Who's going to tackle Christmas Eve with me?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Merry Christmas Eve! Now get to work!

 

Dh has to work today. I'm feeling sorry for myself and for him.

 

9 am - 10 am - Aqua Zumba (this is important because my friend is teaching it and is worried that no one will show up, plus it will make me very "righteous" to get exercise in today before all the pigging out).

 

Ds is going to wrap Dh's two presents for me and Dd's one present. (I'll wrap her other present myself.)

 

DD will wrap Ds's present for me. (Either Dh or I will wrap his other present once I find out if Dh followed through and got it for him like he was supposed to.)

 

DD and I will make 1 loaf of banana bread.

 

I will make scalloped potatoes and mashed yams.

 

I will gather the kids and presents and go over to Dh's sister's house at 3 pm. I get along fine with everyone but I'm dreading going without Dh anyway. Somehow it doesn't seem the same.

[serendipitous journey]

<hugs>

 

DH is here, but going bicycling with a friend this AM (friend really needs the downtime, DH did check with me to okay it) and Button will Crack Up without school today. So: right after I post this, change Bot-Bot's unpleasant diaper; wrap up Singapore math; outside with the boys for a bit while I recover the house from breakfast; then language arts, recorder, snack and lunch; try to get some exercise; emergency run for father-in-law's gift which didn't arrive in time from Amazon; get the family out for a hike; in-laws for dinner (which is largely takeout BBQ).

 

I'm sorry your DH won't be around, and understand that un-Christmasy feeling ... but I think that at the end of the day, when the children are settled and they had a day of baking with mama and an evening of family (which is usually fun for them, even if not for mama!) you will have a sense of making a blessed day for your family.

[Impish]

:grouphug:

I've vacuumed and steam cleaned the Littles room.

Have to do the bathroom next.

Wolf's cleaning the kitchen.

 

Diva and I need to do more baking, b/c my family has hoovered everything that was done, and we don't have anything left for tomorrow.

BIL and SIL are supposedly coming tomorrow. Believe it when I see it.

 

I've already given Wolf carp for mentioning they're supposed to be here tomorrow. Both of them have either cancelled at the last min, or simply not shown before, so I don't want the kids knowing until they walk through the door. Tazzie spent Thanksgiving in tears on and off b/c SIL cancelled at the last min, and I don't want a repeat Christmas day.

[MamaAkins]

Merry Christmas Eve! Now get to work!

 

Dh has to work today. I'm feeling sorry for myself and for him.

 

9 am - 10 am - Aqua Zumba (this is important because my friend is teaching it and is worried that no one will show up, plus it will make me very "righteous" to get exercise in today before all the pigging out).

 

Ds is going to wrap Dh's two presents for me and Dd's one present. (I'll wrap her other present myself.)

 

DD will wrap Ds's present for me. (Either Dh or I will wrap his other present once I find out if Dh followed through and got it for him like he was supposed to.)

 

DD and I will make 1 loaf of banana bread.

 

I will make scalloped potatoes and mashed yams.

 

I will gather the kids and presents and go over to Dh's sister's house at 3 pm. I get along fine with everyone but I'm dreading going without Dh anyway. Somehow it doesn't seem the same.

 

I'm sorry that your dh has to work today, Jean. My husband worked retail for many years when we were first married and he always had to work long hours on Christmas Eve.

Way to go on getting the Aqua Zumba class in! Enjoy your "pigging out" later!

 

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

[MamaAkins]

I'm in the process of tackling the last few tasks for Christmas Eve! I got up early-ish (7am) and went to Trader Joe's & BJ's (about a half hour from home). Neither store was crowded and I was able to get in and out with no hassle. I stopped at the regular grocery store on my way home and was still home by 10:15am.

