It was a Monday, ten years ago today, that I began this blog. I actually remember it very clearly. I had been worried about blogging for privacy reasons, but I'm so very glad that I have ten years of memories saved here.
Ten years. Wow. I love thinking back to those little people who I wrote about all those years ago. Our lives were so different. I was a mom of little kids. Now my oldest is out on his own. Ten years went by faster than I can even imagine.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Friday, December 7, 2018
Friday makes everything better
It was kind of tough to get out of bed this morning. It is really cold, and we are really tired. However, knowing that it is Friday makes everything better.
After school I have to run band errands, Andrew has a meeting, and the kids have swim workout. There is no swim practice this evening, but they are attending a dance. Tomorrow Catherine works, and Andrew will take Thomas to the church for the Christmas program rehearsal. His hockey supervising duties for tomorrow were cancelled, but I will probably spend a couple of hours at the church getting my job done. Sunday is the Christmas program and Andrew has a meeting. I am hoping to make a quick trip to my hometown for an open house, but we'll see what the weather is like and what other things I have finished. Next week I am working every day except Tuesday (as of right now) and I need to be getting some gifts wrapped...and purchased first!
After today, only ten days of school remain until two weeks off for the holidays. In the meantime, I hope to remember to enjoy the magic of the season, and not get to stressed about making everything "perfect".
After school I have to run band errands, Andrew has a meeting, and the kids have swim workout. There is no swim practice this evening, but they are attending a dance. Tomorrow Catherine works, and Andrew will take Thomas to the church for the Christmas program rehearsal. His hockey supervising duties for tomorrow were cancelled, but I will probably spend a couple of hours at the church getting my job done. Sunday is the Christmas program and Andrew has a meeting. I am hoping to make a quick trip to my hometown for an open house, but we'll see what the weather is like and what other things I have finished. Next week I am working every day except Tuesday (as of right now) and I need to be getting some gifts wrapped...and purchased first!
After today, only ten days of school remain until two weeks off for the holidays. In the meantime, I hope to remember to enjoy the magic of the season, and not get to stressed about making everything "perfect".
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Yesterday was wonderful
Yesterday was really as wonderful as I thought it would be. Sleeping in was definitely a fabulous start to the day. I didn't get nearly as much finished as I would've liked, although I did get about 95% of Christmas cards finished. I really just sat and relaxed while working on the cards, and just thoroughly enjoyed the quiet down time. That is very rare. It was even an extra treat that Andrew's work finished much earlier than expected, and he was home before the kids. It was nice to have some time to catch up. I have a bunch of errands to run this evening, but I am cautiously optimistic I can live in an uncluttered house by this weekend! I even have a few fun holiday plans!
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
A wonderful day to be off work
Within the last two weeks, I missed a couple of opportunities to work today at the high school. I was bummed, but it turns out that today is the only day I'm off this week...and my first school day off since November 2. Because I get to sleep in 45 minutes on days I don't work, it meant we were still asleep when a later-than-normal phone call came that school was on a 2-hour delay. That meant I got to sleep until nearly 8:00! It almost feels too good to be true. That unexpected snow at just the right time was much appreciated.
And even better is the fact that I don't have to leave my house all day. In fact, I have almost all day to myself. The kids will be home at 3:00, but have to be out the door by 3:45 for swim workout and won't get home from practice until nearly 8:00. Andrew has athletic director duties at a wrestling meet this evening and probably won't be home until even later. I plan to get so many things handled around the house, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to make it so.
In the meantime, I'm enjoying a few moments to just sit. I have Christmas music playing, and the animals are all sleeping. In fact, one of the cats is cuddled up with me. I know that when I get up and start cleaning, I'm going to be irritated by the things my kids couldn't put away, but with the Christmas music on and the snow covering outside, it is incredibly peaceful. I am so grateful for this.
And even better is the fact that I don't have to leave my house all day. In fact, I have almost all day to myself. The kids will be home at 3:00, but have to be out the door by 3:45 for swim workout and won't get home from practice until nearly 8:00. Andrew has athletic director duties at a wrestling meet this evening and probably won't be home until even later. I plan to get so many things handled around the house, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to make it so.
In the meantime, I'm enjoying a few moments to just sit. I have Christmas music playing, and the animals are all sleeping. In fact, one of the cats is cuddled up with me. I know that when I get up and start cleaning, I'm going to be irritated by the things my kids couldn't put away, but with the Christmas music on and the snow covering outside, it is incredibly peaceful. I am so grateful for this.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Christmas stories
Catherine is our Hallmark/Lifetime movie girl. She seems to have her dad hooked on the current batch of holiday movies as well. I'm not always the biggest fan, although sometimes I will sit and watch one. I just find the formula of two people who don't get along but are drawn together (usually by kids or an animal) to be tired. Same with the one of them left town (usually her) but now has returned due a family issue and high school sweethearts are reunited. There usually isn't much of a twist. I do understand why people might like them, but I prefer watching ESPN.
Books however, are another thing. I have checked out several books from the library. Most of them are "Jessica Fletcher, Murder She Wrote" type mysteries with an amateur sleuth solving a quaint little town's murder. I enjoy these overall, but right now I am insisting that all of them be Christmas stories. It makes me enjoy the days I am working at the high school and can read and read!
