I'm getting miffed at the index page of my website, because I can't get the background to show up properly. I spent way too much time dealing with it last night. On the up side, Tom and I did his billing, so rent should be covered in a couple of days. Woohoo!

Of course, i haven't been able to balance my checkbook, because Citizen's website is down and I can't print out my actual statement to check against, which is irritating me to no end. Figures, I finally motivate myself to do it, and am thwarted by technological snafus.

Tom is already gone this morning, off to finish a fireplace insert, and then I have no idea where to. I figured I might as well get up and get some caffeine so I can shower in a bit. I have to work at noon today, and want to run to Toys R Us and possibly Old Navy before that.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the meat market with my newly acquired mother-in-law, which is how she identified herself when she called me yesterday ;). She was obviously quite tickled by the notion, except that she nearly called me by Tom's ex-wife's name when she hung up.

"Bye Wen...Kelly!"

Argh, bet she felt terrible. I found it highly amusing for some reason.

Children are stirring, must run!

More pictures are up here, and here and here.

I had a busy day. Well, not this morning. I sat around. But then I had to go to two banks, run Tom back and forth from Irondequoit (the next suburb over) and then went to Danielle's to hang out. They asked us to stay for dinner, which was baked chicken with fennel, eggplant and potatoes with tons of olive oil. It was amazing.

Then I came home and posted my pics and have been catching up on email. My mom emailed me ;). I emailed her back and told her that she was a bonehead. No, not really, but I wanted to. I think I was pretty diplomatic.

It's Monday! It feels like Monday too, except that I don't have to work today. Things are crawling. We're supposed to go to Danielle's for a playdate with the twins and two other girls, but my kids refuse to get dressed and ready to go. I still feel like the house is trashed, but I'm sick of dealing with it. I guess I could take the tree down, but I don't feel like dealing with that either ;).

My scanner totally died and I can't get the one I borrowed to work because I don't have my Windows 2000 disk :(. I got GREAT pictures from our Ithaca trip though. Maybe I can scan them at Danielle's and send them to myself. Ugh.

The weekend was lovely. The weather was fantastic, and we got to hike at Shingletown Gap . Tom put a lot of the siding up on my house and Keith helped me drag down all the old computer equipment and toys that were in the loft in the studio, so I can get rid of them finally.

We went out to dinner at the Outback Steakhouse, which was super yummy. I had a burger with bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions, tomatoes and bleu cheese dressing. :::swoon::: even though I don't usually like red meat that much. We camped out in the empty house, which was a little weird (and COLD) but it was fun too.

My mom left a message on my cell phone when we were en route to PA on Friday, and she acted like nothing had happened. I just couldn't figure out how to respond, so I didn't. Never heard from her again.

The girls had a good visit with their dad and his family. Soren got a karaoke machine and a fairy cat, and Emma got a mini skateboard and a globe thingy - I can't remember what it's called, but if you put your hand on it, it looks like lightening is attracted to you. I can't believe I can't remember the name of it!

They opened an EMS in downtown State College, and I got a long underwear shirt that is so soft and warm, it has instantly become my new fave, and I got Tom a wool sweater for his birthday (which isn't until Jan. 31) that was on sale. It's beautiful, with a rollneck, and brings out the blue in his eyes :).

All in all it was a great trip,

Well, Christmas is officially over. Now I get to drive to PA and spend a relaxing weekend hanging out while the girls visit family. They are staying overnight with Mike tonight and David asked me last night if they could stay Saturday night too so he could have an overnight. This is the first overnight visit he's had since I can't remember when - like sometime in the summer. I was a little taken aback, as we hadn't discussed it and he kind of dropped it on me, but I think it will go well.

So that means that Tom and I actually get a whole weekend to ourselves, woohoo! I want to take him to Zeno's tonight, and to stop by the Allen St. Grill and drive him around the campus, and take him out to Shingletown Gap and maybe up to Bear Meadows, depending on the roads. I'd also like to show him around Boalsburg, where I grew up, and who knows what else. If I can borrow a ladder, he's going to fix the siding on the house too.

