Oh Tannenbaum

It's Monday morning, again. How did that happen? The weekend flew by, as usual. Here Animal and I are, with my pumpkin asking where her daddy is. It was a productive weekend, though. They usual are. Just not restful.

Saturday we went to a tree farm in southeastern Connecticut. My husband's sister and her family met us there for the third year in a row. The kids are over-the-moon excited to see their uncle, but are remarkably well-behaved. Animal was a little freaked out by the snow and cold initially, but warmed up, so to speak. We found a nice, small tree to fit into our nice, small apartment that will be filled to the brim with more family than my poor husband cares to think about. My poor husband and I grew up so differently. To me, the holidays aren't the holidays without family. And the stress that goes along with it. For him, he'd like to barricade the three of us in our apartment and come out when it's over. I don't blame him. My family is overwhelming and he's only getting the condensed version. Someday that poor bastard will get his way.

Sunday was packed with cleaning, schoolwork, errands, being nicely accosted by furniture salesman trying to sell us a giant living room set that really...didn't...fit....our....taste. Let alone our small apartment. Then, we spied the seconds room-SCORE! Poor guy. Didn't my yoga pants and ratty men's sweater, my husband's carrharts, and my daughter's snotty nose scream "THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT IN THE MARKET FOR A 6 PIECE LEATHER SOFA SET!!! MOVE ALONG TO A PROFITABLE CUSTOMER!!!!!" My husband bought me a wood filing cabinet to contain all my exams crap that had formerly occupied several beat-up cardboard boxes in the corner.

Today, Animal and I are attempting to clean, bake and cook in anticipation of my mother-in-law's arrival. She's staying with her granddaughter while I administer one of my class's finals. Finally. Millie just put a giant egg on her forehead, so we took a reading break to slow down and recoup. She's a trooper.

Have a good day, all.