgan, and maybe Jo, we could have 5 pregnant Flybabies! Wow, how exciting!!
Jo, I LOVE that broccoli salad with bacon - we low carb and often have it in the summer with grilled steaks - to die for. Do you use the real bacon I hope?
Hi Becky, have a safe trip! I assume you're flying?
Vonnie, got your card today with the beautiful picture of Emily - she's gorgeous! Showed it to the whole family and they agreed - that peaches and cream complexion is really something - she does look very Russian to me.
Well, we made the sugar cookies today but they are yet to go in the oven - dinner had to happen first. I made chicken with sausages, apples, and prunes, rice, and spinach salad. Don't know how it turned out yet.
We have church and Sunday School tomorrow and then I think bowling and dinner (hopefully not at the bowling alley!) for DS6's birthday - he'll be 7 tomorrow so we let him choose an outing.
Morgan, here's hoping you are pregnant! Will this be your first? Gotta love that roast recipe, I use it often, definitely a favorite.
OK, I forgot that we have Jackie, who is pregnant - so between Dana (Mike's wife), JamieLea, Jackie, and maybe Morgan, and maybe Jo, we could have 5 pregnant Flybabies! Wow, how exciting!!
Jo, I LOVE that broccoli salad with bacon - we low carb and often have it in the summer with grilled steaks - to die for. Do you use the real bacon I hope?
Hi Becky, have a safe trip! I assume you're flying?
Vonnie, got your card today with the beautiful picture of Emily - she's gorgeous! Showed it to the whole family and they agreed - that peaches and cream complexion is really something - she does look very Russian to me.
Well, we made the sugar cookies today but they are yet to go in the oven - dinner had to happen first. I made chicken with sausages, apples, and prunes, rice, and spinach salad. Don't know how it turned out yet.
We have church and Sunday School tomorrow and then I think bowling and dinner (hopefully not at the bowling alley! ) for DS6's birthday - he'll be 7 tomorrow so we let him choose an outing.
We're praying with you, Morgan! That would be so exciting.
Andrea, your dinner descriptions always make my mouth water. So did Jo's steak, mushrooms & salad. MMMMMM! I think I'll make that salad myself, for Christmas. Although vegetarian/kosher sister couldn't eat it.
TA DA's:
*STEAM CLEANED!! Hallelujah, finally.
*Folded about 2 tons of laundry, put away downstairs, basketed upstairs
*Washed one more load
*Loaded/ran DW
*Cleaned up kitchen, microwave (spaghetti sauce splatter, yuk)
*Picked out b-day, anniversary photos for church, probably too late, but oh well
*Wrapped a bunch more presents and stuffed stockings, then hid them
*Replaced batteries in secondhand presents, to be wrapped later
*Straightened upstairs
Looking through pictures made me realize how swiftly my children are growing up. Boo hoo!
I agree, Vonnie...Emily is so sweet! I loved the picture!
Tomorrow's PODA is to get us to church early. Anything else will be icing on the cake. I'd like to sort a reorganize clothes upstairs if I can, but not counting on it.
Early morning, for me at least, I guess I better get used to being up early DH working today and I want to get so much done. I am going to babystep it though because I think I am exhausted already. Didnt sleep well either. Why is it when we are exhausted, put our head on the pillow then all the thinking of everything to do starts??
Andrea, your dinner sounded delicious. I made a really good stuffed flounder last night. First time I tried it and we were pleasantly surprised. Today I am going to bake cookies. Last year I tried the cake mix cookies form the Flylady site and everyone loved them. Hope they come out as good. Also trying peanutbutter snickers cookies, English toffe- we will see how this comes out- and then cheating with store brought dough for chocolate chip. I tried a hint from one of the flylady recipes to put a slice of white bread in with your cookies to keep them fresh, and it really worked last year.
Sending some baby vibes to Morgan. Crossing my fingers for you
Here's some no baby vibes to Jo, although I am 35 and this is my first, I bet your not much older But with your older boys and your dd I am sure you have your hands more than full. You always sound so together though, I bet you would handle it fine
Hi everyone else
Off to the flying:
~hang curtains back up in den and finally be finished in here BIG TADA
~1 load laundry
~put sheets back on Dstepson's bed
~27 fling some junk out of here
~ bake cookies
~ water tree
~ wrap a few more gifts
~write out cards to people I forgot
then some me time to polish my nails befopre get together tonight with DH work friends, yummy Italian restaurant, looking forward to it.
Have a great day everyone. Love Jackie
Hi all! I hope you're having a good Sunday morning. Or had one, depending on your time zone. I'm up early. My sleeping schedule has started to resemble the sleeping schedule of an actual human being.
PODA:
-laundry
-desk chores
-call Michele about getting together!
-gather up some end-of-the-year tax papers (yuck)
-clean catboxes
-neaten up DH's studio
-possibly some vacuuming
-finish making "Amish" cinnamon bread (I'm trying a variation, we'll see how it turns out)
-really really really go over to the storage locker, which I've been planning to do for the last two weeks!
-take out trash
Congratulations on a decent night's sleep, Becky! Jackie, what a fun day, baking cookies. Makes the house smell good too.
Gee, for some reason I never have trouble sleeping. Was up til two a.m. this morning with the steam cleaning but it was sooo worth it. I feel better in my mind, anyway.
Church was very short today, with the pastor trying to beat the elder's record last year...46 min. service the Sunday before Christmas! (Pastor was out of town last Christmas and the elder who conducted that service issued him a challenge this year.) So, 40 min. drive up, less than an hour of service, and 40 min. back! LOL! But we drove thru a couple of places to gather our lunch. A nice treat. And Emma slept through it all and is *still* sleeping.
I was not early, though. Just five minutes late. My 3yo pitched a fit over getting dressed this morning (which is why I usually leave him home, but I was determined he would go this morning). He most often makes me late.
Anyhow, my PODA for today is to sort some clothing, try to fix the Christmas lights, and maybe finish wrapping and also maybe go to Walmart, if DH will keep the children.
It's coming down quite heavily again! And winter has only just started! I would rather have pretty snow than ugly bare, but we need a little break.
TADA
cookies for church (almond thumbprint filled w/black rasberry jam)
made it to church
went through those clothes
DD let me cuddle her to sleep
Big PODA today
4 loads of laundry
dishes
Dinner: garlic rosemary roasted chicken, roast garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, maple squash, green beans
Fling fling fling in DD's room
"help" the boys fling fling fling in their rooms
dishes
counters
floors
make a quiche for school tomorrow (my students invited our county's legislators to breakfast)
iron my "professional" clothes
Came home from church to find the male cat that adopted us several months ago marked his territory very thoroughly. It reeked! Do they stop doing that once they are neutered? We've never had a cat before.
Laundry question: In one of the bags of clothes there was a gorgeous wine colored velvet dress with a lace collar, which would be perfect for DD for Christmas. The care label is too faded to read. How do you wash velvet? Especially with the lace? It smells a bit musty, and I won't have time to send it to the dry cleaner. Is there hope?
Velvet/velveteen...especially in children's wear, is usually washable. I would think if the care lable is too faded to read, it HAS been washed, and probably washed often! (Drycleaning generally won't do that to a tag.) Wash it on a gentle/delicate cycle, and if you really think it may be fragile, DON'T let it "spin." That is what will crush the velvet. Tumble-dry it on low, and leave it slightly damp, then hang. I'd think it will be fine.
While I'm "here," blessings to all you pg flybabies! Seems like the lot of you are busy doing something OTHER than houskeeping!
Most cats stop spraying once they are neutered. There are exceptions, but usually it works like a charm, especially if they are neutered between six months and a year old. However, ours was a year old when he was neutered and he has never sprayed. If you've never had a cat before, it would be a good idea to get a book on cat behavior.
I'm plugging away, anyhow. Just stopping in to say hello.
Good Morning Everyone!
On Friday we leave for Kansas to visit some family. I think we have lost our minds! Originally we were going to fly, but then decided to drive so we could stop in Chicago on the way. I lived in Chicago for a while in my wild single days and I really miss it! There's not much to do here in our little town in PA. Here is my list for before we leave Friday morning.
PODA:
Laundry
pack Thursday night
clean out garage
get nails done (gotta look nice for the family)
pick up dry cleaning Wednesday
take animals to kennel Thursday night
Mail gifts
clean out car
Not too bad. I think I can do it!!!! Gotta run for now. My kiddo and the dog sound like they are tearing up the living room. Have a great day everyone!
Morgan
I just sent you a package, I wish I'd known or I would've thrown something in for the baby!! Mazel tov! Let me know your due date, I'll put it in the events calendar.
Comments
Christmas is getting close!
What a night...and what a morning so far... I'm exaggerating in my mind because I've not been getting enough sleep lately. It just seems impossible to keep up!
We did decorate the tree last night, but it made for a late night. It wasn't much fun for me, I'm afraid, although the girls were excited. Had to take a long nursing break in the middle of it, then later had to change an exploded diaper, bathe baby, scrub and soak clothes and baby seat cover, etc. etc. Meanwhile, DH is engrossed in the TV (which he always turns up LOUD to counteract the kids), won't help, and I can't do advent until he turns it off. He did read our scripture once his program was over and later put the kids in pj's. This is terrible, but I never did manage to make supper. I think the kids snacked some on bananas and milk. It's not like they ever eat what I make anyway, except maybe DD7. I think the only saving grace was that one of them (DS3) had fallen asleep upstairs and slept for a couple of hours. Only one ornament broken, although several fell off or were pulled off by inquisitive toddler. Of course, they were all hung on one branch on the bottom of the tree!
Meanwhile, the carpet is littered and dirty, there were three large bags of garbage sitting in the kitchen, dirty dishes all over the counters (had to scrub sink before I put baby in it), nasty un-wiped tables and counters, just general yuk all over the place! Whine, whine. I was up 'til 2 a.m. and STILL didn't get it cleaned up. I had laundry to do instead.
I woke up to a bummer of a house, piles of folded clothes, a toddler begging for chocolate milk, and a really grouchy 3yo.
(Sigh) What am I, the Queen of Chaos?
At least none of us has the flu.
