Christmas is only 9 days away, and while that would normally be a very exciting thing for me this year I am having trouble really getting into the spirit. Most likely it's due to lack of snow. How can there not be snow in Minnesota for Christmas? It's like Hawaii without Mai Tai's or Mexico with the sunburn. This is hugely disappointing to me. I also know what I am getting for Christmas this year. I know because I went to Target at midnight on Black Friday, stood in line for an hour, brought it home, handed it to Thomas and said "Here, this is what you bought me for Christmas" just to make sure he got it right this year. And then I sent the web link of the exact purse I wanted (in grey), sent it to Santa Mom and was at her house when it arrived. I actually really wanted this one that cost closer to $1K but Santa Mom wasn't hearing that so I had to compromise. I really have no one but myself to blame but I like to make sure I get what I want.

And just to make Christmas extra fun this year, my mother-in-law decided to come for a visit. And when I say "decided" I don't mean that as a joint decision. Nope. MIL decided LAST TUESDAY that she was coming for Christmas and also that since she didn't want to pony up for airfare she would save herself $60 and buy a train ticket instead even though that means a 14 hour train ride, with a 3.5 hr layover in Chicago and a 10:30 PM ARRIVAL TIME on Christmas Eve. Because, obviously, Thomas and I have nothing better going on at 10:30 pm on xmas eve. I mean, it's not like we're celebrating with my family that night? Or wait, we are. And if she would have checked with us first she would have known that. And did I mention that Thomas has to work Christmas day from 10 am till 9 pm? So, I'm on my own. All day.

I am trying really hard to be excited and gracious and, in the spirit of Christmas, loving, hospitable and joyful but I cannot muster any of these. I am straight-up annoyed. I must say though, that she ahs graciously told us that she would be just perfectly fine with us sending someone else to get her. Because we know so many people who want to drive to the Amtrak station downtown St. Paul on Christmas Eve? Suurrre. I explained to my dear hubs that I would be more than happy to send Mohammed the Cabbie to pick her up. If only because it would make me feel so giddy that she'd have to spend 30 minutes in a confined space with a Muslim. It would probably be good for her. She could use some multi-culturalism in her life. Thomas didn't think that was too funny. So, it will be his ass who gets to head out and pick her up. I will be fueling myself up with wine.

Having my MIL in town over Christmas is not the only exciting thing happening in my life. My pain the ass sister-in-law is pregnant! And while I'm super excited to be an aunt of kids I'll never be allowed near, I am already tired of the incessant emails about pregnancy. That girl is going to drive herself crazy with all the "what ifs" and things that could go wrong. She's got an U/S scheduled for Tuesday and I think she's already convinced herself that she will get a false positive for some unknown genetic disorder.  I told her the only thing she needed to worry about was the baby inheriting the Dahlen head and ripping her from hole to hole. Lol. What? Does that make me mean? She deserves it.

My big project that I decided to start a week before Christmas is the "Remodel" of my bedroom. And by remodel, I mean paint. So, I'm painting. Sherwin Williams "Silvermist". And one day when I actually come in to some money (so, pretty much never) I am going buy some rods to put up the curtains I bought a year ago. I also need to paint the bedroom furniture since ours is from Tom's bachelor days and uber-ugly and new furniture is not in budget.

Merry Christmas to all!