Emily came into our bedroom at 5:00 this morning. She was panicked that the Lion King musical was leaving LA January 12. That's what she said. At 5:00 am she knew the exact date that the show was leaving town. We have not been able to see it. It's been a difficult year for us, but quite frankly I know few people who can come up with $200 on a whim to get some half-decent seats for a family. I did check the website today and they seem to be sold out through their stay. The show is moving to Chicago. It's not an impossibility to see it there. Nor is New York out of the question. Here's the deal, I made the mistake of telling her it was also in Japan. That's where she wants to see it. She said she'd pay for the trip. She's got $8 and change.

It looks like the dust is settling. I got most of the new toys in the place they should ideally be yesterday when some friends popped by. It's crucial that people visit our home every two or three days or we just get lost in our stuff. The kitchen floor seems to take the most abuse in the house. My poor kitchen floor. I'm ready to replace the beast with industrial grade linoleum.

We've scaled down Christmas over the last couple of years. It's nice. There are still more than enough gifts for the kids to open and enjoy, but it's not so obscene as it was a few years back. With three kids and the handing down of toys and clothes and whatnot it seems critical that we tone down our intake. I highly recommend it. Even with fewer than before there were several gifts that got lost in the shuffle and could easily be donated to Goodwill or re-gifted to the very same child without notice.

And I got my nap today! Audrey and I took a nice nap together. I think I was gone for 90 minutes or more. I zoned in and out to Isaac's tantrums. Something about fried rice and cereal. But I did get some extra sleep and feel pretty good. You should take a nap too.

Merry Christmas. It was a really nice day here. Kids got scooters. They're very happy. I got a coffee percolater and an apron. I'm delighted. Really. It's just what I wanted and I'm tickled over the percolater.

Kids are in bed now. Martin disappeared too. Betcha $5 he fell asleep in the kids room. Come to think of it, I might just go to bed too. That's what all the cool kids are doing, y'know.

Who needs the Hollywood 48 hour miracle diet when a good ol' fashioned stomach virus can get you the same result? Yes, I got a bug. But first Emily, Isaac, Audrey & Martin got a bug. We lost five days. Can I postpone Christmas? I actually got some packages out to family yesterday. The sun hurt my eyes. I was going to try to buy cards while I was out but aborted the mission when I started feeling weak. Today I'm much better as is the whole family.

All I want for Christmas is a three hour nap.

Today was better.

Made cookies. The oven is fantastic. Grandma's cookies are as good as ever, and as per Michael's request, I omitted the chocolate chips from one batch. They're a-ok. But I'm pretty much gonna just eat the chocolate chip ones. Duh.

If you are expecting a Christmas gift from me, don't expect it to be on time. We've picked up a few gifts for the kids, but all in all, nothing for anyone else. Sorry guys. Just can't get into the groove. It'll be fun to get boxes in the mail after Christmas anyway, right?

It's funny having kids as young as mine. There's a closet -- my Mary Kay, Tupperware, home-based-business-of-the-week closet. It's in the office. Probably the busiest room in the house. Kids are in there all the time. But they never go in the closet. Even when the door is opened they don't mess with anything. The few gifts we've picked up are in there. Not hidden. Not camouflaged. Just in there. Kids don't have a clue. And they don't care. I'm pretty sure by this time next year Emily will be searching out the hiding places (I think I said that last year). But it's all very innocent right now. Boy, I'm sure I was tearing the house apart by the time I was seven. Probably because my nine year old sister had me squeezing into places she was unwilling to go. But that's another story for another day.

Another post lost in cyberspace. I'm having a lousy day anyway. This did not help.

But yesterday was good (she says, trying to smile).

Got an oven. Thank you John & Janet Peruzzi. Thank you for the delivery Michele. Martin worked on a Pizza Hut commercial. Thank you casting agents & director. I'll go into more detail of the joy of yesterday when there is more joy in my today.

Two teeth lost this weekend. Emily had a very loose one for about three weeks. But first she lost the one opposite it. Strange. The following evening Martin & I were joking with her that we would come upstairs and pull her tooth while she slept. Shortly after putting her to bed, she comes downstairs bloody mouthed and tooth in hand. I was so proud. She fears the actual pulling, although she admits it's never hurt. I had to call Martin who was out at a movie, to bring home four quarters (I had given him what I thought were the last of mine for parking). But I found six. Thought a bonus was in order for the independent pull. Next morning she comes dowstairs with ten quarters. At first I thought she had the four from the previous evening, then I realized Martin had put four under her pillow when he got home. Hope she doesn't get any ideas that $2.50 is the new going rate.

We're getting to a critical place in the hunt for the oven. It's Wednesday night. Next Tuesday evening I'm hosting a cookie exchange. How can I be legitimate hostess with no-bake cookies? I called every number in the Recycler selling what seemed to be a decent oven. No go. Went to two thrift stores that I know sell appliances. No go. Am I asking so much?

But I did find a Whirley-Pop popcorn popper in brand new condition at the thrift store. I've already got one that I adore and use all the time, so this will be a gift. Throw hints my way if you've got a popcorn jones. All the sudden I'm in I'll-shop-for-gifts-at-thrift-stores mode.

Martin set a personal record with FOUR auditions today. Yesterday he tied an old record of three, so he's having a good week. His agent had said things were finally picking up. Wow, an honest agent!

Michele keeps updating her blog. Wow. What's next? Colleen?

No, the oven is still broken. Please, stop asking. I'll tell you when I'm up and baking again.

We've had weather this week. Yes, real weather. Big wind storms on Monday & Tuesday of last week. Pretty much cleared the dead fronds off the big palm in the front yard. Littered our yard with pineneedles & cones as well as the neighbors' palm fronds. I'm not complaining. It was pretty cool. Of course, Martin did all the clean up. Then on Saturday we had THUNDER! Now, this happens only every couple years out here -- if we're lucky. So Martin & I were dragging the kids outside to feel the temperature change and listen to the thunder. A couple of really good claps. It's was really great.

Thanksgiving was nice. Pete & Judi Pusateri allowed us into their home (along with twenty-some other friends and relatives). It was a lot of fun. Thanks Judi & Pete!

And we had a latke party on Saturday with Michael & Michele. Good stuff. I don't often eat lots and lots of deep fried foods, but it seemed like the right thing to do that evening. Michele makes unbelievably good latkes. I think Emily ate four. No, I won't tell you how many I ate.

KU lost twice. We have a losing record right now. I can't go on or I'll get weepy.