We spent xmas with Tom's family yesterday and broke the wedding news to his brother and his girlfriend, Linda. She is recently separated and trying to file for divorce and got all emotional and happy/sad but we had a good chat about it afterwards. I felt sorry for her - I've felt that jealous feeling, not in the same circumstances, but it's not pleasant.

Then we opened presents and we ended up with a haul that neither of us were expecting. Tom got new boots and socks and a book and a map and wine and some other stuff. We got a window bird feeder with birdseed and I got wool socks and long underwear and the kids got really cool games and candy and stuff. Dinner was yummy and I had fun, since I haven't really spent that much time with his whole family together.

I swear, it was really the nicest holiday I've had in my life. No weird family stuff, no pressure, no running around. Just good food, relaxing conversation and laughing.

speaking of stress, I never heard from my mom yesterday, although I did talk to my dad and finalize dinner plans for tomorrow night. Well, I guess I better eat and finish packing and get everyone out of here, or we won't get there till midnight at the rate we're moving today ;)

OK, I think I've done my share of cleaning. The rest is up to Tom before we go tomorrow. I still have to pack for the girls and need to remember the presents we need to take, as well as sleeping bags, and the roof rack for the car.

It's Xmas morning and the girls had a visit from santa last night, who stuffed their stockings with hand boilers, jewelry and other assorted goodies. He also sampled some of our cookies and milk and left reindeer tracks outside. The girls were enchanted. Can I mention again what a good dad Tom is? ;)

Of course, now they are driving me absolutely out of my gourd. I haven't had a real break from them in a bit and have been looking forward to this weekend like crazy.

Pictures of the wedding are up!

Well, I think my comments were broken, but they are fixed now. I also found my keys, thank goodness. Under a tablecloth that was folded up on the table. I guess if I'd clean and put it on the table, I might have found them ;).

I got to sleep in this morning and now am having a wonderful cup of hazelnut coffee, which I never used to like but for some odd reason, do now. Speaking of cleaning, that is the chore du jour today. This place is truly a disaster and it has to be clean before I go away for the weekend.

Of course, my mom flaked on our Friday night arrangements and so I made arrangements with David's dad to keep them Friday night since David was going to go up there Saturday to visit anyway and get the girls Solstice presents. When my mom called yesterday to wish me a happy birthday, she totally freaked on me about it. I still don't quite get it, but apparently she talked to Mike (David's dad) and he didn't mention that he and I had made plans with the girls and he actually told her he might stay over at her place Friday night. Whatever.

She acted as if there were some big plot against her and then when I said that I had to make arrangements because she wasn't sure if she would be feeling well enough to take care of the girls, she said she had no idea that I wanted her to *babysit* them and that I hadn't cleared that with her. As if she expects me to bring the girls over at noon, and just hang out there until 9 a.m. the following morning. Tom won't even be in the same room with her because she's been so stupid and rude to and about him from day 1.

So then she said that I hadn't told her about any of my plans, which I actually HAD, in detail, and I said that she was forgetting things and she got incredibly pissed that I would entertain the idea that she might be a little forgetful (because of course, she is really 45 and not 68 HAH!) and started swearing at me, so I told her I didn't need that crap on my birthday and I hung up on her ;). So it's on her if she sees the kids this weekend. I really don't care.

I would be just as happy not to see her this weekend, since she's such an ass. So there. Feh.

Anyway, Mrs. Claus called the house to make sure that Santa has our new address right, so that he can put presents in the girls' stockings tonight :). Very cool.

It's raining like crazy here, which is good because all the snow has melted and maybe Thomas will find his keys where he dropped them in the snow at one of his clients' houses. Speaking of clients, we need to get organized and bill for his work this month so we can pay the rent on Jan. 1. I'm going to take over his billing, because he's a bit disorganized about it, but I don't mind, because I will feel like I'm working for our family and I enjoy doing that kind of thing.

oh, I forgot, we told Tom's parents about getting married. We stopped by after the wedding and Tom told his mom that he wanted to show her what he got her for Christmas. She started looking annoyed because he had already bought her a pretty expensive dog door for their new Jack Russell mix, and then he said, I brought you a daughter-in-law! The expression on her face was priceless. She was so happy for him that he was happy and gave me a huge hug and kiss. his dad also got up and gave me a hug and shook Tom's hand. It was so wonderful to be truly welcomed into their family. we are going to announce it to the rest of his family tomorrow at Christmas dinner.

