Momma Drama

....to it's former greatness, haha. I for one am pooped, but relieved!

Listen to the ax fall.......

Old plan: Ravioli from scratch/garlic bread made from loaves of bread machine bread.
New plan: Lasagna (I found 3 boxes!), and garlic bread made from the loaves of white bread in the freezer left from Thanksgivng.

Old plan: Prime and paint the laundry room.
New plan: Wait for my girlfriend to paint it with me.

I'm almost as done as I can be.......the kids and I delivered the last of the neighbor presents tonight. The lasagna is all made, the garlic butter is made for the breads that are thawing, and the salad is in the bag. I have to finish Trent's Superman costume tonight....I have the other half of the boots to do and the chest logo to go. The logo is drawn out so it *shouldn't* be too hard. I have two small gifts to wrap that I forgot about. The kids and I *tried* to do "that thing" to surprise Dave with, but it was a bust and I ended up with a burn to boot. Gaa! I'm just about done with any cleaning that I planned to do, which was not much....I need to mop (actually scrub, since I broke the mop) the bathroom floor tomorrow. I also need to finish vacuuming (side note...Maiya loves the vacuum, never has been afraid of it. Tonight she tried to ride on it, while it was on and in use.)

Dave should be off tomorrow, if all goes well. He will be on call though (something he hasn't had to do for over 8 years now) from 7 pm, until about 5 am. He hasn't decided if he will just go in to work, to try to prevent being called in at 4 am, arrive at the hospital at 5 am, and then not get home until 6:30 am or later on Christmas morning. If he isn't home, we of course will wait for him, at the risk of the kids self-combusting.

My brother should arrive tomorrow afternoon with his "best girl" in tow....the dog. I have been slacking the last few days and we need to flip three more advent deals and do the three activities......thank god they are easy ones!

Happy Holidays to you all!

...that is the question. And the answer is.........NOT! I believe I am punching out for the day. I got my meeting minutes done this morning before I headed to the shop for nail day. I painted 10 little Santas on 10 little nails and got a manicure. I feel a full set of nails coming on for me, probably in two weeks. I can't take this anymore....

After all three kidlets took baths, we headed to the post office to get the bills and meeting minutes out. Then we went tromping around the Village passing out our cookie plates. Dinner was easy enough, and of course nobody but me enjoyed it. After dinner we did two projects from our Advent countdown. We did Christmas placemats that consisted of lots of cotton balls and glue to make snowmen. The second project was glue snowmen. These need to dry overnight and then the kids can add the faces.

I pulled out all the tomato sauce and meat from the freezer today to start making the meatballs and sauce for the Christmas week ravioli. I'll get cracking on that tomorrow. I need to get the basement cleaned and in order, but I'll wait for some extra hands.

Got my lab results today......cholesterol is a tad high at 220, the blood work (arthritis, lupus, blood sugar and thyroid) all came back fine, so I guess I'm just a slug who needs to exercise. Craptastic!

I have my colonoscopy consult tomorrow, yipee......the fun never stops. I'm borrowing the neighbor's truck and they will watch the kids. Those neighbors really are a good send.....he came over today and plowed out the whole backyard and plowed the path between our house and their house. We have a plow guy that comes when we call him, and we pay him. And therein lies the problem...for the neighbors. We are paying someone to do it when they just can do it. It can be annoying sometimes, like we aren't grown-ups.....

Off to read to the kidlets and relax and re-charge for tomorrow.

From Katie, from Ben:

