flybabies Dec2nd

Happy Saturday! Dh is working all day 9am to 9pm so not too happy for me but we will survive. I am watching my neices form 10am to 2pm so at least something to do. It got much colder here than it has been here. Lucas has never been in the cold weather yet! We are supposed to go to a tree lighting tonight for my nieces school- hopefully it wont be that cold!

Heidi- thanks for the idea on getting my crazy chicka dressed. She doesnt dress herself all the way yet but I can have her find the clothes for me to put on her.

Ok gotta be quick- baby crawling on my feet
Poda and tada:
~unload dishwasher
~start clothes in dryer
~watch nieces
~send Thanksgiving pics to family online
~dress kids
~pick up toy explosion that occurred last night while I worked and dh was with kids
~write thankyou to Grandma
Thats about it Have a great day today girls Love Jackie

HI Everyone -

Glad to see you posting again Jackie! We got that wind Heidi too - crazy! I am ready for snow!

Well, I've got quite the PODA today - so far I've emptied dw, made beds, made breakfast, and exercised. Oh and printed out Xmas letter. That is one of my goals today to get the cards done. WE may get our tree, not sure. DH feels it is too early, but the kids are ready.

Andrea

Actually i wanted to jump on earlier to tell Heidi her game worked today. I hid her pants, had her find them and then put them on. I did it for her shirt and socks too. She was actually dressed by 930am today. Pretty good for us lately! I have tried to let her pick out what she wants to wear, some days she is interested other days she tells me she "looks good in my pamper" She is one spirited kid- who I wouldnt change for the world. Thanks for your help! Love Jackie

Good Morning!

Jackie-so happy to hear that it worked!

PODA
morning routine
read paper
Bj's for lunch meat
set up either Xmas tree or village display
call Mom
lunch
read with Dd
make early dinner
comedy show with DH

Mom is babysitting so DH and I can go to a comedy concert. We've had these tickets for awhile so we are looking foward to it.

The bday party went well. She did a knights and princesses theme. DD was only too happy to arrive dressed in her princess dress and tiara!

Ant Bully was cute,we watched it last night.

Andrea-did you get snow after that windstorm? I say set up the tree,there's no such thing as too early right??!

Better run, have a good one

Heidi

We did it Heidi and it looks great! We cut our own, which was fun. Now the rest of the decor today, maybe. We still have not gotten snow beyond a few flakes in November. Hope you enjoy your Comedy Club -

On another topic, I will organize the Christmas Card Exchange for those who want to participate - Flybabies or anyone! Send me a private message with your email and I will add you to the list.

Have a great day!
Andrea

Good Morning! Heidi the game worked two days in a row!! She actually was laughing and excited to get dressed. Thanks again. Do you have any magic tricks for whining? LOL

Andrea, cutting down your own tree sounds like fun. There is a farm out east that you ride out into the woods and pick your tree. I would love to do it when the kids get older. for now we drive to Home Depot. I usually wont do it unless it is a little bit cold. Just isn't Christmas to me unless I am freezing!

Heidi, my niece brought over Ant Bully yesterday but we didn't get to watch it. that would be because my Dniece(5)and Alexa(2.5) just do not get along at all lately. Yesterday was lots of fun.... NOT!!! DNiece actually told me we couldn't watch the movie because she didn't want Alexa watching the same tv. Is this what I have in store for Luke and Alexa???

OK a quick poda and tada:
~unload dishwasher
~fold laundry and PUT IT AWAY
~I vacuumed the whole house while the two monkeys played in the playpen together
~watched Charlotte's Web with Alexa. I love that movie and I am so glad she did too!
~drink my water
~got dressed and blew dry my hair. No pony tail today! Its driving me crazy though
~make homemade pizza
~maybe visit Dmom and Ddad later
~start getting organized with Christmas stuff. I am finished with the kids now I have the adults left. I did the easy part first
OK have a great day Love Jackie

You may have that in store for LUke and Alexa Jackie! My kids are 23 months apart and argue ALL the time, well almost all the time. Is it quite annoying to say the least. When the play they play well though. My DD won't let DS sit on HER couch when they are watching something. We didn't start cutting our trees till last year Jackie - just too hard with little ones, but now the kids love it - they actually helped DH cut it.

Doing a little more decorating today - did my grocery shopping and church. Now to work on the cards...
Andrea

Good Morning!

We didn't get the tree or display done Sunday so I guess it will be this coming weekend's project. The comedy show was soooo funny,had a great time. Made Mom and the kids chili before we left. Everyone in bed and asleep when we got back.

PODA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
reshovel and salt walkway,if needed
shower and dress
off to Xmas shop
lunch
sort mail
1 load laundry
wrap the gifts I have so far
dinner
reading
homework
DD bath

We have about 2-3 inches of snow now,still falling....It's here!!

Heidi

I will probably have to run to town today. Need some groceries, pick up a sweatshirt I had ordered (but now don't need since I found one in ABQ, but will buy that one anyway because it's a small shop on the square and feel I need to do my part for the local economy. LOL!)

I douched my pantry yesterday, since I STILL have this mouse problem. Found one dead one, 2 live ones (which I couldn't catch). UGH! I hate mice! But it felt good to get the pantry cleaned and bleached (though will have to do it again since I couldn't catch those other two. I have poison out in there, so they should show up dead soon). Gross, I know.

Jackie, mine are ALWAYS fighting! But sometimes they all get along. DS hates to get dressed. Likes to run around in his underwear (he thinks he is Tarzan). He'd run outside right now in his skivvies, and it's 28 out! But when I do get him dressed, he says he is a Cowboy Power Ranger.

