Happy holidays

I just visited my own blog hoping there would be something new. Which I guess is a sign that I should write something.

We just got back home from a week at the in-laws. I am SO HAPPY to be home. I love my in-laws, but I will never again visit them for such a long stretch in the winter. I was going stir-crazy because they live in the middle of nowhere, their house is freezing, and since we were sharing a room with K, who needs a lot of light while sleeping to scare off the monsters, I didn't get a decent night's sleep all week. Between K, the lights, and the loud heaters that sucked all the moisture out of the room, I was pretty much awake between 3 and 4:30 a.m. every single night we were there. But, I spent a lot of that time mentally going through each room of our house and deciding what house projects I want to do on my day off, and since we weren't planning to get back until Sunday, I have two and a half bonus days to do them!

I shouldn't really complain, because my in-laws are awesome and the kids love being at their house. But I just spent a whole paragraph complaining anyway, because I can.

Yesterday it snowed. A lot. X romped around while I shoveled. K went out later with JW. I thought we'd spend more time outside, making snowmen and stuff, but the in-laws have this huge basement with all JW's old toys and it's hard to tempt the kids out of there.

Christmas was lovely. We stayed home and opened presents in the morning, and some relatives came over for an early dinner. K's favorite presents were a Megaman doll (sorry, not doll, "guy"), a joke book, and a Lego Ninjago Character Encyclopedia. X's favorites were an Elmo doll, a little foam Sesame Street armchair, a Plan Toys cone sorter, and five multicolored balls that we chased around for the rest of the week. By the way, the matching pajamas didn't work out -- most of them didn't fit right and are being returned. It was worth a try.

I spent Christmas Eve doing marathon baking, which was a luxury -- usually my limit is one recipe, which I inevitably screw up because one of the kids is always dragging me off somewhere or hitting the other one (X) or eating something inappropriate (X) or bugging me to pretend I'm an evil robot (K). I made holiday sugar cookies, which K declined to help me cut out and then decorated three of before getting bored. Both boys were excited to eat them, though. In preparation for Christmas dinner I baked the Heavenly Chocolate Cake Roll from Smitten Kitchen, except the rolling part didn't work out so well and it turned into a trifle instead, layered with thawed frozed berries and whipped cream sweetened with icing sugar and a little vanilla, and topped with white chocolate shavings. Not as pretty as the roll, but it was a hit and easy to make. And I made pumpkin cinnamon rolls for the third year running, and while I wouldn't kick them out of bed, I didn't love them as much as I should have. They were a little too sweet for me, and not quite as tender as I would like. I think next time I'll go back to my usual King Arthur Flour recipe. In fact, maybe next time will be soon... I think New Year's Day deserves a special breakfast, don't you?

Oh, and did I mention I had a day off? X's daycare was supposed to be closed January 2nd for some bizarre reason, so when I put in for my vacation, I said I'd come back on the 3rd. Then they came to their senses and said they would be open the 2nd after all, but I see no need to return to work a day early, so I get what I've been longing for... a day off, all to myself, with no kids!! There are so many things I could do. Make some progress on house projects, including those curtains that I bought the fabric for over a month ago. Extra-long workout. Take myself out to lunch. Watch Pitch Perfect. Finally use that massage gift certificate I got as a pregnancy gift. Run all the errands I've been putting off for months, including taking my consignment purchases to the tailor, my watch to get its battery replaced, and my necklace graveyard to a jewelry repair place. (This is a bag full of the half dozen necklaces X has ruined by yanking them off my neck.) Sit in a cafe and get lost in a book. Better yet, spend an hour browsing in a bookstore. The one thing I am determined NOT to do is waste my precious alone time by sitting on my butt surfing the web. I am so excited for my bonus vacation day. Best Christmas present ever!