March

As in - holy crap it's 75 degrees in MARCH!!! 

We've been spending a lot of time outside.  I've been spending a lot of time walking the yard, looking at all my daffodils that have bloomed, my forsythia that has completely blossomed in all its golden yellow goodness and my grass that needs to be mowed - already.  (OK, it's WAY too early for that)

All that is to say, we're just enjoying life over here - taking lots of walks with the neighbors (we call them rolling happy hours because we all grab a drink and walk and talk) lots of runs with my hubby, lots of bike rides with the kiddos and lots of ball throwing with the boys. 

I took off the entire week of the girls spring break and  Brian and I are going away by ourselves for a few days and then the girls and I will hang out and do fun stuff - I"m hoping this amazing weather holds.  I wanted to go see the Cherry Blossoms, but they are in full bloom already and will likely be done by the time we could get down there the first of April. 

I picked out all my plants and started organizing what will go in all my pots.  Of course, I'm doing this in my head because with my luck I'll move my trees outside and plant some containers and we'll go from 75 degrees in March to 6 inches of snow in April.  We had our one and only snow storm in October so it's only fitting we should close out winter with a spring blizzard. 

 I officially have Spring Fever. 

That's OK - I'll take the elevator.

Going to my third Boot Camp class tonight - AND I ran a few mornings too. 

What? 

  I KNOW right? 

Each time is less painful than the last.  Thank God.

But I still avoid stairs.  At. All. Costs. 

In other news, we have gone two straight days without anyone home sick!  Brian got the stomach flu on Tuesday so he was down for the count that day.  But yesterday was pretty much the first time in two weeks that everyone was fairly healthy and back in school/work.  It was a bad 2 weeks at the Henrys, fo' shizzle. 

I have tons planned for this weekend - projects I need to get done around the house, etc. - so its a fair bet I'll accomplish nothing but laze around, maybe go see baby Nicholas (and his parents, of course), do some more reading (third book of Game of Thrones - this series is killing me but I just. can't. stop. reading.) and get in a nice long outdoor afternoon at the park with the girls.

Sounds perfect to me! 

February 25th to March 3rd

It's been a full week...

February 25th:  Beth comes into town!!  We go out to dinner and then head to a friends house for a girls night get together.  I had so much fun and I hadn't seen Beth since the Benefit Concert (for my other friend Beth  -don't get confused) and let's face it, I saw NOTHING that day if the truth be told - ha!  It was such a great night.

February 26th a.m.:  Beth leaves. Boo - it was a short trip, but seriously - chicky drove three and half hours each way to hang out with me for less than 24 hours.  She totally rocks. Love that girl!

February 26th afternoon:  Brandon and I make a late lunch/early dinner to celebrate my mama's birthday with the family at my house.  Good times are had by all.  Sydney complains of a sore throat so I give her some Tylenol and she tells me she's fine.

February 26th evening:  I notice that Olivia's jaw/under her jaw are a bit swollen and she complains that her braces have worn a sore in her mouth which she thinks might be causing it.  She's uncomfortable and - having heard from two people about their recent hospitalizations with MERSA - I figure I'm not taking any chances and Brian and I decide that she's going to the doctor in the morning.

February 26th/February 27th, middle of the night:  Sydney throws up.


February 27th:  Brian stays home with the kids and takes them to the doctor.  Sydney has strep.  Olivia does not, but her glands are swollen.  Both are put on antibiotics.

February 28th:  Brian stays home again with Sydney but Liv feels great and the doctor says she can go back to school.

February 29th:  Sydney's still not 100% so she stays with my mom.  Brian and I are in bed by 7:00 because we are both getting colds.

March 1st:  EVERYONE IS BACK AT SCHOOL/WORK!!!  I feel like crap, but since it's been so warm and I'm not running a fever I can't decide if its allergies or an actual cold.  Brian is fine by now.

March 2nd:  Sharon and Justin welcome their son into the world and I want to go see him!!! But I can't be around that sweet baby boy if I'm sick, so I go to the doctor. She sees that the girls were in earlier in the week so she orders a strep test for me.   I tell her Syd was positive for strep, but that Olivia was negative and that neither of us have ever had strep.  She bets me that I have strep.  I bet her that I don't.  I win!  But she tells me it's a cold and that I can't go near baby Nicholas for at least 24 hours by which time she thinks it'll be just about gone.  Dammit. Olivia leaves for a church retreat in Virginia with her friends' youth group.  She's excited, but very apprehensive about going since she and her friend are the youngest kids, it's not close to home, and she doesn't know all of the others very well.  Her friend's mom (who's chaperoning) assures me that she will keep an extra close eye on her for me.  Olivia texts me no less than 10 times in the hour after she leaves to tell me how much she loves me and misses me.