Good Afternoon!

Well, my sleigh(minivan) is loaded with gifts. I got alot of shopping done today,still more to do but will attack that tomorrow or Thursday. Found Xmas cards that are hysterical...Santa is standing at a urinal telling the guy next to him that "this milk really goes through me" and inside it says "Hap-pee Holidays!" Totally my kind of sick humor. I will chose more appropriate cards for some people but most everyone else will get this one.

Need to find hiding places for the kids stuff and wrap the other gifts. Will do that tomorrow along with starting to write out those cards.

Dinner? No clue...time to scavange through my kitchen.

Heidi

Good evening, Ladies.

TADA:
Long walk for some exercise
Two loads of laundry
Christmas shopping for MIL

Those sound like interesting cards, Heidi. Mine have a roadrunner on them.

I hid the gifts in the laundry hamper or the cleaning supplies cupboard-- no one ever found anything there!

Sorry I haven't posted in so long on this site, I haven't been doing anything remotely homemaker-y lately. School has been very hectic. Anyway, today I handed in my last paper. I still have a final exam left to do, but that studying shouldn't be too bad. Our poor apartment is SO ready for me to get back in the groove on this!

Andrea, I will send you a pm about the cards.

hi Becky! How is the pregnancy going? Been thinking about you!

Last night we had the school Christmas program. DS4 was really cute and amusing, to say the very least. LOL! However, that wasn't the biggest part of the evening. As I mentioned before, DD9 had the lead in the musical. Well, the whole group was singing the first song and she threw up and passed out! I know everyone thought is was nerves, and I sorta did, too (although she has performed in front of crowds before). Actually, I had really thought she overheated on the stage. And so did she. But she continued to throw up all night long. So, she got the stomach bug. OF course, the show must go on, someone else filled in for her. My poor baby! She worked so hard all semester, only to have the stomach bug knock her out. And in front of EVERYONE! Anyway, she is home from school today. I got her work when I took the other kids in and she is working on English now.

I have SO MUCH to do!! Mt. Laundry first off. Someone give me a good kick in the ass to get me going!

I'm so sorry to hear that your daughter got sick -- and on stage in front of everyone! Well, there's a story for a prospective boyfriend someday.

I made my appointment for my checkup. I have 34 days to lose ten pounds.

Good Evening!

Becky-glad you poked your head in,hope all is well

Jenny-poor kid,that stinks. Hope she feels better real soon.

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
school meeting
Xmas shopping that fizzled
mailed Xmas cards
sorted mail
couple calls
2 loads laundry,1 folded
dinner
homework
DD bathed

PODA
kids in bed
and me too! I am tired today

Surrounding counties had a snow day but not us. We go to school no matter what apparently. The busses all were late and traffic was a nightmare...winter rocks, not

Heidi

Oh, I still want winter Heidi! WE got a dusting, but not enough! I am really ready for it! My kids want to get sledding in the worst way. I would love a snow day but they are rare for my district. None in the last two years - only one "wind" day.

Lois - good luck with the weight loss - your timing is terrible though!

Jenny, sorry to hear about Shelby! What a bummer! HOpe she is feeling better -

Well, my cards are done (except for you guys!) Will mail them tomorrow - whittling away at the shopping.

Take care-
Andrea

I've missed you all! It's nice to get the chance to catch up finally.

The pregnancy is going fine. I'm 26 weeks along now. We have another quick ultrasound in two weeks to check for growth.

TADA:

-washed and dried 4 loads of laundry (still need to put away)
-got groceries
-got caught up on some dishes
-worked on holiday cards
-desk chores

After I put away the laundry, I'll work more on the cards. These are the ones that need to go out tomorrow. The others can wait a couple of days.

Your poor DD, Jenny! Hope she is feeling better. Not the same, but reminds me of the Rosanne episode when popular girl Becky farted on stage at a school assembly.

Busy around here, for sure. Trying to keep plugging away -- depression has my energy very low and I am just trying to focus on essentials. I do need to get some Christmas stuff done though! I'm still on the fence about TNH cards -- would like to do it, but also wondering whether I will get cards out at all this year!

Becky, glad all is well with you. Hope you have a nice winter break from school and peek in more often.

And Lois, if you succeed tell me how you did it!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

DD9 is feeling better now. She will go to school tomorrow.

I unexpectedly got to clean the floor in the laundry room. The washer's shut off valve decided not to shut off and flooded the place! So I had to move the washer and dryer, clean it out real good, and put it all back. Luckily, the moving around seemed to have fixed the washer. LOL!

We also had a scare today when there was a fire out on the bombing range west of us. Dejavu. Just like a year ago, except there wasn't a dust storm blowing. So three fire departments got it put out before it got too far out of control. But my mind was working overload trying to think of what to throw in the truck should we have to evacuate again.

I'm tired. wonder if I can talk Drew into going to bed before 11 tonight...

Heidi, nope. My garage isn't big enough for the trucks I have now! My Suburban or my pickup won't fit in there! LOL! But I do have plans to put french doors in place of the garage door and turn the garage into living space. However, may not get to do that this year (yet again).

I spent all day in Clovis and didn't get near accomplished what I had hoped to. Will have to return another day. Tonight, I have to do major updating on my Quicken and checkbook stuff and print reports out to take to the CPA tomorrow for our end of the year assessment (in other words, see how much money we have to spend for tax writeoffs).

