Where to begin?

Let’s start with the phone call I received at 7:30 this morning.  It was Tiara’s caretaker, ” My boyfriend and my son both have the stomach flu.  It is crazy over here and I can’t come to work today.” 

me:  “Ok, well you can’t come tomorrow either because even if you aren’t sick, you could be a carrier.  Good Luck and have a nice Christmas!”

Today was the day I was buying all the food for Christmas day, which I host.  Lou was at work, Tabitha was at work and it wasn’t my Mother in laws day to come over.  Ok, which market can I go to and get everything on my list with Tiara in tow?  I decided to try Smart and Final.  Random but it fit the bill. 

Normally when I have lots to buy I put Tiara in the wheelchair and pull the cart with my other hand to keep her contained.  Sadly my shoulders have been killing me and I couldn’t push all 200 pounds with one arm and pull the cart with the other hand, so the only option was for her to walk.  Always a bad option but my choices were limited.  I left Trinity at home watching a Disney Christmas show and Tiara and I left for the store at 9:30am. 

Once I got her into the store she was doing good, but after going through the produce aisle she already wanted to sit down.  I kept telling her ” you have to keep walking if you want to have the party!”  She loves parties more than anyone I know, so it kept her going.  I also told myself that if I forgot anything we would make another trip later in the day, so don’t stress.

We made it out of the store without any tragedies but when I pulled into the driveway at home, out came Trinity in her pajamas.

“Mom, I got locked out!”

me:  “How?”

her:  ” I walked out the front door to go get some spray paint in the garage so I could build something and I didn’t know the knob was turned on the front door.  I went around the house and checked all the doors and everything was locked.  I have been on the front porch in my pajamas for 15 minutes.!!!”

Of course I started laughing my head off.  Before I left with Tiara, I went around to every door and window and made sure they were locked so I wouldn’t have to worry about her being on her own.

Guess she survived.  It was really funny.

Once we got home Tiara kept asking for her Grandma.  I dialed her up and gave Tiara the  phone.  I then started baking batches of fudge, shortbread and magic cookie bars for our friends and family.  I said I wasn’t going to do it this year, but I really wanted to.  I didn’t send a card for the first time in 21 years, so I had to make my baked goods.  Christmas isn’t Christmas without my baked goods.

Anyways, after Tiara’s grandma finally hung up the phone after a 30 minute call, Tiara was mad.  She walked out the back door and because my fudge was at the boiling stage I didn’t follow her.  I was keeping my eye on her but also stirring vigorously.  Suddenly I saw her try and escape to the side of the house which meant she was trying to get out the gate.  I left the fudge for Trinity to stir and went after her.  It was at that point I realized she was no longer holding my phone.  Oh no!!!

I looked over the fence and there floating in my neighbors pool was my phone case.  I ran inside and told Trinity.  I went back to stirring and she went to the neighbors to find my phone.  Yes, she found it in the bottom of their pool, AGAIN!!!!  At this point my mother in law stopped in to drop off some fresh fish, I told her what was going on and she offered to watch TT so I could get a new phone.  I got on the computer and made an appointment for the Genius Bar for 3:00pm.  Perfect, she could leave, eat her lunch and then come back. 

Trinity and I left at 2:30 for the mall but couldn’t find a parking spot.  I finally parked in a dicey spot that didn’t say “no parking” but it was really edgy.  Whatever!  I got help right away at the Genius bar but when they tried to access my warranty it wasn’t on my account.  Luckily I had paid with a credit card and they found that I had purchased the apple warranty but they needed to call it in and link the accounts.  25 minutes later the Genius Bar tech returned and said everything was fixed.  She gave me a new phone, appeared to hook it up and I left.

I got home and went to make a call and I saw a message on my phone that said “SIM CARD INVALID, CALL THE CARRIER.”  What the F….!!!  I put the phone down and walked away.

I finished wrapping all 10 platters of baked goods that I had to deliver tonight.  Tiara kept getting into the platters, Trinity took my fabric scissors so I couldn’t cut the ribbon well and I started freaking out.  I went into full panic, stress Christmas mode which I had been avoiding and doing so well with until that exact moment.  The back of my neck was aching, I was starving, the girls were frustrated with me and I still needed to deliver our stuff and get the girls dinner. 

Oh and during all this chaos, my neighbor came over to fix the molding in my living room which I asked him to fix a month ago.  My couch is pulled out from the wall and he has all his tools spread all over my family room.  I love this guy but the timing was horrible but beggars can’t be choosers.

At this point it is 7:15 pm, the girls are fed, I am still starving, the neighbor is still working, my phone still isn’t functioning, Tiara is on the trampoline, the house is a disaster, and I still need to make another trip to the market which clearly isn’t going to happen tonight.

I will now wish you all a joyous Christmas and blessed holiday because I have lots more to do before tomorrow!

 

xoxo tiffani