Did you accomplish anything today?

[kellyt]

Yes, I have Christmas cookies cooling on the rack and some that have already been iced.   
Still haven't got the tree up, though.   

[Nicolefish18]

Oooooh, another wedding for us to plan!  Keep us posted and start practicing your surprised face!

Oh I will for sure keep everyone posted! 




Edited: Fixed quote tag error - okarol/admin

[okarol]

I slept late. I ate. So far it's been a great day. 

[looneytunes]

Went to the local small town Christmas Parade which was quaint with Mr. and  Mrs. Santa, a Nativity float, the fire truck loaded with little kiddos and the high school marching band.  Lots of horses and even a cart pulled by a team of goats. 

[kitkatz]

Helped Mama decorate for Christmas at her house.  Went Christmas shopping at Kay Jewelers.  Oh pretties!  Picked up EMLA prescription at Walgreen's. Big Lots is dangerous.

[Riki]

haven't done anything today, except try to protect the neighbors dog from my cat, when the dog decided he wanted to visit just as Bro opened the back door.. *LOL*

I think Mom said something about tackling the artificial Christmas tree that my grandfather gave us a few years ago.  He says that it's all numbered.. *L*

Bro is here, hiding from his gf.. *L*  so, with the 3 of us here, we should be able to figure it out.

[jbeany]

Riki - artificial tree tip - put the lights on each layer before you add the next layer of branches.  Much easier!

So far, nothing much besides getting the baking list organized for the big bake-off with Sis next week.  I'm procrastinating on finishing studying for tomorrow's final exam in Business Law.  I'm ready to be done!

[Pam]

Good luck on that test jbeany!
I cleanedd the panry and then spent the rest of the day waatching our first winter storm. Snow 8in so far and wind wind. sure hope the road crews are out early. Have to leave for "D" at 5:20 am.

[kitkatz]

I have packages ready to go out the door. I did Christmas cards last night.

[cariad]

I announced to the kids this morning that we were staying in all day due to weather. They did go out briefly to the grocery round the block, but that was it. They stayed in and worked on art for Santa and Aidan worked on his Welsh project. I finished writing copy for work. I have to follow up on a really boring part of the job tomorrow, pestering people for information. I have procrastinated much too long on this. Plan to wake up for 5:30ish and try to get this done. My four-year-old was in a terrible mood today and did not want to speak to anyone. Cannot stand it when he gets like this. We tried all of the usual tricks and nothing seemed to work. He's actually been like this all weekend - extremely defiant, with loads of backchat. Gwyn put him in his room today, but had to hold the door shut to stop him walking out. At one point Liot screamed "I know you can't stand there all day!" Sheesh, who is teaching this lad how to push all our buttons. I think he was exhausted, though, because the last time we put him in his room he fell asleep, and it was not even 7 in the evening.

Anyway, since he does not express himself well at all, tonight I've had Santa buy him a Kimochi Cat doll - a little soft toy that has a front pocket with different emotions you can put in there to describe feelings. I read good things from other buyers, just hope he cottons to it. Got some other Christmas shopping done online. I think I'm just about done, at least for the boys. I wanted to buy a white truffle for Gwyn as his big gift. Of all places, Costco is selling them, but I don't know how to judge if it is decent enough quality. Also, it says you must eat it within 72 hours so I would have to time it too perfectly and then insist that he prep it immediately. Too much pressure. I'll think of something else.

[MooseMom]

I accomplished 12 hours of sitting on my butt watching three football games all in a row.

Cariad, I'd be really interested to hear how your son takes to the Kimochi Cat doll.

[needlephobic]

Been going through my late parents things and we found old mother day cards and father day cards us kids gave them many years ago can't believe they still had them

[cariad]

MM, I will be sure to report back after Christmas on whether Liot accepted the cat. The comments from other buyers gave me many ideas on how to use it. Even adults have apparently used these dolls to improve communication in marriage. (I'll admit, I found that peculiar, but if it works for them who cares!)

Have not accomplished much today. I went to labs. Now, I know you must be thinking "But aren't you on a Monday/Thursday course, cariad?" for naturally you all have memorized my schedule. Yes, normally I am. But yesterday Gwyn and I ended up in one of those Let's entirely reassess our marriage from top to bottom discussions just as I was about to leave. Two hours later, it was a bit too late to bother. I knew the conversation was important enough, so never mind the labs.

