Resolutions

December 31, 2008 at 7:55 am (Family Fun, Miscellaneous)

Opening gifts and Grandpa and Grandma's

 

I hope Christmas was a happy time for you, restful and homey and comforting and loving. I love getting together with family and laughing and eating. In fact, I still have two more Christmases to go through before everything’s said and done! Our little family opened up presents on Christmas Eve since Luke had to work Christmas and I was not getting up at 4 am just to open presents and have crabby kids for the rest of the day. Titus scored with a Hot Wheels track (he was so very excited), Ethan and Caleb each came away with a pair of skis, I got some much needed dishes (gotta love stoneware) and I managed to surprise Luke with a Blackberry. It’s always so much fun to watch people open their gifts.

Now it is on to the New Year. And with a New Year comes resolutions. Yes, those things that I say I will do and then don’t. But this year I’m keeping them! Really! And if I don’t, I officially give you permission to bug me about it. But not too much, because I have a guilt complex to start with.

1. Lose weight. I know, cliche of all cliches, but something needs to be done. I’ve gained 4 pounds a year since I’ve been married. I’ve been married 12 years. Not good. Not only is it not healthy, but I need to be able to keep up to these energy-filled children that have come along since then. Last year was looking good after I started the marathon training but the shin splints and knees knocked me out and kept me on the sidelines. I’m pretty sure there is some statistic that tells you 99.99% of those start this at the beginning of the New Year fail, but I’m willing to take my chances.

2. Learn how to use my camera better. All the photos I took during Christmas – fuzzy. Soooo frustrating.

3. Get my housework done in the morning. Why oh why is that so hard? And yet it is.

4. Finish at least one project a month, whether it be knitting or sewing related. I don’t know why, but that seems to make me feel good.

OK, that’s it. I think it is probably enough. Do you do resolutions? Or am I the only sucker trying to turn my life upside down and inside out?

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How to walk through a crowded mall

December 17, 2008 at 5:50 am (Miscellaneous)
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Ah, the joys of the holidays. Shopping! Essential to gift giving and yet more painful than the bills that come in January. While some have found a way around it by going online, the majority of us are relegated to long lines, no parking spots, and not enough muscle strength to carry everything back to the car at the end of the day. Need some advice? Just follow my tried and true steps to make your shopping experience a more enjoyable one.

1. Use the washroom at home. Stop drinking any liquids an hour before venturing out into the battleground.

2. Make a list. Then, make it again, this time in order of stopping points and stores that you will be frequenting.

3. Dress comfortably and for warmer weather than is currently outside. You will likely be spending most of your time either inside stores or inside your car. Besides, a mad dash from your parking space to the door is always invigorating and can clear your mind.

4. A parking spot is a rare and elusive thing. The best thing to do besides getting there before the store opens is to keep an eye on the people exiting the store and make for where they are headed.  If you have to wait for them to put away their things and buckle in young children and get seatbelts on and have a conversation before backing out of their spot even though there is a line of cars behind you, do it. Now is no time to be nice.

5. If you are going to need a cart, get it. Don’t bother going and filling up your arms only to find yourself dropping things off the top of the stack as you stagger your way to the checkout.

6. Once inside the store, stop. Look around. If you don’t know exactly where your item is, ask. Wandering aimlessly is an invitation to all available sales people to attack.

7. Don’t be dazzled by all the glitter. Focus on what you are there for and put up the blinders, especially if you want to cut down on the crying in January when your credit card bill is due.

8. If you are deciding between different brands of the same product, take them all off the rack to do it. There’s nothing more annoying than having your decision made for you by some grabby stranger.

9. As you near the checkout, make use of your peripheral vision. Choose the shortest line but keep those eyes open for one that’s moving twice as fast. If you do decide to switch, sooner rather than later is the key.

10. If you are in a mall, learn how to duck and weave. Be graceful and quick. There’s a slow-moving family ahead of you? Switch aisles. Some punk kid is making trouble in your path? Walk around. If you see someone pass you, draft them. Stick behind them as if your life depends on it. If they notice you, feign ignorance. If they look back at you, turn around and pretend to also be looking at someone behind you. It confuses them.

11. All done? Good! Now get back to your car and shiver all the way home where you will drink many glasses of water to counteract the dehydration you will undoubtedly have from not drinking all day. Strew all purchases on the living room floor if you don’t live with the their recipients, or stuff them in a closet if you do live with them (preferably the cleaning closet, they will never look there). Flop down on the couch and take a nap.

See? Shopping is possible, as is avoiding the dreaded washroom line in the mall. Just follow these eleven steps to transform your shopping experiences from sad to sublime. And if you catch me following behind you in a crowded mall, just pretend I’m not there. I’ll be pretending you aren’t.

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Back in the fray

December 15, 2008 at 6:35 pm (Kids, Miscellaneous)
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Whew! The last few weeks have been stressful, not because of all I was doing but because of the kids Sunday School Christmas pageant. Throw in hockey tournaments and games, driving on the snowy, icy roads, kids getting sick, husband getting sick, and the Christmas panic that sneaks up on me about the middle of December and I’m about ready for a nap or two. It will be so nice when the kids aren’t in school and we can just enjoy the season!  

I was so glad I had my dad video the kids’ play last night. Titus was priceless – pure fodder for when he has kids who are just like him. His class was reciting a poem, but he was ticked off because people were touching him. He just stood there and made the angry face and sulked the entire time. So funny. Ethan got the biggest laugh. The line he had was funny, but the way he said it was the icing on the cake. So serious! Totally deadpanned it. And Caleb, my little superstar, singing his heart out in the choir. Man, does that kid like to sing! 

 

Baby, it's cold outside

 

I guess today is a stay-at-home kind of day. I’m gonna be cleaning, cutting fabric for Titus’ quilt (that was supposed to be done in August – oops!), and drinking hot tea, hot chocolate, and hot coffee. I have a feeling the pajamas are going to be on for the most part, so I hope nobody decides to stop by, otherwise things could get a little embarrassing! Hope your day is as cozy as mine.

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