I took two walks today for a total of seven miles. Surely I lost an ounce or two.

Wow Lois, that is a lot of walking. I did 10 minutes of situps! Nothing compared to you!

Hanging in here - mailed cards today and did some online shopping. That is what I will do mostly I think with maybe one trip to the mall with family for gifts for each other. Laundry done. DH did outside lights and decor.

See ya!
Anyone else for the card exchange??
Andrea

Good morning!

No snow day on TV. No surprise really, our district hardly ever calls a snow day much to DS's disappointment!

PODA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
bank deposit
pay a couple bills
make a couple calls
1 load laundry
general tidying
wrap gifts
lunch
sort mail
wait for Sears repairman
dinner
homework
read with DD

I will wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year and such via the computer but am opting out of the card exchange. Nothing personal guys! Y'know I love ya,right? LOL

Have a good one

Heidi

Darn, I really wanted to see that reindeer card Heidi! We very rarely have snow days either at my kids' school and at mine.

Sounds like we will be getting some of the white stuff today and tomorrow though - yay!

Have a great day everyone!

How are you girls? We are doing good. The past two days got kind of crazy but we are still flying!! It does make a difference when i stick to my routines, do a load of laundry a day and keep the sink clean! Whenever I fall off the wagon I wonder why i let myself when it really makes life much smoother. Ok Im babbling...

Jenny, your poor DD. The stomach bug is going around our area also. I filled some rxs Monday night for antinausea meds quite a few times. Hopefully everyone will be healthy for Christmas.

OK heres a quick poda and tada. Alexa is currently smearing brown eyeshadow on her lips and asking me if her lipstick looks good.
~unload dishwasher
~feed and dress kids
~Dfriend may visit this afternoon with her babe
~walked 6am with neighbor
~showered
~Did some Christmas shopping last night with Dsister.
~go to Moms for dinner. Pick up neices at school
~meal planned yesterday and food shopped
ok now luke is banging on the keyboard so i have to go. he says v his favorite key is the space bar
love Jackie

This is the first I have actually sat down and done something other than feed the baby. I have done nothing but vacuum, pick up, wash and fold laundry, and STILL feel like nothing has been done!

Got the scare the year yesterday at the tax guys office. But I think all is well now. Still, we were upset all day yesterday about how much we will probably have to pay in taxes (like, thousands). It's just so hard to think how much we may owe when our account hovers so close to 0 all the time. It's like, taxes on WHAT!? We have nothing to show, everything we make is already spent on equipment and loan payments. Very frustrating.

I hope this weekend to do a picture for my Christmas cards. Not sure if DH and I will get to be in it or not, though. But I for sure want the dog in it. Lost another cat to suicide this morning. I say suicide because it seems that always just before a cat dies, it starts hanging around the dog. Like, in the pen, willingly. The dog just carries it around like it's his own kitten, but he is too rough and it kills the cat. Second time this has happened.

Rambling. I should get back to work. But why, when there will be nothing to show for it. LOL! Guess that's the way it is with money and housework. We work our asses off and nothing to show for it.

You sound down Jenny - sorry. Hope you get your cards done - I like the dog idea!

Came home and mopped the kitchen, cleaned our powder room, and put away laundry that DH folded. Wrapped a couple gifts. Now just relaxing while DH cooks dinner! We have a busy weekend, but some fun stuff is part of it - dinner party tomorrow (not here) and our neighborhood cookie exchange Sunday!

Andrea

Sorry about the taxes Jenny. We have kind of a similar situation and it sucks. If you're spending money on equipment, shouldn't you be able to deduct more? Esp. with 4 kids. But what do I know.

We are going to an obligatory party (DH's work) tonight, after our last Hypnobabies class. Otherwise, PODA for today and tomorrow is to finish our cards and buying/ making Christmas and Hanukkah gifts. I'd better get a move on. Sorry I didn't post more personal posts, but I read them all! See you later!

Good Afternoon!

TADA
morning routine
read paper
baked Christmas cookies with Dd
baked cookies to mail to my dad for his bday
helped set up Xmas village display
sorted mail
put away 2 loads laundry

PODA
dinner
DD bath
wrap some gifts

DH and DS and DS friend are going out to eat and see a basketball game. DD and I are hanging out here. Maybe we will have a spa night, with a 5 year old that means me painting her nails and letting her play with my makeup! LOL

Becky-hypnobabies sounds funny. I get a visual of a line of infants watching a pocketwatch swinging back and forth and very exhausted parents saying"You are getting sleepy,very sleepy" LOL Have fun.

Jenny-taxes yuck,hope things look up soon with all that. No Xmas pic here this year. Will do my own digital version by the fire or in front of the tree.

Andrea-a dinner party sounds wonderful,especially if it involves no cooking or cleaning on your part! What's on the menu?

Better run...

Heidi

Well, Heidi, now that you say it that way, I wonder if it would work on Drew (who STILL won't sleep in his crib and STILL wakes up 2-3 times a night!! GRRRR!!!).

I wasn't going to go have the pictures done for the Christmas cards, much as I would like to (a good friend of mine has a studio and does an awesome job. But wants too much money for them, and so does Sears! It was just going to be a digital snapshot as well somewhere around here and take it to Walmart. I've done the tree the past two years with just the kids. Maybe the fireplace would do good this year (hey, that means I can bring the dog in the house! LOL!).

