(((Twins))) - I am sorry your day was so long, sleep tight.
I got home to find DS13 just getting to the Kitchen and that nothing else had been done in the house even though I had asked both of them to help out. I got a lol in Bert and there is no more laundry in the hampers so either it is sitting in their rooms or they have been wearing the same clothing all week. Pulled out something to make for dinner and then sat down to check my email really quick... still sitting here an hour later. Need to go make Dinner and then get to bed early, nlt 10 pm.
ToDo/TaDa's d2s coffee make-up pack lunch & coffee get gas work
dinner lol 15 min in LR
bed nlt 10 pm
BBS
"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." — William James
Oh, (((Twins))), here is a warm comfy quilt -cuddle and feel the group hug from here.
We went to the Old Spanish Mill for pancakes (about 2 hours each way). It was a really enjoyable, fun day. As we got near Orlando, dd could see on her phone that there were back-ups so we took the toll 417. Very shortly we could see I-4 stopped and backed up for miles. I didn't care how much the tolls were and we took it to come back as well. Yay! This restaurant is not very cheap but it was good and so much fun. It's inside the DeLeon Springs State Park. Took gd with us and she was actually good. She has a friend over for the night. The friend is so polite and nice and I'm sure she'd like to tell gd to shape up.
DD and I are now having a no-no before bed. DD made peppermint coffee with peppermint creamer. So good and so relaxing.
Good but exhausting day. Lots and lots and lots of laughter.
Dd's godparents arrived 30 minutes early, dh arrived almost exactly when I expected him with dsil. Don't know how today went in the interview process but there was some sort of test for him to work on.
Ds had 4 hours sleep and is in bed now for 2 hours.
I had an hour nap after lunch. For lunch I just pulled all the leftovers out of the fridge, and tons of chips and we ate them, plus open faced cheese and bacon sandwiches. Then I put out chocolates and baking. The 9 of us crammed around my kitchen table (which in this form fits 6.)
Then dh, the dad and son left to take the son to work, I had a nap and the remaining 4 visited.
I got up an hour before I had wanted to serve dinner but since the counters were still covered with the dirty dishes, I had to clean the kitchen and really push to get dh to do things like check the bbq tank (which turned out to be empty so he had to shovel out the door to the shed to get the second tank.)
We sat down to eat just after 6 and they could have left at 7 (we had finished dessert) but they chose to stay for another 45 minutes.
By 9:09, all the kitchen had been cleaned again, the dishwasher was running and the floors mopped.
Ds is getting up now and will take a shower before leaving for work.
Tomorrow, we are all going into the city with dsil and dropping dd at a friend's house for the day. Ds will go to his house to sleep and then pick up dd and take her rock climbing. We'll pick up dsil and bring him back here. Pizza for dinner for us.
OKay -- IKWYM, but I agree w/the comment that your dniece just probably feels helpless to do anything to help w/the situation you are facing w/LO & the other boys as well, and she just wants them to feel loved!
DS & ddil are in a similar bind re: their neighbors. I think it is an older lady & her daughter, and they brought ds & ddil Christmas gifts today. Of course ds & ddil had nothing to give them in return, and baking some cookies would be a great idea... but I doubt they will do that. Hmmm... they do bake cupcakes fairly often. Maybe they could carry them a plate of cupcakes! I will suggest that. They brought baby gifts when dgs was born, too, but several of their neighbors did, also.
(((Twins))) -- (((BIG HUGS))) Hope you can get some good sleep tonight.
I finally managed to wash a couple loads of clothes.
Then we went to funeral visitation w/dmil, ds, and dgs. It was at our church, actually in the fellowship hall, while the body remained in the sanctuary -- which we all (in our family, I mean) dislike intensely. But it does make for a more informal gathering, whether that is the point or not, and we thought dgs would be fine to go with us. Ddil was working.
DGS was sooo well behaved... never made a peep, generally smiled on cue, and made lots of friends.
After that was over, we took dmil home and ds & dgs went out to eat with us.
DGS was just in a remarkably good mood all night. I hope he will be tomorrow! DS and some friends are playing at the funeral and we are going to keep dgs so ddil can attend with him.