I just can't even encompass how happy I am. All my priorities have changed. Family is the most important thing again and I'm even enjoying my children in a way I haven't in months, because I have a partner who absolutely adores them. Watching them with him fills me with the utmost joy because they are so comfortable with him and he is so loving and careful with them.

He and I had a very long talk about all sorts of things last night, but the most important thing was about having more children, which we both want, because we love each other so much and he loves my children so much, and is such a good step-dad already, that the idea of him with his own child just puts me over the moon. Being pregnant again is something I Never thought I would do, or would even want to, but having his child would be an amazing experience.

I can just picture the rest of our life together. It's so crazy, but I've never been more in love, although I loved and still love David so much. Thomas and I are so right together in every way.

OK, I'll stop being sappy and lovesick ;). I just can't believe that my life has changed so drastically. I guess that is what happens when you stop letting it happen to you and start living it.

After all, life is not a dress rehearsal.

I'm officially Mrs. Hall now :). The wedding was very short but wonderful - said all the things we needed to say and the girls were ringbearers, which was very cool. I don't have pics yet but should tomorrow I hope :). We went to Ithaca, NY for a honeymoon and shopped and hiked a bit and wandered around Cornell University. The weather was fantastic and around 50F and sunny.

We also stopped in Taughannock Falls to see the gorge and an older gentleman took a couple pics of us w/ my camara, so hopefully I'll get those done soon.

we came back today late and met the girls' bus and then ran around and got changed to go to Brio's for dinner for my birthday. I can't believe I'm 31. Where did the time go? I still feel 19.

I got flowers and a very sweet and romantic card from Tom, as well as some very sexy underwear from Victoria's Secret. It's so nice to be married to a man who appreciates good underwear!

Anyway, gotta get to bed.

My Roadrunner connection is acting all funky, and I lost my keys. It's driving me nuts because I've looked everywhere but I still can't find them and I know they have to be in this house somewhere.

Oh well.

We all went to Danielle's Solstice party tonight, which was wonderful and the girls had a good time, although Soren was pretty clingy and low key. She's still running a low grade fever, but seems to be mostly OK. We opened presents and I got a gift certificate to Old Navy and Tom got one for a restaurant, and we got a bottle of Boone's Melonball, which is yummy stuff, even it if *is* neon green.

We got Danielle a journal, Mike a pair of cool pj pants, and a really cool green and blue vase for both of them. We got the boys playdough and silly putty, as well as underwear with Nemo and some other character I can't remember now.

The girls *loved* their gifts. I read most of the first Junie B. Jones book to Soren and Emma *adored* her coat that i got her and is so excited about having a heating blanket, which she asked for. I also got her a bey blade, which she thought she wouldn't get for some reason and she got her money's worth out of it just today, with as much as she played with it. I had also picked up a bunch more books, including the 10th Lemony Snicket book of the Unfortunate Series of Events.

Danielle got them both clothes and mugs to decorate, as well as gift certificates to Toys R Us.

Dinner was fantastic, with squash with maple syrup and butter; ham; salad with artichoke hearts and all sorts of yummy stuff; stuffing with mushrooms and pine nuts and sherbet with dessert. We had a fascinating discussion about the origins of that word ;) which led into Shawn (Danielle's brother) talking about his Jeopardy! experience, which will air on 2/24. He came in second. Very cool.

It was very surreal in some ways, because I kept imagining myself back there a year ago when I didn't really know Tom and it was so amazing to look at what a year has wrought.

We didn't get to go for a walk on the pier, but Danielle thinks we should go tomorrow anyway since that's really Solstice. We shall see. We briefly talked about going to Ithaca for the day/night, which would be really fun. Danielle and Mike will keep the girls, so I know they're in good hands.

