Tuesday Game Plan

mmmmmmmmmmmm.... that's the sound of contentment :-) Holiday hustle and bustle is behind me and I'm well into my list of things to do for today. I'm off until next Tuesday and I have a productive week planned with some scheduled down time in there as well :-)

Yesterday was heaven... Besides making lunch, I did nothing all day other than drink coffee, read blogs and email, hang in Second Life, listen to podcasts, chat via Skype, do crossword and soduko puzzles and watch football. Now THAT'S the way to relax! Christmas is the one day of the year that is "my day" to just totally veg out. Now, I'm ready to tackle my list for the week...

Today, the goal is to work on a huge Assessment project for school. It's something that I'm required to do and I just haven't had the time during the school day to work on it. Once I finish updating my website and answering email, I'm clearing off the table and spreading out all of my stuff and I'm going to town. I don't have to leave the house at all today, and don't plan to... Another mom is driving the boys to wrestling practice today so I'm free to work exclusively on my project without interuption.

Of course, I'm going to schedule in some breaks in the action, both to "play" and to do other things like switching and folding laundry. Realistically, the project may take more than one day but it's so important to get it done early in the week as I don't want it hanging over me, I have other things on my list this week, and we're going away for the weekend so it's got to get done now...

ok... time to refill my cup, switch over the load and getting started on my web updates...

Merry Christmas

Ahhh.... Christmas morning.. one of my most favorite days of the year! With all of the shopping and visiting behind me, I savor Christmas morning to just drink coffee and relax. In the past it meant snuggling up with a book and I still do enjoy that but these days most of my reading is done online. I've read all my mail and have been reading blogs while chatting to friends on Skype, listening to Christmas podcasts, and surfing around...

Armed with a full pot of Starbucks Sumatra Extra Bold freshly ground and brewed coffee, I'm here savoring the quiet in the house... Al ran out to his parents for a coffee and cigar, Kelsea took off to Johnnie's and Jake is downstairs playing his Playstation 2 college football franchise. I've got the tree on and candles lit, and if it wasn't so sunny out today it would be very Christmasy...

As most know, I politely decline all invitations on Christmas Day (we've seen everyone by Christmas Eve already) and I make a ham for my family and my dad and I lounge all day. Christmas is one of the few days that I actually do that... and once I update my site (Pats win AFC East Championship yesterday!), cook and clean up, then I'll probably grab a book and hit the couch for awhile while multi-tasking and watching some football...

Soon the house will be filled with the smells of good food, the sounds of family, and good feelings of love and contentment... I'm a very lucky girl who has a wonderful family, good health, a great job, terrific friends, and an all around GREAT life! May you all be blessed with the same...

Merry Christmas Everyone :-)

No More Shopping!

I made it... it's Christmas Eve early morn and I managed to get all the shopping done at last.. The sun has just come up and the house is quiet as everyone is asleep. I'm the first one up as usual and my body is still on work mode so I was ready to get up at 6:00 but stayed in bed awhile before finally getting up. The past couple of days have been hectic.. filled with shopping and prep. I'm glad that I can say that it's behind me.

Friday night, we had Al's department Christmas Party and headed to my brother's house to celebrate Christmas with my family yesterday. Had a nice long chat with mom on the phone during the day and shared a lot of laughs. I miss her and send my Christmas vibe of love cross country to her on this day... Today brings Patriots football in the afternoon then heading to Erik's for Christmas for Al's side. Tomorrow is a quiet day... my favorite day of the year... pajamas and coffee all day for me :-) I'll make a ham for my little family and my Dad but I've politely declined all invitations for that day as I look forward to a day of lounging, reading and relaxing.

Next week, although I don't have to work, I've got a lot on my list... tons of things that I've been meaning to do but just haven't had the time. At least it'll be like a mini-summer schedule for me minus the training camp. I'm sure the week will fly by but I'm determined to start right in on my list first thing in the morning but will schedule in some down time... I'm getting to the point where I need it. Time to give the body and mind a bit of a rest.

The fire is blaring and the coffee has brewed so I'm off to start my list beginning with reading email and Google Reader posts... I'll update the website, then, I've got some pictures to scan and some Flickr posting to do.. Of course, I'll be throwing in some laundry and doing some cleaning around here as well.. but that goes without saying.

I'm going to end now because I do savor those early mornings when the house is quiet, everyone is in bed, and I've got a steaming mug of java calling my name.

Merry Christmas!

Harried Holidays

Home and insanely busy... have yet to Christmas shop, have a game tomorrow, still have to cook for the tailgate, got online banking to do tonight, have tons of posts and mail to read, and haven't podcasted in two weeks... sigh........................ I finally just finished the Miami Trek report and picture posting http://www.patriotworld.com/MrsB/Treks/miami06.htm THIS afternoon...

As I'm typing this, there's chaos in the house as Kelsea's setting the timer on the camera to take our Christmas card, and Jacob's screaming.. of course pictures should have been done and in the mail last week and we planned on taking a shot on the beach in Miami but the weather didn't cooperate. As soon as this is posted I'm going to get moving on all my stuff:

1. Finish putting away the groceries.
2. Do my online banking.
3. Choose a picture and head to CVS to make cards.
4. Start cooking for tomorrow.
5. Try to get a mini show out if Al ends up staying at Louie's house for awhile.
6. Clear iriver and camera and get stuff sorted out for tomorrow's game.
7. Sigh....

I just had to make the list as my way of not dwelling and making a plan. It's like when you wake up in the night with something on your mind and you need to write it down so you can forget about it and get some sleep. I'm not a bah-humbug type per se' but it wouldn't kill me if "The Holidays" never took place... too much spending, too much eating, too much running around, way too much stress, right smack in the middle of football season!

Ok.. things are moving along on the photography front so hopefully, my photographer daughter will have a nicely produced self-timer Christmas Card photo for me momentarily. God.. my head is starting to bang... I think I could use a nice cup of flavored coffee right around now!

More yelling... and still no pic... SIGH......................