Just Make Stuff

No tears were shed...

in the remaking of this studio. :)  Although I'll admit I did come close about three times. 

New IKEA metal drawers and black bookcases.  I was very excited to get rid of every one of the plastic Sterlite 3 drawer boxes I've had organizing my supplies.  It's so nice to have everything in a new place and reorganized...totally worth the frustration in the end.

We finished it on Wednesday, but I've been busy making Christmas thank you notes and working on a lot of invitations for a baby shower I'm hosting at the end of January.

We also completely cleaned out the attic and donated everything to the Salvation Army and a bunch of craft stuff to our local Ronald McDonald house...Sean and Mac came home from there to tell me they asked if I'd be willing to come make cards with the families staying there...I'd absoluetly want to, so I'll be calling them next week to see when they want me to come in...Mac also enthusiastically informed me that they wanted him to come too. :)

Today we're getting ready to head out to friend's house to get together with a small bunch of friends for New Years...we're making desserts and some appetizers to bring along.  Mac went to his dad's for the weekend yesterday so it was fun to tease him and say that we won't see him until next year.  2006 is a big year for the two of us...30 for me...10 for him...in thinking about it I don't think I've ever been so excited about a New Year...I think it's because I know it's going to be good year...not for any reason in particular, just because I'm committed to making it that way. :)

Happy New Year!

Lazy Mornings...

There is some serious Christmas vacation going on in this house.  For the last couple of days Sean and I have had some quality lazy mornings.  Granted he still gets up at 7am to eat breakfast, read the paper and exercise while I sleep...but when I finally wake up and am laying around in bed he comes back in to hang out and inevitably falls asleep as I sit propped up by pillows reading.

Yes, I am actually reading a book.  It one of those things that I always have grandiose plans to do, but it never happens...one of my goals for 2006 is to really read something beyond Creating Keepsakes, Woman's Day and Real Simple magazines.

Yesterday afternoon productivity set in and the two of us completely cleaned out, re-organized and rearranged Mac's room.  Then last night Sean witnessed a scene that strikes fear in his heart.  Me sitting in my studio armed with a measuring tape and the IKEA catalog.   I came up with some ideas last night so we're going to head there in a little bit, after we finally get out of bed. :)

Christmas Crack...

all day baby...Mac has been high on the good stuff...that non-stop happiness and bursting excitement that Sean and I have coined "Christmas crack".  By the the time we dropped him off at Bryce's for the evening he was flying. :) 

We had SUCH a great day though.  Sean ran around picking up food this morning (honey baked ham and cinnamon buns for tomorrow) while I took care of one last covert gift operation while he was gone.  This afternoon we made cookies for Santa, wrote him a note, and just hang out together.

We exchanged our one gift for Christmas Eve...Mac got a skeet ball game, Sean got electronic Mad Libs and I made out like a bandit with a new Bose system for my I-pod...Sean thought I might want to use it tomorrow so he had me open it early. 

Mac and I made a CD of Christmas music for him to take to his Dad's since they have a tradition of having to sing a song before they get to open each gift...he decided musical accompaniment was a must this year so he went armed with 18 various songs and worries about getting more than 18 gifts...I assured it him it'd probably be enough and if need be, he could do an encore performance. :)

After hanging out at Bryce's for a bit, Sean and I came home to a quiet time around the house...ate a bunch of snacks we made, got the gifts from Santa ready, and stuffed stockings.  I just unloaded all the photos from tonight so the camera's all ready for the morning and now we're going to go for a walk, coming home and get ready to go to midnight mass.  I can't wait...not usually what I say in relation to mass, but this one is just special.  Our church is always filled with fresh tall trees covered in lights and the entire choir performs with an orchestra...it is really beautiful to see & hear.  It's a wonderful end to what's been a perfect Christmas eve.

Merry Christmas... :)

Alternating...

between productivity and utter laziness this week.  I realized I haven't posted on here so I thought I'd ramble for a few minutes...being that I'm up way too late.

I have finished up the couple gift/stocking stuffer errands I had.  Mac and I went out and about shopping this afternoon.  I am always so thankful this time of year that I make such a concerted effort to get things done ahead of time...there are some majorly grumpy people out there right now.  Costco+three days before Christmas=yikes!

I feel like I have been endless straightening up around this house and still nothing seems organized.  I'm in the mood to clean out...which Sean and I plan on doing next week.  Starting tomorrow he'll be off for two weeks and we're plotting about how much we can get done...I cannot wait.

We went on Tuesday afternoon and decorated Griffin's grave for the holidays.  We didn't do a tree this year so it's just some simple candy canes and garland.  There are some amazing decorations going on in that cemetery...I had mom guilt for not going all out.  Even after all these years it's so strange for me to stand there and think about the fact that I have a son buried.  The thought of him is so alive in my heart as this intangible angelic-like presence.   I guess it's kind of morbid to take smiling photos by an infant's grave-site...but life is life...and this is what Mac and I have of him.

