Itinerary for Christmas shopping Success!

1:30 Friday: Leave work, stop at store for Beer, Wine and snacks
2:30 Friday: Leave Stoughton for Schaumburg IL
4:45 Friday: Check into Embassy Suites Hotel and wait for Steph
6:45 Friday: Head to dinner at Maggiano's (score GREAT table at bar) and eat a wonderful pasta dinner
8:45 Friday: Off to Target
11:00 Friday: Drop $300 and take first round presents to the room
1:00 a.m. Saturday: Finish wrapping first round of presents
6:45 a.m. Saturday: Wake up, take a swim, easy bike work out and a little reading before other girls wake up
9:00 a.m. Saturday: Hearty breakfast for stamina
10:00 a.m. Saturday: Enter the Mall
11:30 a.m. Saturday: First trip to cars with bags round 1
1:00 Saturday: Lunch at The Cheesecake Factory (No I did not have cheesecake but I did try the carrot cake-to die for!)
6:30 Saturday: Take 100 lbs of bags to the car in the rain and leave the mall
6:45 Saturday: Back to Target!
8:00 Saturday: Return to the hotel, order dinner, start wrapping
12:00 a.m. Sunday: Finish wrapping
1:00 a.m. Sunday: BED!!!
6:45 a.m. Sunday: Wake up for a little swim and loosening up
8:15 a.m. Sunday: Load my presents only onto a cart and battle the wind to fill the van.
9:50 a.m. Sunday: Head for Home!!!!
11:30 a.m. Sunday: At home, unpack, reorg presents for grouping of appropriate days.
12:00 Sunday: Enter Mother and Sister-in-law for baking
6:00 Sunday: Finish baking, Start cleaning up
6:30 Sunday: Bath kids
7:00 Sunday: Kids bedtime, sit and make grilled cheese for supper
8:00 Sunday: Work on a few Christmas presents and update blog...
9:24 Sunday: I AM READY FOR BED!!!!

And I wonder why I am tired??? I didn't even go into the 4 loads of laundry I folded and put away, casserole I made for Friday pot luck, the flex receipts gathered and submit, bath time for the kids and packing that I did Thursday so I could be gone for the weekend.

All said and done, I had essentially NO presents on Friday and need THREE right now (all of which I know what and where I need to get them!!)

I am feeling good (besides my throbbing legs) and ready for Christmas.

Take home message

When Hunter left Sunday school (which he calls Preschool) on Sunday, I asked him what he learned about. He responded:

"I learned about hunting."

Me: "What kind of hunting." (thinking maybe they had talked about the three wise men following the star...far fetch I know)

Hunter: "Umm Coyotes. No Gophers."

Josh to me: " I think he is missing the take home message."

Fast forward to yesterday putting up Christmas decorations and Hunter not really listening and probably being told so again.

Hunter: "Mom, is God here?"

Me: "Yes God is here at all times and everywhere."

Hunter looking around: "Ohh"

(Hunter stopping the immediate sassiness).

Me: He is getting the take home message!!!!

MIA: Picture Post

I have been MIA. No real excuse, just life (and I joined Facebook...but I haven't been on it that much...really!!) So I thought I would post some pictures. I will try to get Hunter's b-day pictures up as soon as I can (I have a tree to decorate too :) )
Enjoy!

Hunter trying to catch Jacy (Yes my family room looks like that on a daily basis)



Hunter helping to decorate the artificial tree



Hunter finishing a hard morning work combining with Papa



The Hosts for Thanksgiving...They did a great job!!


Toj and Jess...getting ready to dig in!

Mom and dad pausing for a picture

Derek and Tara

Chuck and Jude enjoying Holiday cheer

Mom and dad with oldest and youngest granddaughters

Happy Halloween...Jacy the bumble bee, buzzzzz....

Hunter the Red Ranger

Me with the kids...it wouldn't work alone (even before the candy!)

Jacy enjoying Hunter "ship" out of couch cushions

Hunter on top the ship hunting!

Taking a stop along the lake on our ride north of Duluth

Showing Josh how well I can skip rocks!

Hunter? playing outside

Jacy trying out the Jets hat

Daddy and his peanuts