Just need to get through the week

mrsconn23

And then I'm on vacation next week.  I have Weds off, which helps things along.  

I finally got over my wrapping hump and am almost finished.  Now we need to finish the shopping.  I'm hoping we can pawn the kids off on my IL's for the weekend so we (I...since he's working Saturday) can get some stuff done.  I thought I was done with DefConn, but I think I want to get him some kinetic sand.  It's so cool. 

Weekend was just OK.  We both worked Saturday.  DH took the kiddo to the Colts game yesterday.  DefConn and I went to pick up gifts my friend made for my nieces and then some packages that my old neighbor was holding for me.  My old neighbor is such a hot mess.  I feel bad for her on one hand, but I also just *smh* because the bullshit is her own making.  I baked like crazy yesterday. I still have more to do.  I put up most of the cookies so I don't get into them, but I still have leftover candy (m&m's and 4 kinds of hershey's kisses) that are just sitting in a bowl on the counter. 

The festive feeling is starting to creep in.  

mrsconn23

So this kid called in about how he's going to propose to his GF and the host asked about their background.  Turns out they're young (in college) and met and church camp and are virgins.  Now I'm listening to some lady on the radio make a duct tape analogy about saving yourself for marriage and how if you're a virgin when you get married, your marriage will work out.  If you're not, your marriage is doomed.  And I'm all:

6fsn

The youth director at Church told the duct tape story one morning.  I just smiled and nodded.

6let asked for the kinetic sand from Santa.  Get it because I'm guessing you'll get years out of it.

I've only wrapped the teacher gifts because they need to go in tomorrow (it's  the last day?!) We do family bday gifts separately and I haven't even wrapped those for Wednesday.  Plus we're doing my family this weekend.

0Face

Weekend was good.  I don't even KNOW how many boxes I packed.  But I'm getting to the stage where I'll just get some boxes ready, empty and just walk around rooms looking for stranded items to pack and throw them in with "SURPRISE" written as the contents. 

H still has to pack all of his clothes, guns, knives, and flashlights.  You know---the stuff I won't touch.  NOPE.  NONE OF IT.  Oh, and his toiletries.  Whereas about 90% of my stuff sits in boxes and is already moved to another location.  I'm on it.  The kitchen is the hardest---you can't pack some stuff and then you have random boxes with half packed items...oops. 

Also, I think we've spent about $150 on boxes...but I don't care.  They're all the same, they are packed nicely, and it works.  Plus we'll most likely gift them to SIL when they move.

VarunaTT

We bought boxes last time we moved and every penny was worth it.  They were in great shape, easier to pack in, easier to pack in the truck, and I didn't have to track them all down.

The weekend was meh.  DH and I argued a lot.  Got to see some good friends Friday night and Sunday day, played some games.  Not much else.

6fsn

Moving boxes are worth it!

mrsconn23

DH and I also argued this weekend, V.  :-/  Super annoying. 

The boxes we bought from Lowe's were the best. We gave them to SIL so she and her MIL could pack up MIL's mom's house and for SIL/BIL's move to GA.  My sister gave us some really, really awesome boxes.  I think she got them from work.  Good boxes are a godsend when moving. 

0Face

I generally dislike Home Depot, but they have some nice boxes that are pretty affordable <<not dirty.

Also, I'm anal about taping.  I tape every side that could possibly tear on the bottom. <<<not dirty

mrsconn23

We also taped an X across the bottom of the boxes to provide extra support. We used a lot of tape, but we didn't have any boxes bottom out. 

GBCK

I have a hoard of copy-paper-boxes from work in my basement for having to move things and ship things.  They are always awesome.

6, if the kinetic sand is like the moon sand (I think it is) don't let them use it in the house.  It's fun and all that but it still crumbles in a sand-like-manner and you can NOT get it out of the fucking cracks between floorboards.

I am totally behind on Christmas, I spent the entire day on saturday baking w/ MIL and SIL.  which led to my back being out.
(and this morning, since it's exam week and workers called in sick/studying/flipping out, I'm abandoning my work so I can keep the anatomy resource center [where you can study from the nice, expensive models and such] open for kids cramming for practicals)

0Face

Christmas?  You know my story---I've purchased ONE gift.  ONE gift---for H.  Otherwise...it'll be a mad scramble, and it'll be just fine. 