WE THREE THINGS
3 names I go by: Chris, Snapper, momma, mom, and ornery bitch. I can't count...
3 screen names: Snapper119, Chris, Picoswife299
3 things I like about myself: My sense of humor, my mothering abilities (most days), and my hair.
3 things you hate/dislike about yourself: My lack of patience, my analness, and my boobs.
3 parts of your heritage: Italian, German, and Dutch.
3 things that scare you: The potential "for the other shoe to fall", driving in the snow/ice, especially with the kids on board, and spiders.
3 of your everyday essentials: Chap-stick, coffee and lots of food.
3 things you are wearing right now: purple sweats, socks and clogs.
3 of your favorite bands/artists at the moment: Collective Soul, Megadeath and Toby Keith.
3 of your favorite songs at present: Feed the World, Break These Chains, and hmmmm, nothing else I guess.
3 things you want to try in the next 12 months: exercising on a regular basis, moving to a new state, and quilting.
3 things you want in a relationship: a regular/standing/monthly night out together, attentiveness and laughter.
2 truths and a lie: Ha! Katie stole my lie. ;) Ummmmm......I'm looking forward to the Village meeting tonight, Christmas is becoming a real pain each year and I tend to be physical during arguments.
3 physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you: Long hair, skinny/lankiness and anyone wearing black shit-kicker (not cowboy) boots.
3 things you just can't do: Speak another language, crochet/knit, ski.
3 of your favorite hobbies: Baking, scrapping and sewing.
3 things you want to do really badly right now: SHOWER!, eat and go to the movies.
3 careers you are considering: I think the 3/4 time clerking, part-time nursing and full-time mothering is plenty, no?
3 places you want to go on vacation: down south in general, LA to spend a month and some place tropical.
3 kids names: Vaughn, Jade and Olivia.
3 things you want to do before you die: See my kids all grown up, learn to drive a motorcycle and get my weight down to where I'm comfortable.
3 people who have to take this quiz now or die a slow and orgasmic death: Denine, Stacy and Brent.

The Christmas get together at my brother's was fun......the drive home sucked, I'm glad Dave was the one driving. Yesterday was a blow off day I think, oh wait....we made cookies and turtles and toffee....and today I got the rest of the meeting stuff done and made some cookies. The truck is not fixed again....ruh roh. :(

Off to get that shower and head out to the meeting. Have a good night!

...because we have had out first case of "The Stomache Bug", and we here at the Snapper household know that the holidays can never, ever start without a pukefest kick-off! Yay for the stomach flu! It was Devin, middle of the night Thursday/Friday morning. She seems to have had a very mild case though, thankfully. She was fine by mid morning yesterday, which is good since we are due at my brother's house today.

I need to get off my tushie and make some bread, fold a ton of clothes and pack some diversional activities for the kidlets to take to my brothers.

Today starts a 17 day vacation with the kids. YAY. No really. I mean it. I know I'll change my mind by Wednesday, but right now, today, I mean it. :) Wish Dave would get 17 days off too.......

Have a great weekend all! Don't work to hard.

...for all the moral support in the New Rules post...:)

Paula...yes you may!
And Kimmer.....I can't stop saying WHAMMO!! in my head, and sometimes it even slips out. It ranks right up there with WHACK! ;)

Updates, updates........

Trent-Done with the antibiotics, hopefully sinus infection free. One more day of school before Christmas break. He is pretty giddy about Christmas in general....his school party is tomorrow.

Devin-Had her last day of pre-school and her party yesterday. I'm her hero, ever since I sewed her a skirt last week. Giddy child#2 about Christmas.

Maiya-My PITA spitfire who still needs a blog entry of her own, has decided to semi potty train this week. ?!?! That's what I said......she will be 2 on the 28th of this month. I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, but damn! Is the middle of holiday preparations really the time to do this...? Never underestimate the power of a Smartie! She's like her momma, she'll do anything for those candies.