Today, I received a positively brilliant compliment at work. One of my primary functions is to write copy for other companies to sell their products and services. Apparently, in the past, the company that we work for would put their own copyright on these little pitch pieces since they are the ones who run the program and pay for everything. Today, our liaison at this massive company told me that they have been putting their copyright on these for years and no one objected, and then out of the blue she is getting demands from customers that this big company take their copyright stamp off these little adverts. She said to me "You've done such a good job, I can see why they are all fighting to retain their own rights to this copy." This company has now had to make what she termed a "global change" and no future writeups will feature their copyright. I am beyond flattered. Not that I entertain any grand illusions that what I do has any significance to the world whatsoever, but it's still lovely to receive recognition.

Somewhat ironically, I suppose, I now have writer's block and cannot seem to get the last two finished. My deadline is tonight, so it may be a late evening for me.

[chook]

Relax, cariad Enjoy the compliment and take it as it was meant. Don't let it cause you performance anxiety. It is lovely that you have been recognised for your work.
I have my Christmas cards almost done. I make them from last year's cards - revamp them, and think they look pretty good. Would probably be cheaper and easier to just buy some but I love doing it. I especially like sending back to someone the card they send me last year - all cut out and re-glued of course. Small things, I know.
Now for the present wrapping!

[okarol]

chook - you made your cards?? wow! 
I am sick with a cold and it doesn't look like I will get to mail any in time.
I managed to order a couple things for Jenna online so I did accomplish something.

[jbeany]

I received the official report from the sheriff's department about the 3 car pile-up fender bender I was in on Monday, and called my insurance agent to let him take care of the rest.  Nothing like getting rear-ended on the ice 15 minutes before an exam to settle your nerves.     (I'm pretty sure I aced it anyhow, but it might have been easier to focus without a whiplash headache!

I also studied for tomorrow's exam and made heart-shaped frosted sugar cookies to pass out with my presentation for my spreadsheet class.  My state uses little red heart stickers on your driver's license to show that you are a registered donor, so I figured I'd go with the theme.  I didn't have a kidney shaped cookie cutter, or I'd have gone with that, too.

[okarol]

wow jb, i missed seeing you had an accident. Here's hug  Good luck!

[natnnnat]

I made it to uni.   

[Poppylicious]

Riki - artificial tree tip - put the lights on each layer before you add the next layer of branches.  Much easier!

Pffft, I knew I should have come on here before putting my tree up this morning!

That's my accomplishment ... I put the tree up and made the house look a little bit sparkly.  Then I wrapped some more presents.  Yay! Nearly done. Now, where's the blasted bathroom man?

 

[thegrammalady]

i cleaned the kitchen and ran the dishwasher this morning, something i have been ignoring since the kiddos were here saturday. three boys make a lot of noise and clutter. baking cookies and bakers clay ornaments makes a lot of dirty dishes. (used all the paper plates) recently i've been tempted to dig a hole, crawl in and have someone else cover me up.

[cariad]

Thanks for the encouragement, chook! Don't know how you gathered that I was feeling the pressure of living up to that compliment, but you were absolutely right. I did manage to get over it and just do the writing.

Hellish day! Teacher appreciation, Sandwich Day for the four-year-olds, dinner party for the older kids. We signed up to bring boule, and then Gwyn got called in for his first day of work this morning, so guess who was left to make the last two boule? I delivered the kids to their respective schools, dropping off one boule with butter and jam to Liot's school, drove home, wrote an apologetic email to the PTA president backing out of a meeting we were going to have (I wasn't prepared), baked two boule (dough was made, thankfully) worked for about 4 hours, wrote a bit on IHD, answered the door about 5 times - mostly packages being delivered for Christmas, but the last was a woman wanting some free kid items that we had put on Freecycle. Gwyn did not check his email to tell me she was coming round. Then I couldn't find the damn Spiderman boots, so I had to phone Gwyn while this woman stood awkwardly in my foyer. For some reason known only to himself, Gwyn had placed them in the basement. Oh well, found everything and decluttered the house that little bit.

