Holiday Time Again

I just opened my blog to post for tonight and I can’t believe I haven’t posted since Wednesday. I thought I’d posted, at least, once since then. Time really does fly when you’re busy all the time. Good grief. Tonight I’m on Kara’s computer because my kids are still awake downstairs and if I go down there to blog, they’ll start talking to me and won’t go to sleep or let me get anything done. Anyway, I’m not fond of Kara’s computer; she’s got a MAC and I don’t like MACs. I used one at the last place I worked and I learned how to use it, but after using PCs since I started working on computers, I just can’t handle the huge change between the two. I’ll survive, though.

We had some fun today. Zach’s school had a Holiday Boutique where there were vendors selling really inexpensive items for people to buy for gifts; they also had a book fair, a cookie walk where we could buy boxes of cookies, and Santa was there for photos with the kids. Before we went in, we had a little lottery for the kids. We put each one’s name on a slip of paper and then the kids each picked one. Rather than five kids buying gifts for five kids, they only had to buy for the kid whose name they picked in the drawing. It was pretty easy, and the kids liked the idea.

Then we walked around the cafeteria to see the vendors and let the kids see what was available. Kara then took them, in different groups or individually, and let them buy for their chosen person or for me, if it was my kids with her. Then I took her kids to buy gifts for Kara. Whoever wasn’t shopping had to wait in the hallway. Then we took them down to the book fair in the gym and let them give us ideas of what they want for Christmas, and finally we took pictures with Santa. I must say, the guy playing Santa was the best. He was happy, funny, and actually talked to the kids. He even took Zach’s Christmas list and said he’d file it. That was really nice.

Dolly didn’t want to take her picture with Santa, at first, but decided it would be okay as long as Ty was there holding her hand. When she got up to Santa she let him put her on his knee, Zach sat on his other knee and Ty knelt in front. Dolly did great and even smiled big for the picture. Then, when Santa started talking to them and asking them if they’d been good and if there’d been any fighting amongst them, the kids were honest and said they did fight a little. Santa suggested they give lots of hugs and kisses and the kids agreed. Then he asked Dolly what she wanted for Christmas and she froze like Cindy Brady on the televised school trivia quiz show. She just sat there and stared at Santa like he was an alien. He just laughed, gave her a quick hug and offered them all a candy cane. You should have seen her relax after that. She was too cute.

We skipped the cookie walk because there was no reason for us to spend $7 on a pound of bakery cookies when we a) don’t need them; and b) can get more for less at the dollar stores. Thank goodness the school put the cookie walk in a room beyond the cafeteria so the kids didn’t even know it was there. Imagine all five kids crying for cookies at the same time. I don’t think so. It was pretty fun, all in all. We got some shopping started. Since I don’t like Christmas anyway, I’d rather get my shopping over and done with as soon as possible. Usually I have to wait until the week of Christmas because of funding and other circumstances. This year I’m getting it done right away - I know, December isn’t right away and most people have their shopping completed already - so I can get things wrapped and hidden.

The past couple of years I’ve sat in the basement late at night talking to Joe on the phone and having a drink while I wrap gifts and hide them. Joe would talk to me for hours until I had everything wrapped. If I got tired the first night, he’d call back the next night and sit on the phone with me until I was done. Then, on Christmas Eve, once the kids were in bed, he’d call me while I brought everything up and put it out under the tree. This year won’t be as complicated. The kids will be with Paul on Christmas so Santa will come here on Christmas Eve, as he always does, but he won’t have to be as quiet, nor will he have to worry about waking the kids. I just hope he remembers to do the stockings first this year so he doesn’t have to climb through the obstacle course of gifts to put them back, like he has the past four years. I can’t imagine why Santa waits until everything is put under the tree and the wall can’t be reached before he remembers that he hasn’t filled the stockings. Silly old elf. :)

So that’s my day. I don’t know why I didn’t post Thursday, but last night I was just beat. I was so tired that I could barely keep my eyes open while I sat here talking to Kara. I finally went downstairs to bed and didn’t even bother to watch TV; I was that tired. I lay down, shut off the TV, and the next thing I knew it was morning. I’ll get down there earlier tonight. Maybe get to watch some TV or a movie or something on Netflix. I’m still watching the “21 Jump Street” series. I haven’t watched all the episodes yet so I watch one when I get the chance. Maybe I can see another tonight. Gotta run now, though. I need to make sure the kids are in bed, and there’s not much more to say about what a great day we had. Tomorrow will be just as good, if not better. I can’t wait. I’ll be back to tell you all about it.

Until next time...peace to all.