I Love Sunday naps, but it sure makes it hard to sleep on Sunday nights.  Argh....I was up reading until after midnight as I couldn't fall asleep. 

Yesterday was Erik's Christmas Pageant at Church.  He had a speaking part and was able to say his line very well.  I was very proud of him.  I think he felt very good about it.  It is nice to see him be successful. 

After the pageant we went to Target to look for Yo-gi-OH cards for Stocking Stuffers for Erik and two cousins.  They still didn't have any.  We did buy a little gift for the name Tommy drew at daycare.  He had to get a gift for Jasper who is two.  We got him some Bob The Builder Stuff. 

Then I spent the rest of the evening getting my stuff together for Secret Santa at work.   I had to think of a theme and finally I came up with one.  So I worked on that last night.  It is hard to continue to be creative each year.  I am running out of ideas.  I was going to try and get into the office over the weekend and decorate my secret Santa's cube for Xmas, but didn't get around to it.  Maybe next weekend......hmmm....Josh will like to help.

Time to get ready for work , not much else to say.  

  Chellief - That is a great idea, I will try to add the recipes for items on my menu.  Unfortunately I have not updated my menu in a while.  I have not been doing that great about making a menu the last few weeks, too busy!

Frejauna - You asked about the book crossing release.  I released two books and both were taken within minutes.  But no one went to book crossing to say they took them, so I was sort of bummed about that.  I doubt I will leave anymore in my work mailroom, maybe somewhere else...we will see.  As for Book Groups, there is one on Xanga here.  I belong to a online one, but it is pretty quiet these days.  There is another one on Yahoogroups that I am on, but don't participate in anymore called BooKiesToo, they are very active.  My mom is on the bookies.

mscaffeineaddict - I don't know how you do it....grad school, working and the little guy.  All I have to say is WOW!   Are you ready for Christmas??   I still have a number of things to do.  I do plan on taking a week off at Christmas, I am soooo excited about that.  I have a question for you, are you still working with signing with E?   I am confused and I don't know the answer, Tommy signs more independently, but he isn't doing anything just walking in the living room and usually he wants a drink.  So I think he thinks ?more" means drink.   I am not sure how to work with that.  It is helpful that if he signs more you know he wants something, but I never know if he wants a drink, is hungry or what.  Just wondering if you have run into that, and can give me some pointers. 

I love Sundays!!  We are home from church and having lunch at Perkins.  That means it is time for naps!!   I love Sunday naps.  Tommy just went down for his, so now is my chance to curl up in my bed under my electric blanket and read my book, until I fall asleep. 

I am sure today I will be able to fall asleep since I had to sleep on the couch part of the night last night.  Hubby started coughing in the middle of the night and was waking me up continuously.  So I finally just went to sleep on the couch.  If he would just stop smoking, this I am sure would not be a problem.   GRRRRRRRR....don't get me started on the smoking! 

Have a great Sunday!  I'm off for my nap!

Time to get in the Christmas Spirit, I gave my blog a new holiday look!  Now I just have to go put up my tree and give my house that holiday look! 

We are going to put up our tree after supper, so I better get started on supper!  Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!

Morning -

Man, did I sleep poorly last night.  I went to bed not feeling very well that must of interrupted my sleep.  I was up before 8:00 this morning, unusual for a Saturday.  So far I have only managed to have breakfast and get through my email.   I do have a lot I want to accomplish today. 

We still have a light dusting of snow on the ground.  It has been cold....BRRRRR... I worked late last night, I got home around 7:00.  I did stop off at the dollar store to get a few things for my secret Santa, which starts on Monday.  When I got home I had supper, hubby had made chicken breasts in the crock pot.  Then it was off to the grocery store to buy baking goods. 

TO DO THIS WEEKEND

• Put up the Christmas Tree
  
• Pay Bills & Mail them
  
• Check to the Bank
  
• Take Holiday arrangement over to Jane's.
  
