HO! HO! HO!

So, it’s December 22nd here in chilly Minnesota and there is oh so much going on as people prepare for the Christmas holiday. I know things are no different in my house. I can’t begin to describe the level of sleep deprivation I seem to be living with as we near the big 25, of December, that is (I passes 25 over 10 years ago).

Last evening I dropped my boys off with my parents. I think my mom offered to watch them simply because she knows I overdo, and figured I’d never sleep if she didn’t offer a little help (Bless her). On the car ride to their house I must have told the boys fifteen to twenty times that they had to “be good” and “act nice for Boppa and Juju”. I think it went in one ear and out the other because I got a phone call later on from my mom, “Gosh the boys are really acting up…” Ugh.

The drop-off at my parents was with a purpose. I’d loaded a homemade hedgehog cage – created and built by yours truly in all my spare time – into my trunk while telling Colin that I was planning to send it to the North Pole in hopes that Santa would return it on Christmas morning with his Christmas Wish inside. Yes, he’s been asking for a real live hedgehog for over two years now. We caved. It’s a male, of course. Colin’s dying for Santa to bring it.

I met the breeder in Eagan and did the shady animal exchange in the back parking lot of the Petsmart. Did you know that Petsmart doesn’t allow hedgehogs in the building. Who knew?! As I drove off with the hog in the front seat enjoying the seat warmer below his little carrier I was sure I would be supermom this Christmas – one glitch, Santa is the gifter. Oh well.

Yet without an official name – the hedgehog

The hog took roost at my sister’s townhouse, safe from the prying eyes of little boys, and is currently enjoying her toasty warm laundry room. After leaving him with her I made my way back home and literally wrapped gifts for five straight hours. Brian made it home from Champps with a delicious salad for me and who knows what for himself (he ate so fast I never saw it)! He ate and fell asleep as I continued to wrap. When I was done I cleaned up my work area and looked around. I have a lot to do.

The house is generally a mess. I live under an endless pile of laundry, from which I have almost never seen the light of day. The floor in the front hall is covered in road salt and debris from boots. I have to sweep it out at least once a day or it overwhelms us, traveling into the main living areas and making its way onto carpets and furniture.

So I need to clean, and people are coming over. Ick.

As the 25th looms I’ve taken stock of the remaining free time and all I have to do, still. I don’t know that it’s humanly possibly to get it all done in the time I still have available.

1. Finish work for the day
2. Pick up the boys (or was Brian going to do that to help today, I can’t remember)
3. Pick up a pillow insert from Pottery Barn
4. Stop at Byerly’s and grab G-Ma Bette a giftcard (old people like food, manicures and getting their hair done. They do not like MORE picture frames or “stuff”. Thank you G-Ma for the info)
5. Stop at Cub and get food – lots of it
6. Prepare dishes for Christmas Morning gathering at my house
7. Finish with gifts and general preparations
8. Clean my entire house (or at least what people can see)
9. Lay out the clothing for my family for Christmas Eve at my parents
10. Pack all the gifts which go with us to Christmas Eve
11. Sleep (for like fifteen minutes)
12. Work (yes, on Christmas Eve)
13. Meet my family at the Christmas celebration I am missing at my In-Laws
14. Go to formal Christmas Eve party in Mendota Heights
15. Return home
16. Put children to sleep
17. Go to my sister’s to retrieve the hedgehog
18. Play Santa
19. Sleep (for fifteen more minutes)
20. OPEN PRESENTS
21. Dont forget to put egg-bake in the oven
22. Collapse

I think I forgot to move the Elf on the Shelf again.

HO! HO! HO!