March 2nd, late night:  Virginia gets some wicked bad storms and I can't sleep for worrying about how Liv is doing.  She hates thunder storms and she's homesick and in a strange place and has no cell service.

March 3rd, a.m.:  I get up and haul my butt to my first fitness boot camp.  Holy kick my ass Batman!  I know I'm not going to be able to walk the next day but decide I like it.

March 3rd, evening:  With Sydney at a friends house and Olivia away at church camp, Brian and I find ourselves with a free evening!  We go to the hospital to get our baby fix and then go to dinner.

March 4th, early a.m.:  Olivia starts throwing up and they decide to leave camp early to get her home.  We get the call at about 8:00 am that she's sick and  they are on their way home.  Liv has been sick five or six times by this point but they tell me she never complained, wanted to make sure no one else was sick and didn't want everyone else to have to leave early because of her (they didn't). She's such a trooper - that girl NEVER complains and never has when she's sick.  It's a blessing and a curse - a blessing because she handles it so well, but a curse because from the time she was a little girl I never knew how sick she really was until she was really sick.   Liv comes home, climbs on the couch and promptly falls asleep.  Oh, and I can't walk. Holy pain in every muscle I have Batman.

March 4th, afternoon:  Brian and I go to Home Depot and get a shelving unit for the laundry room and I spend the next 5 hours rearranging, cleaning and hanging shelves in the laundry room all while avoiding any and all reasons to go up or down any stairs because, well, it just hurts.

March 4th, evening:  I'm sitting down, knowing it's going to hurt like hell to get up and go to bed. I'll be home tomorrow with Liv.  But Boot camp #2 is tomorrow night (lordhelpme).

So, here's the thing....

There just really hasn't been too much happening around here. I mean, I have all these projects that are half done that I just can't get motivated or find the time to finish.

I have two daughters that I adore who are becoming social butterflies that keep me busy busy busy on the weekends.  I have decided that I really need to enjoy the next 10 years and take a step back and realize that my babies will soon be grown women themselves. I need to take advantage of  every moment that I can.  This is hard - I work full time, with an hour commute each way and very long days.  Weekends are a frenzy of house cleaning, laundry, dish washing, grocery shopping, family time, fun time, friend time -   seriously.  Who can fit all that into 48 hours? 

Not to mention  - I have a shit ton of projects and creative stuff coming out of my ears that I can't get to and that frustrates me to no end.

But, I have been exercising a lot more - which is giving me a lot more energy - and also provides me with some alone time where I can be by myself with my thoughts.  I work out a lot of stuff on those runs.

All that being said, I want to write down what I hope to accomplish in the next month or so- I hope it'll make me accountable.  (Hope springs eternal...)

1.  Run at least 5 times a week - three of those times being early  morning treadmill runs.  Which I hate.  But I have another race coming up in May and I want to be ready.
2.  Try to lose about 5 pounds.  I'm uncomfortable in my skin right now.
3.  Pick out material for the couch in the sitting room and find an upholsterer.  I just can't make a decision here.  But it's gone on long enough.
4.  Get the pictures I have had for 6 months now hung on the walls in the sitting room.  This is more work than it sounds like.  I'll let you know why when I'm done.
5.  Rework our budget.  We've done a few things to hopefully give us some extra cash.  We will both be needing new cars in the next few years and I'd like to save up a sizable down payment.  Because cars are crazy expensive.
6. Do something fun with the girls at least once a week.
7. Snuggle with my babies before bed at least a few times a week.  I love those snuggles, where we all climb in my bed and hunker down under the big down comforter and giggle and cuddle up together.

I think that's enough for a month, don't you? Stay tuned to see how I do....

And after reading this post I realize I'm a hot mess - I am all OVER the place.

Can you get ADD at the age of 41? 

12

Valentines’ Day of the year 2000

That’s the day I first became a mother.

