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It's over. After all of the Christmas prep and build up the over-ness always surprises me a little. It was a great holiday -- a bit of a wild ride through snowy New Mexico, but we made it to Zion in plenty of time for looking at lights and drinking hot cocoa and exchanging gifts. Phew!
Today we change locations and suit up for some skiing. Pray for my bones!!
Things are pretty jolly around here, maybe even bright. But calm? Not a chance.
I'm definitely operating in crisis mode. It's a fun type of crisis, but I'm running from one activity, shopping excursion, trip prep, birthday event to the next. I figure I'll sleep come Thursday when we leave for Utah. Until then we are are living the season to its fullest extent. Which is fun and super tiring.
Sunday night we celebrated Jordan's upcoming (as in tomorrow) birthday. We usually let the kids pick their favorite home-cooked meal or favorite restaurant, but due to 173 scheduling conflicts Jordan pretty much was relegated to a home-cooked meal two days before her actual day of birth. She chose roast, mashed potatoes, funeral potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, asparagus, and pecan pie. I don't typically serve two kinds of potatoes, but she specifically requested a bounty of potatoes. And so it was. Seriously, I cooked for about three hours straight. I will say that Jordan sat up to the island and entertained me for a good two hours, so it was 99% pleasure and 1% TOO MUCH COOKING.
While I was cooking the thought did cross my mind that I was the one who labored to bring this child into the world, and here I was laboring again on her birthday -- that just maybe I should be the one getting the special treatment for my heroic efforts in growing and birthing an entire human. But then I remembered just how fantastic that human is and how privileged I am to get to mother a girl terrific enough to order two types of potatoes. So, we let the boys nap. And we girls lived it up.
I know. Not a picture of new hair, but I didn't want a picture of myself at the top. I'm more of a 'scroll-down' kind of girl. I hate having my picture taken and hate looking at my taken picture. Mostly cuz I'm the most unphotogenic person on the planet. And that's no exaggeration.
This is the glamour shot post-processing. But see? It's really the same haircut...I just didn't blowdry the you-know-what out of it. And then flatten it with a straightening iron. And use 17 straightening products. Nope. That's my hair basically au natural. With a little pomade.
Black and white. Hides a multitude of sins. Or genetically unfortunate happenings.
That's a little more like it. The real me. Need to get my eyebrows done. Stat.
I've JUST about finished up my Christmas shopping. The last few items are eluding me. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but shopping was like Black Friday gone wrong out there. It was stop-and-stop traffic everywhere I went. Such circumstances are not good for people who feel oppressed by humanity in general.
I'm preparing for our trip to Utah, Christmas, and Jordan's 18th birthday -- all at the same time.
Okay. I'm taking pictures of my hair and playing on photoshop...while thinking about trip, Christmas, and birthday. The good news is that I'm done with work until school starts back up. Except the laundry. And the cooking. And the packing. And the scrubbing.
But not the wrapping. I finished that yesterday. All of my packages are neatly piled in my closet (the ones I don't want the kids to shake). Having that stockpile in my closet always makes me feel good -- like if something happened to me my kids could have Christmas anyway. Which is just about as weird a sentiment as having clean underwear in case you get in a wreck.
Merry Christmas! Drink some hot chocolate for me.
I didn't buy much in the way of new Christmas decor this season. I spent one whole Saturday putting out our existing decorations and decided we had ENOUGH. However, my family has been very pleased (as in knocking each other over the head) over the new blanket. It's actually a little cabin-y for our current design leanings (not that I don't love cabin!), but I couldn't turn down the fleecy edging and back. It is so soft. We all fight for it. I, for one, have done my best to limit the dog's interaction with THE blanket. But she loves it too. [I just looked all over Target for a link...no luck.]
Sorry for the fuzzy pic. This is a gnome Jordan and I are building to sit on her dessert table for her party next Tuesday. I know...she's 18 and doesn't need a paper gnome. But she loves gnomes (and so do I) and who am I to deny the spirit of the season? Being responsible citizens we did make a pattern of the gnome parts before glueing it together. I'm not certain at all we will make other gnomes...but I enjoy having the possiblity. You can find him here.
Along with Christmas-ing up the house, we've entered into full concert season. Jordan's orchestra concert and Parker's 5th grade program were last week. Madison's choir concert was last night. They performed a few numbers with the chamber orchestra, so it was neat to have both girls on stage. I have to say that after sitting though innumerable concerts from elementary on up...it's pretty amazing what the kids accomplish by the upper levels. Some really amazing musicians performing on the high school stage for sure. Tonight is Becca's choir concert and tomorrow night is the older girls' piano recital. Parker, of course, takes it all as par for the course. Last night he was reading his book during the concert (in almost total darkness).
