Merry Christmas!

The kids and I went to church tonight. P has to work until 8. It's been a busy day getting ready for tomorrow. If I remembered everything, all I should have to do tomorrow is cook and clean. Julia and I are breaking tradition this year, we are going to her house instead of them coming to ours. I made cinnamon rolls, juice, and will make my famous egg dish. She'll have sausages and pancakes. Should be a yummy brunch. Dinner will be turkey and all the fixings.I have all ready to cook (or take out of the fridge.)- green bean casserole, broccoli and cheese casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing balls, celery sticks with cream cheese, olives, cranberry sauce, rolls (they kinda exploded by rising to much, the kids assure me they are good.) chocolate cake with whipped cream and strawberries for dessert.

A picture of each girl during their parties at school today

On Break and Foot Doctor

The last 2 days I've been putting in more volunteer hours, than hours of getting paid for the whole week! Yesterday afternoon was also the band/chorus concerts at school, and S did not get sick. I would have if I was on the risers the stupid maintenance man (plant foreman), did not clean them from the 7th when she got sick. He also did not insure that one of his employees put the risers on the stage (his last day of work before break was Tuesday). The chorus teacher had to do them herself. Well, that's not true, J came to have lunch with me and I made him help her, while I watched her class for her. Today I was there for the girls' parties, but was in and out of them because I needed to take gobs of pictures for the yearbook. I know teachers are busy, but please they surely have had time to take a few pictures of their class. It's not like I just sprung this on them, I've been asking, begging, nagging, reminding since the first day of school. The first 62 pages of the yearbook are due on Jan. 21st, I'd really like to at least work on the yearbook an hour a day during break. UGH. I wasn't supposed to work today, but the cafeteria monitor took today off, and the sub she got couldn't even be there until 11, lunch was about over by then, due to an early release today. The kids were upper hipper being the last day before break and full of sugar from their breakfast parties (donuts and the like) right before lunch. It was kinda funny though, the little kids ate lunch (well not a lot) but the 5th and 6th graders had it figured out, they just ate and weren't hungry. My heels have really been bothering more than I can possibly stand (pun intended), I called my foot doctor who had an opening today! I just really thought I'll be lucky if I can get an appointment during break. She took x-rays, and made plaster feet impressions (she is going to have orthopedics made for me), and she gave my right foot a shot of cortisone, and will do the left on Monday. I'm supposed to stay off of it for a few days as much as possible, that will make the Monday shot a little tricky since the next day is Christmas. Right now the right foot is pretty much throbbing. Oh, yea she said I could take some Tylenol. Good idea! Wished I would have thought of that before. When she examined my feet, she said she barely pressed on my right heel, it hurt so bad she said I practical jumped to the ceiling. I guess the pain it's just not all in my head. My last rounds of cortisone were 15 months ago, and I need 3 shots in each foot. The shots are really pretty painful, so I hope it works well, on the first shot, OK maybe I can stand 2 rounds. Really whatever it takes. Not being able to walk with out being in pain, is horrible.

Little Villager and Sister Villager-Snow Queen

This was a wonderful but full weekend. P was off and able to take the girls downtown to the theater on Friday afternoon for rehearsal. J and I worked on finishing baking Christmas cookies. Sat. the girls performed 2 shows, J and I sold mistletoe (him for a lot longer) Our church had our outreach Angel Tree party. It was awesome to be there. I just wished I didn't have to miss one of the Snow Queen performance. Today was 2 more Snow Queen performances. P was off so he got to see his daughters dance too, and I didn't have to drive either. I'm just not that comfortable driving downtown at anytime, but especially at night. After last night's show, I managed to follow my brother-in-law back to the freeway, we didn't plan it that way, but I was so grateful it happened that way!

sinus headache

I'm about done in with sinus headaches that will not go away. Yesterday was a long day with one. I worked all day, then goofed around school for another hour waiting for R to finish in her after school reading class. Dropped the girls off at home, went to our church offices for the last planning session before Saturday's outreach party. I am there until 6, pick dinner up on the way home. Fed the kids, take J to scouts, start laundry and tonight's dinner, because it's our bible study night and we are having a dinner Christmas party. Made corn bread, baked a cake, fought with the children to clean their rooms and go to bed. Went to bed with a headache, woke up with a worse one. Laid down this morning to try to get rid of it, that didn't work. Now I have to go to work, clean the house, host a party. Did I mention that P has to work and will not be here tonight?