Books however, are another thing. I have checked out several books from the library. Most of them are "Jessica Fletcher, Murder She Wrote" type mysteries with an amateur sleuth solving a quaint little town's murder. I enjoy these overall, but right now I am insisting that all of them be Christmas stories. It makes me enjoy the days I am working at the high school and can read and read!
Monday, December 3, 2018
How do people decorate in a day???
On Thanksgiving Thursday, Andrew and Thomas took all the Christmas boxes down from the attic and put them in our garage. I had no intention of beginning to decorate that evening, but I needed the boxes to be handy and they were leaving the next day. I didn't get much done the next day either, between breakfast out, an afternoon of volunteering, and a quick after-dinner drink with some friends.
It then took me ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday to continue decorating. Notice I didn't say finish...I don't think I'm there even yet! Granted, I've also been working on Christmas cards and the band fundraiser chaos, and working basically full time, but it was yesterday before I finally put all the tubs back in the garage. And it doesn't mean that things are all put together. It just means the tubs are back in the garage. I still have items that are normally up that need to be stored somewhere. So the tubs came into the house nine days ago, and I'm still not living in a house put together.
However, there are tons of people who seem to be able to decorate in a day...how is this possible? I am sure that perhaps the entire family helps, but I still don't understand how it gets done in a day. I am ready for less clutter, but not sure when I will actually get there!
It then took me ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday to continue decorating. Notice I didn't say finish...I don't think I'm there even yet! Granted, I've also been working on Christmas cards and the band fundraiser chaos, and working basically full time, but it was yesterday before I finally put all the tubs back in the garage. And it doesn't mean that things are all put together. It just means the tubs are back in the garage. I still have items that are normally up that need to be stored somewhere. So the tubs came into the house nine days ago, and I'm still not living in a house put together.
However, there are tons of people who seem to be able to decorate in a day...how is this possible? I am sure that perhaps the entire family helps, but I still don't understand how it gets done in a day. I am ready for less clutter, but not sure when I will actually get there!
The first weekend of the season
One of the nice things about Thanksgiving being so early is that we get an "extra" weekend in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would love to say that it makes the season less crazy, but so far that is not the case.
Honestly, I had been looking forward to Friday evening all week. The kids only had swim workout but no swim practice. Looking ahead at the calendar, it was one of the few (and perhaps only) evenings we would be able to make it happen. We took Abby (the dog) along, and were one of the first visitors in line. In fact, we were home by 7:00 for a quiet evening. We popped some frozen pizzas in the oven and hung out together. I love those evenings! We even heard from Robert telling us the power had gone out on base.
Saturday I was up fairly early to head to my hometown. I was having lunch with my mom and grandmother, and there was also a community home tour I wanted to attend. I was also able to make a quick trip to the soap store I wrote about in my last post. It was a crappy weather day, and the traffic was rough on the way home. I stopped and treated myself to a Starbucks coffee on the way home, and between that and the Christmas music I was listening to, it was very soothing. Andrew and Thomas took off for my in-laws, and because of a traffic accident their five hour drive took nine hours. Catherine had to work all day, but was home in time to watch the OSU game with me. I spent the evening working on my Christmas cards, and we enjoyed our evening.
Yesterday Catherine had to work again, and I made a trip to Kentucky to visit some relatives and deliver the wreaths they had purchased. It is always fun to visit with them, but I think we all felt a little antsy about things we were wanting to get done. I didn't stay very long, and that was fine with all of us. I came home to get some things done around the house and try to get ready for this week.
Andrew and Thomas will be home today. This was a planned trip, but the plans, of course, didn't happen as they were originally planned! I will be so glad when they are home. I'm trying to enjoy all the moments though.
Honestly, I had been looking forward to Friday evening all week. The kids only had swim workout but no swim practice. Looking ahead at the calendar, it was one of the few (and perhaps only) evenings we would be able to make it happen. We took Abby (the dog) along, and were one of the first visitors in line. In fact, we were home by 7:00 for a quiet evening. We popped some frozen pizzas in the oven and hung out together. I love those evenings! We even heard from Robert telling us the power had gone out on base.
Saturday I was up fairly early to head to my hometown. I was having lunch with my mom and grandmother, and there was also a community home tour I wanted to attend. I was also able to make a quick trip to the soap store I wrote about in my last post. It was a crappy weather day, and the traffic was rough on the way home. I stopped and treated myself to a Starbucks coffee on the way home, and between that and the Christmas music I was listening to, it was very soothing. Andrew and Thomas took off for my in-laws, and because of a traffic accident their five hour drive took nine hours. Catherine had to work all day, but was home in time to watch the OSU game with me. I spent the evening working on my Christmas cards, and we enjoyed our evening.
Yesterday Catherine had to work again, and I made a trip to Kentucky to visit some relatives and deliver the wreaths they had purchased. It is always fun to visit with them, but I think we all felt a little antsy about things we were wanting to get done. I didn't stay very long, and that was fine with all of us. I came home to get some things done around the house and try to get ready for this week.
Andrew and Thomas will be home today. This was a planned trip, but the plans, of course, didn't happen as they were originally planned! I will be so glad when they are home. I'm trying to enjoy all the moments though.
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