We started out early again today, well before 8. Ted's presently having an emissions test done on the car so we can get the 2110 sticker for the license, a requirement. When he's back, we off on a few other mundane errands including a trip to Ikea. Argh. I hope it's not packed with shoppers. There's a wooden train set from there on Q's Christmas wish list (actually, his mommy's) and a buy one, get one free promotion for block candles.
Moore, I'm not doing anything about US Thanksgiving this year, hence no decorations. Our wedding anniversary is the 25th. Ted's going to Ottawa for a day's worth of meetings in the morning and when he gets back, we'll do something special. Our d-i-l is also too distracted to celebrate, Mike and Nick will be far away. We had our massive turkey thing on Canadian Thanksgiving in October, so that's it for us this year until Christmas. And even that will be somewhat scaled back as all the work, with not a scrap of help, is beginning to wear me down. Am I supposed to carry this torch alone when everyone else is tending to their own priorities? Good question, huh? (And the answer is probably "yes".)
Shelly, how on earth do you manage with an empty house? Where are you all sleeping????
KaeEll, there's nothing wrong with scaling back! I realized after last year's Thanksgiving that, while I love the holiday itself, I was exhausted from being the one solely responsible for it every year. I'm glad that my two daughters are getting a little practice with the preparations (one loves it, and the other one is approaching it with some trepidation), so that they can actually help me out the next time we're all together. AZ-D says that she's even willing to toss me out of the kitchen, and do the whole thing herself! And I may just take her up on that... LOL!!
Christmas is already nearly here again? I could swear that I just decorated and shopped for Christmas a couple of months ago. I do envy you the chance to buy little wooden train sets, though. I miss those days. When the children were little, that was when Christmas still had its magic, even though it was a lot of work. Those wide little eyes on Christmas morning, after Santa had come...
You deserve to have a nice, romantic anniversary celebration. Just the two of you!
Shelly, are you pretending to have a camp-out on your living room floor, with blankets? A little adventure before hitting the road!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
This morning I went to an early-bird sale. I needed a piece of carry-on luggage. My husband needed shoes. Steinmart had coupons for $10 off if you spend $25. It had to be bought before 11 a.m. So, we got both using two coupons. The luggage was already 30%. So, I got an extra good deal!
Ah, I love a good bargain too. My only problem is that they often tempt me into buying something I didn't need in the first place. Like the Ikea candles, lol.
So off I went to Ikea amid throngs of shoppers, hordes of them. I found the candle display easily enough, bought 12 big fat ones ( I needed ONE) then proceeded to the self-check out. That was fun...NOT. Had it not been for the exceedingly good-natured and helpful fellow behind me, I'd probably still be there.
Oh, boy! I love a bargain too... I can walk into an A. C. Moore (craft store, like Michaels), and I'll see a two-for-one of something, and you'd think that two would be enough, but no-no-no... I may NEED more than that three years from now, so I come home with way too many of whatever it is. And KaeEll, among those items are candles!
I can't remember now whether or not I told you guys about the ribbon outlet (I think I did), but that was another example. (By the way, I'm going up there again before the end of the month, so if anyone needs some pretty ribbon...)
Sundancer, it's great that you got such a good deal on luggage. Good job!!
Don't get me started on those self-help check-outs. I hate them too. I always feel like a complete incompetent, and half the time I'll get the one semi-broken machine that won't scan properly, so it takes three times as long as standing in a long line would have.
Jim's flight left Phoenix a little while ago, and he should arrive sometime near 4: 00 pm. He says he's tired. It's an absolutely gorgeous fall day here; bright sunshine, and just the right temperature. I have the windows open.
Jojo -- how did the overnight go? I'll bet you're as tired as Jim is! LOL... And your mom is a wise woman to scale back with her Thanksgiving plans. She, KaeEll, and I must all three be drinking from the same well this year!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
Moore, I hope Jim's flight goes well! I know you're ready to have him home safe and sound.
I'm a bargain sucker too, LOL. However, I am not as bad as my friend Kerri, who will buy something on clearance just because it is on clearance. She once purchased about 50 bags of socks that were on sale for $1. Seriously ? Who needs that many socks? LOL.
I do love me some candles though...I can bargain shop the hell outta those. Right now I'm stuck on these Scentsy things. Have you heard of them? They have these little parties like for Tupperware..they're apparently all the rage right now, and my SIL bought me one for my birthday, and I'm in love. It smells the entire place up just beautifully.