Was woke up by DH's fire/police radio going off. Unresponsive female in our area, so he is off on the ambulance this morning. It's a really old lady we know, I have a feeling that she just woke up dead this morning. I was going to go to church, but we have been invited to a birthday party at 10am for a set of twins we know, church is at 9:30. Need to wrap their gifts (a set of matchbox cars). This evening I need to pay the bills, then arrange to meet with the tax guy again and see if our tax situation is better.

Good Evening!

TADA
morning routine
read paper
BJ's for lunch meat etc
hung ornaments on tree
took DD to see Santa

PODA
dinner
read with DD
help DS study for test

Well all our Xmas prep is done: cards,tree, Santa,village display, cookies....most shopping too. Still a few gifts to buy and wrap and I'd say that we are ready to exhale here!

See ya all in the morning

Heidi

Ok I know its bad when I cant wait to have some free time to vacuum alone. I have one kid deathly afraid of the "Noo-noo"(from the teletubbies) so she screams the ENTIRE time I vacuum and the other kid thinks its the coolest thing ever so he chases me around the house in his walker and runs my toes over like a million times! Maybe for Christmas I should tell DH to just take these two out so I can CLEAN. Merry Christmas to me While I am on a rant I think I am raising two clingons. Alexa is back in her I cant leave the room stage without her flipping out and Luke has learned to hang off my leg. I am growing children off my body. One day I know I will miss this but Holy Smokes I need to breathe. And one more thing... Luke has decided he likes to play at 1am instead of sleep. I need to cry it out with him I think but it is so hard when i have Alexa he can wake up. OK Sorry for the kid rant. I do LOVE being a Mom you know right????

So for a tada and poda:
~ SURVIVE THE DAY on 3 1/2 hours sleep
~I did get up and run ALONE since my neighbor decided SHE needed to sleep in today
~work 3pm to 9pm. Maybe I will get lucky and it wont be nuts there today. Fat chance of that

Sorry im a crab. I hope you girls have a good day. Love Jackie

Jackie, I'm right there with you. Drew won't let me get on the computer. I mean, he literally gets ON the desk and will not leave the computer alone!! (he is napping now, if only briefly). He tossed and turned much of the night, so little sleep here, too. He won't cry it out, either (I have tried it several times).

Going to a friends for dinner since it is school board meeting night. I always feel we start several conversations but between the 6 kids, never finish them. LOL! Will try to get bills paid today, too.

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
hardware store for DH
read gas meter at rental
mailed dad's cookies at P.O.
paid cable bill
called friend
gassed up van
market for fruit

PODA
lunch
wrap gifts
sort mail
vacuum top floor
dinner
homework
reading
DD bath

Jackie-now I feel the pressure to come up with a creative solution to the vacuum problem!! Let Luke ride the vacuum,there ya go. He stands on it as you vacuum,more exercise for you and no more bruised toes either!! LOL

Later....
Heidi

Jackie, I have 2 words for you:

Roomba, baby!

Jenny, I so hear you on the taxes. We don't really have a huge income, and yet somehow one year between state and federal we owed $8000 on April 15th! Of course that had to go on the MasterCard, b/c we don't really keep $8000 on hand for "emergencies."

I am on the fence about our photos too -- I want to take the kids to Sears or something, but will it happen? tick tick . . . tick tick . . . tick tick . . .

I would kind of like a whole family photo, since I know some of our friends would honestly rather know how we are holding up than see another picture of the kids they've never met. Not to mention older extended family who still think of us as "the kids."

Better get something done. Not much so far: homeschool, putting away laundry, unloading and partly reloading DW. Homeschool (parents-only) meeting at 6:30 -- time to flee!!!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

Shaun, I don't have that kind of money laying around either! LOL! I hope I wouldn't have to put it on the credit card, but will probably borrow it from our farm bank from our operating loan. Lower interest rate. I think we are looking at $5,500. Which sux.

I got the pantry cleaned out, again. I cannot believe I have such a bad mice problem! Never in the 4 years we have lived in this house have I had this. Just one mouse in 4 years. This morning I caught #7!! UGh. I could hear one in the wall as I worked on the panty. Hopefully I plugged up his hole with steel wool.

Finished putting all bills in Quicken. Printing report now. Will meet with accountant again tomorrow morning. Made appointment to have my hair done on Friday. We watched a cute movie on ABC Family last night with Jenny McCarthy. My DH has always had a thing for her, so I'm going to go for her hair-do and have it colored really blond, too. DH said he would come to town and take Drew to Walmart or someplace while I get it done.

BTW, the ambulance call DH went on yesterday. It wasn't the woman I thought it was. It was her son (who was in his 60's). And he didn't make it. DH is a little shooken up because that was his first dead patient, and it was someone he grew up knowing (his father and the guy's family are really close). Dh did CPR on him, but he was already gone. It was the first, but won't be the last. The whole community is getting old. Really old. All the old folks stay behind, and the younger generations don't take over the farms, they move to towns. Very sad.

Heidi, you cracked me up this am!! The visual of Luke riding the vacuum is so funny!

Shaun, I do have a roomba. Lex is afraid of that too. I am going to have to just take it out and turn it on and she will get over it!

Jenny, Im sorry about all the craziness going on for you. That is a lot of money to have to come up with. I will be thinking of you. Somehow everything works itself out. And about the non sleeping kiddo- last night I spent two hours trying not to take Luke out of the crib and laying him back down. He eventually fell asleep. I am shot today. Hopefully he will nap. Im sending Drew some sleepy vibes....