TA DA:
*Made hot chocolate since we were out of syrup for chocolate milk. DD5 objected to the whipped topping; had to scoop hers off. My kids are weird.
*Wiped up about 5 separate milk spills.
*Took the 3 bags of garbage out to the garage, where I also scraped the caked mud off the floor with a shovel and swept some. While I was doing that, J.D. wrote all over the LR wall with pencil. Cleaned that up (made him do it too).
*Unloaded and reloaded DW
*Read our Bible story (Daniel in the lions' den)
*Hauled upstairs clothes to basket upstairs where I will put all away later.
*Nursing baby while taking computer break
PODA:
*Get dressed
*Make bed
*Homeschool
*Straighten/vacuum LR
*Sort/put away clothes
*Make a shopping list (need cranberries to make our popcorn garland! And chocolate syrup.)
I think I'm all done Christmas shopping but for a couple of items. I want to get the girls some nighties. Where can I find sweet, simple, old-fashioned nighties that aren't made of that stuff that pills up after one washing? (I don't have time or talent to sew, BTW.) I've looked everywhere. Also want to get a nice ornament for each of the children, but I'm not paying $60 at Lands' End. They have nice pewter ornaments to personalize. Did that last year when I had only 4 kids, and they are lovely, but can do better money-wise. I don't mind writing the name and year with a Sharpie.
Also, need to get DH's Carhartt cap.
I told Emma last night, "You're so adorable that it makes up for it all and then some." Too much cuteness to take in all at once! She's getting so smiley now. She's even cute when she fusses. She's all I want for Christmas.
Anyway, better close now that she's done eating.
Sorry so OT.
Love,
Susannah
Wow, did we get snow!
Thirty-two inches and counting! Needless to say, it is a snow day!
I am going to get to some old hot spots today in the kitchen if it kills me.
TADA
Dishes
Counters
Laundry
Wrapped presents, still not done as DD3 wanted to help
Made dinner
Pre-made 2 dinner for this week
Picked up clutter in the LR
Swept kitchen floor
Had a nice, long talk with DH about driving to Florida in February as a surprise for the kids. I have a dear friend who works for NASA and is stationed at Kennedy who has bugged me for years to come down and stay with her, my folks will be there, and we can stop in on DH's sis in TN on the way home. It will probably the cheapest we could ever do a week in FL, so I think it just might happen!
PODA
Keep on top of the clutter
Make cookies for church party
Kitchen hotspots: top of the fridge & microwave and two "junk" drawers
Play with DD3-maybe we'll make a snowman!
Nice long walk/run (slug from yesterday)
Finish laundry-down to DH's work clothes
Finish wrapping presents
Have a great day everyone!
Susannah, when did you move in here?
OK, we don't have quite as many kids underfoot, but we're working on it. Anyhow, right at the moment we could give you a pretty good struggle over the "Queen of chaos" title. DIrty dishes, unfolded laundry, LOTS of garbage (been too windy to burn trash)...
Let's see, I'm sure there are a few things I want to accomplish today. Maybe if I put 'em here I'll actually get to some of them. So, PODA:
- Catch up on dishes again
- Cook dinner
- Wash diapers
- Put away at least SOME of the laundry piled up in baskets
- 1 chapter of author review
- 1 chapter of technical editing
- Start next book chapter
- Start newsletter
- Start report to client
- Declutter office
- Clean cat box
I think that's the highest priorities. Plenty more to do if by some miracle I actually get through this list.
On the other hand, tree is up, presents are wrapped, DS3 is looking forward to Christmas (DD1 is just entranced by the tree), DW is eating well (though she HATES keeping her sodium intake down), so at least we've got our priorities in line.
hi from school
Well, I'm subbing today. I'm the music teacher. LOL!! Chance is with me, he keeps trying to turn off the computer.
It's 2nd period and I only have one student, her job is to clean up and do whatever she wants. the 1st period kids loved Chance.
PODA: to get thru today. LOL!! I was called at 6:30 this morning so I had some time to get my column wrote and sent in.
Anyway, I better not be on here that long. Maybe check in later!
Fun, Jenny!
And you could take Chance with you...how cool is that?
32 inches of snow! Blows my southern mind. I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. How my kids would love that...for about 30 seconds, before they started going numb (we don't have appropriate outerwear here). Take a picture of your snowman, Jo!
Mike, it comforts me to know I'm not the only one. I'm serious! I feel a little better having vacuumed LR and cleaned the stinky hall bathroom, including cat box (TA DA). We didn't officially homeschool, but we did read Little Town on the Prairie. I'm nursing a lot today, for some reason; Emma won't stay asleep for long. Got DS2 down for a nap and baked brownies for kids after lunch. (DS2 is now awake and quite fussy.) Ran DW one more time. Put on a load to wash. DH is out of town for the day at some sort of conference about continuing ed. programs (a job possibility come summer).
PODA:
*Gotta fold and put away laundry
*Still need to make shopping list
*A couple of thank-yous to write
*Plan for tomorrow's errands
*oops, never made bed
*BBQ chicken for supper.
Enjoy your trip, Morgan! We lived on the north shore for a while, back in 1993-96 while DH went to school there.
I think I'll run make my bed and then fold some laundry on it.
Susannah
Hello flypals
Jenny are you giving the music class instruction over the Internet?
How did Chance do?
I got my Christmas card from Honey today
What a Great picture! 
Also got one from Becky on Saturday, but I think I already said that? Either way Thanks to you both and I'm getting mine out soon, promise.
Susannah, I hope your day's going better today!
I've been a real slug lately, somebody please give me a kick in the pants. It's like I don't wanna do anything, just the bare stuff to get us by.
Someone broke the window in DS17's car and stole his radio over the weekend. He was parked at school for an NJ event. It makes me
to even think about it, oh well.
Ok, anytime now, I need that kick in the pants? someone?
See you guys later.
Jamie Lea
Ambition has struck in PA
WOW! Here are today's TaDa's:
Kitchen is sparkling
No hotspots in sight
5 loads laundry done (WOO HOO!!!!! NO DIRTY LAUNDRY IN THE HOUSE)
DH's bag packed for business trip tomorrow
1/2 way done putting up a wallpaper boarder in DS's room
Jamie Lea: *BIG KICK IN THE PANTS* Hope it didn't hurt!
Sussana: I lived in Hoffman Estates for a year while I managed a Yankee Candle store in Arlington Heights. I don't miss the bitter cold, but I loved all the comotion.
Jenny: What a great job! I would love to have something I could bring my little guy to.
I went and had my blood work done today. I will have my follow up appointment first thing in January. The doc is concerned I have Polycystic Ovaries, however if that is the case he has had great luck treating it. 95% of his patients with PCOS conceived within 3-6 months of treatment. *fingers crossed* I want that baby!!!!!!
I need to get back to my kiddo's room so I actually finish it tonight. Have a great night everyone!
Morgan
Whole lotta shakin' goin on!
Woke up this morning to a 3.5 magn. shaker. Not my idea of a nice wake up call!
Checked out the USGS site, and found out we have mini quakes all over Alaska today. Hope this isnt a sign of a bigger one to come.
The shaker jolted the house good, and even knocked some dishes off the counter. The quake has inspired me to get some things cleaned up and organized better in case of a big one. I have way too much junk piled up that a quake would really make a mess of or even be dangerous. (sigh).
On the brighter side: I finally got my christmas stuff mailed and all my cards finally done! What a relief. I wonder if I will sleep better now. I have been seriously struggling with sleep issues this month. Why do we stress ourselves out so bad? I know this is all self inflicted! LOL.
Off to the Library we go....
Smiles!
Heather and little Lilly
Christmas Family Pic:
http://community.webshots.com/album/81841565hXIThP
home again, home again, jiggidy jig!
Susannah, my mom said that whenever we got home, and I always do it to my kids, too.
The day went well. 7th period was a little hard to deal with, but we managed. It was such a crazy day! 55+ MPH winds, dust storms, tumbleweeds, and snow! and my classroom is in a different building than the rest of the school (in the ag building). Chance was pretty good, and DH was done by 3rd period and came to get him. They are shopping now as we speak. I just subbed for the music teacher, we watched a tape of last weeks Christmas program and they had to write about it in their journals, no big deal.
Ok, so now that I'm home, I need a coke and some ritz crackers with cheese, then I'll do something productive, like figure out and pay bills.
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
Afternoon update: both kids running fevers, had a chat with our accountant (looks like about $20K tax liability coming up in January), I still feel like crap myself. And of course lots of the PODA is undone. OK, I just wanted to whine for a bit. I'll be back in the morning in a better mood, I'm sure.
snow and earthquakes!!!
Wow!! you Jo can have your snow and Heather can have her quakes!!!!
big hello to all my web friends
don't want to forget anyone so Hello to all!!
Susanah..thanks, had a great time at work party. It ended up that I was sitting next to the new owner of my DHs company
5 course dinner,,,I didn't eat the first two to have room for the best one DESSERT!! music a bit too loud. DDs did real well with having friend take them home,,,,she asked him in,,he said ,,I don't think your parents would like that. [I was very happy to hear that ,,as it means he is responsible and polite.I had already told her it would be ok if she did ask him in,,,he stayed for only 15min 'just to see the place' ,,as he said. besides sis was right there,,and they are "only friends" [tee hee ]thats what DD says
tada
DDs to school
quick clean up kitchen
shower shoes
took Jeep to get 3 new wheels [not tires]
worked 10-2
picked up car,,,only had to get 2 wheels after all!! saved 140 bucks
DD had friend over for school project
dinner
PODA
watch Las Vegas and that hunka hunka of a man Josh!!
tommorow,,,make tons of cookies
hope all of you slow down and stop trying to do too much
tis the season to be JOLLY!!!!
Heather, I LOVE your family p
Heather, I LOVE your family pic! How beautiful! I really love the dog, too! I always wanted one of those, but I'm afraid he would hate me for putting thru the hot summers here.
Kitty, I'll be watching Las Vegas with you. Yummy!
Yeah, jo can keep the snow and Heather the earthquakes. Anyone want our drought and sand storms?
