A really good Christmas and Boxing day!

Yesterday was a really good day. Not just because it was Christmas, but because we made it a good day. Tony and I got to sleep in and actually had to wake up both the boys. Colten was thrilled with his presents. He got a "Cars" video game and this rescue helicopter. You know it's a good gift when they carry it around the house and talk about it as if it is alive.

Carson took a few minutes to get into the whole opening presents mode. He was so sleepy and refused to nap at all. "Santa" brought him a really neat large vehicles book and he still won't put it down. He keeps pointing to the pictures and repeating the names of all the trucks and construction equipment in it. He also got a talking BBQ that is really cute, but scares him, a noisy "Little People" firetruck, and some John Deere tractors.

Though it was a lean year for presents at our house, we got spoiled by everyone else. After breakfast we headed to town to visit Tony's grandparents. There were presents from them, but also from my MIL and SIL there for the boys. It was great to visit with the "Greats" and see how they were doing. Then we headed out to my mom's. We opened even more presents there and even got the wireless networker (for our lousy desktop) and a printer/scanner/copier. I was thrilled to get them, but the best gifts were the homemade ones. My dad made me this treasures box on his scroll saw. It looks like leaves and is made from ash with black walnut handles.

He also made each of the boys a crane, complete with wheels and buckets. They love playing with them and moving their blocks and Lincoln Logs around in them.

After visiting with the family and friends, stuffing ourselves with Jackie's (bro's girlfriend) crabcakes and prime rib, we rounded up our overstimulated boys and headed home. They crashed hard last night and managed to sleep in a little this morning.

Today was another good day. I got the Jeep unloaded and all gifts put away. The boys were well behaved, other than Colten throwing a tantrum. I got to visit with my brother and his girlfriend a little, and ice skated on the trampoline. Ok, not really ice skating, but I did get a good workout shoveling all the snow off the tramp. Why would I need to do that you ask? Well, with 18+ inches of snow now melting on the trampoline, all the water would run into the center and refreeze into ice. The middle was getting heavier with more snow melting. We were afraid it would stretch out the tramp and ruin it. So I got out the small shovel and got to work. It was tough to stand on and was really like ice skating on a bouncy surface. Colten could hardly stand up, but had a great time falling down.

Tony had to work today and is gone quadding in the snow with friends tonight. Tomorrow Colten is going to visit the great-grandparents from my side of the family and will be gone for several days. My parents only wanted to take him because they were thinking that Carson would be too many tantrums, but Colten's been giving attitude all vacation long. It'd be nice if they took both boys because I know everyone would like to see both, but one is fine with me. I'll have plenty of time to sort through the piles of broken toys in Colten's room and dispose of them before he gets back.

It is interesting watching all the snow melt at our house. Our main roads have been plowed, even the main road in the development, but my side road and driveway are still sheets of ice. It is scary going up and down them. You've seen the pictures of the snow on our patio table, well, here's a picture of it sliding off. It hasn't fallen yet, but with the warm temps and strong winds, I'll be surprised to see it tomorrow.

I am so lucky to have a school district that invests in getting teachers quality laptops, and encourages them to use the snot out of them, for everything (appropriate that is). My desktop computer at home works, but it is pathetic compared to my school laptop. I tried to hook-up the printer and install the driver for it, but my computer doesn't have enough memory to do that! I was also ticked because Lexmark doesn't include the USB cable to connect the printer to your computer! Now I have to go buy more memory AND get a cable just to get the darn thing to work. I got the wireless networker to work though. It took a long time on hold on the phone and then talking to a nice guy with a very strong Indian accent, but it is working, and nice and fast too. Tony will be happy with that. He will no longer need me to log on to my laptop for him to surf the web.

My biggest gripe today (other than technology problems) was that I was COLD all day. I even turned the heat up to 66, but am still cold. I've been drinking hot tea, wearing layers, and even putting my clothes in the dryer to heat them up. I currently have the cats warming my feet for me, but am still chilly. I don't know if it is the wet rain that is making it feel cold after all the dry, cold snow, but whatever it is it needs to stop. I'm still waiting on a propane delivery and don't need a hot house with me still shivering in it!

I'm hoping that these last few days are the start of a streak of good days for me. I really want to beat this depression back and hit it hard. I don't need to feel down again until March and my would be due date roll around.