Ok a quick tada and poda:
~swished bathrooms
~picked up toy explosion from last night
~showered and dressed
~send walmart order today
~laundry
~27 fling. Or more like 2700 fling

Have you guys ever tried to explain Flylady to anyone in real life? I felt like a weirdo this am trying to tell my neighbor since she was crying she was so overwhelmed with spending the whole weekend cleaning, not getting dressed, dinner craziness.. It just sounded weird trying to explain it. shes not a computer person so the website wont help. I was going to give her my Flylady book but I felt like I was pushing it. I know I am so so glad I found flylady. Ok Have a great day Love Jackie

Jackie, I just let some folks borrow my book after trying to explain it. If they don't want it, they don't take it.

Ok, meet with tax guy today. Hopefully a better prognosis.

Good Evening!

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
washed and dried 1 load laundry
bought a few more gifts
dyed hair
picked up check for DH
Mom visited/lunch
sorted mail
dinner
homework
DD bathed and in bed

see ya...

heidi

Hey Everyone -

Just chilling - everyone is in bed including DH. Ahhhh, quiet!

Did some wrapping tonite - still more to do. Need to find one more box to ship gifts to inlaws. I think most of my shopping is done though. Maybe one more thing for DD plus a book for her book exchange at school.

The house is holding its own. It still bugs me that it is not clean the way I would like it, all at one time! Ah well.

I'm off to bed -
Andrea

Good Morning!

Feels good to be about done with your shopping right, Andrea?

Hope everyone is doing well this morning.

PODA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
put away laundry
library
Aldi for groceries
paperwork stuff
lunch
sort mail
wrap
call friend
dinner
homework
read with DD
oh and trash out to street

Heidi

Yes, it does! Now if I can just find some kind-free time to wrap stuff! Our trash day is today too - usually DH does that.

Just a typical day today for me - nothing after work for once, which is nice.

Have a great day -
Andrea

Not anywhere near done with shopping here! But I hope to get most finished tomorrow. I HAVE to get everything to be shipped done tomorrow. I've got stuff going to Maine and Georgia.

Trash day here, too. That is, if I remember to take it to the village dumpsters (which are actually the school's dumpsters). Wish we had some sort of local pickup. I tend to put the trash in the back of the truck, then don't have time to dump it for a few days, then the cats have torn thru it and there will be trash everywhere! Doesn't matter that those cats get more than enough food everyday, they still dig thru the trash! All 5 of them! LOL!

Plan for today: Maintain, do a load of laundry. Go to inlaws. Our favorite aunt and uncle are here for the funeral of the guy that coded on DH the other day. So we will go there today to visit. Tomorrow is Drew's one year checkup/shots and will finish shopping (will make lists today), and Friday getting my hair cut and COLORED! Never had it done before. I've done it myself, but never quite turned out the way I had hoped. I'm going for the Jenny McCarthy look. We saw her on ABC Family movie the other night and was so cute!

Good luck with all that Jenny! I bet your hail will look cute - I can picture you as a blonde.

Well, I did schedule something after work, getting my eyebrows waxed, but that is quick plus I will be able to pop in next door at the toy store to get the book exchange book with DD8.

See ya!

Jenny-don't forget Tylenol for Drew in your purse tomorrow. It would stink to have him spike a temperature while you are out shopping, that is if he has reactions to shots. Hope you get all your stuff done. I hadn't had my hair professionally dyed since I was a senior in high school. My friend does it for me at her kitchen sink!!

Got my PODA done,just waiting on DD bus.

Later Guys...

Heidi

TADA:
* Put up some festive decorations.
* Threw away tacky decorations.
* Put up small pre-lit fake tree.
* Walked three miles for a cup of coffee.

Yesterday I took the two boxes to the post office. Mailed one card.

We are simplifying Christmas this year. We will have a big dinner for our celebration, since we have no small children at home.

Wow. I was just informed that my TADA was flagged as spam.

Good Morning!

Lois-did you walk 3 miles to get coffee or did you reward yourself with coffee after you walked 3 miles??!! LOL

PODA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
pay a couple bills
wrap gifts(DH brought home a few things)
general tidying up
bake cookies
bank deposit
sort mail
dinner
homework
read with DD

DD is reading, it is so exciting for both of us. I am glad that it is not such a struggle for her.

Onward......

Heidi

How are you girls?? Jenny, how did the cut and color go. I am so so jealous. I miss getting mine done. It would be a waste lately since its in a pony 99% of the time. Luke LOVES to pull hair. I di polish my fingers and toes the other night and it was heavenly. I hope you enjoy your me time and you will feel like a million bucks!

Andrea- Great job on being done with the shopping. I am almost done, just have to run today and pick up a few more things. Dh doesnt work until 1pm today so I can run this am. now wrapping will be another story. I am so exhausted at night and thats the only time I am not surrounded by a kid. Maybe I will hide in the garage.

Quick waves to everyone and stay calm vibes during all tis crazy Holiday stuff. I have been trying to step back and enjoy it since its the first year Alexa actually "gets" it. Its so exciting!

Tada and poda for yesterday and today:
~menus planned for the week
~food shopping done
~cards finished just need to mail them this am
~tree up yesterday. Dh and Alexa picked it out in the pouring rain. She was so proud.
~placed walmart order online before it got too late
~finish shopping today
~go to Moms
OK have a great day. Love Jackie

Starbucks is 1.5 miles away. If I only get black coffee, then I burn more than I take in. I must have lost a couple ounces by now.

This week has been catch-up week for me on Christmas/ Chanukah/ etc. I'm ALMOST done shopping, and have just a few more dishcloths to make. About 1/2 done with cards. I think next year I'll be doing Christmas Countdown instead of HGP again. The Holiday Grand Plan cleaning plan just doesn't work for me as well as Flylady.