Mike, I had to make an appointment for our accountant chat today. I have tomorrow to get everything together (it's pretty much all done, thanks to Quicken, just a few little edits to my report and print). Meet with her on Wed. New gal, our reg. accountant retired, she bought his "firm" (it's just him and his wife and a couple office gals, so I use firm very loosely). So it will be a getting to know you session as well.
I keep seeing the previews of Cold Mountian! I want to see it so bad! I'm halfway thru the book (got much done today while "subbing"). Access Hollywood showed some of the premier in London, Prince "Chaaaales" was there. I have to see this! Wonder if inlaws would like to watch all 3 kids so dh and I could have a date?
See ya'll in the morning.
not stressed, just insomniac!
I could not sleep last night so I am going to try to exhaust myself for the rest of the day and see if it helps! I already cleaned the catbox, called my dad who is on the east coast, and did the 5 a.m. Classical Stretch workout on TV.
PODA:
-shower and dress
-take pills
-make breakfast
-put dinner in crockpot
-desk chores
-errands (Kinko's and post office, to send off the very last bits and pieces of my grad school applications!)
-storage locker (for real this time)
-change sheets
-laundry
-gather up some tax records that have been experiencing entropy
-work on DH's Grandma's Christmas present
-exercise bike, sit-ups and push-ups
The party and ornament exchange last night was lots of fun. There were more people there that I knew than I expected. DH says there were more people there that he liked than he expected! So we both were pleasantly surprised. Not that we thought we'd have a bad time, but we had an even better time than we thought.
Momin'
Snowkeeper, I hope everything is okay out your way. That's kind of scary! Congrats on getting out your mailing.
Mike, I hope the little ones are over it soon. Are they picking it up from preschool? My kids don't get sick unless they've been to church or homeschool group. They just aren't around other kids that often and I very rarely get sick. Must have had it all as a kid already! (Was a magnet for strep throat back then.) So sorry to hear about the tax news. Praying it won't be so bad for you after all.
Morgan, you are flyin', girl! Keeping fingers crossed with you.
Jenny, did everybody's mother say that? LOL! Wow, weird weather over there. We've had a good bit of rain lately.
I'm making a master PODA/shopping list in Word for all that's left to do. On my PODA:
*Drop clothes at drycleaners/pickup
*Send thank-you to Springs church
*Send thank you to friend for girl clothes
*Arrange night out with playgroup mommy friend
*Pay bills
*Set out book for homegroup
*Decide what snacks to take to homegroup Christmas party tomorrow
*Add ingredients to shopping list
*Finish laundry
TA DAs:
*Cleaned up most of kitchen last night
*Put away upstairs clothes
*Did advent
Hmmm, I thought there was more than that.
Better get going!
Love,
Susannah
P.S.
Becky, thanks for the cards! And glad you had such a nice night out. I love Christmas parties!
Not much time to post today.
Not much time to post today. I have to be at the school in about an hour for the start of dd4's Christmas party. It includes lunch (we use cookie cutters to cut out sandwiches). I did go to the post office this morning and mailed out my cards and packages. THAT'S out of the way at least. Doing a load of laundry, including the preschool teachers daughters cheer uniform. She was fixing to take it to the home ec room, I told her just give it to me, I can wash it with our stuff. It's in the dryer now.
Cya'll later!
Susannah's master PODA/ shopping list
Very good idea, I should do that!
Hi
I got your card today Becky, thank you
I'm procrastinating at the moment
The house is a mess, there are about 6 loads of laundry to do, I still have about thirty cards to write (and the last posting date for within the UK is looming. Eek), and of course I have a big pile of ironing to do. So I decided the best thing to do was.......ignore all that and spend some time on TNH 
Its 8.15pm here, I reckon I might have time to do the Christmas cards, some laundry and some ironing. The mess can wait!
Flap flap.....
Home Alone..
Hubby went on a business trip.... Home Alone with my little girl for a night. Now I just need to decide what to do with this rare time. He is rarely gone. Maybe I'll work on his quilt I was suppose to have done last month. LOL.
By the way... as a flybaby, I thought I'd mention my sink is still shiny! This is a big step for me! And I feel great about it! This is really working for me....Not 100% but, Im sure it will all come in time.
Anyway...lots to do today still, and bowling tonight.
Better get on the run...
Smiles!
Heather
Dandylion Lily
Pardon my non-flybaby interruption but If you all have not looked at Heather's family pictures GO DO IT! "Dandylion Lily" could not be any more precious!
Thanks for sharing them, Heather!
Lenora
Wow Heather, What Is That Swampbuggy?
Cool. I had to print it to show my DH. How long have you been in Alaska?
I feel like we're in AK now, because we are expecting our THIRD major snowstorm in 9 days tomorrow! They say 14 inches! Again! Gracious. It's a good thing I love snow, but the boys are none too pleased to shovel the deck again. Poor DS13 is just finishing digging out from the last storm right now. That's going to be a total of about 70 inches of snow if the prediction is right. It is beautiful, but I hate having the banks so high, it's impossible to see when you're pulling into traffic.
TADA
all laundry done
dishes
mailed the last gifts today
paid bills
PODA for tomorrow
up at 5 to exercise-3 miles
cookies (SLUG)
dishes
floors
bathrooms
vacuum DD's room
another SLUG to admit
those darn kitchen hotspots
Here's hoping for more user-friendly weather for everyone.
-Jo
A lot of snow!
Wow, that is a lot of snow Jo! You are in Maine, right? You always sound so together, even though you work FT! What's your secret? The cooking, especially - haven't seen a frozen pizza on your menu yet!
Yes, Heather, I loved your photos too! You should frame that dandelion one - the color is tremendous. What brought you to Alaska? Glad you joined us Flybabies!
Becky and Honey, got your cards! Thanks! Honey, your photo is great - who took it? I had seen your photo before, but never your son's - he is really cute!
Well, cards are out and parents things are wrapped, to be mailed tomorrow. Need to wrap kids gifts plus DD6's birthday gifts for Sunday - this is the birthday that never ends it seems! I'm starting a tradition of having a birthday breakfast with Mom each year with a small gift and letter from me - so trying to figure out when to fit that in - Sunday is his actual birthday, but we've also got Sunday School, church, and having friends over that evening. Hmmmm.
No work tomorrow, thank goodness - I will check in then. I'm off to order DH's gift - the soundtrack from "Oliver"!
Andrea
I'd do anything for you, dear....
I saw Oliver! in London about ten years ago. It was kind of surreal-- they were performing in a theatre that was near a lot of Victorian buildings, so when I went outside after the performance I felt as if I had walked onto the stage set.
Ta-da:
There were 12 items on the PODA and I finished the first six! I've got to do laundry now though. Really really really.
Thankyou everyone!
Thankyou all for the compliments! I love showing off our family pics, but I dont usually get such fun comments. You guys are great!
And for those of you who asked: We moved to Alaska a year and half ago from Eastern Washington. We wanted to move to a state without all the taxes and restrictions.... We sold everything we had, put what we needed into our vehicles and headed north. Hubby found work the first week here. Alaska has been good to us. Things are so different here! we are really enjoying it. And the scenery is breathtaking!!!
We have no family here, but I still cant help feel that we are HOME!
Moving to Alaska is kind of what brought me here to this group.
Housing here is very expensive, so we live in a small cabin in the city. I have hardly any storage. My kitchen although not so small, it still has few cupboards and storage. (sigh). I am constantly battling with things piling up... Hot Spots are a big one for me!
Im learning though! Its slow progress, but I can at least see some progress!
My mom was a white glove house cleaner. And growing up with 11 kids in the family, I can recall her always battling with us about cleaning... I think thats why I still battle with it. Cleaning has never been a favorite pastime for me..LOL. (Sigh). Old habits die hard huh? ...lol.
We have snow in the forecast for this weekend!!!! Hooray! I love how its piling up! (Obviously not quite tired of shoveling yet..LOL..YET!)
Time for my evening cleanup.... Then Im headed to bed exausted!!!
Smiles!
Heather
I am reviewing...the situation...
Of course, I've only seen the movie...
It looks like a bomb went off in here. I'm not sure how or when it happened, because it was relatively neat yesterday for quite a while. Like Honey, I took one look around...and decided to come visit you guys.
Speaking of bombs going off, I had the strangest dream last night. I was looking out a southwest window and saw a flash on the horizon, a huge cloud, then a second flash. Then the wind picked up like a storm and I saw the grass burning under it. Somebody had detonated a nuclear device in Atlanta! Here's the really weird part; it wasn't a terrorist attack. Some stupid visiting sports team had a nuclear weapon as its mascot, and one of the players had figured out how to re-arm it as a joke. It went off as they were carrying it into the game! Now somebody interpret *that* one for me.
Heather, your pictures are gorgeous! I agree, "dandelion lilly" is so sweet! What a precious little girl! I love the one of both of you with the beautiful mountains in the background. I've got to go back and look through all the pages.
I'd better get on it. I have lots to do. Had some gifts arrive in the mail yesterday and also some I bought yesterday that need wrapping. Wanted to do a spinach dip for our homegroup party tonight. I also picked up cranberries so we can do our garland. Took Emma to the outlets with me yesterday and it took me forever just to find ornaments for the kids. I finally settled on some ceramic country crosses that were on sale. Managed it for $10! I'll just write names & year with a marker on back. They had SpongeBob and Rugrats ornaments, and although I am fond of SpongeBob and it would have delighted the children, I feel he doesn't belong on a Christmas tree. I try to add one bird to our collection every year, and found a beautiful glass snowy owl for us. By the time I retire, I should be able to decorate with nothing but birds!
Well, with that rather unclear PODA recorded, I'm going to sign off and get to work. Can you believe that even with my super-organized list yesterday, I forgot to buy diapers? Arg. Can't wait till my diaper covers on backorder arrive so I can use my cloth.
Love y'all!
Susannah
P.S. TA DA...I did mail off one thank-you yesterday and I managed to load and run the DW before coming out here.
Anti-procrastination Day Challenge
Ok everyone, I've been putting off alot of projects and errands that must be completed today!!!! So my challenge to everyone is to pick at least one thing you've been putting off and get in done today. I'm going for 6 things.
