For those of you waiting for our Christmas card...

you will have to wait a bit longer. Apparently when Walmart says the cards will be in the store between 12/14 & 12/16 they actually mean after 12/18 - or who knows when, we already have your money sucker! Yep, my cards have apparently entered the Walmart black hole, so when they climb their way out I will send them off. Until then you will have to wait for the cute photo of the kids and update on our crazy life!

My face hurts

It was soooooo COLD today. Seriously I had to wait for the bus for about 10 minutes on campus and my face actually hurt. It stung and I actually made a wincing sound when the wind blew. It was 18 degrees, but real feel was 5 degrees. It took me a couple of hours to finally warm back up completely. Now it is 15, real feel -5. I think I will get out the electric blanket.

Anyone know when Spring will be here?????

Spiraling out of control

My kitchen looks like it hasn't been tended to in days (lots of days). The reason you ask? Well the end of the semester is always a mad dash. I have many things tied up now (I have been very productive), but I am now on to the list of things I have been neglecting. Dishes should probably be on there, but I have to admit I have more pressing things and I usually save that for a time when my brain is fried. I would be mad at J for not pitching in to help out on the dishes (when I am obviously preoccupied), but today we learned he has a spiral fracture in his right pinky finger. I guess that is a pretty legitimate excuse to stay away from dish duty. Especially since the injury was about a week and a half ago. He got it playing basketball, which further supports that soccer is a superior sport :) He doesn't meet with the specialist for another week or two, so we won't have any more answers about next steps until then. This just reminds me that when J does anything it is usually with fanfare - so a normal break wouldn't do for him - spiral it is! In the meanwhile let's hope the kitchen doesn't continue to spiral out of control.

Little blessings

I am a little overwhelmed with the few things I need to tie up for school/work. I have a huge pile of grading, a test tomorrow, a paper to finish, a study to complete, grades to input, data to analyze, a study to write up (this one will be going on for months), and an interview (which I really need to get ready for). So at moments like this I often have 2 choices, panic (this involves lots of crazy dreams), or chip away at what I am doing and try to feel peace. I am opting for the second one - but decided to take a short break for a post. With the second choice I often have to think about my blessings to pull through, so today I am grateful for a family who still loves me even though I may disappear for hours on end to work, mutual (which has become a mandatory break for me - it can be stressful beforehand, but I always feel better able to tackle work after spending an evening with energetic young women), a great husband who doesn't care if the house falls apart at the end of the semester and picks up the slack in the parenting department. I am also grateful that H changed his mind and asked Santa for starwars legos (granted mom had to discuss a few things about greed when his list included a Monster Truck RC car, Wii, and DS), and a daughter who only wants a booster (she calls it booter) seat and polly pockets. My kids are great and I'm pretty sure Santa will be able to deliver.

Hope your holiday preparations are going well - I still have much to do. For those of you in school - I hope your semester winds down beautifully!

Word of wisdom from C

When C was asked what she is thankful for she told her preschool teacher - makeup and jewelry. My only question is how is she thankful for makeup when she doesn't have any? Maybe the thought of having it in the future, or watching mom use it, or the occasional blush she gets?

Also the kids are already excited for Christmas. No big surprise there. H has already asked for a Nintendo DS, remote control Monster truck, etc. My thought: dream on buddy. When I asked C what she wanted Santa to bring she said "I will love anything that he brings." I then said "What if he brings a football?". She told me "Well that would be for H unless it has flowers on it!" So I guess she would even be happy with a football as long as it has flowers on it! I think she is going to be easier to shop for than H this year.

Hope the start of your holiday season is great!

Turkey treats

This is proof that I am doing something besides school work right now (although that is consuming more time than I thought was possible - and I still don't feel on top of it all).

Tonight Laurels are in charge of mutual - we are playing games with a Thanksgiving twist such as duck duck turkey, are you thankful for your neighbor, freeze tag turkey style. I promised to make a treat and when I saw a turkey cupcake in the weekend newspaper I couldn't pass it up!

Here is the outcome:

The whole turkey gang

I have not forgotten

about all of you. I am just trying to keep swimming during an entirely crazy part of the semester. You can look forward to hearing from me later this month after New Beginnings, conference presentations, and big semester projects are all completed. Maybe I will post a good one during Thanksgiving break. I have a whole week...I know you are all jealous...to catch up - and maybe take a nap. Speaking of naps I took a lovely one yesterday. Sundays are super for that and it was fantastic!