Smellyann Strikes Again

I'm Supposed To Be [insert just about anything else here]!

Welp, Christmas is over. It's good I told you that. Otherwise, you might not know.

My dad came in late last Sunday night - scared me half to death, even though I expected him any minute. We have café curtains in the bay window in the kitchen, where I was sitting doing my scrapbook. Next thing I know, 'tap, tap, tap' on the window, and I look up and see this big giant head. Ahhh! Thus it began.

The visit actually wasn't so bad this time. I had emailed him ahead of time that I didn't want any of that political, racist crap, and I wasn't going to wait on him hand and foot this time. Yay, me! Therapy's good for something. And he emailed me back without being all pissy and for the most part, he stuck with it.

So. Monday was Christmas Eve, and after we sat around (I watched Jade, who warmed to my dad instantly, and snuggled with him), we went to church for the singing and the candle-lighting that I so enjoy. Our attendance has been awful since we had Sophia - so, yeah, way too long ago to still be a good excuse - but the routine has just been all but shot since then. Oh, well. We try.

My dad, a steadfast Christian Scientist, seemed to really enjoy the service, although later he insulted my church as "harmless but useless." Shall I go there? Okay, at least I learn about what Jesus said there, intead of just what Mary Baker Eddy wrote. And after 65 years of going to the same church, he still hates every group who represents something he is not? I don't know if I'd call that harmless... so I guess we're even. BUDDOW!

But back to the Christmas spirit. ;)

We went home and had dinner - I'd stuck a frozen Smithfield marinated pork loin in a Pamper's Chef baker's stone before we left, turned on the oven, and bam! Savory smells greeted us when we arrived home. It was done!  Of course, I didn't eat it, but the boys seemed to enjoy it, as did The Human Garbage Can a.k.a. Sophia.

Then we opened our stockings, our Christmas Eve tradition. But we forgot our other one: Rob reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to the kids! Just completely left it out. Whoops. The kids went crazy with their stockings, even though I had really nothing in there but different candies this year, having put all the stocking loot in the attic with the 'big' stuff. Even my dad had a stocking - albeit containing nothing but a lump of coal - but he seemed to enjoy that.

Bed for the kids, then hours and hours of wrapping presents, for me. I'm so freaking fat now, my feet go numb soon after I sit on the floor, so it was an arduous process. (I can't wait 'til January 31st!!) I bought one of those new zippy paper cutter things from Scotch, and it was a bust. I prefer my nice sharp scissors, TYVM. Maybe when I get thinner and regain some agility, but for a big blog with short limbs who's stuck mainly in one spot, it didn't really do the trick.

Tuesday, the big day! After getting to bed around 2:30 AM, the kids woke us up at 8-something. Aghhhh. I made some cinnamon buns for breakfast (love that pop-open can stuff when you're too tired to think!), and then we headed in for the big mêlée. It was overwhelming. To me. And my dad kept saying the same thing. He was pretty much in a state of overwhelm during the entire visit, with the kids constantly crawling all over him, calling his name, wanting to show him something, tell him something or do something with him, and Christmas was even more so. He's a complete neat freak. I am, to an extent - but nothing like my father. No one is. I promise. He just kept looking at the toys (which are still there, by the way. Haven't moved. Well, to be played with, yes, but put away? Nope. Where?!) and paper and shaking his head, whimpering. I rather enjoyed his distress until he started bitching about it and yelling at the kids to clean up. 'Scuse me? Because I think it's my house, and those are my kids, and that is my job. And it's Christmas, for crying out loud.  Let them play with their new crap awhile! He caught me glaring at him over that.

The house shrinks a little bit every time someone comes to visit, y'know what I mean?