The groceries are now put away. The kids are having a light lunch and I will join them shortly. DH is wrapping his last couple presents. After lunch, everyone will get showered and ready to head to church for the 3:30 service. DH and dd15 will be serving communion; ds will be a shepherd in the live nativity at church; and dd8 and dd5 will be singing. I will be helping with the elementary aged singers. Afterward, we will drive to my grandparents' house (about 20 mins away) for Christmas Eve dinner & festivities. Then we'll go home to get the little ones in the bed. DD15 and I will go back to church for the 11pm service (it is our tradition). DH will stay home and get all the wrapped presents under the tree (they are currently stored upstairs). After dd15 goes to bed, dh and I will exchange stockings (we fill for each other). Then, we'll try to get a few minutes of sleep before getting up early so we're ready for company and excited children by 7am!

[Pippen]

Sorry to hear about your husband's work schedule, Jean.

 

I just put lunch on as I'd like to have some regular food before the holiday stuff later. I'll load up on salad because it will make me feel more righteous. ;-)

 

Next is food prep--roast beef sandwiches, appetizers, marzipan, and some other cookie I haven't decided on yet. Dishes after that.

 

I got out of a lot of housecleaning because my mom showed up unexpectedly yesterday. She wasn't scheduled to arrive until this afternoon. Since she's already seen the house in shambles I'm not going to kill myself. I'm sorry to say the house is doing Christmans "as is" this year.

 

No choice to tackle gifts because I haven't wrapped a single gift. Still waiting on two gifts to arrive--tracking says they're out for delivery. I told the Fed Ex guy who delivered here this morning that he was my hero.

 

Happy Christmas, All!

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I have made two batches of bread to take to my aunt's house tonight. Had to make a second because the first didn't rise for some reason. I've partially cleaned up the kitchen.

 

Things I have left to do before we go:

 

Finish baking bread and cleaning up kitchen

Tidy the living room and dining room

Vacuum the floors

Mop the kitchen floor

Make sure the kids take showers and wear something nice

Take a bath and get dressed to go.

[mytwomonkeys]

ugh, i have so much to do that i'm avoiding it, lol. i need to clean, sew, shop, cook, wrap gifts. and my dad & mom are coming the day after christmas to help us lay down laminate flooring. so on top of it all, i need to make sure the the floors are ready to go. we pulled up the carpet last night, but i still need to make sure any staples, nails, or debris are completely gone. we don't have service tonight, so i don't have to get ready for that (which i'm fine with - it is pouring rain here!). later we will just watch a christmas movie and read some books!

[mytwomonkeys]

I get along fine with everyone but I'm dreading going without Dh anyway. Somehow it doesn't seem the same.

 

i totally understand :grouphug: this is the first christmas eve i will spend with my husband since we've been together (13 years!). i'm really looking forward to it!

[ashfern]

My DH is the only one on his team at work who is here for the week. Luckily he works from home.

 

So far today:

- grocery shopping at 8:30 AM

- swept & mopped entire first floor

- cleaned dishes & stove top (love that DS cooks eggs but he makes a mess)

- in the middle of laundry

 

Still need to do:

- get dinner started

- more laundry

- clean 3 bathrooms

- tidy up before IL's visit on Wed.

- wrap presents

 

Thinking about:

- making bar cookies

- baking bread

 

At least we don't have to visit anyone.

[JudoMom]

I slept in until 7:30 this morning.

 

I've folded two loads of laundry; the third is in the dryer.

 

I finally vacuumed.

 

I've cleaned the kitchen. Twice.

 

Now I'm about to go do my 3 miles on the treadmill, then shower and get ready for the afternoon Christmas Eve service at church.

 

Then home to make Christmas Eve dinner and get things prepped for the morning.

 

And I need to make the boys put the laundry away.

 

I hope to go to bed early tonight. I've got a liver biopsy on Thursday, which means I can't take some of my meds because they're blood thinners. My joints hurt because of that. I'm hoping a full, long night's sleep will help me have a joyful heart tomorrow.

[RoughCollie]

I have cut out and baked about 12 dozen sugar cookies. Still have to decorate them, but not yet.

 

I have done 3 loads of laundry, and have 6 to put away.

