Down on the Homestead 12/25-12/31

**AmyBoz** · 12-25-2005, 01:51 PM

Well, to all who are celebrating, Merry Christmas! To anyone who celebrates Hannukah, I hope that the first night of your holiday is magical! To anyone celebrating anything else or not celebrating at all, happy Sunday!

Yesterday we had Christmas with my in-laws. I did not get to go. I woke up at 5:00 am with a stomach bug that had me in the bathroom all day. (sorry) Rob took the kids for awhile. They had fun, which made me happy. I woke up feeling better this morning, so I'm guessing it was a 24-hour bug. My in-laws actually had it last week, so they may have given it to me last Sunday.

Today, Patrick was up at 6:00, and Julia was up at 7:00. Julia was very excited to see that Santa had come, and was quite pleased with the 4 presents he brought. Patrick had no interest in opening his gifts, but now that they are open, he's thoroughly enjoying his electronic drumset. (After four hours of drums, I, however, think that perhaps I, I mean Santa, was a little loony the day I, I mean, he purchased that particular item, despite the fabulous sale price!)

Patrick has now napped, and as soon as Rob is ready, we'll be heading to my parents for the rest of the day. My mother already called and spoke to Julia who is very excited to hear that Santa made a drop at their house, too.

The only glitch in the day is Miss Smartypants said, "Hmmm...Santa used some of the same wrapping paper we did." I came up with "Maybe he forgot to wrap some of the gifts and borrowed some of ours." That got me a raised eyebrow and a "hmmm...maybe."

I hope you are all thoroughly enjoying your day and I can't wait to hear how your respective holidays/Sundays were spent!

**Mom23boys** · 12-25-2005, 06:34 PM

Merry Christmas!!

Woke up to start cinammon rolls and sausage kaloches. The boys emptied their stockings and then we went next door to the in-laws to open gifts this morning. After all that excitement we came home to open our gifts. My dad stopped by and delivered a few more gifts that he said got misplaced the other night.

I hate to say it, but I am glad the hooplah is over. I just want to rest and relax without being stressed about gifts and wondering what I forgot.

Enjoy your time with your family!

**seatosea** · 12-25-2005, 07:39 PM

Hi homesteaders!
Glad you are feeling better Amy.
Trying to get myself ready for hopefully the last wild work week until the next holiday season! Had a huge dinner today which will be lo's for lunches most of the week.
I have lots of books stacked up to drop off for donation tomorrow sitting along side everything else I need to take tomorrow.
It is snowing and we have shoveled and swept except for the cars. DH has tomorrow off and will be supervising installation of an outside heating pipe. He could do it himself but we have a very old, large victorian and when he got so far up on the ladder he just could not go up any further.

I certainly don't blame him.

**dwallyfam** · 12-25-2005, 07:44 PM

Well woke up this morning and had breakfast with some of the family. Didn't do anything special since dinner was at noon. When my sister and her family arrived at 10 finished exchanging presents. Dinner was wonderful. Used the good paper plates (dads suggestion) and it made cleanup a breeze. Afte everyone left I took a nap and now just trying to but everything away and cleanup. Have some yummy leftovers for this week.

This week I will be spending most of dejunking and trying to cleanup the house since I am off.

Kellie

**Mom23boys** · 12-26-2005, 08:51 AM

Good morning homesteaders!

I am ready to jump on Amy's declutter bandwagon. I have lots I want to accomplish, but think I will run out of time before going back to work next week.

I need to study some more for my test as well. I think I will set aside an alloted time each day this week. I think that will hold me accountable.

I have 3 items that need to be returned to Wal-Mart. I am not sure if I want to brave the crowds today or wait. I am trying to decide if alot of others had to return back to work....thinking it will be less crowded this way.

**owiebrain** · 12-26-2005, 12:14 PM

I had the flu last week and, being the generous type, I shared it with the kids and hubby.

Hubby started coming down with it Friday and the kids started in on Saturday. Sunday was the worst of it, I hope! Holy cow, everyone was in bad shape! I've had them all doped up on mega doses of vitamin C, elderberry syrup, and hibiscus tea and they seem to be improving a bit now.

No progress on much of anything with everyone being sick but I did manage to make 4 batches of fudge (still need to make 6 more) to give to the neighbors as presents. I was intending to get them done on Friday so we could take it down to them on Christmas Eve but... LOL We'll just have to give it to them when we're not also giving them the flu. I don't think they'd like that.

Ah, the boys are all fighting right now so I guess they are feeling a bit better. LOL

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

**forestdale** · 12-26-2005, 05:08 PM

Hello ladies!

I wish I had time to do more here but DH is sick again and I've been working at the store. I'm back there again today. I'll be back as soon as possible.

hugs to you all!

**marym** · 12-26-2005, 05:23 PM

I'm just resting today. DH and I went out this morning and I dreaded coming home because I had a messy kitchen to clean up. I was too tired last night so I left it for the morning (not smart).

Lo and behold! We walked in the door and I smelled bleach! My youngest DS stopped by and cleaned the entire kitchen. He bleached the sink and countertops, everything looked wonderful.
Needless to say he got the biggest hug from Mom and Dad. He has earned brownie points for that one! lol

My boys drove me CRAZY when they were teen, but they have grow up quite nicely. So all you Moms of teens, "There is hope"

All is quite and clean on the homestead today!

