Back Among the Land of the Living...

That's how I have felt today! We went from Christmas straight into Bayley being the sickest she's ever been (a killer ear infection that had us up most/all of the night three nights running), and from there into a bad cold snap (which wouldn't have been such a big deal if our main heat source hadn't died right before Christmas, leaving us with two woefully inadequate space heaters...brr!) Despite the fact that I've been really working on scheduling/time management/productivity issues, we've pretty much been in survival mode for the past month. Blogging has been one of the casualties...most of my blogging is done early in the morning or late at night, while the house is quiet and people are in bed...and lately, it has been much too cold to be up early or late, much less typing.

Today, however, has been wonderful. First, although I'm sure it never got to the promised mid-50s, it *was* warmer than it has been in a while. The temps are supposed to be *much* better this week...even into the 60s, supposedly. This former cold-weather lover is *really* ready for some springy weather. Second, we had nothing to do today! Well, okay, not exactly. We had all *kinds* of things to do...but nothing on the calendar and no place we had to *be*. For the first time in well over a month (maybe several), I didn't set an alarm Friday night. No one got up here until after 8:30....which is pretty unheard of for us! Other than Billy, Peter, and Bayley going to my mom's to help her with a few things, and Billy making a quick run to the store, we didn't leave the house today. Billy and I each crossed a bunch of things off our to do lists, and the kids spent most of the day sorting toys and playing with things they found in the process.

Tonight was just a relaxing family night...we watched a movie online (we're loving Netflix's new unlimited online viewing policy!) and I finished cleaning off my desk and put the girls' hair up in rag rollers while Peter and Gracie played with the newly re-discovered Rescue Heroes and the Lego Duplo Mamoe sent home for Gracie.

My freshly cleaned and re-organized desk is *so* motivating...I am *really* hoping that the weather holds and that we don't have any schedule, health, or other surprises this week so that I can do the rest of the dining room. I am *sooo* ready to "get the show on the road" in here and get our new schoolroom/dining room in shape.

Once again, I have a whole list of posts I am chomping at the bit to finish...but I've stayed up *waaayy* too late already enjoying the fact that I *can* (without turning into an icicle!), and tomorrow will be a long day. I'm *really* hoping that tomorrow afternoon I will be able to post our 888 booklists, our new schedule, a *really* late birthday post, and maybe even another installment in the "2007 in Review" series. ;-) (I might finish that before 2008 is over...) I have a few other things rolling around in my head that I hope to get typed by the end of the week...a few of them have actually been percolating since before Christmas.

(Oh, and Julie...we ended up having frozen pizza for dinner last night...but tonight we had hamburger steaks and baked potatoes and tossed salad and green peas! Maybe I'll actually get a MPM post up Monday! :))