Christmas Picture Delay

Sorry, but there's been a delay in the posting of Christmas pictures. I know, you're disappointed. You were just waiting to see the picture of me and Paige in our matching jammies. There's been complications. See, Ronnie works nights 3 nights a week and by the time he gets in from work I'm ready for bed. I get woken up. Then, when he comes to bed I get woken up again. Then if Paige wakes up during the night for any reason, I get woken up again. And let's not forget that Ronnie is having sinus issues & as a result is snoring at night. The result? Mommy needs a good nights sleep! I'm cranky. And Paige is pushing ever button trying so hard to push me to my limits. And she's doing a good job of it too.

Last night she started coughing around 2:30. The end result was her throwing up all over her bed. She ate gumbo for dinner. It wasn't pretty. And I didn't get much sleep at all. We spent the day going to Target for a few items, then meeting up with Ronnie's older sister and her family. I haven't had the time or energy to download pics from the camera.

I'm about to put Ronnie to work downloading so that I can post pics. I somehow managed to not take a single picture at Granny's house last night. I don't know how, other than the massive confusion.

If I did my math correctly, there were 39 people in her house last night. Please remember that it was only immediate family. To me, that is what Christmas is all about. The huge amounts of cousins, aunts & uncles sitting around chatting, eating & playing with kids. To be honest, I didn't even know where Paige was half the time. She was in a safe, family environment with lots and lots of adults around. It's community parenting. If you see someones child doing something wrong or possibly dangerous, you stop them. We all watch out for each others kids, after all, we're family. I knew she was in the house & that's all that mattered.

We splurged on an After Christmas Adults Only Dinner. Mommy had a couple of margaritas. I'm blogging buzzed. It's time for me to curl up on the couch with Ronnie and watch Sixteen Candles before trying to get a full nights sleep. Tomorrow it's back to normal.


Oh, and it's a journey diamond necklace, not an eternity necklace. I stand corrected.

Santa Came Through

With a little help from Circle K, Santa delivered a 12 pack of Coke to the fridge. They were nice & chilled when I got up this morning. He also brought an eternity necklace, but that's another post.

I just wanted to let everyone know the world is safe once again. Mommy had her morning Coke!

Merry Christmas. I hope Santa brought you exactly what you wanted.

Pictures & full Christmas day details to follow tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!!

It's 8:30, Paige is in bed, Santa has eaten the cookies & left the gifts. Santa even had time to play a little bit of computer game. I thought we were going lite with Christmas this year. It seemed like we were going lite. Paige got a couple of big gifts, then a few small ones. The more I wrapped the more I found to wrap. I didn't think I was going to finish! Our Christmas tree looks like it exploded presents.

It was an icky-rainy day here, so we spent it mostly indoors. We did venture out to the grocery store in order to get some last minute items. Unfortunately, I thought I still have Coke and I don't. Marc & Wendy are out, so I can't just run to the store. I did send Ronnie a text asking him to pick some up on his way home. Mommy without Coke is NOT pretty. I can go without ever drinking another sip of coffee my entire life. Do not ask me to give up the Coke. It's just not going to happen. Yes, I'm willing to pay convenience store prices in order to have a 12 pack in my fridge tomorrow morning.

We met Ronnie at work for an early lunch. Then Paige napped. This afternoon we made cookies for Santa & reindeer food. Since it was raining tonight we couldn't spread it for the reindeer. Paige settled for putting it in a big bowl next to Santa's cookies. She was super excited about the new, matching jammies for the 2 of us. She asked where Daddy's were. I couldn't explain that Target didn't make them in matching for Daddy. So, I told her they were only for girls. That always works!

Tomorrow morning will be spent here, then the afternoon with family. We'll go to Ronnie's parents house, then on to Granny's house where my entire family will be. I hope everyone has a great Christmas, and that Santa brings you what you asked for. (COKES SANTA, I NEED A 12 PACK OF COKE!) I won't be online again until Friday probably. Enjoy your day tomorrow. Spend time playing with the kids, and remembering why you always woke up so early on Christmas morning.

To Do List

I'm a list maker. There's usually so much going on, that if I don't make a list, I'll forget something. Some days I know there's a lot to do once I get home, so I'll start making a list at work. I started today's list about 3 or so. I would think of something, add it to the list, and keep going on with work. I leave off the stuff like bath, pajamas, bedtime story. But, I do put a few off the DUH! things on there. There's just that satisfaction of getting to cross it off the list. Here's tonight's list:

• Set coffe pot
• Milk for daycare
• Make rice for tomorrow's supper
• Make supper
• Clean kitchen
• Balance checkbook
• Pay bills
• Make invitations
• Make art pen pal project
• Wrap last gifts
• Fix Buzz Lightyear ornament someone knocked off the tree
• Sweep/mop kitchen
• Vacuum
• Blog
• Enter Coke rewards
• Go to drug store and gas station
• Laundry
  

That's it. It's 18 separate entries. You'll be happy to know that as of this post, I've completed 13 of them. The art project is a 3 nighter at least. I've glued, now I have to wait for it to set, tomorrow night I'll paint, then I glue again on the 3rd night. I may not finish Paige's birthday invitations tonight, but I'll at least get the 3 done for her friends at daycare we're inviting. Finally, I didn't vacuum. It's just too late. Maybe tomorrow. And as soon as I post this, I'll wrap the last 2 gifts. I've at least touched on everything on the list. I'll just have to carry a few things over.