**dwallyfam** · 12-26-2005, 10:44 PM

Well today was kinda quiet. Didn't go out until after 12 hoping to avoid the day after christmas people. Went to Best Buy so DD could get something with a GC. Went to Joann's and I did really good only spending $27. Came home and decluttered a kitchen utensil drawer and the appliance cabinet. Have a big pile to take to charity. Ordered the books for the book club from library.

On a less happy note found out that DH and I need to give his parents more attention. They are struggling health and financial wise. Thought we can't give them money, we need to find ways to help them provide for themselves. Right now the only thing they are living on is SS and they are below the poverty line with that. MIL can't get Medicare yet so she has no insurance and has the worst health problems. MIL hasn't wanted to mention this to me or DH since I have been dealing with my dad since my mom died earlier this year. She didn't want me to feel overburdened. Out of everyone in DH's family I am the only one that can figure out any paperwork and call people to get them the help they need. So 2006 will be a very busy year.

I have gotten to scrap and sew a little bit today. Right now I am getting ready to snuggle into bed with my new book S is for Silence that I got for christmas.

Kellie

**Strawberry** · 12-26-2005, 11:20 PM

Hi everyone

We had a quiet Christmas this year; it was wonderful

We spent lots of family time together watching a few movies and playing many games.

It's been so busy before Christmas that I decided to take a few days to relax. I'll still do some general housework and I'll need to bake bread but I'm going to try book some books I've picked up. They are due back soon but I didn't have time to do much reading so I'm hoping for a few quiet days.

I'm going to have a nice long bath and then go to bed to read.

Rhonda, I hope your dh feels better soon.

**homesteadmamma** · 12-27-2005, 10:47 AM

Good morning everyone.

Rhonda, I hope your dh is feeling better soon.

Kim, I hear congratulations are in order.

Miss you tons!!

We had a wonderful Christmas. It was quiet, just the way I like it. I cooked a small turkey which was devoured in a couple days. The kids were pleased with their gifts and dd loved the family gift.

Yesterday was spent pretty much baking and reading. I didn't even get into my sewing room to do any quilting. I need to definitely do some quilting today. Dh gave me a new quilting book and it's awesome. I can't wait to get started making some of the quilts in the book. Course I picked the book out which helped.

Later today I need to get over to the po to clean.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Tues.

**jzkitten** · 12-27-2005, 02:30 PM

Been having internet withdrawals. Computer was messing up off and on all day yesterday. Finally figured out was was wrong last night before I went to sleep. Got up and fixed it this morning. Yea!!!

DH had some friends up last night, trying to introduce me to some new people. I don't know anyone here as we left all our friends in TN, but it takes me a while to feel comfortable with new people. We had coffee and played cards. Guess it wasn't so bad. I'm really shy and quiet and my DH is just the opposite!!

Took tree down today, need to organize all Christmas decorations before packing them back up again.

Will be trying to find books for the book club today and just resting for the most part.

Hope everyone has a good day.

**Mom23boys** · 12-27-2005, 04:03 PM

Rhonda, I hope your DH is feeling better soon.

Did I miss Kim's new arrival?? Is the baby here?? How exciting!! I can't wait to hear all the news!

I had to take a gift for Richard back today. Found the same item at a different store cheaper.

The one I returned didn't work. UGH!!

I re-arranged my bedroom today, decluttering it as I went along. I thought of Amy while I was decluttering.

I have a few mini goals I want to get done sometime this week before returning back to work. I need to put them on paper so I can see them. It gives me more of an incentive if I see it.

I hope everyone has a great day.

**AmyBoz** · 12-27-2005, 04:47 PM

Today was fairly productive.

The kids and I made muffins this morning, and we've been doing laundry throughout the day.

Rob took apart the full-size guest bed and moved it into Julia's room and took apart her twin and put it in the basement. Throughout the week, we are moving Patrick downstairs into the guest room, and then his old room will become the nursery. This was phase one.

We went to Macy's with a gift card that my parents gave us for Christmas and got me two pairs of pajamas for the hospital and after the baby is born. (I always spend a good portion of my maternity time in my jammies and I haven't bought new ones in...oh, say 12 years?) However, I got two pairs that were on enormous sale ($45 marked down to $9.90 each) and we used the remainder of the gift card to buy a mattress pad for Julia's "new" bed (we didn't have a full-sized pad).

Julia brought a dollar of her own money and rode some of the rides that they had at the mall, and then we came home. My Dad is taking dh to a basketball game tonight, so it's just me and the kids for dinner. I think we'll be having cereal or waffles or something easy and cheap.

I need to write my thank-you's for my students that gave me Christmas gifts tonight after the kids go to bed. Then, I really need to sleep. Rob and I stayed up way too late last night watching the Learning Channel. They had a show about a little girl who was born without a face, and then one about a little girl who was born with a parasitic twin head attached to to her head. The shows were fascinating, but we didn't get to sleep until 2 am!

**dwallyfam** · 12-27-2005, 10:34 PM

Today I took a whole lot of stuff to the thrift store. Glad to see that go. Got a couple of books at the library. Put holds on two of the three for the book club. Got one. Will start reading that next.

Visited the Target since they had dogfood on sale and I had to pick up my prescription. I did get a new purse with Christmas money.

Walked to my IL house. It was such a beautiful day to shake the fat. Gave MIL some papers for her prescrition medicine so that she can get it for free.

Got home and folded laundry and sewed. Now I am getting ready to finish the night off reading.

Kellie