So Wednesday, Jade came back, and I felt like absolute crap. I had her in the bouncy seat for much of the day, so she wouldn't hurt herself with all the little toys spread everywhere, and I sat down on the couch for a breather. Rob and my dad were right there... next thing, I woke up to find Jade missing from her seat. Dad had picked her up and was napping with her on the couch. It warmed my heart. And not just a small bit because she's the brown baby. Who knew he liked little kids so much?? Between that Jade-snugging and the amount of time he spends playing with my kids, he really surprises me as a grandpa. He's definitely the fun one. He gets down. He gets into it. He only stops when he's really, genuinely tired. The man has some positive attributes, after all. (heh)

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I was supposed to have Jade, and all three days her mother called to say that her mother was going to keep her. Um, okay. (A) I really enjoyed the time I didn't have her, and (B) if I'm going to do this job, I'm going to want consistency and a constant paycheck. So that was the straw the broke the camel's back for me. I called her tonight and told her that it was no rush and I'd keep Jade until then, but she needed to find alternate childcare. It's a relief. I like Jade - love her, even - but organizing our schedule around hers has been a huge PITA.

So that's that. We did a ton of laundry, Chloë and I. I swear, I cannot climb that mountain. Who's the dude who kept having to push that rock up the hill? That's me, with the laundry. It used to be something I just did on Sundays. Now it's All. The. Time. UGH!!  But Chloë negotiated a $2 pay with me for helping with the laundry, and that meant she had enough money to buy another Webkinz when I paid her that and her allowance today. Cha-ching! She got the bullfrog and named her Lilly; that makes 12 for us. Do you know they don't give you a new room for your 10th and up - and you also can't use the pet's name when you buy a room for it and rename it? That's so annoying!!!  In other Webkinz newz, I gave her 9 charms and a bracelet for Christmas so we now have access - full, at that - to the Charm Forest! Fun stuff. (LOL!)

I took her to iPOP class today. She is so ready!!  I will be aghast if she blows it in Los Angeles. Just beside myself. She is doing so well, I would be shocked. Sean was really proud of her, and his wife came in and listened to her monologue today, too. She loved it and gave her muchos kudos.  Then she did her scene and her monologue again, for the ladies out front, and she did great. Good, good, good. We leave in four days!!! And last night, she was in the middle of saying grace when she switched gears and started saying the lines from her monologue. During grace!! It was pretty funny...

While we were at the mall today (for a lunch shop at Charley's Steakery or whatever), I looked in at both Gymboree and TCP for some cute clothes for her auditions - no dresses, or everyone will see her unnerpannies - and I was just so overwhelmed with the choices that we left. 'Sides, she's got lots of cute stuff. So we went to that boutique I love, the one that's going out of business, to see if there was anything, but they are practically empty. Bummer! I wanted to find a cute dress for Sophie too, but nothing. They have bitty baby girl clothes, and the only bitty baby girl I know is Lisa's Emilie, but she has no reason for a fancy party dress. Even a gorgeous little tangerine one. So I bought a bunch of hair doodles, a tiara, and a necklace-and-earring set, so we have lots of options for iPOP.

And that's my story, folks. Now to do those reports (oh yeah, we went to Bennigan's tonight for dinner. They sucked!!! as expected.)

Fin.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday with their loved ones.  I'll be back on Thursday (my dad's here, and stuff is crazy!)

Fin.

FIVE MORE DAYS!!!

It's almost Christmas. I'm very excited. Lots to do in the coming days.  Fun stuff.

But let's begin with yesterday. I sent the kids back to school and, surprisingly, nobody came home sick. Jade and Sophie and I just hung out, did some laundry, and awaited their return. After school, we got ready to go and took Chloë to her ballet class.

I have been to two LYS (Local Yarn Stores) here, both down the road from us (in opposing directions). But there is a much bigger one I'd heard about, and I decided to look it up. It's on N Lynnhaven Road. N Lynnhaven Rd? What? Wait a minute, isn't that...? Well, hold on here... Why, yes, yes it is the same N Lynnhaven Road that Chlo's dance academy is on. The same dance academy where she's been going for four years now. Serendipity! (And stupidity. Me.)

So we dropped the ol' gal off, and tottled down the road to Ewe Knits for a look-see. Oh, my heavens. Now, the other two stores are okay. They have some very nice stuff. But here, there was wall-to-wall lusciousness in a much greater square footage.  It was just too bad I only had 45 or so minutes to pet the yarns, choose some, and get back. Actually, that's probably a good thing or I might've had to break out the off-limits credit card!  If the words Koigo, Malabrigo, Cascade 220 and Noro mean anything to you, you know what I'm sayin'. (And y'all could consider that my future gift wish list if the need ever arises. Ahem.)