Life in general-Holiday baking is done. The obligatory/gift baking that is. Only baking left to do is the 'fun' stuff.
Tree is up and decorated. I tried to sell the family on artificial this year. They humored me and went to Meijer to look. Ack! Caca looking trees, plus we have 10' ceilings so we'd have to get a pretty big tree. So Dave and the big kids went and cut one down last Sunday, I think we (Trent and Devin mostly) decorated it Monday.
My shopping is done, the last gift should arrive by Fed-Ex tomorrow.
The wrapping is done.
The baked goods are packaged and ready to go.
I started on Trent's Superman costume today, and was clipping right along until the electricity cut off. Man, having that sewing machine is wonderful! It's been here since May, and I just opened her up today finally.
I need to shake a tail feather on Village stuff, the meeting is Monday. The power outage messed me up there today too. I was going to start on the bills while Maiya napped and Devin watched a movie. Ha! I've spent the last 3 days dealing with cemetery crap. Again. Twice a year I have to deal with cemetery issues, but damn, they are always a big, huge, freakin' screw up!
I went to the Dr.'s last Friday. General physical/overdue female plumbing check/address some of these aches and pains. Get to get a mammogram and colonoscopy out of the deal. Yay! Not really....I assume all my blood work came back normal since I haven't heard from them and probably would have by Tuesday if something was wrong. Exercise is going to be the key for me. As much as that makes me want to dig my own eyes out in protest. My right shoulder is useless at present, my right knee is wonky....not always willing to bear weight. My wrists are killing me. Oy vey! ;)
The holiday stress level has been pretty low, thankfully. I've managed to get enough "me" time to keep me sane. I'm reading up on quilting and rug braiding. I've rounded up a boatload of old jeans to make the rug out of. I started to make some pj's for the girls tonight out of some flannel, but the first one is looking more like a jumper. Think I'll go with that. I should be able to finish them both tomorrow.
Saturday we go to my brothers for our holiday get together. Yay!
The list of holiday company coming here is long and varied.......I think we start hosting on the 24th, and go through the 28th so far. I need to figure out two more visits with people that are coming up though. I'm making ravioli and sauce from scratch and eating it for a week straight!
Maiya's birthday is the 28th....need to order a cake. Meijer didn't have a Minnie Mouse cake, need to check Wal-Mart next.
I finished her "snuggie" finally, she was a happy camper about that. I made each kid a blanket by hand, I cheated of course. Bought fabric I liked, sewed it over an existing blanket and added bias tape all around for edging. I made Devin a matching blanket for her dolls, and I need to do that yet with Maiya's fabric.
We are down to one car right now, hopefully the truck will continue to struggle for life. It has been really nice not having any car payment for 3 and almost 2.5 years.

I'm sure there is tons more I'm forgetting...but that's the way it goes. Have a great weekend all!

Random musing- I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing Amish horse-drawn carriages parked at the Meijer, or Wal-Mart. Their carts are filled with snacks usually. Cheese curls, Doritos, crap like that. You also do not see them at Town Hall on voting days...

Rassafrassin' Village cemetery......!%$@*(&@()

Today or tomorrow. Arte the holidays over yet? No? Dang...

I shall now be the bearer of good news and notify my emotional twin and the rest of the world....that this comes out tomorrow. ;) Because couldn't we all just use a guffaw round about now....?

…and I for one am glad of it!

There will be a change in the Snapper household rules. The changes will include, but not be limited to the following:

· I will not force “Family Days” or family time on anyone anymore. I will make a plan and invite all to participate. Whoever is not ready to go/begin at the mutually agreed upon time will not be joining the rest of us who are ready.
· The same goes for an ‘in-house’ planned activity. If you are not ready to begin at the mutually agreed upon time, the activity will begin without you. It will not be delayed, postponed, or re-scheduled except in the case of fire and medical emergency.
· I reserve the right to laundry only the items of my choice, much like my scrub and hockey jersey wearing spouse. I will probably continue to wash the children’s’ clothing, because well…they are children.
· I will no longer be responsible for seeing to it that the garbage is removed or taken to the dump.
· I will no longer answer any question more than once to people between the ages of 10 and 99.
· I will answer a question twice to people between the ages of 2 and 10.
· I will no longer be solely responsible for all grocery shopping. Especially when you notice that we are damn near out of milk (since you were the last person to use it), and you leave the house, then return, leave again and return again, passing many a store and gas station in your travels.
· I will no longer grocery shop with the children.
· I will no longer listen to whining/fussing/nagging/general crabbing and baby talk from anyone between the ages of 2 and 99. I will immediately send you to your room if you are between the ages of 4 and 7.
· I will no longer allow you to pick and mess with each other. I will assign you a time out chair or put you both in a corner to hug each other if you are between the ages of 4 and 7.
· If picking up toys continues to be a problem, I will swoop in with my garbage bag and be done with it.
· I will no longer have any discussions of any kind relating to any mid-life crisis disguised as a never ending, daily, exhaustive, job search. I will not allow my every day, my every thought to be about your job hunt, your obsession, to the point that my brain turns to mush when you start rambling on, and on, and on about it. Only to be told that I am to blame for the last decision that was made in regards to a job, one that was not the *right* decision.
· I will no longer tell you about my day. If you care, you may ask.
· I will rely on daycare to save my sanity when needed.
· If you are between the ages of, oh let’s see……..23 months, & 1 week and hmmmmmm………..2 years and you continue to run through this house like a Tazmanian Devil, wreaking 67 millionity and 42 new tricks of destruction, I will strip you and give you a bath. Only because it is the only thing you cannot climb out of. It would be more pc than tying you to a tree…
· If you are between the ages of 2 and 4 and you get in to one more pencil, pen, dry erase marker, crayon, grease pencil, colored pencil, scrap booking pen, regular marker, or highlighter I may just bust your hiney. Fair warning.
· I will no longer feel bad when I exit this house, I will not strive to get home quickly to *save anyone*.
· I will no longer be cooking every meal around here.
· I will no longer listen to crabbing about the meal at the dinner table. I eat damn near everything, with the exception of maybe two things….I do not appreciate having every meal ruined by a bunch of picky asses. You may look at what is for dinner. If you choose not to eat it…then you may carry on. Do not even come to the table. You may take care of your hydration needs for that meal in the bathroom.
· I will no longer be made to feel that my job is not *real*. It is very real, that’s why it brings in a few hundred dollars every month. Just because I don’t have to drive anywhere to get to it doesn’t make it any less important. Matter of fact, the people who hired me also voted to give me another raise next year, so it must be real. And not a cake walk some days.
· I will no longer waste my time on conversations like this: Is today bath day for the kids? Gee, what day do you think is bath day? I don’t know. Why wouldn’t you know?….it’s been the same for 7 years now. Because I work afternoons. Huh?
· I will no longer think for 5 people.

