Random Updates

It's been a crazy week. I don't have the energy to blog these days and I suspect blog posts will be sporadic until after the holidays. So here's a general over view.

Last Wednesday was Hefty's birthday so in keeping with our tradition I picked him up from school to take him out to lunch. We enjoyed our Big Boy meal complete with free birthday surprise and serenade. It was a rare one on one opportunity for me and I thoroughly enjoyed his company and conversation.

And then late that night (after we returned from gymnastics) we let him open his presents....you know...the gift that takes me out of the running for the Parent of the Year Award....the pellet gun.

The birthday celebration continued on Friday night with the rest of my family at Buca Di Beppos for dinner. We ate with the Pope in the Pope's room.

Saturday I joined my friends for a full 15 hour scrapbooking event. 9am - 12 midnight. That's a full 15 hours with no children. A full 15 hours with no housework. A full 15 hours to do absolutely anything I wanted. I've been paper scrapbooking for the past 12 years since Hefty was born and LOVE it. But I have recently discovered digital scrapbooking and LOVE it even more. As I mentioned in a previous post I've been working hard at completing a heritage album for my Grandma for Christmas and so I spent the entire 15 hours working on that. Still not done but I made a small dent.

Here's my laptop with a couple of the pages I completed.

Sunday we had an appointment to see a photographer for our annual Christmas family photo. Why does this always have to be so painful? Seriously. I dread it every year because no sooner do I say "We are going for family ph...." and my kids all start the "whocancomplainthemost competition." I declared it a tie.

More on that in a future post.

We returned home and hubby removed the not so humble abode of the wasps taking up residence in the tree in our front yard. EEK! And then had to dissect it. Check out the size of this bad boy!

Also, upon returning home from the photo session we discovered that Dreamy had 102 degree fever and he remained in this position for the rest of the afternoon.

And since I'm on a role with the photos...this is how Smurfette spent her Sunday afternoon.

I've spent every spare moment working on the heritage album as I'm in a bit of a panic about it. I had hoped to make one for each Grandma but that's just not happen'n. I'm a little freaked out about what to get Grandma #2 now. Any suggestions?

And while I've been slaving away over my laptop. My wonderful saint of a husband (who is on vacation this week) has spent the last few days working around the house. He spent most of Saturday and part of Sunday doing yard work. He cleaned out our entire garage and stored all the patio furniture for the winter. He spent all of Monday (and I do mean ALL) cleaning our basement. I wish I had before and after photos cuz he did a jaw dropping job. Seriously. My hubby's the bomb.

We had hoped to get some Christmas shopping done these last couple days with the kids in school but due to feverish son on Monday and feverish daughter today that didn't happen. So it looks like I'll be flying the shopping solo again this year as hubby is leaving to go out of town for work next week and then again the following week. My mom's birthday is coming up. My husband's birthday is coming up. My daughter's birthday is coming up. I'm having Christmas day at my house. I'm having another family Christmas party 2 days later. And then we're also having our annual New Years Eve party (yes, I'm already stressing about events that arent's even occuring for another 5-6 weeks). Hubby is going out of town. I'm not even close to being done with Christmas shopping. My kids are sick. I'm never going to finish this heritage album. And I'm stressed.

I fully realize that there are women out there who work full time and still do all this and more with a relaxed smile on their face. But in case we've just met....I don't do stress well. I don't do chaos well. I'm easily overwhelmed. It's a character flaw that I am very well aware of. I freak out very easily. And I'm kinda freak'n out.