I'm sure there's all sorts of other things I could say about this day, but I'm being distracted by Tom ;). Suffice it to say that my heart overflows.

OMG, how could I not have posted anything since Thursday? Life is flying by. I worked my butt off all week, but on Wednesday we went shopping and got some very nice wedding bands that are white gold, with a raised edge - very simple but we both like them. Tom won't wear his much anyway, being a contractor. I'd rather have him with all fingers intact, thank you very much. He told me he's going to have his friend Tina make a leather necklace so he can wear it tight around his neck and then easily remove it to wear it on his finger for special occasions.

We talked about the ceremony and he was of course, so wonderfully cool about everything. I don't know why I worry about such things. His whole attitude was that Emma's feelings were way more important to him than any baggage he has about being private about this wedding because of his first horrible marriage and that he is perfectly willing to be the adult in this situation and have the girls be a part of it, which is just what I needed to hear.

Yesterday he worked in the morning and took Soren with him, all bundled up. Soren *freaked* for some reason when I had to go off to work and he had his hands full with her for awhile, but she eventually calmed down. He called me at one point asking me what he should do, and I basically told him to tough it out and put her in the car sans coat and boots if he needed to go and she would chill out. Geez, I thought that at age 5 she might be a bit more reasonable, but apparently not.

So in the afternoon, we went to The Outdoor Store, which sells all kinds of Carhartt (www.carhartt.com) stuff, and I'd link to it, but my link button tain't workin'. Good grief. He wanted to find me some warm clothes, but unfortunately they seem to have gone to selling stuff just for BIG men ;). I couldn't find flannal lined jeans in my size, but he did buy me a wonderful pair of boots that are the warmest things I've ever had on my feet. Not particularly stylish, but actually almost are, because they're so clunky and black, heh. They are waterproof and rated for -40F, so I can't imagine getting cold feet anytime soon. Is it a sign that he bought me this Solstice present right before our wedding day? I also got a pair of fleece socks :::swoon::: and some wool socks too. Then we went to Target and got some presents for the twins and my dad, and then we hit Gander Mountain (www.gandermountain.com) and got a pair of pajama pants for Danielle's husband Mike, that have black labs on them, and a gift certificate for Bob, Tom's brother. Then we were going to go to Wegman's to put together a basket of stuff for Mike and Danielle, but it got late, and we actually had plans for a short date!

Tom's mom offered to babysit, because Bob was having a little holiday party and so we dropped the kids off for their first babysitting adventure with her, and Soren did *Just Fine* after stern words from me about how she was *Not* to freak out when we left and was to be on her best behavior ;). Which she was, but I think the candy canes and rental movies that Mrs. Hall had available worked better than my dire threats ;). Sooo... we ran home so I could change and I ended up having a *great* time, despite not knowing anyone except Bob and his girlfriend Linda.

We couldn't stay long, because Mrs. Hall goes to bed early but it was so good to get out and socialize a bit and the other guests were all very interesting and I was unusually outgoing and engaged in conversations - even started them! - but maybe that was the wine that fortified me.

Then we came home, got the kids in bed, and stayed up talking for quite some time.

Unfortunately, Soren woke me up crying at 6 a.m. and she has a fever of 101 and a sore throat and headache and gosh darnit, today is the Solstice party that Danielle is having and I still have to wrap presents, run to Wegman's, put up the tree that we got Friday night, make monkey bread and be at Danielle's by 1 p.m. or so. Argh. I guess I'll quarantine her upstairs with me in Danielle's bedroom, where there's a TV. Hopefully it's nothing major, because my wedding is tomorrow. good grief. Doesn't it just figure?

So, I have to run off to Wegman's now while Tom is still here and can watch the kids.

My titles are not showing up for some reason. My last entry was supposed to say Life Without Coffee...
I got some coffee at Dunkin' Donuts so am feeling better. I have to run to my other job and just got home from the gym, but wanted to have some lunch first.

I'm eating cookies and listening to Dar Williams' "Wilder Than Her" which Tom says is about us, although I'm not convinced that he's wilder than me ;).