First I visited the cashmere. Rob has been after me to knit him a cashmere sweater since I learned to knit. It's $48 a ball. (And we estimated today I'd need about 16 balls. So. Yeah. Not happening anytime soon.) Then I visited the wools, and then the laceweights and sock yarns. None of that foofoo novelty stuff. I meant business.

First, I chose this gorgeous fingering weight from Artyarns, which is exactly like Koigu (KPPPM) except that it's not. It feels amazing.

   Then I picked this worsted weight wool, Karaoke, with which I thought I was going to make another Booga bag - for me, this time. It's self-striping and would be so much easier than switching yarns alla time. (I know not everyone cares about this stuff, but notice the knitting icon thingy on the page!) I thought I should get some new pattern books to go with my new yarn, too, so I got a Debbie Bliss one for baby knits, and Simple Knits for Cherished Babies, since I have the crochet version. And I got a free ball of silly froofroo yarn for spending, well, a bunch!

Chloë was finished, we went home, had dinner, did the homework thing, bed, then Jade was picked up and finally, finally, I was alone with my yarn. Oh, I forgot to say. They were such nice, nice people in that store, and they were so welcoming. We talked about Ravelry, and it turns out some of them "knew" me because the local group on there is searching for a charity to make things for, and someone nominated CARE Package! And someone came into the store needing a knitted item fixed, and they fixed it, so I asked if they could fix the lacy sweater I've been working on (remember?) for Lisa's baby. I put a slight booboo in it the other day and didn't know how to fix it, so there it sat. They invited me to come in anytime and just sit and knit. It felt like home! *sniff*

So, like I said, it was just me and the yarn, and I couldn't work on my Lisa sweater. What to do, what to do... aha! I thought I'd play with that Karoake yarn that I was going to make into a felted (fulled) Booga bag but then decided not to just yet because I already have two undesignated ones at home (holler if you want one for the deeeeeeply discounted price of $15; proceeds go to CARE Package).  I decided to do something unheard of: make a baby sweater with it - and then felt it! Wha? I couldn't find any such patterns online, free or otherwise. So I opened the new Debbie Bliss book, picked a sweater, and started knitting. Obviously I wanted a very plain, basic one whose stitches I wouldn't mind losing in the fulling process.

This is the back of the sweater, which I worked on between last night and this afternoon. Pretty, right? And so soft. I can't wait to see how it felts!

Today, I didn't have Jade (woot!) and Barbara was coming to clean (woot! woot!), so Sophia and I needed to get out of the house. So we went back to the yarn shoppe to have my Lisa sweater repaired and then do some knitting with the nice ladies.

It turned out to be a very simple fix that I'm now very glad I know how to do, because surely it'll come up again. I sat for a while, with Soapy in the umbrelly stroller, knitting on the above stripey sweater and chatting. I'm really so pleased I went. They didn't make me feel like an outsider at all. I just jumped right in. One of them is even ordering a book for me that they all love, full of patterns for knitted stuffed animals that are freaking adorable (a platypus!).

Back home, everyone was in need of a nap (even me, but I didn't), so I was again alone with my yarn. I finished knitting the back of the stripey sweater and then picked up Lisa's. I stopped to go out for a dinner mystery shop at the Silver Diner (yes, that of the Josie debacle, if anyone from FTC remembers...) with the family and then dove right back in. And I finished just a short while ago!

The picture doesn't do it justice. It looks faboo, if I may say so myself! And it feels wonderful. So soft and sproingy and soft! I hope they love it. And not a moment too soon, either, because Lisa called me tonight with news that baby Emilie Joy was just born!

I know that's a crappy picture, but at least you can see the buttons I chose better there. WDYT, they're okay? Yes? No?

So that's it! Now I'm going to go back and make up a sleeve or two on the felty sweater.

Fin.

As God Is My Witness, I'll Never Go Hungry Again

This is the result of the last two days, and about 20 hours, of my  (not-so-) annual Christmas cookie-baking marathon. I use the same Crisco cookie book that I've been using since I got it in college, but since I always seem to make the same favorites, Rob and I culled some new ones to try. And some old faves. Here comes the parade of Fiestaware:

NEW: Cranberry Nut Oatmeal Cookies - pretty good, even for a girl who doesn't much like cranberries.

