This weekend

Friday night was boy scouts. His dad ususally brings the boy, but he couldn't and asked me to. Ugh. Just NOT my thing. I hope I never have to do that again. But the boy was awarded a citizenship pin. So that was nice.

Yesterday was the Christmas party that the fire dept in my hometown throws for the kids. My dad and sis and her youngest and my boy went. (Yesterday was also my dad's offical retirement day. Go, dad!) This year at the party there was ornament making; cupcake decorating (and eating); a clown/magician/balloon animal maker/facepainter. That was cool. And, of course, the Big Guy, who took each child up on his lap and gave them a present.

Oh, and a piñata. The line had a few younger kids in front, then my boy, then my nephew, then one other kid. Everyone got three or four swings, including my boy. Then my nephew, the Baseball King, was up. (Seriously, he's 9, and very active in sports. He's been playing Little League for years, and he's very talented. All the teams would fight over him. Last year they had to make a "Major B" league, because he and a few other kids were too young for the majors but too good for the minors.) So now it was his turn at the piñata: Swing 1! Swing 2! Swing 3! Really strong, baseball hits. He was prepared to stop then, but the guy said, "one more!". And so he did. He sliced the piñata clean in half. Candy went flying everywhere. It was spectacular. They even found a Tootsie Roll and a PENCIL that were broken in half. That's right, his swing broke a PENCIL in that piñata in half! I think from now on, The Baseball King should go last in the piñata line. It's only fair.

I came home to find a message that A&B were bailing on the Christmas party we were planning on going. They could not find anyone to watch the girls, and they just weren't comfortable leaving them when they were going to be such a distance from home. I briefly thought about going by myself, but decided against it. I don't think there were going to be too many of "our" friends there, anyway, and I'mnot good at mingling with strangers. I'd already dropped the boy off at his dad's, and bought my booze, so I decided to stay home and rest, which I greatly needed.

This morning, I woke up and actually CLEANED!!!! My room is still a mess and the boy's room needs work, but the living room, dining area, kitchen and bathroom are tolerably clean! The boy even vacuumed for me. Now I'm waiting for Michael's dad and stepmom to pick us up. They're bringing us to lunch. I don't think I'll get to see them again before Christmas, so I'll give them their gifts today.




(And thanks again to Min, who taught me how to make a: ñ )