Archives for December 2008

Thursday Ten: Three Weeks ‘Til Christmas Edition

1. With the Thanksgiving holiday last Thursday, I have now had two weeks off between guitar lessons. I missed it! It was good to be back today and my fingers are killing me because in the second half of these two weeks, I have barely picked up my guitar. Today, I started learning Three Doors Down’s “Be Like That”. See that goofy looking guitarist in the beginning of the video (and MY GOD – does he know what he looks like chewing his gum like that?!) – that’s what I’m learning.

2. Three weeks til Christmas? Oh my god. Can you believe it? It’s just around the corner. Are y’all done with your shopping? Have you started?

3. I’m starting to wonder where all my free time went. It has been pure insanity lately. Sometimes I’m not even sure what I’ve been doing but I feel like I’ve been running around like crazy. Must be all those stupid snow delays.

4. I have a conference call tonight with folks in Central time zone who were considerate enough to bump the call today by 30 minutes right smack in the middle of the time I would need to be fixing my family dinner. I’m sure no one considered that it’s an hour later in Michigan than where they are. I guess the bright side is that I don’t have to make dinner. Of course, the downside is that I’m probably going to end up eating toast for dinner. That’s not fun.

5. I have not purchased any new music this week. I have not been hit on the head with a blunt object. I don’t think I have a fever or other illness that might cause me mental confusion. I just haven’t. Boy. That’s odd. Better fix that situation quickly!

6. Getting ready for our third annual cookie decorating party that is set to take place in two weeks. I need a good recipe for gingerbread cookies. Please enlighten me if you have one that rocks. I love gingerbread, and I want to do this for real this year – not from a mix. Though, I have to make a couple hundred cookies, so some mix cookies might be necessary.

7. In the next week, I will hit day 100 of the 365 Picture Project. ONE HUNDRED. Can you believe it? I sure can’t. I haven’t missed a day yet, even though some of my pictures have been boring or goofy. I’m definitely not a hardcore photographer, but it’s fun and I keep looking back on the days prior and it’s been an awesome way to reflect.

8. Top Chef – I love that show. I get sucked in every week and every week I am reminded how absolutely very little I know about cooking. Last night’s episode was pretty neat because they had to kind of explain to us stupid people at home how to make something. And it was nice to see most of the chefs falter at that. I’m not sure why I found amusement in their failure, but I did. Don’t judge me.

9. If you were going out of town for a weekend because you just had cabin fever SO BAD you couldn’t stand to sit at home one more weekend. Let’s say you live in Michigan. Let’s say you’re going to drive wherever you end up going – WHERE would you go and WHAT would you do?

10. I just realized that I’m about four months overdue in getting Pumpkin’s 3 year pictures taken, and the thought of going ANYWHERE to get them done right now makes me claustrophobic and squidgy because you know those photostudios are going to be filled with matchy-matchy families in their red matchy Christmas clothes. YUCK. Maybe I’ll put it off another month.

1-2-3 Holiday Weekend OVER!

Last week, the school was kind enough to give the kiddos Wednesday off for the Turkey Day holiday. By Monday, I was pretty much ready for things to fall back into place – for life to get back on track (I lie – I was ready by Sunday). But I guess I just wanted it too badly.

About 7:30 yesterday morning, my mother called me to tell me there was a snow day.

And then I lost it.

You see, I’m not a chick who loves winter. I don’t like being cold. I don’t like puffy jackets. I don’t like snow days. I don’t like when kids kick off their snow boots at my door and then I walk by in my socks and my socks get all wet. I don’t like the astronomical electric bill from heating the house in the winter. I don’t like it that the snow plow guy charges an insane amount of money for what boils down to maybe two minutes of his time every time we get more than a few inches of snow. And I could go on, but I won’t because you’ll just have to take my word for it: I was not cut out for living where winter involves cold weather.

But here I sit.

And my god, yesterday I was so frustrated – had things I wanted to do and just needed some quiet after FIVE days of “vacation”. Then no go.

Despite my whining, it turned out okay. The Princess ended up playing outside for most of the day (the kid grumbles about standing in the driveway in forty degree temps for five minutes waiting for the school bus, but will happily play in sub-freezing temps for hours on end with no problems). Pumpkin wasn’t TOO high maintenance. I survived.

I focused my eyes forward. TUESDAY would be my day.

Uh-uh. Maybe it’s a result of that cosmic planetary alignment thing (which I couldn’t see because of the BIG FAT SNOW CLOUDS), but I woke up this morning to find out that The Princess’s school had a two hour delay.

You have got to be kidding me.

Fortunately, we pay through the nose for Pumpkin’s school/daycare and they were perfectly fine. Kids five miles north of us in a different school district were out waiting for THEIR buses. Just our lame school district was being cautious. Got the girls in the car, took Pumpkin to school, dashed up to get some coffee and pick up a few things at Target, got The Princess home in time to play in the snow a bit more before the bus came. I drove about forty some miles this morning. The roads? Really not that bad. Big babies.

So, I guess we’re just EASING our way back on schedule. Here’s hoping to find no glitches tomorrow.