1.Oil change in the minivan
2. Purchase cracker barrel gift certificates for teachers
3. Walmart gift certificate for nephew.
4. Wrap and mail gifts for dad and brother's family (all others were ordered and delivered through catalogs back in November)
5. Print Christmas letter. (check prices for color copies)
6. Try and find addresses for chrismas list (lost address file with hard drive last summer) Tomorrow will be the mailing of letters.
Will be posting again this afternoon. I hope I can get through it. Wish me luck.
Good morning
Good morning, Ladies (and gentleman),
I have not been nearly as busy as you ladies with small children -- although I certainly DO remember knocking myself out at Christmas to make it all come together.
Been busy lately with estate business. Mom's house is being replumbed. There was a hole in her waterline and her last bill was over $200. The plumber worked two days and then he and his assistant both got sick with some virus. Hopefully not the flu!
Yesterday Mom got some Christmas cards, and I found it difficult to write responses letting her friends know that she passed away. It's not too bad doing the business stuff -- but the personal stuff makes me a bit weepy.
DD and I are taking our annual Christmas trip later this week and I'm looking forward to that. Then this spring DS and I will take a weekend together.
We're keeping Christmas simple, since it's just us. DH is a postal worker, so he's been working ten-hour days seven days a week, with no chance for a day off until Christmas Day. At least we're hoping he gets Christmas off this year -- he doesn't always.
Don't forget to take the time to have fun with those little ones!
LoisD
Christmas in Two Days
No, it's not going to be Christmas in two days; I am getting all of my shopping done in TWO DAYS! I got most of it done yesterday & I plan to finish all but DD's today. DH and I will go get hers this weekend if we can get a sitter. I've done some previewing for hers, so it shouldn't take us too terribly long to do it.
Yesterdays TADAs:
* Shopping - 80% done!
* Picked up photo reprints for Christmas cards
* Got Santa stamps for cards
* Mailed title replacement form & check
* Laundry
* All Christmas cards mailed!
* Sold another puppy (only one more to go!)
So far for today's TADAs:
* Called phone company re: double charge on bill
* Completed bank draft form for ambulance bill
* Laundry (one load put away; one in dryer; one in washer)
* Organized list of what I need to do today
DD fell asleep at 8:30 last night, so she was up at 5:30 this morning. Then, she crashed at 8:15. I'm letting her doze until 9:30, then getting her up to go do our errands. I sure am glad I don't go into the office on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, or I wouldn't have been able to get my shopping done!
Today's PODA:
* Get three gift certificates, one dirty Santa gift & a couple of "just in case" gifts
* Get some general household items (laundry detergent, etc.)
* Make sure I have everything for DD's birthday party on Sunday
* Iron DD's "christening"-type dress for professional photo tomorrow night
* Have dinner done on time so we can go to church (DD has a party in her AWANA class)
We had an extremely windy night last night. It blew over an extra storm door that was propped against house, which in turn unplugged our outdoor lights from both the outlet and the lights. DH will have to get up there & re-plug.
OK, so that's about it for me, I suppose. DD is not going to be happy when I wake her...
Vonnie
One More Comment...
One more thing I forgot to include in my post. Every year, it seems like we have to run, run, run at Christmas time. I always have an office party and two or three related to my office that I feel I "must" attend. DH has his work party, plus the store party where he is a partner. Then, we have at least two church parties.
This year, with DD in our lives now, I decided I wasn't going to do it. I missed my office party (which I haven't done in the 10 years I've been there); we didn't go to DH's work party or our Sunday School party. We DID take DD to our City's Christmas Parade, which she LOVED; we took DD to the Kid's party at DH's work where she met Santa & sat on his lap for the first time ever; and we are going to the store party this Saturday evening. I feel much less stressed.
And, I only sent Christmas cards to people who sent one to us (with about 5 exceptions). I know I'll get some too late for me to send one out, but that's OK.
Anyone else took a less is more approach this year? I really feel much more in the spirit this year than in year's past. Of course, having DD has helped that as well!
Vonnie
Have to pick a pocket or two!!
Loved your heading Susannah! And that sounds really cool Becky. Our highschool did a tremendous job of Oliver this fall - it felt like a professional production. I'd never seen it before but we all loved the music, so I thought this would be a fun gift for DH. One of our closest friends' sons, who is in 11th grade, played Fagin and was a hoot!
I agree Vonnie, you can't do everything - just enjoy what you can do and make it special! "Dirty Santa gift"? Huh? Excuse my ignorance but that one got my attention.
Like the Cracker Barrel idea Susan - I've done that in the past for my folks, this year I got an Olive Garden certificate.
Well, I've gotten quite a bit done today, still need to wrap and mail two big gifts, then some wrapping at home. But first, paid work. A friend called and asked if I could watch her 3-year-old for 3 hours! So that kinda put a damper on things.
OK, I really have to go now!
Andrea
No Santa Is Not Dirty
Andrea, a Dirty Santa gift is something appropriate for either sex (if a mixed group), within a predetermined price range. Everyone draws a number. You begin with #1, who chooses a gift and unwraps it. Then #2 can either choose a gift, or take #1's gift. If they take a gift, then that person has to choose another. Then, it proceeds with the next number. There are varying ways to play, but we usually play that the last number is final. Some people play that after the last number, the person who was #1 can go back and take anyone else's gift and give them the one they had.
Does this make sense?
Vonnie
Dirty Santa
If you really want to make the "Dirty Santa" game even dirtier, you throw a twist in at the end. Have anyone pick a number between 1-4 (or pick it from a bowl)and make everyone pass their gift that many people to the right or left. This neatly takes care of the strategizers.
That's Pretty Smart, Hope
I may suggest that at the two parties we're playing Dirty Santa! That's shrewd!
Vonnie
Three year old for sale..... REAL CHEAP!!!!!
Would anyone care to take my son????? He is driving me CRAZY!!!! He is so cranky today! He doesn't want anything that usually makes him happy and he is SASSY!!!!! GGGGGGGRRRRR!!!! Gimme a break kid!!!
Hope- I liked your idea for the game. Growing up there were about 10 of us in our church youth group that stayed close so we had a Christmas party every year when we came home for Christmas. Two years ago it was becomming difficult to have the party because everyone was getting married and trying to have babies so we agreed it would be the last party. Through the years I had always given really neat gifts and I always ended up with really bad gifts so I pulled a prank on everyone!! I brought 3 gifts that year and all the guys wanted to know which ones were mine because they were usually food. Instead of food I wrapped: 1 dirty diaper, one old bottle that I found under the seat of my car that still had about 3 Tbsp old formula in it, and one mismatched sock that I couldn't find the pair to. The first three to pick were the guys that were the most anxious to get food, so of course they opened my gifts. You would have figured that the third guy would have picked someone else's gift, but his stomach spoke louder than his brain and he got the dirty diaper. Of course no one took their gifts so they were stuck. I was pretty proud of myself in a mischievious way. Everyone else got a kick out of it too!
I was a slug yesterday so I play catch up on my sink and bed this morning.
Today's PODA:
make more cookies
shovel driveway before DH gets home
Have a wonderful day everyone!!!
Talk About Dirty
That's a great one Morgan....good for you
.
Vonnie, it is fun to throw the twist in at the end. Also, if the person who went first goes again at the end, or even the last person to go, they are pretty smug thinking they've got the last pick. Making the gifts move at the end makes it a total surprise all around.
We had to adopt the twist because everyone was getting too crafty and sneaky about the game.
dirty diaper!
I have never heard of that game, how fun! Morgan, can't believe you wrapped a dirty diaper, OMG!
Well, playdate is over, watching the neighbor girl after school is over, and my chores are done! I do need to wrap DS's gifts though and maybe some Xmas stuff, but I enjoy that. Cards and packages are out!
Dinner? Who knows?!
Andrea
It's Official!
OK, it's official: I am done with all of our shopping EXCEPT for DD. I'm trying to get DH to ask DBIL if he can watch her Monday or Tuesday evening so we can go get it. Otherwise, we'll have to take her, look at stuff and one take her out to the car while the other one gets the stuff and pays. We have a list of items we want to get for her & I've already done some looking & know where things on the list are.
Got one card in the mail that I had to reciprocate. It's ready to go in tomorrow's pickup. Still have to wrap everything, but I probably won't attempt that until next week when DH can take DD out of the house. Who knows if they will actually STAY wrapped?
Well, better get going.
Vonnie
Big TADA
I'm gona have a baby! I think I may be as far as 10 weeks along, not sure. But last month I didn't get the usual visit from aunt flo, more like a day and half of light spotting (sorry if that's TMI) also was very nauseous for a little over a week before that. We're very excited and still have alot of people I need to call and share the news with but I wanted let you guys know.
You Guys Crack Me Up
It's always so fun to get on my computer at night and see what my imaginary friends have been up to, and it's very comforting to know I'm not the only one who has cranky kids, doesn't get enough sleep, get overloaded with commitments, and so on. You truly are all a breath of fresh (grown-up) air in my life.
Andrea, thank you so much for the compliment, but I have to say that I am a complete control freak and quite anal retentive. O.K. maybe not quite that bad, but close. I have my little flybaby routine, and I have trained the males with fear and intimidation.
OK, the truth is, we have a family ritual of cleaning together on Sunday nights, I do OAMC and use my crockpot at least once a week, and my kids are old enough to really be helpful. Train 'em when they're young flypals, it really pays off later!
Mess with my routine though, and all bets are off.
TADA
dishes
bathrooms
floors
dinner
bought, wrapped, and delivered gift for needy kids
PODA
cookies for church
SLUG
exercise!
I havn't slept well at all the past 4 nights. This is getting really old. The last 3 weeks I have probably slept through the night a total of 7 days. DD is wakeful, the animals are needing to go out at odd times, the weather has been loud(last night it was snow shedding off the roof for a good hour), DH has been snoring louder than usual...
Of course as my DH rightly says, if an ant farted I would wake up.
I can't wait to get back into a good sleep pattern and feel rested again.
Maybe tonight!
Great news!!
Hi everyone!
Congratulations Jamie Lea!!! Wow, that is fantastic news!