I have to have a talk with him tonight about Monday's ceremony. He didn't want to take the kids, and I'm feeling kind of torn about it, because Emma really wants to go and I feel like I want them to be there because it affects us as a family. I know that we're going to have a family ceremony in May, but I also understand how she feels left out. I want her to feel a part of it. Tom said that it was fine with him, but I could tell it really wasn't. And I understand his part, that he fell in love with me first and that he wants this to be *our* day. But it's *not* just me. a huge part of who I am is being a mother.

Anyway, so I need to have a good talk with him about it tonight. I just hope he doesn't feel resentful about having the kids there if it's what i really want. I don't think he would, but it's hard for me to talk about heavy things after all the crap I've been through with David. I talked to Danielle about it and she said she would talk to him but I want to do it first and then she can help me out if we can't come to an understanding, but I'm sure we can. I mean, if we're going to spend our lives together, we better figure out how to discuss these things! It's weird, because in some ways, Danielle understand him better than I do because she's known him so much longer, but like she says, I have lots of time to get to know him.

Part of me feels as if I have known him for a thousand years though. Argh. Relationships can be so tricky sometimes and I know I don't have to be afraid to talk to him about anything, because he's so gentle and wonderful and understanding, but I'm afraid anyway. I guess it will take some time to totally build that trust and best-friendship that I know we're capable of. It's not his fault, it's just part of the baggage I have brought with me.

Argh. Gotta run to the Post Office and mail a package (ewwww, I hate holidays crowds!) and get to work and back to meet the bus :::sigh::: I'm really looking forward to tomorrow when I only have to work at the gym in the evening and go and buy a few more gifts for the twins and Mike. Oh, which reminds me, Mike wants to come to the wedding too, but he has the boys, so I don't know how he would do that, and I definitely don't want *4* kids there. I love the twins, but I'd just like it to be MY kids because they're getting married too.

Maybe that's why Tom wants to just have the two of us so nobody is upset that they weren't told or invited. It kind of defeats the point of eloping if you have half the people you love there.

Life without coffee

is the pits! We ran out this morning. I am going to shower and go to Wegman's pronto.

I was *so* tired last night, I could barely move, but it was a good kind of tired. I worked my behind off at the gym and every muscle got a workout. This morning my feet even hurt when I got up. The girls were really good though and Emma's coach had the brilliant idea of bringing a video camera in to tape Emma so she can see what she needs to work on, since she doesn't seem to understand the concept of "form." Rita, her coach, said that it's a matter of body awareness and it will just click at some point in the next year or two. It's frustrating because she has the strength and the flexibility and the skills, but she looks very sloppy and can't hold some poses because of her lack of ability to stay tight.

It's been good to coach again, I find that I actually enjoy that more than the paperwork stuff for now, although I like brainstorming with my boss about where his business needs to go and how to get there. It's the actual work to achieve it that's tedious ;).

Anyway, off to shower, get coffee and get to work!

Domestic goddess

I have decided that the key to Tom having marital bliss today is for him to come home from work and say 'gee, honey, the house looks GREAT!' ;).

I showered, put dinner in the crockpot - meatloaf and potatoes, cleaned the kitchen, put all the laundry away, did two more loads, vacuumed the whole house, mopped the laundry room, entryway and kitchen and am now eating lunch. Then I'm going to balance my checkbook, wrap the presents I have purchased, and run to the store to get a present for the gymnastics team party tonight. That should get me home in time to meet the kids after school and then feed them *quickly* and get to the gym to work again. I keep saying that I need a full time job for the money and benefits, but honestly, I don't know how I would keep up with the house if I worked full time.

I don't know *why* that is, since I worked a full time job AND a part time job and single parented less than two months ago, but I just can't stand the idea of going to an office from 9 to 5 every day. If I could get a part-time reporter job, *that* would be the shit ;).

I really need to get my behind down to The City and give them some clips. I did email them my resume, but never heard anything so it's definitely time for a followup visit.

