Ho, Ho, Home

After an exciting week of “globetrotting” we had a rather dull weekend. In fact, if you don’t count the 15 loads of laundry, grocery shopping, housework, homework assistance, and various other tasks, I’m pretty sure that I have accomplished absolutely nothing since returning from Baltimore. This week will be our “catch-up” week. We’ll get the kids caught up in school only to have them finish for Winter Break on Friday. I’m going to attempt to get caught up at work, especially because I’m in the midst of a huge project which has to be delivered this week. I feel exhausted already…..but the good news is if we can just get through this week we’ll all have a break for the Holidays.

It seems incredible to me that Christmas is just 11 days away. If you stopped by our house for any reason you would have no idea Santa’s arrival is upon us, there are no decorations, no Christmas tree, and certainly no presents have been purchased or plans made. I usually pride myself on my organizational skills but I must admit I’m failing miserably at the moment! I think our trip to Johns Hopkins every year just makes the Holidays seem secondary or at least secondary for us adults but definitely not secondary for the kids! This year Christmas will be exceptionally quiet at our house, last year we had both sets of grandparents here, this year no one will be making the trip out West so it’s just the four of us. Michele and I would be just as happy to skip all the preparations, festivities, etc. but we know we can’t because of the kids. So this week will also be our “catch-up” week for preparing for the Holidays. Michele will half-heartedly put up the Christmas lights without his Dad, we’ll take the kids to pick a tree for the first time without their grandfather’s assistance (no one picks a Christmas tree like my father-in-law), I’ll actually have to help lug the tree in the house and set it up because no one else will be here for me to delegate to. And God help us, I’ll have to help Michele string the lights on the tree….I wonder if divorce court is open on Christmas Eve because something tells me we’ll be needing it!

Have a great week and remember if you hear any loud cursing in Italian it's just Michele and me stringing lights......