Great Expectations

Surely, I'm not the only one who over-plans.

O.K. I won't call you Surely.
Sorry, that's one of Paul's favorite chuckles.

It happens every time we plan to visit our family up north. I have all these things that I want to prepare, do, and get done before we go. There are goodies to prepare, there is Christmas and birthday shopping, laundry and packing to do, and the house-cleaning to get done.

On top of that, I make the off-handed comment that I'd like for us to be loaded and everyone in the truck by 10:00 AM.

Ya, right.
Does that EVER happen?
You know the answer.

It's now 7:00 AM.
Here's when I got up this morning in order to be ready to go...



Isn't that dumb?
I know that now. And I'll be feeling it later.

Well...so what's left?

Laundry?
Check!



Groceries?
Check!



Party Mix?
Check!



Carrie's yummy peanut butter fudge?
Check!



Christmas cookies?
Check!
Remind me to tell you all about making Christmas cookies this year.
These kids just keep on providing me with blogging material.



Dad's birthday cake?
Check!
By the way, did I mention that he will be 68 on December 17th?
And did I also mention that I double the batch of frosting for the cake so that it is nice and thick--and so that I can have the left-over that doesn't fit on the cake.
Yep. I learned that trick long ago.
I also learned to get up early to make the cake so that I don't have to share the left-over frosting.
Sorry kids. The early bird gets the worm.



Prepare and wrap Christmas and birthday presents?
Almost check!



A cup of coffee for me?
Check! Check! Check!
You can't blame me can you?



My sweetheart?
Not quite yet...but he's coming!



And most important?
A smile?
Check!