My very own Snow White was born, with porcelain skin, a head full of dark hair and perfect little red rose lips.

Hard to believe she’s 12 now.  Trust me when I say, I blinked and a decade flew by….

I remember everything about the day she was born.

I remember thinking that I wasn’t ready yet. 

I remember the doctor telling me that it was happening, whether it was three weeks early or not.

I remember the car ride from the doctor to the hospital.

I remember calling Brian’s office from the car.

I remember his co-worker answering – and then dropping the phone and yelling for Brian as he ran across the shop looking for him upon hearing me say “I need Brian – It’s time!”

I remember being in the hospital and hoping that all the grandparents would make it in time to catch a glimpse of their first grandbaby as soon as she was born.

I remember thinking that it was all happening so fast that it was surreal. 

I remember not being scared.

I remember seeing Brian’s excited eyes above the mask he had to wear in the delivery room as they began the surgery.

I remember waiting and waiting and waiting for that first cry.

I remember feeling such relief upon hearing it.

I remember crying when I heard that we had a daughter – and that she was perfect.

I remember telling Brian to leave me and go with the baby – nothing else mattered now but her.

I remember the feeling I had when they first placed her in my arms  - and it is indescribable.

I remember looking at the tears in my parent’s eyes and – for the first time – understanding.

I remember thinking that everything had now changed forever, in a good way.

I remember thinking “Why didn’t anyone tell me how fast and how much I would love this child?”

The years that have gone by since that beautiful day have brought us some amazing memories of our Olivia Leigh, but those few hours before and after her birth are ingrained in my mind with such detail and clarity that they could have happened yesterday.   I suspect that will be the case for the rest of my life and that the births of my daughters will be the last memories I relive before I die.

As the years go by, she becomes more independent and chafes at the parental bonds I tenuously still hold.  We bicker, we yell, we say things we regret…she is, in many respects, a smaller version of me.  

She hates to hear that.  

And I understand. 

I’m sure we have some very difficult years ahead of us as we march into the teenage years.  

But all I have to do is think back to February 14, 2000, and all the frustration and anger fades and all I want to do is grab her and hold her and hug her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her.

Happy Birthday my beautiful baby girl. 

I love you more than the moon and the stars.  

And I always will.

Hot Damn!

Look ma!!

No more dish pan hands!

On Friday our new dishwasher was delivered. 

I'd love to tell you the make, the model and all that jazz...

But, alas..... I really have no freakin' clue off the top of my head and I'm too lazy to get up and dig out the paperwork. 

I CAN tell you that it's black, it's a GE, it's a tall tub, and it cleans like a mo-fo.

And we got a HELL of a deal on it. 

This was definitely one of those "it's not what you know, it's who you know" times.

  

Seriously.  

Someday I'll tell you all about it.  But right now, let's look at what happened here this weekend!

Taking out old Faithful. 

Good bye dear Maytag, circa 1995, who served us (and Judi & Ted) well. 

Now, I should tell you that we have copper pipes.  Copper pipes that tend to be very persnickety and like to get little pin holes in them if you look at them the wrong way.

Baxter - saying goodbye....

Brian was really nervous about taking the dishwasher out because, well, we just weren't sure how the pipes would react.

Would they rebel and spew everywhere to show their displeasure or would they be pleased to serve this new King?  

(Damn - can you tell I'm reading Game of Thrones?)

We had a plumber on stand by - just in case.

Turns out, removal and installation went off without a hitch and within 2 hours I was loading that beautiful bad boy up and turning him on...

Hello Lover....

Most of my appliances are white.  But, I chose black so that it wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb from our dark cabinets.  It's actually not as noticeable as I thought it would be.

Score one for me.

And I have opened it in the middle of a cycle at least ten times - just to make sure it was actually running.  

That's how quiet it is. 

 I pretty much love it.

Although I just looked at this picture and realized that I'm going to be constantly cleaning the front, so it stays nice and shiny.  

RIP dear Dishwasher

Our dishwasher went to appliance heaven this week. 

We're all in mourning.

Me especially, since my delicate hands are not used to such manual labor as washing dishes.

It takes me back to my childhood when my parents reFUSED  to get a dishwasher because they "already had two" - meaning my brother and I. 

har. de. har. har. 

