Still here

Didn't want anyone to worry, so I thought I would pop in. I am unlikely to get much of anything posted until after Christmas. Too too too much to do, including a super-hot project I was handed on Thursday. So much for the "quiet period" at work. But I am here, we have gone about 10 days without any sort of catastrophe (knock wood), and I feel like we might finally be starting to breathe and settle in to the new house. I have been making some small notes as the month has rolled along so that I don't forget anything blog-worthy, I just haven't had time to flesh them out into anything more than a few bullet points. (Twitter and/or Facebook is getting a little more info in the "short burst" format, but not much, so don't feel slighted. It has mostly been complaints about the weather. COLD!!) I have a Christmas greeting slated to auto post on Christmas Eve, but that's probably it until sometime the week of New Years. Hope you are all doing well!

Currently feeling: attempting to prep for Christmas and escalate a project simultaneously

House warming gifts

We have received two wondeful house warming gifts since we moved in. I wanted to give a big public thank you to both of them.

First, we received this absolutely beautiful frame from our realtor Jayme. "I know you love your pictures." It is styled perfectly for our tastes and our home. I absolutely cannot wait to load it up with photos and get it hung.



Next, our "other realtor" Elizabeth, who saw my lament about moving on Twitter and helped us find Jayme in the first place. She sent these amazing cookies that are made by a local (to her) bakery in Arizona. Three each of 4 different flavors, and each cookie is about the size of my palm and over half an inch thick. Mm-mm-mm!!



I'm feeling more homey already.

Currently feeling: house-warmed

Crazy Hat Day

Yesterday was Crazy Hat Day at school. However, both Luke and I completely forgot come Tuesday morning. He was rather devastated when we arrived and he realized it. Being the amazing wonderful mommy that I am, I made the 2 mile round trip back home to try and find something, even though I really had no idea what I was looking for. As I hunted through the hat collection, I remembered his Cars ear hat that we got this year at Disney. Perfect!

(This photo is from March on the way home from Disney.)


As I brought it into the classroom, his entire face lit up, but the best part was yet to come. I put it on him, and as he returned to the group (they were sitting on the carpet for group time), a chorus of little voices immediately went up: "Oh wow, that is so cool!" Oh yeah, best mommy ever! LOL

Currently feeling: the magic of Mickey ears

Project 365: Hold Please

Well, it was bound to happen at some point this year, I just had a feeling. My laptop is still not working at present. Not sure what the issue is, other than the hard drive is not engaging (spinning) when I press the power button. I didn't hear the mythical crashing drive noise, but who knows. I think it is still under warranty, but I just haven't had time to investigate, but replacing the hard drive won't bring back my data.

I have a back up of all of my photos at least through the end of October. I may or may not have backed up again right before the move, I can't remember now. I know I have not backed up since. (Nor can I lay my hands on my back up drive, but that's a different issue. It's around... somewhere.) My laptop was also the only computer loaded with editing software, so I can't even tweak my pictures (and I am not uploading unaltered photos if I can help it). All of the photos I took in the meantime are still on memory cards that I have access to. It's just the time and effort to download them and re-process them that I don't have right now. With all the other craziness, I'm not sure if I'll get caught up by the end of the year, but I will try. Right now, it is very nearly midnight at the end of yet another very long day, and I must go to bed.

I am still taking photos, and I shall return. Eventually.

Currently feeling: completely frustrated

Why am I being punished?!!

Oh, for %$#& sake! Now my laptop won't boot. You know, the one one with all the Christmas recipes and menus (replaceable), my Christmas card list that I was going to finish up with this week (may or may not be replaceable), and the CD calendar that I spent the better part of 3 DAYS putting together back in October so that I wouldn't have to scramble come December (don't have the time to replace it at this point). WHY AM I BEING PUNISHED?!! Y'all put in a good word for me with whatever higher power you believe in, because I am seriously starting to think this punishment does not fit whatever crime the universe seems to feel that I committed.

I've rebooted, I've popped the battery and left it out for over an hour, I've done everything I can think of. The hard drive simply is not engaging when I press the power button, so I can't even load it in safe mode to try and save anything (like pictures, which are all still (thankfully!) on cards that I have access to, but I still have to re-download and re-process them all). I'm so angry I'm in tears. I know life isn't fair, but geez! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!!

Currently feeling: seething

Empty Nest: A Conversation with Luke

I think this conversation may have been prompted by us telling Luke that we were going to see Steve's Dad (it's his father who passed away), even though he started asking these questions many hours later. Luke has meet him a few times, but the most recent time was a couple of years ago and I'm sure he doesn't remember.

Luke: Why when I'm a grown-up do I not live with you?
DH: Well, after you go to college and get a job, you'll have your own stuff and you'll want to put it in your own house.
Luke: But I will miss you!
Me: You will still see us. Remember that Nana and Papa are my mommy and daddy. I used to live with them, but now I life with you and Daddy. But we still see them a lot. They come to see us or we go to see them.
Luke: But I don't have a car.
DH: You will when you get old enough.

Currently feeling: awww

So far, December is not really better

I know, I am woefully behind. Thanksgiving was pretty bad. I had a kidney stone that started killing me just as we sat down to eat our big family meal. Two hours on the hard bathroom floor to pass it, plus a 2 hour nap afterwards pretty much wiped out turkey day itself. Sleeping off the pain meds erased most of Friday for me as well. Saturday went okay; I did get some rugs picked out for the new house, though I haven't had time to buy them yet. Then Sunday as we were leaving, I closed Luke's thumb in the car door. It's not broken as I feared, and he's fine, but it just seemed like the perfect end to such a crappy month.

December has to be better, right?

Or not. Steve's grandmother just called. His grandfather died last night. He has been in failing health for some years, and she did email Steve within the last week or so to say he had been moved to hospice care, so it's not a surprise. Doesn't make it suck any less, though. We were already discussing going down there this weekend anyway, I just hate that we didn't make it. We'll be going to the funeral on Saturday (have to wait for extended family from North Carolina, Washington DC, Texas, South Dakota, and Australia to arrive).

CAN WE PLEASE JUST GET A BREAK? PLEASE??!! I am so tired.

In the meantime, I have to come up with something for both myself and Luke to wear. Luke should be pretty easy. Thanks to Mom, I already have some nice shirts for him, just need to get him some pants (he only has jeans right now). Me, not so much. I haven't worn business clothes in almost a year, since the last round of holiday work parties. I pray they still fit. It *might* be as "warm" as the 40s and raining for the service, and I'm wearing pants, whether it is "proper etiquette" or not. Might also break out the long wool coat I bought back in January. Summer funerals are no fun in the heat, but I think cold and rainy will be worse.

Currently feeling: just trying to keep it together