Ribbons and Bows

Last post before the big guy comes with his reindeer.

Bill has completed her European "Better Living Through Bombay" tour. Yes, indeed, she has moved out of her Irish headquarters and will spend a few days in the Netherlands remembering why in the heck she drinks Bombay to begin with and to gather up an even better appreciation for her beloved Gin. After the new year, she moves on to Botswana to spread the gospel down south. Check your listings for upcoming workshops. Safe travels, my dear Bill.

I'm jealous of DDFF - her man got her the neatest needle set. That's alright, Mama, you deserve those badass babies!! Merry Christmas, Love. Let's go out next week, eh? Or the week after? I'm dying for some Chai and some good gabbin'.

Stealth FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY has a mohawk. But don't tell him that. B and I have wanted to give him a mohawk for months and months and he completley and totally freaked out screaming and refused. He asked for a haircut the other day and I got my clippers out with the guard and just stopped without doing the middle. Showed him the mirror and asked him if he liked it or if I should keep cutting and he said he liked it, so I stopped. It's a mohawk or sorts, alright, but don't tell him - he thinks he just has "long hair on top in the middle."

B's boss treated him right this holiday season. Big ginormous cash bonus as well as a belly boat and waders and all kinds of wild bass angler paraphernalia. He's in hog heaven. Wonder what a belly boat is? Yeah, me, too. It's basically, well, it' a boat that you wear out into the middle of the lakes to fish. You just gotta see it.

I have a very large, very heavy, very expensive gift sitting under my Christmas tree. It's from B. He wants to give it to me, I wonder what in the heck it is, but we'll find out tomorrow night. I have an idea, but I'm never right when I guess what he got me. He always gets me something amazing, but this year it's certainly not jewelry. Man, the temptation is OVERWHELMING!!!!!!!

Tonight starts the festivities in full force. We have the annual get together for my MIL's side of the family - the yearly blending of the K's & the R's. This is always an exercise in patience because, well, none of us K's can stand any of the R's with the exception of Grandma and Grandpa and, well, Grandma is so sick she doesn't know if she's alone or with people certainly doesn't care and Grandpa just talks to anyone or everyone or no one until he decides he's ready to go home and then he just throws cash at us and leaves with no warning. SO, we K's stand around and roll our eyes and tell fantasy stories about running over some of the R's with random lawn equipment or spiking their puritan cider or just gathering them en masse and giving them all the same present - a gigantic CLUE! Ah, well, it wouldn't be Christmas without it.

Tomorrow is cleaning and cooking all day. Dad and his wife, C, arrive tomorrow night for dinner and desert and gifts. It also happens to be C's birthday tomorrow, so there will also be cake. This is always fun, but stressful, too. The kids are just so wound up by this point, they have abandoned all hope of being polite and gracious. After Dad and C leave, B and I will attempt to put the boys to bed and then spend the next hour or so wrapping a zillion presents (we always buy wayyyyyy too much) and setting things up under the tree. Then we'll exchange our gifts and what happens after that is none of your business.

Monday - Our Christmas in our little house. Lots of presents, lots of coffee, lots of cameras and video. Eventually we'll make our way down to my in-laws again to do Christmas with them. This is where we are grateful for having suffered through the R invasion because the we can appreciate how wonderful it is with just us K's.

Wednesday is Christmas with my Mom and sister and her family. We'll do it again next weekend when my brother comes to town.

I'm exhausted just thinking about it, but I'm also looking very much forward to it. I worked very hard to make something for my folks and inlaws as well as B's grandparents and my grandfather. I'd tell you all about it, but well, my Mom reads this blog (Hey Mom!!!!! Love you!,) and I'm not about to ruin the surprise.

I've decided that I'm not doing one more bit of work than I absolutely have to. That's right. I'm letting the kids play computer games and watch Christmas movies and I'm taking them to the dreaded foul Golden Arches for lunch. Not sure exactly what I'm going to eat, but I think I may have earned myself some sushi. I wonder if it's a sushi dude in that package under the tree????

Happy Holidays, everyone! May you all get everything on your list.