NEW:  Orange-Glazed Date Nut Bars - Rob likes them; not my favorite.

NEW: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars - Really good. I've actually never made bar cookies before. OMGosh, so easy, I vowed to make all bar cookies next year!

NEW: Caramel Nut Chocolate Cookies - kind of a PITA, but totally worth the effort. I made these first, and got my first bad burn so doing. The caramel burns right through the bottom of the cookies - and onto your hand - if you're not careful. I learned quickly, though, and they're sooo yummy.

Cherry Chocolate Chippies - an old standby. I like these because they look Christmassy without being the obvious easy choice: red and green m&ms. And they taste good. I just realized how many fruity cookies I made this year. More to come.

NEW: Lemonade Cookies, garnished with coconut - SO good. These are definitely on both our Top Three list and will be a repeat next year.

Raspberry Linzer Rounds - another old favorite. I found a really fine seedless raspberry preserve for them this year, the rest of which Rob will enjoy (maybe on some scones I'll make after the cookies are all gone?). I'm not big on raspberries, but these are great. The speckles are chopped up almonds. I usually sprinkle confectioner's sugar over these, but I just didn't this time, for no particular reason other than I wanted to be finished, already!

NEW: Southwestern Bizcochitos - definitely the most unusual of the set. They're made with anise seed, which I had to substitute with fennel (thanks to MIL for the advice) since they were out, and topped with milk and cinnamon sugar. They're all right. Just okay. I mean, they taste good, I guess, but it's not my taste.

NEW: Spritz Cookies! I admit, I didn't really know what that meant, I just liked the name. What it meant was Rob going to Wal-mart and then William-Sonoma to find me a cookie press. Find one he did, and these are the most fun to make, if not my favorite to eat. I'm just not a big sugar cookie fan. But I'll be making lots for the kids, who think sprinkles are the best, with my fun new kitchen gadget! And I can't wait to do fun hors d'oevres and canapes and stuff with it, too. Glee!

Jammy Pinwheels - another old favorite. I screwed one batch of them up seriously, but only the way I put them on the sheet. They still taste great, made with strawberry jam. The kids love them, too. And they're fun to make.

NEW: German Chocolate Brownie Cookies - except here, they look just like the Brownie Cookies I have made lots of times, because I hadn't topped them yet. :P Picture tan coconut-and-pecan stuff glopped on top of each one. I really like them; Rob, not so much.

NEW: Donuts! Not really. That's just what Sophia and Jack kept calling them, from the appearance. They're Pecan Cookies, rolled innumerable times in confectioner's sugar. I love these so much. I just wish I could, for once, get the balls to stop spreading so much and stay balls. This is the best they've ever come out, though. Chilling helps!

And this, oh this, is the little boy who has been watching his mother bake for two days, sometimes patiently and sometimes less so, dancing around the house singing about cookies, telling anyone he knows about cookies, making up stories about cookies, and trying to find a way to get a closer look at each of the cookies. Cookies, Mommy, cookies! That is the reason I make the cookies. For the excitement on his face. After I had started to package and parcel them out for friends and neighbors, I invited each child into the kitchen to pick one before bed. He knew the one he wanted right away, and did his face light up when he got it! I hope it was his best cookie ever. At least 'til next year.

Fin.

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

(Warning: this is super long!) Well, it's been a whirlwind few days around here. Friday, I had Jade all day. I got a phone call that day to do a car wash mystery shop, so the little girls and I went to do that. Sophia freaked out a little inside the automated part. Guess she hasn't been to one in a while. After Jadey went home, we went to Red Robin for dinner, for another shop. That's about it.

Saturday was kinda crazy. Jade was supposed to be with us all day, but thankfully, her mom called and said she wasn't. Good thing. We got up early and went to Chloë's school for the big Breakfast with Santa event - our first Advent activity. The kids each had a ticket to see Santa, which got them a Polaroid picture, a candy cane, and a little present. Chloë told me she asked Santa for a guitar for Christmas. Keep dreaming, child! Then the five of us had a ticket for breakfast, which was basically a muffin, bagel or donut, and juice or milk. It was fun, though.

