Homemade Christmas

I have no pictures to show you (I'm sure I'll get some from Numi), but yesterday was our first homemade Christmas. Mr. Eris and I decided that we would buy no presents (except for one storebought gift from Santa, and those given to extended family in a drawing with a $10 limit).

I was very nervous. This is a big departure from the past Christmas mornings our family has experienced. It worked wonderfully! Here's what we did:
1. Books with secret compartments hidden inside
2. Coupon book for Mr. Eris that promised things like "one messy bedroom - no questions asked."
3. Finger paint set complete with easel
4. Playdough set

Doesn't sound like much, but the kids loved it. And it was fun to watch! Not to spoil the homemade idea, but the best present was from Santa: "Wise Man," Littlest Ms. Eris's new fish. He has a tank and is super cute. She loves to watch him sit in his Nemo tank. And he gives me something to watch while I'm sitting at my desk.

The final word on homemade Christmas: Tons of fun and worth the work. We will be doing it next year - especially since Little Mr. Eris said, "That was awesome, Mom! Can we have homemade Christmas again?"

~Sigh of relief.~

Updates

1. This is the cast, now that we've inked it up. (Happy now, Numi?)

2. Little Ms. Eris lost her first tooth. Little Mr., not to be outdone, promptly lost 2 in 2 days.

3. Finished my schoolwork yesterday. Proctor my last final tomorrow. Grades posted next Monday.

4. This lack of homework has led to complete re-organization of the office and the laundry room and the basement carpets are now clean. Yes, I need constant projects to keep me sane.

5. Littlest Ms. Eris has been puking since 2 today. Awesome.

6. The t.v. show I am watching is set in Solvang, CA. Neat-o

7. Tomorrow is Neil! I'd much rather be Forver in Blue Jeans!

Happy Birthday?

Today is my birthday. Know what I got? A trip to the urgent care clinic with Little Mr. Eris taking care of ...... wait for it.... a broken arm. He broke it in an indoor soccer game. He hit the ground hard, raised his (good) arm for a substitute, then walked himself off the field with his arm dangling sort of like this




Yes, in yet another support for The First Principle of Eris' Law, we spent a Saturday at the clinic getting x-rays.

For those of you keeping track, that is now:
4 trips to Urgent Care
+
2 casts
+
1 sling
in
1 month
=
What I am sure will be a visit from the Department of Child and Family Services when we go in to our family doc for the follow up and likely casting on Wednesday.

The Airing of Grievances 2008

Several times over the past year my cable reception of Comedy Central has been very staticky, making it difficult to hear the Daily Show on random days. How am I supposed to know what the heck is going on?!

The windshield on my car is trying to escape from its rightful place. The clippy things that hold it onto the car are apparently not in stock… um… anywhere, so now I have packing tape holding the windshield on. Classy. I am a couch-on-the-front-porch away from white trash without even enjoying the perks like abandoning personal hygiene. Not fair.

I am putting the leaves in my yard on notice: quit inviting your friends over. I mean it! I sweep some of you off the carport, I go about my business, I come back 5 minutes later and there are more of you. Knock it off!

I disagree with the weather. Not for anything specific, just in principle. It bothers me.

Why can’t the yogurt industry create a yogurt pack that doesn’t spit at me when I open it? There ought to be some way to make this work?

My dog broke the “4” key on my computer. Any task that involves typing the number “4” should be banned for my convenience.

Animated food is unacceptable. I should not be subjected to commercials with food that talks or walks.

I want Pepsi in the machines at my work. I can purchase it in the food court, but not the machines? Do you have a problem with the color blue or the letter P?! Either way, you owe me the extra steps I have to take to get to my favored beverage.

...And I am She

"Never forget, the press is the enemy. The press is the enemy. The press is the enemy. The establishment is the enemy. The professors are the enemy. The professors are the enemy. Write that on the blackboard 100 times and never forget it."

--President Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) in taped conversation after his 1972 landslide reelection. A new 2,000 hours of Nixon audiotapes were released yesterday.

(Special thanks to Today's Word, brought to you by my MS mentor Ted Pease.)

Explanation: I liked this quote. It refers to professors as "the enemy." I am a professor in training. Which means, I am the enemy. Consider yourselves warned.