Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Christmas countdown

10 degrees - the low temperature in Utah by the time we get there this weekend. As much as I am still sweating and am craving feeling cold, I still have a feeling we'll be in shock.

9 month old twins on an a cross-country flight. With a husband who will just be getting off from the night shift. I am just remembering that Cash traveled a lot when he was an infant - hard, but he slept a good amount. But then when I took a flight with him when he was 9 months old I remember thinking - oh wow, this is a LOT worse than it used to be. Nine month-olds do not hold still.

8 - number of boxes I will probably have to unearth and ransack to see if we even own any winter clothes these babies can wear.

7 - different kinds of drugs and elixirs I will be taking on the plane ride. I've got a different tactic in mind this time - if I'm the one sedated, I think the whole ordeal will go much better. :)

6 - hours on a plane with three kids. (Well, 5 and a half, rounding up and planning for inevitable delays.)

5 year anniversary on Saturday. Oh, right. Um, how about we give each other a hearty verbal congratulations this year?

4 - number of appointments I have for the babies between now and our 6am flight on Friday. None of which are less than a half hour away.

3 - number of weeks I'll be staying in Utah. Didn't actually want to stay quite that long since this is the ONLY nice time of year down here (and it's only really been nice for about 3 weeks now) and I better enjoy it while I can, but tickets were cheaper and I'm sure we'll love the family time.

2 - hours of sleep I will probably get the next couple nights. I feel like when I was in college - finals week the week before Christmas, exhausted, pulling all-nighters, constantly snacking on junk just to stay awake, feeling totally out of whack and just counting down the days until I could go home and just sleep. And let my mommy take care of me. (Hope you're reading this and getting a big hint! :)

1
- number of times I have thought about Christmas. Yesterday, in fact when someone mentioned that Christmas was next week. Huh? I blame the weather. Who thinks Christmas is next week when it's 81 degrees outside?

0 number of Christmas presents I have bought, or even thought about. Number of suitcases packed. Number of loads of laundry done.
AND
possibly more importantly - the amount of chocolate currently in the house available for coping purposes.


If you don't see me in a little while, you know why.


***Addendum. 3 hours later.*** The kids and I actually made a trip to the local ghetto-mart for the sole purpose of getting some chocolate. Let me just say that first, you should really go to ghetto-mart for just about nothing, and second, I have never actually dragged the whole gang out to a corner store just so I could get a "fix". So we were walking back, Cash and I sharing our Milky Way. As he tried to get the last bite, it fell out of the wrapper. Seeing as we went all the way over there to get my much-needed chocolate, you can bet I wasn't letting it go to waste. I pick it up, brush it off, and immediately hear a car honking. I look up to see a woman vehemently shaking her finger and her head at me to tell me I better not be putting that back in my child's mouth. I stare at her for a second in disbelief, and while maintaining eye contact, deliberately nod my head in an "oh yes I am" motion, split the remaining piece in two, put half in Cash's mouth, and pop the rest in mine - at the same time that she honestly starts rolling down her window yelling, "Noooooo!!!"

I have to give her props for the passion behind her cause. And for seriously making my day. I am still busting up about it.

22 comments:

Kathryn said...

Jen, Merry Christmas. I know you'll do great on the plane, but thanks for the entertaining countdown. I always tell Mark when we travel with the 4 it's just one day of our lives. That thinking sort of helps. I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing vacation!

AnnaMarie said...

Hilarious! At least you'll have lots of helpers and entertainers when you get there!

Anonymous said...

Holy cow, I am still laughing about that lady. What the??? Good for you for sticking it to her.

liz said...

i totally get this. i always dreaded holidays until the moment the plane landed i could not be excited for any amount of effort. the prep, thinking of everything, packing, the keeping up with laundry and housekeeping to prep for time away, cleaning out the fridge and then the bag for the plane to cope with and then the kid part on the plane.

I am not a good traveler. especially with kids. we had evan in one of our arms back by the jets and people didn't seem to notice the crying so much that way. and there is room to pace a little and breathe while he kicked and pushed out of my arms. you just hope no one takes a major dump in the bathrooms you have to breathe while surviving back there.

you will do great- kathryn is right it is temporary. and to heck with the people on the flight. you will never see them again!