sick

S was better on Thursday and Friday, but yesterday started throwing up again. I haven't let her eat more than a few crackers today even though she says she's feeling better. Yesterday was baking Christmas cookies day, R helped for a little bit, but got bored fast. R's friend came over and was a big help, I think I'll invite her over when I bake more often! I had a terrible sinus headache all day on Friday. While the girls were at choir practice P, J and I decorated the Christmas tree. I was out of sleeping pills for Friday too, and didn't sleep all night long. It felt wonderful to sleep last night. I have no idea why I can't fall asleep at night unless I take sleeping pills. I usually have no trouble taking little naps during the day (if, I ever have time, not lately)P went with J yesterday to cut mistletoe, on their way out the door P tells me he found another box of ornaments (we were wondering how we fit all of them on, on Friday night, usually there are too many and P strings them up in between the family and living rooms.) P and I went out last night. The only movies I want to see are ones I want to take the kids to see, so we just went to dinner and then shoe shopping for me :) I have lots of shoes, but they all hurt my feet, I hope the new ones I got last night will be better. We didn't go to church today, I wanted to sleep in and let S sleep so hopefully she'll get rid of this stupid bug she has. It's just about time to leave to take the girls to Snow Queen rehearsal, if they would ever finish getting ready that is.

3 hours

That's how long it took J and I to do our family Christmas cards. Today was an early release day, and since I didn't get a chance to do them on Sunday, I used this chance to sit down and do them. J did the easy part, licking half the envelopes and putting on all the stamps and return labels. If, I ever got myself organized enough I'd have labels made up for the addresses too, maybe that should be a goal of mine for 2008 to do that before October, well at least before December and I sit down to send out cards. LOL

disappointing x 3

My F-I-L makes me crazy. He calls and wants to know if P can get time off to go to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego with him over Christmas Break (winter break, whatever) 4 days. This just makes me nuts. Why would I want my husband to be gone for 4 days? One year many years ago I at least got a vacation out of this deal, F-I-L wants P to drive with him and go to the game and rest a day in between driving. F-I-L didn't ask me what I thought about this plan, just assumed I would be OK, with with it. I already feel like a single parent while P goes off to work 5 afternoon/evenings a week, if he gets any time off during the time the kids and I are home on break, he better be here. 2nd disappointment was I asked F-I-L if he had any plans tonight, S had her chorus concert tonight. He couldn't come, I even told him what it was I wanted. But he consoles me with, well he'll see her on the 16th in The Snow Queen. Whatever, UGH. S has been complaining on stomach pain for 5 days. Tonight in front of a packed cafeteria she throws up for the first time, on the stage, but before they started to sing. I probably already was making parents mad at me, because I was sitting down front on the floor, taking pictures (for the yearbook, but they probably didn't all know that, they probably thought I was just a rude parent ) When S first started throwing up, I climbed up on the stage to get her and take her to the bathroom, luckily I had some friends who sprang up to help me with paper towels and Sprite for her. After she washed out her hair as best as she could, we left. I left my camera with a parent in the front row. I have know idea who she is. She seemed really nice and said she would get my camera back to a staff member for me. I'm a little worried about it, but getting S home was more important.

Lights!

P worked all afternoon, while I was busy doing some errands and other stuff, so I didn't quite get to starting our Christmas cards. opps. P did a great job on the lights, they are very pretty.

Getting Ready

I feel stressed this year getting ready for Christmas. This weekend is wrapping gifts weekend. I spent a couple of hours last night organizing gifts (bringing them in from the laundry room and putting them in my closet), I spent 5 hours wrapping today sitting on my bed, and managed to knock a box on top of my head and hit a corner of a box on my eye(it still hurts.) I can't put the gifts away. P and J left a mess and all the outside lights and things in the laundry room, even though I got the gifts out last night there's no way of getting them back in and still be able to do laundry. I can't even open my big freezer, I can barely even see it. The gifts are all over the living room floor. P went and bought our tree today. Usually he and his Dad and one or more of the kids go cut down a tree on this day. Didn't get picked this years lottery. This year we decided to go with a fake tree. Which is sad for P, but better for my allergies. P went and bought it before he went off to a football game with his Dad. It's not set up yet, the kids and I will not be working on it today. P was going to work on the outside lights for a little while before meeting his Dad but because of rain and mud wants to wait until he's off next week. Which makes me sad, I feel so much more Christmasy when the outside it done up too. The kids helped me move the desk that was in the living room back into my room and we moved my chair and ottoman to the living room. For the past 3 years we've had the Christmas tree in the family room, this year I want it back in the living room.Tomorrow will be work on Christmas cards day, and finish up a few crafts, Next weekend, J will be gathering mistletoe the girls and I will spent time baking cookies, and the last Snow Queen rehearsal. Which flows right in to Snow Queen week (well that's how it feels) dress rehearsal on Friday night, and the 4 performances over the weekend. The last week of school before Winter break, then the last weekend before Christmas. Then Christmas! YEA!