Procrastinators, unite!

I've been sick with a hacking cough. It hasn't been bad enough to go to the doctor, I don't think, but it has kept me down on the couch or in bed for a better part of a week. Today I've started to feel better. I think it's the idea that school will be starting back in just a few days, and we all HAVE to be better in order to get back into the routine. Keith spent a lot of time on the Porcelain Throne, too, so for a while we were playing The Most Pathetic Game -- the game in which you try to be more pathetic than the other to gain sympathy points from those around you. Keith won.

Before I got sick, I found -- quite by accident -- that one of our digital channels on our TV worked. We got ABC! I was thrilled and fearful all at the same time, because, as I've said before, it has been a huge time saver to no longer have the TV on all the time. We've actually had more family time, more project time and more everything time. Not to mention that we are no longer exposing ourselves to the yuck on TV! So when I found that digital channel, I kept the information to myself for a while.

Until New Year's Eve.

I did finally break down and say to my dearly beloved husband and children, as the played on the X-Box, "Hey, did you guys know we had a digital channel on our TV?" This was on the evening of New Year's Eve, when I had visions of watching the ball fall in Times Square. It took maybe 12.5 seconds for husband/kids to figure out that there was not only ONE channel still on our TV, but ALL of the major channels -- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS, plus a few odd-ball local channels. Whether they will all be there after that February date when things go completely digital, I don't know. The main channels are in the digital section and take a few seconds to sync up to our TV. I think we have the channels in the first place only because we still have the Internet connection and that's why they told me that they still had to "leave a line open" and that it would only cost $4 less to take the cable portion of our TV off.

All this to say, we did in fact ring in the New Year with a rather scary-looking Dick Clark and some left-over fireworks from Fourth of July (plus and extra pack from Erin's family! Thanks, Kim!) And then we all went to bed!

I didn't begrudge the TV time on New Year's Day, though. Keith had it on all day long for the various bowl games. It kind of finished off our vacation rather nicely, I think. We haven't ALL had time off like this in a very long time. Keith goes back to work tomorrow (Tuesday) and the rest of us go back to school on Wednesday.

Then, Saturday, I'll be taking the GACE test for Special Education! I was going to be studying all through vacation, but when I got sick, I just didn't have much energy for doing much of anything at all. The kids had or went to sleep-overs (mostly went to, because of sickies on this end.) We generally got into a groove where the kids were going to bed at about 10:00 or later and Keith and I were going to bed at about 1:00 or 2:00, and all of us sleeping in to about 10:00 or 11:00 every morning. (I could REALLY get used to that kind of schedule.) It's going to be a huge shock to all of our systems when that alarm clock goes off on Wednesday. Ugh!

Saturday, when I return from GACE, we're going to have what I like to call Mom's Procrastination Party. This is when I suffer the consequences of having put off birthday parties for all of my kids from July on. Somehow, I don't seem to have a problem with Keri Lynn or Kathleen's party, mostly because they plan and execute most of it, and because it's at the time of the year when we have more money. However, from Kylie's birthday on, I have some real trouble. LAST year, I had a big group event for those "left behind". And this year is no different. I'll come home brain-dead from the test, which will be just fine really, because my house will be taken over by short and tall people. We're going to have a theme party for every birthday kid. So Kylie is going to invite all of her friends and have each of them bring a favorite doll or stuffed animal, and they will all play games related to the dolls/stuffed animals. Kade and Konner's friends will come and bring all of their matchbox cars or army men (haven't decided yet)and play all together with those. Kristofer will invite his friends and they are going to have a huge X-Box Championship! Whoo-hoo! THEN, we are all going to get together and each kid is going to have a cake with their appropriately numbered candles. We'll all sing happy birthday, or maybe we'll do one song per person. Blow out candles, take pictures, eat cake and tell everyone to go home! Then I will have paid my dues for my terrible procrastination!

I can tell I'm feeling better and am rested because the idea for the party sounds do-able. I may start going into melt-down on Friday night when not everything is ready yet for party or test! AHHHHHHH!

Tomorrow, I'm taking Keri Lynn over to Wal-mart for Senior Portraits. I remember by own Senior Portraits. We just had them done by the school photographer. But these days, there are such huge expenses surrounding the seniors. It gets to be a little ridiculous. But pictures are special. I wish we could do more for her, but I'm hoping to get a guy from church to do some really good ones in the spring. He specializes in outside photography. Meanwhile, we need pictures to go into the yearbook.

I can't believe my girl only has a few more months before she becomes a high school graduate. That is not easy to take! There are still so many things unknown to her for her future, but she has a good head on her shoulders and a desire to honor God -- this is the prayer of my heart.

Time to go make dinner. The natives are getting restless.