catching up again

So I’m falling back into bad habits and not posting/updating. The thing is I have stuff to say but I go through and read about everyone else first and suddenly it’s hours later and I should get to bed because I know Alex will be up at 6am even though he’s gotten good about staying in his room and playing “quietly” until 7:00.

For about three years now my mom has been holding her Thanksgiving dinner a week/week and a half early. She got tired of being the second or third stop for my sister and step brothers. This way everyone comes and eats and visits, then sits and watches football with Bill. Well Alex of course starts coming down with something the Monday before we’re to leave. I thought it was a cold so I kept him home from school Tuesday hoping a day of rest would make him travel ready by Thursday. All day Tuesday his fever would spike and come down. So first thing Wednesday morning I got him a doctor’s appointment. The fact that he couldn’t talk at all was another sign. Luckily it was tonsillitis not strep. The Doctor told us he should be fine to travel once he had a couple doses of antibiotics in him but to base going on the trip by how he felt. He was looking
Much better by Thursday morning even if he still couldn’t talk above a whisper.

We missed our playgroup giving thanks party. I had food made and everything. It was also when the cookie exchange was being held. I ended up dropping everything off after we left the doctor’s office. I was able to go back once Ken got home from work get my share of the cookies and even some leftovers of the food. Actually half the playgroup was still there. I had a glass of wine too before heading home. It was much needed after spending the day with cranky sick boy.

So we went up to Erie. The drive wasn’t too bad a bit of snow as we got to the northern part of PA. We got there had dinner settled down the kids or tried to. Quin was having none of it. He’s gotten to the age where he knows he’s not at home and doesn’t like it.
By the end of the trip he was sleeping a relatively normal amount at night. But that first night was hell; the only way to get him settled was to bring him into bed with us which of course means I didn’t sleep. I hate being such a light sleeper; every little move noise wakes me.

Friday we hung out. Saturday morning I had my massage, and felt like happy jelly the rest of the day. Everyone started arriving around 1pm. Ken took them into the living room took portraits (at my mom and Bill’s Request) Dinner was around 3:30pm. It was weird everyone started leaving around 6pm. So we had a whole evening to just chill as well. My mom made me a chocolate raspberry martini for our second round of dessert at about 9pm. We got on the road by 10am Sunday and were back home by 5pm. I have never seen Quin so happy in my life.

Monday I had to work, Tuesday was catching up on laundry. Wednesday I had to cook the stuff we were taking to Su’s for Thanksgiving with Ken’s family. This was a much more relaxing day than usual because neither of Ken’s brothers was there. They cause Su so much stress with their clueless ness.

Friday Ken had a wedding and Saturday we attempted a family portrait. (Again we tried when Ken had everything set up at mom’s) Quin will not sit for a formal portrait. Ken has decided we aren’t attempting this again until he’s 5. The photographer, Judy, knew Ken from when they were both taking classes at HCC. After a few minutes she understood why we didn’t attempt this at home by ourselves. What I wouldn’t give to have someone like Krystal close by for things like this. I can get good pictures of the boys together, but then I’m letting them play and just firing away. If things start going downhill I play peek-a-boo from behind the camera. We were able to get a couple okay shots there is one where the three of us looked good so I just photoshoped a new head in for Quin from on shot a few frames earlier. I think I may still just try and get something cute of the boys to make the Christmas cards and include a copy of the family one when we send them out.

Oh yeah I almost forgot the Tuesday before we went to my mom’s we went in and ordered out cabinets. The kitchen project is on. I’m getting excited and just realizing it’s only like six weeks before we start work. Ken’s buddy Ted came by Sunday to look things over so he can give us a quote for the work we need done. He’ll be tearing out the old cabinets, knocking out the soffets, and taking the old tile backsplash down. Then he’ll install the new cabinets and prep the walls for the new back splash I have yet to design. I’m going to attempt to put that in myself but Ted did say he’d give me instructions. He said it was pretty easy and if I change my mind give him a call and he’ll give a quote to come out and do it too. In the midst of walking through the plans and such we discovered that knocking out the tiny wall that is currently next to the fridge will actually cause a whole lot of extra work. We would have to move three electrical outlets and tear out some of the hard wood floor and relay it. Major head ache because it was custom made for this house 15-20 years ago. We decided not to knock out that wall. Luckily after contacting Lowe’s they said as long as the angle cabinets haven’t been installed, we can exchange them with a possible 15% restocking fee. We might not even have to worry about that since they haven’t even been delivered yet. We’re leaving the fridge where it is, placing the 24” pantry next to it and having 36” base and wall cabinets installed between the pantry and where the door to the garage is. I think this gives us more storage space so I’m not real upset about the change. Ted said he’ll start the work the second week in January.

So because of where the return will be Ken suggested we rearrange the family room. It would have been very awkward to get in and out the way it was. I started thinking about it and got a bug up my ass and decided I wanted it done now before we got our tree and started decorating for Christmas. I moved a lot of stuff out on Friday while Ken was doing the wedding. We moved the furniture around Sunday morning. Its funny moving the TV to the wall we did makes it look so much bigger. The couch now faces the fireplace as well as the TV. Alex mostly likes it, well except now it’s even easier for Quin to get to his train table. He goes into a panic as soon as he’s with in a yard of it.

That’s it for now we’ll see how well I keep up the rest of the holiday season.

A month of Thankfulness

November is always a reminder to say thanks for many things. I'm trying to follow along with the blog promts over at DSP. Since I get here once a week if I'm lucky I've got a few days to catch up on.

11/1 What Family members are you thankful for and why?

First up would be my husband. For all his quirks and annoyances I love him. He balances me. I've had to learn patience and to step back on certain decisions instead of jumping in and just taking care of things. He can't make a quick decision at all, well most of the time. And if it's something that doesn't really impact the family I just make a few points or suggestions and step back. Ten years ago that would have been very hard. But it's made me better able to deal with the insanity that is a three year old.

Next are my boys. I love them to death and no matter how much they drive me crazy I would never change the fact that they are here. I feel like I have to be a better person for them. And it makes me try harder to be a better person, to count to ten and step away instead of getting frustrated and losing my temper.

Last would be my mom. She always encouraged me to be me. She was my strongest supporter and now she's me inspiration. The strength and courage it has taken these last few years to deal with breast cancer. She speaks her mind a lot more and she's learned to let go a lot of baggage from her life. Because somethings are just so much more important.

11/2 What Kitchen things re you thankful for?

My oven one of may favorite things to do is bake. Cookies are top on the list.

My hand mixer w/ a whisk blade. This thing makes it so much easier to make light and fluffy frostings and chocolate cheese pie. My husband is ever grateful for me introducing him to chocolate cheese pie.

the tea pot once the weather gets cooler our nightly ritual is to relax and have a hot cup of tea befor bed.

11/5 Give three or more reasons why you're thankful for Autumn

The crisp scent in the air

I love fall light for photographs it has such a warm tone.

and this goes back to when I was a kid, school starts again

11/6 What jobs do other people hold are you thankful for?

Emergency workers, their help in a crisis can be the difference between life and death

Garbage collectors, it's a dirty job but necessary for keeping our cities and towns healthy

Farmers with out them I wouldn't have food on my plate, they work a long day with out much thanks

11/7 Think of all the new things on the market since our parents were young and what they had to work with. What cleaning supplies are you thankful for?

swiffer
furniture wipes
stain and spot removers

heh caught up just in time for the weekend