The overnight went well, Moore. I am exhausted though. The little boy went home an hour ago, and then another promptly came over. Uggh. Usually I don't mind him coming over, but I'm just so doggone tired that I told them one hour. That's it, and he has to go home. Then he started bothering me for something to eat, and I'm sorry, but it's not my job to feed all the neighborhood kids. And I just heard him rummaging through my cabinets! Seriously! I'm tempted to call his mother and tell her that he's not allowed back over if he's going to blatantly disregard my requests and rules! He whined that he was hungry, and I told him I'm sure that his mother would be more than happy to feed him, as he is her child. I'm not being too harsh, am I? It's just...I'm a single mother, and I have enough to feed me and my ONE child. I've already gone through an entire box of juice just from the overnight friend. To be fair, I got paid $50 for that gig, so I think feeding him was part of te job, LOL.
I just read on Facebook that Shelly and company spent the night in a hotel, so that answers the question of how a family manages at home with no furniture. Good luck, Shelly et al! Try to keep in touch while you're gypsies!
We were all enthralled last night by Battle of the Blades again. What a fantastic show. Now there is talk about it going international with Europeans, Asians and Americans wanting to cash in on this popularity. It has already received attention in the New York Times as border towns with access to CBC have tuned in with enthusiasm. Viva Entertainment!!
Jojo, kids that come over for a play date hungry enough to rummage through your kitchen are either not taught manners at home, or are seriously underfed. Maybe both. If you have some soda biscuits and a jar of jam around, maybe a snack made up of that, plus a glass or two of milk to wash it all down would be the ticket. Juice can be expensive and should be considered a TREAT for the kiddies. Water quenches thirst without adding the extra sugar and calories. The kids can eat an apple or an orange for the vitamins, and it will fill up little tums too.
During the car pool years, I had a couple of kids I'd mind after school three days a week while the mom finished up her work hours. They were always starving by 4, so I'd make a big pot of tea and a bunch of cinnamon toast for them every day. (They were the scrawniest kids I'd ever seen, lol. Mom and Dad were Brits, fed them well enough, but their metabolisms - ugh.) After a couple of cups of tea with honey and milk and about 6 slices of toast, they were good to go and my budget was in tact. I know that had I kept junk food around, they'd have preferred THAT, but I made a point of never having any in the house. Not that toast spread with brown sugar and cinnamon is healthy, LOL. But it was cheap and easy. And they loved it!
Okay, I don't have time to read all of this. Someone give me a quick recap.
We are staying at the Navy Lodge, and as far as government accomodations go it isn't too bad. The only bad thing is that it is just one big room. Which means when we put the girls down we essentially have to go to bed too because of fear we may wake them up. Vinnie thank goodness kept his laptop and of course the room has internet so I am spending this morning catching up. Usually I only do the drive by of facebook and email only because I can do both of those things from my phone. At some point I hope I can get a phone with regular internet.
I just got off the phone with housing in VA and it sounds like we may get a house sooner then I had thought. I have been worried that we wouldn't get in a house right away. I was concerned with what school Jolene would get into. And luckily they have a house seriously not far at all from Sharon's house.
Okay, so seriously. Someone catch me up. The only thing I caught was that Jim would be on his way home and Kae got to see some awesome skating again.
Shelly, Moore's hub is in AZ. Jojo has had kids over eating her food and she's pissed off by that (with good reason) and we just chatted about shopping for bargains. Sundancer had an anecdote for her luggage score at an early-bird sale. All were wondering how you're doing, so thanks for checking in!
Looks like nobody bothers much with the soap world around here either, LOL. I have no idea what's going on in that regard. Y&R has been inane lately and although I watch it (sort of) while doing something else, it's not noteworthy in any case IMHO.
Excellent recap! LOL! Thanks for checking in Shelly!
Kae, glad you had loads of fun at the Battle of the Blades! I'm itching to go out and do something fun.
And thanks for the food idea! I'll definitely pick up something like that on the weekends to have around for the kiddies. I don't mind having a snack here and there, but they are getting to be downright rude.
I agree the recap is great. See if you guys just posted on facebook every now and then I would be able to keep up more easily.
Which reminds me, I am looking for a phone that will easily allow me to access websites such as ours. That way when I am away from the computer I can still check in and say hello.
