I actually really love it when FireFox updates in the middle of the night and wrecks my session while I sleep. It gives me that little “Well, this is embarrassing…” page.  OOps! We’ve forgotten the 3 bagillion pages you left open.  Wanna start a new session?

Sure I do. It’s nice the way they take responsibility, and then move on. (Take note Cheeta Tiger Woods.) So here goes.

I haven’t blogged in 2 weeks. ANYWHERE – not seriously anyway. This is embarrassing. Forgive me?

Whew! Now that the grand apology is out of the way. HI! I’ve been really busy lately. Holiday. Book publishing. Whatnot.

The Thanksgiving holiday went great. People came. My parents cooked the bird. Everyone else brought sides. Very warm room. I loved my tasty mushroom loaf. Very few leftovers.

Speaking of pigging out, the diet and exercise are paying off. As of my trip to the gym yesterday – the official weigh in place – I’m down 19 pounds. Very pleased.  (Yeah, I was just too weak to write before, that’s it!)

Looking for a house – still – this is embarrassing! Too annoyed to discuss, so I will just sum up: 6 houses offered on – no contract. BA!

Eleanor is a working hard on her preschool Christmas play – she’s a cow. She has several speaking lines – mostly of the “moo” variety. He principal says she know ALL the words to ALL the songs, and she was rather impressed with Eleanor. I am, too. She is very attached to the Little Mermaid soundtrack we have on endless loop in the car. Filling the roll of both diva and director, she assigns parts to everyone, “YOU! You’re the sisters, you are Sebastian, Sara – this song is your favorite! Now, Mommy, YOU sing!” Eleanor and Saralyn are ALWAYS Ariel. I need to get Tony to secretly video the two of them singing “Part of that World.” Elly is rather off-key and Sara doesn’t know how to speak all the words. It’s about the most charming thing ever.

As for my third baby – my book – I have my first books signing coming up next Saturday – 12/12 at 12-noon. Sara’s Godmother Sam is offering up her shop on Main Street for me to have this shindig. I’ve spent hours on Vistaprint designing tee-shirts and post cards  and trying to figure out how to get the most free stuff. I’m getting pretty good at it. Who wants a Chenda Tee? I have been invited to two Sci-Fi Conventions – Chattacon in January and Deep South Con (Charlotte) in June. I’m frustrated at Chattacon already (my contact there is way slow with the details) but have high hopes for DSC. That reminds me – I need headshots.  Who will trade Photography Services for books? Anyone?

This weekend is the Lilburn Christmas Parade – an annual tradition for me. I really like this parade. I hope to see you all there! But, if you see me, don’t bring up my dearth of blog posts; it’s just too embarrassing.

I’m planning church events for CHRISTMAS today. Yes, I truly AM the Mayor of Crazy Town. BUT the girls are napping and I have a moment of quiet and peace, I felt that NOW was the best moment to get that ball rolling like a wobbly ornament shattering on the carpet.

What should it matter that I have 2 kiddie birthday parties, a church picnic, a Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat between now and Advent?  Seriously. Who would have thunk it.  Christmas. It sneaks up on you.

OK.  Who else is whipped?  I feel like a wrung out sponge.  A spare tear to shed? Not from me.  Done.  And this, only the 3rd day of Christmas.

One deep breath and a good night’s sleep make for the perfect remedy.  A liberal application of lottery winnings would not hurt, either.  Nevertheless…

Christmas morning came.  Eleanor and Saralyn enjoyed three gifts each from Santa.  By far, the Madeline doll stole the favored place in Eleanor’s heart.   Santa tucked the doll inside a princess play tent along with a foot high stack of DVD’s.  Saralyn received an Elmo’s Hot Tomato game, a sit and spin and a simple motor skills flip-switch plaything (you know the kind, you twist a key, push a button or slide a latch and one of 6 little doors on top pops open revealing a plastic endangered species).  These toys of Saralyn’s fell into Elly’s clutches in short order, especially the sit and spin, to a chorus of “I’m doing it!  I’m doing it! (flop). Whaaa!”

When the Family arrived, Eleanor had a very Princess Christmas.  Princess coloring books.  Princess paper dolls.  Princess tea set.  Pretty little girl dresses.  Fluffy toys.  She got so much stuff, I can hardly believe it.  I gave her new sneakers.  Lame old me.  Tony and I also gave her a Fisher Price camera.  Eleanor took many terrible pictures right away, but she caught on to the process quickly (we took the camera to the Aquarium* on Saturday and she took pictures of all the fish.  Tempers flared for a moment when Eleanor saw another child with HER camera.  I fished (haha) Elly’s camera out of my bag to say, “See your camera?  This other child does NOT have your camera.”  She grabbed her camera and ran off to share pictures with her new “friend” by the piranhas.  No kidding.  Toddlers and piranhas.  Coincidence?  I think not.)

Saralyn got what she really wanted: warm food and dry pants.  She also passed a pleasant few hours ripping paper and rattling boxes.   Saralyn, too, got many nice gifts, including her own drum and percussion set, froggie pajamas and Pooh’s Bees light-’em-up bead on a wire set.

My gifts?  Thanks for asking.  I received a nice scarf and some French stuff (my sis visited this year), a few picture frames, a variety of baking pans (including some 6″ tart pans – what to make first???) and a James Avery tree of life pendant from my husband. My sister gave me a gift card that I spent right that very day on pasta roller and cutter attachments for my KitchenAid mixer.  In just two weeks, I can dazzle you all with home made pastas and crackers and so much more.

The family came.  We ate and ate.  All day.   I make Texas Brisket and pulled pork.  The house smelled SO good.  I don’t care to eat another sweet until Spring.  I want FRUIT!  And maybe some high-fiber breakfast cereal.

So, tell me about your Christmas.

*For the next year, I have a pass for the Georgia Aquarium.  I also aquired two guest passes.  If you come to visit, guess where we will go?

I was so surprised to find all the little sweets and gifties in Elly’s bag today when she came home from school. It seems that about half of her class came with gift bags for everyone. I guess I missed that memo. However, I don’t feel bad about it.

It’s October 1st.  I’m getting my thoughts started now. Here’s what I want for Christmas:

• The stair-step thing that you put spice jars on in the cabinet to see the spices in the back.
• A new king-size mattress.  Extra FIRM.  One you can flip.  None of that Memory Foam or pillow top stuff.  No baby puke, please.
• Anything from James Avery.
• Anything from Peter Max.
• Anything that will allow me to record broadcast HD TV.
• A vacuum that doesn’t suck like mine does (it has a “convenient” hose that is collapsing and is ALWAYS clogged).
• Someone to run the vacuum daily.
• Someone who can suck 40 pounds out of my mid-section.
• Some sucker to buy my house!

That’s a start.  Peace on Earth.  Whatnot.   Let me be the first to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.   Happy Halloween, too.