The other thing I've been doing all week is finishing up school stuff-- grading and registration. But that is finally done!

Mornign Everyone -

Just doing a few odds and ends this am before work. Jenny, are you around? If so, can you pm me your email I seem to have misplaced it!

Andrea

Had to cancel the hair appointment. DH forgot and scheduled our "new" tractor to arrive today, then someone else called and scheduled our "new" semi trailer to be delivered in Lubbock. All at the same time. Even if we got FIL to cover the tractor delivery, I had no one to watch Drew, and there was no way I could bring him to the salon by myself (he would tear that place APART!!). So, I cancelled. Lord only knows when I can try to schedule it again. I sure as hell can't depend on DH. Can I be a martyr?

Jackie, I usually wear a ponytail, too. With all the wind we have, it's the easiest hairdo.

I am making myself feel better with a box of Esther Price chocolates that my daddy and stepmom had delivered to me for Christmas (and a Honey Baked Ham, but it's in the freezer).

Drew's one year checkup went well yesterday. I didn't get the shopping I wanted done, again. Oh, well. I'll try again...someday. No time today. Or tomorrow. Birthday party on Sunday. School faculty Christmas party on Monday. Nothing planned for Tuesday, kids school parties on Wednesday. Then that is it for school. Where did the time go?

Good Morning!! Hope everyone is hanging in there. we are OK... I think. ask me at 5pm since Dh is working overtime again today 9am to 9pm. AGGHHHHH.......... At least Luke slept through the night the past 2 days. I better shut up or I will jinx myself.

Jenny, I feel bad about you having to cancel your hair appointment. Promise you will reschedule it- you deserve some serious pampering!!

I have to be quick- I have to jump in the shower before Dh goes to work or I will never get dressed.
Tada and poda:
~kitchen cleaned after dh and kiddos had dinner last night. I made a delicious pot roast in the crockpot. Alexa called me at work to tell me "Mommy, the pop toast was delicious" :)
~washed sheets need to dry and get back on bed
~slomins man coming to reinstall our alarm that was never reconnected since all the renovation
~maybe see Dsil this afternoon
~gather all presents in one area. Try to wrap while Luke naps and Lex watches a movie
Have a great day Love Jackie

My husband. That's all I'm going to say.

No, it's not. I ran here and there, to town and back, yesterday to help with the tractor delivery, only to be not needed at all in the end. Frustrating. And with two boys in tow. DS4's teacher called and said he wasn't feeling good. Well, he had a quick recovery because after I picked him up he was bouncing off the walls all. day. long. Oh, my!

ANYWAY. I got a little more of my shopping done yesterday (since I spent a bit of time in Walmart waiting for the call that I was needed that didn't come). Got DH's gift anyway. Also am discovering that I can't find the gift for DD9 ANYWHERE! I've looked at Amazon, Walmart, and did a google search and no place has even HEARD of what it is she wants. So, she ain't gettin' it! Santa will have to come up with something else.

I have to spend massive amounts of time today sewing. One of the room mothers in DD7's class heard I have an embroidery machine and wants me to embroider all the kids names for some homemade stockings we are doing for their party. 15 kids and one teacher. Also need to make a birthday gift for tomorrow. DH is taking the three older kids with him to Lord only knows where (?!), leaving me with Drew, which is what I get every day. I wish I had the older two, they can help with Drew. But DD9 and I went round and round fighting yesterday, maybe it's best she have some daddy time.

Oh, and I have to try to make it to the mailbox to put in some bills!

Jackie, yay on Luke sleeping! I remember once how nice that felt to get a whole nights sleep! LOL!

Jenny, what is it that DD9 wants? Maybe I can find it out here.

PODA:
* Buy a feather boa
* Buy gift cards for DH's ungrateful nieces/nephews
* Buy one gift each for my kids
* Make reservations for Christmas Celebration Trip

My post was flagged as spam again.

Jenny -- what is it that DD9 wants? Maybe I can find it out here.

I am happy to report that my jeans are getting baggy.

Good Morning!

PODA
morning routine
read paper
BJ's for lunch meat
put away laundry
lunch
watch friend's son for a few hours
dinner
read with DD
bath for DD

Supposed to hit close to 60 today,unheard of this time of year so.....will take whichever kids want to go with me to the nature center. They have a live owl program this afternoon and I am babysitting for a friend today so that should be a good way to spend the afternoon.

Hope everyone has a pleasant Sunday

Heidi

Heidi, it was in the 70's here yesterday and still in the 60's today! I had all the windows in the house open yesterday! But, a front is coming in tonight and expecting rain and snow Monday and Tuesday (damn. Would like for it to wait til next weekend so we could have a white Christmas!).

Happy anniversary to me. 12. long. years. All I want for my anniversary and Christmas is for my family to clean up after themselves better. LOL! Nothing special planned today. Me and the kids going to church. DH is hauling hay. With his new trailer. He's so excited. LOL! I'm going to try to finish my shopping while kids are in Sunday School. And it's just another day. Maybe I can finish up some laundry tonight.

TADA: embroidering all the kids names for stockings yesterday.

Remember my smelly pantry 4 1/2 years ago when we moved to this house. It's back. Must be when things die in the walls, the pantry smells.

gotta make a grocery list.

Like in the 50's. I finally dug out our sweat clothes and now we're warm again. Today I'm finishing ALL the cards and wrapping up ALL the Christmas and Chanukah presents.

