A Different Kind of Week

Thanks so much for the Christmas food ideas - I've gotten some really yummy ones for breakfast, and a plan is already coming together! I looked up this online tonight and it was yummy! Again, my normal one is in a box...somewhere...

Have you ever had a week where you just couldn't get things going? I love to feel productive, and on my productive scale, this week stunk. I really LOVE to check things off of my to-do list, and this was just one of those weeks where I'd get some of a task done, but I really couldn't check it off, and it would just linger there, taunting me. I figure there's a lesson in there somewhere that I was supposed to learn, but I mainly just stayed frustrated. The biggest thing was that our van died. It was a minor death, and it was soon back to life, but it interfered with my plans, nonetheless. I think, on top of this, that I was homesick a little. My main evidence for this, besides being awfully teary this week, was that while I was at WalMart, I kept on thinking that I heard people calling me. Now, I either need medical attention, or, my personal theory, is that I'm used to running into people when I go out and keep expecting to see someone I know. Not very likely at this point. So sad, so sad. I know that this is a really long paragraph, but I also have to add that my teariness all started when I discovered one of the sweetest things. My friend Jill had given us a going away present. Now, when glancing into the gift bag, I thought that she had given us a photo album so, like the sometimes procrastinator I am, I had not really looked at it yet in the midst of getting settled. So, Sunday, I pull it out of the bag, and WHAM, I am hit with a flood of tears and couldn't stop. Jill had collected pictures of us and our friends and filled the entire album with a "year in Clinton" theme. She had written comments for just about every picture in there. Now, I've been aware for quite some time that she's a dear friend, but seeing how much our families have done together really overwhelmed me, and quite honestly, I know I took that for granted. So, even though I called her and left an embarrassingly teary message on her voicemail, I wanted to thank her in a more public way for her dear friendship and her sweet family. Thank you, thank you!

Okay. Now that I've gotten all teared up again, there are some more reasons that this week was odd. I visited The Best Little Hair House in Texas this week, and I could barely make the appointment to get my hair cut without laughing! However, Texas name aside, I got a great haircut, and the girls did a great job waiting for me. This was the first time EVER that all three had gone with me for something like this. I had each of them pack a fun bag, and they played in the waiting area like angels. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! I think it helped that everyone in there was friendly and kept on telling them how good they were being.

Last thing. There are just some things in life that I just never pictured myself doing, like sewing a hat for a cat so that it can have a birthday/welcome to our family party. First of all, I'm allergic. Second, I'm not a cat person. And, third, I can barely sew. We had told Emma that when we got to TX she could have an outside cat so we very promptly found a *free* one (the only way we would get a cat...sorry cat people). Anyway, she planned out the whole thing. She made brownies. (I only measured the oil and vanilla, honestly.) Jessie made *whooped* cream to go on top - this is how she says whipped. She bought Misty, the cat, two outfits at WalMart, and she ordered, I mean commissioned me to make the hat. How can I not post pictures of this monumental event? Oh, and since Misty couldn't have chocolate, we served her a bowl of milk which she LOVED. I have to say she is a very sweet cat, and we really had fun at the party!

Emma making brownies - we had *camped out* earlier that morning...set up the tent in the living room.

The cat.

The cat in the hat.