Busy Busy

Ok, so since Christmas we have worked, been to Cincinnati for a baptism, and worked some more. I'll get on here, hopefully, Saturday when I have a day off and post photos from all of it. I have some really cute ones of JMS. Hope all is well with everyone. I'd love to hear what everyone got for Christmas, what your new year's resolutions are...and stories of your attempts to return unwanted Christmas gifts to your local retailer. :)

Quickly....JMS got a car/train table...remote control car...and some other goodies; hubby got a recliner from Lazboy; the dog got a new bed; and, I got a ROOMBA!!!

Resolutions...I still have a few days to think about these. :)

And, retail returns...I'll dig through and give you my best on Saturday....the suspense...I know!

Merry Christmas

Some of Santa's beauties! Merry Christmas everyone.

3 Days Until Christmas

And they're off....the last minute shoppers have entered the race. And, let me say, they are the rudest of all customers. Let me remind everyone, we are open 12 months out of the year. You do not have the right to get mad at me because I don't have the (enter your sought after item) that you could have purchased on any other day of the year. Oh, and if your mother's didn't teach you...it is rude to interrupt. I don't care if you are in a rush....are late for another engagement....or have a bunch of other places to go to before the big day...but if I am helping someone else, recognize and step back and wait your turn!

OK...so, now that I have vented about the customers...let me just say, if you are in charge of anyone...make it a New Year's Resolution to not assume the worst of your employees. (enough on that topic)

And for the family...hubby is working "60's" as he likes to call it. But really, it is more like 90 hours when you are there 6 days a week, from 5:30am until 7:30pm. I get it...his company (retail too) does not miss Christmas. I get it. He isn't really in the Christmas spirit...or really any kind of spirit...he works, eats (when he gets super hungry) and sleeps. If we are lucky, he might get a little play time with JMS.

And...speaking of JMS...we are due for some funny pictures:

Two fisting already...(orange juice is one, milk in the other....orange cream?)

Reconnecting with the "hood"

I'm so excited. Susan from our old neighborhood in Olympia shared her blog with us, through her Christmas Card. We, of course, checked it out...and found out that most of our old neighbors...ladies I played bunko with...or walked with...or sought for baby advice...are bloggers too!!!! We all are in different parts of the country now...for the most part, thanks to the military, but we all caught on to blogging. HOW COOL! As you can see...I'm really happy about this. Since we moved to Kentucky I haven't really had the chance to make the same close friendships. Our neighborhood is still under construction...there aren't any houses across the street from us yet, and our direct next door neighbor went under foreclosure in May. This mixed with the amount of time we both work has really dampened our ability to socialize. So, I have been friend depressed. OK...so I'm excited. You get this.

On with other news...I finally settled on my husband's Christmas gift....so my shopping is officially complete!!! Christmas cards are out....out of town gifts should arrive for those folks today...(well except for those on the west coast)...outside decor is up...all that we have left to do it get a tree...(which we do the week before Xmas anyhow).

Snowy Day in Kentucky

I'm not sure which one is more excited about the white stuff. Last night we received about two inches of wet snow. JMS decided that he wanted to help his mommy shovel snow. Hey kid...knock yourself out!

Still really excited to be outside playing in the snow...until dad straps him in his car seat...

And then...we get the biggest pouty lip ever in the history of our two families... (see for yourself)

Retail Rant

OK...I'm going to climb back up on my soap box to lecture all of you holiday shoppers who cannot "not touch" as our mothers used to say. Do not touch! Do not pick up! Do not move merchandise from its home location if you are not going to buy it!!!!! I was the closing manager last night. The store closed its front doors at 11pm. My team was still putting stuff away at 3:30am!!!! Oh, and we still had 24 more shopping carts of abandoned merchandise at the customer service desk. Maybe dot(.)com is the way to go....(as I ponder in my tired stuper) ....

Only 10 days until Christmas! (pep talk to self) "you can do this..."

Lost my voice

So, I lost my voice two days ago and I still sound "froggy." It makes work interesting when guests are arguing with you and you can't get loud back at them. :) They look at you funny and it quickly diffuses the situation.