Hey Everyone -

I think I am close to being done with Xmas chores - gifts bought, just need to wrap DH's gift that is arriving soon I hope. I am also dealing with DS9's birthday on Thursday! I am looking forward to cooking, etc. for us and my parents who will arrive on Tuesday.

We are warm here too, scary. Anyone seen Inconvenient Truths? Many of my friends, colleagues have and I would like to see it. Very worrisome stuff -

Ok, everyone have a good nite -
Andrea

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper

PODA
BJ's for lunch meat(slug)
return books at library
pick up heartworm pills at vet
wrap few gifts(DH fault..he keeps buying more)
email all kids teachers a merry Christmas
have key made for neighbor
sort mail
dinner
read with DD
supervise homework

That's all folks.....

Heidi

PODA:
* Check at the church to see if any visitors left addresses so I can send them a note.
* Pay for DS's (hopefully last) semester of college.
* Book annual Christmas weekend away, which will be after Christmas this year, since DD is working now.
* Tidy up, laundry, etc.

Almost done! I only have one more gift to buy! DH and I will do that one tonight. I'm going to spend the day sorting and wrapping everything. I better make a list:

PODA:
sort and wrap
vacuum
dust
load up on firewood in the garage
rig up some hot wire around the top of the yard fence (Tex, my 5 month old German Shephard, can now jump the fence. Gonna shock his ass to keep him in. LOL!)

We are expecting a winter storm to hit tonight. The radio guys said we could get over 6 inches in the next two days! So much, in fact, that a bunch of teachers cancelled out of the faculty Christmas party tonight, causing the superintendent to cancel the whole party. Well, the inlaws were going to watch the kids anyway, so DH and I are going out to eat instead! AND I'm going to get dessert! LOL! A big ol' slab of Mud Pie! I won't know what to do with myself, going to the salad bar WITH my husband instead of going in turns.

Will let you know how our storm turns out! You can hear the kids yelling "snowsnowsnow" so they can miss their finals! LOL!

Happy Anniversary Jenny! Enjoy your night out alone with your Dh. I actually got a night out alone last night- went out with coworkers for Christmas. It was really weird just feeding myself. I was hoping I didnt start talking baby talk LOL..

Just about finished with my shopping too. I started wrapping Sat night. Felt good to get started.

I tried to do a weekly house blessing this am. Instead of an hour it was more like 3, but that was because Luke was fighting his am nap. Alexa had to help every step of the way so i guess that slowed me down too It does feel cleaner but boy am i tired already. I need to make some coffee.

Poda and tada:
~cleaned kitchen, living room and family room
~dusted upstairs
~wiped down light switches
~cleaned glass front door
~made meat loaf for Dh tonight. I have work 3-9pm
~dressed and fed myself and both munchkins
~got Luke to nap. Big Tada today!!!

Ok have a great day Love Jackie

Happy Anniversary Jenny and Jeff!!!

Snow,huh? We are still experiencing mild temps in the Midwest. Doesn't feel like Christmas that way yet.

Made potato latkes(pancakes) tonight for DS to share with his 8th period class. I will warm them and drop them off at school tomorrow afternoon.

All gifts wrapped,nothing really to do except watch holiday movies,visit with friends,and wait for Santa! And all the other regular day to day things of course.

Catch ya all in the morning

Heidi

Happy Anniversary Jenny and Jeff!!!

Snow,huh? We are still experiencing mild temps in the Midwest. Doesn't feel like Christmas that way yet.

Made potato latkes(pancakes) tonight for DS to share with his 8th period class. I will warm them and drop them off at school tomorrow afternoon.

All gifts wrapped,nothing really to do except watch holiday movies,visit with friends,and wait for Santa! And all the other regular day to day things of course.

Catch ya all in the morning

Heidi

Our space heater just quit working, and our gas "central" heater sets off the smoke alarm whenever we turn it on. The grate is painted on to the heater so there is no way to vacuum out the dust, and the smoke alarms are hard-wired so we can't take out the batteries until it's burned off. At some point we will see if we can get the smoke alarms off by tripping the circuit breakers, but I'd really like to keep the electricity going for now, rather than sit in the dark. So we'll just be cold tonight (relatively-- down to 40).

Good Afternoon!

had trouble logging on this morning??

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper
paid a couple bills
1 load laundry
couple calls
vacuumed top floor
lunch

PODA
drop off latkes
buy eggs
sort mail
no homework for 2 weeks!!!!
dinner
meeting at 6pm

Last day of school til Jan 3rd. WooHoo...!!!!

The rest of my week will look like this:
Wed-nothing,relax
Thurs-DD playdate here
Fri-brunch here with couple friends
Sat-Xmas exchange with DH family
Sun-Mom here for dinner and Xmas exchange
Mon-Santa arrives and late lunch DH family

Whew....

see ya

heidi

I started in on wrapping yesterday when the phone rang. I FORGOT that I was supposed to be at the school at 10 to make the stockings (I had thought we were doing it Wednesday at the party). So, I loaded up my sewing machine and Drew and spent most of the rest of day at the school doing that. Then had to help DH with moving machinery. Came home in time to pick up the wrapping stuff and rehide the gifts, throw on a sweater and out the door to pick kids up from school, then over to inlaws to meet DH. We had a nice dinner out, finished shopping. Picked up kids at 9, home, got them to bed, crashed ourselves by 10.

