Christmas Photos

Let's see, I got the Halloween photos up around Christmas so I'm actually a month ahead this time. Notice I'm not in any of the photos. That is because 1. I'm taking the pictures and 2. I still hate the way I look in pictures. At this rate I'll be lucky to lose enough weight to get in the boys wedding pictures. Of course by then I really will need some cosmetic surgery so maybe I'll have to take those as well, LOL!

And it looks like I put them on in backwards order but I'm going to leave them as is. The first which should be last is everyone's favorite gift. The Wii from Mike's parents and Guitar Hero's from me to Mike.

Connor and Mommy, Home Alone

Dh and Sean are getting ready to go deer hunting. Yes, I said deer hunting and yes I'm thinking about painting Sean florescent orange before they leave. Mike assures me he will be safe but as hyper as he's been this afternoon I can just imagine him running through the forest as hunters fire! Okay, really, it's okay. Thousands of boys have gone deer hunting with their father's at the age of 7 and survived--right!?!?

Anyway, that will leave me and a very unhappy Connor at home until Sunday afternoon. I know he's going to be unhappy that both brother and Daddy are not only gone but gone somewhere together that he didn't get to go to. I'm hoping for an early night as I picked him up at MDO at 2 and woke him up. I will probably skip naptime tomorrow and go for a 7 PM bedtime just to have some time alone to myself.

Okay, Janet, Latin Fusion is this fun exercise class at my gym. I like Pilates but they charge per class for it and I'm already paying a ridiculous amount per month already. My friend tried the class and got me to go. It incorporates Latin dance moves (remember Baby in Dirty Dancing learning the steps--that kind) with a little hip-hop and belly dancing. I really like the instructor and I'm loving that it's starting to feel less like exercise and more like fun even though I'm drenched when it's over. That said, my instructor was out today and the one that sub'd was more into hip-hop and was too fast to change steps. So I was all excited and then let down but because she ended early I got the grocery shopping done before I had to pick up Connor from MDO. Incidentally, I found that the class can be applied to real life when they played a song at the New Years Eve party and I knew the steps. Mike didn't so I just danced around him while he wiggled as usual. It was fun that I recognized the beat. Of course without the glass of wine I probably wouldn't have done it.

Anyway, I'm just trying to get on track with my exercise and the clutter. The house is much cleaner and we've gotten rid of a couch and chair. I've got more to sell in the garage but I'll wait until Mike is back to do that. I really need to paint the bedrooms and redecorate as Connor's is still a nursery theme and Sean's is more preschool. I should trade rooms but Sean doesn't want to and his is over the kitchen so that isn't a good place for Connor if I want him to sleep! I'm planning to paint all 3 rooms blue. Connor will get chocolate accent paint and I have the cutest circles that stick up but are moveable that will go on the upper half of the walls. I'm planning to buy some Star Wars stick up characters for Sean. It will also be blue because it's for Sean and everything MUST be blue for Sean. I want to paint my room blue as well because it's the same brown as the rest of the house and I want it to be more restful.

Of course, first I must buy the paint (I'm getting the Freshaire brand from Home Depot because it is VOCC free), then tape--I HATE taping, then actually paint when both boys aren't underfoot. Hmmm....hopefully I'll get this done before we decide to try and sell though house again in a few years, LOL

Not Me Monday

First and foremost, I didn't neglect to blog for an entire week so that my last blog was actually a Not Me Monday blog!

That said I would have lots of excuses for doing so as DH was not at home all week and didn't take plenty of time off to play with the boys.

My children, including the tall one that pays the bills, are not now Wii obsessed. Not my family, and I would certainly not allow them to play for hours on end. I insist on reading, writing, and beneficial activities for my kids.

Our poor little doggy is not feeling neglected for that Wii the boys are not obsessed with.

I did not have 3 glasses of wine New Years Eve and ask DH if I acted silly. First, I never drink (okay that one is almost true) and if I did, I would know that 3 drinks in 4 hours with food would not make me silly. I am NOT overly concerned with how people perceive me. Not at all, especially at a party where I knew all of 3 people and that includes DH.

I have not fallen in love with my Latin Fusion exercise class and I certainly did not ask the instructor if she does it more than once a week. I am not considering asking DH to put the kids to bed on Mondays so I can take the 8 PM class too.

I am also not secretly intrigued because she throws in a few belly dancing moves because I have always thought it would be fun to learn to belly dance--for the exercise of course!

I did not fail yet again to make enchiladas tonight. I am also not really regretting not letting my mother teach me to make Mexican food so I'd know how to get those darn corn tortillas not to tear every time! I did not tell DH that at least my chili is good because that would be admitting I can cook SOMETHING right.

I am not dreading bedtime because Connor took a nap so will be impossible to get to sleep tonight.

And no, I did not just admit I keep my child up some days so bedtime will go easy and be early because I want some "me time".

Not Me Monday

I did not pretty much ignore my blog all week!