Sophia and Jack each got a stuffed ball, and Chloë got a snowman. After breakfast, the kids ran around the cafeteria, played with their new toys, and greeted friends. We're getting to know so many people now, thanks partly to our PTA involvement and partly to everyone knowing who Chloë is at that school! She has a way of making herself known.

On the way home, we stopped at a church that was putting on a live nativity display. The players were all kids with no supervision, and I wasn't terribly impressed with their behavior, but it gave us another opportunity to talk about Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and, well, the reason for the season!

The kids crowded around to pet the sheep and goat, and then we headed home for Jack to get a much-needed nap. I think Sophie did, too. Anyway.

Next, we went to Chloë's acting school for her final day of her TV Commercial Acting class. The kids demonstrated their warm-ups for us, and then they each did their commercials and took some direction to show their 'versatility.' I wouldn't say Chloë is any more or any less talented than any other six-year-old, based on that - so I guess she'll really have to work those curly curls and general adorableness! ;)

We drove to Moe's (Welcome to Moe's!) after that, in Norfolk, for a lunch mystery shop. Well, lunner. Dunch. Something like that. Now, we've never really had any reason to drive straight from downtown Chesapeake to downtown Norfolk, so I got us a little bit lost - twice - before finally getting on the right path. I don't like getting lost. I'm not the kind of person who just gets in the car to drive, without a plan. I don't enjoy it. (Nevermind the wastefulness and pollution, which are also on my mind...) So I was glad to figure things out for myself and get where we needed to go.

The shop wasn't that great, but as always, the food was. Seriously, you should go. Between Panera and Moe's, I don't know which "casual restaurant" we've learned about from mystery shopping I like more. See, that's how they get ya. You think you're getting paid to do these jobs, but really, they want to get you in the door to see how good their stuff is. Remember last year, I wanted to buy the $8G piano? And that diamond ring? And the massage chair? Yeah. But I digress.

So then we went home for Jack to take another nap (growth spurt, maybe?? His pants are fitting a little short lately), and for me and Sophie to take one, too. I crashed. Rob took Chloë to her iPOP! preparation class. We just have a month left before the trip to Los Angeles! I've been thinking so much about the Europe trip that this one has completely slipped from my consciousness. We've really got to start getting ready. I need to find a *gag* dress for the big gala thingy. Oy. Anyway, so they went to class while the rest of us slept, and I really have no recollection of what we did for dinner. I do know that Rob and I watched Georgia Rule (we both gave it a 5 out of 5), and then he fell asleep while I watched Perfect Stranger with Halle Berry & Bruce Willis (eh. I give it a 3) and did a whole bunch of knitting on that lacy baby sweater. Then I set up the new Christmas tree. I haven't even fixed the branches on it, so it's not decorated or anything. It's just there. For the cat to climb in. Which excites all the kids to no end. I kinda like it, too. Especially when she falls. That's funny.

Sunday. I was so tired from staying up knitting and watching mervies that I didn't get up and do the Dunkin Donuts shop I was supposed to do. Well, I can do it up until Wednesday, but I really didn't want to have to wake up the Tots to go with me. I woke up just long enough to, I don't know, check my email and drink some juice, before I fell asleep again. On the fainting couch in the office, which was supposed to be mine where I could crash out anytime I desired, but which I almost never actually use except for dumping mail and stuff.

But then I got up, showered, and got my scrapbooking stuff out for my big scrapping date with Stephanie (the babysitter).  (I guess I probably don't need to say that anymore, since Stephanie who lives in Canada and I don't get to hang out very often. Ever.) (Speaking of which, are you still going to meet us in L.A., Steph?? :D) I set up my new Cricut, and my seven new Cricut cartridges, and I admired them and admired them until the shine wore off. Stephanie came, the kids sang a song to her for their second Advent avent, and we gabbed and exchanged ideas and worked very slowly on our actual projects and didn't get a whole lot done! It was fun, though. Being crafty is fun. Being crafty with a friend is even more.

And Rob called his dad for his birthday. Happy birthday, Al!

