<p>Oregon, I just watched that movie too…enjoyed it. Too funny about the DIL. She must be adorable.</p>
<p>Arabrab, good point!</p>
<p>DTE, feel better…now! ;)</p>
<p>I still have a half-3/4 day to get through before I’m in holiday mode, but I’m working up to it. In better shape today because after a meeting yesterday, one client determined a mid-January launch would be better than year-end. I couldn’t agree more, particularly given that for that to have happened would have required a fair amount of attention from her staff for final prep ;)</p>
<p>And here I thought I was up early! I got up early to cook. (I told myself that I won’t use the noisy food processor until 7 am, hence the very pleasant CC break.) I am trying to be more “in the moment” which means we all sat down to watch a movie together last night, meaning I need to cook this morning instead of last night. I have been pretty zen-like this Christmas season…well, at least in comparison to prior years. I only threw a teeny little hissy fit last night when I wanted to take pictures of all the trees and indoor decorations but had to clean up everyone else’s messes first. (They helped with specific tasks when asked but otherwise, it was me and suddenly I sounded like a crazy woman demanding that this mess be cleaned up when it really wasn’t a huge mess but certainly nothing you would want to memorialize in a picture.)</p>
<p>Son is working all of the services at his church media job tonight, so I think we will have to have the pajama opening/Christmas eve pictures done by 3:45 pm. The girls will sing the youth choir service (alums join for 4 years; a sweet tradition), then H will go to his church job and sing the 8 and 11, we will go to that church for the 8, then go home, the last of us finally ending up at home by around 1 am. It really is true that kids think that however they were raised is “normal.” I don’t think anyone would know what to do at home on Christmas eve.</p>
<p>I hope all of my dear friends here have a wonderful rest of the week!</p>
<p>CBBBlinker, that is a very bizarre story. Peeping Tom? Seems weird he would pick an occupied house unless he thought at 5 am he could just look in and wasn’t expecting people to be up.</p>
<p>missypie, my kids are used to Christmas Eve being a working event for their parents. D has played handbells in the past, and S has sung, but with our recent moves only H is working tonight.</p>
<p>Finally started decorating last night. Found a battery operated string of lights that I’m using on the portion of the tree where the lights aren’t working. I’m off today so S and I have plans to bake cookies. Got my SIL’s recipe; her cookies are always fabulous and S insisted we try to re-create the magic.</p>
<p>Good Morning! I am up doing laundry and cleaning. D1 has to work until 2:00. H will help with with the cleaning. Need a last minute run to Target for a few items. Church is at 3:45 and then home for our family Appetizer Competition. Unfortunately D2 will leave after church to spend Christmas eve with her H’s family as they open their gift. Everyone will gather here Christmas morning for our gift openings and then I will serve brunch. Both girls leave at 1 to visit other family and then we gather again around 4 for games and apps and a light dinner later in the evening. Whew! Not much time to get a nap! </p>
<p>Wishing you all a wonderful time with family and friends, near and far. Enjoy the season!</p>
<p>To those of you who celebrate, best of luck in preparing and have a wonderful Christmas. And, if this year is different than others, enjoy the adventure. </p>
<p>I’m on my way out to get presents for the the female administrative staff people, who are all great and very nice. Never know what to get. Scarves? Jewelry seems a little too personal from a boss. ShawWife bought some kind of throw for one. Not even sure what a throw is. </p>
<p>Ahh, Shawbridge…you bring back memories of my one Christmas working in a department store…business owners/managers showing up with a list and a hope that someone would get this problem solved. Which, I can say, I usually did. Better stores usually have some people who are very good at helping with that. Good luck! </p>
<p>CBB that is so weird, maybe he was playing special ops or something.
The cold/virus persists but I think I am better with inhalers, mucinex, and advil vitamis. fluids etc…I am getting really grouchy too so I think I am feeling better. because when I am really sick I just don’t care.
I am supposed to visit relatives the day after Christmas so will be resting up, all the muscles in my chest hurt form coughing.Maybe I can get out of going to see those unwanted relaitves for Christmas day.
D1 has been home and I haven’t been able to spend much time with her that is a bummer.
Shaw wont wife do the shopping for you? My H would be lost. he just gives good bonuses instead.
I am not on caring bridge and struggle with going on there for personal reasons, does anyone know how Boys is?