Heffalump

U-Haul also sells very nice boxes, and here, at least, they have locations everywhere.  Plus you can see their inventory online, so when I needed a couple of wardrobe boxes before our move, I could see that the one closest to the house was out, but the one by work had tons.  Saved me a trip (and some salty language).

We finally got our tree this weekend.  We were going to last weekend, but DH took the new car to be Scotchgarded and waxed and for all I know gold-plated, and then he came back and had to put the car seats back in, then his boss's boss called about some numbers for a presentation that Monday so they spent 45 minutes hashing those out (all the while the Woozle was whining "Can we go yet?  How much longer?").  By the time they finished, DS was fussy and it was time to feed the kids and put DS down for a nap, and we never did make it.

This weekend, we got up Saturday morning, went out to breakfast, drove straight from there to the tree lot, and honestly got the prettiest tree we've ever had.  Like, I'm pretty sure ever in my entire life.  So it worked out for the best.

Can I vent for a second?  So my cousin who was having severe memory problems and possibly schizophrenia is back in the hospital.  He is heavily sedated and on a breathing tube--they're hoping to remove the tube today, but no one knows what will happen.  My mom works at a church, so they're super busy with Christmas fast approaching.  My aunt and uncle discussed the possibility of having my grandma stay with my mom while they went up to be with Cousin.  So my mom texted me and was like "I have W, X, Y, and Z all scheduled, if Grandma comes do you have any time to stay with her so I can do all that?!?!"  And of course I said yes.  And then that was that, nothing came of it.

So this morning my mom sends my brother and me this venty email about how my aunt hasn't told her anything about what's going on with cousin, just the thing about the sedation/breathing tube/trying to remove it, Aunt just says that she doesn't want to talk about it.  My mom says that she called Friday and Saturday and Aunt didn't call her back, and then when she called my Grandma (who lives with Aunt and Uncle) for their weekly Sunday call, she talked to Aunt, who said she didn't want to talk about it.  And according to my mom, she asked "Why?  What happened?" and hasn't gotten any answers.

OTOH, I know that it's family, and my mom loves her sister, and her nephew (Cousin).  And I know she's genuinely worried--who wouldn't be?  But Jesus H., she said she doesn't want to talk about it, respect that and quit badgering her, you know?  And now my mom is complaining that she doesn't know if or when my grandma will be arriving, and I sort of want to say "And your sister doesn't know if her son will even be able to breathe without a machine, so just chill, okay?"  Ambiguity drives my mother insane, but her way of dealing with it is to get completely obsessive and it's not constructive.  /vent

ETA:  I had no idea that was going to be so long, sorry.  ::breathes deeply::

GBCK

families are hard. And medical limbo is hard.  And wanting to kick your mom in the shins is hard.

mrsconn23

I feel for ya Heffa.  I'm sorry that there's no good answers regarding your cousin.  

My mom is also being bonkers regarding my grandma.  She's leaving tonight for TX with my uncle.   She's not dealing well with the uncertainty either.  I really hope for everyone's sake, especially my grandma, that the surgery goes well.  

Heffalump

GBCK said:

families are hard. And medical limbo is hard.  And wanting to kick your mom in the shins is hard.

LOL.  I'm really trying to cut her some slack, because having something big happening and not knowing the details is like her all-time worst possible scenario.  It's like snakes or spiders or something to someone else.  But she gets a little myopic and I think some perspective would be healthy here.

@ GBCK kitty vibes, @mrs.conn successful surgery vibes, @6fsn healthy ear vibes, and all-around good health vibes for everyone.

(@Heffalump vibes because DH wants to get together with FIL and sMil over the holidays.  As in the 2014 holidays that begin next week.  At least he didn't wait until the weekend before, so that's progress.)

Oh, and I was a Christmas machine this weekend.  Everyone is done except for my mom and brother, and some odds and ends for the kids.  And I wrapped all the presents that started rolling in over the past week.  I win Christmas.

