Christmas Re-Cap

What a whirlwind this last week has been. With all the holiday craziness, new puppy and Christopher's bronchitis I am spent. I don't think I have been this sleep deprived since Abby was a baby. I am craving normalcy so bad that I have already taken down all of our Christmas decorations, except for the tree. Our kitchen is clean and calm once again. I think I cleaned even more throughly than when spring cleaning. I love the peace and quiet of my kitchen in the morning. With no lights on except the strand above my cabinets.

So what did I get for Christmas? We kept it simple this year so no diamonds but a girl can't expect that every year. My favorite gift was a French press, a must have for all coffee loves. I didn't realize coffee could get even more amazing. I love my recipe book holder and of course Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. I received a lot of cookbooks this year. I love them! I almost have the entire month of January planned out with meals.

With the good comes the bad. Let me start by saying we are fanatics about the movie "A Christmas Story". We watch it while putting up the tree. I play it while cleaning, the girls watch it in their room and then on Christmas morning it plays continuously on TBS which we leave on. I bought my father the leg lamp one year because every man needs one. And while vacationing in Ohio we were excited about the idea of touring the house in the movie but sadly it was closed the week we were there. My sister being a "wise ass" gave me a pair of footed pajamas. I should have known something was up when she kept pestering on Christmas Eve for me to open just this one gift. Then I was forced to put them on for all to see. What is it they say about paybacks?

Taking A Moment

My kiddos are upstairs doing their homework and I'm waiting for Christopher to get home. The house is cleaned up from all the boxes of decorations and dinner dishes are put away. I have the lights turned down low, apple cinnamon candles burning and Christmas lights are blinking in our entry ways. It's so beautiful and peaceful for the moment. I love this time of year.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

I am about to go pass out for a much needed nap but had to share lunch with you. We didn't have much turkey left so for lunch I used it in paninis with the homemade bread. Yummers! Followed by a slice of upside down apple pie and what more could you ask for?

The "C" Word

This morning was long.
This coming week feels like it will be longer.
If you are new to my blog let me introduce my Yorkie, "Little Miss Mocha Jo". When I met her four years ago she didn't even weigh half a pound. It was puppy love at first sight.

She's seen me through a deployment. Goes with me almost everywhere and never complains.

So when we first found a lump near her back leg I put off calling the vet. I was sure it would just go away, it just had to. We took her in this morning and the first thing the vet told me was she was too young for it to be cancer. Relief. Then he felt around, it didn't feel right and suggested we do a needle biopsy. A couple hours later the result came back "questionable". He suggested we send it out to a pathologist. Panic. It will be a week till we get the results back. Think positive.

So this afternoon my amazing husband, who was suppose to be leaving for bear camp, took some time to take me shopping. Retail therapy. First stop was for some peppermint schnapps for my hot chocolate tonight. Then we went into a primitive Americana shoppe for some holiday decorations.

I married an awesome man. Now he is at bear camp, I miss him and hope he is having some fun and much need guy time. Mocha is asleep in my lap. It's going to be a long week.

Confusion

Explain to me why I do this-
Springtime comes around and I take the winter blankets and flannel sheets off of our beds. Wash them, fold them and put them away in a tote in the attic. Wintertime rolls around and I take those same blankets and flannel sheets out of the totes, wash them (???) and then make our beds. Why?

Lights Out

Is your home ready for a power outage? Ours wasn't and I'm thankful it only lasted a few hours. I seem to have misplaced all flashlights. Haillie's and my cell phones were on our last bar of battery. Our battery supply consist of only AAA and our candle supply was dim. *lol* Luckily dinner was already done and we could enjoy our soup by a variety of apple cinnamon candlelight.

And not to pick on my youngest

Padded Room For One Please

I love cleanliness and order, I get a tad overwhelmed and antsy without it. You would think by now my family would understand that and try to help me out. I don't ask for much, just that they pick up after themselves. It terrifies me to think of what our home will look like when I go back to work.

Dinner was at 6:00 and by 7:00 I left the kitchen clean, spotless with no dish in sight. My day is done and it's time to relax with the family. I walk through at 10:00 on my way upstairs to bed and this is what I found. My family's way to drive me over the edge a little more ever day.

Why is the hat in the basket? Why has the hat been here for two weeks now? It dirty, old and has been replaced with a new one but yet I'm not allowed to throw this one away. Which I'm okay with that, but does it have to live in the basket about the stove?

And where do you keep your mineral spirits, gorilla glue, caulk and touch up paint? Apparently we keep ours on top of the microwave. These have only been here since Sunday so I'm trying to be patient.

I love this one. We have a wedding on Saturday that original called for Dress Blues but was changed to suit and tie. The ones lumped over the kitchen chair are the ones that didn't make the cut. How long will they be there? My guess is Thanksgiving since we technically don't need the chair till then.

Another good one is the pile that is building next to the couch. Do you notice the Droid box? This was Christopher's birthday gift from moi. His birthday was in June. June people. They are totally plotting against me to see who can drive me nuts/insane/over the edge first.

