Fa-la-freakin-laaaaaaaa

Christmas...hmmm...Christmas - yup - it's on its merry way. I just about threw up today when it occured to me that we are only 3 sleeps away from December!! I don't know how it happenned, but it sure did sneak up on me!

This year, (life being what it has been) we've had to simplify like crazy. We're focussing on the kids only - and have cut waaaay back on who we exchange with. Even there, we've agreed to keep it minimal or make it. I also put up a barrowed artificial tree to avoid the cost and work of a real one! This is a HUGE first for me! To me a fake tree is for a fake Christmas! :)

Today I put the tree up, and decided to actually "decorate" the house for the fist time in ever! I rarely put up more then the tree and a few randomly tossed instant decorations, which are mostly candles and candle holder things. This year, though, to make up for the fake tree - I decorated over the archways too...and even decorated the bathroom!! (Thansk KimMartha for the inspiration! :) I'm happy with how it turned out and have to say that I'm not hating the un-real tree either. I do miss the smell of a real one though. :( I spent all day pretty well on the decorations...and now I'm beat.

In addition to being beat, I'm also freaking out a little. I found out on Thursday that I have to go to Edmonton for training from the 14th to the 17th of December! The good part is that I'll get to go a few days ealier (on the 10th) and visit "Booger Head" (a.k.a. my sister who I haven't seen for over 2 years!) the crazy part is that it totally cuts up a huge span of time that's way too close to Christmas! Time I had planned to use to do my baking and gift making...which totally de-railed my "plan" for a hand made Christmas. :( Ugh...Oh well - the up side is that crochet travels! AND I'll get back at midnight on the 18th! (Just in time for SEcret Santa! - Yay! )

This year is not turning out the way I would like...but it's going to be Christmas soon - like it or not. I guess I better make a new plan and get moving! :)

Priceless

Getting a call at work that the dog is sick - $9 million brain cells
Having to drive home during a snow storm to get her - $68 trillion grey hairs
Finding out your Saint Bernard has a Bladder infection - $95

Knowing your husband had to collect the urine sample...Priceless! :)

Ladybug cake

I never did post the pics of my last "order cake"...sorry for the delay - here she is. :)

My last night...

Fingers crossed, tonight is my last night of "sick leave". I have to say that today was probably the best of all days to be honest. DH went out for breakfast with his bro this morning...so I had the house to myself and wasted the time making more Christmas Cards, and watching TV. In fact, I spent almost half the day on the couch making cards! lol the 2nd half of the day was spent cleaning up the "shed". It's where DH keeps all his tools, motorcycle and also where the pool stuff/garden stuff is kept. It looks like the inside of a goats stomach in there, so I was itching to get it cleaned up! I got a decent start on it for sure...but still haven't made enough room for the stuff I need to take out there after cleaning a closet out last night. I got the de-clutter bug baaad! lol So I guess I have swapped 1 illness for another! lol Oh well - I'm glad the 2 weeks are over! (I hope)

Daily observations

I took the goons in town today, for a little retail therapy...and to get them out of the house since I was about to start drinking heavily from being trapped with the little darlings. While out and about, I noticed a couple of things that seemed odd. 1st, was at the dollar store. While browsing through the coloring books, in between Ben 10 and the fraggles, were many pristinely plastic wrapped copies of the Holy Bible. (*scratch head*) Does that seem wrong to anyone other then me?? I mean seriously...who would buy a Bible from the dollar store when you can steal them from a Hotel for free?! (LOL - I'm totally kidding and was actually referring to seeing them shrink wrapped at the dollar store in the first place - honest! ;)

My next moment was in the line up at Michaels. A Man was wandering bleery eyed through the Isles with a women whom I can only imagine was his wife (since I'm sure he takes his mistress to much darker places;) when another dood approached him and they started to chat - each seeming quite relieved to have another boy to talk to. I learned that the first man's name was "J". I completed my usual M-crawl, collecting various items on sale, and made my way to the register. "J" was in the line up in front of me. His "wife" was chatting him up while he clearly payed no attention...but he was trying (which is all we can expect from them on the best of days I suppose) Anyhoo - when he turned to pay (God bless him) I noticed that his last name (I assume) was on the arm of his coat. His last name was...are you ready??!! I can't even stand it. :) His last name was Walker!!! ARE YOU FREAKIN SERIOUS?! J-Walker?! I suddenly had the urge to run him over. :)

Soooo close!

My afghan - I'm so in Love with it! It's not too big, is super comfy cozy...but it's taking a boat load of yarn!! Anyhoo - I picked up 2 more balls this morning, before DH and I headed up river for his appointment. I got the last 8 rows done, AND started the shell edging - I was soo excited, I could hardly stand it! The idea that I'd be done before we got home!! It was glee! Then...about 4" before the finish line...I RAN OUT OF FREAKIN YARN!!! AAAUUUGGGHHH! Crap! And so - Off to M's I go to pick up another freaking ball of way too expensive yarn to finish my 9million dollar cozy afghan. Bah-humbug! >:(

Progress

Cakes - Done!
Owl Hat - Done!
Cards - Done!
Afghan - As done as I can get until I buy more yarn...
Chips - eaten!

