1-10-12 at 11:12PM

I have a million posts in the draft pile, but they will have to wait.  (Some have been in the draft pile for years, just waiting for pictures.  Oops.)

I can't seem to sit still or focus, that is unless I'm watching some mindless movie on Netflix.  Laziness sounds so good in the moment - not so much when I let things pile up.

Just started back with postings at I Heart Mesa.  Funny thing about I Heart Mesa - posts that seem like they should take minutes to prepare take hours.  I'm not a fast blogger (except for some posts on my personal blog like this one - though I do figure I will read and reread it a million times to see if I sound dumb before posting - then I'll have Ryan hurry and read it to see if I need to delete or change anything that is dumb or too weird - and that worry takes time you know.)  Also, another thing about I Heart Mesa, it is like my few years of teaching: even when I'm not doing my job, I still worry about it.  When I taught, I constantly worried about things I should be doing.  It's the same with I Heart Mesa.  Maybe I should finally learn how to not procrastinate and to focus.  

For Christmas, I made a few homemade gifts.  They were cute and I should have taken pictures, but, I didn't make the time.  Luckily some of the recipients took pictures.  

This one was for the "little" brother-in-laws living and working in Utah.  

And this one was for Angela and Clint and their baby girl (coming Spring 2012).  We exchange names in the Melzer family.  I found this little guy at the thrift store and knew I could charm him up.  Brought him home and sanded him, fixed his eye problem, then Lucy and Elsa and I stained him, put him back together sturdier than ever, and Leta and Annie and I gave him a new set of hair, a new handle bar, and some feminine touches (hope he didn't mind).  I thought he turned out so stinkin cute.  

Angela has a blog where many stylish ladies (and some men) stop by to peak at her life.  I secretly love it when she posts pictures of my children because I love reading all her readers' comments about how cute my girls are.  So, when she posted a picture of the rocking horse we redid for her, you better believe I read each and every one of those comments.  

I know I shouldn't be, but, I'm such a sucker for compliments.  And blog compliments are the best because you don't have to try to come up with something to say back to the person like a face to face compliment.  (I get a little embarrassed at face to face compliments, and usually try to minimize the spotlight effect of them.)

You know what?  Blogging has taught me that I make up far too many words.  Like, I totally thought minimalize was a word.  Nope, just minimize.  Whoops.

Lucy and Elsa are done with school for another 6 days.  That is the perk of having half day kindergarten.  Every time we come back from a long break, soon after is parent teacher conference week and a short day schedule (for full day kids).  But, in order to accommodate the half day kiddos without changing start times, they have AM go Monday and Tuesday, and PM go Thursday and Friday.  So, we have off the rest of the week plus MLK day on Monday makes for a few happy girls (and mom).  Lucy and Elsa are excited that they get to watch Sesame Street with their little sisters tomorrow.  I'm excited that we don't have to get ready at 7 in the morning.

Our front porch Christmas lights are still plugged in thanks to Annie's request (demand).  I guess that is to be expected considering we still have pumpkins out front too.

I have a toothache (just a minor one).  Can't tell if it is a bona fide toothache or a symptom of having a 2 week long cold and a head full of snot.  I'm hoping it's the head full of snot thing.  Dental insurance? What's that?

I used to wear my retainer faithfully every night.  Since Leta and Annie - it's been maybe once a week.  On average.

Lucy has her second loose tooth.  Elsa just might have her first.  Who said they could be early bloomers on loosing teeth?  

Dinner tonight sustained life - but wasn't very pretty.  I tried making whole wheat noodles.  Fail.  Won't be sharing this batch of chicken noodle soup.  (Unless I blend it up for baby food for my nephew Rockwell.)

This quick post just went through about a million post edits (I keep thinking of more random things to say.  My thinker won't stop.)  Even when I hit publish I'm still never done.

We are just a bucket of excitement over here I tell you.  A bucket.