Our 2007 Christmas So Far

Well, Christmas has kicked off. We opened presents at my parents last night and it was GREAT.

We finally stuck to our promises to dial it down with the gifts - a little - which no one but us can probably tell.

Cousins Conner, Morgan and Logan are THE best thing Matthew's gotten since he's been here, though.

Hanging with Morgan and Logan learning Webkins was the best gift he could get.

Though of course we're missing our Muldrow family and STL friends ... we're having a great time, especially watching Matthew have a blast with so many toys, kids and COOKIES (thanks, Aunt Erika).

Merry Christmas, everyone!

YESSSS

Just ordered my Christmas cards. The level of accomplishment and relief I feel is paramount to getting a raise and going on vacation all at once. My pride is as though I hand painted the damn things myself.

I gotta get a grip. It's CHEAP PRINTED PHOTO CARDS not the Mona Lisa.

Holidays make us ladiez go crazeeee.

Well It's About Time for Some Holiday Cheer

It's been a long time between posts and tonight doesn't hold much more promise for a meaningful update as I need to stop soon and pack for my trip tomorrow.

(Side note: thought I'd catch up on my posting while I traveled last week but somehow between catching up on e-mail and dinnner each night, I just ran out of steam around 9 every night. Somehow just being out of town took it out of me. I think my body sensed there's no baby husband or dogs around to need anything ... and just shuts down ... and demands that I self-soothe (being away sucks) by laying in the hotel bed in my p.j.'s eating ice cream from the hotel shop while watching HBO movies.)

Anyway, since I returned it's been a flurry of holiday fun before I left again. Including a visit to Santa (photo, tears and all TO COME once I figure out my scanner), a pre-Christmas visit with Grama LeBaige and not one but TWO trips to Toys R Us (and I know I'm not done) for various kid gifts.

And then - da da da DA - we got our TREE!


Matthew was pretty interested for a while. "Ball, ball!" and liked to shake them. And two broken as a result.
He got most excited about hanging his little teddy bear ... which was actually MINE when I was a kid. Ah, does it get any better than that?
Must have taken 20 photos to get one showing the lighting decently. A photographer, I ain't.
One cheery holiday task down, 892 to go!

GoooooOOOOO, ME!

Not even Turkey Day, and I've ordered seven, count 'em, gifts online AND started an obnoxious but functional Christmas spreadsheet.

Maybe all my years of project management in the workplace have finally sunk into some legitimate part of my brain. Because I am determined to be organized and ahead (or at least, on) time with holiday stuff this year.

And by God, there will be a finely decorated Christmas tree in my front window within seven business days after Thanksgiving this year. (Or else my project tracker will turn "red" and mark the tree "at risk" for non-completion.)