23 December 2005

Shhhh . . .elf at work . . . .

Why is it that I don't realize how much I've bought until I sit down and wrap?

Oy.

Gonna need more wine. It's gonna be a long night.

If I don't get back on tomorrow: Merry Christmas. Or Chrismakwanzakuh. Or Festivus. Or Solstice. Or whatever.

:)

20 December 2005

Dear Santa

Stealing an idea shamelessly from my friend Christian, who stole it from his friend Jenny is probably not in my best interests this season, but Santa, I've been busy.

My requests are few. I've tried to be good. It's hard, you know, with three kids who veer from the naughty and nice lists so frequently. Not to mention that work has been hard on me. And my husband's job has been hard on him, and consequently hard on me.

This year, I'd like:

Some good bottles of wine to share with friends.

More time to spend with my friends.

More time. Period. I'm tired of being tired, and feeling guilty because I don't spend enough time with family, friends, exercising, scrapbooking, cleaning.

Maybe freedom from guilt would be good, but I doubt you can overrule the Catholic genes.

The uncertainty hanging over our heads to dissapate into clarity of where we are going and what we might do in 2006.

Harry Potter VII to be finished early (hey, a girl can dream!)

Healthy, happy kids. And for them to stay safe. Always.

14 December 2005

As if Tina Fey weren't cool enough

From Salon.com:

Tina Fey began her acceptance speech by telling the audience that, as the mother of a three-month-old, "it's an honor to be anywhere, actually, and a deep, deep privilege to be wearing a bra and shoes."

Fey talked more about the rigors of new motherhood, including how every event -- like running out of cereal, for instance -- can feel like a disaster. "We're out of cereal?" she whispered with weary panic. "What are we going to do?

Been there. Done that. Heck, still do that.

10 December 2005

I am so weird

I've been baking Christmas cookies off and on all day.

At about 9 tonight, I thought, "Hey, I'm starving."

So what do I eat?

Not cookies.

I'm noshing on a tuna salad sandwich, some bbq chips, and a glass of pinot.

Hey, most of it is healthy, at least.

By the way, if you want some Picassoesque sugar cookies, I'll send my son to you. He had a blast with the little tubes of squirt icing I bought this year. Some of them are quite abstract. And not bad artistically, either.

06 December 2005

Some things always make me cry

I'm not usually the teary type. But there are some things that always make me cry, no matter what:

When Charlotte dies after deeming Wilbur "Some Pig!"

When Scout is told to stand as the balcony watchers rise for Atticus Finch after the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird. "Miss Jean Louise, stand up, your daddy's passin'" gets me every time.

When one of my kids shows how caring they are in an extraordinary way.

The final lyric of "For Good" in Wicked. Would that we all changed each other for good.

When Anne's archenemy dies of consumption in the Green Gables series, and again when her sensitive son, Walter, is killed in France during World War II in Rilla of Ingleside.

When one of my kids hits a major life milestone, and I realize, really realize, that I only have them for a short time.

I sobbed silently when my eldest made her First Communion two years ago. I sobbed loudly when I packed my son's baby clothes away. And as I watch my youngest hit milestones, I'm happy for her, but there are moments when it just breaks my heart.

I'm not the weepy type, honest.

02 December 2005

I am certifiable

We're going to Breakfast with Santa tomorrow.

At my place of work.

After I've worked a long night babysitting a building during a neighborhood Christmas homes tour. I just got home an hour ago.

Is it too early for medicinal Shiraz before noon?