Another 25...

My stomach is growling at the moment, so apparently this will be The Food Edition of 25 Things About Me.

26. If I am cooking a meal, I don't want any help. If I want help, I will let you know. Otherwise, please stay out of my way relax and have a glass of wine.
27. It irritates me TO NO END when people come into my cooking space and start stirring things or movin' stuff around.
28. I bought a basil plant at Trader Joe's this summer and it is STILL alive. A little sparse, but still green and perky.
29. This is the first year I've been able to keep a basil plant alive for more than a week.
30. I have to breathe deeply and keep telling myself that it's ok if I buy rolls for Thanksgiving tomrorow.
31. I have to breathe deeply and keep telling myself that it's ok if I don't make a dessert for Thanksgiving tomorrow.
32. I find it virtually impossible to show up and just eat at any event where there's food; I must take multiple things to share.
33. I am confounded by women who don't cook.
34. I think I might have been Italian in a previous life, considering my obsession love of food.
35. My mom has always made homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning.
36. And we always scope out and try to tag the biggest one for ourselves.
37. When I was a kid, we always got a can of Blue Diamond Smokehouse almonds in our stocking at Christmas.
38. We'd try to make them last by just eating a few, but they always ended up gone by the end of the day.
39. I have an awesome recipe for Rosemary Roasted Cashews that is to die for. (Courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa.)
40. If I must have chocolate, I prefer it to be dark.
41. With nuts and caramel in it.
42. I craved dark beer when I was pregnant with my son.
43. I'd never drank dark beer before that but now it's my favorite.
44. Contrary to the how the last two items sound, I did not actually drink dark beer while I was pregnant with my son.
45. Ok, so I did sneak a sip off of my husband's beer once or twice.
46. My son is perfectly normal healthy and does not have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
47. I always worry that there won't be enough food at get-togethers and holidays.
48. Maybe I should make a dessert for tomorrow. Just in case.
49. And get some appetizers.
50. I think I need a beer. Right now.

Updated To Do List

I've been feeling rather overwhelmed with all that I have to do in the coming weeks and seeing things crossed off my To Do list helps boost my morale immensely. I've already given myself a "Get out of jail free" card for my usual holiday doings, which makes me a little sad because I really enjoy the holidays and all the preparations and baking and cooking I usually do. But this year, between trying to finish the interior of our house and get it ready to move into, along with packing and actually moving, buying furniture, school transitions, Christmas shopping & wrapping, work, etc. I just have too much to do to indulge my Martha Stewart complex and make my English Toffee, homemade caramels and other Christmas goodies. I will however, still be attempting to write my annual holiday newsletter and send out my 60+ Christmas cards. Although they may actually be New Years' cards instead.

The state of my house has gone drastically downhill which further adds to my sense of being overwhelmed. I can't think clearly when the laundry is threatening to avalanche, or I can't walk across the kitchen floor barefoot for fear of my skin sticking to it and being ripped off, or my bathroom sink and/or toilet start to have vegetation growing out of it. All of these things just make me feel even more out of control. And while Hubby has given me permission to "slack off" for a while, it's just not that easy. I can't turn off my brain and my need sense of order (boy, don't I wish!). It's all just drives me deeper into crazy so instead I end up working myself into a lather, both from the rapid speed at which I fly around trying to DO! IT! ALL! and the frustration that I'm getting no help even though I've voiced my frustration and need for help. Hello? Is this thing on??

~ Make dentist appointment for kids for January.
~ Probably should make a dentist for myself and hubby too.
~ Call Sam's new school to get him on their roster & to try to meet his teacher and get a tour.
~ Order carpet for house; remember to change color choice! I tried to do this the other day and the gal I needed to talk to wasn't there.
~ Return library books.
~ Finish painting the stripe in Sam's room. I did part of this over the weekend, but still need to finish it up.
~ Paint master bathroom.
~ Paint master bedroom.
~ Order or buy Zoe some long sleeved shirts/sweaters.
~ Make vet appointment for Chewie.
~ Mail hair to Locks of Love
~ Mail book for Paperbackswap
~ Get flu shot
~ Clean out kids' closets/dressers for outgrown stuff.
~ Take kids' clothes to consignment store.
~ Balance checkbook & pay bills.
~ Figure out Thanksgiving plans and what I need to cook/bake. Rolls, deviled eggs, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce and a dessert. I may even cheat and buy rolls!

