Recovery days

The past few days have been recovery for us. It is hard keeping my house picked up with all of us home! If we spent the entire time at home I suppose it wouldn't be as big of an issue... but between the kids napping (usually on opposite schedules) and the things we want to get out and do, well the house takes a back seat.

Leif and I have been talking about the ornaments and Christmas stuff coming down tomorrow. Still I think it will hit him hard. He loved Christmas and has been asking to "do it again" regularly.

When I tell him, "no, not for another 360-whatever days," he responds with:

"Well why don't we just try."

Said exactly like how I tell him to go sit on the potty when he insists he doesn't have to go, but it is obvious he does.

Last Wednesday night he decided he would rather go to preschool than be at home with mommy and Skadi. So I hauled him in and he enjoyed the day. Skadi and I shopped at Target and the fabric store (evil, evil, money sucking place). The fabric store is a huge weakness for me.

Playdate on Saturday. (I forgot how yummy macaroni and cheese from the box as opposed to the packets really is.)

Sunday morning we spent way too much at the grocery store. (Where I bought macaroni and cheese in the box... among other things.) Sunday afternoon I went to the movies with a good portion of my book club... leaving AB to fend for himself with two non-napping children. The house was only a little worse for the wear upon returning. (And thumbs up to Charlie Wilson's War.)

I worked today. New Years Eve.

Mentally I needed it. I didn't get much accomplished, but I didn't waste a vacation day and the kids got a short taste of returning to the routine made a little easier by AB being home so he could help send us out the door.

He tried helping with Skadi by dressing her. Sometimes I think he does it on purpose though.

If you are a woman with kids and a husband who is less than fashion inclined, you know what "it" is.

The holidays have been wonderful, a little tiring, a touch expensive (paying bills today was painful), but all in all, fabulous. Still I am ready to embark upon 2008.

In the short term, the month of January, we have my birthday next week, AB's after that, PF Changs opening shortly thereafter (yes, that is reason to celebrate living in Eastern WA), then AB and I plan to haul Leif off to the hills. The ski slopes. Strap skis on him and let him rip it up! My goal is to get him to the hills (because as a Colorado girl... that is what we have here is hills) once a month for the next three months. I have hopes that the third trip in March will be to Colorado... though AB is still rolling his eyes and grumbling about money at me when I mention that.

Looking at the longer term, after tomorrow we have "the long haul" where at least where I work, we have no paid holidays until Memorial Day. But the project money will be here as the bill has been signed, I have a new direction at work, I can look forward to Skadi's first birthday and her transition to Leif's school (one drop off!) in June. The coming year holds a lot of wonderful things for us.

It is my wish that they hold as many or more good things for you.

See you in the new year!

(Oh and PS... I will finish my "how AB and I met" story soon.)