Laaaaaame

A poem:

It's the last day,
And I've got nothing to say.

Except, we totally put up the Christmas tree today.
Hooray!

Hehe.

Owwwww

Do you guys know how much it hurts when a cat scratches your eyelid?

A whole freaking lot, that's how much.

Ouch.

Iiiiiiit's a small world aaaaafter all.

Oh. My. Word.

Usually, I enjoy living in a place where everyone seems to know everyone else. I have never been, and will never BE a city girl. I love my small-town, quiet existence. And I adore running into people I know all over the place.

Except, sometimes it bites me right in the butt.

Yesterday was so much fun. I spent the day chatting/eating/laughing with Bill and some of his closest friends. They accepted me immediately, and everyone was incredibly nice and cool. Even if I did make a complete fool of myself.

I had known there would be a possibility that a guy I dated briefly (and who I told I wasn't ready for a relationship) would be at Thanksgiving dinner, but I didn't think he would be the first person we saw when we walked in the door. But he was. Suffice it to say he was a bit surprised. And, embarassingly enough, he had to relay the fact that we had been on a couple of dates to his family. Niiiice. Then, talking to my seatmate at dinner, I realized that he had worked with the stupid ex for quite a while. And instead of keeping my big mouth shut, I mentioned that to him. THEN, when I was talking to seatmate's wife, we discovered that she graduated high school with my ex-husband. *Sigh*

If I don't quit this, it's going to start sounding like I've dated every available guy in a 20 mile radius.

Anyway, dinner was great. The people were awesome. And I got home relatively unscathed. Plus, I got to play with a 9 week-old pug. Score!

Today, the fam and I went Christmas shopping, and I'd like to say that I am much closer to being finished with my purchases, but sadly, I'm really not.

But instead of thinking about that, I'm off to Jenni's, to spend some quality time with my sisters. Jenni's going to cook for us, we're going to play Harry Potter "Scene It" (which Jenni will totally kick our butts at), and we're going to laugh our sisterly butts off. Yay!

T-giving

I wish I knew how to do pretty pictures of tukeys and stuff, but as I don't... I'll just post a picture of MY lovely family having Thanksgiving dinner instead.

Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

I'm a little bit trepidatious about spending Thanksgiving day with a bunch of people I've never met before. Thanksgiving, for me, has always been a family holiday, and if I'm not spending it with MY family, I'm spending it with the family of a significant other.

This year, things are different. As we had my family dinner on Saturday (and we're STILL eating the leftovers. Oh my goodness, it is SO possible to get tired of turkey), I will be spending tomorrow with Bill. And his friends. And THEIR friends. I might know a total of 5 people there. And Bill has mentioned that there may be around 60. Since I don't generally thrive in large groups of people, this could be really, really interesting. And... it could be really, really fun.

So here's to a little bit of change.

Happy Thanksgiving!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Favorite things about my early Thanksgiving celebration with the family:

-Playing Twister!

-Introducing Bill to the parentals, and knowing without a doubt that they genuinely like him. (Although, seriously... what's not to like?)

-Not having to cook a gosh-darn thing (other than a chocolate cream pie the previous night).

-Gin & Tonic, made by my dad... and this conversation:

Emilee: "Can I have someone's lime?"
Me: "Sure, Em. You can have mine."
Jenni: (AFTER, Emilee has put the lime into her mouth, of course) "You DO realize that lime has been soaking in alcohol, right?"

-Winning Trivial Pursuit with Jenni (and Bill)... against our far more knowledgeable parents.

-Being in a room filled to the brim with people I love.

Oh no you didn't.

I think Bill lets me get away with WAY too much, because apparently I've gotten a little too big for my britches...

Me: I can't wait to go shopping on Friday.

Dad: Yeah, I'll be doing my shopping at Home Depot while you guys are at the other stores.

Me: Oh no. You'll be staying with us.

Dad: Well I guess you'll be doing your shopping at Home Depot then.

Sometimes it takes a dad to snap you right up.

Busy

I am just way too busy enjoying my loved ones to blog today. =P

More tomorrow, I promise.