Did I mention that as soon as I left home they went and purchased a top of the line dishwasher?  Yeah.  Story of my life.  Kinda like the time they put in the in ground pool.  Also after I had already left home. Did I mention my brother is 5 years younger than me and still lived at home and reaped the benefits of all this? 

Well, now you know.

And, no.  I'm not bitter.        Much.   

ANYWAY. We've found a new dishwasher and it will be ordered today.  I had three criteria:

1.  MUST be a tall tub.  I can't stand not being able to put large things in the dishwasher.  I'm spoiled. 

2.  No Stainless Steel.  Sorry - I know it's the norm to want stainless steel appliances, but I find them cold and they attract fingerprints (not good with two kids).  Plus I like to use magnets on my appliances to hang the girls art work, love notes etc. - mostly on the fridge but sometimes if it's been a particularly "arsty" week, we may overflow onto other appliances for a day or so. So no stainless. 

3.  It has to be cheap - but get good reviews.

Anything is going to be quieter than our old 1995 Maytag Dishwasher - God love him - who cleaned dishes like a champ but you could hear a mile away, so "noise level" isn't on the list. 

It looks like we found what we needed and at a really good price.  Now I just have to actually  order it and then wait for it to be delivered so we can install it. 

This, of course, means at least a week or two of dishpan hands. 

So, the baby shower got me thinking....

NO - not about having another baby - bite your tongue!!

I actually know quite a few pregnant gals right now, some of whom are my dearest friends and family. 

Some are eager for advice.

Some are not. 

(I wasn't, that's for sure) 

But, after 2 dogs, 2 kids, 1 husband, a full time job, a graduate degree and 2 houses, I’ve learned a few things since becoming a mom.

Humor me while I share:

1.   Pregnant women don’t always “glow”. I was a puking, fat, bloated, gassy, snotty mess.  So if you are one of those pregnant women who don’t have a moment of nauseousness, only gain 10 pounds (which is “all baby”, I might add) and/or are working 80 hours a week and taking/teaching prenatal yoga classes up until five minutes before you deliver, the rest of us don’t want to hear it so keep it to yourself, k?

2.   Don’t buy into the argument that “natural childbirth is the best thing”.  Having a healthy baby and healthy mom is the best thing.  You aren’t any better because you labored for 27 hours and pushed for 15 hours without any sleep or drugs, while standing on your head and playing World of Warcraft,  while I was sliced open from one end to the other because my baby was breech. And anyway, C-Section babies don’t have cone heads and are prettier.  So there.

3.  Women who deliver babies vaginally, and without drugs, exaggerate.

4.  If I had been able to deliver vaginally, and without drugs, I would have been one of them.

5.  The second your baby is born, your entire world shifts in ways you never imagined and you can suddenly see yourself jumping in front of a train without hesitation to save this little human being you've know for exactly 30 seconds.  And no one can ever explain that feeling - you just have to experience it yourself.   

6.  Not everyone bonds with their babies immediately.  That's not something to be ashamed of - being a parent is scary as hell and regardless of what I said in number 5, I'd be lying if I said I was completely ready for the overwhelming responsibility of being a mother.  Hell, it's been 12 years and I'm still not sure I'm ready - ha!  I just wish more people would talk about it instead of being so scared of what others will think if they admit this stuff.  It doesn't mean you love your kids any less - just that you can admit its not all sunshine and roses all the time, you know?

7. You will be tired until 2030.  Seriously.

8.  I found breastfeeding to be a wonderful, relaxing, bonding experience.  For about 8 weeks.  Then it became ……not so great, very limiting, and one more thing I had to try and fit into a day that didn’t have enough hours already.

9.  Doing a pump and dump while breastfeeding doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom.  It means you are a sleep deprived, stressed out and overwhelmed mom who needs a glass of wine and doesn’t want her newborn seeing trails and getting the hiccups.

10.  You will never be as good a mother as the woman down the street.  But take comfort in the fact that you will always be a better mother than the woman two streets over, so it balances out.  The point is, stop comparing yourself to other moms.  You’ll drive yourself crazy and accomplish nothing.  Trust me – your kids love YOU.