I've been dealing with family drama that is ever so typical around the holidays.  Let's just say my mom is less than thrilled with the fact that I won't put aside my sister and brother's horrible behavior throughout the year (who are we kidding, it's YEARS) and celebrate Christmas with them.  So she'll be stopping by to briefly exchange gifts on Christmas afternoon and that's about it.  To be honest I'm fairly hurt that she writes me off as a judgmental bitch while she enables them, but really what can I do?  I can enjoy a quieter holiday and not have to worry as much about entertaining anyone, that's what I can do. :)

I can't get over the fact that Christmas is in 3 days, or I guess now that it's after midnight it's in 2 days...actually December 23rd is one of my favorite days of the year...so close to Christmas but it hasn't quite started yet...all the anticipation is at it's height...so much to look forward to...so many blessings to count... 

Bed...

My own that is and, oh, does it feel good. :) 

We're home safe and sound.  This morning Sean checked and checked the weather and airport websites and even walked up his parent's street to the main highway to make sure it wasn't icy.  We actually had no trouble getting to the airport and even got to see some snow and frozen trees on the way.

Then we arrived back to Orange County...72 degrees at 6pm and palm trees silhouetted by a beautiful sunset as we walked down the airport corridor...aahhh home.

Now I'm settled into bed for the night with a TON of straightening up to do tomorrow...can't wait to have everything back in it's place and get on with this week...

Soooo Oregon...

We might be here awhile.  We're supposed to catch a flight home tomorrow afternoon around 1pm...but there's kind of freezing rain and ice and the roads are closed.  Weather stopping you from going someplace is SUCH a foreign concept to me.  We'll just keep checking the news and the Portland airport website...in the meantime more time with family and another chance to eat a little more prime rib...can't complain about that. :)

Quickly checking in...

Having such a great time...it hasn't gotten over 35 degrees but this California girl is hanging in there.  I actually have gone out and walked 3 miles at about 18 degrees for the past two mornings...I also have been eating and eating...too much good food.

My mother-in-law graduated today...I couldn't help but cry at least three times before the ceremony was through...mostly when she'd look up into the stands beaming as she saw her whole family there cheering her on.

I'd share some photos, but I'm on dial-up so it's take close to forever.  Going to go hop under the electric blanket for the night.  Tomorrow morning we are going to celebrate Christmas...biscuits and gravy, prime rib dinner and opening gifts...oh...and more walking. :)

And we're off...

I e-mailed this photo to my mother-in-law yesterday...along with half a dozen different photos of Sean in our kitchen modeling various outfit choices for the family potrait she has planned on Saturday.  I thought I'd be a smart-ass and send her a pic of Mac modeling his outfit, but he was at Bryce's house for the night so picture frame was the stand-in.

We are off to the airport in just over an hour.  I'm taking a minute to gobble up my lunch/dinner of cottage cheese so that I'm full while Sean and Mac snack on a McDonalds before we board the plane.  Things like progressive dinners are catching up with my waistline so I need to try to behave as best I can since fondue and prime rib are in my immediate future this weekend.

Well, it's time to go.  Time to shut down the computer, and double check everything, and then double check everything again and then finally zip up the suitcases.  I'll try to type again sometime in Oregon. :)

Are you serious?

This is sitting in our bedroom right now.  It's Sean's bag...it's all packed...and ironically his Oregon sweatshirt is just sitting on top and ready to go. 

I think I talked about how much I detest packing back in October when we were going to Las Vegas for a couple of days...well what I hate even more is having to pack for weather...like actual rain or even a slight chance of snow...and cold, well cold to me. 

I don't usually like to identify myself as such, but when I realized the other night that I have very few pairs of shoes that actually were closed in the back, I think I have to admit I truly am a California girl.

We leave for Oregon on Thursday evening.  Sean's mom is graduating with her bachelor's degree on Saturday and we'll celebrate an early Christmas on Sunday before we fly back Monday afternoon.  Sean's brother and his wife are flying in too so it'll be the first time we've all been together in 18 or so months. 

I'm fairly certain Sean's a little excited being that in addition to being packed, he helped Mac start packing too last night.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm excited also...I just am dreading making choices and stuffing them into a, what will no doubtably be stuffed, suitcase regardless of my best attempts to streamline my load. 

Meanwhile my dear husband is effortlessly ready to go 72 hours before departure...oh well, I'll catch up.

Pages...

Tonight I listened to more than forty-five songs on my I-pod, I used up an entire cartridge of mono-adhesive, I cleaned my desk three times, I rummaged through my drawers of alphabet stickers at least eight times, I used the scanner five times, and I cleaned ink off two dozen stamps.