Aieeeeeee

Crap crap crap.

Thanksgiving dinner is in t-minus 5 hours, and I haven't even taken the turkey out of the fridge yet, to make sure it's thawed. Oops. I'm kind of counting on Mom and Dad to do that, except I'm 28 years old, and really? I COULD be responsible for a turkey at this point. I just don't WANT to be.

Anyway, happy fake Thanksgiving, everyone!

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Yesterday, a little girl whose class I was reading to came up to me after storytime, and told me that her family has already put up their Christmas tree.

Twinking white lights are up all throughout downtown.

In the apartment building across from mine, I can see a colorful tree in someone's upstairs.

And I'm a tad bit jealous. Which can only mean one thing.

It's totally time to decorate for Christmas. And since our family Thanksgiving is Saturday, and since any time after Thanksgiving is apprpriate for holiday decorating, I believe that my tree will be going up on Sunday.

There's nothing like a little holiday spirit. =)

Sleep talking

When I woke up this morning, Bill told me I had been talking in my sleep. He said that I kept saying the word "Grammie." And when he asked me what I was talking about, I said, "couch."

What was THAT all about? I can't remember what I was dreaming, and I don't know how Grammie (or WHICH Grammie) is connected with a couch.

But I wish I did.

Ask and you shall receive

First of all, can I just say that it is 27 degrees outside right now? 27. Also, it's windy, so according to weather.com, it FEELS like it's 15 degrees. My parents are arriving from Florida tomorrow, and I have a feeling they're not going to be thrilled with the weather, but that's just a hunch.

Second, guess what?? Remember the other day, when I was lamenting the fact that I would need to wait at least 4 weeks to get my next Stephenie Meyer fix? Well, the very next day when I arrived at work, I discovered that our teen librarian had just gotten in THREE copies of "Eclipse." That totally made my day, let me tell you.

Third, last night, Bill told me he's already bought the kids (and us) a Christmas present, and it's pretty much the most exciting thing ever, because I've been wanting one for a long time, and was planning on spending part of my tax return on it. I won't tell you what it is just yet, but suffice it to say I have the coolest boyfriend ever.

Fourth, just as a small aside... Daisy girl scouts should NOT be made to feel bad that they didn't sell 8 million fundraiser items to their friends and family. I'm just saying... Grrr.

Gobble gobble gobble

Thanksgiving is coming early this year. On Saturday, to be exact. Since I don't have the kids for the actual Thanksgiving day, my family is gathering this weekend for an early celebration. At my little apartment. It will be crowded and loud and absolutely wonderful. Also, a little bit nerve-wracking, because I'm introducing Bill to my parents for the first time, and I want SO badly for them to like him. I would never tell him this, but they can be a bit picky. I think they've genuinely liked maybe three of four of my boyfriends in all the time that I've been dating (approximately 13 years now). And their opinion matters a lot. Don't get me wrong... I haven't broken up with anyone I was dating just because they didn't like or approve of the guy, but it has weighed heavily on my decision a few times. (Don't worry... I won't share any of this with Bill. He will be blissfully unaware.) And honestly, I think they're going to like him. He reminds me of my dad in a way, and he and my parents actually know some of the same people. So here's hoping...

And another thing... I think Mom and Dad are going to make me cook a little bit more of Thanksgiving dinner than they did last year. This could be scary.

Prooooblem

Confession: I am a little bit addicted to the Twilight series. I fought it for a long time. A REALLY long time. Patrons and co-workers alike were telling me daily how wonderful the series was, and assuring me that, more than a vampire tale, it was a love story.

I didn't believe them.

But then one day, "Twilight" was returned to the library with a broken spine, and I thought, "Well, I might as well bring it home and give it a try now. No one will care if I have this copy out for months." Those of you who have read the books probably don't need to be told that I didn't take months to read it. Even with my busy schedule of work combined with single mom-hood, I still managed to devour it in just days. And I immediately wanted more. (Yay for sequels!)

I've just finished "New Moon" and I'm on the waiting list for "Eclipse." The problem? I'm three people down on the list. Which means a potential waiting time of at LEAST 4 weeks (and that's only IF the two people before me return the book on time.

