Join Me in Snarkville

Because I’m in a post-Christmas coma right now, I can give you a list of sorts as a puny wrap up of Christmas.

1 present each for Prince and the Queen.  (Actually, there were bigger presents earlier this month, proving that we are capable of buying awesome gifts and then not waiting because there are REALLY good reasons to give them earlier — often because Prince is about to spoil his gift by buying the same thing himself.)

2 boxes of cars still not opened, because Duke finally opened and waited impatiently while Mama and Daddy put together a Marble Run (awesome gift from the Queen Mum & Dad).  The Marble Run is now the new centerpiece in my living room (my living room that I declared to be toy free a mere 2 days ago) and is LOVED by a little boy.  He didn’t want to go to bed last night because there was more playing to be done and he attempted to talk his way our of school because he NEEDED to play with it.

3 cups of coffee — important since a little man woke up at 5:45am on Christmas Morning!!

4 loaves of Cheese Braids.  Cheese Braids are something that my mother used to make on Christmas morning.  I called to ask about the prep and my mother actually said to me, “You know, it has been so long since I’ve made those, I can’t remember.”  Um, Queen Mum, you used to make the best cheese braids ever — perhaps you should start again?

5 food dishes were prepared for Christmas (total): Homemade Marshmallows, Cheese Braids, Roast Beef, Green Bean Casserole, and Mashed Potatoes.  There was NO dessert for Christmas Dinner — and I think we were mostly ok with that.

6 minutes, we went from beautiful tree with presents underneath to all the presents “wrapped” and Prince sitting in the middle of the floor assembling all the Playmobil.  (Sidenote:  When Duke walked into the living room, he looked at the tree and said, “Look at all the presents, I need to wrap them.” I said, “You mean UN-wrap them, right?” He, ripping into a present, says “No, look, I WRAP them.”)

7 hours from the time I started cooking.  It was promptly on the table at 4:30pm, with all the items hot.  Go me. Do understand that I started cooking with breakfast (cheese braids) and they were consumed LONG before 4:30pm.

8 days of leftovers in the fridge.  We are a family of three, seriously, we have a ton of left overs –however, not nearly enough leftovers of SIDES.  Anyone want some Christmas Eve Chili?

9 bags of garbage have left this house in the past 48 hours.  We began with the Christmas toy purge and ended with the wrapping paper and boxes purge.  Trash day is Friday and our trash can is FULL.  I think we may be trying to get rid of a bag or four in a nearby dumpster this week.

10 times I thought about taking the tree down on Christmas night.  I’m not quite that evil, but it will probably be down tonight.

And some random numbers just to keep you on your toes:

4 more days until Prince’s birthday.  I find this to be tough — since you try to get a sitter or find a place open for dinner on the EVE of New Year’s Eve.

5 days until I go out for New Year’s Eve at a yarn store (yippie).

1 cat who will miss the tree (I’m thinking we need to rename it “his climbing toy”) more than most.  Another cat will miss her chew toy.

4 ornaments that the cat with too many toes removed from the tree and broke.  I’ve lost count of the number he just removed and didn’t break.

2 pieces already missing from my brand new Nativity Set — it was up less than 24 hours before the two pieces went MIA.  Fortunately they are hair from a wise man and a hat from a shepard….not at all like the year in my youth that we thought we lost baby Jesus — but alas he was ATTACHED to the manager that we had upside down — opps.

5:30am was the time this morning that Duke woke up and declared he wasn’t going to school.  While I understand, I’m a mean and horrible mommy and made him go afterall.

45 minutes of blessed silence in my house.  It is the first time in WEEKS I’ve been alone in the house and it is quiet.  Even my coffee tastes better now that I’m relaxing.

6 days since I’ve picked up a knitting needle.  Perhaps it has something to do with my mood?

1,000,000,000 things I need/must/have to get done in the next 24 to 48 hours.  No time to rest on my Christmas laurels there are things to do.

We in the Royal Family had a good Christmas and we hope that each of you did too.  I’m ready to begin to make my 2008 resolutions — once I get a another cup of hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows.