So.

It's the middle of December and here we are.
I so totally don't have my act together.
The house? A mess.
Christmas cards? Going out a few at a time.
Presents? Don't even go there.
And let's not mention that Caroline is asking for a baby elephant again this year.
But it will all get done. And if it doesn't? I suppose it just doesn't. And I'm okay with that (for now - don't remind me of what I just said next week. I will probably try to stab you. Don't say I didn't warn you).

But we did get some of our presents done this weekend. So act like you're surprised if you get a jar, okay? Methinks we will be picking rice crispies out of the rug for months...
It was fun. Perfect for a rainy, windy December Sunday.

Here we are at work.
And is that a glass of water sitting next to the mason jars?
Sure. Water in the form of ice cubes with a little gin & tonic for taste. It made the mess a wee bit easier for Mama to deal with.
Caroline's job was chopping pecans.
Sam was supposed to be helping me measure the rice crispies. And he was, in his own Sammy way. Good thing we bought a huge bag of cereal. There was, in our estimation, almost a pound on the floor, spilled in the box and (oh, yeah), in his belly.

But he was helping, and that's what matters, right? And who wouldn't want help like this?
Can you see now how the gin & tonic kinda helped things go a bit more smoothly?


Now that Sam is talking more and more, he is starting to rival his sister in phrases where you just have to sit here and either:
a-want to die because you're so mortified he said JUST the exact thing he has heard you say at EXACTLY the wrong place and time
b-want to laugh because you're so mortified he said JUST the exact thing he has heard you say at EXACTLY the wrong place and time

But we'll start with Caroline with this one. We decided to not purchase her school pictures this year. They're a bit pricey and they weren't great pictures. So I sent them back with her. I was standing with Caroline, a line of parents behind me, dropping her off in the morning when I heard her say to her teacher, "Here are my pictures. My Mommy says that we have better pictures of me that we don't have to pay for."
I couldn't get out of there fast enough. And I heard more than one chuckle behind me.

After meeting with Caroline's teacher and principal, we're doing a little more at home to try to challenge her (because when this girl gets bored, she gets in trouble - FAST). So she and I are reading Ramona the Brave. We're enjoying it and sometimes Sam likes to listen to us read, too. He was sitting with us during the part when the big boys were teasing Beezus by saying, "Jesus, Beezus," over and over.
Well, guess who remembered that part in the middle of Sunday mass and decided to repeat it (again and again and again) at one of his louder decibel settings?
No WONDER the lady that sits behind us give the kids origami made out of the bulletin! She's just trying to shut them up so she can hear mass!
Good times, I tell you.
Good times.