Ty and Trista Swartzlander said...

Every time I read your blog I laugh my fool head off. I love that you kept eye contact with the women while you shared your dirtied chocolate with Cash. I can't even type because I am still laughing. This made my day. Merry Christmas Jen. I will miss you.

Aloha_Misty said...

It is hard to think Christmas is coming when it is so warm outside. We are reaching the 70's everyday this week. It is really high for this part of Georgia, but we are loving it. I hope you enjoy Utah. We wish we were going home this year...Thank you for the card. The girls LOVED it. That is one of many items we x of our list...I can't wait until Greg is done with school and the money comes rolling in...at least we hope it does!

LuAnn said...

You are so creative! I can never come up with cute things like that. The couple times I have tried I sit for like 10 minutes with a blank screen and then quit. But you've always had a lot going on in the blonde head of yours. It brings me back to all the millions of talented things you used to do in H.S.

Chadlee said...

Too funny - your list and the story of the lady in the car. I feel so sorry for you having to travel with the kids. Good luck. I hope your Utah family takes good care of you and give you a few days off.

Safire said...

Totally jealous you are doing this work to get to Utah. I want to so bad this year but it's just not in the cards. (Okay, true confession is that I want my mommy to take care of me for a day too.) Enjoy your flight!

Unknown said...

What would I do without having a laugh everyday after reading your blog?! Hilarious!

Anne Marie said...

The story about the piece of chocolate was hilarious!!! I have definitely become very relaxed about germs since having kids and seeing all the junk they put in their mouths. Good luck with all the traveling and prep! Being with family will be so worth all the stress and pain. Merry Christmas!

Melanie said...

funny funny funny!

Jenilee said...

Merry Christmas! Enjoy your Family Christmas in Utah!!!

Anonymous said...

Loved the BLOG! Just think right now you are at least 1/2 way through the flight! As Mom will be at work when you arrive, I'm up and getting stuff done so that I can help when you guys get here!!!! Can't wait!

Julie

Sarah Starr Alleman Smith said...

Ha! I'm glad you got your chocolate. You make me laugh. I WISH I was where it was 81 degrees! Seriously, ICE was falling from the sky today. And gray, gray, gray, so help me.

Kimi said...

GRUBBY!

Agent Tal said...

LOL! We're excited to see you guys next week!

Spar-Mar Girl said...

I love your stories! And we can't wait to see all of you next week-the twins cheeks are looking so squishable now! Good luck with all the traveling(although I think you're here by now-so at least you survived!!!!)

Marci said...

That's freaking hilarious!!! I can't believe that people down there feel so justified in butting into the lives of strangers around them. Blows my mind! I would have probably looked away so as not to be caught gawking at your behavior :) Bye the way, remember last year's long, record-breaking winter? We're ahead of that so far. And we braved -30 degree windchill for church, just because I had to lead the kids for singing in Sacrament Meeting. You know the kind of cold that has your nosehairs freezing together? Hopefully that puts Utah in perspective and gives you an "at least it's not" comparison.

Melissa Bigelow said...

this post was really funny. I do feel for you. I'd much rather drive than take a plane. Good luck getting home and see you soon!

The Nelsons said...

Jen, sadly I am NOT surprised. I have crazy stuff happen to me like that all the time. Major props for eating it. I would have too. The other day a publix the cashier asked me if Nixon wanted to STEAL. WHAT? He is 2! you are crazy! He was asking for SOME cookies. I guess that some and steal sound really similar.

Karen said...

I loved this post, Jen. Sometimes you just have to stick it to people, you know? I mean, come on, your husband's a doctor--if you're giving your kid some chocolate off the street, it must be ok if your husband's a doctor... right? He can just call you in something if you need it. That's my philosophy anyway :o)
Last night at the DC Temple Visitor's Center, we ran into your brother-in-law and his wife, I think John was his name? Friend of a friend, and somehow we came around to you guys... Small, small world. Merry Christmas!!!