:) 
I thought there might be a little one in your future! Hope all goes well and you MUST keep us posted! Have you told your kids yet? How did DH react?
Jo, I guess I had you pegged as that type of personality. I am also, I thrive on routines and am doing ok, but would like to get my family involved more - kids are 5 and 7. I'd also like to do some OAMC. I am only working 2 days a week out of the house and 1/2 a day at home, so there is no excuse for me to be serving frozen pizzas!
I DID cook tonite - shrimp in tomato sauce over spaghetti with veggies and salad - it was delish. Tomorrow? Again, who knows? Probably Italian sausage in some form - I work tomorrow so DH will be cooking.
Well, off to wrap a few gifts - take care everyone - especially you Jamie!
Great news!!
Hi everyone!
Congratulations Jamie Lea!!! Wow, that is fantastic news!
I thought there might be a little one in your future! Hope all goes well and you MUST keep us posted! Have you told your kids yet? How did DH react?
Jo, I guess I had you pegged as that type of personality. I am also, I thrive on routines and am doing ok, but would like to get my family involved more - kids are 5 and 7. I'd also like to do some OAMC. I am only working 2 days a week out of the house and 1/2 a day at home, so there is no excuse for me to be serving frozen pizzas!
I DID cook tonite - shrimp in tomato sauce over spaghetti with veggies and salad - it was delish. Tomorrow? Again, who knows? Probably Italian sausage in some form - I work tomorrow so DH will be cooking.
Well, off to wrap a few gifts - take care everyone - especially you Jamie!
My, ya'll were busy today!!!
My, ya'll were busy today!!!
Well, Susannah, uh, that's a strange dream! LOL!!
Lois, all the loose ends with your mom passing away must be so hard this time of year. I hope you get thru it ok.
Vonnie, I want to know about this "dirty" Santa gift!
Oh, you just explained it. Not what I thought. LOL!!
Oh Jamie Lea, I'm so happy for you! I know how long you've been waiting for this! here's hoping its a girl to try and balance out the hormones in the house a bit better.
I finally got a chance to have some me time and check email today. Got a phone call at 6:30 asking if I could sub and I said yes without thinking of all I have to do today! I taught 3rd grade, and I've been doing laundry and cleaning non-stop! It's my anniversary, but no time to go out. We had some steak on the new grill and called it our fancy dinner. Was supposed to meet the accountant today, but I had to send DH by himself with the Quicken reports. Luckily I had everything organized in there.
Probably won't have time to check in tomorrow. I need to clean and pack the camper, make sandwiches for dd6's Christmas party and attend that, then leave for AZ as soon as school is out. I'll see ya'll next week!
Anti-procrastination update.
Great news Jamie. I'm so happy for you.
My anti-procrastination day has been a successed. All items completed including copying the christmas letter and sent out. The only item not checked off was the oil change. There was an hour wait. So I guess it will have to wait til next week, after the shopping, wrapping and cooking (party at our house on Sunday).
Jenny, Hope you have a great visit with your family.
Good night
Susan
Anti Procrastination day DONE! Phew!
Jamielea, Congradulations!!!! We will be keeping you in our prayers for a easy pregnancy and a happy healthy bundle of joy! Kids are awesome!
I thought I was going to get out of this anti-procrastination day...I was scheduled for a day with my best friend, but she called me this morning and canceled.
That call came about 30 seconds after I got a good chuckle thinking I was getting out of "anti-procrastination day"..LOL.. Well, thats what I get. So, I threw up my hands and gave in... I soon hit the big hot spot in my house and my anti-procrastination tasks soon spread like wildfire. I got a ton done!
Destroyed Major Hot Spot in Kitchen.
Rearanged Kitchen.
Cleaned kitchen floor.
Completed all laundry.
Cleaned laundry room.
Wiped down laundry room appliances.
Hung up new pictures. Rearanged old ones.
Dusted off old pictures.
Organized cookbooks and moved shelf.
Rearanged Lilly's table and learning area.
Hung new learning posters up.
Washed living room windows.
Cleaned garbage can out.
Burnt paper garbage...Set out new candles.
Managed a descent dinner.
Im plum tuckered out now! And my feet are killing me.
To sit here and plunk away at this keyboard is pure joy! LOL.
Anything to get off my feet!
We had a wonderful snow storm come thru today too.... Thats what got me cleaning my living room windows. I stood and watched the snow for a bit... It was really coming down. I could barely see the neighbors house! I went and checked the internet forecast, and they said no snow today! LOL. Visibility 150 miles! LOL... not in my neighborhood! LOL. (We dont have tv so I rely on the internet for my forecasts.)
QUESTION: Anyone here do daily devotionals? Im trying to get my daily devotionals worked into my schedule somehow, but still struggling with that one. What works for you? I really really want to get in the habit of it! I want my little girl to also join in with me. I was not raised doing them, so I am hoping by raising my daughter with daily devotionals, that she wont struggle with it. Hopefully. Any advice welcome! Thanks!
I'd like to thankyou all for this group... I am really thoroughly enjoying it! I totally feel like I have a great support group here! Big Help!
Smiles!
Heather
Is Dirty Santa the same as White Elephant?
That's what we usually play. Tonight, though, it was Scattergories, men against women against teenagers. Funny! For some reason, we kept coming up with answers that involved alcohol. We blamed it all on the pastor.
CONGRATULATIONS, Jamie! What a wonderful surprise! I mean, not necessarily for you (I don't know if you were trying) but for *me*!! Too cool. Have you told DS5 yet?
Well, it was a great party, but coming home late with all the kids was not fun. It took a whole crew of people to get us and our acoutrements out of the party and into the van. I walked in and realized...Hmmm, the elves did not clean up the house while I was away. Darn! Emma screamed her poor little eyes out while I got the others speed-cleaned and dressed into pj's. Meanwhile, DH is out with friends watching LOTR: Return of the King. Opening day! Guys get all the luck. I'm going on my b-day with Mom and DH has actually toyed with the idea of keeping the baby for me...IF I can get her to take a bottle before then!
I checked my mail and discovered my lovely, genteel friend, a homeschooling mother of four, had sent me an opulent Christmas card with a gorgeous picture of her family posing with all their musical instruments in the most beautiful of clothes. They are so incredibly perfect! How about that for superlatives?
Honey, I got your card with the lovely picture and encouraging note. Thank you so much!
Your son is a cutie. I love the little "surprises" you always include.
Anyways...it's late and I haven't even thought about the Evening Routine yet. TA DA: I did get the spinach dip done early enough. I also unloaded/reloaded the DW and cleared my worst hotspot (creating others in the process, unfortunately). I know I was busy all day, I just can't remember what I did. Nursed baby a lot. Oh yes, and wrapped a few presents, until I ran out of paper. We went to the store tonight before the party and I grabbed more wrapping paper without looking, and when I got home tonight I noticed it said "Happy Kwanzaa" all over it! Sheesh. But I was in a hurry because J.D. had already knocked over one display and broken a light bulb in aisle 10. Poor little kid, he didn't mean to.
We have playgroup tomorrow, so I'll be burning the calories getting this place straight before they come. Nitey night!
Love,
Susannah
Missed Heather somehow!
Heather, this isn't a daily devotional, more like weekly or twice weekly, but it's a good one...I've been going through the Grace Bible Study at www.eternitynow.org. You can sign up to have it sent to your e-mail address. They also have faith-based activities for kids there that can be used correspondingly; there's usually a suggested activity lesson in the margin of the adult study.
Or, read one chapter of Proverbs per day. That'll get you through a month! I had a friend who did that with her DH, and they alternated reading the verses aloud. They got a lot out of it.
For Bible stories, I use a Bible story book that covers most of the OT and NT stories. I try to read them over breakfast each day. Some days it doesn't work too well, with kids getting up late or baby fussy. Even so, we've almost made it to the NT stories. I just felt like they needed to be familiar with the general content of the Bible. The boys don't listen too well, but I think the girls get a lot out of it. Our book is called the Victor Family Story Bible. There might be better ones out there; that's just one I had lying around.
And I've been meaning to say to Morgan that we lived in Deerfield, and DH's best friend from childhood lived in Arlington Heights! P.S. Morgan, sounds like your 3yo and mine are kindred spirits! LOL! Mine's finally outgrowing some of it now, the more I allow him to be a "big boy" and do stuff for himself. He gets mad if I intervene. He's been my most stubborn kid yet. (Sigh.)
Congratulations!
That's wonderful news, JamieLea.
Thanks everybody!
We have told DS5, as well as DS17 and DC16. There all excited, especially DS5, who told his daddy "so daddy, I'm gona have to be a good big brother or big sister right?"
He promptly noticed his goof and corrected himself.
Susannah, not a surprise to us
we've been trying for about a year, DS5 still sleeps with us, I think that may have been cause for the delay 
I did manage a TADA this afternoon! Spent 15 min. in the classroom dejunking. Also made some good meatballs for dinner. DS5 and I have a little bit of stocking stuffer shopping to do tomorrow, DS17 and DC16 both have exams tomorrow and then early dismissal at 1:30.
It's 11:15pm, I should be in bed! Not sure why I'm not, Humm, maybe cause I can hear DH and DS5 snoring from here!
Roll over in my sleep 
and hit DH, which usually causes him to turn over, and thus stop snoring 
DS5's not so loud, I can sleep threw him, I guess it's time to go "accidentally"
See you guys in the morning.
Jamie Lea
Another Snow Day
I'm off from school again. Ten inches of heavy, wet snow overnight, and it's still coming down. Man. A friend of ours' barn roof collapsed this morning.
I need to revise today's PODA
exercise
kitchen hot spots
kitchen hot spots
kitchen hot spots-today will be my anti-procrastination day!
laundry
maybe some baking
draw tons of shapes for DD to cut out, it's her latest obsession
help the boys shovel the deck, it's a job for three today for sure
Have a super day all!
I did sleep through last night. Hooray!
Oh, and
Congratulations Jamielea!
Hey, great news!
Just checking in after a few more days of being underwater, and saw your news Jamie Lea. If you're already 10 weeks you're not gonna be far behind us (just hit 13 here, I think).
