Move over Thanksgiving, it's Christmas time!

I am now employed, at least for the month of December, at the middle school where I worked for several weeks telling stories to Eli. Remember Eli and his froggy stories? I was so pleased to see him on Monday when I went in to work. I'll be working in that class until school lets out December 18. If I had gotten that job at Target, I wouldn't have been able to work steadily as a sub for the month. Fewer hours. Higher pay. And the joy of working with special kids. Not bad!

Today, I'm supposed to be at work as well, but Kylie got me up late last night complaining of a bad ear ache. She had been bopped in the head by a boy who had run into her during PE, and I think it must have exacerbated her ear infection. Her doctor told her that he hated to tell her this, but it wasn't the boy who had caused the ear infection, but that she should stay away from boys anyway.

Then, we went through McDonald's drive-thru and got ourselves a "we're sick" lunch, and then made our way over to go vote in the Chambliss/Martin run-off. Hopefully, by the end of the evening, we'll have one more Republican back in the senate.

One of the really great things about not having a TV is that we've missed a ton of political ads. We get them on the radio, still, but I sure don't miss them on the TV! If people don't know who to vote for by now, then my opinion is that they should STAY HOME! Argh!

Keith put the lights up on our house this weekend. Actually, most of them were already up from last year, but he added a few that were still down in the basement and put them around the garage and then put additional lights inside in the windows. Christmas lights are so cheery! We don't have any of our Christmas decorations up yet. That is still waiting for a quick all-out group effort to clean up the house a bit more. No one wants dust and Kody hair around when putting up Christmas decorations, or at least I don't want dust and Kody hair around!

Yesterday, going back to work/school after a full week Thanksgiving holiday was HARD! The alarm did indeed come very early. But I figured I'd just work through the day, trudge back home, get groceries (that I had put off over the weekend), pick up some Little Cesar's pizzas for dinner, and then crawl into bed.

But, nooooooo-ooooooooo . . . .

I did trudge back home, as planned, and even sat in the van working on the grocery list, when one of the kids spotted me and came running over, "Mom, Mom, Konner has his Christmas play tonight! Can Dominik come?"

"What?"

"The Christmas play, it's TONIGHT!" This from Kade who is all about the drama of everything.

"But I thought it was in a few weeks!"

Sure enough, I was wrong. I had missed the date of the Christmas play all together. Fortunately, I had already put aside Konner's black pants and blue shirt that he needed to be a toy soldier. (Kade was a toy soldier last year, too, in his First Grade Christmas Play.) I ironed his clothes, fussed about trying to decide if I had enough time to cut his hair (because he looks like an orphan), and then finally decided that watering down his hair would have to suffice. I talked to Dominik's mother and before we knew it, we were off. Keri Lynn, Kristofer, and Keva all stayed home, not wanting to go run off to see Konner in a play that Kade was in just last year! Keith was not going to be home in time either! Oh, the sorrows of being the baby of a family of seven! Konner didn't seem to mind, though, because he had a group to join him in his stage adventures.

We did end up picking up Little Cesar's pizza on the way to the program. Three of them. I figured there'd be plenty for lunches for tomorrow that way. Boy, was I wrong. Somehow, between me and five kids, 2 1/2 pizzas were consumed. And I only ate two pieces!

We got there, bellies temporarily assuaged, and found seats and sat through another First Grade production. Do I sound a little jaded? It's because I am! I had contemplated bringing a crochet project, but then I thought it might look a little tacky crocheting while other parents avidly videotaped their kids on stage. I did bring my camera, of course, but more to blog about it than to capture the memories!

Konner did fine, though. His toy soldier hat kept falling into his face and he really needed a belt for his black pants -- a fact that I didn't know until he was up on stage. He sang and he blew his trumpet at the appropriate song, and all went well. Whew!

Then, we went home. I offered the last few measly pieces of pizza to Kristofer and Keri Lynn, and then went to bed! Today, I get to catch up on some business since I'm home with Kylie. Kylie does indeed have an ear infection and is ready for her round of antibiotics that I'll get when I go get groceries later on this afternoon. Or at least that's the plan. : )