Weekend of 11/23/07

It’s amazing how long weekends always end with a Monday morning yawn and a “I need another day off” escaping within the first five minutes of being awake.

Even though I got out of work at 4:00 on Wednesday, I burned up the extra hour at Target and Hancock’s buying stuff to make the bathroom curtains. That night, after dinner and Nicole’s bedtime, Jim and I went back out to Home Depot to buy more house supplies so we could have a productive Thanksgiving Thursday.

Productive was the right word – as the dining room furniture was to be delivered on Friday I worked hard to paint the room in preparation. I got a sage color beneath the chair rail and a light foam green on top. I painted stripes on the top half (same hue, different sheen) which took FOREVER to tape. We didn’t get it finished before having to leave for Grandma’s for dinner though.

Thanksgiving dinner was great as always. Whole family gathered to celebrate. Nicole and Ryann behaved incredibly well and Nicole went to sleep at 9:00 in Aunt Mary’s arms. I took the opportunity to take an “all-grandma” picture with her as this was the first time that every grandma she has was present together. I also caught a shot of her sitting – she can prop herself up for a few seconds (20?) before toppling, but is quite happy while she’s vertical. She can stay up longer if she puts her hands in front of her, but that doesn’t really count as sitting on “her own”. She’s close though!

Friday, Jim woke up at 4:30am to go shopping. Yes, I said JIM woke up on a vacation day at 4:30AM to SHOP. Who is this man!? What did he want? 1) 2G memory card for the camera for $6.99 (sold out), 2) Size 3 Pampers for $10.99 from Meijer (plus coupon made them about 55% off!), 3) painting supplies (ran out of tape the night before!), 4) tools 5) 80G External hard-drive to back up our computer (got it for $55!).

Vickie and I worked diligently on finishing the paint but didn’t make it before the furniture folks came. I didn’t realize that our taste in furniture is dark wood and BIG. I think we got the biggest furniture they sell. It’s huge and took those two delivery guys all they had to get the pieces upstairs to our bedroom. I’d say I love it but we’re not in it yet – still don’t have a mattress for the bed or the touch-up paint in the living room done, so the furniture taunts us as NONE of it is in use but is so nice to look at!

We left on Saturday to head back to Spencerville for Jim’s dad’s side’s Thanksgiving. Good food, good company. Nicole slept from 9pm to 8am without getting up once! HOORAY! Long evening and next day of visiting family and friends. We were disappointed to hear that Dale W’s youngest (5 mo old) was diagnosed with Downs and Kevin C’s 5th kid was diagnosed with Autism. Makes me ever-grateful that my daughter is as healthy and happy as she is.

We came home Sunday and immediately started cooking and cleaning to impress Mike C. who came to dinner. We had a nice time but it was cut way too short by Nicole who wanted to maintain her bedtime schedule and go to sleep at 8. I put up the tree after she fell asleep but ran out of lights to put on it which seems to happen every year (how the heck…?). Tonight I aim to get the rest of the lights and ornaments on the tree and finish the touch-ups in the dining room so the furniture can go in. hopefully we’re turning the corner as far as getting fully settled into the new house!

On to another work week…