Meanwhile, the word for the day is "sick". Both kids spiked fevers a couple of days ago, and both are sniffly. DS3's eyes are exuding so much gunk that we took him in to the doctor yesterday to get a diagnosis of "eye gunk" ("people say pinkeye but that term gets overused," says our doctor). Last night DW started feeling lousy and went to bed complaining of nausea, sore throat, and chills. My own sore throat came on a few hours later.
And just to top it off, DS3's cold has thrown his sleep schedule all to hell. He had a long nap yesterday evening, woke up at 10:30, and is still (at 5:30) going strong...I took over second shift starting around 11:30 and am trying to cope with everything on 3 or 4 hours of sleep.
Whine, whine, whine, huh?
As long as I'm here, PODA:
- Send out invoice for this month's newsletters, after I call the managing editor and find out what they're paying me
- Follow up with client about report I sent yesterday
- Do a batch of Web programming
- Do some book work
- Get my Inbox back below 10 messages (at 19 right now, bah)
- Put away some more of the laundry (I actually got it ALL washed yesterday...we had clean laundry piled everywhere)
- Wash diapers
- Cook dinner, if anyone is up to eating. Otherwise, just keep kids fed and hydrated somehow.
- Wash dishes
- Clean catbox
Ah well, if we're all sick this week, chances are we'll be healthy Christmas morning, right?
Stop Sending The Sickness This Way!!!
DD woke up this morning complaining with her stomach. She has problems being regular (TMI, I know!), so I gave her some prune juice. But, just now I took her temp because she felt warm & it is 100.5 on ear thermometer. Which means 101, I think. Gave her children's tylenol. My Mom is coming to keep her while I work. If it goes up or doesn't go down by lunch, I'll have to call the doc. She doesn't act like she feels bad, other than holding her tummy from time to time.
Well, I'd better get going. Gotta find my shoes so I can leave on time in case I have to come home.
Vonnie
P.S. Big Congrats, Jamielea!!
hi all
We're having some kind of weird computer problem - all the posts from the last couple of days don't show, unless I hit ctrl and F5 (DS' idea), that makes them appear. It took me two days to realise that though, so I wasn't sure if no one had posted for two days, or what....
Anyway! I wanted to say thanks to Becky and Susannah for your Christmas cards. Susannah, what a beautiful family you have
Andrea, it was my Mum who took that photo, I think. It was taken at my parents' house last Christmas. You can tell its my Mum's as the tree is colour coordinated and tasteful - mine is a teetering multicoloured hotchpotch! (and we like it that way!
)
I still have quite a lot of Christmas shopping to do, but it's mainly little bits and pieces - frames for some photos I want to give as gifts, some edible goodies for DS12's stocking, ingredients for the cookies and candy I am making for my parents. I'm hoping to get it all done tomorrow, then shut the door and forget the world for a few days!
PODA
Move the hotspot that is currently on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, which is preventing me from getting under the tree to turn the lights on
Teenagers again...
Last night my hubby and I laid in bed and talked until 3:30 in the morning. It was like we were dating again!!!! It was a wonderful time, but the poor man was dead on his feet at 5:30 when he had to get up for work. Lucky for me, DS slept until 8 this morning and then was content to cuddle in bed and watch cartoons until 10. I know that there is some rule (written or unwritten) about staying in bed until 10 o'clock, but it was so great! Once I was up we were really moving and I got a lot done.
TaDa's:
all gifts mailed (forgot one yesterday)
all christmas cards out
grocery shopping done
sink shiney
MB is spotless
DS and I made the dough for peanut blossoms, sugar cookies, and snickerdoodles and we made cupcakes for all of his little friends in the neighborhood.
Jamie- Congratulations!!! You must be so excited! Do you want a boy or a girl?
Susannah- I have found that 1/2 of all three year olds in the world are bonded by some primal need to yell all the time and talk back to their parents. Some days I wish that I had a fast forward button!!!! (just some days though.... I will miss this age terribly soon, I'm sure) My little guy is also getting increasingly independant. Today I had an armfull of groceries and he was going to open the door for me. He was taking to long so I reached over to help him. He got SOOOOO mad. He jerked the door shut again and said very sternly "MOM! I am a VEEEEEERY strong boy and I can do it myself!!!!!!" Very hard not to laugh.
Anyway, I better get back to my cookies. Time to actually bake them now!
Have a great day everyone!!
P.S.
If you'd like to see my little guy you can go to www.scottshuman.com
It may be a little confusing because we just moved from NE not too long ago so there are still some links on their for Lincoln. You can click on the "more of Dylan" picture to see his pictures.
a boy
A huge congrats Jamie!! my guess is a boy
tada
DDs to school
laundry
grocery shop ,,,regular and having party tom night
major kitchen clean up
made dough for gingerbread cookies,,in fridge,will make later
bought last of stocking stuffers and got into bags to separate
poda
work 4-8 more training,,last night computer system was down,,if it is tonight you will ALL hear me scream!!
more laundry
make cookies
good luck to all on getting things done!!
Still not much of a TADA today, but....
I did get an earlier Dr. appointment, and Dr says I'm 12 weeks!!! Sort of shocking that someone could be with child for that long and not know! Actually part of me knew but like I said we had been trying for close to a year and I just didn't know why this time would be any different so I didn't test. I have been taking prenatal vitamins the whole time we were trying so I don't feel like I missed that early care.
DH is in shock that I'm as far along as I am, questioning EVERYTHING we've done in the last 12 weeks 
I don't have a preference, boy or girl, I think if i had to choose, I'd say boy. Just cause I been there done that and well girls scare me! But at the same time the thought of a girl to take my side in this house full of men, has it's appeal
So either way, I'm happy.
Andrea, I got your card today, I LOVE the picture! So cute, can I borrow the light idea?
I have NO flying TADA's for today, but a PODA I must get working on.
ironing
laundry
downstairs is a mess
upstairs is not much better
and still have some presents to wrap
See you guys later.
Jamie Lea
Yes, We Are Sick
Well, my Mom called me at work to tell me DD's temp had gone up. So I came home & bless her heart, she felt soooo bad. Temp has gone down from 101.9 down to 101.1, but it seems like it's gone down more to me judging from her appearance and demeanor. She's eating good, though, just not wanting to drink. So, we're doing ice chips and gatorade as I can get her to drink it.
Thanks to everyone for the cards! I always think of that after I've posted.
Well, better go. DD wants Mama to rock her!
Vonnie
congratulations Jamie!
I'm busy. Not up to posting much-- not sick or anything, just busy and tired. Hi to everyone.
oh, and....
http://www.beliefnet.com sends periodic readings for many different religions, and I think the Christian ones are daily but I don't know because I get the Jewish ones, which are three times a week.
AARRGGHH!
What a frustrating day. The power kept going off/on, DD3 drew on the stairs and wood floor with a black non-washable marker she found in the trash, and DS13 flat out refused to shovel anymore! Oh well, I think we all just have cabin fever.
TADA
dishes
laundry-all caught up again
shiny sink
top of fridge (kitchen hotspot #1)
top of microwave (kitchen hotspot #2)
de-junked 2 junk drawers (kitchen hotspot #3)
walked/ran 3.5 miles
baked cookies for the kids
shoveled
swept water coming into the cellar down the drain three times (cement floor)
read a Smithsonian magazine all the way through!
PODA
help DD wash the floor and stairs some more
help DD3 sweep up all her paper scraps from hours of cutting
sit down with DS13 to have a talk about contributing to the family-now that should be fun.
Silly side note: In hitting those hotspots I found 15, yes you read right, 15 rolls of film that need to be developed.
Have a good evening everyone!
ambition is gone
DS decorated the cupcakes while I made more cookies and now I have to go clean up his mess. He decorated the floor more than the cupcakes!!!! DH and DS are watching Lord Of The Rings and I so badly want to go to bed!!!!! I better go clean the kitchen before I head that way. I get crabby when my sink isn't shiney in the morning!!!! Have a good night everyone!
Morgan
Cranky, cranky, cranky!!!!
Oh my word!!!! From the minute my head hit the pillow last night I was in SUCH a bad mood!!!!!! DH came in after me and was eating chocolate chip cookies in bed and I about came unglued. My first objection was that he gets crumbs in the bed. Next was all the noise. The cookies were in a plastic bag, so that was crumpling, then the chewing, then the chugging of the milk. AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Later in the night DH tried to cuddle with me, but I felt like he was crushing me so I made him move. Then this morning I was harping on him about our vacation plans. Things have gotten screwed up at work so he won't know when we are goign to leave until tonight. I hate not knowing!!!!!! It affects EVERYTHING!!!!!! SO anyway, I'm crabby and hubby says he doesn't want to come home until I give him his wife back. Just had to vent a minute. I'll write something a little more cheery later.
Morgan
cookies
That would drive me batty too Morgan, especially the cookie thing! Sheesh, men.
Well, another busy day, at least I don't have to work. Am meeting a friend for coffee in a few minutes so have to run. I really want to do a gingerbread house with the kids before Christmas, but am having trouble finding those darn kits without driving into the city. I may end up going there today.
Catch ya later -
Andrea
Morgan, I have so been there...
I feel for you!
Today I feel like one person trying to hold back a huge avalanche of mess. It's because I'm tired, though. I always get easily discouraged when tired. Kept trying to lie down again this morning, but of course with kids that doesn't happen.
Okay, today on my PODA:
*Everything.
I'm serious, laundry, the whole house, wrapping presents, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning up ktchen. No wonder I feel overwhelmed!
I had a nice dinner last night with my mommy friend. We had a deep discussion about spiritual matters. J.D. screamed after I left, though, and I could hear him when DH called about it on the cell phone. So that put a bit of a damper on my mood. I always feel guilty! DH finally got him to go to sleep.
Well, I'd better go to work.
At least, go to work on my attitude.
Later!
Susannah
Report from the sick ward
Yup, everyone's still sick here. Both kids are running fevers, both parents have sore throats, everyone is just generally ucky. Lots of random naps at odd hours.
Tada:
- Sent out invoice for this month's newsletters (and the phone call resulted in a 30% raise, hooray)
- Did a batch of Web programming
- Got the inbox down to 12 messages
- Put away some more of the laundry
- Wash diapers
- No dinner, but enough soup and sandwiches and snacks that everyone got food when they had any appetite
- Negotiated on another software partnership
PODA:
- Diapers
- Dishes
- Dinner?