I have finally been scrapbooking and it feels WONDERFUL.  I am up waaaayyyyy too late, yet I'm kind of full of energy still...hopefully I'm not hating life in the morning. 

I have these metal bars in my studio to hang up recent layouts before I tuck them away in albums...can I tell you there have barely been any new layouts hanging up here since August?  I just took those down on Saturday and have been having fun since.  So far I'm at fourteen pages in December (yes, I'm a total dork and keep track of how many pages I scrap...316 in 2005...1593 since I started scrapbooking...what can I say it's a manifestation of my OCD tendencies) and hopefully I can keep going a little more for the next couple of days...but for now I have to go to bed.

Freaking salad...

That's what I was saying at about 4:53pm as Sean and I were drying and tearing up eight heads of lettuce...it was my swell idea to buy it instead of lovely, prepared salad in a bag in order to save about $15 dollars...oh yeah, the party started at 5:30pm and I still needed to take a shower and straighten my hair.

Besides the lettuce snafu, the party was GREAT.  Good food, good neighbors, good champagne, and an altogether good (and thankfully relaxing) time. 

The salad dressings went over really well, and now I know how to make eight different kinds of dressing from scratch…I still used a mix to make the Ranch and Italian.  My inner Martha and I were pretty proud of the various pitchers from The Container Store and Pier One with their simple little tags.

Today we've been TOTALLY lazy.  Sean and I just sat in front of the fireplace in our pajamas, ate a bunch of salad and cleared television shows from the DVR.  Mac is with my mom at Disneyland right now.  The plan is to go for a walk (since the chocolate fountain and I were buddies last night), take a shower, and head off to Disneyland to meet them just in time for the fireworks.  I tell you, sometimes it's a tough life. :)

I am such a bad mom...

I just yelled at Mac on the way home from the doctor's office...all the while we were both crying, I'm sure it must have been quite a sight.

He's had a cough for over a week and nebulizer treatments haven't been getting rid off it so I took him to his pediatrician's office after school to get checked just to be on the safe side. 

Saw his official primary care physician this time.  In the last nine years we've seen everyone in the office (at least 10 doctors) dozens of times so I never care who our appointment is with since they're all good, pleasant doctors and nurse practitioners.  Mac checks out fine, but Dr. Cater suggests a flu shot.  Then all hell broke loose.

Mac was screaming bloody murder, collapsed in the corner of the room, screaming at me that I lied, that he didn't want a shot, that he wanted to go home.  Cater left us in the room to tell the nurse we needed an injection and I'm sure wished her luck since the entire office no doubt heard my child going berserk.  I tried to calm Mac down told him that I did not lie, that Dr. Cater just suggested it and that this wasn't something I had planned.  I tried to simply explain the benefits of the flu shot, which you could only imagine how much he cared.  He kept crying, but at least it was quiet...until the nurse came in. 

I'm pretty sure it was the nurse he kicked over the summer when she had to administer an TB test for the adoption.  Poor woman.  So Mac threw himself into the corner, screaming with terror about as loud as you possible imagine.  I needed to get one arm out of his sweatshirt and he kept flailing...almost knocked me into the wall.  Tears sprang to my eyes from the humiliation that I couldn't control my own child.  I finally was able to rip one arm free, she threw him on the bed and I pummeled him...seriously...threw my body on top of him and held his arm as still as I could...my nose was centimeters away from the needle.  AND wouldn't you know...when does he stop crying...WHEN?????...when the actual needle was in his arm for all of one freaking second.  I was ASHAMED. 

We quickly left the office, him crying, me trying to hold it in until we get to the car.  "I'm sorry Mom I was scared" he says...I thank him for apologizing but then let loose...I asked him if he realized what he did...I COMPLETELY and TOTALLY understand being scared, and that's fine...and if you cry, not scream bloody murder, but cry that's perfectly reasonable.  I will hold you and comfort you and it'll be over really fast...but for the love of God child there is no reason to go crazy. 

I felt HORRIBLE...I still feel HORRIBLE.  I apologized for getting upset, he's apologized a dozen times for the way he was.  I still feel like such a BAD mom...

Party Mode...

we're in it big time.  Tonight Sean & I were really starting to get ready for our neighborhood progressive dinner on Saturday.  We're the salad house in case you couldn't tell from the 10+ heads of lettuce stuffed in our fridge. (sorry about the bad photo)  We were the salad house last year too.  Last year we didn't have main course house so I tried to make more than lettuce type salads...chicken salads, egg salads...that kind of thing. 

