A title might make this seem like a better blog post...

Sorry for not blogging ... like, ever.

I can't exactly say that I've been busy.
I just can't always think of anything to say. I don't feel interesting or witty or ... much of anything right yet.

I've got a start of Christmas shopping done. I have ideas for most of the nieces and nephews and my younger cousins. CRAP!!! I just thought of another present to buy. For the son of my cousin. I've only met him once ... but he's just a little younger than Bruise and Bucket. He'd like a present, I'm sure.

I think Bubbles is teething. Because she went from sleeping rather well to ... well, NOT. And she's pretty irritable. She tugs on her ears, but there's no fever. And she wants to be held CONSTANTLY. Except when she doesn't.
Giving her Tylenol or Ibuprofen seems to help ... and she has a well-child check-up in a couple days.
She won't let me look/feel at her bottom gum. But her top gum is puffy where her top teeth will come in.

Speaking of teeth, Bruise (BRUISE!!) lost his first (spontaneous) tooth Saturday night. He was very excited ... until it came out. Because there's pain and blood involved. But, still, he was very proud.
He put his Tooth Fairy money ($1) into Bubbles' piggy bank ... because SHE doesn't have as much money as he and Bucket do. And he's VERY CONCERNED.
Also, he and Bubbles had gotten some candy-type prizes at school on Friday. Since Bucket only got one and he got two, he gave her one. Because "I just want her to be happy. And this way, she can have two and I have one."
"Aww, [Bruise], you are such a sweet boy. Thank you for doing that." I told him.
"I just want for persons people to be happy."

I don't know how I raised such a sweet and charitable boy.
Must have gotten it from his father.
Because I can be plenty selfish.

Bucket is reading more and more. She and I read Shel Silverstein's Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook together.
(Michael was very impressed by how I read the spoonerisms. I felt that I was very halting and rather slow. But, no, he was impressed. Bless that man.) Bucket enjoyed it, though she made me read her some of the stories in it the correct way. However, most of them she'd figure out on her own.

And I found out that the kids DO understand most of the humor in Amelia Bedelia. Which makes reading those together much more fun.

So, since I last blogged, what's gone on? I had to check my calendar...

