I need more than 12 days of Christmas...

I cannot get my head out of my armpit.

It seems that when I accomplish one amazing feat, I realize there are 20 more immediate needs on the list.

Take, for example, my Christmas cards.

For the first time in the history of my marriage, we stayed home for Thanksgiving. Of course, that works out, now that we're back in town and close to one of our families. In the past, we've spent every holiday trekking to either A-Town or Baton Rouge.

We love our families, but I hate to travel long distances by car. I bore easily, making life less than fun for the rest of the passengers.... like K.

Ethan could care less. Give him a movie, and he's good to go. Sleep, watch a movie, sleep, eat a couple of snacks, sleep, watch a movie... much like his dad on any given day. :) (Just kiddin', honey...)

I need to be entertained... and this doesn't mean reading the road signs aloud... which is another family story to be shared at a later date when I'm sure unnamed family members don't read this blog. :)

Anyway, I decided that we -- meaning K and myself -- would play the question game. Apparently, according to him, it was fun... for the first 274 questions. After that (at which point I was still going strong), the game began to become tiresome for him.

Whatever.

About an hour outside of Baton Rouge, he called for a new game. The Quiet Game. Boo.

I fell asleep.

Since then, we've not played the question game. When I get restless, I drive and listen to music. K. and Ethan sleep. I hate it.

Anyway, back to the cards.

So, we stay home this Thanksgiving, but I should have known it couldn't be that easy. No, it couldn't just be stay home, go eat Thanksgiving.

K. was born on Nov. 23. This year, Nov. 23 fell on Thanksgiving.

Side note to family traditions -- In my family, the wife or mother or daughter is responsible for making family dinner for birthday celebrations.

Guess when we decided to make K's birthday celebration.

That's right -- Thanksgiving.

I did not decide this. My mom did.

"I hate not to celebrate his birthday on his actual birthday."

We never have my birthday dinner on my birthday.

Thanks, Mom, for signing me up for Thanksgiving dinner.

My mom and grandmother did help out, bless 'em. My mom made yummy sweet potatoes and green beans. Grandma made mac and cheese. I think my mom felt bad, and my grandmother, apparently, wanted to make sure something was fit to eat. Seems my family still sees me as 4 years old since I'm the youngest grandchild.... which means they think I'm pretty much an inept adult. I can't cook or clean. I'm just supposed to be cute and funny. Oh, and I could stand to lose a few pounds.

Ask any of my grandparents. :)

Every time I plan a family party or make something or have people over, they seem to be amazed that I can, indeed, cook and do grown-up things. It's not just, "This lasagna is really good!" It's pure amazement... as in, "Amy! I cannot believe you made this! Are you sure you didn't buy it somewhere?!"

Translation: "You're still supposed to be running around in diapers, picking your nose."

Never mind that the goatee-d man on the couch is my husband and two of the growing brood of kids are mine.

Oh -- and I have to brag on the turkies. My brother and uncle fried turkies, and they were delicious. (The turkies, not my uncle and brother. ) That was a huge relief. I was already alarmed about the fixin's -- If I'd had a Griswald family Christmas turkey experience, I'd have had to relocate to Siberia.

I made dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, caramel pecan pie, and pumpkin pie from scratch. We bought rolls and cranberry sauce and birthday cake.

Why did we have more desserts than real food? Ask K. It was his birthday, and by Bob, I made what he wanted.

Anyway, by the time I got all of this together (amidst comments like, "Show everybody how grown up you are. Be there on time."), I was ready for the whole dang thing to be over.

How d'ya like that holiday spirit?

So, Thanksgiving went by, and I started on the next holiday -- Christmas. First real order of business: Christmas cards.

Goals for Weekend after Thanksgiving:
1- Make Thanksgiving dinner for family.
2- Get up at ridiculous hour to get gifts for kids that they don't need while saving lots of money
3-Take pictures for Christmas cards
4-Get Christmas tree and decorate.

If you haven't gathered it from the aforementioned family commentary, I'm always late.

It doesn't bother me, but many other people seem to be quite disturbed by it.

The first year we were married, we sent out New Year's cards... because I didn't quite get around to Christmas cards.

I've done better since, but it's always a struggle. Most people get our Christmas cards on Christmas Eve.... not for sentimental reasons, but because I'm always dumping them in the mail last minute.

This year, my inner mom took charge.

Maybe it's the mini-van.

I set up a photo shoot with my pal Shawn for the Friday after Thanksgiving. Her pictures came out great. Mine... not so much.

Laney screamed; Ethan didn't want to have his picture taken.

I panicked.

What am I going to do? My Christmas cards won't be out by December 1! Wait... they're never out that early. Who cares?

I'd hate to for my family to keel over in shock.

Quick summary of events to follow:

-Finally got the pictures taken. K., rather unwillingly, helped me corral the kids, and we got a really cute shot before Laney decided to eat the beads that may or may not be coated in lead paint.
-Had film developed, uploaded pix to computer, and created fabulous-o Christmas cards.
-Christmas cards show up in record time. (Thank you, Snapfish...)
-Address cards while cooking dinner while wearing my Supermom cape...
-Can't find time to get to the danged post office to buy Christmas stamps.
-Christmas card sending-out delayed by week while I try four times (unsuccessfully) to make it to the post office before it closes.

If any of you readers work for the post office, please tell them I need them to extend their freakin' hours.

Anyway, hallelujah -- the cards have been mailed, and I'm off to tackle the next task...

Decorating my Christmas tree (which has been up for two weeks) before it turns brown and dies...