This year we decided to have main course house and I was going to host it...that is until one neighbor came late to our little planning meeting and stole the main course house away from me with promises that her husband was cooking like a whole cow or something...seriously....what a show-off.  So, I bitterly got kicked back to just being the salad house again. (hopefully you can hear my sarcastic sense of humor...otherwise I sound like a real bitch, huh?) :)

I decided since we will be having a main course this year that I'd make the salad house the best salad bar ever.  Oh boy, has that been fun to shop for...we'll be eating salad for weeks at the rate I'm going.  Turkey, ham, salami, five different cheeses, three different kinds of croutons, assorted vegetables, dried fruits, a little fresh fruit, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, honey roasted peanuts, caramelized pecans...I can't even remember what else...oh and at least half a dozen homemade dressings...blue cheese, thousand island, herb parmesan, green goddess, creamy italian...and a couple more.  I got little pitchers for each one and am going to make little descriptive tags to tie to each one.  Clearly I'm getting in touch with my inner Martha Stewart in the next 48 hours.

So tomorrow will be BUSY...make more salad dressings, make two pound cakes to take to the dessert house, really organize this fridge, get the table set up, clean this house... and many, many other little party to-do's.

Better get to bed then...

A couple glimpses of today...

here in the Griffin household.  I spent the morning around the house getting stuff done and since it was ever so slightly chilly I couldn't resist turning on the fireplace...even though I wasn't downstairs the whole time.  You see, the dogs LOVE it...granted it's not like I'm the biggest indulge-the-dogs person, but I have got to admit they're pretty cute all warm & cozy by the fire.  It usually gives  budget-minded Sean a coronary when I have the fireplace on when I'm not sitting in front of it...but oh well he wasn't home. :)

This afternoon Sean was practicing making a brown butter snowman cake for our neighborhood progressive dinner.  Although we're hosting the salad house, we're bringing some homemade pound cake and, hopefully, this snowman cake to the dessert house so that it can be dunked into the chocolate fountain our neighbor is going to have...how good does that sound?  My waistline is already fretting. :)  Mac donned my frilliest apron and jumped-in to help Sean out.  Could the two of them be any cuter?

A little gift...

Nothing too terribly exciting to report.  I wrote myself a to-do list yesterday afternoon so I spent today trying to keep crossing things off.  Oh and I made a pot roast this afternoon so Sean and Mac got to have another dinner with me all the while enthusiastically proclaiming my own cooking prowess...I really should learn to be more humble about my culinary escapades, but I just get a little too excited when they come out really, really good. :)

I decided this afternoon that since Mac's two teacher's and bus driver get Christmas gifts that I should get a little something for my teacher, or professor rather, too.  I had all my beads out already so I made her a, hopefully cute, Christmas necklace.  I'll try to give it to her quietly on Wednesday lest all the other kids (all 10 or so that are left with me at the end of the semester) think I'm a kiss ass.  Truth is, she is one of the best teachers I've ever had...and this is coming from someone who has been analytically scrutinizing each of my teacher's/professor's every move since I was in the 7th grade and decided I wanted to be a teacher...I am pretty darn hard to please when it comes to education.

Now I just need to get ready for my final on Wednesday...oh and finish my little to do list...I swear one day I WILL scrapbook!  I ordered a bunch of photos in fun sizes from a place Tara recommended months ago and I've been meaning to try ever since...so hopefully I'll finally get to play a little towards the end of the week...hopefully...

I want to scrapbook...

I'm just sitting down to eat breakfast now because I've been working on our Christmas cards since Mac got on the bus earlier this morning.  They're over halfway done and I can probably, with help from Sean who has already helped a lot, get them sent out on Monday...and that will be my last major to-do. Pretty much all the other Christmas gift buying, wrapping and gift tag making is done...it feels so good to see the huge pile under the tree ready to go.

As of last night I got all of my work for English class done and printed out to hand in on Monday.  On Wednesday I have one last in-class writing and then I am all done!  I thought for sure this weekend would be miserable since I'd inevitably procrastinate up until the last minute on my research paper and other assignments but somehow, someway I found it within myself to get it done ahead of time...what a great feeling that is...there certainly is a first time for everything.

Now, I want to scrapbook.  I haven't gotten a chance to really sit down and just play since this summer and I'm dying to...especially since I saw the 2Peas Garden yesterday...so hopefully now that I am school work and Christmas to-do list free I can have some fun...

Oh and I wanted to share a special holiday moment too...

Sean and I have a tradition to write funny little notes or hints on gift tags for each other...and sometimes I can't resist making them slightly inappropriate if the idea hits me.  This year there is one gift in particular (that I can't mention since Sean reads this from time to time) that was just begging for an X-rated pun...sooooo earlier this week Bryce came by to pick up Mac and comments on all the gifts under the tree.  Mac excitedly tells his Dad that a bunch are for him and he starts pointing them out.  Bryce asks if a certain big one was for Mac so my dear child wanders over to check it out...then he starts to read it to Bryce...I frantically interrupted "Okay!  Well it's time to go...come on Mac" to cut him off before he'd be asking us, "What's that mean?"...I am still not used to the fact that Mac is really starting to be able to read now...yikes. :)