what i did today

Now this feels like a weekend.  Last night the girls indeed went off to MIL’s to spend the night.  After they left I did a happy dance (I REALLY love my kids but I was ready for me time) and decided to clean a bit.  Well, a little bit turned into a lot after we had a storm that somehow knocked my cable Internet out for the rest of the evening.  I went ahead and cleaned the house, even cleaning my shower.  If that gets done, that means I really cleaned.  I happily took a sleep aid at about 10 and went to bed and didn’t see a clock until 10:15.  Yes!  That felt good. 

Scott woke up from working last night about 11 and we got ready and ran a few errands.  I am fixing mac & cheese for our family dinner tonight so I came home and got that cooking in the crock pot, changed out some clothes in the washer and dryer and here I am Interneting again.  I thought I made that word up, but no, already in the urban dictionary.  Oh well.  Another great idea stolen.

The girls are still gone and I’m guessing they’ll just go to the dinner tonight with MIL and we’ll get them there.  Works for me.  I now have about 2 hours to use up.  I really should go clean my closet out or something but um, don’t think that’s going to happen.

So I basically just got a trim and it’s nice.  The price was fantastic because I had a $50 gift card.  But this is what Scott had to say:

Me: What do you think?  Does it look any different?

Scott: Not really.  Just looks like someone who knew what they were doing styled it.

Well, thanks.

Not much going on around here.  I’ve been surprisingly busy at work this week with some issues.  The kids are still busy playing with all their Christmas toys.  Scott has been running errands and just generally hanging out at home.

Last night we had my family over for dinner at the last minute.  I had more roast than we could eat and they were hungry so they came.  We watched part of Ocean’s Thirteen but it’s a hard movie to watch with the girls running around so they didn’t finish it.

Today I’m going to get my hair cut at lunch to use up a gift card I bought.  As for the weekend..Scott works all weekend, the girls are going to MIL’s tonight (I think) and tomorrow night we have our final Christmas dinner at his grandmother’s.  All presents have been given away so we’re just going to stuff our faces with yummy chicken and dumplings.

Bonus points to anyone who can recite that entire song!

I’m quite chipper this morning, happy to feel back to normal.  Last night Mom ended up keeping the girls at her house for about two hours to play and I came home and cleaned with a vengeance.  I made a little list and checked it off as I went.  I’m happy to say I got it all checked off and more.

Today will be a normal Wednesday..the kids will be going to MIL’s this afternoon (I think anyway) and then we have youth group tonight.  Feels like forever since I’ve been to church even though it’s only been a week and a half.

The girls both just got up and are already engrossed in their Christmas toys which should be a nice distraction for them since they don’t have school.

So that’s it I suppose…off to work (read: switching keyboards).

Christmas day is closing up shop soon.  Right now I’m sitting at my Mom’s waiting on Heather’s boyfriend and daughter to come to pass out the last two presents of the season.

The morning started about 8am.  Scott came in about 5am and slept until then and has been up all day except for a very short nap this afternoon.  Honestly, we didn’t get the girls too much.  Only 5 presents and a stocking each.  But they seemed completely ok with it.  Heather had brought all her presents over so they room was still full of presents to be opened.  Mom, Dad and Heather came over around 9 or 9:30 and opened up our presents and Heather’s.  I didn’t realize they had left all of their presents at home.  They seemed really happy with their presents.   We got Heather the 1 vs. 100 DVD so she spent some time playing that.  Heather got me one of those laptop tables and also some Bath & Body Works soap.

Around 11 we headed over to his parents.  Presents abounded there.  The girls got all kinds of stuff…Baby Alive, princess toys, clothes, train set and on and on.  I got my big external hard drive.  Around 3 we headed back to Mom’s to open presents here and eat dinner.  I got a new leather office chair that I’m so excited to sit in all day tomorrow.  That gives me a little reason to want to work tomorrow.

I’m a little stressed on everything that needs done at the house though.  Since we were out of town I have cleaning and laundry to do and then we have so much stuff to put up, there are new toys and clothes everywhere.  I feel like I need one day off all to myself at the house.  Scott and I took a short nap here at Mom’s this afternoon so I’m going to stay up tonight and try to get some things done just so I can rest easy about all of it.   I think that Bennett OCD blood is rubbing off.

I’ve been in the Christmas mood since some time in November but honestly, I think I’m glad it’s just about over.  No more presents to buy, I’m tired of Christmas music, no more family gatherings to run to.  I’m ready to hibernate for the winter!

I’m working.  Blah.  This was supposed to be my day off.  But I’ve been on conference calls and zipping and deleting files all morning.  I did manage to help with the playroom and it is pristinely clean at the moment.  Everyone is waiting on me to get a shower and get ready so we can go eat some lunch and do that last minute shopping.  This really isn’t feeling very Christmas Eve-y yet!

We are blessedly and safely tucked in at home.  Finally.  We managed to leave at noon and got home at 8:30.  A long drive for what it should be but with two little ones with matching little bladders, you don’t get much say about how often to stop.  But they were fantastic on the ride.  Emma apparently has realized how long 8 hours in the car really is because she told me when it was Maryland time again, she didn’t want to come back because it took way too long.  I agree.  But unfortunately we don’t have much choice in the matter since I’m guessing we can’t convince my entire extended family to move a little closer.

ILs were at our house waiting on us when we got home.  The kids excitedly showed them every single toy they got.  I let them stay up late and I think Lexi is just now actually getting to sleep since she had a long nap in the car.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I’m so glad we came home today instead of tomorrow so Christmas is not right on top of us.  I realized I have a present or two to pick up tomorrow and need to do some wrapping of the girls’ larger gifts.  I think Scott has a reorg of the toy room on his agenda since there are so many new toys here and coming.

Scott has to work tomorrow night so I’m not really sure of our schedule over the next two days.  We’ll probably end up at Mom’s tomorrow night since he’ll be working.  We went back and forth today on the way home about how to handle Christmas day since he’ll have worked all night.  He may wake up long enough with the kids and go back to sleep or just stay up and try to caffeinate himself through the day while we bounce back and forth between parents’ houses.  Who knows.

At the moment I’m just glad to be home and still have a few days off from work.

Last night my Mom’s Dad and his wife came over as well as my mom’s brother and his family. It was pretty uneventful but nice. I always forget I actually am getting presents when we have these get-togethers. I got some money which I was quite happy with.

Today we are having my Mom’s Mom’s side with her uncle and brother and sister and family. We’ve had a really good time. The funny thing is the highlight of the whole afternoon is my grandmother got a blood pressure checker and every single person got their blood pressure checked. Everything from “Oh, you’re in good shape” to “That is not good. You need to get that checked.” to “Have you been taking her medicine?” It was really quite entertaining. I’m afraid my cousin’s girlfriend was a little confused why we were so entertained. I guess another clue that we’re all getting old…

I got very “Amy” gifts today. I got a cooling mat for my laptop and a DVD/CD cleaner machine and a brown and pink jogging suit that is very cute and then some gift cards.

Tonight we have our last get-together before heading out tomorrow. Heather is already hiding in her bedroom and I’ve reverted back to the laptop. The kids are playing with their toys and the adults are huddled in the kitchen talking. Yep, it’s definitely Christmas.