Tuesday's To-Do List

1. clean up the house so my SIL can clean it : )
2. pour piggy bank molds
3. write on piggy banks for shipping tomorrow
4. schedule a carrier pick up
5. paint some plates (cookies for Santa plates too.  I thought I was done with them for a while)
6. maybe go to the store
7. make a vet appt for peanut's annual check up
8. clean my desk
9. print some fliers
10. cut those fliers

Oh, that's enough.  Nothing like giving myself too much to do....

Oh Christmas Tree...(yes, I'm late)

So, every year we get a 9-10 foot live tree.  This year is no different.  Except we got it just a few days before Christmas, and barely got it up and decorated in time.  I put close to 1000 lights on it (yeah, I'm crazy like that) and our retro star from when I was young, goes on top.  I tried to take a few pictures of it, but they just don't do the tree justice.  It will be up for another week or so if you want to come see it in person : )

This one was taken during the day.

 

This was taken at night, from the hallway, with the flash on. And after New Year's Eve. We make a new years tree by throwing the streamers and shooting the poppers onto the tree.

 

And this one, at night, no flash : )

See the star on top? It was on the top of our trees when I was young. It's kind of like a disco ball.....very cool in person....anyway, the other day I was wondering if maybe I could find a spare. You know, in case one breaks and I need parts. (we have 2. my mom picked one up at a garage sale a few years back.) So I went to ebay and looked for retro/vintage tree stars. Click here to see my star, and the shock I got.  And we have 2.  Oh yeah. 

Back in the Saddle

Figuratively and literally : )  Hubby got me a leather desk chair on wheels....actually 2.  One for here at the computer and one for the kitchen table where I paint.  I asked for them for Christmas, cause I thought I should at least be comfortable where I spend most of my time.  And now I read  over at Twenty Four at Heart something about blogger butt.  Great.  I don't twitter, thank goodness....

I wanted to write a nice long post catching up on things, but now I am running out of time because I got this email from classmates.com about a change in my upcoming class reunion. I didn't even know we were having one.....

Anyway, I ended up spending more time than I wanted clicking around at classmates. Now I have to decide if I want to go to the reunion or not. Hmm. I did not move far from where I grew up, so actually, it would be a short drive for me to go.

But I have not kept in touch with a single person from my class. Not a one. High school was not the best of times for me and I remember just waiting for it to be done.

So, I'm curious, how many of you out there keep in touch with friends from high school? And how many of you go to your reunions?

And THANK YOU for all the wonderful Christmas greetings and Happy New Years you all left in my comments. I appreciate you all thinking of me and checking in. I promise I will be out and about leaving comments again....like today : )

Monday's To-Do List

Aaaaah, the first list of 2009. Back to a work schedule....let's see if I remember how to do this.....post a list and work.

1. pour piggy bank molds
2. do paperwork for orders shipping today
3. pack those orders
4. capture $
5. email customers
6. process some orders
7. paint piggy banks and pie plates
8. write a more meaningful informative better interesting post 
   

Yep, same old, same old.

Where Did Time Go?

I may be done painting (sort of) but I still don't know whether I am coming or going. I don't even know what day of the week it is. I do know that Christmas is only 2 days away and I don't have a single present wrapped yet. I have never been this far behind or unorganized before. I am not stressed about it.....just perplexed as to all this happened.

Usually I am a little more on top of things. I am not one of those people who has everything done way ahead of time....I usually just have a better handle on it. Heck, I am still waiting for 2 boxes to be delivered.

We finally cut a tree on saturday and put it up on sunday : ) It has maybe 1/3 of the ornaments on it, but it is getting there. We are the family that leaves the tree up all through January. And I truly can enjoy then. If I had to try and get it up the middle of December (it would never happen) it would stress me out. Well stress me out more anyway.

Got the cards addressed last night, and they will go in the mail today. Better late than never, right? All this rambling is just me wondering how time snuck by this year. I am not going to stress about it because I want to enjoy Christmas. And stressing over it won't make any difference. And everything will get done when it needs to.

