I'm not a big fan of Bo, but Joan Osborne.. Thats a different story..
Posting from Jill's house today. But we'll be traveling back home shortly, to get ready for the Llamies arrival. We plan to bring in the new year with style.
Its all about youtube for content this week..
Well, youtube and a really cute 3 year old who happens to be slightly obsessed with his new Wiggles Christmas DVD..
That title will get me some interesting google hits, no? Gifted to us by Dennis and Nichole, it came home with us from Rhode Island, with the sole purpose that it be a Christmas decoration (I have no intention of keeping it out year round!) But really.. A Christmas Story on TBS at 8PM on Christmas Eve is what really kicks off our family's festivities. Its become such a huge part of our family's holiday. Even growing up, we owned this movie, on betamax. Each of us know the entire movie by heart.. every line.
Another family Christmas tradition that has continued on.. listening to Elvis Presley on Christmas morning. Not just any Elvis Presley.. it has to be a very specific Christmas album.
So its time to go get Santa's plate of cookies and eggnog ready. Then watch some Ralphie, drink some Bailey's, and stay up 'til the wee hours, being sure all children are fast asleep. All so I can wrap four kids worth of Santa deliveries.
Merry merry, one and all.
Over the river, and through the woods to Grandmother's Uncle Dennis and Auntie Nichole's house we go.
I didn't announce the departure because.. well.. who wants to announce on the internet that your house will be completely empty and here for the taking?
In a nutshell, we had a great time. The drive wasn't bad. The kids were great. And we're all settled in at home to relax through the holiday. I'm whooped so more on our trip tomorrow (possibly with a rant on Massachusetts drivers!)
I meant to take a picture before we cleared the driveway, but I forgot.. and it was much more important that we got the driveway clear. I kid you not.. there were 5 foot drifts up to the wood fence. And the area between the stone wall and the front of the van had drifted in. When I was able to back the van out this morning, imprinted in the packed snow was our license plate!
But with all that yucky winter weather, it sure was nice coming into the living room and sitting in front of this..
The fireplace/chimney technician was so nice. He didn't even charge me full price since hes a neighbor (only living 2 blocks down the street. Us Valley folk gotta stick together ya know!) He declared the chimney so perfect that he didn't even need to clean it. He also made my day by alerting us that both fireplaces.. the living room and the office, share a chimney. Each arch up to form an upside down Y and merge. That means that the fireplace in the office is safe to use as well!
While I very much like the heat from a traditional hardwood, roaring, crackling, fire.. I cannot stand the smell. I swear the whole house reeked like a smoky link on Saturday. Instead we've been using store bought fire logs. Its a trade off.. I know.
What else did I do this weekend? I finished Christmas shopping. OK.. I need some stocking stuffers, but I'll pick those up when I hit the market on Wednesday evening. I also got to visit with Patric a bit while he cut my hair (its growing out nicely!) And lastly, I learned that when you mix holiday shoppers with people trying to get last minute needs before a big storm hits, you end up with lots of traffic, long lines, and extremely irate people. It wasn't fun. I left at 8:30 in the morning. I didn't get home until FIVE!
After dinner, Richard and I sat down to watch "Super Bad", and well.. it was super bad. We heard so many great reviews, but this just sucked to the extreme. There were a few funny parts.. big time laugh out loud funny parts, but they certainly didn't make up for the rest of the movie. One of the worst movies I've seen in a very VERY long time.
Thanks for the tips on Eucerin. I've used it in the past, but I can't stand the way it makes my skin feel when its on. I mean, really can't stand it. I've toughed it out a few times, in the name of cracked skin, but I also don't think it works all that great for me. Instead I've been using Mary Kay night cream (the thick pink stuff) then putting on cotton gloves at bedtime. Its definitely helping. But shoveling lots of snow has set me back a bit.
Just taking out a minute, in my hyper scramble towards the holidays. Shopping, baking, cleaning, shoveling snow. Oh and a pesky contract knitting deadline in which I'm very likely to pass and be late, by at least one day if I'm to get any sleep at all this week! Again I'm grateful I'm not doing much of any holiday knitting this year, or I'd be in big trouble. I tweaked my right wrist, and as usual with this time of year, my skin is dry and cracking, no matter what brand of lotion I use, or how much I use of it. This ailment has made meeting any sort of knitting deadline a little tricky.
But last night, as I trucked along on the deadline project, Richard helped the kids write letters to Santa. I missed the first part of the conversation, the part in which urged Richard to remind them that there are indeed some children who don't have a light in their home to write their letter to santa. They go to bed hungry at night. And have no heat to keep them warm.
Cassidy proceeds to start her letter to Santa by saying..
Dear Santa,
First, please bring the poor people some light bulbs..
And for some reason, Alex thinks he'll be getting not only a Wii, but also an XBox360, aaannnnd a Playstation 2. Oh.. and an iPod and Gameboy DS!
Dylan, sweet kid.. only wants more Lego Star Wars kits (which are not in the already purchased and nicely tucked in the attic, Santa stash. This means some more shopping.)
Today the skies clear a bit, allowing warmer temperatures to melt the 7" of snow that fell yesterday. This will permit some last minute shopping tonight and tomorrow morning before the skies open wide to take another wintery shit on Saturday evening into Sunday. Oh joy. This also allows time for the glass/window guy to stop by on Saturday to fix the window in Cassidy's room that Alex broke by pushing Connor into it (!!!!) No injuries thankfully (what is it with this kid and windows?) As well as the chimney sweep guy to come inspect the fireplace and give it a cleaning. If it requires any serious repairs, we will not have a fire on Christmas morning and it will have to wait. Keep your fingers crossed that all that is needed is a little cleaning.
Now back to those knitting needles with deadlines..