Toys is our heaviest sales department right now. Yesterday I had to find some interesting toys: Martian Matter Alien Maker, Moon Shoes, Color Me Jewelry Box, Bakugan (huge hit), Remote Control Dinosaur....Roboraptor, Paperdolls, Spongebob plush figures, Guess Who Extra....and it really makes me sad when a grown adult (my age) comes up and says, "I don't have kids...where and what is Kung Fu Panda?"

Come on people...are we so grown up that we aren't still kids at heart? I challenge each of you to take an afternoon and go peruse the toy department on your lunch hour/after work...really look at every box and read how to play every game. There are some really fun ones out there! Who cares if it says Age 6+....you can play it too.

Christmas Bits and Pieces

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper ....there is more suspense.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real....I love the smell.
3. When do you put up the tree? As close to Christmas Eve as possible.
4. When do you take the tree down? When its dead...and I have time.
5. Do you like eggnog? No.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I still remember getting my smurf sleeping bag.
7. Hardest person to buy for? brother-in-law (I guess I just don't know him very well.)
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a miniature one.
10. Mail or email Holiday cards? They are in the mail...later than usual, but done.
11. Worst Holiday gift you ever received? I can't remember.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Grinch
13. When do you start shopping for The Holidays? December 26th...for the next year.
14. Have you ever recycled a Holiday present? Yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat during the Holidays? Cookies.
16. Lights on the tree? Yes.
17. Favorite Christmas song? We Three Kings
18. Travel for the Holidays or stay home? Usually travel and stay at home with family.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Nope.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel
21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Morning
22 . Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The crowds
23. Favorite Ornament theme or color? Just a blend of all the ornaments we've received since we got married.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Honey Ham
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? a nap
26. Did you leave cookies and milk for Santa? yes
27. Best Christmas memory? Mom getting a diamond ring from dad.
28. Tell a Santa story from your childhood. My dog pee'd on the mall santa. You can see the stain in the photo.
29. Have you ever been caroling? Yes.
30. Favorite Christmas dessert? Cookies.

Welcome to our life...

On our Christmas cards we invited folks to catch up with us by reading our blog. So, I just wanted to welcome those new to the blog world. Instead of me squeezing the past 12 months into a one paragraph note tucked into our Christmas card envelope, I decided that everyone could just read about it for themselves....unabridged. :) ENJOY!

Holiday Exhaustion

Working retail at this time of year really sucks the life out of me. I want to be working on my Christmas cards and cookies, wrapping gifts, and decorating my house, but when you are at work for seven days straight, 10-12 hours each day, and only get one weekend off between Thanksgiving and Christmas - who wants to do much of anything? I must applaud my husband and myself because we at least have an advent calendar going and are doing it daily with JMS to try to start teaching him the meaning of Christmas. What is the treat inside you ask? An animal cracker...to him...WOO HOO!!!! For you and me...I'm looking for the starbucks extra shot....an extra strength tylenol, and a soft pillow to land on when I'm done. :) He tried to share his cookie with baby Jesus tonight. "Num num," he said.

Our Future Olympian

Last night we watched "60 Minutes" featuring an interview by Cooper Anderson with Michael Phelps. JMS was ready for bed, drinking his milk, while sitting on the couch with us. I asked him, "do you know how to swim?" He slinked off the couch, laid on the floor in front of us, and began kicking his feet. Then, his dad says, "you need to use your arms, too!" So, I got up to show him how to move his arms. He stood up, and started trying to take off his shirt. I said, "do you really need to take off your shirt to swim?" He said, "uh huh." So, I helped him take off his shirt. He went back to simulating how to swim on the floor. Then, he stood up again, and tried to take off his pants. I said, "do you really need to take off your pants to swim?" He said, "uh huh." Then he proceeded to "swim" on our living room floor.

Michael...do you really have to swim in a speedo? My son was ready for bed and is now stripped down to his diaper imitating how to win a gold medal in the 1000m free. How about the full body suit next time?