I do recommend the list. I can procrastinate with the best of them. I find a book, a blanket & the couch and I'm done. I can spend the rest of the night right there happy as can be. But, knowing it's written down, all that stuff I need to get done, I just have to do it. I have to mark the stuff off the list. It's a good feeling of accomplishment. My secret, of course, is adding something I know no matter what, I'll get done. Like cook supper. It's a gimme, so you know you'll mark 1 thing off the list.

edited: I finished the invitations. Or, at least as many as I think I'll need. I've hand made them, but that's another post. The only carry overs to tomorrow is vacuum and work on the art pen pal project.

Ideas Wanted

I'm looking for more things to do with Paige on Christmas Eve. Ronnie is working a double this year. She's really at an age where she gets the whole Santa thing & is getting excited.

Here's what we have so far:
New, matching jammies for Mommy & Paige.
Bake cookies for Santa.
Make reindeer food to sprinkle on the lawn.

That's it. Nothing else special. I don't really want to start the opening 1 present early tradition. I want her to come in Christmas morning and go crazy with all the cool stuff!

You will be very happy to know that Santa did purchase a pink gift, then forgot about it. Santa found it last night while gathering up all the gifts to open & jammies to wash. It's a wooden percussion dolphin. Something like this, only hers is pink.

So, what do you do on Christmas Eve?

Ongoing Projects

As soon as I think I've caught up on my projects, more pop up. I guess that's always the way. But at this rate, Paige's scrapbook will never get updated!

Let's see, where to start? Well, my team didn't win the decorating contest. The judges were all guys, and they voted for the Santa Strip Club area. Completely wrong in my opinion, but it was really funny! Paige's daycare party was a huge success. The kids all had a blast and everyone loved their goody bags, including the teachers.

Last night was our unofficial office party. It was much more fun than the official one. This one involved bacon wrapped jalapenos, 200 jello shots & karaoke. Almost everyone from work showed up. There wasn't any drama, just a bunch of accountants having a good time. For those of you who think our idea of a good time is a tax return, you've obviously never been out with us!

Finally, preparation for Paige's 3rd birthday party is well underway. My latest project is to make her invitations & get them ready to hand out. Her birthday is in about a month, so there's a lot to do. Up until a week ago we were having it at Build a Bear, but Ronnie changed his mind. He wanted to have it here at home. So, we're having an arts & crafts birthday party. We're thinking lots of paint, play doh, construction paper, glue, pipe cleaners, googly eyes. The works. I think it will be a blast for the kids. I'll provide smocks for the small artists & turn them loose on the carport. Tables will be covered in cheap plastic table clothes, and the whole area can be hosed down afterwards. I think it's perfect!

Christmas Party Cubed

This is a week of Christmas parties for us. First, my office is having is official Christmas party & luncheon today. Tomorrow Paige has her daycare party. Saturday night is our unofficial work party. One of my coworkers decided we needed a huge blowout. Another volunteered her house. It all just came together.

Last night I had to finish up my last minute stuff. I made a huge bag of Puppy Chow to take to my office party today. Then, while that was cooling I made 16 English muffin pizzas for Paige to take to daycare tomorrow. They had to be made in batches of 8, so it took a bit of time. I also made Christmas tree soaps to add to her teachers gift bags. They are completely done now: 1 ornament, 2 chocolate covered pretzel rods & a soap. The bags for her friends have been done since last week. I'm ready to take them in and let the kids have them. I want to see how well they're liked.

Since none of this can happen until Paige is in bed at 7:45, it means I get a late start to doing anything. But, it looks like we're about done for the holidays. Ronnie has to make the appetizers to take to the party on Saturday. He's making spinach bacon dip & bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos.

To answer a question posted in comments: Coke salad is a jello salad made with Coke, pineapple, cherries, nuts, celery (left out of mine cuz I hate it) & cream cheese. It's super yummy. I'll try to find my recipe or get it again from Mom and post it.

And the decorating contest has been postponed again. Well, the winner announcement has been postponed. It will now be done tomorrow. We have coworkers coming in from offices out of state. Since they can be completely impartial, they will be our judges. They won't know who decorated what area. They will vote by numbers. The area with the most votes wins! Stay tuned, I'll let you know how we did tomorrow night.