And, last, but not least...a recipe. I'm trying this for dinner tonight. I had about 17 minutes yesterday to pick up the dry cleaning, snag Becca from choir rehearsal, and pick up a pillow pet (much needed gift) from Walmart. As a result of the time crunch...I had to pick up tonight's dinner ingredients from good ole Wally World as well. So...instead of pancetta we'll use bacon. Instead of cannellini beans...great northern. I'll let you know how it works out...personally, I'm looking forward to it.
Okay, over and out. Back to writing...
This morning was our church Christmas brunch. I signed up to bring cinnamon rolls despite the fact I don't really have a go-to recipe. In the end I went with Our Best Bite's Overnight Cinnamon Rolls. The party started at 9, and I was keen on finding a recipe that allowed for as much sleep on Saturday morning as possible. This recipe was great. Great taste, texture, and they were HUGE. They are pretty time consuming the night before...but you just throw them in the oven in the morning. I recommend. Make some tonight. (Note: I did make more glaze for the pan on the left. I feel strongly that the entirety of the cinnamon role should be covered with glaze.)
I just finished addressing, and licking, and stamping our Christmas cards. I HEART Christmas cards -- everything about them...taking the photo (sorta), picking out the design, addressing them while listening to Christmas music. AND getting them in the mail. Send some my way, won't ya?
I was definitely listening to my favorite Christmas song, River, by Aimee Mann. Over and over. And over. It gets me right there.
I'm in charge of date night (tonight). I want to do something really Christmas-y...but the best I've got right now is ordering up some Starbucks hot chocolate and roaming Barnes and Noble. Don't laugh. Browsing the stacks is one of our go-to date activities. That and eating. We are a simple people.
Happy Saturday!
I'm working on merry and bright over here. Mostly I'm just working. Thanks to a dissertation-writing friend, I'm finally in a writing groove. See, we commit to each other what hours we will work each day. For some strange reason I feel like I must follow through. And I do. Currently, I'm aiming for four hours a day. That doesn't seem like a lot, but you'd be surprised just how difficult it is to carve four sit-at-your-desk hours out of this holiday season. It doesn't help that my attention span is approximately 8 minutes. Nope. Not helpful.
Tis the season for holiday concerts. I could tell you about the near-debacle last night at the 5th grade holiday musical program. When we arrived at 5:50 (for a 7 PM concert) the chairs were not yet set up. This was problematic for a number of reasons. Parents at this school consistently arrive early for good seats. This meant that when the custodians did finally roll out the stacks of chairs there was mass chaos. Imagine Black Friday times a gazillion. Ugly words were said and people showed sides of themselves best left...well..nowhere. You get the idea. We did get seats. I nearly hyperventilated like twelve times purely on account of the crush of humanity.
Tonight orchestra. Next week: choir, choir, piano.
P.S. Last year Uverse, our cable provider, stopped carrying the Hallmark channel. This means no uber-lame, yet surprisingly addictive Hallmark Christmas movies. I'm really missing them.
I've calmed myself down a bit (regarding my lack of Christmas preparation). I know everything always comes together in the end. But what if it needs to be PERFECT???
Just kidding. But seriously, fraught with anxiety is pretty much how I roll.
Last night the big girls and I spent about an hour and a half at the mall where they helped me shop (for themselves) and for several other family members. This was productive and informative. At home, Becca was holding down the fort since Sterling was working late. Parker was busy setting up a battle of epic proportions. He used to do this all of the time...dragging his toys down...setting them up on the coffee table...but sadly, this practice has dwindled over time.
It's revival time baby.
He's still enjoying the fruits of his labor this morning.
So...Madison is off taking the SAT, Jordan is getting in some volunteer hours at the high school, Becca is sleeping in, Sterling is contemplating work, and me? I'm getting ready to do some writing. Also, thinking about skirts for the girls. Why is it so difficult to find a skirt longer than 12"? Why???
Jordan likes this one, so we are going to give it the ole' college try this week. What do you think?
Folks. I'm feeling it -- the Christmas crunch. There is much to do between now and December 25th and just aiming my thoughts in that direction makes my stomach all tight and crampy feeling. Like I'm holding my breath. And THAT is just plain silly. In an attempt to remedy my breath holding, Sterling and I are going to try to knock out some big-time shopping this weekend. Also, I need to make some lists. Peppermint Hershey's kisses may or may not be involved.
Despite my rather unprepared foray into the month of December, we did start our advent calendars -- all three. At least a month ago I picked up the Lego City advent and stashed it in my closet. Parker was super happy about that. Last night he told me he was "so excited about tomorrow." Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow? "Ummm...he gets to open another door on the Lego advent." Duh.
Get this. The first day? A lego man in prison garb?
The second day?
A catapult.
What??
Both Sterling and Parker seemed to think it made perfect sense. Okay then.
I'm suspecting tomorrow might be a gun or a knife or a cannon. Every Merry Christmas scene could only benefit from the presence of weapons. Stitch THAT on a pillow.
