At the end of a shopping Saturday

I felt awful this morning. And last night. A wonderful massive cold is hitting me and thus begins my illicit winter romance with Nyquil, Vicks and NeoCitrain.


I let myself sleep in this morning. til 11 AM. It's been a long long time since I did that. Obviously I must have needed that. As I curled up with my coffee, I went over my list of things I still had to purchase. Added to my list I started last week were things for my student teacher, 4 gifts for our big game exchange Christmas Eve and  the items for my husband.


I came up with the Stop 1, Stop 2, Stop 3 plan of attack so I knew where I was going, in what order, and what I needed at each stop.


I knew it was going to be busy. There are not a lot of places to shop at in this small town of ours, but they are busy, nevertheless. It is also cold, snowy and blowy. Add to that, difficulty parking and long lines at the cash register.


I approached it all with a very zen like attitude. I vowed I would be calm, relaxed and not frustrated at all of those elements and it wouldn 't be too awful.


Yanno what? it actually worked.  I didn't let the slow lines bother me. I didn't let the traffic in the narrow store lanes bother me. I parked at the far end of lines, not circling frantically, as some sharks, hoping that elusive spot by the doors would appear.


At home I dumped everything in my bedroom. Things have to be wrapped pretty much immediately as there isn't much for hiding places in my wee home. I had DS1 help me wrap the ones for his father. I wrapped the Santa gifts, on behalf of the white bearded man himself.


I sorted out the 2 prize gifts for a big game I am playing with my students on Tuesday morning.  I was actually very disappointed when I went to Walmart at their selection of candy. There were NO candycanes. No little bags of kisses or the other generic Candy. I always give my students a treat bag as they head out on the last day and right now, the items in each bag are quite inadequate. Now I have to figure out a plan B and see who has something at reasonable prices. It takes about an hour to pack those treat bags so I guess I need to figure it out by tomorrow.


I still need to cook up the food for our classroom potluck. That will have to go on tomorrow's list as well.


DS1 is playing hockey away in another city tomorrow and his father is going but I think, for peace of mind, I need to stay at home and get more of these items off my 'to do' list so I can feel on top of things.

And now, the dishes are done, my to do lists are finished, the pressies are wrapped, and I do believe, it's time for a glass of wine.

Holy what a week

Yup AWOL I have been.

On the first day of this week (Monday), my schedule gave to me: One Scouting Potluck Supper

On the second day of this week, my schedule gave to me: 2 studentwide activities and  a hockey game for DS1 and me

On the third day of this week my schedule gave to me:1 staff meeting, day 1 of secret santa, 1 DS1 hockey game and a three hour band concert for DS2 and me

On the fourth day of this week my schedule gave to me:one evening of winter festival at school. short concert, carols, sleigh rides, crafts, toffee in the snow, skating, and a bonfire built by little ole me.

On the fifth night of this week my schedule gave to me: one lunch for parents and the students hosted by the homeroom of little ole me.

On the first night of the weekend, my schedule gave to me: 1 pair of jammies, 1 scented candle, 1 tree a glowing and a glass of white wine ice cold for me.

Amazing house

I stumbled across this link last night and was quite amazed at the ingenuity of the design. This apartment in Hong Kong is only about 350 square feet, yet through some amazing walls, it transforms over and over again. It certainly puts the concept of McMansions to shame.

The first 45 seconds are scenes from the city and then it gets to the good stuff.

ahhh the joys of having kids :-)

So yesterday was a wonderfully lazy work day at home. On my ta done list:

• tree up with lights (no decorations yet)
• 12 presents wrapped
• 12 loads of laundry done
• cleaning bathrooms and floors
• moved in the boys' new boxspring and mattress their father bought thlem
• lists of things to do and buy
• roasted chicken supper
• messing with my boys' heads

So I decided to be a bit different in the labelling of the gifts. Like all kids, the boys like to look at the presents and do their guessing. I always put things in different boxes or weigh them down to make it harder to guess. I added to that, the following:

Oh yeah, that's right! I coded them by Alphabet, not by the name of the child. I kept track in a little book what each lettered gift was and who it goes to.

And what do my boys think?

DS1 (Age 16) "Oh mom!!! that's mean!!!! you're cruel! Are they colour coded??? Do the letters on the gifts refer to what's inside????"

DS2 (Age 13) "oh mom you're really messing with DS1's head. Love it!!!"

lol

Snowy Saturday

There are huge lovely flakes falling down outside. Nothing like our neighbours in Ontario and the states below, but still lovely. I have to admit that we prairie folk often see the amounts of snow the eastern folk get, and we're a bit envious. Even my students "ohhhh that would be so cool to get that much snow". I know I know there are all sorts of ramifications that surround that amount of snow, but we do often wish for that experience.

I have nowhere I really NEED to be today. It was absolutely delicious to wake up late, and savour my coffee while curled up in my jammies. I watched a bit of HGTV and felt wonderfully lazy.

On the list today

• a mess of laundry and cleaning.
• a wonderful home made supper which I haven't figured out yet
• tidying up the bill corner; filing what is finished; plans for those not yet
• going over my Christmas budget- what I've purchased and what is left
• making a list of what is left to buy, categorized by store to make for more efficient shopping
• bringing in the tree and letting the branches fall. decorate tonight or tomorrow
• 2 chapters of an Inquiry teacher reference book to read
• plot out my Secret Santa gifts and which days I will give them.
• sending DS1 with the baskets of paper to the recycling when he goes to ref hockey. the bin depot is next to the rink.

My buzzer is about to go. The house is wafting with the smell of fresh made cinnamon buns