• Laundry..Laundry

HOLIDAY BAKING

• Fantasy Fudge
  
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
  
• Fudgy Mint Squares
  
• Peppermint Pinwheels
  
• Jello Spritz
  
• Creamy Peppermint Patties
  
• Fruity Pastel Cookies
  
• Surprise Package Cookies

Time for me to hit the shower and then clean up the kitchen.  I felt so lousy last night I just left supper dishes unwashed and the non-perishable groceries still in bags.  So I have to clean that up this morning, then I will see if I can get some baking done before Tommy wakes up. 

Have a great weekend!

Currently Listening: Prince Of Tides by Pat Conroy

Today is again a busy day.  I will work this morning and part of the afternoon and then meet hubby at Fraser center to finish up the last of Erik's testing. 

Then we will come home hopefully make it to the library before heading to Josh's School conferences.  I have to book in at the library:  Big Stone Gap by Andriana Trigiani ( was rec. by another on a book group with me)  and Cape Ann by Faith Sullivan ( this is the book for this month in the Face to Face book club I am thinking of joining with a friend. 

So that is my day in a nutshell I better get on the road and start that day!  later!

Just a quick check in before I head off to bed to finish reading my book (it was due back to the library yesterday!).  I know I do save money by using the library, but those occasional fines bug me.  The new release books I can only check out for 2 weeks, so it is hard to read a whole book some times in two weeks.  I am almost done though! 

Tonight is church night.  Erik practiced his pageant stuff.  He seemed to behave very nicely during practice.  Paul and I went to Families First class  with Tommy.  He sat very nice during circle time tonight and separated fine when we went to our group.  We talk about a book called "Mitten Strings For God: Reflections of Mothers in a hurry."  We discussed about having the Sabbath being a special family time, etc.  Tine to refresh ourselves for the week to come.  Do nothing............our Sunday's are always pretty mellow...Church, then out to eat brunch two Sundays of the month and when Tommy goes down for a nap it is quiet time.  During quiet time I usually read and take a nap.  It is so nice.  The book really sounded nice, so I think I will see if my wonderful library system has the book.   That is one thing I must say about living in the cities, the library system is amazing!!!   My hometown had such a small library and being the reader I am this is a huge thing to me!

After our class we went and watched the end of Erik's practice.  His bio-mom then came to pick him up.  Hubby and I headed off to the info meeting on Josh's mission trip.   He really is excited to go, so I think we will do our best to make it happen for him.  I told him he will have to help pay for it and save some money towards it.  He usually gets money for Christmas and his birthday from various relatives.  The scoop on the trip (as I know my mom wants all the details)

55 kids going with 10 adult leaders in a big coach bus and a pair of mini-vans.  They will leave on Friday June 20th and will drive straight through the night.  The bus company switches off drivers every like 500 miles or something.  They arrive in Orlando on Saturday and go to Universal Studios and Island Adventures, plus stay at a hotel that night.  Sunday morning will be worship in Orlando.  Sunday-Friday will be mission work with Youth Works in St. Petersburg, Fl.  They will be sleeping in churches or school while in Florida, so bring sleeping bag!  They head back on Friday and get to Ingham Lake Bible Camp in Iowa on Saturday.  They will debrief and relax there and will be back at our church on Sunday morning to share their experience with the congregation by 9:45 service.  I will have to send extra money with Josh for the meals down there and back, only about 5-8 meals, otherwise meals are included.  The church is paying a portion of each child's cost and they will be doing a fundraiser as well.   I think we will be sending Josh.  We will have to get a deposit in by January 12th.  I will worry a lot, but it will be a great experience for him. 

I have to share one bit of very exciting news.  Most of you have read my trials with Josh and school.  He is extremely smart, but is very unorganized and hands in late assignments, etc.  Tomorrow is conferences, but he said they posted his Algebra Grade and so far he has a 98.9%.  That is my boy.....I told him he just had to have B's and no missing assignments.  He is so very talented.  Depending if hubby is working this summer, I would love to let Josh go to computer camp at the University of Minnesota.  They teach advanced programming and stuff for kids.  He would love it! When I last checked into it was awful spending, but he is so talented.  I have looked into the community ed computer classes and he is beyond them in ability.  He reads a lot of books on computers and loves Tech TV.  (Which is so egghead you wouldn't believe it!  Hubby and Josh love to watch it together)  Tommy and I play instead.....