Oh, and :::swoon:::, did I mention that I've been officially introduced to New York pizza? Being from Pennsyltucky, I never realized that New York is *known* for it's pizza, as I've been assured ever since I got here, but apparently it is, and I have to admit that it's really good! They eat it with bleu cheese, which I've never done before, although I'm addicted to Papa John's garlic butter dip, but the bleu cheese thing definitely works. Anyway, if you ever get to Rochester, try Pontillo's.

I'm clearly not going to make it to coffee with the principal this morning. Damn. Just can't get motivated. Plus, I don't know if it's possible to sneeze 492 times in one morning, but I'm going for a personal record. I don't feel sick, just sniffly. Maybe I *do* have a sinus thing going on that is making me feel so weird.

Despite having to get up every morning with kids, I must say that I love being able to get up, make coffee, and take a cup to Tom in the morning. Or to have him do the same for me. It's such a nice, nurturing little thing to do and reminds me at the start of every day that there is love in my life. Not like I don't know that when I go to bed each night ;)

OK, enough procrastination. Computer off, shower on!

10 days till xmas...

I got a lot done today. It's a real ordeal to run errands in a new city. I didn't even have to think about where I was going at home, because I'd lived there my whole life and could get to any given place at least two different ways. Here, I have to think and plan out how I'm going to get where I'm going, for the simplest trips and the effort often means that I just stay home instead.

However, it's starting to make sense, and today I decided to take the plunge and hit a couple places I needed to go. I went to the post office and got stamps to send my holiday cards, which I successfully did, even to my friend in Australia who just lost her baby :(. Then, I went to WalMart (which I *never* do, but I wasn't sure where else to get film developed 'round these parts), dropped off film, then went to Galyan's to get gloves for the girls for Christmas, and I found something for Tom too. Then I had to go back to Walmart to get my film, get smoke alarms for Tom for a house he's working on, and I got a couple of pregnancy tests, just in case...

side note here... I've been feeling really spacy at times, like my head is not connected to my body at all. It comes and goes and I thought maybe it was a sinus thing but i don't feel any other symptoms, and then I had that stomach flu and I thought *maybe* I was pregnant, but I don't think I am, but anyway, that was the impetus for the pg tests, which are handy to have around anyway because I'm neurotic when my period is late. ::side note off:::

Then I met Tom for lunch at Don Pablo's, which was super yum dillyicious and then I came home and it was already 2:30 pm and I finished my holiday cards and then looked up some phone numbers that I didn't have time to call.

I've got *so* much to do tomorrow. Turns out there is a gymnastics team party that I have to buy and wrap a present for, I've got to change my car insurance, call domestic relations to notify them of my new job and my impending marriage (god, that makes it sounds like a disease or something ), put about 5 loads of laundry away, wrap gifts, and various and sundry chores around the house.

Oh, and I'm also supposed to go to some kind of coffee with the principal (always remember it's not princiPLE, because the principal is your PAL). Yee Haw.

On Wednesday, we're *finally* going to look for wedding bands at The Source, which is apparently a nice jewelry store here. Yay! I hope we find something we like or we're going to be wearing gum machine rings until we can order something else.

OK, off to finish email and random stuff like that.

Computer Time

Thank god I've got my computer back. I still haven't figured out what happened when it crashed and reverted back to a bunch of old files, but I'm not sure what to do about it. I lost quite a bit of journaling which makes me really sad and I also lost my old blog files which I had saved to my hard drive. I guess that cleaning house is not so bad though. There was good and bad there that is good to be rid of, and one reason I started a new blog was that I felt that a dear friend had greatly misunderstood much of what I was writing about.

I am not sure what I'm babbling about, actually. I feel somewhat at loose ends, irritable and edgy, craving a cigarette or a good night on the town, with music and beer and friends. I'm sure it's not completely the kids' fault that I'm grouchy and tearful and sarcastic and downright unfit to be around other people.

I really hope that things work out in two weeks so that I can leave the kids overnight at my mom's house and go to Zeno's and see old friends who are in town visiting for the holidays. I'm desperate for a smoky, crowded bar that has people I know in it. Silliness.

