Christmas comes once a year, every year, and consistently in December. Why then, does it always manage to take me by surprise? Why am I always scrambling frantically through the last few days beforehand, stretched to super human limits to accomplish it all, only to be left frazzled and exhausted by the end of it? You would think, that at some point, I would learn to plan ahead. If I would plan ahead a little better, maybe by next December 23, I will not be ready to strangle my family members for doing innocent things like eating cookies and drinking milk while standing in the kitchen. That should not be bothering me as much as it is right now. Also, I should not be as annoyed as I am by the dog, who is just standing by the back door, innocently eating her dog food. Her disgustingly noisy dog food.

Anyway, besides Christmas, the other thing that has us stretched to our limits right now is this: Dan got laid off from his job. We got the news on December 18. Merry Christmas to us, Mr. Scrooge. I don't think the reality of that sentence has really sunk into my brain yet. I've cried and cursed and wrung my hands over the situation, but it doesn't feel real yet. I have to keep repeating it: Dan got laid off from his job. I have written that sentence out many times over the past few days, in texts and messages to people, and there is really nothing funny about it. Except that every time I write it, I think maybe this will be the time I mess it up and just write Dan got laid. Whoa. How would you like to get that text message? I think I better start writing Dan WAS laid off from his job. Or maybe Dan HAS BEEN laid off from his job. Dan LOST his job? However you say it, it pretty much sucks for us.

So what is the plan from here? No clue. We are in the throes of Christmas, and as irrational as it sounds, we really can't worry about a silly thing like employment until we accomplish Christmas. He does have a little severance pay coming as well, so we are putting off dealing with the coming financial crisis til next week
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The day of the lay off was not all bad though. It was also my wonderful dad's 80th birthday. I don't know when he got to be 80. He sure doesn't act his age. We had a big, noisy, happy, full-house birthday party for him a couple of days before, and even got him in the birthday hat for a minute! He was a good sport about the whole thing. In fact, I think he even enjoyed it.

These are just a few of the many dear friends and family members who showed up to wish him a happy birthday. We partied for 6 solid hours, and if I do say so myself, it was a roaring success. Mark and Carla flew out from Chicago to spend a few days and get in on the fun too.

At the end, we surprised him with a new flat screen TV. I daresay it was the biggest birthday party my dad ever had, and he deserved every minute of it. Here's hoping that there are many many more birthdays coming up for him and Mom both. They are the best parents a girl could ask for.

Another Exciting Episode of Gingerbread Shacks

Posted on December 18, 2012

Yep, it’s that time of year again, where Amy and I (and this year Melissa!) temporarily suspend our sanity and good judgement and turn our collective broods loose with piles and pounds of graham crackers, frosting, cookies, crackers, marshmallows and candy candy candy!!
The quality of design and decoration gets better every year.