A Calm in the Storm

This chilly morning started at four a.m. when the toaster woke me up. Mitch was up and getting ready to head out in the windy sub-zero to stand outside in line for three hours, waiting to register for a class at the tech college. The classes fill up so quickly that people actually wait in line starting at 4:30 in the morning to be sure and get the class they want. I thought he was crazy, but it paid off, and he got into his class. But after he left, I could not get back to sleep. So I tossed and turned for 2 more hours before I finally got up to a to-do list three miles long, two kids who had to leave for school a half hour earlier than normal in order to get their swine flu shots, and a four-year old who refused to get dressed for preschool until we drew a girl reindeer, colored it and cut it out. Then at work, I missed by ONE POINT passing off a test that would have gotten me a 10% raise. Now I have to wait 30 days before I can try again. I got home from work only to hear that Duncan had run away. Again. He and Will were fighting over something stupid, and a battle was a'brewin. It was setting up to be a long, long night.

But we must have got some kind of Christmas miracle. Tonight was perfect. In just over three hours, my adept parenting skills narrowly managed to avert a brotherly meltdown, we had a sit down dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, did family night, made no-bake cookies, practiced violins, did baths and got everybody in bed by nine. Well, everybody of school age anyway. Olivia, who had a two hour nap at preschool today, is still up and going strong. But still, if every night could be as productive as this one, I might occasionally be on top of things.

More in line with the way this month is really going for us is the fact that it is December 7 and we only just got our advent calendar hung up. That was okay though, Audrey and Olivia were most happy to be able to dig out seven little surprises all at one time.

If I don't start shopping soon, the advent calendar may be the only surprises anybody gets this year. The kids are a little worried that we don't have any presents under the tree yet. Audrey, in desperation, finally wrapped up something in two little envelopes, addressed them to mom and dad, and stuck them under the tree, just so there would be SOMETHING there. She is hoping that the next presents that get put under there are a little bigger. And maybe with TO AUDREY written on the tag.