6fsn

I'm sorry Heffa. That's tough on everyone including you.

GBCK

The Mr. texted me that he was waiting for a callback from the vet.

We're pretty sure we know what the score is, but we need to confirm and see what to do.

That was like 2 hours ago and he hasn't texted/called again.
(Sick kitty's favorite thing in the ENTIRE WORLD is the tree skirt under the Christmas tree.  She spent most of the weekend there and I think officially, we're going to leave the tree up as long as humanly possible this year for her.  I'm glad she's laying on the velvety threadbear skirt that she claimed as her own 10 years ago)

0Face

I'd do the same thing GBCK.

Heffa--your mom sounds like my MIL.  Not knowing at all times what is GOING ON, drives her bonkers.  *vibes for your aunt and cousin*

VarunaTT

Boo at all of our family dramas.  I always go back and forth b/c I'm like, "Varuna, be understanding of another person and their feelings and motivations."  Then I get, "DAMMIT WHY CAN'T THEY DO THE SAME FOR ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!???"  Ah, being human.  

We bought our boxes from UHaul as well.  I puffy heart LOVE the wardrobe box and the dishes boxes.  I will never ever ever move again w/out the wardrobe box.  EVER.  The others were just nice, but that wardrobe box is just amazing to use.  Also, we passed ours out to friends afterwards.  We charged 50% of what we paid with the agreement that everyone passed it on for 50% of what they paid. Last time I heard was about three years ago and some were still in circulation, but were finally getting on their last legs.  I think all told, the boxes went through five moves.

0Face

I must look for this wardrobe box and then kick myself for not knowing about it. 

ETA: Those are nice!  A little $$ but nice.

VarunaTT

It's basically a huge box that has a nice big side opening, with a rod in it, so that you can keep your clothes on the hanger, close up the side, and send it to the truck.  Portable closet, really.  Andplusalso, if you're not ready to move into your bedroom yet (like we weren't b/c we were redoing floors), it works as a closet decently enough.

PMeg819

Morning. This weekend was okay. Friday night I had a girl's night at a friend's house. Too much wine but plenty of laughing and I needed that. I went to bed late (around 1 am) and was woken up pretty much every hour by one of the kids.

Saturday I was exhausted and irritable- but managed to take a nap. My parents picked up the kids to take them to Santa which was a mess. A week ago I texted my mom and told her to make a reservation, but surprise surprise she didn't because "they never have to wait". Well when they got there it was a 2 hour wait. DS was disappointed so they took him to the Disney store. So I gave them two happy smiling kids and got two grumpy kids, one of which won't stop talking about all the stuff at the Disney Store he wants.

Sunday I did some cleaning. I've decided I am hiring a housekeeper again in 2015.

I woke up this morning and DD has pink eye. DS is fine, thankfully. I hope this week goes by fast. Thursday is my last day of work until the 29th.

Heffalump

Oh, and we randomly saw Santa in the restaurant parking lot after dinner Saturday.  He was wandering around, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and handing out candy canes.  DD was all  O _ O

mrsconn23

Heffalump said:

Oh, and we randomly saw Santa in the restaurant parking lot after dinner Saturday.  He was wandering around, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and handing out candy canes.  DD was all  O _ O

We saw a guy at the store on Friday evening who looked like an off-duty Santa (white beard, flannel, jeans with red suspenders). DefConn was all, "SANTA!" and the guy laughed and was all, "yeah, sure."  DefConn IMMEDIATELY starts throwing his brother under the bus for the jerky, big brother things he does to him.  Santa was like, "UH sure, OK."  I was all, "OK.  Yeah, let's go down THIS aisle!"  *smh*

Heffalump

mrs.conn23 said:

DefConn IMMEDIATELY starts throwing his brother under the bus for the jerky, big brother things he does to him. 

Have you ever heard the Great Big Box of Rocks song?  I never had until one of the classes sang it at DD's "Culture Show" this year:
http://stacysrandomthoughts.com/2010/12/box-of-rocks-mondays-music-moves-me/