Friday, December 30, 2016

Christmas gifts this year

What did we receive for Christmas this year? We tried to keep it low key and with not too much stuff. B doesn't play with much these days and V plays with everything. She's really at a fun age to buy for. I think was her favorite (picked out by dad):

Lip Balm making kit
easy, fun. I wish it had more wax beads because there is only enough to make four of them.

my favorite gift to her was this: American Girl Like Me Doll . Crazy expensive, but oh how I love it so. I hope she loves it as much as I do.

She also loves this: Trolls Hair Chalk The kit I bought was at Five Below. It isn't coming out easily, either.


Benny got some Hot Wheels stuff. He really isn't into little cars, but I want him to be.

This little sound machine was a huge hit.


P bought me a deluxe Kindle. Spoiled rotten, I am.

My favorite gifts to him were this USA and National Park Scratch Off Map. Now he can record all his travels!

as well an an Ibex hat. Wow, they have nice things.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

School Holiday Party

I really like V's school. It seems huge to me though - she has three 2nd grades and a 2nd/3rd split. Her class has 28 kids in it and aide for only 2 hours in the afternoon. Yikes! Her class is really diverse, there are kids from several different countries and also different ethnic groups and races. She loves learning about differences and wishes she could speak another language. Her school won a Blue Ribbon Award this year.

Due to working full time, I don't get to volunteer in her class much at all. We both wish it was different. I took the afternoon off last year and this year to come in and help at her Holiday Party. The other parents were really friendly and the kids were so well behaved and mature! I was really impressed.



Friday, December 9, 2016

Friday Leftovers - Holiday Edition

* The holidays are coming on fast and furious. I ordered most of the gifts online which I dislike. However, it's the only way with my current time limitations.

* The Festival of Trees was early this year. I took the kids for the 3rd year and this year was better than last, which was lackluster. We were there shortly after opening, no line to meet Santa. We have the same Santa and the positions of children in picture as last two years (unintentional).



* We decorated some sugar cookies last night and the kids were waaayyy more interested in eating the toppings then decorating.

* Since V didn't have a birthday party (we were gone most of August), and I failed to make it up to her with a Halloween Party as promised, she is having 4-5 other girls from her class over tomorrow to make crafts, decorate cookies, eat pizza and watch a holiday movie.

* My family still expects me to make a bunch of cookies for them given my EXTREMELY busy state. I compromised and made some easy fudge from a kit and some sugar cookies from pre-made dough since it was an activity I could do with the kids. They all are less busy than I am, my mom and sister refuse to bake or cook.

* I wanted to do a Christmas night at the Zoo or Greenfield Village but again, time.

* On Christmas Day I want to sit on the couch, relax, play with my kids and snuggle with my husband. I don't want to entertain, do dishes, go anywhere. It a simple goal, but sometimes impossible.

Sunday, December 4, 2016

A (weekend) day in the life

I don't think people really understand just how busy we are. Maybe my day doesn't sound busy, but it seemed fairly crazy to me. I won't even blog about yesterday.

Last night was P's Holiday work party. It was nice. I was up a bit later than usual - 11:00. I woke up around 5ish, then drifted back off until 6:40 when I heard the pitter patter of little feet. On weekends, I leave a phone or Ipad for Benny, then he takes it back to his room until at least 7:15 am. It allows me to get a bit more rest. V will wake up and stay in her room reading until we go get her. Most of the time.

Around 7:30 am I blundered downstairs, got the kids milk and cereal bars. I drank some water and dealt with V looking for Elf on the Shelf. P blundered downstairs, looking terrible. I found him some aleve and water. I made an Optifast smoothie and then sat on the couch while V and B fought and annoyed each other. After getting jumped on and the blanket pulled off me while I tried to read the news, I finally found my workout clothes and went down the basement around 9:00. Before that I gave V her ADHD medication and hoped it would settle her down.

B hung out with me and finally I set him up with Playdoh so I could finish some newer Jane Fonda for 40 min. I did the rowing machine for 10 minutes then called it a day. P was resting. I swtiched over the laundry and went upstairs to get dressed and take a quick shower.
By this time it was around 10:30. I wanted to run out to the store but we had to get ready for a birthday party at noon. I had some Diet Coke (didn't get to finish because V poured stuff in it) and gave the kids a snack of watered down juice and some baked Lays. Took the kids upstairs and helped them pick up clothes and get dressed. Picked up random crap and garbage for a few minutes.

11:40 am. We had thankfully already wrapped the gifts so we drove over. Spent some time at the party and kids were a bit whiny.

2:00 pm - Drove through McD's drive through and bought a Diet Coke for P and I.
2:20 pm - Ate some leftovers from last night. Delish! Assembled the Christmas Village from P's childhood on the mantle and kept asking V to help me. She was cutting up pieces of old ribbons to make belts. B spent some time in the bathroom. I switched over the laundry and put on the oven. I put some pre-made sugar cookies in to bake for V's party on Saturday. Made four dozen.
3:30 - left to take Benny to a playdate. It was a 12 minute drive. Was there until 6:00. Called my mom to check in on the drive home.
6:10 - home. hungry. P felt better and had supervised V's shower and piano practice, helped her with homework, did the dishes, played a boardgame with V.
I found something to eat. Benny ate at playdate, V ate while I was out. P didn't eat. Got the kids milk. Plugged in the Christmas lights. Emailed book club because I didn't read book and wouldn't make it tonight.
Set up V on IXL math program on my laptop. Benny kept bugging her and I and whining. P ended up taking him for a bath.
7:15 - decided to make some Oreo bark. V cried and whined the entire time about wanting some. I poured her medicine - Bactrim (urinary reflux). I emptied the laundry and took V upstairs while P was getting Benny to bed. V got ready for bed (with much prompting) and I put away laundry in her room while she read. P switched off with me and I went downstairs. Realized it was snowing so I found all the kids' snowpants and boots and gloves and labeled them in neat bags for school.

8:30 - cut up and put away the cooled Oreo bark. Realized that I am really really tired.
9:00 - sit down finally. Get a class of water. Wait for Westworld to start.

Is anyone else this busy?

I