 

We still have to:

 

Label and beribbon the presents

Put the dog's ex-pen around the tree

Put the presents under the tree

Fill the stockings

Clean off landfill centrals: dining table, card table, buffet

Vacuum

Sweep and mop kitchen

Heat up Christmas Eve dinner & stir cocktail meatballs in the crockpot

 

(I am happy because tonight's dinner is all processed junk food; no cooking involved. I make just about everything from scratch, so this is all new to me. We are having cocktail meatballs (pre-made meatballs, chili sauce & grape jelly), little Beef Wellingtons, spring rolls, quiches, cheese puffs, pizza rolls, popcorn chicken, and mozzarella sticks. Plus a salad. The males in this family will be in hog heaven.

 

Until today, I had no idea how very wonderful processed food is. You just stick it in the oven and voila! Dinner! By tomorrow, I will have come to my senses.)

 

I also plan to decorate the sugar and gingerbread cookies at some point, plus make a chocolate cheesecake and a lemon pound cake. If I put it off long enough, my boys will have eaten most of the cookies.

 

And the entire family has to look for DH's gloves for the third time in two days. He loses his gloves often. So he bought a new pair. He put the shopping bag on the dining table. The dog ran off with it. Aidan was captured nearly immediately, but the shopping bag was empty. We are now trying to find his undiscovered hiding places. I don't know how DH could have not realized the shopping bag was empty when he brought it inside, so I am assuming the gloves are around here somewhere.

[Heather in Neverland]

Christmas Eve has come and gone here. It is 2am and I am fighting insomnia and killing time on the boards. Tomorrow will be a busy day. I wish I could sleep.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I brought lots of noise to the Zumba party! There were 3 of us "Zumba veterans" there to make noise. One was the man who looks like a homeless Ichabod Crane (a really nice guy but strange) who was dressed in an old fashioned striped bathing costume!

 

Now we have music blaring and are going to get down to the serious business of preparing for Christmas.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Judomom, I'm sorry about your achy joints.

[Alenee]

We have a fun day planned.

 

Visit with friends

Drop goodies off at a sick friend's house for her special carollers tonight

Cook chicken for the Feast after the Festal Liturgy that begins at 11pm

Attend Festal Liturgy and Feast at 2am!

 

In between all of this, I want to run out and see if I can find an Elf-on-a-shelf so we can do this for the 12 days of Christmas.

 

Oh, and give the dds their Christmas Eve jammies and a new one this year, new headcoverings. :D

[LibraryLover]

That's rough. I understand. I've been without dh for most of the last 11 weeks. After 3 weeks of being away this last time, dh has been home for a few days now. It's heaven! I shopped while he was gone, but he ran out to get the rest of the stuff, plus to the market for extra items for Christmas Day supper (extended family). I started the chicken soup broth last night, and we'll put the ham in tomorrow about noon. The kids are wrapping their gifts to each other (all of my children are home!!). Oldest ds vac'd the whole downstairs this morning, and my dds vac'd upstairs and cleaned the upstairs bathroom yesterday. I did the downstairs bathroom early this morn. Sat & Sun, Dh and I wrapped everything but the few GC he's picking up today. I am bringing cheese, crackers, and wine to a party tonight. Since we're cooking for tomorrow, I did get off easy with these contributions.

 

It was also an insane Nutcracker season. I missed dh driving some of the carpool, although he showed up in the nth hour to pack up scenery. Right now , I feel much calmer and very grateful. The older kids were tense about finals, and I spent a lot of time texting with them, and comforting the student who lives at home. (It worked out fine; one student hasn't received his grades, but the other two made Dean's List! - both 3.75! ) I did the shopping, and the running around (I know is my job...but it gets lonely. I really respect military spouses.). My youngest had serious oral surgery while dh was away. Her recovery was rough. But she is feeling much better, and -knock wood-.

 

I wish you all the best...preparations can be very difficult when you're alone. I know my kids love and enjoy each other, and our extended family, so when I get the whines in my head, I think about that.