On the up side, it's really great now that it's quiet. I can look forward to canoodling and relaxing and enjoying quiet and candelight. If only I could find my incense...but that's in one of those boxes that I can't find right now.

Snow

My kids are driving me right the f*ck out of my mind. I swear, you'd never know that I was away from them for 7 hours yesterday. Of course, being in the car together for 8 hours within 48 hours probably isn't helping. It's snowing like hell here, and we probably have about 9 inches. The kids went out and played for way too short a period of time in it. Of course, there are no hills here, so I don't know where people are supposed to sled.

Tom is working, and I'm lonely and stir crazy. We tried to make tie dyes today but I screwed up the process so they probably won't work. I also let Soren make a stained glass ornament, which went well but Emma got tired of waiting for her turn, and proceeded to get herself a snack of cereal and spill it all over her room. she also painted herself and Soren's hands with liquid bandaid this morning! ACk! The smell was amazing, and I'm still furious with her. Duh!

I had a lovely time in State College this weekend but now I'm homesick. I miss my house, I miss my kitchen (yes, I'm still whining about the kitchen), I miss my friends and I miss knowing how to get everywhere. That's not to say that I'm unhappy here, but while Tom is out on his day off, fixing up some studio space for his best friend, I'm stuck here in the goddamn snow with nobody to talk to except chattering girls and a pissed off cat.

Whine, whine, whine ;). Not to mention, they haven't filled my old position at the newspaper in State College and I miss it desperately. Waaaaah.

I have NO idea what to make for dinner, Tom is still stopping at the grocery store before he comes home, and I have to work every evening this week.

Soren is whining that she's hungry, although she's done nothing but eat for the entire day, her white shirt is soaking in stuff to prepare it for tiedying and I have NO desire to deal with more paint, and I've got a skillion loads of laundry either in process or waiting to be put away.

My living room is still filled with boxes of books, but I *did* get the playroom unpacked. However, I now want to move everything around and don't have time because my children are tired of entertaining themselves, they don't want to do anything I offer to do with them, and they sure as hell don't want to help to rearrange the room.

At least, Erica is giving me a futon for down there, so we'll have space for overnight guests. My bedroom is unpacked and so is the kids' room, but I'm still missing a living room box and some kitchen stuff. I guess I'll have to open some of the boxes of stuff that are marked to see if the stuff is in there that I'm missing. That was an incredibly poorly constructed sentence!

I guess I should stop whinging and get to cooking more food for my ungrateful family. Emma has been in pajamas all day except for her brief foray into the snow. Lazy sod ;).

I'm off to drool over wedding rings.

Time flies...

When you're all sick! Emma threw up after Thanksgiving dinner - 3 times in one night and then was miserable all the next day. Then Soren threw up once a few days ago and has had diarreah on and off and then 2 days ago, I got really nauseous all of a sudden but it passed. Then yesterday, it came back and I spent the evening trying not to throw up, because Goddess knows, I'd rather do anything than throw up.

I finally succumbed around 11 pm last night, and felt marginally more human but today I've been shaky and miserable with diarreah all day, so much so that I had to call off work :(.

Emma still hates school and complained of stomach pains today. There's not much I can do about it except homeschool, but Soren is adjusting well to school, but if I take Emma out, she will refuse to go, although in some ways I think it would be BETTER to keep her in school.

Oh well. We'll keep hanging in there for a bit. Holiday break is right around the corner. The kids are really homesick and I don't blame them. Even though we would have had to give up our house in State College and probably couldn't afford to keep Emma in her school, at least they'd have familiar things. I'm not really homesick at all, except on their behalf.

My divorce was final on Dec. 4, and I'm getting married on 12/22. Weird thing with 22's and Tom. The weirdest thing is that the Solstice is on the 22nd this year which is why we're getting married then, because that's when we re-met, and the check I wrote for the marriage license was 222. Weird. I'm very excited! We're going to look for rings this week hopefully.

We're just having a civil service and will do a ceremony w/ the kids in the spring.

Anyway, I have to run, because I have to get Soren ready for bed, but I'll try to post more often. I really miss writing.