Well off to finish my book.  Josh is in bed, Tommy is ready for bed.  I fed Tommy a bowl of cereal before bed tonight, since he has gotten up the last two nights in he middle of the night and wanted a bottle.  He is eating an amazing amount of food lately.  ARGH!!  My great big growing baby!!  

Hello -

Not really feeling like being at work today.  Have a number of things I should get done at home.  I am making a list of things I want to accomplish over my Christmas vacation around the house.  My list is growing and growing. 

I am just finishing up my lunch and then it is back to work.  I spent most of my lunch hour making my shopping list for the baking and candy making I want to do this weekend.  Friday is payday, so should be able to swing that. 

Tonight should be very busy.  Paul was planning on going to a temporary employment place and get a temp job until something better comes along.  So I hope he was able to do that today.  Then he needs to pick up Erik after school to bring him down to our church for Christmas pageant practice.  We have Families First tonight and then we have an informational meeting at 8:15 for Josh's mission trip to Florida he wants to go on.  So we will be busy all night, but hopefully will be home by 9:00. 

The children's minister called me last night to assist with the Advent party on Thursday night, but can't as we have Josh's school conferences.  I wish I would have been able to help.  It would have been fun.  Erik has the last of his testing at Fraser tomorrow as well so I have to take some time off of work for that. 

I have been really trying to enjoy life lately.  Only live once right??  I look at my mom and finally see her enjoying life at retirement.  I want to enjoy my entire life and not wait until retirement to get together with girlfriends, etc.  SO that is what I am doing.  I have a cookie exchange scheduled for December 15th with girlfriends and neighbors.  In January I am schedule to have some girlfriends over and watch a couple DVD's of Sex in the Cities and have drinks.  I need to make time for friends........otherwise my life is pretty balanced between my passions and family.

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!  Well time to get back to work...later!

Decided to get back to updating my site with the books I have read in the last year, etc.   So here is what I can remember reading this year so far.  Not the best memory!

Books Read in 2002

HELLO -

Glad to have xanga back!   I finally did some of my list..that thing was dragging on and on.  I ended up going to get my hair cut after work tonight, so I didn't do my Monday cleaning.  ARGH...just didn't feel like it!  Plus hubby and i needed to run to Sam's club.  Tommy has been extra crabby tonight.  He is only taking one nap while at daycare so he is needing to go to bed much earlier.  I don't like that much, since hat really limits my time with him.  But I guess I will just spend time with him when I get home right away and then do my chores once he is in bed.  He is wanting to go to bed around 8:00 now. 

Tommy is starting to sign again, the instructor told us to continue to add new signs even though Tommy wasn't producing them.  He is now producing the new ones "more", "eat" and "sleep".  I guess he didn't want to do that others.  LOL!!  Ok...chat at ya later!

I hope to be snuggled up in my bed by 9:00 to read some more of my book. 

I survived yesterday, but didn't accomplish a singe thing upon returning home.  I missed the baby and Josh so we just hung out and watched movies and played with the baby.   We watched Remember the Titans, great movie.  Is one of my favorites. 

Today I really have to try to accomplish a lot.  I have to straighten up around the house and I need to do some actually work, work that I want to finish up before going to the office on Monday. 

Same old list.......Agh...maybe today I will actually cross something off!

TO DO

• Complete Baking List
  
• Christmas Newsletter
  
• Address Envelopes
  
• Laundry, laundry and more laundry!
  
• Finish last two CDS plans for work
  
• Clean kitchen - straighten and do dishes
  
• Put clean laundry away

LIVING ROOM

• Clean Cobwebs
  
• Straighten Bookcase
  
• Clean Door and Molding
  
• Clean Pictures
  
• Straighten Tommy's Toys and Take some downstairs