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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Random frustrations

So the last couple of days, I have been feeling rather fenced in. I need some alone time and I have no place to go. I am around people ALL DAY LONG....literally. With Abby sleeping in my bed, I get no time to myself so I can unwind and have some time to myself where I don't have to think, be nice or talk to anyone.

However, I think I may have solved my problem. The only place in my house that I can pick up a wireless internet connection is in the bathroom-so in the early morning, I shut the door, keep the light off and search the internet.

Now that's what I call alone time!!!!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas

Christmas time is supposed to be a time of getting together with family and friends and being merry and bright. Santa is supposed to come (well if you are of the Christian belief anyway) and bring gifts and all is supposed to be right with the world.

I am going to start off by saying-MAN! Am I glad it's over!!! I am wiped out! Christmas time in our family is a time of chaos and travel-that means we travel everywhere and no-one travels to our house. It's not that I hate traveling, but it really takes a lot out of me when I'm on my way to my 4th party after I have been trying (for the last 3 hours) to make sure a really sugared up 2 year old, who hasn't had a nap, doesn't destroy my Mother-in-Law's house.

Our Christmas usually starts before the actual Christmas holiday. I come from a split family and so this means that we have several gatherings that we are obligated to go to. The first party is usually with my aunts, uncles, and cousins on my Mom's side of the family; this year the party was to be held at my Uncles house on the 21st, unfortunately we were unable to go because Abby had a stomach bug. I like to think of this party as Tropical Storm Rudolph-it's hectic, but nothing compared to the "real thing". After is the calm before the real storm hits-Hurricane Christmas.

On Christmas Eve Jeff, Abby and I opened our gifts between each other and then Jeff and Abby watched a movie while I cleaned up the kitchen (I really didn't feel like watching Robots for the 14 millionth time). Then, after the movie was done Jeff brought Abby upstairs and put her to bed while I finished getting all of the gifts from Santa under the tree an into the stockings. All was said and done by 2am and I was exhausted!

Abby woke up at 8am and when I told her I think Santa came. When she saw the tree, she was very pleased and yelled "DORA!!!!" when she saw a pillow that had some books with it. Then, we read books until Jeff got up. After all of the Santa gifts were opened, we got ready and went over to a friends house where we had some mid morning treats and opened gifts. After the gifts were opened we had to leave right away because we had to get over to my Mother-in-law's house where we had a Christmas meal and then opened more gifts. Which were promptly packed up and stored in the car so we could go to my Dad's house to have yet another meal and open even more gifts. By the end of the evening all 3 of us were exhausted and Abby was gearing up for full meltdown mode so we packed everything up, went home, had some milk, watched a new Elmo movie, and went to bed.

Now most people would be more than ready to swear off any kind of social gathering for at least another 365 days, but we still have 2 more Christmas gatherings to go to; one with my Stepfather and one with my Mom (they are divorced, but he's still our Stepdad). After those 2 are done then I will be able to swear off any kind of social gathering for another 365 days.

I do have to say that we got some really nice gifts and some gifts that we will probably never use, but I really appreciate that the gift giver thought enough to give it. I liked seeing the family and friends and gathering for the happy time, but with all of this, I still have to say that I have one disappointment.

I didn't get any pictures. None. zero. zip. zilch. nada. The batteries were dead in my camera. I did grab the video camera that we bought a couple of years ago, but I wasn't able to get a lot on film as I was very busy helping Abby open gifts.

Oh well, there's always next year!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Hmmm...so I have a blog...huh! Who knew?!

So, I decided since I set up this blog so many months ago that I should probably start to use it. I mean, why have something if you aren't going to use it....right?!

It's really too bad that I don't use this mentality when it comes to getting rid of things at home. Maybe this is something that I will resovle for the New Year. Get rid of things that I don't use. I shall make a list:
  • Gazelle (really, it's sitting outside collecting snow-best $200 snow collector I've ever seen!)
  • Scrapbook stuff (this is an illness. I buy and buy and buy and have no time to actually sit and put together a scrapbook! Shhh....I still haven't started Abby's book!!!)
  • Dust Rags (seriously the dust bunnies are taking over!!!)
  • Skinny Clothes (I guess if I would use the Gazelle, I wouldn't need to get rid of these would I?!)
  • 75-95% of Abby's toys that are fighting with the dust bunnies for space (really.)
  • 148,294,204,194,204,876 pounds of bathroom stuff that has been taken over by the dust bunnies

I'm sure there is so much more, and most of this will still be on my list of things to get rid of next year (scrapbook stuff) but I am going to resolve to atleast get some of the things off my list!