Cabin Fever

I don't have anything to say. Nope nothin'. But I just can't stand the thought of having my current post being about Christmas. I'm done with Christmas. I'm over it. And I don't want to see it again for many months. I must not be a kid anymore.

Right now I am in the winter doldrums. Oh January. Why must you be so long? I'm tired of running with snow in my face and squishy wet shoes. I'm tired of worrying about bad air. I'm tired of staying inside all the time. Wouldn't it be nice to go on a little picnic in the park right about now? And I can't figure out how to get away for a day to go skiing. I've got this baby who only wants mom to put him down for naps. Maybe I just need to wean him already and be done with the whole mess. Yeah, that sounds good. Only, I don't believe the task can be completed before the end of the apex of the ski season. I might only be able to squeeze in one slushy spring run. I'm driving Diego crazy with the whole thing but I feel sort of stuck.

So, I am taking refuse from the winter in cookbooks, food blogs and such. Becoming a foodie in the sedentary winter is probably not the best idea but I just feel so cooped up, you know.

Oh yeah, I did have one idea today. I need to run a half marathon in the spring to get me motivated. Anyone know of a close half I could run in the spring?

To top it all off, our landlord emailed the other day and said she is going to drop by for a visit on Monday. Just for a short inspection. That might be fine for regular people but I am in no position to have my closets and medicine cabinets scrutinized. We live with barely controlled chaos around here. And although I am taking impeccable care of the house itself, I'm not sure that she will be able to see it. The thought of having it all clean at the same moment sends shudders through my body. It would be so easy for me to clean it now and be done with it . . . three little kids later it would be just as filthy by then. Everything has to be cleaned within the last hour of someone entering. That's how bad it's gotten.

Yesterday Alisa went to school in the morning while Jackson napped. Nicolas was at school too so I had two blissful hours of silence. I took the opportunity to shower and clean the kitchen. By 11:30 it was all done and I was sitting in awe just looking around. By 3:30 Alisa had thrown moon sand all around the kitchen (she said it looked like fireworks), Jackson had dumped the dishwasher silverware basket and completely emptied one cupbboard. Meanwhile Nicolas had been playing in the snow and tracked mud/slush all around the house while systematically stripping his wet clothing. AND all three of them were yelling at me to let them have cookies. Is this what I signed up for? I could laugh if every day wasn't like that.

See one more plug for summer . . . . kids spend the day outside too.

Holiday Pictures

CHRISTMAS EVE


Tracking Santa Around the World (Nicolas and Jackson)


Building Puzzles (Mark and Michael)


Food (Dad, Mom, Patti)


Nativity Story (Alisa, Jackson, Nicolas, Michael, David, Mark, Kristen, Patti)


Adriel, Alisa, Isabel

CHRISTMAS DAY


Mayhem at Midnight


Nicolas was the only child of mine awake at midnight to open his presents


A very tired Alisa opening presents after the sun came up


Jackson opening his one present (babies don't need presents, right?)


Alisa in a new dress-up


Nicolas trying out his binoculars


I got this--don't ask me how to use it


Diego making breakfast. When he saw this picture, he said "whoa hair!" I guess he didn't know he looked like this that morning.

NEW YEARS EVE
Snowshoeing in the backyard