Made self more presentable, drove to Aidan's school to pick him up from basketball, drove to his after-school program where he was bouncing off the walls in excitement, collected younger child, Gwyn met us there. Started search for our bread knife that I had left with the teachers this morning. Concerned because we were not successful, but then had a delightful time at the kids' dinner party. The teacher had each family make an art project representing our family. I pitched some red paper and cellophane at Gwyn and told him to cut out a dragon. Aidan and I pasted a white and green sheet together, then we taped the dragon on top and voila, a Welsh flag. Then we each wrote something in Welsh on there. Gwyn read the Welsh, Aidan translated, and then Gwyn read the longest place name in Europe to everyone and translated it. Aidan has always known how to play to a crowd.

We are home now. Back to work.

[jbeany]

 

Exams are done!  Time to party!

Or sleep for a week, take your pick.

Waiting for final grades to come in within the next two weeks.  I took a course on Excel spreadsheets, Business Law, and Paralegal 101.  Apparently all too easy for me - my grades going into the finals were, respectively, a 98%, a 99%, and 101%.  (Can you tell the last one offered a wee bit too much extra credit?  I only did half of it, really.)

I plead guilty to the charge of being an overachiever, your Honor.   

[galvo]

Got my car through registration. PTL.

[ChickenLittle56]

Took my parents to the Bus station so they can ride it to San Antonio. They'll stay overnight there and then catch the plane to Chicago. They'll be gone 2 weeks so I am going to have to sleep in the main house instead of the back house where I am staying, When I got back I went around the property to make everything was closed and locked up.
The only concern that I had was that my mom had what I thought to thin of a coat when they arrive in Chicago. I called up my sister and made sure they have have a much warmer coat just in case. They haven;t been up there in the winter for several years so when they step out the building they'll remember why they left Chicago.

[cariad]

A huge winter cleaning day - you should see Gwyn, what a wreck he looks tonight. We are repainting what we call the Play Room which is our largest area in the house and also happens to have vaulted ceilings. I think we'll just pay to have the higher portions done. I mostly managed some laundry and tidying of the kitchen. My older son had one of his  best friends over for a play date. They spent about 4 hours sat in front of the wii. (Well, not exactly sat, I suppose, but close enough.) I took my little guy to Whole Foods and he was such an angel. I asked him what sort of mushrooms we should buy and he advised shitake. I bought him truffles (the chocolate kind, not the mushroom) for behaving himself so well.

Contacted someone advertising on Craigslist that she will professionally wrap gifts. I am so done with staying up until 4AM every Christmas Eve. This is our present to ourselves. I just hope the person responds or we'll be forced to put a desperate listing up on Craigslist.

We were supposed to go to a big party last night, but the hosts called at the last minute to say that their little girl was ill and they had to cancel. Disappointing, especially for my older son because their son is another of his best friends. Luckily, we received and invite from one of his favourite school friends. This little boy is Latino, but his parents are Irish. They are holding a really clever party in which everyone is to bring a wine or beer and we'll have an improvised tasting. The only dilemma is what to bring. We shall be traveling by taxi for that one, which should thrill the children no end.

I also frantically completed my shopping for my parents which was just about the most aggravating experience in the world. I kept phoning one, then the other, to get help with their gifts. My father loves caramel apples. Did you know that Williams-Sonoma has the cheek to charge $23 per apple!!! Blimey! Everywhere else wanted over $20 to ship. So, I phoned their local Whole Foods and ordered 8 apples to be held for my mother. Now that I think about, I should have requested delivery. I'll ring them back tomorrow. Maybe some keen bakery boy will do it for a sawbuck.

I bought Jim Lahey's no-work bread book for my mother, which required having my father email me pictures of the cast iron dutch oven she owns. It will work, but why does she have a cast iron dutch oven from Lodge? This makes me suspect that she already owns the book - that book has doubled sales of this pot, I am certain. So, I also bought her a cookware grade Himalayan salt block. I did not want to pay the extra shipping, and Santa Barbara was in the 3-day zone, so I am hopeful it will arrive on time. Other than relieving the local liquor store of all of their beers with insulting titles (this is a tradition between Gwyn and me) I think I've completed my Christmas shopping. Yes!!!