Productive Day

I would say today has been a pretty productive day. It started by bugging Brian about putting up the Christmas lights being that it was near 80 degrees today (windy but warm). Well, he said that if I clean my office, he will put up the lights. My office desperately needed to be cleaned, so I agreed. Brittany spent the night since her parents were in Lubbock so I sweet talked her into helping me. We started with the GIGANTIC pile of Ashleigh's kindergarten work. I mean the sucker was probably 2 feet tall (Ally can testify, she gives me a hard time every time she comes over). I kept all of her little readers, sight word pages, math lesson sheets, and I was selective on the art work. There was some negotiating involved, but we got through it and the pile is now gone off of my desk. I admit, I am a bit of a pack rat when it comes to Ash's school work and art, but I know I simply, physically, and logistically can not keep it all. It gets overwhelming and it's so hard to decide what to keep and what to toss. Then Brian started shredding the really old bills and financial paperwork, it too, was really starting to pile up. We FINALLY got our little filing cabinet cleaned out that goes with the office furniture that Brian is using at the shop (yes, Jessica, you will finally get your filing cabinet), so that freed up some space in the office. Moved my other little filing cabinet and put the printer on it to make it more accessible. Anyway, there is more work to do in there, but at least, it's progress. I told Brian, we're doing the lights while it's warm and daylight, so the office will have to wait, ha!

We decided, in the interest of saving electricity, and thus money, that we would only put Christmas lights on the bushes this year. Most of you know, we are usually all decked out with Christmas lights....all over every ridge of the house, a fence made out of lights, bushes, windows, spotlights on my gigantic wreath, reindeer in the yard, etc. But, unfortunately, this year we simply can't afford the quadrupled electric bill. We are really trying to cut back everywhere we possibly can. If this gives you an inkling...Brian just clipped coupons...yes, Brian! Now it's a game to him. He said earlier, "I'm so excited about seeing how much money we can save". Good Lord, we all know when Brian gets a wild hair, he runs with it! LOL! But hopefully it will mean we save some money, lose some weight, and maybe learn a little something about conservation. We won't be Linder-Sizing for a while! UGH, I hate having to live conservatively! But hopefully it won't be forever! I know we are all having to adjust our way of living in today's economic difficulties. Anyway, the bushes look great, but compared to usual, quite boring and lame! Oh well, it will do.

Its been a busy weekend but Brian's cousin, Preston, didn't end up coming into town because he was sick. The airline gave him credit, so maybe we'll try again in a few weeks. Last night was Jessica's Baby Shower to help celebrate the pending arrival of Jilian Cate. It was a nice shower and they got tons of adorable things to help them stock the nursery for her arrival. Here is a couple of pictures from the affair:

Jessica is going to let me try my hand at some pregnancy portraits when she gets within a couple of weeks of her due date. I'm really looking forward to it, but I really want to do a good job. This is her last pregnancy, so I would love to be able to capture it for her. Once we're done, I'll see if there are any she will approve for me to post on here, but it will be a few weeks before that happens.

Yesterday morning was Ashleigh's Violin Recital. I could tell the past 2 days she was getting nervous because she would start crying when we talked about it. But the day came, and she was acting so brave and seemed quite ready to just go for it. Then we got to the church, went to the room where they were tuning their instruments while Brian and Addy went to sit down and then she told me she didn't want to go first and she started crying again. Oh Lord, please help Ash get through this and please help her to not feel that scared feeling. So I go sit down once I get her excited about being the "line leader" and the students walk in, everything is fine. Time for Ash to go, she gets up, her teacher gets up to play with her, they get through the 1st 6 notes and Ash just starts bawling. My heart completely broke for her and I completely felt the pain she felt from being that scared. I cried, Ally cried, Mrs. Lisa (her teacher) almost cried, and there were others. Then she walked to me and I took her out in the lobby until she could calm down. The crowd applauded her anyway and despite it all, I am so incredibly proud of her for getting up there and literally trying her very best. She physically could not control her emotions, but she DID get up there and try. I got the incident on video, and will post that at a later time once I get that disc filled up. But here is a picture right before the breakdown and one of Ash with her teacher.

Shasta came through her surgery alright. She was on pain killers for 4 days and today was her first day without one. She seems to be doing okay, but I don't think she is eating or drinking much. She isn't crying now, but I wish she would go eat. She is on antibiotic for 10 days, so maybe that is causing her loss of appetite. She will get her stitches out late this coming week. Poor girl has to wear a lampshade to keep her from licking it. When the bandage was on, she wasn't really bothering it, but once that fell off, she started licking it some, so we put the collar back on her. She keeps running into things and she is like a bull in a china store. She isn't sleeping well, and she must have woken me up about 7 times last night from getting off her bed, running into the wall, etc. Ugh! Anyway, here is a "before" shot and 2 "after" shots.

She is a little confused by the whole thing...wagging much differently, walking sideways, checking to see where it went...I guess her brain is telling her it's still there, but it's not. Each day that aspect gets a little better. By the time she is all healed, I think she will be much happier and won't have to suffer from that happy tail any longer! I know that Brian and I are already happier with it! Her surgery is our Christmas present to each other...sad, I know! But still a GREAT gift!! LOL!

The Cowboy game is on...we are playing the Giants and are actually winning 14 to 3 in the 4th quarter...Still 8 minutes left, so I'm not doing my Happy Dance just yet! I am hopeful though. We really need this game to have any chance to get into the playoffs! **fingers crossed**

I am the bad Aunt tonight, because I missed Brittany's Christmas concert with the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra. But I go to most everything so I'm not feeling too guilty. Plus, it cost $5 to get in, and I'm contributing to saving money, LOL! I did go to Sydney's piano recital on Friday night...she did very well!

Ash went to Oma's house yesterday and spent the night there with Kaileyanna and Tekoa. Oma wants to start a new pre-Christmas tradition of having the kids come over to make ornaments and spend some time together. Ash had a GREAT time and then they all went to church this morning. It worked out well, because then Brittany had Ash's bed all to herself.

Brian's sister, Jessica, comes into town this Tuesday. We go to Medieval Times on Friday night to celebrate Sydney's and my Dad's birthday, Brittany's Christmas concert with her high school band is some day this week, and I'm sure there is more on the schedule. I am taking off on Friday to be able to go to Ash's Christmas party at school and help out. I never get to volunteer for anything, so I'm looking forward to it. It's the last week of school before 2 weeks of total boredom for Ash, but hopefully, we can have some fun!

Oh goodness, 14 to 8 with 5:35 left...I've seen the 'Boys blow it with less time than that before. And even worse, Romo is hurting...he has taken some major blows tonight.

Okay, I'm going to finish watching the game without typing! Sleep Tight!