I think I'd better start looking for another copy of the book. Because I'm not sure I can wait that long.

Yaaaaawn

Ever have one of those weekends where you end up completely exhausted, even though when you think back over the two days, you realize you didn't actually DO that much?

Yeah, I just had one of those weekends.

Zzzzzzzzzz.

Lions and tigers and bears... oh my!

In a little while, the sisters, the significant others, and I are heading to the humane society to help Jenni pick out a new kitty. I've been excited about this for days... pretty much since we made the plan to do it. I love spending time with those cats and dogs... giving love to animals that probably don't get enough of it. Of course, it's extremely difficult to go there and not be able to bring one... or 6... home with me, but I'll just have to try to control myself (since technically, I'm not actually SUPPOSED to have any pets in my apartment).

Oops.

Crafty... or... not.

I don't know if I've mentioned yet that the sisters and I are doing homemade Christmas gifts for each other this year, but we are. And I'm crazy-excited about it, but also a little bit nervous. The last time we did this (three years ago), I made scarves. I had just learned to knit, and was extremely proud to be able to create something warm and pretty for my sisters.

This year, I'm trying something a little bit more difficult. Not only am I knitting something for each of them, but I'm also making things that require ingredients! (Not food... don't worry). Anyway, I won't go into detail about what I'm making (yet), because I have this weird fear that one of my lovely sisters might happen upon this blog and I want my gifts to be a surprise. However, here's a picture of some of the things I'll need to put these presents together.

I'm gonna be a busy girl this month and next. Eesh.

Ch...ch...ch...ch...chaaaanges

I'm wearing a suit today. As in, black dress pants, a black and white button up blouse (with ruffles! I don't even know if they're in our out, and I don't care!) and a black suit coat. Oh, also high heeled boots, except those are mostly hidden by my pants. Why the detailed description of my clothing, you ask? Mostly because I've gotten comments all frickin' day long about it. "Why are you so dressed up?" (I didn't think I WAS.) "Are you going somewhere special after work?" (Um, I get out of work at 8, and I'm a little old lady, so no. Definitely not.) "You look really nice today." (I swear to God I don't look like a scrub all the other days... at least I don't THINK I do.)

Anyway.

I've decided that I need to work a little harder at being spontaneous. I've been a single mom for four years now, and I've managed to get myself and the kiddos into a pretty strict routine. And when someone tries to change it... well, I kind of... resist.

Last Thursday, I went to Bill's, thinking just the two of us were hanging out. Except that when I got there, his cousin and a friend of theirs had already taken over the place. Everyone had a drink in hand, and the music was cranked up. There seemed to be a little party in progress, and I'd had no warning. So I had a mini freak-out.

And seriously... what kind of reaction is THAT? There were only two extra people at Bill's house, and they were both people I've met and like. And yet, when I saw that they were there, I ALMOST turned around and left. Bill talked me into staying, but it took quite a bit of convincing. So why wasn't I able to just take things in stride like a normal person? Is it because I'm so used to being on my own? Is it because just about every other Thursday of the past 4 years, I've gone home, turned on the tv, made myself a bowl of ramen noodles, and vegged until bedtime? Probably.

It's definitely time to start embracing this sudden (wonderful) change in my life. It just might take a little bit of effort.

Before and after

(Photography courtesy of my totally awesome 2.0 megapixel cell phone.)

Before:


After:


I admit, it could have been better, but for a morning's work? Not too shabby.

Halleluja (or however you spell it)

Oh, lovely holidays. They're wonderful, but they make it pretty darn hard to return to work the next day. Oof.

Yesterday was more productive than I had planned for it to be. In the morning, the kids and I went over their bedroom with a fine-toothed comb, and apparently reading that picture book beforehand helped, because they were actually willing (WILLING!) to get rid of some of their toys. And the result, while not perfect, is SO much better. I can actually walk across the room without stepping on 356 toys on my way through. Definite success.

Afterwards, as a reward, we went to Funspot. Oodles of fun for the kids, tiring for me. But they totally deserved it.

