T minus 43 hours

Yup that's right, I'm counting hours left to get things done around here...Our flight leaves at 8:30 Wednesday morning, so we'll be driving off to the airport at approximately the 0-dark-thirty hour of 5 something...ugh...stupid security...at least, that's how I'll feel til we're actually the next ones getting screened. Then, I'm thankful for all the rigamarole we go through to get on an airplane these days...especially knowing that in just a short while a flight to Grandma and Grandpa's house will be a treat...we'll have to be driving instead...

At any rate...I've been a busy beaver since my last post and had to stop to take a breath.

In addition to all the normal household routine things like laundry and cleaning, we've added my darling husband's insane need to have TONS of things for the kids under the tree, so we've spent the last 2 weekends running around town, braving crowds to find things like a Disney Princess dress-up trunk that comes with stuff inside it, a Fisher-Price dance and twirl studio (because all the kitchens were sold out!), a digital camera for our 3 1/2 year old son (long story, no time to share now!), as well as things like pulling out suitcases, carry-in bags, calculating how many pull-ups Destructo-Girl will need to get us through Wed and Thursday, how many packets of laundry detergent I'll need to get us through 16 days, how to fit 5 days of bulky winter clothing into our suitcase and keep it under the weight limit, how to pack gifts that the kids will be receiving while there without blowing the secret of what they are, how to convince BB that he WILL be packed completely TONIGHT so we can relax tomorrow night.

I've also made a batch of fudge to share with our neighbors, dealt with DirecTV (yet another long story for another day), taken a dog to a groomer, had my glucose test (ugh), and somehow managed to keep on top of things like stopping mail and papers, freezing milk delivery...

I'm pooped, but in that good way, where you know that you've accomplished things on your to-do list that have been being procrastinated upon for weeks...

In the midst, BB announced that he is going to build a platform bed for Captain Chaos, so we bought a twin-sized mattress yesterday, along with some other things...and seriously, if my husband thinks that buying me a grater and a set of sheets for Christmas is going to work for the next 20 years, he is sadly mistaken.

I have a shiny new refrigerator in my kitchen, which is a large part of our Christmas this year, but beyond that, did he really have to say the sheets I bought yesterday with a gift card and 20% off coupon were a GIFT FROM HIM!?!??!?!?!?!?! OY!

I'm not saying he should buy me diamonds...but I digress, and have promised myself that I will NOT whine and complain about things...I have a husband who was forethinking enough to buy me a gift prior to Christmas Eve, and he's fiscally responsible.

Well, my laundry and dirty floors and bathrooms are calling out to me.

It is only 10:20 in the morning here, and I am bound and determined to have all the laundry, ironing, cleaning, and pulling of kids' clothing done by naptime today, so that as they sleep, I can pack their suitcase, and begin pulling my things out to put into a suitcase.

I think I can finish 2 more loads of laundry, scrub all 3 bathrooms, vacuum the carpet and wash my floors by lunchtime. After lunch I'll tackle picking out outfits and gathering clothing and suitcases. I might even be done packing some things by nap time so I can watch NCIS reruns, or DOOL epsiodes for a bit...

TOODLES!