snapshots

It's been ... TWELVE DAYS since the last time I came here to write, which is way too long in and of itself, but the scariest part is that it feels like MONTHS.

Big things going on.

I was planning to do a Thanksgiving post of just pictures - you know, where they speak for themselves? But then I kept forgetting to TAKE THE PICTURES (hello) and most of the big things I need to talk about don't have pictures.

So, I'm turning it into a wordy post instead.

We had family here for Thanksgiving for the first time ever! My mom flew down from Oregon, my mother-in-law drove down from the Bay Area, and my brother and his wife live in L.A. now - so they came over and stayed the night to be ready to do the cooking. Yes, my brother did most of the cooking! My Brother the Food Snob, as I have referred to him before. YUM YUM YUMMY YUM.

(My Mom made a special mid-day snack platter for the kids!)

(My Brother the Food Snob had a very attentive audience while he was cooking. "This is better than the Food Network!")

(I captured the table before dinner - looking so nice - but then while we were eating, my brain became soaked in gravy and I forgot my own name, much less the fact that cameras had ever been invented)

In the few days after Thanksgiving with our visitors, the grandmas took the kids to see High School Musical 3 (AGAIN!), and we all went out to the beach to do some walking (and found an arcade!) and eating.



And what did The Hubby and I do while everyone was at the movie?

Had a big financial conversation.

Bummer.

So, having determined that we have no money left this year for Christmas (and that we will have to change our lifestyle even in "normal" months), we decided exactly what to get the kids and started researching deals.

I don't shop on Thanksgiving weekend, but I did lots of online research.

Compounding our finances-related stress are some things that, well, came at a bad time:

The oven broke on Friday (the repair was completed today)

Our annual clean-the-roots-out-of-the-main-sewer-line preventative maintenance

Vet bills, vet bills, vet bills, ongoing vet bills...
(work, work, damn antibiotics)

(This is The New Kitten as of Monday's vet visit. Like I said, ongoing vet bills...)

The Boy's fourth birthday is in ELEVEN DAYS. I had to figure out how to throw him a party on our (non-) budget: when? where? who?
After phone calls, online research, and some cursing while using Evite for the first time, it's scheduled for Saturday the 13th. At our house. Entertainment? Provided by Mom. Cake? Mom. The best news? It's just what he wants.

And tonight is the girls' Christmas Concert! Let the insanity merriment begin!