And THEN, I made pork chops for dinner (a first for me, so they were nothing fancy), but I did make homemade applesauce to go along with them, so I was feeling quite proud of myself. And the kids ate every bite! Score!

I am thanking my lucky stars that I have a three-day weekend (with no plans whatsoever) coming up.

Phew phew phew.

Clean clean clean (I hope)

We got this book in the library the other day. It's a story about a little boy whose toys kind of take over the entire house, until his mother finally decides that it's time for him to give some of them away. Of course, the little boy doesn't want to get rid of a single one.

The story reminded me so much of my own children, that I decided to bring it home and read it to them before starting on our own purging project. That project begins now. (Can you tell I'm procrastinating a bit?)

I leave you with a before picture, and hopefully there will be an "after" which shows that some progress was actually made.

However, I'll be working with a 5 and 7 year old who would rather be doing just about anything else on their day off from school, so I guess we'll see.




P.S. Happy Veteran's Day. And thank you thank you thank you to all those who fight and who have fought for our freedom.

None of your busy-ness

Aw crap crap crap crap crap.

I missed another day.

I should probably just abandon this NaBloPoMo thing altogether, and just blog when I WANT to instead, huh?

*Sigh*

As you can probably guess, my weekend was incredibly busy (and it feels like it's still not quite over, since I have tomorrow off as well)... yay!

It was nice to hang out with everyone on Saturday evening at Shea's. She and Paul have just finished their basement (the last piece of furniture came in on Saturday), so we all sat down there, watching "Bee Movie" on their projecter screen. Totally and completely awesome. It was almost like being in the movie theater, except the picture was better and the seats were more comfortable. Also, we could bring in our own food. Which... I guess I do at the real movie theater too, but I didn't feel all guilty about it this time.

Anyway, here's hoping tomorrow is a LITTLE less busy.

Phew.

Shopaholic Takes On Kohl's

Omigosh, I love Kohl's. Late-ish last night, Jenni, Bill and I went shopping. Well, technically Jenni and I went shopping, and Bill watched... being very careful not to say anything negative about the things we were trying on. And I must say, he did an excellent job. With one small exception. I was trying on a belted blouse (Jenni told me not to use that word, but I am anyway. So THERE, Jenni) and Bill commented that he thought the belt was too high. (Bless his heart, the boy lives in Carhart, so I didn't actually take note of his worry about the height of the belt).

As we were checking out, the girl behind the register joked around with us, and gave us more of a discount than she was supposed to because we were basically the only customers in the store, and she was bored. Which means I bought 5 shirts and sweaters and one pair of black dress pants for a grand total of $63.00. Awesome.

And tonight, we're all off to Shea's house, to finish off the sister-boyfriend introductions.

Phew.

What the heeeeeck?

This is the second time in a couple of weeks that I've written a nice, long post, only to have it deleted on me when I go to publish it. *Sigh*

And I just don't have the time or energy to do it all over again.

Maybe tomorrow.

No, definitely tomorrow.

Happy weekend. =)

I'm gonna kick some Kindergarten BUTT

So when I picked Gavin up from daycare this afternoon, he had a big red mark on the side of his nose... right next to his eye. When I asked him what happened, he said he was playing volleyball (turns out it was actually dodgeball) in gym class, and that someone threw the ball and hit him in the face. I think it's probably illegal for me to go after the little snot who did that to him, but that doesn't mean I don't WANT to.

When I asked Gavin if he cried, he said, "Nope! I was a brave boy!" And of course that made ME want to bawl. How did my baby get to be such a big kid so quickly??

*Sigh*

I went to JoAnn Fabrics this morning to pick out some things that I can't tell you guys about because they have to do with Christmas presents for my sisters, and one of them reads my blog on occasion.

Anyway... when I was signing the receipt, the cashier looked at my signature, and said, "Wow, you write really small." I nodded and smiled, because I get that all. the. time. But then she added, "You know, the size of your signature is supposed to be an indication of your self worth. So you should start writing bigger."

