After carefully assembling 4 bikes, wrapping all of the gifts, and cleaning up from our Christmas Eve Party with Geana's family - Geana and I got to bed around 3am. The kids were up around 6am and were convinced to stay in bed until about 7. Then the mayhem started...
Paper was flying, kids were screaming, and Geana and I were having fun sipping our coffee and watching the craziness ensue. It wasn't out of control craziness, but it was certainly five excited kids craziness. My favorite moment was when Anna and Ella were playing in the corner with their My Little Ponys while Sammy was riding through the house on his scooter and the boys were trying to unwrap their Reese's cups from the stockings. A fun time was had by all. (And Santa was sure to eat ALL of the cookies that were left for him this year. That was a big mistake in years past. Sammy couldn't believe that Santa didn't eat everything. He remembered that from last year and commented to us about how he ate it all this time... the things kids remember.)
Finally we were done unwrapping and we moved all of the gifts into the playroom. After playing for several hours, the quads took a nap and Sammy played his V Smile. Geana went upstairs to take a nap and I fell asleep on the couch next to Sammy playing video games. Our neighbor woke me up an hour later when she knocked on the door with some cookies and candy for the kids. I answered the door with a pillow imprint on my face, Sammy in his underwear with chocolate all over his face, and me without my glasses on and an untamed afro. I must have looked like Santa just kicked the shit out of me. She said, "Yeah - I saw your lights on when I got home at around 2 - I figured it was a long night for you guys." She's about 22 years old and just out of college. You know it's bad when a college kid is telling you that you had a long night. (And you also know it's bad when you refer to someone as a "college kid" - when did I get old?)
Anyway - Christmas was a blast. I wish I had pics, but I have not taken them off of the camera yet. (It's been a rough week.)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
'Tis The Season...
I think that people lose sight of what the holidays really mean. You know - Love, Giving, Peace on Earth - those old chestnuts. Instead the rat race intensifies to a point of hilarity. For example...
I went into Commerce Bank last night to purchase 2 $50 Visa Gift cards for the kids' teachers. A woman rushed in the door ahead of me, practically running me over to get in the door. I didn't think anything of it at the time. She bowled over to customer service (where you get the cards) and promptly asked for 45 gift cards in multiple denominations - $10, $25, $50, & $100. Now here's me - behind this lady - I'm only getting two gift cards to her 45. I didn't ask if I could go first, although I probably should have. After all - she did get there before me. It was one of those times where you just grin and bear it and say to yourself, "Well this sucks - I guess I'll just look around the bank and pretend I'm scoping it out for a robbery." I sat down in the chair and waited... and scoped... and plotted.
About 10 minutes later a teller comes over to where I'm sitting and, in a very low tone, says, "Can I help you?" My response, "No thanks - I work alone." A blank stare ensues. (Ok - that didn't really happen, but in my mind it did.)
She proceeds to tell me that I can't purchase the gift cards if I don't have an account with their bank. Should've known that was coming. I shrug it off and figure I can get them at Wawa or something. It just gives me an excuse to find a new location on Geana's new GPS (early Christmas gift.)
As I'm heading out the door with ZERO gift cards, the woman with 45 gift cards actually stops me and says, "I would have let you go in front of me, but I was afraid they wouldn't have enough cards."
I was dumbfounded. Stammering for a response, the only thing I could come up with was to look down and skulk away, unsuccessful in my pursuit. Cardless.
No worries though - she left the store shortly thereafter. I tailed her to her house, stole two gift cards in $50 increments for the teachers, one $100 card for me, and then made my getaway using our new GPS system.
Merry Christmas!
I went into Commerce Bank last night to purchase 2 $50 Visa Gift cards for the kids' teachers. A woman rushed in the door ahead of me, practically running me over to get in the door. I didn't think anything of it at the time. She bowled over to customer service (where you get the cards) and promptly asked for 45 gift cards in multiple denominations - $10, $25, $50, & $100. Now here's me - behind this lady - I'm only getting two gift cards to her 45. I didn't ask if I could go first, although I probably should have. After all - she did get there before me. It was one of those times where you just grin and bear it and say to yourself, "Well this sucks - I guess I'll just look around the bank and pretend I'm scoping it out for a robbery." I sat down in the chair and waited... and scoped... and plotted.
About 10 minutes later a teller comes over to where I'm sitting and, in a very low tone, says, "Can I help you?" My response, "No thanks - I work alone." A blank stare ensues. (Ok - that didn't really happen, but in my mind it did.)
She proceeds to tell me that I can't purchase the gift cards if I don't have an account with their bank. Should've known that was coming. I shrug it off and figure I can get them at Wawa or something. It just gives me an excuse to find a new location on Geana's new GPS (early Christmas gift.)
As I'm heading out the door with ZERO gift cards, the woman with 45 gift cards actually stops me and says, "I would have let you go in front of me, but I was afraid they wouldn't have enough cards."
I was dumbfounded. Stammering for a response, the only thing I could come up with was to look down and skulk away, unsuccessful in my pursuit. Cardless.
No worries though - she left the store shortly thereafter. I tailed her to her house, stole two gift cards in $50 increments for the teachers, one $100 card for me, and then made my getaway using our new GPS system.
Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Decorating for Christmas
First of all - Geana and I have been dreading the decorating this season. The quads are three and the boys will wreck any and everything that gets in their way. What's the point of decorating if all of your decorations are going to get destroyed??
As you may know - we got our Christmas Tree two weekends ago and not decorate it when we got it home because the Steelers were playing a big game against the Patriots and we had to give our undivided attention to Big Ben and Fast Willie at 4:15 sharp. So - our tree has been sitting in our living room for a week... naked (except for the Terrible Towel that I hung from one branch but promptly removed after the game.) This weekend, the plan was to decorate the tree. Geana stayed up at her sister's on Friday night so I cleaned up the house (after I watched my alma mater win the PA Class AAA State Football Championship on PCN!) I broke out the decorations on Saturday morning, awaiting her return. The kids were psyched! They couldn't wait for Mommy to get home and for us to start decorating. Well.... turns out Daddy made a slight miscalculation - we weren't decorating until SUNDAY! Oops.
Needless to say - the kids were quite miffed - so James took it upon himself to do a little decorating all alone. I put a bottle of nail polish on the steps as I was cleaning the night before (to take up the next trip up). I had completely forgotten it was there and in all of the celebration of the Jags winning the States I seem to have left it there. Oops again... While we were in the kitchen getting ready for the day, James grabbed the bottle, opened it up, and started painting our couch. When I caught him, he said in the most innocent of voices, "I was just decoratin' for Christmas - Daddy." Grrr..... Every mistake that I had made in the past two days was brought to fruition with his painting of the couch. I promised decorating today - wrong. I left the polish on the steps - wrong. I wasn't paying attention to who was in the kitchen while we were getting dressed - wrong. And now I had a wonderful PURPLE couch to show for it.
Sometimes things just don't go your way.
As you may know - we got our Christmas Tree two weekends ago and not decorate it when we got it home because the Steelers were playing a big game against the Patriots and we had to give our undivided attention to Big Ben and Fast Willie at 4:15 sharp. So - our tree has been sitting in our living room for a week... naked (except for the Terrible Towel that I hung from one branch but promptly removed after the game.) This weekend, the plan was to decorate the tree. Geana stayed up at her sister's on Friday night so I cleaned up the house (after I watched my alma mater win the PA Class AAA State Football Championship on PCN!) I broke out the decorations on Saturday morning, awaiting her return. The kids were psyched! They couldn't wait for Mommy to get home and for us to start decorating. Well.... turns out Daddy made a slight miscalculation - we weren't decorating until SUNDAY! Oops.
Needless to say - the kids were quite miffed - so James took it upon himself to do a little decorating all alone. I put a bottle of nail polish on the steps as I was cleaning the night before (to take up the next trip up). I had completely forgotten it was there and in all of the celebration of the Jags winning the States I seem to have left it there. Oops again... While we were in the kitchen getting ready for the day, James grabbed the bottle, opened it up, and started painting our couch. When I caught him, he said in the most innocent of voices, "I was just decoratin' for Christmas - Daddy." Grrr..... Every mistake that I had made in the past two days was brought to fruition with his painting of the couch. I promised decorating today - wrong. I left the polish on the steps - wrong. I wasn't paying attention to who was in the kitchen while we were getting dressed - wrong. And now I had a wonderful PURPLE couch to show for it.
Sometimes things just don't go your way.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Survivor Thoughts
As some of you may not know, I'm an avid fan of Survivor (and have been since season 1). I have to say - Todd is one of the most entertaining winners in Survivor history. He's a prick. He's an egomaniac. He knows it - and he embraces it! (Richard Hatch anyone??) He's much more entertaining than someone like... say... Yul. Gotta love when the "good guys" gets voted off early.
Also - this had to be the trashiest cast ever (at least near the end). The stereotypes are ridiculous! You got Denise the lunch lady with a mullet. You got James the grave digger who is too dumb to play the hidden idles. There is Todd slimy the gay flight attendant from Utah. I'm not sure what it was about Jaime but she had a definite trace of southern trash in her as well. Jean Robert (my favorite character) tries to be the coolest dude in the world and may be able to appear as egotistical and confident, but is completely rooted in insecurity. I love people that you can see right through their facade. I only wish that Dave had lasted longer... he was just too much of a prick. Courtney was annoying and reminded me of so many female artists that I went to school with - AND she was disgusting to look at!
Not too entertaining of a post tonight... sorry. Tomorrow I'll start tracking the "Morris Family Survivor."
Also - this had to be the trashiest cast ever (at least near the end). The stereotypes are ridiculous! You got Denise the lunch lady with a mullet. You got James the grave digger who is too dumb to play the hidden idles. There is Todd slimy the gay flight attendant from Utah. I'm not sure what it was about Jaime but she had a definite trace of southern trash in her as well. Jean Robert (my favorite character) tries to be the coolest dude in the world and may be able to appear as egotistical and confident, but is completely rooted in insecurity. I love people that you can see right through their facade. I only wish that Dave had lasted longer... he was just too much of a prick. Courtney was annoying and reminded me of so many female artists that I went to school with - AND she was disgusting to look at!
Not too entertaining of a post tonight... sorry. Tomorrow I'll start tracking the "Morris Family Survivor."
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