Bandits.
As usual, Garret's family showered us with all kinds of things this year. I think I opened four gifts and then announced I was done. Sometimes it gets overwhelming to have so much given to me and not be able to give as much in return. My mother-in-law thinks I'm silly for doing so, but I always write thank you notes after such an exchange. Always. I don't want anyone to think I'm ungrateful for any of the time, money, or effort they've spent, even if it was from an online wish list.
Garret did well with his gift-giving this year. Last year I did all the shopping for his family and he did barely any shopping at all. Had it not been for gifts I had bought and stashed away during the year our list would have been missing a few checkmarks. On Christmas morning he stuffed my stocking with candy and Barbie accessories, and I opened a gift certificate from Olympus Spa, a fun photo-collage puzzle, and one copy of The Movies for my computer. He got some CD's I guessed he didn't have, a cheat book for a 360 game I knew he cussed at a lot, and some lights for his closet. Grady got a ball of compressed catnip that he attacked so thoroughly we're still looking for it. It's here somewhere. Intact, I'm sure of it. I got video -- I just have to upload it somehow.
The French toast, sadly, was a flop. Literally. We'll have to find a better recipe for the thick slices. Maybe brown, then bake? I might have left out the vanilla, too.
The office is closed today and Tuesday, so I have some time to get a few things taken care of before I return to work. Taking down the tree is the first order of business, followed by getting at least one of the common rooms ready for company. My in-laws were kind enough to take a huge amount of cardboard & recycling off our hands so we could at least feel like we've made progress. The seller of this house was kind enough to leave us a full recycling bin, and the city of Kirkland is urging people to spread out their recycling over several weeks (which might be doable if they came for it every week instead of ever OTHER week). I'm getting used to it. Slowly.
The kitchen is almost complete, which is nice. I still miss having a pantry. All my canned goods are still in boxes because I have no cabinet to put my cookbooks and cans in. Our new fridge will be here January 2. The current fridge runs, but it takes two days to make ice. Not good.
Now I'm just going to try and not stress. Easier said than done, because there's still plenty of chocolate left.
Garret did well with his gift-giving this year. Last year I did all the shopping for his family and he did barely any shopping at all. Had it not been for gifts I had bought and stashed away during the year our list would have been missing a few checkmarks. On Christmas morning he stuffed my stocking with candy and Barbie accessories, and I opened a gift certificate from Olympus Spa, a fun photo-collage puzzle, and one copy of The Movies for my computer. He got some CD's I guessed he didn't have, a cheat book for a 360 game I knew he cussed at a lot, and some lights for his closet. Grady got a ball of compressed catnip that he attacked so thoroughly we're still looking for it. It's here somewhere. Intact, I'm sure of it. I got video -- I just have to upload it somehow.
The French toast, sadly, was a flop. Literally. We'll have to find a better recipe for the thick slices. Maybe brown, then bake? I might have left out the vanilla, too.
The office is closed today and Tuesday, so I have some time to get a few things taken care of before I return to work. Taking down the tree is the first order of business, followed by getting at least one of the common rooms ready for company. My in-laws were kind enough to take a huge amount of cardboard & recycling off our hands so we could at least feel like we've made progress. The seller of this house was kind enough to leave us a full recycling bin, and the city of Kirkland is urging people to spread out their recycling over several weeks (which might be doable if they came for it every week instead of ever OTHER week). I'm getting used to it. Slowly.
The kitchen is almost complete, which is nice. I still miss having a pantry. All my canned goods are still in boxes because I have no cabinet to put my cookbooks and cans in. Our new fridge will be here January 2. The current fridge runs, but it takes two days to make ice. Not good.
Now I'm just going to try and not stress. Easier said than done, because there's still plenty of chocolate left.