So after she left, I pretty much scrapped the night away - stopping only to do a quick shop at the Sonic around the corner with Rob and the kids - and got a bunch of pages done. I love my new toy! I definitely recommend it. The only thing is, I've put so much wear on it by now, I already need to replace the blade and cutting mat. Kind of a pain. At least it came with a couple replacements of each.

I took a break to type up Chloë's résumé, since we finally got her head shots back on Saturday, get our Christmas cards out since Rob picked up the Sears pictures while we scrapped, and make Chlo's "team" t-shirt. Oh, and I went grocery shopping, too. I only saved $22 in coupons this time, which is the lowest in a long time. But, I also spent less than usual too, so I guess it's all good.

Today, well, I forgot to bring my cell phone up to bed last night, which is my main alarm clock (in the form of both the program on the phone and Rob calling to wake me up!), so I way overslept. Way. I slept all the way until I had to get Jack up for school. Oops-a-daisy, that's not good. So I got all three kids ready (deja vu; we just did this last week), got Jack off to school, and then Soap and I drove Chloë in. But not before we opened our third Advent activity: ride the rides at the mall! The kids were looking forward to doing that all day long and never let me forget about it.

I had Baby Jade all day again today, after the kids went off to school, and it was good to see her again. She's definitely used to us by now and just jumped right in. The little girls sat in the kitchen with me while I scrapped until Jack returned from school. I have a ton of pages from the family reunion trip in June, and I'm not even halfway done. Oy. I shoulda done another book just for that!

Jack came home, and I put him and Sophie down in their rooms for naps, and Jade zonked out in our bed while I took a shower. She was so sound asleep, so it was not a minor annoyance when Chloë burst in the door and woke her up. And she didn't go back to sleep at all. Argh!

So I brought her down and went back to my scrapping. Rob came home, and we got ready to go to the mall. He had an eye exam - for, yes, a mystery shop - and I had to go along to "observe". Four kids. It was fun. Not so much, so while he was in with the doc, the kids and I wandered across the hall to The Children's Place, where I did a bunch of damage. Chloë needed a scarf, hat and gloves, and I don't feel like knitting them right now, so I got her a cute stripey pink and purple set. And Sophia wouldn't take off the matching mittens, so I got her some of those, and a proper winter coat since she's been wearing Chloë's Mickey zippy hoody from Epcot last year. Well, today she wore her raincoat because that's what Chlo fetched for her, but I could hardly button her belly up into it! And it's practically new. Oh, well. At least one kid is growing. I gave the raincoat (also from TCP) to Jadey's mom for her, when she picked her up. And I got the girls another matchy-matchy outfit, plus a second one for Sophie, on clearance. Cute stuff. Nothing for Jack. He needs clothes, but 3Ts are way too big, and I hate to buy him more 2Ts when he's almost five. It's just the principle of the thing.

Anyway, Rob called and said he was done with his exam, so we rushed back and sat there so I could watch what was what.

Afterward, we were on our way toward the promised Advent rides, when my back just totally seized up. That's not uncommon; I've had problems with it since the nerve damage I got from Sophia's delivery. But, we happened to be right in front of those massage chairs, you know the ones? I looked at Rob, and he told me to go for it. A buck for three minutes! I had two dollahs, so I gave one to Rob, and we sat down and got our backs rubbed. Thing was hard! It hurt! But oh, did it help. I definitely got my dollar's worth out of that. My back actually felt good afterward. He asked me if I wanted him to buy me that massage chair (not the mall one, the one from the Relax the Back mystery shop I did months ago), and heck yeah, I do! But not for three grand. Not right now.

We went and did the mall rides. Sophie picked the school bus. Jack picked the jeep, and Chloë picked the rocket. She looked up and shouted, "Webkinz!!" so I dropped all the quarters I had into Rob's hand and darted into the store. I spent another small fortune on three Webkinz (did you know they had a German Shepherd one? I didn't! Had to get that one), a Webkinz mousepad that Chloë asked for, two Webkinz pet carriers that I know she would love, and a few other Christmasy knick-knacks. I should've stayed out of there.

And that's about it. We rushed home to have a very late dinner and get Jade's belly fed before her mom came to get her, and to get Chloë's homework done and the kids off to bed. Now I'm going back to scrap before I pack it in until at least next weekend.

Fin.