- Book chapter!
- 1 chapter of author review
- Survive
*12* weeks, Jamie Lea? We're gonna be neck-and-neck.
OK, I seem to be having a momentary bout of coherency. Time to go do some writing.
Get Well Soon, Mike's family!
You have really been through it this season.
I hope you are all better by Christmas. Any family joining you? It'll be an exciting race to see who delivers a baby first, eh?
Huge TA DA! It's really DH's. We just had a load of crush-and-run put on our driveway! Woohoo! It's like Christmas six days early! No more getting stuck in the mud. Next on the agenda will be to scrape all the mud out of the garage and mop it clean. Then detail-clean the van!
Hey, our pastor has a detailing business. Maybe I can take it up there next week. 
This has really cheered me up, can you tell?
More ta da's:
(You weren't on Honey's original list & I forgot...sorry so late!)
*Dressed to shoes
*Made bed
*Straightened up MB
*Cleaned up & spot mopped kitchen
*Made ham & bean soup again (I love beans but nobody else around here does...DH eats them out of loyalty to me, I think)
*Paid a few bills, mortgage late again, bad girl
*Got a Christmas card ready for Jenny
*Revised my Christmas mailing list. Next year I should order 100 cards. I could have sent out so many more.
*Taped Christmas cards from Jenny, Andrea, and a few other non-TNH friends to our door. I *loved* the letters and pictures! So cute & funny.
*Started a cranberry-popcorn garland. We have a ways to go on that.
*Changed about a dozen poopy diapers today, I think.
*Pulled hem out of too-short pants & threw into mending pile. Hope to iron & wonder-under them soon.
More PODA:
*Scan and e-mail pix to church secretary for display the Sunday before our birthdays & anniversary.
*Finish up with a few more bills.
*Wrap some gifts (with Kwanzaa paper!)
*Straighten LR and vacuum, then *steam clean that nasty carpet*!
*Laundry
*Try to fix our Christmas tree lights, or make a note to get new ones. They have quit on us.
Love y'all!
Susannah
Happy Hanukkah!
We had latkes for dinner, they are DS11's second favorite food. This year I taught him how to make them, and they came out really well. Yum.
TADA
one load of laundry
dinner (latkes & leftovers)
PODA
catch up on papers
LR clutter
dishes & counters
early to bed, I'm beat
(and with all the first trimester pregancy talk around here I'm paranoid that's MY problem
)
Have a great evening all...
Gingerbread house
Ooooh, Jo, wouldn't that be fun?! Three pregnant ladies to keep track of!
Congrats on the new driveway Susannah - sounds like it is a godsend!
Busy day today, went to city and did a few errands - got the gingerbread house kit and made it! It was totally cheating - the house was already built - all we had to do was decorate it! I won't cheat on the cookies - I want to make real sugar cookies with real frosting also popcorn balls for DD5's preschool party. Also have a Christmas craft I want to do and, and, and!! Oh well, I know I won't get it all done!
Andrea
Happy Hanukkah from me too!
Dinner is still readying here on the left coast. I'm trying a new semi-invented latke recipe. If it turns out well I'll put it in the recipe box.
Ta-da:
-more of the neverending desk chores
-put up a little star of David on our front door nail where I keep front door decorations
-got a little gift for DH and put it in its gift bag
-started a load of laundry (which I will put in the dryer after dinner)
-did some picking up around the house
-exercised
-fed the cats
-started dinner
Guess I'd better go finish making dinner!
1:18am, and still awake!
Agghh!! I can't sleep!
No real flying to speak of today, just enough to keep my head above water. The dishes are done, the sink is shiny, and the floors are swept.
Enjoy that driveway Susannah! I know your excited
Mike, I hope your all feeling better soon.
Andrea, we made one of those "easy" gingerbread houses one year, I put WAY to many gum drops on my side of the roof and it collapsed, lasted just long enough for a picture and that was it. What are popcorn balls?
Becky, hope your dinner turned out well.
Jo, 15 rolls of film? Thats as bad as me!
Ok, I'm off to try the "sleep" thing again.
See you guys tomorrow.
Jamie Lea
So Much To Do!
Good morning, everyone! I have been up since 5:45 a.m. when DH awoke me to tell me that DD had wet our bed! He went to sleep in her extra bed & I got her up, changed, then changed the bed & am washing sheets now. I had set my alarm for 6 anyway. I'm having breakfast with my best friend of 30 years - we met in kindergarten! We exchange an ornament every year. I can't wait for 9:30! DH is going to keep DD while I go. I haven't told him yet, but I need to go shopping afterwards to get goodie bags for b'day party (I had some, but bought them waaaay too early & so now they're lost!), and get DD's b'day gifts. Then I have to come home and make a broccoli casserole and a green bean casserole to feed a crowd for our store party tonight!
I think I made DMIL mad the other day; she's been a little cool to me. See, DH and I had made a long list of things that we could potentially get DD for her b'day/Christmas. We probably won't get ALL of it, unless we hit some really good sales. DMIL wanted to know what I had on the list & I wouldn't tell her. See, if I tell her, she'll run out & get some of the things on the list and then tell me so I have to come up with other ideas. That's how DH's family works! I learned my lesson early on to NEVER tell them what I'm getting someone until I actually have it. They are shrewd! Anyway, they should honor my wishes and just get her a savings bond or make a deposit into her savings account. She doesn't really need that many more THINGS! But, anyway, it was nice to be on the "power" end of a struggle with her for a NICE CHANGE!!! LOL!!!
I also want to get a few plastic storage tubs so that I can rotate DD's toys, especially after her b'day and the Christmas rush! I know her playroom will be bulging!
OK, so today's PODA:
* Laundry & remake my bed
* Reload dishwasher
* Breakfast with friend
* Wal-Mart run: goodie bags, wrapping stuff, casserole ingredients
* Sam's: look for doll furniture for DD's b'day
* Make iced tea and two casseroles for tonight
* Wrap Dirty Santa gifts for tonight
* Clean house & get DH to help with it
* Call SIL to make sure she's doing the cake
* Get rest of DD's b'day and wrap it
Doesn't look like much, but I'm sure I'll be up until midnight!
You all have a GREAT & wonderful day!
Vonnie
Doesn't look like much?!?!?!
Looks like plenty to me!
Dinner was fine. We're heading out to Michigan in a couple of days to visit DH's family, so I have printed out Flylady's vacation planner thing. I've done some of the things on it already, but I'm using it to see what I've forgotten if anything.
I mostly just have some errands to run today. Also more laundry. If I get around to it I also will do some cleaning in the bathrooms and kitchen, but realistically I don't know if that will happen.
Super Day
I woke up in a super mood today for some reason, and while DD3 was gone to her playdate this morning, I got so much done! What a nice change!
TADA
meal planned
groceries
wrapped the last present-a tricky one! It's a doll umbrella stroller for DN4
treadmill-walked 2.5 ran 2.5 as I blasted the Dixie Chicks so loud you all probably could hear it!
27 fling boogie in my side of the closet and my dresser
oxi-clean soaked the stains out of two of my favorite shirts
made jam thumbprint cookies for church tomorrow
organized DD's art and playdough table area
catbox
dishes
PODA
dinner: steak, sauteed mushrooms, and broccoli bacon salad
de-clutter the LR
garbage
2 loads laundry
go through 3 big bags of clothes my friend gave me for DD
have a glass of red wine with DH
play a cutthroat game of 500 with DH and the boys (after DD goes down)
I hope all of you have a cheerful day yourselves!
Peace,
-Jo
Hi Flyfriends!!
Just flying in to say Hi!! Hope everyone is doing good, I read through all the posts and sounds like everyone has been really busy. I have had a crazy crazy week but at least no work today or tomorrow. WOOHOO!!
Congratulations Congratulations Congratulations Jamielea!!! I read your post last night and was so so excited!! I will be 15 weeks on Monday. Im glad you're feeling well, you sound very happy and excited. Congratulations again.
Mike, hope everyone is feeling better soon. You guys sure have been through the ringer this cold season. Hang in there.
Jo, holy smokes you have had tons and tons of snow. Must be very pretty though.
Susannah, happy new driveway!!
Hi everyone else, sorry I gotta be quick, Dh is still painting the den. Long story but I now have a beautiful RED den. I love it finally. First yellow, then greeen, now red. He is definitely the most patient man alive.
OK heres the flapping:
~went food shopping
~made menus
~painted den
Not much but the painting is taking forever.
Still need to:
~made yummy dinner stuffed flounder YUMMY!!
~dry 1 load laundry
~spend some quality time with DH this week has been a blur of Christmas preparations. Shopping, putting up lights, putting up the tree, want to spend some real time enjoying the Christmas spirit tonight. Then LOTS to do tomorrow, DH is working and I am off, so hopefully will get lots done. Plan on baking all day.
Have a nice night everyone
Love, Jackie
Here's hoping
I never feel nauseus, but this morning at 5:30am I woke up felling like I was going to throw up. I heaved alot (sorry if that's tmi), but nothing came up. Could I be pregnant??????? I didn't take a test because I really don't want to know yet. I pray that I am, but my hopes have been shot a couple times in the last year and a half so I figured I'd just enjoy the holidays and see if the symptoms keep up. I'm also breaking out and so tired. I'm praying that I am!!!!
We leave for Kansas tomorrow morning. I'm pretty much prepared, but there a few things left.
put together backpack to keep ds entertained on the plane
dry last load of laundry
fold and pack dh's shirts
freeze left over roast
shine sink
Not too bad. Here is my crockpot roast recipe. It is so easy and so good
Put chuck roast in crock pot.
Poor 2 family size cans cream of mushroom soup on roast (DH likes a lot of gravy.... one can will actually do for a small family)
sprinkle one packet dry onion soup mix on top
throw vegies on top (I use onion, carrots, and potatoes)
slow cook all day
I may post from the In-laws house if I have time. If I don't get to it, everyone have a very Merry Christmas!!!!! Be safe!
