Made it Through Break

We made it through Thanksgiving break without injury. On Friday when everyone was out buying Black Friday things, I was at Salvation Army for the 50% off sale. I started at Morton Grove and found a couple things but did much better at Skokie. I came home and Rob and the kids had brought up all the Christmas boxes. We started off setting up the peripheral Christmas decorations. We got the fireplace decorated and the tables done. I got the tree out and the kids separated the branches out but when we tested the lights we had 4 strands that were either dead or only half lit.
We stopped the tree until we were able to buy some new lights. The kids packed their overnight bags - they were spending the night at Mom and Dad's house. Mom and Dad came to pick us up and we went on a shopping adventure. We stopped off at Trader Joe's on the way home to do a grocery shop. They dropped me at home and were off on their adventure.
Rob and I had dinner and then went out shipping sans kids. We went to Costco and I was able to pick up Ellie's Christmas present. I was also able to find new lights for the tree. We went to Target and I picked up a dvd and ink for the printer. We stopped off at Menards and picked up a couple things. We came home and we tried to stream a movie from apple but didn't realize it takes the equal time in minutes to play as it does to download.
Saturday, Rob and I enjoyed a bagel and coffee together before he went to work in the garage and I finished setting up the tree. The lights are very different than what I am used to - I think they will grow on me. I went to see the kids. Mom had promised them a gingerbread house adventure but the gingerbread wasn't exactly plumb. They made gingerbread men instead. We had lunch and then we came back home.
We trimmed the tree. It was exhausting. I have ornaments that are delicate and two over-ambitious children. I was able to hang the glass ornaments while the kids put their ornaments on their trees. We had a little fire while we were finishing up the decorating. Ellie made hot cocoa. We watched Charlie Brown and then got the kids to bed.
I slept in this morning. We had breakfast and lounged around. I got the kids dressed in some festive clothes and tried to get Christmas pictures. It was comical and a hair pulling experience all in one. I ran out to Target to pick up Nick's Christmas present. I was also able to pickup some stocking stuffers on clearance.
We met Mom, Dad, Jo, Ole, T and Matteo over at Mrs. B's house. Kelly, Dave and their daughter, Molly, are in town. We got to meet Molly for the first time and it was surreal to see how much bigger she is than Matteo for only being 5 months older. Just shows you how fast they grow up. We visited for a bit and then went to have dinner at Mom's.
Mom made a wonderful chili meal - which was nice and warming for the cool, rainy day. We ate dinner and had dessert and then came home to get the kids to bed. It has been nice to be able to be off this past week but I am ready to send the kids back to school. My feet are bothering me today. I don't know if it is the cold, the wet atmosphere or a combo but they are really quite irritating. They haven't been this tingly in months. Visualising my healthy and continually healing body, an increased white blood cell production and the new normal, Tree