11.  Once your baby is born you will be assailed with unexplained guilt over the fact that you weren’t excited enough over the pregnancy/birth of one of your friends a few years ago.  You simply didn’t GET IT.  Now you do – and you’re sorry you didn’t appreciate the magnitude of the event more and allow your friend to bask in the glory of motherhood, simply because you had a date with a margarita downtown and frankly, that was more important.  Call your friend and explain this.  I guarantee she’ll understand and you guys will become even greater friends, not to mention that she is a fount of information, having done this whole mommy thing already.  Which leads me to….

12.  Other moms.  They can be invaluable and full of so much experience and information.   They can also be extremely judgmental (it helps them feel better about themselves) and our biggest source of insecurity.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference until it’s too late.  Choose wisely…

13. You will feel some form of guilt over your parenting skills every single day from now until the day you die.  That’s OK.  Just don’t let it consume you. 

14. Unless of course, you happen to have a really crappy day when your kids are being particularly bratty and horrible and you scream at them to “GETOUTOFTHISHOUSERIGHTNOW!IDON’TCAREWHEREYOUGOJUSTGETOUTOFMYSIGHT!GETOUT!GETOUT!GETOUT!” while hyperventilating and crying.  In that case, feel free to wallow in guilt for at least 24 hours.  (They went next door to my mom’s by the way).

15.  There are days that you are going to love being a mom.  There are days that you are going to hate being a mom.  There are days you are going to want to run away (see number 14).  There are days you want to spend every second with your babies because time flies by so fast.   This manic behavior is totally normal.  Just go with it.

16.  Something has to give if you want to have any semblance of a life  - especially if you are a working mom and only have  the weekends to get everything done.  I choose cleaning the house.

17.  If my house is a mess but my family is happy does all that dog hair on the floor and dust on the shelves matter?

18. Well, OK all that dust on the shelves and dog hair on the floor does matter - in fact it gives me anxiety the very SECOND I walk through the door.  But that's why God made beer.  And Xanax.

19.  Never, never tell another mom “I told you so” about her parenting skills or her children or get high and mighty about your own “skills”. Comes back to bite you in the ass every.single.time. And really?  It's just downright mean. 

20.  Throw every pre-conceived notion and expectation you have ever had about being a parent out the window, because the second you say “I will NEVER do that as a parent” or “My child will be raised to be like THIS” you have set yourself up for failure.  Because inevitably you WILL do that that as a parent and your child will  NOT be like this.  And then what are you going to do???

21.  Kids are resilient.  They love you.  You love them.  Sometimes we have to remember that snuggling at night for 10 minutes before bed can do wonders for the soul.  Both young and old.

22.  Even with the bad days, the breakdowns, the stress, the lack of time - you'll get all misty eyed at the overwhelming love you feel for your children. Oh yes,  it'll happen - at the most inconvenient times, like when you're standing in line at the grocery store on Thanksgiving eve with 200 other people and your 12 year old offers to run to the other side of the store to get you a bottle of your favorite soda because you forgot while your 9 year old offers to unload the cart so you can get out of there faster because you have so much to do when you get home.  Little things like that make it all worth it. No lie. 

23.  Be sure to put away enough money to pay for their therapy at the doctor of your choice or they'll get some quack who blames all their issues on their mommy.   And we don't want that. 

24.   If parenting is anything, it’s humbling.  Expect the unexpected, sit back and enjoy the ride.  And above all else - relax.  It'll all work out..... 

AND LASTLY....

25.    All that unsolicited pregnancy and parenting advice that you didn't want/don't need/didn't ask for?  You will now be giving it out as well.  Not only to your friends, family and acquaintances, but to that pregnant stranger on the elevator.

Yes.  You will.   Trust me.


And you'll be a great mom :)

Babies, Babies, Everywhere!!!

Saturday I was able to co-host a baby shower for my very dear friend Sharon, who is expecting a son in a matter of weeks.

The shower was at her mom's house and her sister and I hosted together. It was very casual - just a few neighborhood ladies that have known Sharon since, well, her own birth, and some friends.  

I made a few things to munch one and we had drinks and cake.

I wanted to make something special for the baby's room, so I crafted one of those pennants you see all over the Internet.  I added his name - Nicholas Michael.

This picture really sucks (cell phone picture alert) and the names are backwards, but you get the idea.

I actually LOVE how it turned out.  (I wanna do another one)

I'm always in charge of shower games.  Um, I don't know why.  But I am. 

