nixtress's Diaryland Diary

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Not-so-brief de-briefing...sort of.

Yowza.
Two. Weeks.
Has it really been that long?? It's been a crazy coupla weeks so I suppose they may very well have sped by without me even noticing...
so sad.
Let's see.
We made it through Christmas, whirlwind that it was. The boys are unGodly happy with every little thing they received and tomorrow begins ThankYouNoteWritingTorture 2008. Yes, getting three young boys to write thank you notes PROPERLY is torture, for them AND for me. However, it's a necessary thing and something I think means a lot in the here and now.
They need to show the people who thought of them that they appreciate it.
And who DOESN'T like knowing their efforts were enjoyed?
Bran loved his cell phone and has spent most of today fiddling with it. Trevor's been playing Madden '08 like a nut and Ryan has only lost the stylus for his DS twice (found, both times). I've listened to a very loud Deal Or No Deal electronic game, three different versions of Rubik's Revelution going in two separate bedrooms (at the same time), arguments begun and then solved over bug-making, Uno games, video games galore, how NOT to transform Transformers, more laughter than I knew was possible whilst watching Jeff Dunham and every other assorted noise three guys can make in a two-week period spent at home.
It's been lovely.
Later this week my Christmas gift from my Aunt B will be delivered---a chest freezer!! I was thrilled because this will help my grocery bills and I've been wanting one. Gramps decided that he'd renew my AAA again this year, which is wonderful too. It's practical but useful and something that I've been grateful for on more than one occasion.
New Year's was tolerable---I was minus my oldest son because he was still on his visit with his father but still...okay.

**minor rant**
Bran's visit with his Dad. I hated it. Hated. It. A necessary evil, one I weather each year but not something I enjoy. They waited until Christmas Eve to call and ask what he might want and then completely disregarded everything he'd had listed. This year they decided he was nearly getting too old for gifts, (especially anything he might want to bring home) and got him a sleeping bag, a 20Q, a handheld Sudoku game, and the new Harry Potter movie.
He was allowed to bring nothing back to the home he resides in. Instead, as per the norm, his father claims he'll "put things up for him" for when he comes back. Translated: he'll leave them lay around until Bran's half brother over there destroys everything.
That's what happened with the DS they bought him last year---it ended up smashed to smithereens after Ian stepped on the screen, breaking it and then took it outside and took a hammer to it. He's 11, not 2.
Brandon was peeved when he came home. On top of that, I'd called this morning to see if I could pick Bran up early as we were under a weather advisory and I didn't want to drive an hour round trip on bad roads. His father purposely ignored my phone calls all day, told his family not to answer the phone and then when I got there, lied to my face and said the phone was in the basement.
*sigh* On top of THAT, the Stepbeast had purposely left and taken Bran with her, saying in front of Bran that this way she could guarantee that I wouldn't be picking him up early.
*double sigh*
I think one of the things that pissed me off the most about the situation, besides the safety issues of driving on slick, freezing roads with three children in a minivan while the wind blows me from here to Kingdom Come, was the fact that my ex showed my nearly 14 yr old son by example that any time you don't want to deal with something, avoid it and then lie about it after the fact. I try so hard to instill in my boys the idea that we have to be accountable for our actions, that if it's important enough to flout the rules or not follow through, then it's important enough to man up about it and take your licks (thereby teaching them to pick their battles and to really think through what they're willing to catch flack for).
We got in a nice little grrr about it, after I got home and called him. The Ex admitted he was wrong but that doesn't change it. And it cemented, yet again, how completely selfish he is.
GrRrR.
***end rant***

We rang in the new year with lots of yummies, curled up watching the ball fall and then it was off to bed. My Reese-dog managed to wolf down a full plate of food (trail bologna, egg rolls, cheese, Doritos, grilled veggies)that had been set on the table for just a moment and now...well, now we won't discuss The Odors. Oh, LORD, The Odors. He may be sleeping outside a shut door tonight because he might asphyxiate me in my sleep with his noxious fumes.
The boys are supposed to have school tomorrow but if this snow keeps up, I highly doubt it'll happen. We've gotten several inches today and I've not seen one salt truck/snow plow. We shall see.
I'm craving a nice, long hot shower and a soft bed.
I think this about catches us up, although there are a few things I didn't touch on. I'll do that in the next few days.
Happy New Year, one and all!!!
N.

10:47 p.m. - 2008-01-01

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