And so 2007 ends.

We had a fantabulous Christmas this year, thankyouverymuch. I managed to finish all the gifts on time and they came out just as sweet as I hoped. The girls didn’t get lost in an avalance of presents. Instead, we had a very modest stack under our tree for which I was thankful. The big hit were the superhero costumes. I must post the pictures for you of Wonder Woman Leina and Baby Robin Kulia. They are to die for.

As I speak (type?), Kevin is pulling down lights and shelving boxes. Good bye Christmas decorations! Goodbye tree! Goodbye moving reindeer, snowmen, snowflakes, trees, signs, and house lights! (Phew.) I don’t know if I’m going to make a resolution this year. I never keep them, really. I’ll be glad if next year is as good to me as this year was. I really can’t ask for much more.

So tonight, it’s rootbeer floats and a new calendar to hang on the wall. Horray!

Kevin took the girls up to the mountain today to play in the snow. They looked so cute in their snow bibs and coats. It’s horrible cold and rainy down here. I made Kevin take chains. I hope they make it!

I have been working feverishly here in the quiet of an empty house. It struck me last night as I looked over my to-do list that I had forgotten Leina’s teacher. Ack! I immediately thought of a Starbuck’s gift card. But as I thrashed around my little desk, I came across an old neglected pattern for a candle coaster. And since I have all this wool felt and ample time, I thought I’d add it to my Christmas craft list. (Can you say fool of a Took?)

It’s done. Now I’m seriously behind. It’s also beyond cute and I covet it for myself. I’m thinking next year, this may be the present dujour. What do you think?

Of course, I have no cute tea light holder so it looks like I’m braving the rain to hit the Dollar Tree/Target. I have 101 tea light holders somewhere. Why is it when I need one, they have all magically disappeared?!?!

OK, back to the sewing machine. I have one last holiday banner to crank out. Wish me luck.

I was tempted to use this photo for our Christmas cards. The caption could read…

Merry Christmas from a tempermental 4 year old and a rascally 2 year old!

Thank goodness for chocolate santas. It put a smile on Leina’s face and focused Kulia’s energy just enough for me to get a money shot. Watch your mailbox for the final product!

Friday was Kevin’s last day at work until Jan 3rd! Can you believe it? As we speak, he is downstairs fixing me dinner and cleaning the kitchen. Heavenly, I tell you. I foresee much leisure time for me in the next few days. Yes!

On Saturday, I met up with Liza and Traci for breakfast at Mother’s and a Powell’s run. This was Traci’s first time ever at Powell’s. And I was there to witness it! I feel so blessed. A good time was had all around but the highlight for me was bumping into the Barefoot Contessa herself. Yes, Ina and her husband were buying cookbooks at Powell’s and I did a double take when I saw them walk by. It’s very odd when someone who lives on the TV suddenly appears next to you. Very odd indeed.

Driving up to Natalie’s for Owen’s 1st birthday, I started thinking and realized I like the number 3 for women. Now, shopping with your best friend cannot be beat but when it comes to socializing, I think women do best in three. Any more, and you get groups and odd girls out. But with three, there’s enough conversation and laughing to go around. Yes, it was very nice.

On the home front, we are slowly plowing along. We took our Christmas picture today so the cards may be late, but they are coming! Kevin finished hanging the lights on the house and my list of craft presents is moving along very nicely. Of course getting the girls to sit and smile was a real pain. Kulia, rascal that she is, was the most difficult. I’m almost tempted to send this as our Christmas card. That would teach her!

Alright, here they are. The big reveal of the kitchen re-do. I beg of you, please bear in mind that this is most definitely a work in progress. Kindly erase the piles of junk and the chaos you will see in your mind’s eye. Focus on the bones, as they say.

First, the new floors. I don’t find them “red” as Kevin and my dad kept saying. They have a very strong grain to them, however and I do not like how they look next to the existing cabinets. But that will be dealt with. Later.

Next, the bathroom tile. Which I adore. Absolutely. What a difference from the crappy, err, junk linoleum that used to live here. I’ve already decided Kevin is doing this to every bathroom in the house. Poor man.

And finally, the new cabinets that are half-way installed. I have called a truce on this project as it was far to destructive to deal with right now. We hung a new cabinet next to the sink in the former blank spot where the snack shelves used to live. This will be the size of all the kitchen cabinets -all the way to the ceiling, thankyouverymuch. The others, however, will have a sold panel door. My cupboard shelves tend to be a mite, err, messy.

Then, the new kitchen desk. The cupboards are final but the base is still unfinished. It will, eventually, have a countertop and be the same width as the cabinets above with some lighting. But for now, you get the idea. After putting this in, I realized that this unit is the exact amount of storage I have in my kitchen – four cupboards and two drawer units. So with this addition, I will have doubled my space. Is that amazing or what? I love the beadboard doors up above. Those are actually separate and getting this whole monster to level together was a nightmare and then some. Turns out neither our walls or ceiling are level! Who knew? But I’m pleased as punch with the result.

Now all I need is a countertop and I’m ready to go. Of course, I then have to replace the rest of the existing kitchen but that’s minor. Really.

Sigh.

Ok, that’s all I’ve got. You have work to do, Traci, so get to it! And Tutu, you seriously need to get Elmo to overhaul your bathroom. Seriously!

Been a bit spotty on the posts lately and I apoligize. I remember all to well that last torturous week of work before Christmas. You were either insanely busy or mind-numbingly bored. If the later, you are probably trolling the Internet looking for something, anything, to whittle away the hours until you are free. I simpathize. I should have been better about posting this week but I have a few very well rehearsed excuses to offer you.

First, I may not have mentioned this yet, but I’m trying to do a hand made Chrismas this year. To clarify, that would be hand made by me. Kevin has spend the last few days wandering around in a daze as no fresh underwear has appeared in his drawer, we’ve been eating bagged salads which he has to open himself, and he has been left in charge of the children for hours on end. Poor man is a little dazed to say the least. Fortunately, he falls into the bored to tears category at work so his stress level is very low. While mine remains frightenly high. I either have too many friends and family or I didn’t quite budget enough time to complete my projects. Sigh. Spilled milk really.

Second, we are all suffering from a mild stomach bug. No vomiting, thank goodnes. Instead we are all listing about muttering that we have a stomach ache are running to the pot every hour or so. Thank goodness Kulia is still in diapers because we only have 3 toilets and sometimes that are all full. Of course, when I’m changing her horrid diaper I’m not quite as thankful. There have been times during the last few days when poor Leina has had to run from room to room looking for a free toilet. But perhaps this topic is a bit indelicate. Needless to say, we are suffering.

But do not worry, the spirit of Christmas is alive and well. Our tree is up. The Christmas music has been located and is in constant play. My children are watching the required Christmas movies. In fact, last night Leina decided she wanted to go caroling. She would not take no for an answer. Kulia dug out some bells from the music instrument box, Kevin bundled them up, and out they went. They hit all the neighbors and sang them a very special McLaughlin version of Jingle Bells. After serenading the cul-du-sac, Leina wanted to head out and accost, er, I mean, entertain total strangers. It took the promise of hot cocoa and a christmas video to get them to head home. Kevin said it was the most fun he has had in a long time.

The clock is ticking and my stomach is churning so I must dash. I think the downstairs toilet just opened up. It has the best reading material you know. Ok, enough, get back to work. But maybe pictures tomorrow? If there is a demand for them, perhaps? Hum?