Everyone have a wonderful Holiday season and a happy healthy New Year</p>
<p>DTE, I used to do that but then I got the sense that people didn’t really appreciate them. Then I did Amazon gift cards. ShawWife will help, which is good because I am lost there too. I only like shopping at Costco.</p>
<p>DTE, boys has been up and down with infection issues. She is talking and working hard in PT. She has a procedure scheduled for next week and they are hopeful that she can accelerate the PT after that. Please keep the prayers and white light headed her way!</p>
<p>Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. We’re missing S so much – talked to him last night and will call again (later) this morning. He bought himself a Christmas Eve dinner at Boston Market (I just about burst into tears when he told me that) and is going to a buddy’s house today. I think H & I are going to see him on Saturday – we’ll bring some of our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of Tennessee country ham and buttermilk biscuits.</p>
<p>I got all the cooking, baking, and wrapping done with (a little) time to spare – in spite of a last minute run up to central MA for calling hours for a friend’s mother. Today we’re stopping at SIL & BIL’s house to see their first grandson (so our grandnephew, right?) on our way to my family’s in western MA.</p>
<p>CountingDown - thanx for the update on boys.</p>
<p>Merry Christmas, and Happy Chinese Food Day for those who aren’t Christmas celebrants. We are due to have 8" of the fluffy white stuff later today, which I guess still counts as a white Christmas. Meanwhile, quiche has been eaten, presents opened, and we’re all in a gentle haze. One of my client families brought over a homemade Bouche de Noel last evening, and that is going to be added to the array of goodies we’ll bring to Christmas dinner this evening. I am cooking what is undoubtedly the smallest turkey I’ve ever seen: 10 pounds. I’m figuring 2 hours. </p>
<p>I hope you’re all having a good day. DTE – hope you’re feeling a lot better very soon. Safe travels, people.</p>
<p>Happy Day to everyone. Saw blue sky for a little while earlier but now grey and rain. Lovely opening gifts and S texted first thing. Since their last visit I keep waking up wondering where he is–not in his crib or not home or ? Very Odd.</p>
<p>Dinner will be scallops and baked (huge) prawns, peas and pancetta and a tri milk pudding cake with berries. 3 of the 4 are new recipes from Contessa. Baking the cake was hysterical as I had to sent H to the grocery 2 times.
Nice dinner last night out. </p>
<p>Friends and movies later tonight. D is having dreams about her old BF. They are clarifying such as he has to make a decison but doesn’t. I know she is feeling lonely. </p>
<p>Hope everyone is enjoying the day. I do think that next year we will go somewhere together (hopefully). Meant our family but you can come too!</p>
<p>Nice day just feeling lousy but better, this is one awful virus (I think I said that) . We had a nice breakfast and small dinner, then went to BIL a 90 min drive. I think I am feeling weepy because I am sick but I just did not want to be there at all, the whole thing made me sad. I am like this when I am ill , like a little kid. I am turning the corner more like a cold then anything else, that is why I went and D2 gave me the weepy eyes.
Next year I want to go somewhere warm, although I am traveling to see my peeps this week. dreading the plane ride, but happy to see my brother and nephews, and my aunt in the home state of NM, and Moda Thank you for the update on boys. I will be sending another card what a special lady she is. </p>
<p>DTE, feel better. I had a flu-like thing about a month ago (three days after a mega-trip which terminated at my niece’s Bat Mitzvah – probably caught it from the kids). Anyway, I have had a lingering cough for weeks. It is now going down with twice a day puffs from steroid puffer. </p>
<p>Next year, go to someplace warm. Invite your Ds and BFs if such are in the picture. You will probably feel a lot better in a warm place without noxious family.</p>
<p>One of ShawWife’s cousins and his wife came in from Vancouver and, like last year, we did Jewish Christmas with them and their daughter, who is a post-doc in Boston (as was her brother a few years earlier). Very nice.</p>
<p>ShawWife is a little weepy these days too. Very uncharacteristic. Seems hormonal to me as the nature of the problems (which are problems and are not imaginary) doesn’t match the depth of feeling. Whenever I observed that mismatch in the past, it was almost always hormonal. Is this common for women in this age range? </p>
<p>Shaw, everyone’s different in how they respond to peri menopause or menopause but the short answer is yes, it’s possible that alterations in hormones can cause disproportionate emotional responses. I know some women who use pellet therapy (bio-identical hormones, ostensibly more accurate and less risky than pharma such as Premarin) to offset severe symptoms, and others who just tough out the changes. Flax seed oil can be helpful in reducing symptoms such as hot flashes for those wanting to take a natural approach.</p>
<p>My personal theory of late is that waning fertility and increased independence of children kind of causes a “reinvention of self” for some women, and the process, whether biologically determined or not, can sponsor many changes in behavior. My only advice is to tread lightly ;)</p>
<p>Hugs DTE. You have a birthday coming up so I’m sending you happy bday girl mojo!</p>
<p>We are still visiting in Canada…due to head home later this a.m. And then prep for the descent of the sisters on Sunday ;)</p>
<p>Happy Birthday, DTE! I hope you are feeling better and have a fabulous day!</p>
<p>S is leaving Tuesday morning for a week to visit where we used to live and attend the wedding of close friends. D is arriving Tuesday evening for a visit through the weekend. She had to work December 24 and December 26.</p>
<p>I have to work Monday and Tuesday but then am off the rest of the week. Trying to decide if I will spend today doing work (still have some unpacking/organizing to do) or playing.</p>
<p>Hope you’re feeling a lot better today, DTE. Happy Birthday!
We thoroughly enjoyed our Thanksgiving week in the warmth. I think figuring out how to do that for at least one week a year is a good plan going forward.</p>
<p>The house is a lot quieter with D having flown home yesterday. She’s a bundle of nerves and energy planning the move to NYC. I’m excited for her, and nervous about the whole finding a place to live given that they expect her to start in the NY office on Feb 1. No pressure, eh?</p>
<p>Happy Birthday, dte! I hope you are feeling better.</p>
<p>It has been a little while since I have posted. Working every day except Christmas and New Years Day. We has a nice quiet Christmas with the kids home, we were somewhat disappointed with the movie (Unbroken) though.</p>
<p>On a very sad note, a friend of mine lost her H last week after a short illness. </p>
<p>Sounds like a lot of us have family members coming and going lately. S is traveling in Turkey with a HS friend. D is still here, some of her friends will be arriving tomorrow to look at bridesmaid dresses. </p>
<p>c_q - where is your S going to be studying abroad?</p>
</p>