Morgan
HI all! Wow, lots of news!
HI all!
Wow, lots of news!
Morgan, here's hoping you are pregnant! Will this be your first? Gotta love that roast recipe, I use it often, definitely a favorite.
OK, I forgot that we have Jackie, who is pregnant - so between Dana (Mike's wife), JamieLea, Jackie, and maybe Morgan, and maybe Jo, we could have 5 pregnant Flybabies! Wow, how exciting!!
Jo, I LOVE that broccoli salad with bacon - we low carb and often have it in the summer with grilled steaks - to die for. Do you use the real bacon I hope?
Hi Becky, have a safe trip! I assume you're flying?
Vonnie, got your card today with the beautiful picture of Emily - she's gorgeous! Showed it to the whole family and they agreed - that peaches and cream complexion is really something - she does look very Russian to me.
Well, we made the sugar cookies today but they are yet to go in the oven - dinner had to happen first. I made chicken with sausages, apples, and prunes, rice, and spinach salad. Don't know how it turned out yet.
We have church and Sunday School tomorrow and then I think bowling and dinner (hopefully not at the bowling alley!) for DS6's birthday - he'll be 7 tomorrow so we let him choose an outing.
Must run, take care everyone!
Andrea
HI all! Wow, lots of news!
HI all!
Wow, lots of news!
Morgan, here's hoping you are pregnant! Will this be your first? Gotta love that roast recipe, I use it often, definitely a favorite.
OK, I forgot that we have Jackie, who is pregnant - so between Dana (Mike's wife), JamieLea, Jackie, and maybe Morgan, and maybe Jo, we could have 5 pregnant Flybabies! Wow, how exciting!!
Jo, I LOVE that broccoli salad with bacon - we low carb and often have it in the summer with grilled steaks - to die for. Do you use the real bacon I hope?
Hi Becky, have a safe trip! I assume you're flying?
Vonnie, got your card today with the beautiful picture of Emily - she's gorgeous! Showed it to the whole family and they agreed - that peaches and cream complexion is really something - she does look very Russian to me.
Well, we made the sugar cookies today but they are yet to go in the oven - dinner had to happen first. I made chicken with sausages, apples, and prunes, rice, and spinach salad. Don't know how it turned out yet.
We have church and Sunday School tomorrow and then I think bowling and dinner (hopefully not at the bowling alley!
) for DS6's birthday - he'll be 7 tomorrow so we let him choose an outing.
Must run, take care everyone!
Andrea
Keep Your Hormones To Yourselves!
Just to clarify, I's darn well better not be pregnant! I am way too old for that! DD was my whoops baby........or better be. Yikes!
Nesting
I don't know Jo, you've been doing a lot of "nesting"!
The chicken dish was great by the way, a keeper.
Andrea
Wow! Hoping the news is good when you get back...
We're praying with you, Morgan! That would be so exciting.
Andrea, your dinner descriptions always make my mouth water. So did Jo's steak, mushrooms & salad. MMMMMM! I think I'll make that salad myself, for Christmas. Although vegetarian/kosher sister couldn't eat it.
TA DA's:
*STEAM CLEANED!! Hallelujah, finally.
*Folded about 2 tons of laundry, put away downstairs, basketed upstairs
*Washed one more load
*Loaded/ran DW
*Cleaned up kitchen, microwave (spaghetti sauce splatter, yuk)
*Picked out b-day, anniversary photos for church, probably too late, but oh well
*Wrapped a bunch more presents and stuffed stockings, then hid them
*Replaced batteries in secondhand presents, to be wrapped later
*Straightened upstairs
Looking through pictures made me realize how swiftly my children are growing up. Boo hoo!
I agree, Vonnie...Emily is so sweet! I loved the picture!
Tomorrow's PODA is to get us to church early. Anything else will be icing on the cake. I'd like to sort a reorganize clothes upstairs if I can, but not counting on it.
Love,
Susannah
I have lots to do today!!
Early morning, for me at least, I guess I better get used to being up early
DH working today and I want to get so much done. I am going to babystep it though because I think I am exhausted already. Didnt sleep well either. Why is it when we are exhausted, put our head on the pillow then all the thinking of everything to do starts??
Andrea, your dinner sounded delicious. I made a really good stuffed flounder last night. First time I tried it and we were pleasantly surprised. Today I am going to bake cookies. Last year I tried the cake mix cookies form the Flylady site and everyone loved them. Hope they come out as good. Also trying peanutbutter snickers cookies, English toffe- we will see how this comes out- and then cheating with store brought dough for chocolate chip. I tried a hint from one of the flylady recipes to put a slice of white bread in with your cookies to keep them fresh, and it really worked last year.
Sending some baby vibes to Morgan. Crossing my fingers for you
But with your older boys and your dd I am sure you have your hands more than full. You always sound so together though, I bet you would handle it fine 
Here's some no baby vibes to Jo, although I am 35 and this is my first, I bet your not much older
Hi everyone else
Off to the flying:
~hang curtains back up in den and finally be finished in here BIG TADA
~1 load laundry
~put sheets back on Dstepson's bed
~27 fling some junk out of here
~ bake cookies
~ water tree
~ wrap a few more gifts
~write out cards to people I forgot
then some me time to polish my nails befopre get together tonight with DH work friends, yummy Italian restaurant, looking forward to it.
Have a great day everyone. Love Jackie
good Sunday morning!
Hi all! I hope you're having a good Sunday morning. Or had one, depending on your time zone. I'm up early. My sleeping schedule has started to resemble the sleeping schedule of an actual human being.
PODA:
-laundry
-desk chores
-call Michele about getting together!
-gather up some end-of-the-year tax papers (yuck)
-clean catboxes
-neaten up DH's studio
-possibly some vacuuming
-finish making "Amish" cinnamon bread (I'm trying a variation, we'll see how it turns out)
-really really really go over to the storage locker, which I've been planning to do for the last two weeks!
-take out trash
Afternoon!
Congratulations on a decent night's sleep, Becky! Jackie, what a fun day, baking cookies. Makes the house smell good too.
Gee, for some reason I never have trouble sleeping.
Was up til two a.m. this morning with the steam cleaning but it was sooo worth it. I feel better in my mind, anyway.
Church was very short today, with the pastor trying to beat the elder's record last year...46 min. service the Sunday before Christmas! (Pastor was out of town last Christmas and the elder who conducted that service issued him a challenge this year.) So, 40 min. drive up, less than an hour of service, and 40 min. back! LOL! But we drove thru a couple of places to gather our lunch. A nice treat.
And Emma slept through it all and is *still* sleeping.
I was not early, though. Just five minutes late. My 3yo pitched a fit over getting dressed this morning (which is why I usually leave him home, but I was determined he would go this morning). He most often makes me late.
Anyhow, my PODA for today is to sort some clothing, try to fix the Christmas lights, and maybe finish wrapping and also maybe go to Walmart, if DH will keep the children.
Love y'all!
Susannah
More Snow
It's coming down quite heavily again! And winter has only just started! I would rather have pretty snow than ugly bare, but we need a little break.
TADA
cookies for church (almond thumbprint filled w/black rasberry jam)
made it to church
went through those clothes
DD let me cuddle her to sleep
Big PODA today
4 loads of laundry
dishes
Dinner: garlic rosemary roasted chicken, roast garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, maple squash, green beans
Fling fling fling in DD's room
"help" the boys fling fling fling in their rooms
dishes
counters
floors
make a quiche for school tomorrow (my students invited our county's legislators to breakfast)
iron my "professional" clothes
Came home from church to find the male cat that adopted us several months ago marked his territory very thoroughly.
It reeked! Do they stop doing that once they are neutered? We've never had a cat before.
Laundry question: In one of the bags of clothes there was a gorgeous wine colored velvet dress with a lace collar, which would be perfect for DD for Christmas. The care label is too faded to read. How do you wash velvet? Especially with the lace? It smells a bit musty, and I won't have time to send it to the dry cleaner. Is there hope?
Have a great day all!
-Jo
Washing Velvet
Velvet/velveteen...especially in children's wear, is usually washable. I would think if the care lable is too faded to read, it HAS been washed, and probably washed often! (Drycleaning generally won't do that to a tag.) Wash it on a gentle/delicate cycle, and if you really think it may be fragile, DON'T let it "spin." That is what will crush the velvet. Tumble-dry it on low, and leave it slightly damp, then hang. I'd think it will be fine.
While I'm "here," blessings to all you pg flybabies!
Seems like the lot of you are busy doing something OTHER than houskeeping! 
Love,
Lenora
Ha!
Ha very funny Lenora!
Jo, wow you posted that recipe very quickly! That is exactly the one we use, now I'm getting hungry for it!
We're frosting cookies now (I think), then bowling, then out for pizza (DS's choice).
I've lost a present that was supposed to be from my parents to DD5 - a Swan Lake Barbie - the fairy princess, darn it! Gotta find that!
Ok, bye!
Andrea
cat spraying
Most cats stop spraying once they are neutered. There are exceptions, but usually it works like a charm, especially if they are neutered between six months and a year old. However, ours was a year old when he was neutered and he has never sprayed. If you've never had a cat before, it would be a good idea to get a book on cat behavior.
I'm plugging away, anyhow. Just stopping in to say hello.
new thread
I'm starting a new thread now. Flap on over.
4 day countdown
Good Morning Everyone!
On Friday we leave for Kansas to visit some family. I think we have lost our minds! Originally we were going to fly, but then decided to drive so we could stop in Chicago on the way. I lived in Chicago for a while in my wild single days and I really miss it! There's not much to do here in our little town in PA. Here is my list for before we leave Friday morning.
PODA:
Laundry
pack Thursday night
clean out garage
get nails done (gotta look nice for the family)
pick up dry cleaning Wednesday
take animals to kennel Thursday night
Mail gifts
clean out car
Not too bad. I think I can do it!!!! Gotta run for now. My kiddo and the dog sound like they are tearing up the living room. Have a great day everyone!
Morgan
Jamie!
I just sent you a package, I wish I'd known or I would've thrown something in for the baby!! Mazel tov! Let me know your due date, I'll put it in the events calendar.
Lynn Siprelle, Editor
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