My father-in-law gave me a wise piece of advice though. He said the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Sage advice, but damn I'm gettin' full.

He Huffed & He Puffed...

...and he blew the (out)house down.

Flashback Friday

Hey! It's Friday! That means two things: PAYDAY and time for a Flashback.

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of attending the baby shower of one of my very best friends. While any baby shower is exciting and special, this one was especially so. For the baby we were celebrating was SO very wanted, had been wanted for a very long time before he ever became a reality; a baby that truly was a dream come true. To this day, when I remember the day we were told that this dream was becoming a reality, I still get teary. Michelle will tell you what a big spaz I was about the whole thing. Every. time. I. saw. her.

Anyway, at the shower, we went around the room sharing how we knew the Mother-to-be. So it came to my turn, and I told Michelle that she stood to make some money that day because I'd made a bet with myself that I wouldn't cry and if I did, I'd pay her $10. So I started sharing how I knew her, and how excited I was about this baby...and damnit, I was crying. Of course, she was laughing at me, as any good friend would do, as I shamefully handed over the $10. But they were happy tears and I refuse to apologize for them.

Happy Friday!

Proof

Yesterday, I picked up Sam from school and upon climbing into the van, my sweet son presented me with a handmade card. I confess, I got a bit teary as I read it.

The boy has obviously been listening and knows me pretty well. "My mom likes me. My mom likes red. My mom likes the sun." All very true.

I was so touched that he remembered these things about me that at first I didn't see my favorite one of all:

Thanks buddy. You'll never know how much this means to me.

Anyone know where I can get this laminated?

Box House - Wordless Wednesday

What happens when you get new kitchen cabinets and end up with lots of big boxes?

Daddy makes you an enormous box house to play in!

It's Wordless Wednesday!

Tidbits

There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth in our house right now. Zoë, an avid lover of her "poke" (aka pacifier) has been parted from it. I couldn't find it yesterday before going to work, and Hubby couldn't find it last night so put her to bed without it for the first time EVER. Today, she randomly starts crying "I want my poke. I need my pokey! I need you to find it Mama!" She's 3 years old now and it's time for it to go bye-bye. But she's way more attached to it than Sam was and is so pathetically sad to not have it.

psst...I have a secret. I actually found one of her pokes on the floor in Sam's room this morning. And promptly hid it in my underwear drawer. But I'm still telling her it's lost. Mean? Maybe a little, but it's time. She's still got her other "loveys" (aka comfort items) so she's not lost everything that's near and dear to her heart.

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In other exciting news, I have an eye infection. My right eye has been kind of gummy and gooey the last couple morning, but I just chalked it up to a good night's sleep (ha!) or allergies. But yesterday my eye actually hurt so I called my mom, who is the office manager of an eye dr's clinic, and she said "You doofus. You probably have an eye infection." So she got me in to see one of the doctors who shone (shined?) a bright light in my eyes, oogled my irises from up close, flipped my eyelid inside out and declared "You have an eye infection. In both eyes." So I got some antibiotic eyedrops and have been banned from wearing my contacts for a week. SEVEN WHOLE DAYS of four-eyesedness. I HATE wearing glasses, which is why I got contacts at the age of 13. I'm not happy about this, even though I do look kinda cute in my glasses. I just hate having something on my face and having my vision limited and only in focus directly in front of me. It's icky.

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The best news of the day, however, is that my parents' break ground for their house today!! My mom has been extremely hesitant about building this house, even though it truly is in her best interest (and the only way she'll ever be able to retire), but my dad is forging ahead. And he thinks that, barring any extreme weather and delays, they could have it done by April. They're not going to be doing any of the work themselves and are checking into have their walls pre-made so that the carpenter just has to stand them up and nail them together. That'd save a bunch of time for sure. Anyway, I am thrilled beyond words that all of us living out there together, on our very own little compound, is going to be a reality. As much of a blessing as it is to have our house almost complete, I would always feel like something was missing if we were out there alone. It's always been our dream (mine & my dad's) to live out there, near each other, sharing a garden and fruit trees, the joys and rewards of our labors. We've got all kinds of plans and dreams cooked up and it looks like we'll finally be able to start making those happen.