I better get moving here now....SIL is coming to clean early today, and I have some clutter to put somewhere. Plus I need a shower and a big cup of tea. I still haven't made it out to read many blogs yet, but I will be back : ) See you soon in the blogosphere!

Done!

Me before.

 

Me now : )

 

I am done, done, done!  The last of the Christmas orders are packed and just a few are waiting to be picked up by my oh so patient and wonderful mailman.  Yes, I love my mailman.  (don't tell hubby : )  Dan the Mailman is a life saver.....as well as a gas saver. Thank you Dan.

And big huge thanks to my friend and right arm, Candi. I know you read this and I want you to know I would not have gotten through this season without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope you enjoy your time off : ) I'll see how long I can live without you. Oh, and I will total up what I owe you and get a check to you next time I see you : )

And Merry Christmas to everyone else here....thank you SO much for your support, and just popping in to leave a comment. You guys kept me going. Now I am off to eat some lunch, wash some clothes and clean off my kitchen table. XXXOOO

Oh, Hallelujah!

It's my last day of painting!!!! And tomorrow will be my last day of packing and shipping Christmas orders. (barring any unforeseen circumstances)

I can't wait to do laundry and wear clean clothes.

And go to the store and get some food to eat.

Open the packages that have been delivered and see what exactly I ordered.

Start decorating, and finally get a tree.

Sit at the kitchen table w/o a brush.

Relax : )

I.Am.Alive.

Just wanted to pop in and let you all know I was still alive. And yes, Marrdy, I do have power. Thank God. I can't imagine not having power when it is bitter cold out. And if we lost power now, well, that would put me over the edge.

Last night I was unchained from my table and paint brush and allowed to attend Leia's concert. It was fun. And good : ) She had a solo.....just a simple Christmas carol, and she did great! After hearing the other solos and duets, I was sooooo glad she was in tune : ) I know, it is only middle schoolers, but someone should have had them tune their instruments to each other.

Anyway, that was my night out. I hadn't left the house after dark for so long (and it gets dark by 5pm now, mind you) I was amazed at all the Christmas lights up. I really live in a bubble this time of year. Don't ask how many Christmas lights, or decorations for that matter, we have up. We have not yet begun to decorate....but when we do, we leave it up through January : )

I have about 2 more days of solid painting to go. Then I will be all done with the orders that have to get out of here for Christmas. I have never been this far behind before. Several things have contributed to this, and if the same things are happening next year, I will have to move my cut off date up. I can't handle 12-14 hour days, every day for 2 weeks. It's too much.

Surprisingly, I have most of my shopping done : ) I squeeze in little bits of online shopping here and there, and I have a pile of unopened boxes now that I really need to go through. My luck, I'll reorder stuff I already have : ) There are lots of great deals out there and free shipping makes shopping practically painless....I love it! I can't even imagine Christmas w/o online shopping....talk about stress!

And now I have spent way too much time here writing a post....I am outta here! Be prepared for a celebratory post when I am done painting! And maybe a drink or 2 to help me celebrate : )

Friday's To-Do List

So I skipped posting a to-do list yesterday and went straight to work.  I think I got everything done I had to, but who knows?  Here's today's list, so I can keep track.

1. pour piggy bank molds
2. fire piggy banks that are waiting for an empty kiln
3. do paperwork for orders shipping tomorrow
4. schedule a carrier pick up
5. get more piggy banks ready to fire
6. fire those too.
7. start painting some piggy banks
8. clean up kitchen

There's probably more, but I can't think of it yet.  I am outta here : )

My Secret Santa Gift

My Secret Santa Gift arrived the other day.  It was filled with chocolate and tea and a cute mug filled with more chocolate.  And even a couple items to take care of my tootsies : )  I wish I had the time to take pictures and upload them, but I shouldn't even be writing this post.....it was sweet and I really appreciate the thought. 

I don't have the time now to try and track my secret Santa down, but after Christmas I am going to give it my best shot.  All I know is she is from somewhere in Michigan.  I kept the part of the box that had the return address. I will find you or your blog.....and thank you properly : )