Pity Party, Table For One

This has got to be the longest day ever. Last night I did something foolish, I finished off a bottle of my favorite wine and followed that with three very gross blueberry oatmeal beers. *ugh* I think Christopher found me funny and I don't think it's fair that he messes with me when I'm intoxicated. Now being the day after I remember why I don't care for drinking, I've been useless all day. It was a pity party night for me. I have been job searching which is absolutely no fun. I can't tell you how many cover letters I have written and how many resumes I have sent out. Can you guess how many calls for interviews I have received? ZERO! Apparently I'm obsolete and no longer a hot commodity in the job market. *lol* It's so sad, poor poor me, the kiddos don't need me and the work force doesn't want me. What's a stay at home mom suppose to do?

It’s So Hot

…the retirement center is having a wet t-shirt contest.
…I saw an Amish guy buying an air conditioner.
…the squirrels are handling their nuts with potholders.
Can you feel the heat? I am a summertime loving fool but this is a tad extreme even for me. I am currently debating watering the garden. I try to conserve water and electricity when the temperature is so high and we've had NO rain. The brown and crunchy grass I can deal with BUT my garden is a different story. I've been looking forward to a tomato sandwich for months now. I went out to inspect my sad, droopy and thirsty plants. Our beautiful sunflowers are wilting, the eggplants blossoms have disappeared and on my cherry tomato plant I spot some orange tomatoes. Signs of hope. Turn on the sprinkler!

Signs I’m Getting Old

I'm heading out with the gals tomorrow night for dinner, drinks and dancing. I should be excited but have run into a few issues that wouldn't have come up in my younger years. Like no longer being able to pick out a grown up outfit that doesn't include a t-shirt and sweats. I didn't realize how fashion senseless I have become. Or overly concerned on how late I will be out. Back in the day I was dancing till close then it was time to go out for breakfast. I really don't want to be out that late, I have things I want to accomplish on Saturday. Then there is the distance we are driving, it's an hour away from home. Why so far? Which brings us to the designated driver, I don't even know her. Is she really responsible enough not to drink? And the number one sign that I'm getting old…
While I'm out Christopher and the girls will be ordering pizza and watching "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". If I could get out of this and stay home with them I would do it in a heartbeat! Whatever happened to that adventurous, fun, spontaneous, would rather be out than at home girl? I know I will have fun but my heart will be at home snuggled on the couch with my family.

I Love you, man

I think I may be over due for a real blog post, something a bit more fulfilling than a quick recipe. It's been hectic chaotic here (I use hectic way too much). Our contractor was here today (quick story… our contractor's name is Gary but Abby decided to rename him Phil. Why? Because she says, "Phil is just a name of a guy you can trust with your handywork." It didn't make sense to me either, I worry about her.) and finished off our staircase. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I love that man! He tried to save us money by explaining to us how to do it ourselves. He explained it to us three different times. He then laughed at us for chickening out and paying him to do it. I told him he didn't have to charge us if he wanted us to save money that bad. He laughed again and took my check. Still love him. I just didn't want us messing around with a load bearing wall and what took him two hours to do would of taking us all Saturday.

It's so ugly and beautiful at the same time. I can't wait till we can start hanging the drywall. Now we are just waiting for my dad to finish up on the wiring. So far he has installed three ceiling lights and seven outlets! *omg* I love that man too! Although Gary (aka Phil) did clean up after himself. My dad could take a tip there for he's not the neatest handyman but then his name isn't Phil.

Giddy As A Little Girl

I love Thomas Edison!
I love my dad! (he's our electrician)
It's the little things in life, like an electrical outlet, that can just make my day.

Bottom's Up

I'm still doing the Green Smoothie Challenge but ran out of bananas. So I read through their recipes and was a tad inventive this morning with the ingredients I did have on hand. I blended two cups of water, 2 apples w/skins, 1 cup blueberries and the 7 oz of Romaine lettuce. The color is grossing my kiddos out but it doesn't taste bad at all.

I have to say I am feeling pretty darn good. My usual morning aches and pains are gone and I'm not having my food cravings like I normally do when I cut gluten out. In fact we were at my nephew's birthday party last night and as delicious as his birthday cake was I only had two bites and passed it to Christopher. My SIL is an amazing cake designer, if you're ever in Pennsylvania and need a cake I'll hook you up.

Now today is our day of rest and clean up. Yesterday was so hectic with demolition work and then driving an hour and a half to our nephew's party. I've learned that you can attach my Dyson's hand held carpet attachment to the Shop Vac and make do with half assed carpet cleaning. This whole experience is really a test of my cleaning OCD's patience. I'm going with a quickly walk past the mess and don't look approach.

Free To A Good Home

Please take me away! I bake, cook, and do dishes, clean, change diapers… heck at this point I'll even do laundry without a complaint! I'm a great multitasker. All I ask for in return is a plaster & dust free living quarters with Wi-Fi connection. I'll be quiet as a mouse you won't even know I'm there. Promise!