On-sale craft supplies AND a free psychological evaluation all in one trip... Score!

In addition, Bill brought me roses today. I haven't gotten flowers in... well, in a REALLY long time, so this is totally news-worthy. He also brought me bacon. (Yes, bacon.) And it was delicious. =)

The end.

And the winner is...

Ok, I swear to God this is my last post about the presidential election, for two reasons. 1. Because I'm fairly certain everyone and his or her brother is blogging about the election, and 2. Because everyone else really knows more about it than I do anyway.

That said, I'm glad Obama won. Really I am. Partly because now I get to hold it over the heads of my entirely Republican family, but also because he seems like a good guy (and please please please don't prove me wrong here, Mr. Obama). Also, my kids were rooting for him, so it was fun to tell them this morning that he will be our next president. My 5 and 7 year old are much more aware than I was at that age, and I think that's a great thing.

There is, however, one draw-back to Obama winning the presidency, and it is this: I live in New England, and Yankees don't know how to talk. I love my dad to pieces, but if your name ends with an "a" he will automatically add an "r" to it. I'm pretty sure that's why my sisters and I do NOT have names that end in "a," but my double cousins all do. So Andrea, Sonia and Victoria become Andre-er, Sonyer, and Victorier. Unexplainably, Yankees also tend to subtract the "r" from a word that is SUPPOSED to end in one. "Car" is "caah," "bar" is "baah"... you get the idear (sorry, couldn't help myself). And while I've worked hard to keep the accent out of my speech as much as possible (although my friends from the south say it's quite obvious), the old-school Yankees do no such thing.

So anyway, after learning this morning that Obama had won the election, and after hearing my boyfriend (another born and bred Yankee) say his name out loud, I've decided I'm just going to have to get used to him being referred to as "Obalmer" for at least the next four years.

Sheesh.

ELECTION day

I don't know why I called it "voting day" yesterday, when I could have been intelligent and used the correct term. Chalk it up to the fact that it was Monday, and that my brain doesn't really start working again (after a weekend of laziness) until Tuesday.

So anyway, today we vote. Or, some of us do anyway. I'm heading over after work to cast my vote, and then I'm not going to talk to anyone about politics for a long, long time. Because it seems like, with this election more than any other, people get ANGRY when they're talking about the candidates. Like, ANGRY-ANGRY (I've actually heard an old lady berate a middle-aged man for his presidential candidate choice... and this was in the LIBRARY). Anyway, I don't do angry-angry. I do discussion, but I don't know enough about politics to argue about much of anything, so I'd really rather not even try. And since the rest of my family seems to consist of staunch Republicans, I really need to steer clear of any type of political discussion with them, period.

So, happy voting, everyone... just don't talk to me about it. =P

For the love of God, hurry up voting day.

Oh my word. If I never hear another political ad, it will be FAR too soon. Thank goodness tomorrow is voting day.

Also, can I just say that (and yes, this is an obvious statement) being in the beginning stages of a relationship is awesome? Even better, though, is being in the beginning of a relationship, and not having to worry one little bit whether the guy will call when he says he will... or if he really wants to be spending as much time with me as he is. Those are things I'm used to. I have to say that dating a guy who makes things easy is SO much better. Phew.

I already suck at NaBloPoMo. Just so you know.

Oh my. I already missed the first... what? Two days of NaBloPoMo. And even worse, I'm not even sure what day it is! I may have only missed one day, which would be SO much better. So yeah, let's go with that.

I don't want to bore you with Bill talk, but as we've spent the entire weekend together, that's really all I've got at the moment. I met his friends on Friday night, and they were funny and warm and kind and just plain delightful... much like Bill himself. I was nervous, but not as shy and quiet as I COULD have been. I introduced Bill to MY bff, but as Bill was a TEENSY bit drunk when that happened, we decided to have a re-meeting the following morning, so we met at Starbucks, and laughed over coffee and inappropriate text forwards. Ahhh, boys.

Aaaaanyway, I suppose I should post a picture of me in my lovely dress, shouldn't I? I think it will appear above, but on the off chance that I actually manage to get it where I want it, yay me!