We’re in go-mode here –…

We're in go-mode here -- tons of little errands, one after another. It's Christmas, right? Yesterday was:

• finishing my sister's present (which came out GREAT)

• taking Kevin and Kavi to Farrow & Ball downtown, getting potential colors for the kitchen and hall, along with a few wallpaper samples

• going to the library to return books and check out books for next week (I got three more YA fantasy titles -- Patrick Ness, Cassandra Clare, Paolo Bacigalupi

• Magic Tree bookstore for Christmas presents, stocking stuffers for the kids (fairy sticker books and finger puppets for Kavi and Brooke; That's Not My Fairy and That's Not My Pirate for Anand -- he's had us read That's Not My Dragon pretty close to death at this point)

• the UPS store, where I discovered that mailing to Australia is hideously expensive from there, even if they send it via USPS (they mark it up double!) -- so I had them box up Karina's presents, and will take them to the post office on Monday; I've already warned her that she's getting New Year's presents this year.

• PaperSource for wrapping paper, ornaments, more presents, including some stuff that Kavi can make as presents for her relatives (little cardboard boxes to decorate), and a cool Calafant cardboard treehouse (I got one each for Kavi and Brooke -- I thought they'd have fun putting them up and decorating them on Christmas Day, and then we can fold Kavi's back up again and bring it home fairly easily in our suitcases -- that's the theory, anyway):

  

• Bleeding Heart bakery to redeem a Groupon for an assortment of delicious treats

• Back home to cut up and sample said treats (very yummy), before packing them up again to take with Kavi to....

• Our neighbors' annual Christmas party. Linus and Mary (who live across the street at our new house) go hard-core with the Christmas decorating (angels and tinsel and sparklies EVERYWHERE -- I swear there are a thousand angels in that house), and also have catered a truly delectable Polish spread. The pierogis and the meatballs -- to die for. And Kavi ate three huge pieces of Polish sausage. Mmm...

So that was yesterday. Today will involve starting Gian's Xmas present (and hopefully finishing it by tomorrow, hooray for bulky yarn), painting out some samples of the new colors (exciting), getting the kids dressed and over to the new house for a hopefully-Xmas card-worthy photo shoot @ 11, giving the neighbors and Mike & Linda a house tour @ 12, meeting Lori from 1-4 at Cheesecake Factory to try to finish my damn book (I am SO SO SO close), and then coming home and watching the kids so Kev can get a break. Help Kavi decorate her presents. And...collapse. :-)

Monday: take the kids to school @ 8, take the contractors I know well their presents/tip and a basket of sweet treats and coffee (for the rest of the large crew) @ 10, figure out what we're getting my parents and buy it and wrap it (hmm...should maybe do that today if I can), make sure Kevin picks up dog food for Ellie while we're gone, and also picks up any food / diaper / supplies we need for the flight, photograph the yarn gifts and then wrap them, mail Karina's Xmas present and Gian's & Mirna's, and my parents', pack for our Xmas trip, clean the house, pick up the kids from school @ 4, hand Ellie off to Adriana to watch, leave for the airport @ 5.

Whew.