Now to start that hat and scarf...

OMG GO AWAY!!!

Don't get me wrong - I Love Crayzee-May but holy crap I wish she'd leave me alone! I made the mistake of picking up a bag of cheezies and am muching merrily at my computer and I can feel the heat from teh drool that is running down the back of my leg! AUGH! I tell her "off limits" - she stares - "GO AWAY!" - she stares - "Daisy GET OUT!" - she stares. Essentially, that's her newest trick weather I'm eating cheezies or not! OMG - She's driving me CRAYZEE!!!

Goals & Progress update

Ok - a few days ago, I set a few goals, and so far, I'm doing pretty good!

Cards - I've made 45 so far :) Only 15 to go :) Here they are :)

Owl hat - I got the eyes sewn on! :)
Afghan - I got a few rows done...but a long way to go still...
Cakes - I finished both - and delivered both - and totally didn't take pics...sorry :(

(oo - update - thankfully, somebody was smart enough to take a pic of the Canadiens cake :) Here it is!

Chips - I atem...then was up sick all night cuz of it. :(

So...I guess all that's left is to finish the owl hat, the afghan and whip up a hat and scarf for BFF's DS.

Tuesday Shower

Ahhhh - I feel much better now! :)

November showers

It has been raining here for days and days...I don't even remember the last nice day we had! It seems fitting that I'm off on sick leave when it sucks outside. While thinking of all this rain, another thought occured to me about being sick and showers and being gross out etc. I don't think I have showered for 3 days now! No wonder I feel like crap! lol I know I showered Saturday, but that's the last recall I have of being clean...yup! I'm gross!! Guess where I'm headed now! lol Needless to say - I will not be posting pics of this. :)

Goals...

Remember those goals I mentioned a couple posts back? Well...today marks day 5 of being off work, so I gotta getter done. I've got most of the cards ready to assemble...so I'm almost done that one...and I'm getting ready to start my cakes...I'll post pics as I go...wish me luck cuz I need a nap in there somewhere too :)

Steps to recovery

In order for me to get back in the saddle, a couple of things have to happen. 1st - I have to finish my anti-biotics - check - did that this morning. Then, I have to get another x-ray to confirm that I'm pneumonia free - sortof check - I'm scheduled for Monday, November 15th at 2:20...THEN I have to see my Family doc to confirm that the x-ray shows that I'm clear - another sortof check - I see Doc on the 17th at 11ish?? And at some point, between now and then, I have to finish my many goals...hmmm...Maybe I'll take a nap instead? :)

On a different note - Kiddo and DH are rawking out the wii in tennis! lol They've had a serious tennis-fest show down going on for the last while, and on Sunday I found wee tennis rackets for $2. each which appearantly improved their game! ;) Kiddo is quite the machine :)

12 days of goals...

Ok - I'm sitting here surfing through Christmas Card ideas, reading over blogs I adore and pruposely NOT looking around my uber messy scrap/craft/computer/land-fill room. I'm being sooper irritated by the 12 days remaining of my sick leave, which is feeling more like a sentence then a "break" - soooo...I've decided to set some creative goals to help whisk me through the next 265ish hours...

Goal 1: Make 60 Christmas Cards
Goal 2: Finish Owl hat (all that's left are the eyes, beak, tassles and ear doo-dads)
Goal 3: Finish the crochet afghan I started. I'm already almost half done.
Goal 4: Make a boy-ish hat & Scarf for BFF's DS.
Goal 5: Make a Baby belly cake for a shower on Wednesday (the 10th)
Goal 6: Make a Canadians Hocky Puck cake for Boss-Man's birthday (Also on the 10th)
Goal 7: Finish the first 6 goals and if I have time...make some more to get me through...oh and eat chips! Lots and lots of chips! :)

Ok - I'm off to wrap up goal number 1...wish me luck.

Christmas Cards

Why do I torture myself?? I should just pick a design - copy the crap out of it and whip them out...but noooooo...I kill trees, waste adhesive, wreck embellies...start a zillion different designs, adn still don't come up with something I Love - why? I figured being sick would give me the upper hand...nuthin but time to work them out and get them done...I thought that I'd have all this clarity during my little illness vay-kay but nope! I've killed a pack and a half of paper, made several trips to michaels and all I have to show for it is a pile of scraps and no cards. UGH!

13 days is a long time...

13 days...

13 Days...that's how long I have to wait before I can go back to work. Having planned to wrap up this work week and take next week off was a good plan...it was my plan - then Yesterday, I got the phone call from DH. It seems that the x-ray that the clinic doc requested (which should have been ordered a couple months ago) showed that even though my lungs "sounded" clear...I have pneumonia. Bummer! I told boss-man that I had pneumonia, and planned to wrap up my to-do's quickly before the 4pm bus came to get me...he did not approve and drove me home instead (knowing full well I'd stall as long as possible). In any case - today i'm home...Sick...and borred. I thought it might be a great time to get my Christmas gifts made...trouble is...crochet is way too boring when you're sick!

Ugh! 13 days is a very long time...