And what do you get in return oh lovely Snapper family? A more civil, less cussing, sweeter wife and mother. I don’t know this for a fact, but I’m pretty sure that if you don’t peck someone to death on a continual basis,
like Chinese water torture,
till their eyelids twitch on a regular basis,
until you deplete all their brain cells because they have to think for you,
you may just like what you end up with.

Happy hard-core holidays Snapper family!

Thanksgiving was good......Dave's sister, BIL and nephew were here from Thursday to Saturday. They left with my dog so I'm hard pressed to say anything bad about them or the visit at this point. No dog. Yipee!

Weekend was good. I think. Feels like so long ago....

This week has been a struggle. Too many late nights, and early mornings. Little short on patience here, and throw in a snow day for good measure yesterday. The snow day was actually handy. Trent had an appointment with the allergist, so no school missed there. He has another sinus infection....we really need to consider the allergy shots.

The late nights are coming from sewing. Yay! I managed to get everything in my 73 Qt. tote sewn over Thanksgiving weekend, so now I've moved on to the fun stuff. Like these for the girls for next summer (made long so thet their pasta bellies aren't hanging out). And Maiya's blanket, which is half way done.

I been starving lately. For about the last month. I do this once or twice a year it seems like, but it usually only lasts a day or two. Not this time. At first I thought it was because of Thanksgiving, but it isn't going away. I'm hungry right after eating. I'm hungry when I wake up, and hungry when I go to bed. Thank gawd there isn't too much in the house to eat, or I'd have trouble. It's anoying at any rate, and I wish it would stop.

The girls went to daycare today and I managed to get the attic done. Superfantastic. Now to keep it that way.......I have a row of things to have Dave look at with "garage sale" eyes. After the holidays I'll tackle the kids stuff. I need to get their papers (preschool/safety town/school/daycare/etc) hole punched and into binders I think. I also need to go through the favorite baby clothes I saved and decide which stay boxed and which become quilt material.

I guess I should start the holiday baking soon. Eek! Out family get-together is the 18th....chop chop on those cookies! I snagged a FP dollhouse tonight on E-bay for Devin, so I only need to find a saxaphone for Trent.

My nails have been off for 7 weeks now. How annoying. The good news is that I just may have strong nails here, I never thought I did. Of course how could I ever know? I picked at them every day of my life. I assumed that I had the *lovely* (not) family eggshell nails......but they really don't look like that.

Don't let me forget to blog about the bunny tomorrow. She is something. I'm having a rough way to go, she is almost two.....and my baby days are over.......and we've been watching home movies lately....see where this is headed?

Sewing time!