 

I need to put in a shout-out for my sisters, who set up everything for a cookie party (just for our kids), and another evening of making ginger bread houses. I hosted at my place, but they brought almost everything, and we all cleaned up together. :) It was something I couldn't get together...they were good company during a time of stress.

[A.Balaban]

Last night, at about 11pm, a friend and her family decided to come over last minute before midnight mass. So, my DH and I commenced a huge clean-up.

 

So, far today:

 

Done:

- Dishes

- Washed sofa slipcover

- Took garbage outside

- Sort papers, put away

 

To Do

- Iron sofa slipcover (it's in the dryer now...)

- Wrap presents

- Make a last-minute shopping list for DH

- Keep putting toys away

- Vacuum.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have just informed ds that putting the gifts in shoeboxes with duct tape to close it is not an acceptable way to wrap the presents for me. :glare:

[LibraryLover]

I have just informed ds that putting the gifts in shoeboxes with duct tape to close it is not an acceptable way to wrap the presents for me. :glare:

 

 

LOL Is it colored duck tape? :) My youngest has some very pretty duck tape she uses as toe tape with her pointe shoes. I told my kids not to bother with boxes when I heard them scrambling through the wrapping stuff. I'm pretty sure we are out. I think they are scrambling for old gift bags.

 

True, the 23 yr old insisted on boxes. He emptied some of his dad's shoe boxes from his closet. We can always replace them after un-wrappng. lol

[Jean in Newcastle]

I wish it was the colored duck tape. This was the plain old silver stuff!

 

I just called to double check where we are having the extended family gathering and I'm very glad that I did. They changed the venue on me to my ILs house. I would have been very unhappy if I had driven a half hour in the wrong direction and then had to reverse course!

 

Banana bread is in the oven.

[happyhomemaker]

My dh is at work today too. It stinks! I'm trying to have fun with the kids though and so far it's going well.

 

I've already made some bar cookies and a pecan pie, cleaned the kitchen a few times, straightened the downstairs, folded laundry, and made and cleaned up lunch.

 

I still have to make press cookies, cocktail shrimp, and lemon bars. I need to vacuum, put bows on presents, get the kids to wrap their presents to each other, wash their Christmas pajamas, fill stockings, and put the presents under the tree.

 

We don't have big plans for tonight. This is the first time in 12 years that we are not traveling for Christmas. Both of our families are out of town and we are always the ones to travel. I am happy not to have to pack up and drive, but a little sad about not having a big, family Christmas this year.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Things I have left to do before we go:

 

Finish baking bread and cleaning up kitchen

Tidy the living room and dining room

Vacuum the floors

Mop the kitchen floor

Make sure the kids take showers and wear something nice

Take a bath and get dressed to go.

 

I got on a roll there, and finished quite a bit very quickly! I also sliced the ham and put it in the oven to warm, which I forgot to put on my list.

AND- I even remembered to have dh move the coffee table out of the way BEFORE we leave, instead of like I usually do and wait until we come home late from my aunt's and then ask him to do it when he's tired and cranky and he grumbles about it! I'm so impressed with myself today! :tongue_smilie:

[LibraryLover]

 

- Iron sofa slipcover (it's in the dryer now...)

 

 

 

What? Over achiever! I washed mine, but they went right back on the sofas this morning. lol They look fine. :so there: lol

[MissKNG]

Well, both girls are sick (big girl has a cough, cold, fever and small girl has a cough, cold and puked this morning) so not much has been done. I did get to the store to get the rest of the stuff we needed for our "build your own taco" lunch tomorrow for Christmas. Dishes are done. I've been running around taking care of the girls and dh (who is also sick). I'm worn out right now and probably going to get sick myself in the next day or so!

 

But Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Potatoes are peeled. My left hand is having bad cramps from peeling them. In a few minutes I'll get the scalloped potatoes made.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Scalloped potatoes are done. Banana bread is out of it's pan. I'm thinking of rebelling and not bringing mashed yams. We will have rice (you can't have a Filipino dinner without it). So they really, really don't need another starch do they? On the other hand, the mashed yams will only take me about 15 minutes to make. So . . . what do you think? Should I make them or not?

