Christmas!

Christmas was great.  I hope you all had a wonderful, joy-filled holiday as well (assuming you celebrate this particular holiday.)  We went to the beach last week, and I'm continuously surprised at how restful being in the presence of the ocean is for me.  I need to have a house there.  Living there, right now, isn't an option.  BUT if I had a house there, I'd be there pretty often.  Back to the story.  We spent several days there.  Water park.  Time on the sand.  Dinner date with my man.  Ride Makerz with my boys.  Shopping with my girls.  Bliss all around.

We had a great day Christmas Eve day as well.  The kids made "Ninja-Bread" men.  Boys did a few crafts.  Baked cookies.  We spent time with my mom, Two played a song on her guitar and we sang.  It was great.

This morning, I sent all my fellas (The Punk, Three and Four) on a plane and went to visit family.  I'm sad, all my men are gone.  But, on the up side...the boys first plane ride went well.  They both loved it.  Four was really anxious about it for a couple days, but I managed to calm him down.  Hooray (it's really just my vast experience at dealing with One's anxiety disorder.)  

After I dropped the boys off, I went by Target and picked up some 50% off Xmas decorations.  I'm going to make:  Ornament Wreath  Exciting stuff.  

Now, it's just the girls and I for a bit.  During this time...One will be getting her belly button pierced.  How the HECK did I end up here???  It's just a piercing, it's not permanent, and I realize as a parent of a teenager it's really important to pick your battles.  I just don't know how it's possible for me to have a child this old.  Truly.  I also get to see The Bestie, whom I haven't seen in over two weeks.  YAY!!!!

Other than that, I have work I need to do around the house...lots of it.  So far since I've been home today..I've done a whole lot of NOTHING.  ;)

Two for Tuesday (plus a little bonus rant.)

I need some sunshine.  Truly.  It's so grey and dismal here.  I can't take much more.  The weather man says the next 3 days (today not included) will be sunny.  Cold as a witches titty (My Daddy said that to me when I was a kid.)  But, SUNNY.  I have my chair positioned on the back porch, I should probably turn it upside down so the water can run off--it's going to rain all day, and it rained a bit yesterday too.  It's not helping my depression.  At.  All.  I ran twice last week.  I danced yesterday, and I am dancing again later this week.  I am motivated to run (which I will probably do tomorrow, with my new running partner The Bestie!) because of a race I signed up to run in May.  That's a long way out you say?  It's a warrior dash.  Google that.  There are 12 obstacles that unlike my FUN MUD RUN are no joke.  I'm excited, but I need to be in shape.  Coincidentally, my FUN MUD RUN is the weekend after, and should therefore feel like a walk in the park!  Sunshine.  I need sunshine.  Stat.  I'm considering paying $10 to lie in a tanning bed for a few minutes even.  It's that bad.

We are currently "tracked out," which means we aren't doing any REAL school.  We are still reading because I don't want to lose what he's gained in that department-he's doing SO WELL!  But, other than that, our only learning is about Christmas traditions around the world and how they are similar to and different from ours.  We only have this week, and a few days before Xmas to do this because (SHHHHHH...this is a secret) Santa is bringing us another trip and we'll be gone the entire week before Christmas.

Here's what I downloaded from TPT (one of my favorite sites, in case you didn't know that already.)

Christmas Around the World Facts and Snacks

My Christmas Pinterest Board  (ideas of things to do/make)