• The Partylite party came and went. Mom and I were the only folks who were there. Besides Bri, who brought her daughter (a.k.a., "Bug"), who's three weeks younger than Bubbles. They're insta-BFF. We even got some pictures of the two of them in matching jackets. Good times.
• Bruise got his fondest desire (besides owning the GINORM Lego Death Star) as I took him to a salon to have his hair cut. He got to watch a DVD and sit in a Big-Wheel-type truck as the gal snipped away at his hair. He no longer looks like Shaggy off of Scooby-Doo.
• We got family photos taken. Bubbles has her tongue sticking out in nearly each and every one. Good times. And I looked at them ... at MY being in them, and I was pleasantly surprised that I don't think I look hugely fat in them. Which is not how I usually feel about my presence in photos (at my present state and size).
• The kids (Bruise and Bucket) went to a friend's birthday party. He had a Nerf shooting party. Good times.
  This friend of theirs is from a GREAT, GREAT family. We adore them. Both he and his sister will coo over Bubbles (In fact, this SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY told his mom that he REALLY HOPED that Bubbles would be at the party. Yes, we adore their whole family, too). Michael and I enjoyed chatting with parents there (We know the birthday boy's parents. And I know another mom there from volunteering at the school. And there's the birthday boy's aunt ... who I've added, with permission, on Facebook. Since I loved chatting with her at her nephew's party last year).
• Then, that night, I came down with the flu. (I knew it wasn't the plague. I checked WebMD.)
  Fever, chills, headache, swollen glands ... I was doing okay, just feeling "off" Saturday evening/night.
  I woke up Sunday morning, after Michael had left for his meetings before church ... and I was supposed to get the kids ready and to church ... Ugh.
  I shambled over to the couch and curled up there. Bruise and Bucket got dressed and, per my orders, ate some string cheese. I got Bubbles up and dressed. Nursed her a couple times (so, with the LACK of pain doing that, I knew it wasn't Mastitis ... which was my huge fear.) and fielded phone calls for Michael.
  Michael, bless him, called me back and agreed to take the kids to church so I could try to sleep off the pestilence. I did get a good two-hour nap ... where I felt better. Not so delirious  (I knew that I wasn't safe to drive. So, if Michael hadn't gotten the kids, I'd have set them up with a movie while I attempted to sleep. Having a nearly-silent house, though helps so, so, so much).
  I ran a fever for about two days, total. And the lymph nodes in my neck were so swollen and sore. So it hurt to swallow ... but not because of anything inside my throat. My glands are still a little tender, but nowhere near as bad.
  I was better in time to take Bubbles to a Children's Health Expo for a little. And to volunteer in one of the kids' classrooms for reading group (Got to be in Bucket's class this last week. I had missed her class before, since Bruise was sick one week).
• Bruise and Bucket had their dentist appointments.
  Bruise has no cavities. Phew!
  Bucket, sadly, had one ... on a PERMANENT tooth. *sigh*
  We'll get it fixed in February (this place is really busy).
• Bucket gave a talk at church. I missed it, since I was sick-like-unto-death. But I helped her write it and practice it. She got a blessing from Michael so that she could be brave and give her talk in front of all the kids in Junior Primary (the 3-7 year olds). She reported back that it went awesomely. Michael confirmed that she did a very good job. She could have been a little louder ... still, I'm REALLY proud that she was able to get up there and DO it. She's growing a lot.
• We went to the local Christmas Storybook Land ... there are lots of dioramas set up of fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and even children's movies. At the end, Santa is there. Kids get to talk to him, sit on his lap, and get a candy cane.
  We got pictures of all the kids with Santa, all together. Bubbles was fine ... if a little confused. But she didn't scream or cry or anything.
• The kids were excited to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. We "lit" a candle on a felt menorah wall hanging that I picked up. I would have made latkes, but the stupid potatoes all had sprouted. Ugh. We played the Dreidel game yesterday afternoon. And we talked about the history of Hanukkah.
  No, we're not Jewish. But I like Hanukkah. I like learning about other cultures.
  Learning about other cultures makes me happy. And gives me a chance to learn about other people and how they think. And, let's face it, we NEED a LOT more understanding and compassion in this world.
• We celebrated our oldest niece's birthday. We got her art supplies and a book. We ate pizza and chatted with family (while Bruise and Bucket played with their cousins). 
• We also went to our Stake's Christmas Fireside.
  Michael was standing in the back with Bubbles most of the time. And Bruise and Bucket were with him, mostly.
  I was very frustrated for the most part. There were SO, SO many kids who were walking around or talking or playing on iPods/iPads (which isn't terrible ... except when you're in a darkened room. Then  ALL I can do is be distracted by lights and movement in my peripheral vision).
  I just wanted to listen to the people sing ... and either I couldn't really hear them. Or I'd have kids trying to talk to each other over three aisles of chairs ...
  THEN Bubbles decided to throw a tantrum during the closing prayer.
  Michael gave me his keys so that I could escape to the car and cry in private. ... Well, with Bubbles, who I strapped into her car seat while I waited for the kids (with Michael) to get their cookies.

Today, I'm working at getting dishes and laundry done. VERY exciting.

Later, after Michael gets home, we'll all go deliver plates of cookies to our Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching families.

I really ... I hate to say this ... but I'm just not feeling in the Christmas spirit right yet. And I'm worried ... What if this is something that a viewing of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special won't fix??
It's always worked before ... but I'm scared to try it this year. Because, if it doesn't work, what CAN I do??

I've wrapped most of the kids' presents. I've gotten a start on presents for family and teachers ... I'd have finished by now if I had all of the month's paychecks at once (have to wait a week before we can finish).

I think that, no matter what Bubbles is up to, I need to just get out my December books and read through them. And the Christmas Story. And, as Michael suggested, pray. I've been distracted and flightly. I need to treat priorities LIKE priorities.

But, yeah ... I should get started on these (between loads of dishes, laundry, and making dinner):

• The Christmas Story (Luke 2)
• A Christmas Carol
• The Mansion
• The Forgotten Carols
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

And, of course, Christmas movies ... with lashings of hot cocoa, popcorn, and eggnog

• The Charlie Brown Christmas Special
• Mr. Kruger's Christmas
• It's a Wonderful Life
• Elf
• The Muppet's Christmas Carol
• Miracle on 34th Street
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon. Not the Jim Carey one).

After payday, I'm going to buy someone something USEFUL at Heifer.org
And maybe help finance someone at Kiva.org
And maybe help the kids get a present for Toys for Tots.

And I'm going to paint my toenails. Because that NEEDS to be done.
And, while I'm at it, I can give Bucket and Bubbles pedis, too.

And write a Christmas-letter newsletter to email out.
And send out some Christmas cards.

Hopefully, once I get all that done, I'll be totally in the spirit of the season.
And I won't feel like such a horrible person.