Highlights of the Day (Sunday 11.20.2005)

1. Sent Grace into Hannah's room this morning when I heard her over the monitor.

2. Laid there, dozing in and out while listening to the two of them have a fantastic conversation, making me smile.

3. Wanted to beat both of them about an hour later when they were bouncing off the walls, trashing the place, and being particularly defiant.

4. Walked into Grace's room just in time to see Hannah take a header off the side of Grace's bed, where she had been jumping.

5. After making sure she was OK, gave her the whole, "See what happens when you don't listen..." speech I swore I'd never give my kids.

6. Took the girls to Country Junction, The World's Largest General Store, where I was thrilled to find all of their huge inflatible yard Christmas thingees for only $30 each.

7. Told the girls to pick one since they've been begging me forever to get one, but I refused to pay the normal $70 price.

8. Found out they were having a little carnival there, and it was nice, so we spent a few hours riding the rides, eating funnel cake, and having a fantastic time.

9. Out of the blue, thought about the old sitcom "Kate & Alli" and remembered how much I used to love that show and how I always thought Kate was so cool! What the hell happened to the chick that played her anyway?

10. Realized that today is Hunting Season Eve, as I watched Steve spend half the day "preparing" for the first day of bear season tomorrow. Yay.

11. Chuckled a bit to myself when I ran to the grocery store (for Steve) and came home to have him tell me the girls had been a bit, um, difficult. Welcome to my world, dude.

12. Ordered some more Christmas gifts online.

13. Made it a personal mission to be completely done Christmas shopping by December 1st. I can do it dammit! I know I can!

14. Got take-out pizza and take-out wings for dinner today. Because we're pigs like that.

15. Was a little annoyed when later I realized that I had shelled out the cash for both of them. That Steve's a sneaky little bastard, lemme tell ya.

16. Am sitting here annoyed that Steve fell asleep in the recliner (big shock), which means I'll have to go outside in the cold and traipse across our entire (dark) front yard to unplug the stupid large inflatible snowman that he decided to put up tonight, even though I suggested we wait until after Thanksgiving.

17. If none of you hear from me tomorrow, it means that whatever creature/psycho/ghost I heard in my front yard last week ravaged me when I went out to unplug the inflatible snowman and the baby snowman on its shoulders.

18. Wondered if Steve would feel guilty if I was ravaged during the unplugging.

19. Remembered that my MIL's birthday is the first week in December and we (read: I) have to go get her a birthday gift before then.

20. Also remembered that Steve's birthday is a week and a half after that and I have to get him a gift too. Stupid December babies.