Hi Everyone! Welcome to Itneverends! This is best little corner of the world to renew ones spirit and uplift others.
I've enjoyed reading all the Christmas stories.
We had a nice holiday. Monday we had planned to go to our church's candlelighting service, but when the time came we were both tired and the weather wasn't nice so we watched our service online. It was nice to sing along with the carols and when the time came we lit our candles. I had found two matching 8" tapers and put them in small glass candle holders. We turned out all the lights except the tree lights and the outside lights. It was almost like being there!
Christmas day we had a quiet morning, then after lunch went to visit dfam#1. Ddil's dbro was there too. Dgkids had fun opening their stocking and big gifts and I was pleased they were all happy.
Wednesday was our let-down day. After two weeks of constant activity, shopping, cleaning, running errands, we had a nice quiet day just the two of us enjoying each others company. We did make one trip out to the cell phone store a block away in the shopping center at the edge of our neighborhood. We are on our dson#3's family phone plan and our phones were due for upgrade. Ds sent me a new phone, I passed my original one on to my dh. So we took my new phone to have it activated and move our contact lists. Mine is not a smart phone, but it does have a touch screen and a qwerty keyboard for easy texting. So far I like it, but I'm still getting used to new things on it. We've dragged dh into new territory and now he has to learn his "new" phone as well.
We won't be taking our decorations down for another week or so. Still have to celebrate Christmas with dfam#2 when they get back from north FL and my dcousin and her dh. They came back from VA earlier and brought their ds and his wife so they could be here in warm sunny Florida. Ha! Right now it's 49* out !
Congratulations to Harriet's dd14 on the notice in the paper about the art contest. Dee, the grist mill and restaurant sounds nice. Norma, Happy Birthday! (belated). So sorry I missed the actual day! Lilac, Hope dd16 is feeling better. ((Twins)), for dsis and dmom. ((OKay & dgsons)) ((Hugs)) to all others as needed!
Here is our holiday story to remember.... *Note: our house was built in 1960 and has, I am sure, all the original plumbing (except for the sinks and spigots dh replaced) and electricity. That said...we had been turning on the outside lights, which are connected to the inside switch for the porch light, every evening after supper till almost bedtime. I had noticed that the switch and switchplate were warm when I turned it off. Last night dh remarked that he smelled something "funny". He was in the living room, I was in the dining room. I went right in to the light switch and sure enough....there was a strong odd smell and it was buzzing. This morning he took the back plate off, but nothing seemed wrong. He went to the hardware store, got two new switches and changed them both. (It is a double switch and the other one is for the living room tv.) The outside switch was broken on the inside. When we talked to ds#2 this afternoon he was worried and said it could have started a fire! We sure were lucky this time, that dh was still up in the living room and hadn't gone to bed yet!
Our dgd15 - VA - came to Orlando yesterday with her high school band. They are playing in the Grinchmas Macy Parade at Univ. Studio Park. We had thought we might be able to go see her, but decided not to spend the $$$. We messaged her and told her, also called ds#3 and told him we couldn't go. He had sent me the band itinerary. Of course he said not to worry about it, he understood and knows dgd15 understands. But dh is really disappointed that we can't go since he promised dgd we would come to see her. Her band is also playing during halftime at the Orange Bowl game tomorrow. We'll watch the game to see if half-time is aired, or if all we can see is more sports talk. The band will also play for the Blue Man Show. Her group will be here till Monday evening, but there's not much more free time.
Better post this while I have the chance, I've had to log in again.
Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. --- Francis of Assisi
Up way past my bedtime again. Popped in to cuop & wanted to give Twins a ((hug)) for her difficult day, wish Norma a (belated) Happy Birthday , & welcome Itneverends .
Talked to you all in my head as I read -- hope you have ESP, heehee .
and that nothing else had been done in the house even though I had asked both of them to help out. 
Pulled out something to make for dinner and then sat down to check my email really quick... still sitting here an hour later. Need to go make Dinner and then get to bed early, nlt 10 pm.
d2s