I did not ignore, so far, the recipe exchange email from my cousin because I don't have 20 people I feel I can forward the email to.

I did not get sad over the holiday because I saw no one from my family at all.

I did not think it really did not feel like Christmas because not only did I not see anyone from my side of the family, we did not even make it to our church's Christmas Eve service for the first time in 5 years.

My house is not a complete mess and I haven't pretty much ignored that fact for the last 7 days.

I'm not still feeling lazy and typing this blog instead of cleaning like a madwoman.

I didn't laze around doing nothing most of the holiday because DH is home and will entertain the kids while I do nothing. I joined in on all the family fun because that is what a good Mommy would do rather than lounge on the couch watching the Naked Archaeologist (he's not really naked BTW!)

I did not finally list a bunch of books on Paperback Swap and actually get enough credits for 2 new books. That said I certainly picked serious literary classics rather than Christian Chick Lit. I'm an intelligent well-read Mommy who wants to expand her intellect not waste precious time on fluff--albeit Christian fluff.

I did not despite my lazy ways do at least 1 to 2 loads of laundry every day of the last week. A family of 4 could NOT possibly generate that many dirty clothes. That said I certainly am not wearing the same sweats I wore yesterday because I have a tendency to dry my hands on my pants when I'm cooking because I'm in a hurry(I am also certainly not phobic about cooking meat and don't wash my hands constantly for fear of giving the kids some horrible bacteria). Of course I only dry my clean hands but still...

I'm not now typing my Not Me's when I told DH I was answering Craigslist emails for the couch and chairs we are selling.

Of course I just love selling on Craigslist, answering all the emails, especially the one's that come in after I've gone to the trouble to update the ad as PICKUP PENDING (notice the all caps? No one else ever does!) I also love dealing with people who think I am a retail business with nothing better to do than sit here all day and wait until it is convenient for them to wander by and pickup the items I'm selling way below what they are worth anyway. And I especially LOVE the people who are desperate to buy my items than drop off the face of the earth leaving me to move through the list of other people desperate to buy my underpriced things.

I'm not using Craigslist because DH refuses to let me have a garage sale. I certainly don't agree with him somewhat as people at garage sales seem to want me to give them my furniture and whatnot so cheap I might as well pay them for the privilege. Not to mention the people who pile half the stuff up and ask if they can have it for $10, "for Mexico", then I find out they don't give it away they sell it for 3 times what it's worth and 5 times what I had it priced at to begin with!

I didn't tell my friend I was giving up bread, pasta, rice, etc until New Years Eve because we have a party to go to that night and I know it will help me lose a few pounds. After not saying that I certainly did not eat 7 slices (small slices, but) of pizza DH brought home after church yesterday. That pizza is not calling to me now as I type this with it's delicious crust...

Finally, DH did not go against what I told him about no gifts (because our Property Tax is due next month and we need to SAVE) and buy me the most amazing COACH purse. He did not, thank goodness, go to the outlet and get it for $300 UNDER retail which was only $50 more than I told him he could spend if he didn't follow my instructions. He didn't, again thank goodness, ask for advice from the salespeople and NOT get me the patchwork style I liked LAST YEAR, and instead buy a huge (I can't believe it was only $150!!!!!!) classic brown one from this years line!!! AND I did not seriously think about taking a picture and posting it because I really really love it. It SOOO did not make up for that hideous fake croc, horsehair, silver buckled thing he bought me for my 40th birthday!

Drat, okay I"m not sad that MckMama is not doing Not Me Monday this week because I had So many Not Me's! Darn!!!

Merry Christmas--I think this Hobby Lobby ad says it all!

Not Me Monday

I didn't forget it was Not Me Monday until just now, no not me.

I didn't sleep during Connor's nap today. No not me I've got lots to do before Christmas.

I haven't wrapped a total of 0 Christmas gifts for under my tree yet wrapped all 18 of Sean's teachers gifts for the students (it is my month as classroom helper).

I didn't take on a way to complicated project for Sean's class instead of just handing out candy for Christmas.

I am not trying to overcompensate for my less than average domestic skills by trying to impress the other parents with my creativity. No not me!

I'm not yet again doing Not Me's while leaving DH to entertain the kids when he really does need to be working.

I didn't keep Connor up more days then let him nap hoping he would end the cycle of waking up at 3 AM.

I'm not still unmotivated even though it's been over a week of solid sleep for me!

Christmas isn't next week and I still don't have anything for my in-laws, no not me, I always plan ahead.

I'm not done because I still have to put away the laundry I did last night and just folded tonight. Not me, I always fold and put clothes away promptly.

Goodnight all, Happy Not Me Monday!

Christmas Card

Yay! My scanner is working so I can scan my Christmas Card. The photo is on another post but I'm putting the actual card on here. I have to admit I think I like the casual photos. Good thing too since I'm too unorganized to get it done early enough for a studio shot!