Two hour delay for school. Good. I can finish wrapping. Wrong again. DH turned around and brought the kids back home. School went from delay to cancel because of the ice. And expecting 4-8 inches of snow by tomorrow. But so far, all we have had is ice. I bet school will be cancelled tomorrow, too, and that would have been the last day. Well, fudge.

Maybe I can get dh to watch them long enough to do what I have to do. I doubt it, but miracles can happen.

I had trouble logging on yesterday too! I was lost without you chicks!

Jenny, glad your night was fun. You wrapping sounds like its going just like mine. I am going to lock myself in my room today and Dh will just have to fend for himself!!!

Andrea, it was very unseasonably warm here too until yesterday. I was actually glad to have some cold weather. I bundled up the kiddos and we played outside for 2 hours. The cold air knocked them out and they napped for 2 hours!

Poda and tada:
~make menus
~sbowered
~WRAP WRAP WRAP
~fold laundry and put it away
~Dh liquor store run for wine for holiday gifts
~print out pictures for Mom and Dsister ornaments
Have a great stress free day! Love Jackie

The 4-8 inches of snow didn't quite happen. Instead, about an inch of ice and an inch of snow. School is on today (thank goodness!). It's 9:45 now. I have until 1 to frost cupcakes and finish all wrapping, then take 3 packages to post office to mail, then I need to be at the kids' parties at school at 1:30. Wish me luck!

I don't think I'm going to get cards out this year. There is just no time now. I'm bummed, but feel a weight is off of me to not have that pressure.

Good Afternoon!

TADA
morning routine
read paper
bank deposit
bought cold pills(both kids have colds)
lunch
watched Barnyard with kids
sorted mail

PODA
kids to write messages for picture tray,then wrap it(last thing to wrap!)
keep them hydrated and medicated!! LOL
continue to hang out and relax
dinner
DD bath
read with her

Too bad they are spending their first day off with colds but at least it's not on Christmas.

Jackie-nothing like romping in the cold to wipe kids out!

Jenny-hope you got it all done by your deadline. I hate being out when it's icy,scary roads.

Well better get the kids to write their messages before they resist.

Heidi

I spent several hours waiting for the car to be serviced.

Good Morning!

PODA
morning routine
read paper
call Mom
bake muffins for brunch tomorrow
1 load laundry
lunch
playdate here for DD
sort mail
general tidying
dinner
set table before bed

I want to make the brunch semi-formal(cloth napkins,tablecloth,real plates,etc) for my friend,her mom, and sister, and our kids of course. Then we will have a gift exchange and coffee while the kids play. I plan on serving breakfast foods and pastry. So......we'll see.

Lois-I hate service waits,did you get to at least read a good book?

Heidi

Round Robin, quick clean up, then baking!
Yippeee, school is out! And Chance is already driving me nuts about opening presents. LOL!

Jumping on real quick while Alexa still sleeps and dh plays with Luke. Hope you guys are doing well with holiday craziness. we are ok- I just really need to wrap. Tomorrow my sister is going to come over with my nieces and we are going to bake cookies.

Poda and tada:
~paid bills
~ran with my neighbor
~took out garbage
~got envelopes ready for garbage man and mailman
~defrost pot roast and make dinner for dh and dstepson I have work tonight 3-9pm
~print out pictures for Mom and sisters frames for Christmas
~fold laundry and put it away
~drink my water
have a great day. Love Jackie

Good Evening!

Jackie-what kind of cookies did you make?

Well the brunch went well. Got to sit and visit while the kids destroyed the basement playroom! At least I don't have to look at it.
DD got a bead string kit and is happily doing that at the DR table now.

Hope you all have a nice night

Heidi

Almost all the presents are wrapped, I've been busy cleaning some other parts of the house, like the messy sewing room/office (darn it, why isn't there a door so I can just close it off) and cleaning out the insides of the Suburban and my pickup and the porch (made the girls clean the yard. DD9 had a hissy fit. Instead of getting mad, I got the video camera. LOL!). MIL came over last night and did some baking since her oven is broken and the new one won't be in til next week sometime (we hope). She called this morning to apoligize for not cleaning afterwards.

We are having Christmas Eve at the inlaws tomorrow and exchanging gifts with them. Santa will come here then and we will open our gifts on Christmas morning. Then the inlaws will all come over here for dinner (at noon). It took much discussion, exasperation and compromise to get to that point. My SIL would never come to our house ever if we didn't insist on having something here. And by golly, DH and I are tired of getting the kids up at the crack of dawn to hurry up and go to inlaws every Christmas.

Anyway, gotta make my casserole for tomorrow, finish wrapping 4 things. Oh, and call DH's aunt and invite her over on Day. Her all grown kids and grown grandkids and still little great-grandkids all decided to go to her ex's. She was invited by FIL, but I have to call and invite her too or else she won't come, and then it would be all my fault. :eyeroll:

I think I am as ready as I can be. I just finished putting together a walker, car type thing for Lucas. Thank goodness for the 10 year old girl next door- she was here this am and I did all my last minute things. finished wrapping, loaded up car with food, presents stuff for Moms house tonight. Separated gifts for kiddos for when we get home tonight. Made reindeer food and got cookies and carrots ready for tonight.

Heidi, we had a great day yesterday baking with the girls. We made fudge, snickerdoodles, these cake cookies that we love that are so easy, chocolate chip, and brownies. Luke has ate so many already and he doesnt even have teeth yet!!

Merry Christmas to you girls!! this is from Alexa and Luke (hopefully it works) Sorry we didnt participate in the card exchange but count us in for next year
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i123/alexachristina/card.jpg

And Luke says Merry Christmas