One of the games I always do is "Guess what's in the basket".  Fill up the basket with a TON of little baby things and place it somewhere in plain sight so that everyone HAS to look at it (this one sat on the coffee table in the middle of the room).  About 2/3 of the way through the shower, take it away.  Then tell everyone to write down as many items as they can remember from the basket. 

The cries  of "Oh crap!  I didn't know you were going to do that - I would have paid attention to it more!"

and

"Not fair!  Bring it back - PLEEEEEEAAAZZZZEEEE?????"

are quite amusing.  

My "Guess what's in the basket" basket.

But the funniest part is when everyone tries to remember what they saw.

The basket is then given to the mom-to be.  It has all sorts of goodies!  

The best game EVER though was one I call

"Who's your Daddy? (and yo' Mama!)"

You had to match the celebrity baby with the celebrity parents. 

HY-STER-I-CAL!!

(Google weird celebrity Baby Names - you'll see.  Or e-mail me and I'll send you the one I did)

90% of the shower guests kept the game to take home and try out on their families. Ha! 

  

Seriously - fun game. 

One of my poofs for the shower

Again, horrible picture.  I had to turn on the overhead lights to get this.  With my PHONE because I forgot my camera.  Stupid old age memory loss.  


I can't wait to hold all these little babies in my arms when they're born!  it's been so long since mine were that little...*sniff sniff*

It's a good thing he's cute....

Conversations with Brian while watching TV:

Brian: Who names their baby Blue Ivy? Ha ha ha ha ha 

Deb: Jay-Z and Beyonce

Brian: Huh? They had BABY?? Wow. He's not attractive enough for Beyonce' to even sleep with.... 
Deb: Well, people get married and have babies, much like we did, so...
Brian: Wait - They're MARRIED?
Deb: ......Um..............................Do you live on this planet?


This is what happens when you channel surf ESPN and FOX.


Be jealous ladies.

Hi, have we met?

My name is Deb and I suck at blogging over the holidays.

So, I'll bore you with this pictorial of the month of December and be back in a jiffy to tell you all about what we have coming up this month!
 

The girls and Brian requested colored lights.
I'm a white light kinda girl.
We compromised and used both. 

My three wise guys - they're still up 'cuz  I love them.
And I'm incredibly lazy. 

Here's what the tree looked like after Santa came.
At, like, 2 o'clock in the morning.

And here it is six hours later. 

By the way - in case you ever hear me complain about my kids, remind me that on Christmas morning I finally rolled out of bed at 7:30, jumped up and peeked into Olivia's room, and found my two girls sitting on her bed chatting and quietly waiting for mom and dad to get up.

They never came in to wake us up, they didn't go downstairs to peek (which is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN in our house) and they didn't make a sound.

They said they were going to let us sleep until 8 AM because we don't get to sleep in often. 

Love. My. Kids.

We never had to worry about the kids waking us up at 5 AM  and we never had to worry about them going downstairs without us.

But I guess they're growing up, because now they don't even come in to wake us up with shouts of

 "Merry Christmas!  C'mon let's GO mom!  Get UP dad!  It's present time!!"

It's a little sad.

We grabbed our stockings and ran to the tree!!

The boys grabbed their stocking too.

The girls in their Christmas socks.

I love the hats Misou got them.

And finally, Sydney performed in a Winter Concert at the high school with several other schools last week. 

Notice my shy child - front and center - boogeying down, doing the dance moves....

As she walked off stage, she did a little curtsy and blew a kiss and winked at the audience.

I wasn't quick enough with the camera to catch it.

But the audience loved it - ha!

So, that basically sums up the last 3 weeks.

And, I've joined Weight Watchers again because I had to buy new pants.

Stupid stop smoking plan.

And I've been getting up an hour or two early and run-walking or P90X-ing.

It's NOT a New Years resolution.

It's a "Get back to the old ME" resolution.

The holiday rush

Has it truly been two weeks since I posted?

I wish I could tell you about all the amazing things I did over the past  two weeks that has kept me so busy that I couldn’t find the time to get on here, but……..
yeah, I got nothin’.

Still not smoking – seven weeks & counting – YAY!!!

Totally gained ten pounds – BOO.

Signed up for a half marathon in May – YAY!!

Haven’t found any time to train for it yet – BOO.

I got all the  decorating done in the house – YAY!!!

I am nowhere near done shopping – BOO.