 

The dishwasher is running and the kitchen is sparkling. Ds15 sorted laundry and started one load for me. Dd11 put all the family gifts in a carry-all bag for me to take.

 

I told both my kids that I am very blessed to have all of their help.

[catz]

We're leaving tomorrow for 2 1/2+ weeks on a road trip to visit family after stopping off at the ILs for their traditional Christmas get together.

 

3 of us are just getting over the flu ( the REAL influenza - we've been sick for almost a week, but 2 of 3 of us have NO fever today. Yay!). Anyway - ready to pull my hair out and crack some wine.

[beaners]

I'm still waiting for my husband to get home from work before we start our annual tradition of watching Love Actually while we drink wine and wrap presents.

 

I have two seams left on the last blanket.

 

I need to finish ears and eyes and noses for two dog pillow covers.

 

I need to clean desperately since all my time has gone to sewing this week.

 

And I need to get this crying, screaming toddler fed and put to bed as soon as the baby is done eating.

[LaxMom]

My husband worked today, too, but one of the guys with adult kids is coming in to relieve him tonight, so he can be home in the morning when the kids get up. (Before kids, my husband did the same) Which means I don't have to borrow a taser to fend them off until 9.

 

I wrapped some gifts this morning. Work closed at noon today so, as soon as the doors were locked, we started a 2 1/2 hour staff workout: one of our group-ex instructors worked out this week's cardio fusion (step, cardio kickbox, and 50,000 jumping jacks), and one of the other trainers put together a lunatic strength training lineup.

 

Now, the kids are in bed (one of the 8yos was trying to go to bed at 5:45... I had to put on the NORAD Santa tracker so he'd stay up to eat), and I just got a text from my husband that he's leaving work now. Yay!

 

Making gf chocolate chip cookies, then we'll fill the stockings and head to bed. :D

[Jean in Newcastle]

We're home from dh family's Christmas. Dh was able to join us for part of it! Yay!

Everyone loved my scalloped potatoes. :thumbup:

 

I was told that MIL and FIL no longer ate pork, so there would be no Figgy Piggy. But guess what was served - bacon wrapped turkey! (Which was amazingly tasty). But still - don't they know what bacon is?

 

We're home. The car is unpacked. Dd always receives a big bag of hand-me-downs from one aunt for Christmas. She's picking through it now, deciding what to keep and what to donate. (And no we won't tell her that some didn't make the cut.)

[RoughCollie]

Jean, bacon doesn't really count as pork. Ham, pork chops, pork roast, pig heads and feet ... those are pork. Bacon is in a class all its own. It's from a pig, but it isn't pork. Just like you are from Japan, but you aren't Japanese.

[Pippen]

I've had bacon wrapped turkey--the flavors are nice together.

 

UPS, USPS, and FedEx all came through and delivered the last gifts today. I told the delivery guys that they were my heros. The regular postal delivery person said that they still have packages to deliver and will be back out tomorrow morning. I had no idea they delivered on Christmas Day.

 

This afternoon what I thought were some allergies turned out to be a big time head cold--the head pounding, ear throbbing, nothing you can do to stop the drainage kind of cold. My mom and daughter wrapped most of the presents while I worked on a few other necessities.

 

Christmas Eve has tackled me instead of visa versa. I just want to crawl into a hole where it's dark and quiet.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jean, bacon doesn't really count as pork. Ham, pork chops, pork roast, pig heads and feet ... those are pork. Bacon is in a class all its own.

 

Uhh - huhh. You just keep telling yourself that. . .

[RoughCollie]

Uhh - huhh. You just keep telling yourself that. . .

 

I edited my post to add logical reasoning because I know how logical you are.

[Jean in Newcastle]

((Pippen)). I think I'm repeating myself over and over on threads but take oscillo and oil of oregano. My body keeps threatening to get sick for the last week but with those two things I've headed it off now for days. I'm hoping with some rest my body will do the rest and I won't have to keep taking it.