The next two weeks are a whirlwind of office parties, holiday get togethers, shopping, wrapping, dinners with friends, more shopping, more wrapping, cooking, baking and cleaning.

Ho Ho Ho!!!

You know it's Christmas when....

The TREES arrive!!!!

Once again, the girls anxiously awaited their trees from Gamma & Mister (aka, Judi & Ted) and as usual, they were beautiful.

These trees mark the official start of the holiday season for the girls, as they have been getting these trees pretty much since birth from Judi & Ted. 

Every year, I say..

"What's on the front porch?"

The girls look out the window and yell - "It's the trees!!  From Gamma and Mister!!!"  

They recognize the boxes :)

And then begins the annual...

 "I wonder what mine looks like?"

"Do you think we'll have white lights or colored lights this year?"

"Remember last years tree and the pretty ribbon/ornaments/lights it had?" 

(They have surprisingly amazing memories - they can tell you almost exactly what all of their trees have looked like since - pretty much - the first time they remember getting the trees.  Ah - youth.)

 My memory is not that good.

Then again, I'm old. 

Moving on...

Olivia's Tree

Sydney's Tree

 Every year, the girls get to choose where they put their trees.

This year they chose to each put a tree in one of the bay windows....

See them in the windows???

Now can you see them???

They look so pretty - and this way everyone gets to enjoy them. 

I wish I could show you all of our beautiful Christmas decorations, but - well - you're pretty much looking at them.

And the only reason the outside lights are up?

I took Sydney to dance class and Brian was bored.

And he figured if he put up the lights while I was gone, it would be soooo  much easier for him.

Not that I would tell him what to do or where to put the lights or anything...

I had four days off and while I did actually get the tree up and the lights on - it's a hot mess.

And I can't find the angel for the top.

And I was so NOT motivated to do any other decorating, even though  - did I mention? - I had FOUR DAYS OFF and all the time in world to decorate the house.

Oh, I pulled all the decorations out.  

They're just still sitting in the same spots.  In boxes.  Untouched.

In my defense, I did cook for 13 people on Thanksgiving Day.

And I did have to take Friday to recover from all the wine  hard work.

Saturday, I......can't remember what I did on Saturday.

Seriously - what the hell did I do on Saturday???

And Sunday we we HAD to go see the Muppet movie. (LOVED IT) 

Ooooh!  And my brother came home from Vietnam so we had to have dinner with him.

So really, I was far too busy to decorate.

I promise I'll get to it this weekend.

I hope to anyway.

And hope springs eternal. 

Let there be light.....

Now that the hallway is almost done, I had one last thing to do...

Figure out what to do with the light. 

I wanted to change out the light but when we investigated, we realized that due to circumstances beyond our control, we would only be able to convert the can light to a small pendant light.

That didn't work for me.

Enter the internet......

I saw several versions of faux capiz shell shades, but this was by far my favorite.

I figured I could do this.

Little did I know how big a project this would be.....

There are a ton of tutorials out there on how to do this so I'm just going to give a brief overview.

I found an old plant hanger in the garage and sprayed it a creamy white.

First thing I did was lay down three sheets of wax paper between two sheets of parchment paper and iron them.

It's quite possibly the only time I've used an iron in the past 10 years.

The wax paper then gets cut to make the "shells". 

Since I was hanging this in the hallway I didn't want round shells.

I don't know why.  I just wanted something angular. 

I cut my "shells" into diamonds and then used a dot of hot glue to attach each shell to a length of fishing line.

This is where the phrase "shit ton of work" comes in....

I would love to be able to tell you how many shells I made, but I have no idea.

I can tell you that I began working on this in the beginning of October.

It didn't get finished until the day before Thanksgiving. 

Once I FINALLY had the shade done, I sprayed all the shells with this to give it a little sparkle and depth. 

I liked it, but I wanted it to be a little fancier, so like Miss Bee, I added a prism....

Once it was finally done, Brian simply screwed some hooks into the ceiling around the can light and we hung it up.

And now, some pictures.....

Before

After

The light is on a dimmer so I played with it at different settings....

Is it perfect? 

No.

But, it definitely works.  

And once it was it was done I wasn't sure what I was going to do with all my free time.

Until I saw the large pile of ironing Brian and the kids made for me.

(Excuse me while I go hide the iron for another ten years.)